C2: Smile Kids

Waving his hands, Ace's coltishness surfaced. As the taxi gets nearer, his smile grew even bigger. An average looking car stopped in his view. The door opened and an old man came out wearing a white shirt and black pants. His face gave birth to more wrinkles after his hearty smile.

"Where are you going young man?" He asked taking Ace's luggage. Ace saw this and helped the elder carry the luggage to the car's compartment.

"Mister I wanna go to the City Centre." He replied full of vigor. The driver bobbed his head before opening the door. Ace giggled remembering the old man's cute face while bobbing his head.

"How's High School life overseas?" Ace stopped playing his phone after he heard the old man speak. His head tilted curiously staring at the old man's face on the front mirror.

"Pardon?"

"Didn't you just finish high school abroad?" The old man replied while his eyes were on the road careful not to get involved in an accident. Ace frowned while trying to remember if he really got into a school.

"I am nineteen Mister, I didn't go abroad to study." He replied. The old man revealed a doubting look as he examine his face carefully on his reflection on the front mirror. The old man gathered his thoughts and said, " You look like sixteen though."

Perhaps Ace was satisfied with the old man's words, he covered his face chuckling. His face was paler than Korea's natural skin color and a simple praise can make him blush. This is one of his greatest weakness, he gets to shy easily when he is praised by someone older than him.

"You know that I can't, show you me, give you me~" He repeated what he heard. He didn't even notice that he was enjoying the song the old man played. " Na na na na" he hummed following the song's tune.

"Seems like you like the song." The old man commented. He played the song not so loud at first but he witnessing Ace enjoy it, he raised the volume.

"It's good." Ace answered. Despite not using words to respectfully call the old man, his voice and words contained deep respect. For him, besides children, the elders are the one you need to love the most. Without them, they are nothing since they came from the elder's love to their partners. Old people may be weak and fragile but they are the one who have the strongest will. A will not to leave the world yet to watch the nation and their kids to grow and improve. They also survived even if the technology haven't been improved as how it is now proving their strong personalities.

"This song is composed and recorded by BTS. It was very popular that a German girl sang it and was qualified to enter the next stage of a competition at their country. It's name is 'The Truth Untold.' The old man informed him. Ace's nodded his head subconciously and searched the Kpop group in the internet.

The man wasn't lying when he mentioned that the song is popular. However, it's just a mere song compared to the popularity of the group BTS who composed it. The group already built roots in the world gaining respect from different races. The members itself was also popular prior to Kim Taehyung who earned the 2017 tittle of being the most handsome man in the world. Of course Ace haven't been discovered that time or the results wouldn't have been like this.

"I'm envious of them. You're quite knowledgeable in this field mister." He replied. The fact that the old man gave him many information without reference was outstanding already.

"My daughter is a fan, I often hear things coming from her mouth about the group. That's right! You are very handsome, why don't you be an Idol?" Seemingly found something good, the old man's voice became excited. His eyelids winked without him noticing after seeing the man's attitude.

"Being an Idol? It was once my dream that I failed to achieve. My hopes back then was shattered, I was so flustered. My own roots find it funny, because of this, doubts filled my head, it's too many. Am I worthy? I doubted. Thinking about all things happening in my life, I can only ask, is it fated? I don't have the best voice back then, but why don't they support me then? I am simply worthless, I can't do anything, I am helpless. However, fate have given me another chance, it opened the door while I enter the entrance. I will use this to give my life some meaning. Even if it costs my life, I am willing."

His voice was brimming with pure loneliness, despair and hatred. This was his cruel experience that made him try to cut his existence. But he was too weak to cut his skin like slicing meat steak. At a young age, he learned how to adapt to the world.

The life was simply too unfair for him. How his family sold him, how they treated and how they hurt him made him do one thing. He shut his self off to make life bearable. He felt too much that he started to feel nothing. He was sometimes like a machine, uncaring and unloving. They see him as a cold person but for him it was normal. It was his protection mechanism that prevents him from suffering painful experiences which made him wish his intestines to be green. He just want to disappear into thin air back. Leave this pain and misery of the heartless world. He wondered if anyone would miss him even if anyone would not show him even a little sympathy. Probably no one, he was just no one anyway.

(AN: The intestines turns green when the person dies. He means that he felt too much that he wanted to die."

"That's a deep one kid." The old man felt the meaning beyond his words. However, he didn't dare to pursue the issue anymore afraid to worsen Ace's feelings. After that, complete silence filled the car. Except for the music playing, they were both tranquil.

After nearly ten minutes, they entered the city. This made Ace look outside the window and watch the tall buildings and happy people. His heart warmed for a bit seeing this, he was so excited to start pursuing his dreams. Ace's eyes was happier than he is now, his eyes were used to seeing large bodies of water back then. From North to South, East to West, he could only see water.

"You only mentioned to enter the city center young man. Where do you want to go?" The man gathered his courage upon seeing Ace's feelings lighten up a bit. Because of this, his thoughts were abruptly stopped as he remember that he really didn't pin point the exact location.

"Please drop me to a mall near to any orphanage please." He replied opening his wallet and took out the pay for the trip. Bitting his lip, he asked," Mister do you take credit cards? I will use this for something." He stared at the beautifully stacked bills on his wallet while asking.

"You can pay me by WeChat." The man said and took his phone out. This was really the convenience of technology. The creator of WeChat is an intelligent person. The app itself is a texting app that uses your real number and phone credits. It also has a feature called Virtual Card. This is where you will register you card number and done! You can use it to pay transactions without taking your credit out and just using your phone to pay.

He scanned the QR Code and transfered the amount saying goodbye. Even if he already said goodbye, the old man walked out of the car and opened the compartment. He again felt ashamed that he forgot his luggage. He pulled the luggage towards the magnificent looking mall.

Using his hands to play with his hair, he took a stroll inside the mall before stopping at the main assistance to leave his luggage. He took the exchange card which is used to claim your things when you want to. The woman who is clearly older than him by a decade saw his expensive bag. She decided to try to curry favors by speaking sweetly and show her breast a bit more. She had been working at the mall for two decades already and she was still single thus she put more effort into this.

To her dismay, Ace isn't a pervert. He didn't spare a second to stare at the woman and said, " Ma'am I am afraid that your breast are blocking my views to see the map at your back. May I trouble you to move up a bit."

Her friend which helps here in the main assistance heard this and snickered. Her best friend doesn't even have the slightest charms. The woman's face turned ugly as she stomped her feet away from his view.

Ace displayed cognitive inertia and took a picture of the map. This... he can't understand human very well even if he is a human as well. Why do people try to memorize the map if they could take a picture and use it. In this way, they won't forget the map any longer and they only need to open their phones to see the map.

Shaking his head as he proved his intelligence to his own body, he tracked the line on the map to reach the Toy Section. After a while he arrived at the place and started looking for toys.

"Sir do you need assistance? " The in charge of the section came to her side and asked. Little did Ace know, the lady who was in charge has won esteem for her work because of her good communication skills.

Ace rejected respectfully and checked the toys one buy one to see the best. Coincidentally, a family of three passed them. He managed to hear their conversation.

"My daughter, don't be like that boy okay? He does look like from a wealthy family. He's too young yet already have kids." Ace's ears twitched hearing this. People do really have interesting minds to be able to produce weird thoughts.

The father of the girl also agreed and added, "Your mother is right. He probably isn't attending high school anymore because of his wife and kids. Rich kids really are stubborn."

Seriously, Ace had thought of wearing an identification card to tell the world he is nineteen! He nearly puked hearing the father call him a rich kid. He isn't one and he earned his money himself without depending to anyone.

"Let's go dear. He may look handsome but he's not for you." The mother pulled her daughter until they left Ace's sight. "Rich kid, rich kid your butt. " he snickered and put the toys he picked to the cart.

He picked toys for both genders. The toys were mainly cars, robots, dolls and mini houses. He didn't pick any remote controlled toys since they break easily. He moved to the books section and didn't hesitate any longer and took what coloring book he saw. He also brought markers, crayons and colored pencil so that the package would be complete.

He fixed his leather bag first before pushing the cart to the counter. On the way, he couldn't help but glance at every direction. His first time to enter a mall was this time. He looked really professional going into the mall yet he was actually a rookie.

He then joined the line and while waiting, he hums to the tune of the music played in the mall. He felt some stares from the other people in the line but didn't mind it. As long as they won't hurt him, he will not initiate an attack.

Unexpectedly, he glimpsed towards the silhouettes which he recognized as the family earlier. They were looking at the bears they were selling displayed just at the end of the counter. After you pay, passing them is normal.

"You have a lot of kids sir." The woman at the counter said scanning the codes of the toys he bought. Ace saw through the woman's eyes that she wasn't telling him this to mock him but there was an astonishment with it. The lady probably doesn't have kids yet so she admires those who already have.

"Do I look like a father really? I am just nineteen. Should I go and refresh my face so that I would look a lot younger?" The woman was stunned by his words. At first, she thought that Ace was just sixteen nor seventeen because of his brimming youthfulness.

Similar to her, the family of three was also dumbfounded. They had thought that Ace is already married at a young age so they purposely raised their voice to mock him. However, they didn't expect that he was really a nineteen year old rich son!

"Don't worry sir you are really handsome. It's just that you bought toys for both genders which made me think that you are married." She simply replied still doing her job.

"I am not using them, I just bought it for them to use." He remarked. At this moment, he saw a small poster at the end of the counter. It was a poster about donating to an orphanage called Smile Kids. He was interested in the poster so she asked the woman.

"Oh, it's an orphanage just beside the mall. We are donating to the orphanage every year but it actually isn't enough since the mall also needs to pay some taxes."

He was surprised that the old driver really did a great job. A mall with an orphanage beside is was great! He revealed a joyful smile and told the woman. " Is it just that way? Then my job would be easier."

The woman and all other buyers stared at him after hearing his words. The woman at the counter was stunned. She had just finished scanning the things he bought and it was nearly four hundred thousand won in total!

"Could it be that sir is going there and give this toys?" The woman asked. The perks of him giving the toys was high. He told them that if the orphanage is nearer, his job would be easier. He also mentioned that he was giving the toys to someone surely not his kids since he isn't married.

"Ah yes... I bought all of these for them. How can I donate to them?" He answered wholeheartedly while scratching his head a bit. The woman was impressed, there was actually a good man here on earth and is also handsome. The family of three was also petrified, they mocked a rich person who unexpectedly is a kind man!

"Please just give me the account so that I can add it to the yearly donation. You are also the first one to donate, you will recieve a free limited edition shirt."

Even if he was feeling lucky, he can't help bit feel his heart hurt a bit. He is the first one to donate and the poster looks like it was almost been there for a month already. How come no one ever donated? or are they really that heartless to ignore the children needs?

He opened his bag and and took a brown envelope. He then placed it on the counter then payed the toys using virtual card and said, " I don't have much to give, hope that a million would last them for a month. I also payed the toys using virtual card."

The woman's eyes were filled with envy together with the other buyers. Their meeting with a good person isn't expected. Giving a million to the orphanage casually isn't something ordinary! Their heart fluttered while seeing Ace give the brown enveloped while smiling naturally.

The woman accepted it and gave him what he bought together with the limited edition shirt. " We are very thankful sir. In behalf of the Smile Kids orphanage, I thank you."

Ace shook his head like it was nothing and passed the family earlier without sparing a glance. He walked towards the Main assistance and got his luggage back. He then left the mall with four big paper bags in hand, a luggage and leather bag.