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"Miyoung?" A feminine voice chimed from downstairs where the scent of food emitted from.
The waft of her mother's delicious food slipped through the ajar door and into her bedroom where she sat upon her bed in a comfortable attire while scrolling on her phone.
With a gentle sigh, she kicked her legs over the side of the mattress, slipping her feet into her fluffy slippers before taking to her feet.
"Coming!" She called back down, pocketing her phone into her oversized sweater that engulfed her small frame.
She leaned over her desk on the way out, blowing the candles till the once roaring flames were nothing but embers, releasing smoke which swirled in pretty designs before fading away.
Miyoung took to the steps, her hands delved deep into her pockets while her feet tapped rhythmically against the floorboards as she approached the kitchen which held a glowing yellow light, making the room feel even more like home.
"Hey mum," she mumbled, sliding onto her stool and leaning over the table to pick at a piece of fried chicken, only to have her hand slapped away by her mother who gave her a warning glare.
"Don't touch the masterpiece," the woman joked, her once 'serious' look fading to a kind smile which reached her eyes. "I forgot to pick up the cabbage, Sweetie. Would you be a gem and nip down to the store to get some?"
Miyoung simply nodded, her lips pursed as she gazed at the fried chicken longingly.
"The quicker you get the cabbage, the quicker you get the chicken," the older rushed, shooing her daughter away towards the door.
Miyoung giggled quietly as she rolled her eyes at her mother who returned to the stove. She pressed her hands against the wall to act as a support as she took her slippers off and replaced them with some decent sneakers.
"I'll be back soon, mum!" She called over, grabbing some money from the pocket of her mother's coat - as she did whenever she was sent to the store - "I only took a fiver!"
With a hum of acknowledgment, Miyoung pushed against the door, letting herself out into the humid air of the summer night in Seoul.
The sun had set with the relatively late hour, but the air still held its warmth. Cicadas could be heard on nearby trees, but the annoying noise was merely in the background at this a stage.
The young teen found herself humming to a tune she didn't know the name of as she strolled down the somewhat quiet streets.
The odd drunken adult would stumble by, mumbling incoherent words, but aside from that it wasn't as busy as it usually would be. It was a school night after all.
With the convenience store ahead of her, she fiddled with the money, making sure her clumsy self hadn't already dropped it.
After confirmation that she still had it, she walked through the open automatic doors, sighing in relief when the air conditioning hit her.
"Hey Mr. Son," she called over to the old man behind the counter. He looked down his glasses at the girl who he had grown familiar with over the years, and with a tight lipped smile, he sent her a welcoming wave.
"Little Miyoung. Good to see you again," he replied.
"I'm not little, Mr. Son." He merely chuckled at the pout that she wore, finding the girl to be quite immature.
"It's not my fault you grew up so fast, little lady."
He looked back to the novel he was reading, allowing the girl to go to what she needed.
She was tucked behind an isle, looking at the variety of the same vegetable to see which was the cheapest.
"They're all green," she mumbled, while scratching her head. "So why is that one more expensive?" She shrugged, grabbing the cheaper of the two and muttering a quick, 'it'll stay a mystery' before standing up, only to collide with a taller boy.
The older stumbled back with a soft, 'oof' before he snapped back to reality.
"Hey Jen!" She quietly said, looking at the familiar boy in wonder. She hadn't been this close with him in years. "Whatcha looking for?"
She decided to give him a smile since he seemed to be in a bit of a mood.
"I umm....I was just looking for some bandages?" His raven hair fell over his eyes due to the lack of care to cut it. Had she seen his eyes, maybe she would have caught the utterly broken and destroyed look that had captured them.
"Oh," she whispered, glancing down at the cabbage before making the decision that her mother could wait. "I think they're right over here, Jen."
She grasped onto his hand, dragging him down an isle to show him where they were. With a proud smile, she pointed at the assortment of different bandages before looking to his face which held a smile...something she hadn't seen him do in a while.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Jeno."
Just as she was about to pass him, he grabbed a hold of her wrist and pulled her back into his chest.
