Cross My Path || J. JK

July 2005

A six-year-old Sang was walking with her mom around the mall, gripping her hand tightly so she wouldn't get lost. The world was so big around her poor Sang found it terrifying.

Mother and daughter were in the search for some new school shoes since little Sang was about to start school. She was not looking forward to it. You see she was a shy kid and as an only child she found making friends was very difficult. Every day she begged her parents not to make her go to school, but each day they tried convincing her it was necessary for her to go.

The shopping mall was loud, different types of music from the stores filling the halls, it distracted Sang as she lagged behind her mom peering into the stores. Gentle tugs urged her on and she would quicken her small feet.

Stopping in front of a store Sang looked around, curiosity getting the most of her. Her eyes landed on a boy and his half-zipped backpack, there was an action figure hanging from it and with each step he took the more it slipped from its confines. With one last bounce the action figure fell from the blue backpack, the sound was barely heard over the music, either way the boy was animatedly talking to his dad there was no way of him noticing the loud 'clack' the toy made against the tiled floor.

If Sang was less shy and a little braver, she would've loosened the hold on her mom's hand and ran after him to tell him about his doll. Sadly, that did not happen instead she tugged on the hand and pointed to where the boys' toy had fallen.

"Mommy, a boy dropped his toy," she quietly mumbled.

"What's that, Sang?" her mom asked having not heard her. She leaned down to her daughter's height paying close attention to her words. She knew her daughter had trouble being herself in public, she could only hope her new school could fix that.

"A boy dropped his toy," Sang repeated.

"Oh, well, why don't you go get it and we can take it to the lost and found? I'm sure he'll miss it and go looking for it."

The little girl hesitated, but with an encouraging look from her mom, she ran to where the red and gold toy was thrown on the floor. She analyzed it and saw it had buttons that when you pressed them it made the doll talk. Running back to her mom, she tightly held the toy as they looked for the lost and found office.

On the other side of the mall more specifically in the parking lot a young boy by the name of Jungkook searched frantically through his blue backpack. Sadness and worry flooded him when he didn't find his Iron Man action figure. It had been a Christmas present and he hadn't let go of it since.

"Dad, wait, I can't find Iron Man," he told his dad desperately.

"Did you leave it at one of the stores, Jungkook?" he patiently asked, helping his son look through the backpack again. It was filled with random school items and lots of toys he insisted on carrying.

"I remember putting him back, it should be here," he almost cried.

"It's okay Kook why don't we go back and search for it," the boy's dad tried consoling him. It wasn't the first time the boy had left something behind accidentally.

"Okay," he nodded with tear filled eyes.

They went back to all of the stores they had been to and in each one a shy Jungkook would ask the people working there if they had seen his doll. With a sad look they would all shake their heads and wish him good luck on finding his friend. Jungkook felt defeated Iron Man was nowhere to be found.

"Jungkook, there is one more place we can look," his dad informed him.

"Where? Tell me, please," he exclaimed, looking up to the older man.

"There's a lost and found office, maybe somebody found it and took it there."

"Okay, let's go, quick!" Jungkook dragged his dad to the office, even if he didn't know where it was.

In the office there was a nice old lady and behind her there were shelves filled with lost items. As soon as they walked in Jungkook's eyes zeroed in on the action figure and almost ran to it if it wasn't for his dad's grip on his jacket.

"Good afternoon, what can I help you with?" The lady questioned kindly.

"That's my Iron Man," Jungkook loudly said, pointing to the toy.

"Jungkook manners," the dad chided him.

"I'm sorry. I lost my action figure and I think it's that one," he told the lady.

"Ah yes, here you go," she smiled at him and handed it to him.

"Thank you so much for finding it and taking care of it," Jungkook sweetly spoke, hugging Iron Man to his chest.

"It was no problem dear, it was actually a little girl who brought it in," she cooed at the cute boy.

"Really?" he asked with big doe eyes.

"Yes, she found it on the floor," the woman lightly laughed.

With one last thank you the boy and his father left the office and made their way home. Jungkook was thankful for the girl who rescued his 'Iron Man' he wouldn't know what to do without it. After all it was the last gift, he received from his grandfather that passed away in May.

That day in July 2005 in a mall was the first time that Sang and Jungkook almost met.