The Magic Shop

Chapter Six

The shaken girl stared at the concrete wall of her teacher's apartment parking garage. It was cool and brightly lit, more so than any other parking garage that Mirae had ever been in. The engine's steady humming was replaced by an awkward silence as Mirae, and her homeroom teacher sat side by side. Neither of the two moved to open their door, they just sat. The moments ticked by and Mrs. Lee released a sigh, turning to the younger girl. "Don't be mad that I'm doing this, okay?" she began placing a caring hand on the girls own. "I just want you to be somewhere safe." She continues. Mirae's face twisted in disbelief. She snatched her hand away from the older woman.

"Are you assuming that I have problems at home?" Mirae was suddenly overcome with an uncalled-for rage. Mrs. Lee slouched back in her chair like a deflated balloon. She continued to look at her student, but now with a pained expression. She could not understand why the girl was so upset with her. At that moment a similar passionate anger filled the teacher. "You expect me to believe that everything is all peachy at your house..." she stared at the side of the girl's head. Mirae refused to look at her teacher. "you were just out in the rain, shoeless, caressing a building in an alley at night!" Mirae could not think of anything to say, she just continued to stare out the windshield at the wall.

"Where is your mother, right now?" Mrs. Lee probed leaning to look at the girl's face. Mirae and Lee made brief eye contact, but Mirae turned to look out the window at another car. "I'll take you home..." Lee said reaching for the car keys after getting no response from the girl. Mirae's heart bounced around in her throat, she grabbed Mrs. Lee's hand and bit her lip. "Can we just go inside, please?" she whispered, nearly inaudibly. Lee nodded and took the keys from the ignition. The pair walked into the building earning a few concerned glances from the people in the halls. Mrs. Lee urged Mirae to ignore the people, but Mirae was already in her own world. After a brief lift up to the 5th floor, the pair was able to relax in the comfort of Lee's apartment.

"It's a really small apartment, but make yourself comfy," Lee started disappearing down a small hallway only to return a short while later with a towel and a dress. "dry yourself off and change into this. I'll go make some tea to warm you up." Lee beams with a soft smile. Mirae shyly accepts the items and tiptoes down the hall. The girl dries herself and dresses herself in the flowy blue dress. It was big, but she liked it. She exited the bathroom to be met with a steaming glass of tea. "Thank you." Mirae hums more to herself as she accepts the beverage. "I'm sorry for yelling at you." Lee muttered moving to allow the girl to exit the bathroom. Mirae took a small sip of the warm tea. It was a peachy flavor.

The warm liquid cascaded down her throat, spreading its warmth to every inch of her body. She was actively ignoring her teacher in order to embrace the tea. The older woman realized this and quickly moved on to something else leaving the younger girl to drink her tea in peace. Mirae lowered the cup slowly, the steam continued to rise, brushing her pale cheeks. Her eyes rested on the rim of the mug, it was not a fancy mug or even the kind that would catch the eye, but Mirae couldn't help but feel that this cup held wonderful memories. Her hand trembled lightly as she gripped the ceramic in her fingers, the warmth radiating through her palms.

I better go sit... or at least go where Mrs. Lee could see me... Her lips parted slightly allowing the air she had be subconsciously trapping to escape with a soft whistle.

"Mirae?" the brunette woman called from an unseen part of the apartment. The younger girl hummed in response, moving forward cautiously into the open space of the living room. In the center of the room sat a plain wooden coffee table. It was worn down, covered in papers likely work from the school. She tiptoed up to the furniture, lowering her body to set beside it. "Are you feeling better?" the voice called out again. "Mhm." She hummed placing the mug gently on the table in a clear space with a light clink. The wood floor creaked under her weight as she pulled herself up to her feet. Curiosity taking over her, Mirae began to examine her surroundings.