“Siwon? Let’s go, ajusshi is at the main gate” 13-year old Kangta called his kid brother, who was still playing with other kids on the school playground.
The school has all three levels of education, elementary, middle school and high school. The three divisions were located in a five hectare land, separated only by gates. Kangta went to the same school as his younger brother because he wants to watch over him. He adores his brother so much.
10-year old Siwon pouted. “But hyung, I still want to play. Can’t ajusshi wait?” the person they were referring to was their driver.
Kangta ruffled his brother’s hair. “we don’t want to get home late Siwon or we will miss mother’s perfect cooking.”
“but hyung...let me play just a bit okay? Pleeeassee?” he looked at his older brother with puppy eyes.
“no can do Siwon. Umma will cook your favourite food this evening, don’t you know that?”
Siwon’s eyes sparkled. “really?” he then held Kangta’s hand “let’s go home hyung.”
Kangta laughed at his brother’s cute behaviour. They were walking towards the main gate when a classmate called Kangta. The siblings stopped and turned.
“Kangta-shii, can I have a word with you?” Kangta nodded as a response.
The conversation was incomprehensible for Siwon’s ears. He saw the other boy offered something to his hyung, making Kangta lose his grip to Siwon. Impatient with his older brother, Siwon was beginning to walk towards the playground again, when something outside the main entrance caught his eye, a cartwheel selling random toys. Siwon then followed the vendor and his cartwheel.
Unaware of his brother’s flight, Kangta continued to talk to his classmate. It was a moment or so before he realized Siwon’s disappearance. He looked around the playground but he wasn’t there. He dismissed his classmate. He ran towards their car and opened it, hoping against hope that Siwon was in there, but the car is empty except for the driver.
“Ajusshi, have you seen Siwon?” he asked the middle-aged man, panting.
“No. I thought you were with him”
Kangta was shaking with panic. “I lost him. Ajusshi, please help me find him.
And the two went in opposite directions. Kangta searched the whole school but no trace of Siwon whatsoever. He then started to search the adjacent streets, trying hard not to imagine anything. He forced to calm himself.
Kangta sighed with relief when he had finally found his brother. Siwon was in the middle of a deserted street, in front of a cartwheel full of toys. The vendor was trying to shoo him away, but Siwon stayed put, fascinated at every toys he had laid his eyes on. Kangta walked towards him, smiling. When he was five feet away from Siwon, his smile vanished. It was replaced with suspicion, when he saw three large men approaching his brother. He ran, caught Siwon’s hand and turned around. But the other direction was blocked with two other suspicious looking men as well.
The men on all sides were gaining distance. The vendor of the cartwheel flew when he smelled troubled. Siwon looked at the men too, sensing that something is awfully wrong. He was scared. His two hands tightly gripped Kangta’s.
“Hyung...I’m scared...”
Kangta was looking at the men with sharp eyes. He is used to this. People were trying to take him away when he was still a kid, due to their wealth. As luck would have it, these people did not succeed. He then learned taekwondo to defend himself. He was always the target, but he would manage to get away. However, this case is different, as Siwon is with him and he’s afraid that these people will harm his little brother.
