The blonde teenage girl sighed while walking through the shopping district. Her green eyes gazed at inside of the beige-coloured purse. The twin-tailed girl miscalculated how much she has for this month. It was only enough for this week, but she couldn't even try to see another job with better payment. Maybe because she's still young as she could only do part-time job as a high school student.
If only, I'm still living with my family...
She closed her purse again and continued her steps toward her little apartment. Suddenly, the green eyes were attracted to a row of birthday cakes inside the cake store's fronts. Her feet changed its pace and stopped in front of the cake store. Looking inside, there're even small cakes that have the same beauty and quality as the big cakes.
When she was satisfied, the teenager decided to go home until she saw a reflection of a little child with long monochrome hairs. Reflexed by the sudden appearance, she turned her head to beside her. The child has heterochromia, a pair of red and yellow eyes, which rarely unique on their own. Their eyes that still glued to the cakes, seemed sad to her.
Two things connected in her mind – There's something that holding their family back to celebrate their birthday today.
Feeling empathy toward the stranger, the teenager then checked her purse. There's only 12.000 won in it and it's her last cash for this month. She needed to wait another week to get her next payment if she was thinking to give it to them. After many thoughts, she braved herself to pat the child's shoulder slightly.
Their head turned around while the small pale hands wiping tears. The blonde girl gave them her green handkerchief, the child then used it reluctantly. After they finished wiping their tears, the monochrome-haired child bowed as their hand gave back the handkerchief.
"Thank you, Unnie..."
"You're welcome," she put it in her school bag," my name is Nike Amor. What's wrong, little kid? Why do you keep staring the cakes?"
"Ah. Umm..." their fingers fidgeted, "Today is my birthday but... I don't have anyone to celebrate it with me. So, I was thinking if I get one for myself or not."
Aah... That's how it is. If it's really a family problem, I shouldn't ask them further.
Nike glanced to the child again. There were more waters dropped out from the red-yellow eyes. Hurriedly, she kneeled and wiped their tears with her handkerchief. The pale-skinned child stunned for a moment, then chuckled. It made the blonde-haired teenager remembered her sister who was away at home.
"Umm, little kid?"
"Key," The child gazed innocently, "please call me Key, Nike-unnie"
"Then, Key. Do you wanted to go inside with me?"
The child couldn't take their heterochromatic eyes off from the older one. They didn't expect that someone would ask them willingly. Yet, they answered with energetic smile.
"Yes, I do. I wanted to go in with Nike-unnie," the small hand raised, wanting to be hold.
Seeing that, the green-eyed teenager smiled as she took their hand. Her other hand pushed the door, signing that she wanted the child to follow her. While she was going in, the child happily skipped their feet behind her. Inside of the cake store, Nike and Key took a good look at the beautiful cakes when the store employee greeted them.
"Hello, welcome to 초희 (Cho-Hee) Patisserie. How can I help you?"
"Eum... Do you have mini birthday cakes?" Nike questioned them innocently, wearing her usual mask when she wanted to bargain a discount.
