Drifted Away - Shinyu from TWS | ✅

How

After a few more visits to the graveyard, I got to know Shinyu better. He worked as a caretaker to earn money, because he was hopeless too, like I was. 

I knew I needed to take a job soon enough but I was not emotionally ready for that yet.

This time, Shinyu was raking up the fallen leaves when I entered. I did not have anywhere else to go because somehow, it was the closest I could get to my parents. And every time, I'd weep, expecting a miracle to occur which would at least put food on the table for me. 

After a brief visit to my parents, I walked over to Shinyu. His face lit up in a bright smile. Sat in the shade of a tree, I saw a little girl. Her facial features resembled those of Shinyu. She wore a small light pink dress but the hem had turned into a brownish shade because it probably had not been washed for a long time. She was scribbling in what looked like a small book and was smiling at whatever there was. 

"She is my little sister, Hyeri," Shinyu said. 

"Hello Hyeri," I greeted enthusiastically. 

She smiled shyly and replied, "Hi," before hiding behind his brother's clothes. Shinyu chuckled. There was something about his smile which made me oblivious to my situation. 

The book she was holding was full of incomprehensive scribbles. What stood out in bold ink was the hangeul printed on it. 

"That was supposed to be her school textbook, but she doodled all over it. It was 10,000 won for one," Shinyu sighed, "I will have to get her a new one, and a new uniform. She grew out of the old ones."

"Do you have money?"

"I'd have to work more." His response intrigued me.

I nodded slightly. 

After a small silence, he spoke again, "My dad left us when Hyeri was born. My mother was supporting us but she passed away last year." Shinyu sighed and his eyes were watery already.

 I placed my hand on his and gave him a look of reassurance. He briefly looked at me but his gaze drifted away when I made eye contact with him. 

"After she left, I was already an adult. So I adopted Hyeri. I quit school and worked to earn money for the two of us. But what are you going to do now?"

"I have thought of getting a job too, although I am not ready yet. But forget that," I shrugged off the topic, "I want to help you buy a new book for Hyeri. I will lend you half of the money, and I'll try to find somewhere where they sell cheap uniforms."

He smiled at the ground, looking at my palm which I placed on his earlier. I felt my cheeks tinge in a light shade of pink but he interrupted my thoughts by speaking, "Keep your money. I know that you need it more than me. It will be easy for me to find this book secondhand."

"Please don't say that. I genuinely want to be of some help."

He did not reply, but he removed his hand from my light grip and lightly cupped my face. He stared into my eyes for a few seconds, catching me off guard. Then he hugged me. 

And I never realised how much I needed that. 

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I hope you are not crying lol