Deen-A Familiar Visitor

But that would have to wait till she got home. Otherwise she would leave all her work and hurry home. Resigning to my fate, I took a sip of the soup and immediately spit it out. It tasted awful. The soup turned completely sour. I took a sniff and almost threw up. It smelt pungent. The soup probably expired ages ago. I immediately pushed the bowl away. My stomach growled. Great. My babysitter was gone and left me without food. I could starve to death and she would not care at all.

I got off the chair and slumped onto my bed. I felt the urge to call Mee and demand her to come home. Cater to her son who was alone and scared. One call and she would come running.

Instead I lay there. What was the point? Even if Mee did come, she would end up firing Choi ahjumma. That would also add to her burden. Who will take care of me if she fired the lady? How will Mee handle taking care of me and do her job at the same time? Sometimes, I wondered why Mee chose to have me. She could have left me like my dad did. She could have abandoned me and walk away.

You were abandoned by your father... the angry ahjusshi's words floated through my head. Unwanted. I was unwanted. My eyes were getting heavier. Why was I unwanted? These thoughts kept on flashing through my head until I drifted into a deep slumber.

I felt something wet on my cheek. I waved it off and rolled to my side, deep in sleep. Then something softly nudged my back. I rolled over again. Once again, I felt something wet licking my face. Then it dawned on me. I was supposed to be alone.

I opened my eyes. Something big and black was looking down on me, its large tongue licking my face. I sprinted up.

'Mona?'

The dog was happy to see me awake. I was relieved. At least someone was there with me.

'How long was I asleep?' I wondered out loud. I checked the watch. I slept for an hour and a half. Choi ahjumma said she would be back by an hour. She still wasn't and if she doesn't come back before Mee does, she would be in serious trouble.

I patted Mona. She wagged her tail, happily enjoying my company.

'Strange,' I said. 'How come you always turn up whenever I am alone?'

Suddenly she stood up. Her ears were on alert. A faint sound was coming from somewhere. I frowned and tried to listen. We didn't have any radio or TV. The laptop was off too. So where was the sound coming from?

'Is it a burglar?' I whispered to Mona. As if to answer my question, the dog leapt through the window. I followed the dog to the tunnel. She motioned me to follow. I hesitated.

'I can't Mona,' I said. 'I was scolded by the angry ahjusshi last time.'

Mona ignored my apprehension and pulled my pants. I didn't want to stay back alone but I didn't want to be scolded by the angry guy either. Then I heard it again. The tune. It was coming from the tunnel. Who could be there?

My curiosity was bigger than my fear of the angry ahjusshi.

'Okay,' I said to Mona. 'I'll follow you. But if I see the angry guy, I will run back.'