✓ | 068, kang saebyeok

seven

𝗢𝗢𝟳
𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹
𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚

"hey, get up!" saebyeok called out to eunji as she shook the girl. eunji's eyes opened slowly and she was met with the blinding light coming in from the blinds. memories of last night returned to her head and her remembering that she said she'd see saebyeok's brother with her popped up.

quickly getting out of bed, she rushed to the bathroom and got ready by using the toilet, washing her face and brushing her hair.

once she was finished, the two girls were now on their way to the orphanage.

─

"what? no ice cream for you, little man?" saebyeok offered her brother some of her food. eunji was sat on the other side of cheol eating her own ice cream while watching the other kids play.

"how did you get your face like that?" she asked. eunji had noticed the cuts on the younger boys face and after hearing what saebyeok said, she instantly became intrigued. "did you get into a fight?"

"they're not picking on you are they?" eunji asked, worried. she didn't know too much about cheol but he was her friends brother ─ of course she'd worry.

cheol didn't answer, he just kept on looking down at his lap. saebyeok tutted, "if you're not gonna talk to us, i guess we'll just go." she said before standing up, nodding at eunji to get up as well.

but before they could walk off, he spoke. "wait. i don't wanna stay here, okay? where's mum? you said she would come soon.you told me that we'd be together. that i just have to wait a month." he teared up.

saebyeok was quick to sit back down beside the boy and so was eunji. "cheol," sae began. "listen─" she was immediately cut off by her brother.

"all the kids told me you lied. they said i'd never leave and... they said i'd get abandoned here." he cried out and saebyeok pulled him in for a hug.

"they're wrong." she reassured him. "and mum and dad will be here soon. i swear, okay? i'll make sure that they do. don't worry. listen, we'll all live under the same roof next year, okay?" she said as she wiped away his tears. "i'm your big sis. i always keep my word, don't i?"

cheol nodded and sobbed. they hugged each other again before pulling away.

"hey," eunji said. "you want this? i'm too full." she smiled as she held out her ice cream for the young boy. he looked up at eunji and a small smile appeared on his face.

"thank you." he muttered and began to eat the ice cream. saebyeok glanced up at eunji who was watching cheol and she smiled at the girl.

─

"so, now where are we going?" eunji asked with her hands in her pockets as the two girl's strolled down the street to the next destination.

saebyeok stopped in front of a small building with a bunch of signs on. eunji looked up and read one of them, souther men, northern women.

they walked inside and saebyeok led the way.

"i completely understand what your situation is like," a man said as he poured coffee into a jug. "but you know, it's... a broker can't be tracked down once they've fled with all of their money. you aren't the only victim. there's some who went all the way to dandong to try and catch this one guy, they got caught by the chinese police, almost got dragged all the way back to the north."