DAY 0034

"Are you going home already?" Youngji asked while she was fixing her bag. Hongbin was done teaching her for the day, and she doesn't want to go home yet.

"Hm," Hongbin paused as he closed his bag. "Maybe, maybe not. Why?"

"Do you want to go somewhere?"

"As long as it's a safe place," he answered.

She chuckled. "It's child-friendly."

After their small talk, they started walking out of the library until they reached the main gate. Hongbin asked Youngji to wait for a little because N asked him some errands the last minute. The girl didn't mind as long as they'll reach their destination before the sun sets. After ten minutes, Hongbin went back to the main gate. They started to go to their destination after he rested for a short time.

"We're here," Youngji said as they went down from the bus.

"But that's a…" Hongbin trailed off at the thought.

"—a playground. Are we too childish for this?"

He shook his head and smiled. "No, not at all."

She pulled his arm and went straight to the swings. Hongbin was there sitting while watching her ride down the slide. Youngji laughed and Hongbin followed. From behind, she suddenly pushed the swing where Hongbin was seated. Good thing he was holding on to the sides or he'll fall in an instant. As revenge, he pulled her to ride the seesaw and let her stay above the ground for two minutes. All they did was laugh and have fun.

After having a break, Youngji went close to the monkey bars. Hongbin followed her and saw the nervousness on her face. He wanted to ask why, but Youngji tried to cross the ride already. She was already in the middle when her hands started to feel pain. She was about to have her grip on the next bar when she lost her grip on the last one.

"Youngji!" Hongbin screamed as he run fast to catch her.

His timing was just right as he caught the girl in his arms. Although his mind tells him to let go of her, he examined her face out of the blue. He realized how beautiful she is without any traces of makeup. Her eyes were big too, just like his. Youngji did the same and looked at him as if she wouldn't see him again.

"Uh," she suddenly blurted out as she realized she was still in Hongbin's arms. The guy slowly put her down and looked at the opposite direction after.

"Are you okay?" He asked without looking at her. "I'm sorry if I got carried away. I wasn't able to put you down fast."

"It's no big deal. I forgot the fact that I was in your arms for a moment," she replied as she was fixing herself. "Sorry for being heavy though."

Hongbin just chuckled and looked at her. "Not bad."

She laughed at his response. They slowly went back to the swings and took a rest. It was a long day for them, considering Hongbin had his tutor duty with Youngji and they still went here to play and rest.

"How was Lee Hongbin in his childhood?" She asked after few minutes of silence.

Hongbin raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"What were you when you were young?"

He looked at the playground to think. He couldn't find words he could use to explain how he was when he was young. In the end, he could almost tell nothing.

"Lee Hongbin before was just ordinary," he started off. "He was like any other kid who goes to school, plays with cars and video games, and goes to the playground at some point. Honestly, my life was somehow boring before. I wanted adventure, but my parents told me that they wanted me safe rather than being sorry if I ever get hurt. I followed because I love them so much, and I don't want to disappoint them. There's nothing extraordinary of me in short. Why?"

"Nothing," she shyly replied. "I was just curious."

Hongbin nodded and looked at the sunset that was coming through. Not that he wasn't curious about little Park Younji, but he know she'll tell something soon. That's what he learned about her, she asks someone about something and shares what happens to her after some silence.

And boy, he was right.

"I sometimes hope my life was ordinary like yours," she whispered.

"Why?"

"My life was a mess before."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He sincerely asked.

Youngji nodded and started talking.

"Before I was a badass, my life wasn't perfect. Remember that I told you I was adopted?" He nodded. "It was a total mess before that. My parents were one hell of a ty life. My father was a drug pusher. My mom was a gambler. They've been telling me before that they're super busy with their jobs when they leave me alone at home. It turns out they were going to their respective business. My dad goes to an abandoned building to give out drugs that they need to sell. My mom engages in vices because she told me it would help us be rich. But no, it was hell after that. My dad got killed because of the drugs he brought to China. My mom had a large debt because she didn't have money after using it in the casino. Damn, my parents could've raised me as a normal daughter, but they made me open my eyes to a ty world no one wants to face.

"There was one day I never expected to come into my life that fast. I was going home from school when someone grabbed me and placed me inside a van. I wanted to call mom, but I couldn't grab my phone from my pocket. My hands and feet were tied, and I couldn't say anything because of the handkerchief around my mouth. I passed out after trying my best, until I found myself in the abandoned building dad used to sell drugs. There, I saw my mom with someone putting a knife around her neck. I was damn terrified over there. I couldn't say anything because one wrong move would kill us all. I tried not to speak, but I heard mom whisper something before the man behind her stabbed her in her chest. That line broke me down to pieces so much.

"I'm sorry if we made you grow up like this. Go change for the better, my daughter. We'll always be proud of you no matter what." (Youngji's biological mother)

"The kidnappers left us after it happened. All I ever did was touch my mom's face before she breathed her last. She was crying yet I couldn't do anything. I could've brought her to the hospital, but my mind wasn't functioning clearly. The only thing that could register in my mind back then was my mom was stabbed and was about to die. No more, no less.

"I found myself in an hospital the next day. The doctor told me I passed out, and someone happened to find me in that old abandoned building. My mom was brought to the hospital too, but there's no use. She was dead already. The only thing the hospital could do was do final assessments and arrange papers needed to settle my mom's funeral. I only found out a week after that the ones who brought me to the hospital decided to just cremate my mom's body, and they are already arranging papers about my adoption. I had no reason to reject them, so I agreed. My parents passed away, and I had no one left in the family to guide me. Besides, they took care of me when I was in the hospital, and I wanted to have a new start in my life. That's when I became a Park and left my original last name, Heo, in the past."

Hongbin was silent the whole time. He didn't bother asking Youngji questions even though his curiosity is feeding him. He was there to listen to Youngji's pain, and to comfort her in the very least.

"Sorry for the long story," she softly said. "I just wanted to let it out already."

"It's fine. At least a part of you has been released from yourself," he assured. "But why were you a badass in Woollim? You wanted a new start, but why did you start in a negative way?"

She shyly smiled before answering. "That was a disguise. The news about my parents flashed through the television, and the first thing that came into my head was people would judge me. I was a daughter of a drug pusher and a gambler. Who would even want those parents, right? That's where my mean started. My plan to disguise myself worked. My features, my actions, everything was a show. But as time passed by, I got used to it. The Parks were already concerned, that's why I moved into Jelpi."

The only thing Hongbin could do right now is to nod at her. He wants to comfort the girl, but he doesn't know how. He at comforting people. He tried comforting N when the girl he like rejected him. He tried to make Ken happy when Hani died. He tried to assure Ravi that everything will be fine in the future. Even Hyuk and Leo. But in the end, he wasn't the comforting type. He was only a good listener, and a good counselor if they needed advice.

"I'm sorry I couldn't comfort you," he whispered. "I'm a good listener, but comforting people isn't my cup of tea. I'll try to be here for you. That's what friends are for, right? I hope I could help by staying by your side and listen to your agonies."

Youngji started to cry. She never knew that the person rough on her would be the person to listen to her. Lee Hongbin, the comforting (although he says he isn't good at comforting) one? No, not a chance. Especially that he was rough on her the first few days when they met.

"Thank you for accepting me, even though my past was a wreck. I'm not expecting that you'll stay with me for a long time, but I'll always and forever be thankful if you do. Thank you, Hongbin."

Instead of answering, he got his handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to her. "Wipe your tears, and start your new life with me, with us. We'll help you every step of the way."

She lightly tapped his back. "Damn, you are making me cry more!"

Hongbin just chuckled. He had nothing to say more but to take Youngji home as the sun starts to vanish from the sky.

Day 0034 | 06:20 by multipaenida

it's been 3-4 days since i last updated this one! but don't worry, i came back and update this w/ 3 new chapters! thank you so much for giving this a shot hehe (awkwardly smiles) i hope you'll stay until the end!

and in case someone would ask about this, when i say the look (ex. hongbin gave the look to vixx), it's like my way of saying the would-you-mind kind of face. just saying hahaha

​xoxo, jays

ps. since we've reached 10 chapters already, i'll not update for the meantime to check and edit some stuff here in 06:20. i'll make that as a habit, okay? that's all. love you.