Forever, You are Young // BTS Adopted Book 1 ✅

Chapter 39

“So you’re assuming she’s gone?”

“Well, I don’t know. It’s been a while, and I just can’t imagine finding her at this point.”

“But she could be alive,” I said, starting to get angry. Was Aecha giving up on finding Sujin?

“I know, but why should we get our hopes up?”

“Why give up completely?” I shot back. 

“Listen, I’m sorry, I don’t mean it that way.”

Tears threatened to fall, and I put my head in my hands as as wave of pain knocked my body. The situation fell in once big piece that was too large to swallow and swelled in my heart.

“I’m sorry,” Aecha whispered in a shaky voice. I could tell she was weeping too. 

We both sat there in a few silent moments of sorrow. After a few heartbeats, the sound of soft, small, pattering feet came closer.

“Hey sir, are you okay? You look sad… maybe it’s because of Sujin Noona. If you want, I could show you some of the drawings she had me do. They might make you feel a bit better.”

I parted my face from my hands and looked up to see a small boy watching me curiously. His bright, innocent eyes watched me. 

“Aren’t you one of the boys who took Sujin away?” he continued.

“I- uh, y-yeah,” I stuttered. “I guess so.”

“Oh. Well did you know Sujin liked my drawings?”

“Um,” I sighed, sitting up. “I think I remember visiting your room, you showed us a few there but you never mentioned Sujin...”

“Come see, then!” the boy grinned, grabbing my hand. I stood and looked to Aecha for approval, which she gave with a nod. I gave her a small smile before following the boy up the stairs and to his room. As I passed Sujin’s old room, my heart sank and a nervous-like pain shocked my body. I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes until we passed and were inside of Chinhae’s room. 

If we hadn’t adopted her, she’d still be inside of that room living a normal life. Sure, it wasn’t much, but it would have been better if she was still there.

This is all your fault.

That room is empty because of you. 

All. 

Your. 

Fault.

I tried very hard to throw the thoughts aside and focus on the younger boy as he grabbed a few drawings that had been hanging on the plain white walls in his room. 

“You can sit here,” he said politely as he plopped onto his bed. I walked over and cautiously took a seat. “Here, this one’s about something Sujin taught me. She said that for a school field trip, they went to the Zoo, and she saw a bunch of parrots. She liked the purple one and told me all about it when she got home.”  

I looked at the picture with a sad smile. The parrot was somewhat deformed, but I knew Sujin had been young when she saw it and Chinhae had been even younger to draw such an animal. Either way, it was beautiful and more detailed than anyone his age should have been drawing. I remembered how, on the first day that we met Sujin and took her out, she had talked about how there weren’t many animals that she got to see before she got sick and had to sit on the bus bus the rest of the day. The memory threatened to force more tears but I tried to stay strong.

“Here’s one of a place Sujin described she wanted to go. She says it’s the city of magic. She has always wanted to go there.” Chinhae pointed at a large tower surrounded by tall city buildings. I knew it was the Eiffel Tower, and I was happy that I could learn more about Sujin. For a split second, it felt as if Sujin were returning soon and I’d see her smiling face. The thought gave me a strong urge to tell her that I wanted to take her there. But I had to remind myself that she could be gone.