✔️ Predicted 𓆩♡𓆪 | y.jw

02

"Yumin, why are you crying?" 

I blinked, snapping out of my daze and finally noticing the ugly wet blotches from my tears on the book I had given up reading. I looked up at the owner of the voice. 

I was met with Hyun Joo. He had a small smile on his face, eyes sparkling from  the innocence that each child possessed. My heart ached at the sight of him, at the thought of him meeting the same ending that Yun Seo had. In fact, I had spent the entire day thinking about how the previous kids most likely met the same fate. Hyun Joo was only four. He doesn't deserve to live in a world like this, much like my other siblings. I plastered on a smile, reaching up to him and pulling him into a hug. He let out a giggle as he surrendered to my arms. 

"Nothing," I sighed. "Just missing Yun Seo." 

Hyun Joo's laughter died down at that, falling silent as he laid in my embrace. Hyun Joo had admired Yun Seo and loved her just as much as I had, just like the other kids did. Yun Seo had been someone who you could depend on, someone to pour out all of your worries to. And she had accepted each and every one of them with open hands and kind eyes. 

"Speaking of her," he said quietly, fiddling on his fingers, "the maids told me that they decided to move your adoption date to tonight because of how well hers went." 

I froze. 

Mistaking my quietness for excitement,  he laughed and hugged me again. "I'm so happy for you! I'll miss you a lot." 

I let out a shaky laugh, bringing my hand back up to him. "Yeah, I'll miss you too. More than you think." 

And so, here I was- clutching my bag full of the few items I owned, hand disgustingly held in one of the maid's hands as I bid my siblings goodbye. Surprisingly, I did not cry nor come close to it. All I felt was dissapointment. 

Perhaps if I had been given more time I might've been able to come up with a plan to escape with the others. My death didn't scare me anymore after what I witnessed yesterday. I immediately flinched at the memory. 

The vampire that had "saved" me yesterday had definitely reported me to the authorities, which is most likely the reason why my shipment date had been moved to tonight. 

Looking at all of my younger sibling's faces, all I could feel was regret. There was nothing I could do to even remotely help them now. Even telling Hyun Joo about what had happened and letting him think of an escape since he had time would have been better than leaving with no information at all. However, I had been so focused on the fact that I was going to be leaving them that I had not even thought about that option. 

The maid placed a hand on my back, a pointed smile on her face. "Now Yumin," she said with the fake smile still glued on her face, "it's time to go meet your new family. We'll all miss you here greatly."

This was the same thing she said to every other kid who got "adopted". 

I smiled, only keeping the act on to not spook the other children. As I went through the line of maids to give my caretakers a last hug, all I could focus on was the fact that I could not help anyone. Even after seeing Yun Seo, I was still a big coward. 

As the maid and I started taking out leave, I felt a tug on my sleeve. I looked down to see Hyun Joo with tears in his eyes. However, there was another emotion present in his teary eyes: fear. 

He took one of my hands in both of his, looking up at me in sadness. "Sister..." he whispered. "I'm sorry I can't do anything to help you." 

My eyes widened at his words. He had whispered so softly that even I could just barely make out his words. Hyun Joo was smart. So smart, that even I had underestimated him. He knew what was going to happen. Tears flew out of my eyes as I kneeled down and hugged him, enjoying the last embrace. He clenched his fists as he clutched me back just as tightly.