13th➳

"Ahjusshi! You can't just take them away from me! I'm their legal guardian, don't you know? And what kind of orphanage doesn't let the kids roam around freely without some man following them around everywhere?!" I shouted, despite agreeing I wouldn't make a scene. 

Joshua and I sat next to each other in the uncomfortable, bamboo woven chairs with a cushion under our bums while facing the big man with Hoya and Jaemin avoiding eye contact.

"Juseonghahaeyo, agasshi. Everything has been planned and Hoya and Jaemin will stay at The House of Hope. There's no changing that," the man said, making it final.

"But I can be their guardian! I am their cousin! I can take care of themㅡ"

"I'm sorry, but you are not a suitable guardian for these two," the mean guy cut me off. "Hoya and Jaemin-sshi are better off if they stayed at The House of Hope."

I turned my attention back to the two boys who were silent and staring at their thighs. Crossing my hands over my chest, I asked them in a soft voice, "What about you kids? Do you even feel comfortable at that place?"

I saw Hoya's mouth quiver but one glance at the big man, he closed his mouth abruptly. "Nae... noona."

There's something not right here. There must be more to the story they've told me. Giving the big man a scowl, I said, "This isn't over and resolved yet. I'll earn the right to take care of my cousins. Just you wait!"

I pushed the chair back and stood up, glancing at Hoya and Jaemin one last time before I left the table. Joshua quickly followed behind me, catching up to me while I walked at a fast pace. He grabbed onto my wrist, stopping me from walking any further. "Nari, wait."

"That man is a jerk! How can he just take away my cousins like he owns them?! This is absurd!" I shouted in frustration. Even if I knew very well that it wasn't his fault and that he didn't do anything wrong, I found myself taking out my anger on him. When I saw his changed expression, I quickly said, "I'm... I'm sorry. I'm just... I don't like what's happening now. I need time to cool down."

I tried to break free from his grip, but it only tightened. "Nari, want... want to go somewhere with me? I don't like seeing you like this. I don't like seeing the girl who always smiles down."

For the first time ever, I was taken aback by such words. Glancing at his direction, my expression changed into a surprised and then a confused one. "No one has ever said that to me. They've always left me be without trying to comfort me."

Joshua gave me a small smile and said, "Then those people aren't the type who are willing to try. Do you give up when you fail an exam? Do you give up the tire of the car goes flat? Do you? You shouldn't. Just because something bad happens, doesn't mean your life will continue down a bad pathway. It's just going its way and your life means it'll have a twist of both good and bad, whether you like it or not. It's to teach us things we take granted for and sometimes, make us even wiser."

The words that use to bore me whenever I listened to somehow sounded assuring and gave me the strength to go on with my life. Even when my cousins seem to be living in some treacherous life. 

Giving a smile to Joshua, I said, "Thank you for that. I never knew words could give you strength and a push. I always thought they were boring but now... now I see why some people like reading books."

Joshua then slowly let go of my wrist and casually threw his hand into his pockets. I gave him back the jacket earlier because he looked so frozen and stiff from the cold. "Do you still want to go somewhere with me?"

"No, I'd like to go home." It was the first time I actually longed for home. Sure, that place was filled with broken pieces of memories and the smell of soju and a sober Mom, but it was still a place of reassurance of peace, even when it wasn't always left that way.

So when I parted ways with Joshua, I felt like I grew up a bit, despite my will to stay young and childish. No matter how hard we try, we'll grow up and mature a little. Maybe I won't change the ways of always thinking about magic, swords and magical quests from watching kids' movies, but now I think of other things, too. Like how to get Hoya and Jaemin out of that place.

♥

"Kwon Nari!" It was a little after the bell rang when I heard Joshua's sweet voice call my name. When I turned around, I found Joshua jogging up to me in the hallway with his presentable smile. "Annyeong."

"Hi," I greeted back in English, then gave him a grin before disappearing into the classroom. Joshua followed behind me.

Before I took a seat, I caught Minah giving me her usual glare whenever I entered the classroom with Joshua. Luckily, after that incident a week ago, she's never tried to disturb me. Plus, she got nine punishment points for gathering around with her friends in an empty alleyway. No matter how many times Minah tried to explain to the teacher, he wasn't convinced she didn't do anything wrong. That's what happens when you get caught by that bald teacher who carries a stick aroundㅡhe'll never believe you, true or not.

Plus, Joshua wouldn't let it go if Minah tried to harass me again. I swear, if Minah tried to unleash another side of Joshuaㅡthe side I don't want to seeㅡI'll make sure she lives her life in hell.

"Have you guys been doing your tasks well?" our art teacher asked once he entered the classroom. Several classmates that cluttered around the classroom sat back in their seats and stayed quiet.

Right. I forgot about that stupid drawing task. Can't I just sketch Joshua's face and then draw a butterfly on his head? When it comes to the word sweet, somehow, a butterfly comes to mind. Or maybe it's because of B1A4's song, Sweet Girl, that made me think that way. What? I may be childish, but I know a few things about a teenager's life, too.

Joshua was keen about the topic, however, and when he glanced over to me, he gave me a big smile. Leaning closer, he whispered, "I've already started."

That made me feel pressured. What if the sketch I drew disappointed Joshua? For some odd reason, I felt like a child in front of him. Like a child, I wanted to do my best to try and impress him with a drawing. But it's been so long since I sketched or even doodled. I was always just daydreaming.

Seconds, minutes, hours passed and finally, the last bell of school rang. While everyone were in a hurry to pack their things and go home, I remained in my seat, staring at the desk with thoughts surrounding my mind like clouds forming on a rainy day.

"Aren't you going, Nari?" Before any thoughts could start, a voice called out to me. When I looked up, snapping back into reality, I saw Joshua staring at me with concern.

"Huh? Oh, well, I fell into a daze. I'll just quickly pack up," I told him, standing up from my seat and packing up. Having thoughts always trouble you made my headache and finally, I decided to stop with them.

But Joshua must have been staring at me the whole time because when I brought a hand up to touch my head because of the headache that formed by over thinking, he immediately asked me, "Are you okay, Nari?"

I nodded in reply, slinging my bag onto one shoulder, then the other. "I'm okay. I just felt nauseous for a second. We should get going. We shouldn't be late to the convenient store."

Walking there side by side was awkward because of the silent atmosphere. None of us tried to start a conversation. Joshua tried, though. But I kept on answering with short answers that he stopped trying to talk to me. The silence was awkward, but as the same time, it felt content.

We arrived at the convenient store no later than three in the afternoon, we put our bags away and began working after putting on our aprons. Customers came at different times and it wasn't always a pack of them. For the first two hours, we only had two customers come in.

"It's weird to see little Nari act like this," Joshua suddenly spoke while I swept the floors of the empty convenient store. It was past five thirty and there were no customers at all.

I was silent, not in the mood for any jokes. I was acting a little off, even I noticed it. But even with the realization, I couldn't act like the old Nari. What about Jaemin's debt? What am I even working for?

"I didn't have to want to say this but... I think I can help you get the information you want and you're looking for."

That caught my attention and I stopped sweeping the floors to face Joshua. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to brag about money again but... You know in dramas how the rich characters can look into anything?" Joshua asked me.

I nodded in reply, waiting to see where this was going.

"I can do that too. I'll do it if you want. If you look more into it, there's no other way to find the truth. I'll just wait for you to say yes. If it's a no, just forget about this whole conversation," Joshua said.

I wanted to go on about how he was bragging about his money again but I refrained myself for doing so because that might be my only option. From what I saw before, it seemed like they weren't able to tell me the truth. None of them were even close to. I looked back at Joshua, who was waiting for an answer. With my choice as clear as a clean window, I gave him a nod.

I just hope this will all be worth it.

♥

The process didn't even take that long. A few days later and Joshua's already got the information filed in a brown envelope. He hasn't opened it because he said he wanted me to see if first. Typical Joshua.

So when the bell rang for lunch break, the two of us immediately rushed to the music room, where no one would find us. Not many people go to the music room during lunch break. In fact, it's practically empty throughout the whole month. The only time it was actually used was when I heard Jihoon playing. I haven't seen him since.

Taking a seat next to the wall near Joshua after turning the lights on, I waited until Joshua opened the envelope. Once he did, I felt my heart suddenly pound harder and harder. I was anxious.

Joshua took out some sheets of paper from the envelope but instead of reading it out to me, he handed it to me instead. "You should read it first, Nari. They are your cousins after all."

I didn't know whether to felt thankful because now I just felt more anxious. It was time I found out the truth on their sudden disappearance and why they never told me they left for an orphanage. I would have understand. Yet, they made me find out the hard way.

I began reading the content of the papers. They were files of The House of Hope, a few remarks and news about it and then my cousins' information. But the next thing I read was probably so confidential they kept it out of public's eye.

Kwon Hoya and Kwon Jaemin forced to The House of Hope. The men working in the said orphanage rushed into an apartment room they resided one afternoon and took them away, leaving just a small note behind to make it less suspicious. Troubled boys are meant to stay in an orphanage if no one takes them in.

~Author's Notes~

Okay, maybe that was lame, but I hope you enjoyed anyway :3

Who watched Seventeen's teaser? I was shaking when I heard the "neo yappeuda". I'm imagining what would happen if I watched the actual music video. I might cause havoc in my own country because of extreme shaking and screaming HAHAHA

xoxo

Byun Sang Kyung