Gabrielle was busy in the garden at the backyard. She was transferring the flowers from the soil to her newly painted pots. She decided to hang them up with a wire at the top of the glass roof. She was currently climbing up a ladder while tying the pot with a wire.
"Do you need help?" Ravn asked from nowhere which made Gabrielle jump and drop the pot. She tried catching it however she ended up falling off the ladder. She screamed and Ravn instantly rushed in to catch her in time but the ladder hit them back, making him sit on his butt on the soil. It hurt him but he was glad Gabrielle didn't fall or hit her head on the ground.
Gabrielle was basically on Ravn's arms and lap. Her eyes widened and she immediately got up on her feet. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"
Ravn stood up too, trying to stop himself from wincing in pain. He thinks he sat on a rock. "It's okay, Elle. Are you hurt?"
"Am I hurt?" Gabrielle asked back, pointing at herself. "You were the one who hit the ground but you're asking me if I'm hurt? Wow."
"I'm completely okay. I'm just worried if you were hurt after the fall." Ravn said. "Your safety is what I care for."
Here he goes again with his words, Gabrielle thought frustratedly. His words that work like magic in her stomach.
"Well, you just surprised me. That was all. I'm not hurt." Gabrielle looked away. Down to the ground. "The pot!"
Gabrielle picked up the pieces, her faces turning sad. Ravn crouched beside her and helped her pick it up. "I'm sorry for surprising you."
She shook her head. "It's not your fault. Don't worry. I don't think I've tied it up with the wire good enough." She sadly smiled as she watched her newly painted pot that was now shattered into pieces, its flowers sprawled on the ground.
Ravn cleared his throat and tried to cheer her up. "Elle, just because it's broken, doesn't mean it cannot become beautiful anymore. Remember, broken crayons still color." Gabrielle gave him a weird look. "What nonsense are you talking about and why are you comparing a broken pot to a broken crayon?"
He smiled at her and took the other broken pieces from her hands. He placed soil on the bigger piece even though its side is completely cracked. He planted the flower on the soil and with the broken pieces, he stucks them up on the soil in a beautiful way like a design. He then formed it into stairs up until the bottom and placed some small leaves at a few spots of the broken parts.
The pot looked beautiful. It was if the flower is a statue and the broken pieces are a staircase up to the flower. It made Gabrielle smile.
"See? I told you it can still be used." Ravn said proudly.
"It's so beautiful." Gabrielle sighed and Ravn agreed. "Yeah, like you."
Gabrielle paused. "Nope. It's like you. Broken, but still beautiful." It silenced Ravn, reminding him something. However, Gabrielle spoke first.
"Why do you talk like that?" Gabrielle asked. Finally fed up with how he speaks and acts. Ravn was acting normal like the rest of the guys but she doesn't even know why he's shaking her up.
Ravn tilted his head to the side as he looked at her. "What do you mean?"
Gabrielle realized he doesn't really mean anything with it. So she shook her head. "Nothing."
"Oh," Ravn nodded before he began to mutter. "I thought you already noticed it."
"What do I notice?"
"Nothing." Ravn said and Gabrielle scoffed. "Now I'm trying to talk with you but you're not even opening up."
"Well, you answered me with nothing. Are you the only one who could get mad after being answered with nothing?"
"Seriously? You're acting like a kid. Here I am, taking it back. I'm already asking you."
"A kid? Look who's talking." Ravn rolled his eyes. Gabrielle stood up from crouching. "If you're not telling me anything, then whatever! I'm not telling you anything too. Call me a kid anytime you want."
"Well, same. I wont say anything too." That was it. Ravn's pride that annoyed Gabrielle once again.
She angrily looked at Ravn before she turned around to leave but he sighed and held her wrist, stopping her from walking away. "I like you, Elle."
Gabrielle's heart skipped a beat and she looked at Ravn, waiting for him to say that he's kidding but nothing came.
"I thought you already noticed it, that's why you asked. I was trying to take a step forward, hoping you'll notice it. I didn't know when I started liking you. But I know why. You turned my world upside down and you made me see the world in a brighter perspective. You knew that I was broken yet you helped me. Even if it's just for your mission and for the world, I truly appreciated it. You gave me a family and another reason to live."
Gabrielle blinked as she tried to sink in what Ravn said. He let go of her wrist and stood up in front of her.
"Now that I've realized that. I want to protect you like how you protect us from those ghouls and that King. When Keonhee told us you encountered a first-rate ghoul, I was so scared that you might get hurt because even if you are our strongest guardian angel, you're still a lady that needs to be protected. I won't get tired of saying this because you are just so stubborn."
Gabrielle's lips parted. "I-I'm not stubborn."
"Yes, you are. You keep on pushing yourself without resting. If it wasn't for us, you would still be focusing on your mission. On saving us. But who's going to save you if you stepped on their trap? When you cried the day you brought Hwanwoong here because you got stressed especially since Keonhee's first meeting, I was really dying to hug you at that time. You looked so broken and confused that I want to tell you a thousand times that everything will be okay. Because we are here. I am here."
Gabrielle swallowed a lump on her throat and looked down on their feet. "You really said a lot, yet I don't know how to respond."
Ravn tilted his head to the side. "I'll just ask my first question again." He paused. "Did you notice?"
She bit her lip and nodded her head. "Yes. I thought I was just thinking things."
A smile spread on his lips, happy that she noticed it. "Are you okay with it?"
"What?"
"Are you okay with me doing those stuffs?"
Gabrielle looked away and felt her face red. "W-what kind of question is that? Do I have to answer that? D-do whatever you want."
"Then can I do this?" Ravn asked as he inched his face closer with Gabrielle's, their lips just an inch away. Her eyes widened in surprise. Ravn's eyes travelled from her eyes to her lips that were parted, and then back to her eyes.
Gabrielle immediately closed her eyes tightly. Is she afraid to look at him up this close or is she waiting for a kiss?
Ravn grinned at how cute she looked like. He lifted his head and kissed her forehead instead. Gabrielle opened her eyes and met Ravn's eyes that were twinkling. He smiled at her. "Being able to confess to you is already a big step. I'll wait for your response no matter how long it is. Just let me like you and protect you."
With one last look, Ravn walked away from Gabrielle with a victorious smile until he remembered something.
"Oh, right! I forgot tell you the reason why I was here!" Ravn turned around.
Gabrielle just looked at him, waiting to continue. She still felt tongue-tied after what just happened.
"I have finally decided to meet her." He looked down. Gabrielle tried to process what he said, and like a computer that finally rebooted, she finally understood what he meant and gave him a proud smile.
°°°°°
Gabrielle held on the bouquet of flowers in front of her and slightly glanced at Ravn who is driving to their destination. "I'm sincerely proud of you, Ravn. She'll be really happy to finally meet you once again."
"At first I only decided to do this because of you but I already made up my mind and decided to do it for her and for myself too." Ravn said. "She's my mother after all."
°°°°°
"My pretty Ravn, did you enjoy the carousel?" Little Ravn's mother asked him when they got off the ride. Ravn's face was full of happiness because for the first time, he went out with his mom, and not to mention in an amusement park.
"I loved it, mom! I wish we could go out like this a lot!" Ravn told her mother which almost made her frown. She made a tight-lipped smile and kneeled with one knee to match his level. "We'll ride more, okay? But stay here for a moment. I'll buy us some cotton candies. I'm kind of hungry."
"Yay! Cotton candy! Hurry mom!" He jumped in excitement. His mom hugged him tight before standing up. "Wait for me, okay? I'll be back." Ravn nodded his head like the good boy he is and watched his mom walk away to buy cotton candies for them.
Ravn waited patiently until he felt his stomach rumble. He couldn't wait anymore so he went to the cotton candy stall to have his mom hurry up. However, when he reached the stall, he couldn't even find his mother on the line.
He began to panic and search for his mom, calling for her in the midst of the crowded area. When he reached the main entrance, he saw the back of his mother going out of the amusement park. He instantly ran to chase her. He called for her but she couldn't hear him.
"Mom! Wait!" Ravn yelled as she crossed the street. He tried to follow her but vehicles just kept on passing by. He was left on the other side, yelling with all his might.
When his mother made it to the other side of the road, she saw Ravn waving his hands on the air. Her eyes widened but she averted her eyes away, acting like she didn't see Ravn calling for her. She hailed a cab and hurriedly went inside.
Ravn's jaw dropped when he saw the cab drift away farther and farther. His hands were back to his sides and he stopped yelling. "Where is mom going?" He stood still at the main entrance, thinking about where she's going.
He began thinking positively. "Maybe mom decided to buy cotton candies on another store, right? The line at the stall inside is too long." He nodded his head, confident of his hypothesis. "That's right. That's why mom told me to wait at the carousel. I need to go back so that she won't be mad at me for disobeying her."
Ravn went back to the carousel and sat down. He waited patiently once again for his mom. An hour came, then two. Two hours became four, and four hours became six hours.
Tears started to sting his eyes as his panic began to rise. "Why is mom still not here?"
"Did she really leave me?" Ravn asked through the air. The time he spent waiting for her was already an answer to his question. He began to cry when his question was confirmed by his own self. "Mom..."
Half an hour was spent of him crying until a man in a suit showed up in front of him. "Why are you crying, little man?"
"Mom..." Ravn cried out and the man kneeled down in front of him. "Did you lose your mom? Come, I'll help you find her."
Ravn looked up to observe the man in front of him. He isn't supposed to talk to strangers but the way the man smiled reassuringly made him believe he can trust him.
"My mom.... She left me." He sobbed and the man let out a sigh. "That's really sad to hear."
"I have no one else now. Mom..."
The man bit his lip. The sight of the kid made his heart crack. It reminded him of his late son. "How about... You come with me? I'll let you live in my house."
Ravn stared at the man.
"Don't worry. I'm not a bad man. I'm Park Jinyoung." The man took his business card and gave it to Ravn. "Do you know JYP?"
Ravn shook his head and Jinyoung took his phone. He showed him a video of girls dancing. Ravn's eyes widened. "It's Wonder Girls!"
Jinyoung smiled. "Yes, it's them." He pointed at the screen. "And that's me."
"What? The pooping guy is you?" Ravn asked in shock, looking at Jinyoung and the person at the screen. Jinyoung laughed. "Yeah, that's me."
"But people said the pooping guy is Wonder Girls' boss." He gasped. "Are you their boss!?"
Jinyoung nodded and kept his phone back. "Yes, I am. So I can assure you that you can trust me. I can even let you meet Wonder Girls."
"Really, mister?" Ravn's eyes lit up. Jinyoung stood up and opened his hand for Ravn to take.
°°°°°
Ravn has grown up so well under Jinyoung's aid. He also became the heir of Jinyoung's other company. Jinyoung planned to give it to Ravn when the time comes. He treated him like his own son. He gave him the treatment he could give to his late son who died just a month before he found Ravn.
Now, Ravn is living his life to the fullest. He buys what he wants and does what he wants. He lived his life giving himself the love he never had. And aside from receiving Jinyoung's blessings, he works hard as well at the company he'll soon own.
He was indeed successful and he almost forgot what happened nine years ago. But then one day, he was told to meet someone at a restaurant. Jinyoung also said it's someone who wanted to see him.
When Ravn arrived at the restaurant, he saw a familiar face looking at him. He stood still beside the table as he looked at the woman who left him nine years ago. After nine years, he finally saw his mom.
"Ravn, wow." His mother breathed. "You grew up so well. How are you?"
"What are you doing here?" Ravn asked, his anger slowly rising. Is this who Jinyoung told him?
"I-I wanted to see you." His mother replied. "I missed you so much."
Ravn looked at her with disgust. "Go save your lies." He turned around to leave but his mother held his wrist with both of her hands. "Let's talk, please. Just for moment. Hear me out."
This was it. The explanation Ravn wanted to hear, but it was also something he doesn't want to hear. He was debating with himself until he gave up and sat down in front of his mother. He looked at her and saw her smiling, but it was sad.
"Talk." He said.
His mother bit her lip. "First, I wanted to say sorry for leaving you back then. I wasn't on my right mind. I was so messed up from everything. I had you too early and your father left us. I didn't know what to do. I didn't ask for that life--"
Ravn scoffed. "Are you saying you regretted giving me life? That's amazing."
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "No, no. That's not what I mean. It's just that the timing was wrong."
"Then you should have just aborted me when you found out you were pregnant." Ravn snapped. "This was how it started right? When you got pregnant, your world shattered. When you gave birth to me, your world became a living hell." He let out a laugh. "So that was why you brought me to the amusement park back then. That was the day you finally thought of leaving me. I was really happy at that time because it's the first time we went out together."
"I'm sorry..." Tears started to fall from her eyes.
"Are you really sorry? Don't think I didn't know about you getting married with a lawyer just after two months of you leaving me. Now you have another child. You all must have been a very happy family. I'm envious."
It was true. Ravn hasn't seen her but it didn't mean he never wondered where his mother was. When he asked for someone to search for her, he just found out she already got married and already had a family. A new family.
"I used to wish that I was that child. I used to wish that I'm the one being showered with your love. I used to wish for that but not anymore. I realized how selfish you were for choosing an easy life with someone new, and for leaving me alone." Ravn spat out, his voice laced with poison and bitterness.
"And now, when you found out I'm getting successful, that I'm now an heir to a big company, you decided to show up. Why? Do you want me back? Do you want me back because I finally have lots of money? Does your new husband not have enough salary?"
"Ravn, that's not it. Please. All my life, I regretted leaving you. Just at the moment I rode the cab, I regretted it so bad. I went back to the place I left you but you weren't there anymore. I was going crazy when I looked for you. So I thought, you were in good hands."
"Wow, you didn't even think I was in the hands of some kidnapper." Ravn laughed. "You just wanted to ease yourself for leaving me, thinking I'm under a warm shelter. But guess what? I did. I'm basically living my life successfully. Yet, my heart was full of questions. Thankfully, you showed up out of nowhere and my thoughts have come to an end. I don't need you anymore."
His mother reached for Ravn's hand but he avoided it harshly to give it an effect on her. She was controlling her sobs but some just escapes from her. "I'm really, really, really sorry. I regretted everything. I was really a mess, Ravn. But now I've found myself and I missed you so much. I missed my pretty Ravn. Please... Please accept me."
"A sorry cannot fix everything that was broken for nine years. You messed up so you left me, now you're okay so you came back to me. Did you even think of how broken I was when you acted like you didn't see me across the street? I was thinking positively to avoid my assumptions. But I guess it was true. You really left me."
Ravn stood up and looked down on her. "You left me because of how hard our life was, you had a good life after that but mine was better. Now, look at me at the top and keep on regretting for leaving your child at the carousel."
He turned to leave his mother who finally let go of her sobs and heavy tears, as she calls for Ravn to wait. On the other hand, Ravn walked to his car, his face as hard as a stone but despite the hardness his face has contorted, a tear has escaped from his stone cold eyes.
For four years, Ravn has been receiving calls either from his mother. Gradually, her husband and child started calling him too and it infuriated him even more.
And for those years, he ignored those calls.
°°°°°
"Have you called her husband?" Gabrielle asked Ravn.
"Oh, right. I should tell him we're on our way." When he fished for his phone, it rang. "He's already calling me."
He picked it up and took a deep breath. "Hey, Mr. Lee. I'm on my way to your house. I'll be meeting my mother now."
Gabrielle looked so happy but her smile disappeared when she saw Ravn's mood drop.
"W-what?" He stuttered, his hands trembling.
Because of the dead silence, Gabrielle could hear the cries of his mother's husband on the other line. "Your mom... She's currently in the ICU. Please, please come here, Ravn."