Joochan went to a playground near his home on the next day. He had nothing to eat so he went to the playground to find something to eat.
"Omma.. why are you leaving?" Joochan was still crying. He was hungry but he had no money. He was left without anything. He went to the playground hoping he could find something to eat. Luckily, he found a bread on a bench. It had been eaten on half. He took it and ate it. Kids liked to leave their foods at the playground so it was the easiest place to find foods.
A few days had passed. Joochan came to the playground everyday. Joochan also had been kicked out of the house because of he had no money to pay for the rent. Now, he slept by the road. He was too young to work so he had nothing. He looked terrible. He didn't take a bath for a few days so he smelled very bad. People avoided him because he looked terrible. He sat on a slide. Today, nobody came to the playground. It means no foods were left for that day. He sat on a slide, holding his belly. He was hungry.
"Hey.. can you move a little bit? I want to play this.." a boy asked Joochan. Joochan looked at the boy and moved. The boy played the slide and he returned.
"Hey, why are you here alone?" The boy asked Joochan.
"I am here to search for foods.." Joochan said.
"Where is your parents?" The boy asked.
"They leave me.." Joochan said. He began to cry. He missed his mom and Seungmin very much but what he could do? They already left.
"Hey hey.. don't cry. Here, I have a bread and some candies" the boy felt terrible to make Joochan cry so he offered Joochan his foods. Joochan looked at him.
"Are you really giving these (bread and candies) to me?" Joochan asked.
"Yes.." the boy nodded. Joochan took the bread.
"Thank you" Joochan thanked him.
"My pleasure" the boy said and smiled at Joochan. Joochan cut the bread to half and gave it to the boy.
"Here, you should take it too.." Joochan gave the boy. The boy took it and ate it with Joochan.
"Where do you live? What is your name?" The boy asked Joochan.
"I live by the road. My name is Hong Joochan. You?"
"I live near here. My name is Park Jaeseok" Jaeseok smiled at Joochan.
"Okay, I need to go home. My mom would find me if I don't return home now. Bye!" Jaeseok left. Joochan waved at him and watching him went away.
Joochan went back to the place he stayed. He saw a stall near it. A corndog stall. He had no money to eat so he just went to his stuffs. He stayed in front of an abandoned store. The place was a bit hidden so he would stay there. He was really hungry. He didn't eat much food today because nobody came to the playground except for Jaeseok. He went to the corndog stall and stared at it.
"Yes kid? Do you want to buy some?" The seller asked him. He shook his head.
"I just want to sit here, can I?" He asked the man who sold the corndog. The man looked at him. He was like a homeless kid so he let him to sit next to him but everything didn't turn out well. Nobody came to the stall when Joochan was there. Joochan was aware about his surroundings.
"I will leave now. I saw nobody came to your stall when I am here. I am sorry.." Joochan apologized to the man and walked away. The man just looked at Joochan until he knew the place that Joochan went. Joochan watched the stall from far. Many people started to come to the stall again. Joochan cried.
"Omma.. where are you now? Seungmin.. where are you? Why don't you bring me too?" Joochan cried until he fell asleep.
When Joochan was sleeping, the man who sold the corndog came. He looked at Joochan. He was right. Joochan was a homeless kid. He saw Joochan was sleeping so he went away. Joochan didn't notice his presence.
On the next day, Joochan was unlucky again. There was no one came to the playground again. He cried again.
"Joochan.." someone called him. He looked at the person who called him. It was Jaeseok. Jaeseok came again and brought some bread and biscuits.
"Your name is Jaeseok, right?" Joochan asked the boy.
"Yep.." Jaeseok sat in front of him.
"You are here again.." Jaeseok said.
"I came here everyday.." Joochan replied.
" To find some foods again?" Jaeseok asked.
"Yes.." Joochan replied.
"I bring some breads and biscuits today. My mom baked some biscuits last night so I bring it.." Jaeseok gave it to him.
"Why are you bring these?" Joochan asked.
"I like to bring foods when I go out. Since you are here, why not if I share this with you.." Jaeseok smiled. Joochan smiled at Jaeseok.
"You're kind. Thank you.." Joochan thanked him and took the biscuits.
"Your parents didn't come to fetch you?" Jaeseok asked him. Joochan shook his head.
"Poor you.." Jaeseok was sympathy for Joochan.
"Are you here in this neighbourhood? I never see you before.." Joochan asked Jaeseok.
"Yes. I just moved here. My mom worked here.." Jaeseok said.
"Oh.. how old are you?" Joochan asked Jaeseok.
"I am 7 years old. You?" Jaeseok replied.
"I am 7 years old too.." Joochan replied. They smiled.
* * *
The corndog man came to Joochan's place again but Joochan was not there.
The corndog man asked people nearby.
"Do you know the homeless kid that lives there?" He pointed at the place where Joochan lived.
"I don't know him personally but people said he was left by his mother and his stepfather.."
"Nobody adopted him?" the corndog man asked.
"No.."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I don't know him.."
"Oh okay.. thank you.." the corndog man thanked the person and left.
* * *
Day by day, Jaeseok became Joochan's friend. Jaeseok brought Joochan some foods everyday. Joochan thanked Jaeseok everyday. Jaeseok never felt Joochan as bad as people thought about him, a homeless kid. On that day, Jaeseok did not come to the playground. Joochan was alone without food. He waited for Jaeseok but he did not come so he went back to the place he stayed.
* * *
The corndog man saw Joochan. He came to Joochan as soon as he saw Joochan. He closed his stall early today because he ran out of corndog stocks. Joochan was about to sleep. Sleeping was Joochan's daily routine if he did not get any foods to eat.
"Hey kid.." the corndog man called him. Joochan looked at him.
"Yes?" Joochan asked him.
"Why are you staying here?" The corndog man asked him.
"I live here.." Joochan said.
"You are? Where is your parents?" The corndog man asked him.
"My real father had passed away. My mom leaves me with my stepfather and my stepbrother.." Joochan said with the eyes filled with tears.
"Poor you.." The corndog man replied.
"What brings you here, ahjussi?" Joochan asked him.
"I have left these for you. I came here everyday actually to give you but you are not here. It is my lucky day today for meeting you.." the corndog man smiled at him.
"But why are you giving this to me?" Joochan confused.
"Nothing. I pity you.." the corndog man replied while giving him two pieces of corndog.
"Thank you, ahjussi" Joochan thanked him.
"Don't call me ahjussi. I am 24. My name is Son Youngtaek. You can call me Youngtaek hyung.." Youngtaek smiled at him. Joochan smiled back at him. Then, Youngtaek left. Joochan thanked the sky. He ate the food.
-To Be Continued-
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