34 Elena's Past (4)

A month had passed since her parent dissapereance.

The cheerful Little Ji Eun now looked sallow. She rarely smiled like she used to. She became taciturn and an introvert. She would only reply to Aunty Xu's questions. Aside that, she wedidn't speak. Aunty Xu had urged her grandson and granddaughter to play with her but Little Ji Eun didn't respond.

Aunty Xu didn't know what to do. She wanted to find a help from professional like psychiatrist but she couldn't as the access to the town nearby was temporarily inaccessible. To the town, the people from the village only had one way via road. Unfortunately, because it was rainy season, the cliffs along the road collapsed and buried the road for almost a kilometer.

Aunty Xu was frustrated when someone knocked at her door and looked for Little Ji Eun. "Who are you?" Aunty Xu seized up the middle aged man in front of her. He wore red Chinese clothes that seemed fit to his body. His hair was long and fully white. His white mustaches and beard were grow long. He was so calm that he like an old immortal she watched on wuxia drama.

The middle aged man replied. "Is Park Ji Eun here?"

Aunty Xu was stunned when she saw them. She asked, "What do you want?" She didn't know the man before her eyes so she was cautious when he asked Little Ji Eun whereabouts.

The middle aged man understood Aunty Xu train of thought. He replied, "I'm not malicious. I'm the assistant of her parents. If you don't believe me, you can check it..." The middle aged man showed her a pendant.

Aunty Xu took the pendant and checked it. It was Lim Chung Ah's. She always wore this pendant so Aunty Xu was familiar with it. She let the man get into her house as she went upstairs to fetch Ji Eun.

The middle aged man waited nervously. When he finally saw Ji Eun's aggrieved appereance, he felt as if thousands of needles pierce through his heart. He walked over and squatted. "Little Ji Eun, I'm Uncle Qi, your mommy and daddy's friend. Will you go with me?"

Little Ji Eun just stared at the old man in front of her blankly. She turned around and wanted to return to her room when the middle aged man stated. "Your mommy and daddy love you so much."

Little Ji Eun stopped. Her eyes red as tears rolled down to her cheeks. "Do mommy and daddy really love me?"

The middle aged man nodded vigorously. "Of course. Without doubt."

Little Ji Eun walk towards the middle aged man. "If i follow you, will mommy and daddy see me?"

"Of course." The middle aged man replied to assure her despite his inner complicated mood. Her parents whereabouts was unknown. The didn't know whether they were still alive or not. But, in order to take Little Ji Eun away, he had to do it.

On the same day the middle aged man appeared, Little Ji Eun vanished with him as if she had never existed.

...

"I grow up with Uncle Qi for four years. He passed away when i turned eight years old. His death created chaos in his family and i was sent to the orphanage." Elena sobbed as she took a piece of tissue to sweep her tears. She continued, "My birth name is Park Ji Eun. My Chinese name is Ye Xiulan. As for my current name, Elena Park, i used it since i was adopted by Uncle Xu. I have so many names right?"

William stood up and sat beside her. He embrace her with his strong arms as he whispered softly. "No matter what your name is, you are you. What will happen in the future, i'll always be with you."

Elena still sobbed as she looked up at the man in front of her. "Are you sure? My parents were dead. Uncle Qi take me away that year and changed my name as well as my identity because he wanted to save me. He didn't want my existence be known by my parents's enemy. What if they find me in the future?"

"I'll be with you." William gazed at her eyes. There was strong determination in his eyes.

Elena felt both warmth and worries. The boyfriend she had warmed her heart and gave her a sense of safety but at the same time, she worried that he would be implicated with her problems in the future. Even so, she would live in the present. She wanted to treasure him as long as he true to his words. Moreover, she would never let what would happen in the future affected her.

Both of them did nothing. William just embraced her. He hold her tightly. He promised to himself and his girlfriend that he would face every problems with her. He would accompany and shield her to pass through the storms.

In that silence, the bud of love started to grow in Elena's heart.