The two rugged figures stood three feet apart.

He stood tall with his bloodied suit, and she faced him in her dusty clothes that were two sizes too big for her. The bright pink backpack he had just bought proudly on her back.

Five police cars and multiple cops surrounded them. But they were in their own world.

He stared hard at her, like he was engraving her face into his mind.

“You’re on your own now.” he stated.

“You can do it, right?”

She bit her cracked lips and tentatively nodded her head.

He continued to stare at her, an aching pain tearing at his heart.

“Just once… let me hug you, just once.” He pleaded.

The seconds ticked by as they stared at each other.

Smiling, she opened her arms.

As tears filled his eyes, he dropped to his knees.

So-mi ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck.

His arms reached around and held on to her tight.

“Ahjussi, are you crying?” she innocently asked.

He choked a laugh as the tears streamed down his face.

They stayed there, holding onto each other like their lives depended on it until someone put a hand on his shoulder.

“Cha Tae-shik, it’s time to go.” The officer announced.

Pulling away, he held onto her little shoulders.

“Be brave, kid.” He whispered.

He looked her in the eyes one last time and then stood up.

As he was being led away, her tears came tumbling down her cheek and she ran after him.

“Ahjussi! Ahjussi!” she cried.

His chest clenched tightly but he did not look back.

Detective Kim Chi-won glanced between the two of them and sighed.

Another officer held So-mi back and dragged her away to another car.

* * * * *

Two weeks later.

Cha Tae-shik, twenty-seven year old male, pleaded guilty to thirty-three cases of voluntary manslaughter. Due to special considerations will now be sentenced to a ten year prison term with a minimum seven year good behavior parole.

Donning an atrociously orange prison suit, Tae-shik scanned his home for the next few years. An eclectic array of figures spread around the facility. Holding onto the small bundle of supplies, he was led to a bunk. As he walked by, some glanced over in fear, some with indifference and some with ferocity. Settling down, he leaned his back against the cold, hard wall and stared out the metal barred window.

Yeon-soo ah, how are you doing up there?

I probably won’t be able to visit you for a while now. I’m sorry.

When I get out, I’ll bring your favourite flowers.

As he thought of his wife, her face slowly morphed into one of a little girl.

So-mi ah, what are you doing right now? Are you safe now?

Please watch over her for me Yeon-soo ah.

* * * * *

So-mi sped through the playground. Hot on her heels were three boys who had steam coming out of their ears.

“Stop running! How dare you run away after what you did!” The red faced leader of the pack shouted.

“Do you take me for a fool? Only an idiot would stop running and let you beat them up.” She puffed.

“Aish, stop running you stupid girl!” he hollered back.

So-mi continued to weave her way through trees, equipment and other children until suddenly she felt a jerk from the back of her neck.

Carefully looking up, she locked eyes with the orphanage principal Mr. Seo. At the same time, the boys jolted to a stop in front of them, huffing and puffing.

“Why are you running around like headless chickens? What if someone gets hurt? What if you get hurt?!” he demanded.

So-mi hung her head guiltily. She looked like a kitten in its mother’s mouth as Mr. Seo held onto the back of her hoodie tightly.

One of the boys piqued up.

“But Mr. Seo, look what So-mi did to us!” they all held up their hands.

When Mr. Seo saw their painted nails, he nearly burst out laughing. So-mi had struck again, the boys each had a red painted nail with a >.< face on it. How cute.

He turned back, looked sternly at So-mi and scolded.

“Jung So-mi! How many times do I have to tell you to stop painting other people’s nails while they are sleeping?!”

The boys grinned and stuck their tongues out as they watched her get told off.

“And boys! Just because So-mi painted your nails, doesn’t give you the right to hurt other people!”

So-mi shot them a smirk.

“Now all four of you, stand against that wall and raise your hands until dinner time!”

With grunts of complaints and displeasure, the kids dawdled towards the wall, kicking at the dirt as they went.

Turning away, Mr. Seo looked at his own colourful nails and laughed.

* * * * *

Mr. Seo sat down at his office desk. A pile of papers scattered in front of him. Trying to organize the mess, a file fell onto the floor.

Jung So-mi. Eight years old. Social services case 37541. Known parent, deceased. Relatives, unknown.

The poor girl came crying.

The cops provided brief details of trauma and incident and left her.

She was a strong girl. She opened up soon enough, but the kids had not warmed up to her yet.

With a sad smile, he put away the file.

* * * * *

They had just finished dinner. All the kids sat around the common room, some chatting, some playing games and some watching TV.

So-mi sat in front of the TV, before she didn’t have much of a chance to watch TV because they didn’t have one at home.

The news channel was on, Mr. Seo didn’t let them watch anything unless it was educational. As she watched the screen, a familiar face appeared.

“AHJUSSI!” she cried out. Standing up, she took a closer look at the screen.

“Cha Tae-shik, a pawnshop broker has been sentenced to prison…”

Before the broadcast finished, So-mi had already run out the door. She wasn’t sure which way to go but she knew she needed to see her ahjussi.

The sudden blaring of horns and the indistinct cacophony of sounds blasted her as she found herself on a main road. Running to the nearest person she asked for directions to the nearest police station. Repeating the directions under her breath she thanked the stranger and ran off again.

On she went, turning left and right, running through traffic lights, dodging cars until she stood outside the police station. Catching her breath, she stepped through the doors.