14. FLASHBACK:FIRST MEETING

CHAPTER 14: FLASHBACK: FIRST MEETING

Chan woo was at home enjoying his break from work with his mom, when his phone suddenly started ringing. He looked at the screen and immediately jumped up scared to see his boss calling again.

He immediately answered the call, swallowing his saliva.

"Hello boss".

"Come back to the office and prepare for the meeting I'm giving you only twenty minutes".

Before he could protest, his boss has ended the call. He was angry but he couldn't complain, he knew it was too good to be true to believe the boss actually gave him a free day. He ran upstairs to get prepared and was calling the rest people to inform them about the change.

Within five minutes, he was ready and ran out with his car keys.

"Hey Chan aren't you staying for lunch!!" the wife called after him but he didn't reply.

"CHAN WOO!!!!!"

Jiseok stared at his phone deep in thought. He could still remember the first time he saw her. His Angel.

It was a beautiful and sunny afternoon, a seven year old girl with curly shoulder length dark red hair and short bang styled in two ponytail, coupled with a pair of beautiful violet almond eyes. She has a red heart shaped lip and a soft, cute round face. She wore a beautiful princess style violet sun dress with a red jade necklace with a Swan pendant and a violet bracelet with the shape of a Swan.

She sat happily in the park licking her lollipop as she sat on the swing, moving back and forth with her short legs. She watched as the other kids played happily with a smile not interested in joining them, she was waiting for her mom to come pick her up.

An hour passed but there was no sign of her mom. The little girl was getting scared and she was hungry, her stomach growled loudly. She haven't eaten anything since morning and she had used her last money to buy the lollipop she just finished.

She held her stomach in pain whispering, 'Don't worry mommy will soon be here and then I'll fill you up with lots of goodies'. She watched as parents came to pickup their children and left happily. The park was becoming empty as more children left with their parents.

A young boy approached her holding a paper bag with Hotteok. He stretched it motioning for her to take it. She looked up and she saw the most handsome boy she has ever seen. He had a light brown hair which was styled to a Mid fade with side part and long with the tips platinum blonde color. He has a very fair ivory skin. She looked at him curiously and questioning.

Without speaking, the boy sat down on the grass with her, opening the wrapper he gave her the Hotteok to eat.

"Mom said I shouldn't take anything from strangers". She said trying to refuse the temptation.

"I'm Jiseok and I'm 12"

"Taner, 7".

"See we are not strangers again now take". The boy smiled, pushing the food to her again.

"I'm not hungry". She lied but her stomach exposed her by growling very loudly. She hide her face with her hands embarrassed.

"Seems like your stomach is saying a different thing". Jiseok laughed and gave her the Hotteok. This time she didn't reject it but took it and ate it hurriedly like a starved person. Jiseok stared at her and smiled watching her eat.

After eating, he gave her water and juice which she drank happily. She smiled brightly at him with her cute dimples," Thanks Seok Seok". He smiled at his nickname.

"Seok Seok?" he asked raising his eyebrows.

"We are friends now so that's your nickname, and you are very handsome". She blushed.

"You are cute and adorable". He smiled.

"Thanks, you are the first person to tell me that apart from my mom and dad" . She smiled happily.

"You are welcome, Taner". He replied rubbing her hair.

"What do most people tell you?" he asked curiously.

"Most people call me a monster, but mummy said they are only scared because I'm different from them". She replied sadly.

"Your mom is a wise woman, she's right, don't listen to what they call you, they are jealous because you are more adorable and cuter than them".

"Thanks Seok Seok". She smiled cutely, showing her open teeth and dimples.

"Do you want to go to the amusement park, it's not far from here?" he asked, changing the subject.

She thought about it for a while and refused, "No, my mom will soon pick me up".

"Are those your real eye color?"

"Yes, mom said I got it from my grandma and it's very unique, I've never seen my grandma". Taner replied sadly.

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"Mom said it's not important but I know she hates me and doesn't want to see me". Taner said with tears rolling down her beautiful face. Jiseok got up and disappeared for a while. He came back later with many ice cream.

"I…don't know which one you prefer…" Jiseok dropped the bag of ice cream. Taner face reddened after seeing his kindness and all the ice cream, she smiled brightly, "Thanks Seok Seok, I like chocolate flavor more but since you bought everything I'll eat it all".

Jiseok was happy watching her lick the ice cream. He smiled, this was actually the first time he smiled or spoke to any being after his mother death. He kind of felt a connection to the girl.

"Have you ever been to the amusement park?"

" No, I always want to go but mom and dad are too busy to take me there".

"Let's meet again Taner". He said

"Okay, I'll just tell my mom, but where should we meet".

"It's a surprise".

"I love surprises". She grinned happily, due to her excitement she pecked him. Jiseok face immediately showed different shades of red.

"Taner!! My baby I'm so so sorry, mummy got held up in work and the traffic was terrible, I promise next time I'll take you to the mall". Ji_woo ran quickly to Taner hugging her. "Are you hungry? Let's go get you something to eat"..

" Mom I'm not hungry, my new friend Seok Seok gave me Hotteok, juice and ice cream, he said let's meet next week and he has a surprise for me too". Taner said happily showing Jiseok to her mom.

Ji-woo finally noticed the young boy sitting beside her daughter.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you, I was so worried about my daughter, Thanks a lot for looking after her, here's my number if you want to talk with Taner, do you have someone to pick you up?". She smiled giving him a piece of paper with her phone number.

"Yes, they will be here soon".

"Okay I'll wait with you here until they come, it's the least I can do".