Lee Shinwoo looked at Shin Hana and Lee Hwangyang's reactions to his words.
Right away, he noticed that Shin Hana seemed more tense when she heard his words, her body freezing up.
"Honey, I would never ever be scared of anything other than losing you and your father. No matter what you are going to show us, I will never hate you. I raised you. Although I may not be the one whom gave birth to you, I will love you with every inch of my heart. Don't hold anything back, please tell it to me. I will always be by your side as your mother." Shin Hana stepped up, caressing Lee Shinwoo's face with her hand, a gently smile on her face.
Lee Hwangyang stepped up, his hand on Shin Hana's shoulders, "Dear, don't get too agitated. I'm sure that he didn't mean his words in that way. Shinwoo, we will always be here, please speak without being worried." Lee Hwangyang looked at Lee Shinwoo, giving him an encouraging nod.
Lee Shinwoo bit his lips, nervousness within his eyes as he stepped away from Shin Hana's hands, confusion spotted within her eyes. "I found this out soon after the zombies began attacking, I didn't know whether I should tell you or not because I didn't know if it was suppose to be normal." Saying so, under their watchful eyes, he lifted his hand in a grasping position. "I have some abilities."
Then, from his hand, a small ball of water was being formed, then It changed to a small bolt of lightning and the last form, a small flame of blue fire erupted from his hand. Lee Shinwoo changed its for as, its size, carefully controlling it so that it wouldn't get out of hand.
Shin Hana and Lee Hwangyang watched carefully as Lee Shinwoo continued to demonstrate what he meant.
Finally, Lee Shinwoo let down his hands. He looked at them, "I don't know how I got them, but I'm sure that it's not just me. I feel like this is the after effects of the zombie virus spreading. I...didn't know if I should wait until more people began speaking about their abilities, but I decided that I had to tell you two."
Without any warning, Shin Hana crashes into him, engulfing him into a hug. Her arms wrapped around him were powerful, but what he felt most was her relief.
Lee Hwangyang sighed but shook his head lightly, "That's what it was? We thought you were going to tell us that you found your birth parents and would be leaving us."
Lee Shinwoo couldn't help but show a grimace at that.
Shin Hana pulled away, staring at him with her eyes teary. In a gentle yet scolding tone, she said, "Don't ever do that again. It felt like I was going to lose you. You're my son, the one that I've taken care of for so many years, I can't handle a fright like that. With zombies already spreading it wouldn't be such a surprise for this to have happened too."
"Thank you, Mother and Father. I know that everything has been hard lately, but thank you for standing by my side no matter what. And, I know well that you both are afraid that I may leave you because of my birth parents, but you two are my real parents. We may not be blood related but you two have taken care of me since as long as I could remember. You both have watched me grown into who I am and took care of me as your own. For that, I will always remain by your side as your son." Lee Shinwoo couldn't help but explain.
The original soul loved and treasured his parents above anything. It might had to do with being told that he was adopted, but that only increased his love for his parents.
And, Lee Shinwoo couldn't help but think, this was how a parent's love felt like, huh? Truth be told, his parents had never treated him life this. He had a lived a life full of loneliness, watching as others experienced what it meant to love. He watched as his sister gain every bit of love he was never able to have.
But, Shin Hana and Lee Hwangyang were wonderful parents. They were caring and loving, no matter what, their loved towards Lee Shinwoo didn't make it feel as if he want related to them. In fact, he felt like he belonged.
Shin Hana held Lee Shinwoo's hands within her own small palm, looking at him with ferociousness in them. "Your father and I love you more than anything. Just know that, my dear child."
"Your mother's right, we both will be here when you need us. Don't hesitate to tell us anything that bothers you, we will always listen and help you." Lee Hwangyang echoed his wife's concerns and repeated his words in a different phrasing.
"I know, Mother and Father." Lee Shinwoo could only smile as he saw their concerns. They must be how real parents would act like.
Lee Shinwoo walked into the camps and tents set up. There were many people coming into the bases, so many that there weren't enough places for them so many had to set up a tent instead. Although it seemed worse, there were still many soldiers patrolling the military base, so that made it better. At this stage, it was still too early for people to have discovered their abilities, so Lee Shinwoo had a head start.
As Lee Shinwoo walked around with a hefty air around him, he looked at all the people walking around. There were many teens and children, some elderly but many were middle-aged. In all the movies that he had watched about zombie apocalypses, they had always been bloody and involved a lot of fighting. Maybe this was also another good thing for him. Since in his last world, he was also a soldier too.
Shin Hana had gone along with Lee Hwangyang to talk about the further plans for military base A and what they were going to do about the zombies. Needless to say, many people had no idea what to do with zombies becoming real life. After all, they had only seen it on TV.
Just then, a tug at his shirt distracted Lee Shinwoo as he looked down. A small girl was holding onto his shirt, sending him an innocent look.
Lee Shinwoo recognized her at once. This was the girl who would grow to become a scientist and help Kim Jiyoung and Min Yongjoon make a cure to save the world. Ji Soyu. She made the cure to save humanity at the age of 14.
(Ji Soyu, 6 years old)
Lee Shinwoo had just affected the future without doing much.
"Mister, do you have anything I can eat?" Ji Soyu said as she lifted her neck to look at Lee Shinwoo, her face slightly pouting.
She was only 6 years old now, her parents had already died from a zombie attack and she had no other family willing to take her in. Lee Shinwoo decided that it would be best for him to get close to her.
Bending his knees, Lee Shinwoo knelt on one knee. With a smile on his face, he asked, "What's your name, little girl? Where's your parents?"
Ji Soyu looked at him with a careful eyes before replying, "My name is Ji Soyu. My parents are gone."
Lee Shinwoo showed a grimace as he said, "Is there anyone taking care of you?"
Ji Soyu shook her head no. Normally, she wouldn't even talk to a stranger but she felt that this man was trustworthy.
"Come here, I'll take you to my Mother and Father. We'll get some clothes for you and feed you. You look like you haven't eaten for a while." Lee Shinwoo opened your his arms as Ji Soyu stepped into it, then, he stood up holding her in his arms. She was light, that was what he noticed.
"Mister, do you know that you're acting like a kidnapper right now?" Ji Soyu couldn't help but say. She raised a hand to touch his hair, a soft feeling in her hands.
Lee Shinwoo let out a chuckle. "I do. Are you afraid of me?"
Ji Soyu shook her head, her cheeks jiggling as she replied, "No. Is Mister going to do something to me then? Mister feels trustworthy anyways, plus, some other people have been eyeing my stuff since I got here."
Lee Shinwoo could only hold her closer to him once he heard that. He had forgotten. With disasters like this, people wouldn't care about such small things like murder or wrongdoings. They only cared about themselves.
"Do you want to become my family?" Lee Shinwoo knew that if he didn't take her in, Ji Soyu was going to have a hard time, and although things would get better once Kim Jiyoung and Min Yongjoon get to the base that would be too late.
Ji Soyu looked at Lee Shinwoo's face, scrutinizing it. "Mister, you're really handsome. Are your parents also good looking?"
Lee Shinwoo didn't know what to say at her sudden question. Ji Soyu was rather interesting. "Yes, why are you asking?" Lee Shinwoo looked at the girl's face as he continued walking.
"Hmm, okay then, I'll become your family. But you must make sure to feed me, I don't like being hungry." Ji Soyu only had this to add. Her hands refocused on touching Lee Shinwoo's hair.
"Well, welcome to the family then. I'll make sure to take good care of you, you're now my younger sister. Is that good with you?" Lee Shinwoo said, a smile at the corners of his lips.
Ji Soyu poked his smile with her tiny finger, saying, "Alright then, big brother, I'm now your younger sister. Aren't your mom and dad gonna be mad with you? You just accepted a child you don't know into the family?"
Lee Shinwoo merely smiled brighter as he said, "Nah, if anything, they'll be happy beyond words. They've always wanted a daughter too."
"Alright then, big brother."
There was this one day you had come running to me. You had finally confessed your love to Baicheng and he had accepted you. I wish you had seen the expression on your face. In all of my life spent with you, watching over you, I had never seen such a happy expression on your face before.
I guess a part of me cried out in pain at that thought. I wanted most to be the man you loved, to be the one whom would walk a road with you, but I wasn't, I couldn't.
I was your friend, a good friend, that was it. There was so much I was risking if I told you my real feelings, especially when you already found the love of your life.
I remembered all the days you would speak to me about him. Everything you told me, each of them were a dagger to my heart. Your eyes were filled with love whilst you spoke about him. You loved him so much, more than anything else in this world.
And then, he left you.
Just like that, he got engaged with someone else. And a part of you died, just like that.
I remember it all too clearly. The moment you realized this, you were frozen with shock.
"This isn't real, right, Longwang?"
Your question held all your emotions. Pain, betrayal, heartache, confusion.
I didn't answer. But you knew well enough.
You laughed, a cold laugh that broke my own heart. I reached my hand out towards you, hoping to comfort you, but you slapped me away.
"Longwang, he's getting married, he's breaking the promise he made to me."
Let him go, you deserve someone else. Those were my words to you.
But you only laughed once more at that, and you walked away from me. I stood in silence, my own heart breaking at your pain. You were broken, and I didn't know how to fix it. I didn't know how I could mend the broken pieces of your heart together, I wasn't the right person.
My brother had once called me a fool, falling in love with you to the point of forsaking everything.
I merely replied, a thousand pains in exchange for your safety, it was something I would always be willing to do.
Even now, that still stands.
Even though you will never know of my feelings, I'll keep it that way.
I will keep it in my heart, that the only person I will ever love is you.
If it is possible and we meet in another world, I wonder if I will ever be given the honor to be the one you love.
That will be a beautiful dream that I hope to witness.