Him [Minwon]

The Missing Child

|24th May|

~"Ten days since the voting begins. Be sure to vote for the one that deserves and serves the country better. We're off for today and will see you again. Goodbye"~

Someone grabs the remote and turns off the Television. Minjun peeked out of the kitchen and saw her son with the remote.

"Mingyu-ah, why did you turn it off?" she asks as she washes the radish in the sink.

Mingyu doesn't say a word just huffs like he's annoyed and walks inside the kitchen. He sits by the counter, his legs dangling down.

Minjun looks at his gloomy face. "What's wrong baby?" she asks.

"Mom, I-..." he hesitates. "Do we have to vote Dad for the upcoming election?"

Minjun stops her hand and eyes Mingyu, rather with shock in her expression that he even dared to ask the question. She looks at their maid who seems to be busy with the dishes at the corner, feeling embarrassed.

"Of course honey, you must vote for him. He's your Dad, you need to support him right?"

"But didn't the news say vote for Someone who deserves?"

Minjun blinks a couple of times. "You don't think he deserves it?"

"I don't kno-"

Suddenly there's a thumping of footsteps heard making Mingyu stop. He just keeps quiet and looks at his hands.

A tall man with broad shoulders enters the kitchen. "Hey- uhhh" he looks at Mingyu. "Mingyu, don't you have school today?"

"I do..." Mingyu nods.

"Okay, come I'll drop you." he says and looks at Minjun. "...listen for tonight's gathering. I even invited the state's chief since he's the main person of the political party. Won't be too much pressure on you, right? Chaeyong is there to help you" he says looking at the maid.

Chaeyong turns and bows down at Minseok with a smile, and Minseok smiles back, before looking at Minjun again.

Minjun nods at that. "She is here for cleaning but I think I'll need to call mother for some help with cooking and stuff."

The man pulls out his phone. "Okay, I'll call her. You don't have to make a feast just make it simple."

Minjun smiles and nods again. Minseok leans in to hug her and places a kiss on her cheek. "I love you. Bye-"

"bye.." she smiles in return.

"Let's go son..." he says to Mingyu and walks out of the kitchen.

"Coming father..." Mingyu replies. He's about to exit the kitchen but his wrist is grabbed by the woman.

"Hey...we'll talk about that thing later, okay? After your school today." she says in a comforting tone. "I'll cook you your favourite dishes today, hmm?"

Mingyu nods. "It's okay mom..." he says like he's still not interested in the talk.

"I'll meet you after school, sweetie. Bye-" Minjun waves her hand at her husband and son. Mingyu just waves with a small smile as Minseok blows a kiss at her, making her laugh.

But Minjun didn't know she couldn't laugh anymore. She didn't know that the dishes she made especially for Mingyu would go a waste.

She didn't know her son would never return from school.

***

"Minseok, he is not home!" Minjun yells over the phone.

"What? He must've gone somewhere. Don't worry, he'll return-"

"He hasn't returned from school, Minseok!! He just didn't come back!"

"What?" The other side speaks up.

Minjun grabs her head and sits on the edge of his bed, looking outside the window as it pours heavily.

"I thought he was just late from school. I waited, I am still waiting-" she says with a shaky voice and looks at the wall clock which shows eight pm.

"B-but I don't think he'll return. He didn't even take his umbrella. oh no-"

"Calm down Minjun." The man replies. "Maybe he went out with his friends. He'll come back soon. Just wait for a while."

"Uhh...Minjun-sshi?" Chaeyong calls out from the doorway.

Minjun looks at her and breathes heavily.

"I've done the laundry and I've cleaned the living room,"

"Thank you Chaeyong, you can leave for today." she says but the panic in her vocals makes Minjun worried.

"I can stay here If you want me to until Mingyu returns-"

"No no." she gives her a weak smile. "I'm fine, I think he'll come back soon. Don't worry, plus you have kids waiting for you at home, right? You can leave. Thank you so much Chaeyong."

"Anytime, Minjun-sshi. " she bows down But just as she is about to leave, Minjun calls her again.

"Chaeyong?"

"Yes..?" she turns around.

"Take an umbrella from the guest room. It's raining heavily, don't get sick."

Chaeyong smiles. "Thank you," she mutters and leaves.

"Minjun? Minjun?"

Minjun gets back to the call at her husband's voice. "Minseok listen-"

"I'm in an important meeting right now, Minjun. Will call you back later, yeah? And don't worry. he'll return soon ."

And he hangs up. Minjun looks at her phone screen and sighs. She looks outside the window. It's dark, really dark and it's raining badly.

Where is he?

***

"How can you say that?! How could you let him go just like that?!! " Minjun screams.

"Sorry ma'am." The guard bows down. "He said his parents won't be coming to pick him up today. He told me that he can go by himself,"

"Oh-h no..." Minjun scowls. She grabs her mentals and breathes heavily. "He hasn't returned home since yesterday, he-"

"Ma'am, try to calm down. I'm sure you'll find him-" he says in a worried tone.

"D-did you see him with someone?? Teachers? friends?" she gulps in terror trying to form up words in her head. "A-a stranger?" she asks the guard.

The guard nods. "Yes, he was with a kid."

"Y-yes, who? w-who was it?? " she looks at him with the hopeful eyes of a worried mother.

"Jeon Wonwoo."