Chapter 78
Harin's POV
The little boy tilted his head slightly,
"Umma… why is noona crying…?"
The woman knelt down and lightly patted his hair, shushing him softly before looking at me with gentle concern.
The man approached me slowly, then stopped a few steps away and crouched down so we were at eye level.
"Hey… are you alright?"
I wiped my face quickly, embarrassed that he'd seen me like this.
"I'm… I'm fine."
He smiled at that, as if he already knew I wasn't being entirely honest.
"Did something happen to make you sit out here all alone like this?"
I just shook my head.
"You can tell us. Maybe we can help you."
I stayed silent.
He smiled kindly at me, even though I stayed silent, before looking at his wife.
The woman stepped closer, taking off her coat and draping it over my shoulders. It was warm.
"You'll catch a cold sitting out here like this," she said softly. "How old are you, dear?"
I hesitated.
"…Fourteen."
Her expression changed just a little. Concern deepened in her eyes.
"Oh dear… and you're alone at this hour?"
I nodded.
"That's not right. Come on, let me take you to your home. Your parents must be worried sick right now."
My body tensed instantly.
"N—no, I don't want to." I stepped back without thinking. There was no way I wanted to go back home right now after what had happened. I wasn't ready yet.
Both of them froze, clearly startled by my reaction.
The woman exchanged a quick glance with her husband before turning back to me.
"Hey, it's okay. We're not trying to force you. We're just worried about you."
"I don't want to go," I repeated, my voice shaking.
The man rubbed the back of his neck, conflicted.
"It's getting late. And it's not safe for a child to be out here alone."
The woman crouched down.
"Then let us at least do this. If you don't want to go home right now, that's okay. But you can't stay out here all night."
I didn't answer.
"Why don't you come to our place instead? We'd be worried if we left you here all alone. It's dangerous out here."
"No it's okay, you don't have to. I'll be fine. Really."
"Even if you say that, still, you shouldn't be out here like this."
"No.. it's alright I—"
*Growl*
Before I could finish, my stomach betrayed me.
My face heated up instantly. I looked away, mortified, pressing my lips together.
The woman paused.
"…Have you eaten yet?"
I shook my head.
Just then, the little boy who had been standing quietly beside them tugged lightly at my sleeve.
"Noona… come with us. At home… there's lots of yummy food."
For a moment, I was stunned.
The woman chuckled softly. "See? Even he's worried about you."
"Just come with us, okay? Get some rest first, and you can decide what you want to do later," the man said.
I hesitated again. Not because I was afraid of them. I could tell they were kind people. But because I did not want to become a burden. Still, if I did not go with them… where would I sleep tonight? I had left home with nothing.
"Let's go."
After a moment, I simply nodded and followed them.
_____
We finally arrived at their apartment. It turned out they lived in an apartment complex not far from the bus stop.
We took the elevator, and after a short while, we reached their unit.
When I stepped inside, I immediately noticed how decent and comfortable the apartment felt.
The living room was not large, yet it was tidy. Family photos lined one side of the wall. I found myself staring at them for a moment. They all looked genuinely happy. Without realizing it, my thoughts drifted to the family photo hanging in my own home.
We looked happy too. But now, I was no longer sure whether that happiness had been genuine… or just something my parents had been pretending to show me.
"Welcome to our house," the woman said, pulling me back to the present. "Please, make yourself comfortable."
"T-Thanks."
The man taking off his jacket and hanging it neatly by the door. He then rolled up his sleeves and headed toward the kitchen.
"Go ahead and sit down first. I'll get you something warm to drink."
Before I could refuse, she was already in the kitchen. I heard cups being taken from the cabinet, water being poured, and the soft sizzle of meat hitting a pan. Unsure of what else to do, I sat down on the sofa and waited.
A moment later, the man returned, followed by the woman carrying a mug and a bowl. She carefully placed them in front of me. The bowl held warm rice topped with thin slices of bulgogi, lightly glazed and still steaming.
"Here, drink this tea, It'll help warm you up," she said as she and her husband sat across from me. The little boy sat quietly beside her. "And eat this too, while it's warm."
"Thank you. I'm sorry for troubling you."
"Aigo, don't say that. You haven't troubled us at all. Please, don't worry about it."
I just smile, wrapping my hands around the mug and taking a small sip. The tea was warm and fragrant. After that, I picked up the spoon and tasted the bulgogi. The meat was tender and mildly sweet, the rice warm beneath it. I realized I hadn't noticed how hungry I actually was until now.
"It tastes good, doesn't it?" the man asked jokingly. "My wife's really skilled at cooking."
She nudged him lightly with her elbow.
I smiled faintly and nodded.
"Yes. It really does taste good."
They both exhaled quietly, as if relieved and happy that I liked the food. After a while, I finally finished the meal and took one last sip of the tea. The food was so delicious that I hadn't even realized I had eaten it all. I just hoped my face didn't look too silly while enjoying it.
"T-Thank you so much for the food."
"I'm glad you like it. I was a little worried it might not suit your taste."
"No, not at all. I really like it. This is the best meal I've had in a while."
"Oh my, you're flattering me," she laughed.
I looked down shyly, realizing I might have said too much.
"Oh, that reminds me," the man interrupted. "We were in such a hurry earlier that we forgot to ask. What is your name?"
I straightened my posture slightly without realizing it.
"My name is… Harin."
"That's a lovely name."
The man nodded in agreement.
"I'm Kim Seojun," he said. "And my wife here, her name is Lee Sunhee."
She gave a small nod, then gently rested her hand on the little boy's head, lightly caressing his hair.
"And this little one here… come on, tell noona your name."
The little boy looked up when he was mentioned. He blinked at me with wide eyes, then gave a shy smile while still holding onto his mother's hand.
"…I'm… Haemin," he said in a small voice.
I found myself smiling back at him. Seeing him up close, he was really adorable. His eyes were large and round, and his skin looked soft and fair. At first glance, I almost thought he was a little girl.
Ms. Sunhee noticed her son's expression and smiled softly.
"Sorry… he's a bit shy around people he's just met."
I didn't mind at all. If anything, it only made him more endearing.
And then, the clock on the wall let out a soft chime, the sound echoing gently through the living room, signaling that it was already past midnight.
"Oh my, it's already so late. You must be exhausted. We can talk again in the morning. Come on, I'll show you the room so you can rest."
"N-No, it's fine," I said quickly. "I can sleep on the sofa. I don't want to trouble you any more than I already have."
"No, no. That won't do. You're our guest. We can't let you sleep on the sofa."
"I really don't mind."
Mr. Kim glanced at his wife, then back at me, letting out a helpless chuckle. "Please don't argue with her. If you keep refusing, she won't sleep at all."
"But…"
"Come on now, don't be shy," Ms. Lee said, already gesturing for me to follow her. Haemin was standing beside her too, waiting quietly.
Feeling it would be rude to keep refusing, I decided to follow her. She led me down the short hallway and opened a door, revealing a small but neat room. The bed was already made, with a simple blanket folded carefully at the foot.
"Get some rest, alright. If you need anything, our room is just down the hall."
"Thank you."
She nodded and stepped out. Haemin lingered for a moment, then gave me a small wave before quietly following her. His gesture brought a smile to my face, and I waved back at him.
After they left, I sat down on the bed and then lay back, letting out a long sigh. I could not believe I had actually run away from home without thinking it through. But if I had stayed, the guilt would have eaten me alive. I let out another quiet sigh.
Mr. Kim and Ms. Lee were truly good people. To think they were helping me so sincerely, without even knowing who I was. And their family looked happy too. Even though they lived in a small apartment, they felt complete. Unlike mine. Despite living in a large, luxurious house, yet somehow it often felt empty.
My thoughts slowly drifted back to my parents.
I felt terrible for running away like that. I wondered what they were doing right now. Were they looking for me? Were they worried? Or were they still arguing, not even realizing I was gone?
I did not know what I should do anymore. Part of me still blamed myself for what had happened between them. Another part of me wanted to blame my father for everything that led to this.
Was there still hope for us to be like we used to be?
Slowly, tears fall down my cheeks again. My mind felt completely overwhelmed and I could not think of anything anymore.
Before I knew it, my eyes closed, and sleep finally took me.