7 The Child With His Smile

It rained. Still raining as Akane cycle around the road, basking in the water droplets falling on her, drenching her further, making her clothes stick to her like a second skin.

"Where's your umbrella?" A girl ask when she saw Akane stop right beside her at the bus stop, "Papa says rain makes you sick, are you not afraid of getting sick?"

Akane stared at the little girl, smile gracing her face when she recognised the girl.

"I love soaking in the rain and I'm not afraid of getting sick either." Akane replies. She got off her cycle and crouches down in front of the girl. "Where is your papa, and why are you here alone Oh Ran shi?"

Oh Ran look at her with her big brown eyes and finally smiles, all gummy and sweet.

"Are you a friend of my papa?" Oh Ran asked, voice excited and jumping on her heels as she looks at the pretty women, "You're prettier then my mom, but don't tell her I told you that you're prettier, okay?"

"If you tell me why are you here alone then I won't tell your mom." Akane said and the kid giggles at her, making her smile more genuinely.

"Papa left me here to get his car but it's been fifteen minutes now since he left, and I'm pissed." Oh Ran said as she showed her phone with cute bear phone case, then she stomp her little foot on the pavement to get her word across and Akane can't help but chuckle at how cute she is.

"Call me aunty Kim," Akane suggests and the little girl nodded her head eagerly, "And let's get you home, will you let me?"

"I always wanted to ride a bicycle." Oh Ran squeals and went jumpy in excitement.

Akane brought out a raincoat from the little backpack she's carrying, it hers so it's large but it'll do. She made Oh Ran wear the coat and pull her up in front of her on the bicycle, sitting her sideways.

"Are you ready?" Akane ask and Oh Ran nods at her with her eyes gleaming in pure excitement to ride the bicycle for the first time.

He left her daughter at a bus waiting seat and they called for a fucking meeting, and it was important. They did not inform him about it beforehand and he left her daughter alone by the road, in the rain. His phone digs and the people at the meeting glance at him. Its probably Oh Ran, messaging him to hurry up. So he kinda ignored it and tried focusing in the presentation which was going on. He'll just buy ice cream to make up for it and as an apology to her daughter, who's definitely not going to talk to him for a week, again.

MyDumpling🐻

-Papa, I'm going home😤😡-

-alone😝-

"What the..." He was dumbfounded. It's not the first this had happened, this happens every now and then but her daughter had never tried to get home alone no matter how many minutes she had to wait for him and it only been twenty five minutes! and the message sent him into a worried state that he quickly click on the call button. But then, the call just went directly into voice message, making him even more worried and guilty for leaving the little girl alone. Su Ran won't be home right now so he called on the house number, knowing that one of the maids will pick it up.

"Hello, this is Min resident."

He sighs in relief, and quickly ask the maid if Oh Ran had come home.

"Yes, Mr. Min, she's home. Some women pick her up from school, I thought you arranged it Mr. Min, did you not?" the maid ask politely.

He didn't arranged it, but his daughter is home safely and that's what matters the most and he can ask Oh Ran who sent her home when he gets home.

"It's okay," He says with a soft sigh in relief, "Tell Ran that I'm sorry for being late again and that I'll apologise when I get home."

"I'll do Mr. Min."

'don't tell your papa about me okay'

Oh Ran had agreed but Akane had a feeling that the girl with end up tell her father about her anyway. That's why she didn't told the kid about herself when the kid asked. It better to be safe then sorry, and the less they know about her the better. It goes for everyone.

Akane can't help but fall in love with the little girl who smiles and giggles like the only man she ever fell for. They resemble each other so much, even like the same animated bear character.

'like father like daughter' and Akane fell for both of them. She love the man, so how could she not love the daughter who resembles the man uncannily. They have same eyes and cute button nose with gummy smile, same pale skin and similar personality. She knows how the man was like during their childhood but now, she do not know a single bit. She don't know if he still likes eating lamb skewer, and bitter coffee, if he can still cook ramen the way she liked to eat when they were kids. She don't even wanna know if he could still remember what they promised each other on their first official date.

'Its sad but it's too late for me to be really get upset about it'