Just Enough For Her Little Dream: Book Two

Luna

"Alright. Who's next?"

I ignore the groans coming from the third loser who decided to come into class today. What was once a room filled with guys whispering and snickering about me, it's now filled with a surprising silence. Some of them exchange wide eyes while others show their fury rising within them.

"What's wrong?" I say with a smirk. "Did you guys come just to look at a pretty girl or to learn taekwondo?"

"We didn't think the pretty girl we saw at the window actually knew how to fight," one of them says with a smirk that makes the others gain confidence with their sexist thoughts.

I scoff and put my hands on my hips. "Do you see this, kids?" I look to my side where I've gathered the small group of children that come for class on Tuesdays. "There are several lessons today. First, never underestimate a girl."

The guys that came in today start to laugh and I keep my smirk. Oh. If only they knew where I've learned to fight. This time, I won't play by the rules.

"Second," I firmly say. "You will always win if you can find their weakness."

"Oh yeah?" One of the pervs says with reckless eyes. "And what's that, pretty girl? Third! Girls are the worst wenches when they're mad!"

Some of the kids gasp as this idiot comes at me. I roll my eyes before using all my strength to do a roundhouse kick. This makes the idiot fall hard on the ground and I knock him out immediately. His friends run to tend to him and their insults are drowned out by the sound of the children cheering for me.

"Yeah, noona!" One of the boys gets up and kicks one of the guys in the shin. He reacts with a cry of pain, and the pervs walk out with frowns and bruises.

The boy celebrates when I give him a high five. The rest of the kids get up to jump with joy that I've defeated the bad guys.

"Alright," I say with a warm smile. "Why don't you guys get ready to go home? That's all for today."

"Noona!" I nod at a boy with his hand raised up high. His eyes are wide as he says, "What was their weakness, noona?"

"Their pride."

"What's pride, teacher?" the youngest student shyly says.

"Go ask your parents for the answer."

"Teacher!"

"What now?"

"Will we not practice our kicks today?"

"Visual learning is as important as practicing. No more questions! Save them for next class, or else I'll make you all run a lap around the neighborhood."

"Yes, teacher!"

As everyone starts to disperse and I take a drink of water, the only girl from today's class comes up to me with her usual shy composure. "Unnie?"

She's my favorite. I would genuinely take the time to listen to her. So I sit at the edge of the shoe shelf and give her a sweet smile. "Yes, little one?"

She hesitates before saying, "Are all boys mean like that?"

I crouch down so I can look into her eyes filled with innocent sparkle. I can almost see myself in her. I once had her sparkle but it wasn't until the world showed me the truth that I lost her innocent shine. But no one told me about it. I was just thrown out into the world without a clue of how painful it would be to me.

So I give her what I wish I would have gotten before getting kicked out of the orphanage: the truth.

"Yes," I bluntly say. "They are all the same and that's why you must learn how to fight back against anyone who tries to bring you down. It's the only way to survive."

Her little eyes show surprise. She's silent and I can tell that her observant personality is kicking in. It's what makes her one of the best students. She lets her surprise slowly fade as she gives me a nod. "I want to be just like you, unnie. I will fight back just like you."

Determination sets on her as she starts to get her things. She gives me one last quiet look before walking out.

Her tiny voice stays in my head as I clean up this small place. Though a sense of pride sets in my heart for the impact I've made on that little girl, I still wonder if being like me would work for her. No. I don't want her to be like me. I want her to survive, but not like I did.

Just as I'm about to go upstairs to get ready for bed, I hear a knock on the large glass wall. The large taekwondo painting blocks who it is but I already know. I roll my eyes as the owner of the building, Mr. Jeong, peeks his head to the side so I can see his annoying wide smile. He lifts up a plastic bag filled with containers and gestures at me to open the front door. I unlock the door with a long sigh. I'm not in the best mood to be nice to anyone today.

He starts to speak nonstop the moment he steps in. I start towards the secluded kitchen area for a cup of water as he goes on about the calls he got from a mother complaining about today's lesson.

"What the hell did you teach those kids today? Don't tell me you went ahead with your stupid plan, Luna?"

I'm silent as I take my medication and then look at him. "Did you come here to question how I teach your classes?"

"Hey," he says. "Don't you dare get sassy with me, young lady. If it weren't for me, you'd be on the streets!"

"Fine by me," I mumble as I climb the stairs. He follows close behind as he continues to annoy me.

"Have you eaten yet? My wife made you dinner. I told her that you deserve to starve, but she likes you too much."

I can't help but do a small side smile at his tease. I truly am in debt to them. If it weren't for that cold night they decided to open their basement kitchen window, I probably would have died that night. They took me in and treated me as if I were their child. In a way, they do feel like parents to me. My heart especially softens for Mrs. Jeong.

So I sit at the small wooden table Mr. Jeong made for me and let him spread out the plates in front of us. I watch him with a quiet heart. He smiles with pride. That smile makes my lips quiver, but I'm always strong enough to fight back my tears. I let that lump create in my throat as he says, "Here you go, Ms. Luna. Some warm soup for you. It's my wife's special soup. You better finish the whole thing."

I'm always left speechless at their kindness. They're the only people that don't care about my past and see hope in me. They let me take care of a business precious to them as if they don't know I've stolen not only things but lives in the past.

I quietly take small sips of this delicious soup with Mr. Jeong. I watch him do a satisfied expression at the taste and try the kimchi next. He notices my frozen hands and gestures at the side plates. "Eat some more. If you want to teach more lessons to all those punks on the street, you need to eat well. Go ahead."

Once again, I keep that question inside as I obey his words. Why are you so nice to me? What is that you want in the end?