The Hidden Treasure

~56~

Hyejin sat in the darkness and tried to see anything out the windshield of the RV but all she saw was pitch blackness. The minutes were dragging on. 

She wasn't sure if anyone knew she was gone.  However, if they did, she knew they would be worried. She sighed and tried to adjust her arms but the aching in them was too much.  Her legs had long ago fallen asleep and no amount of wiggling was helping. 

Her mouth was dry and her eyes were gritty.  She was physically tired but her mind was wide awake running through possible scenarios of what could happen to her before she was rescued. 

Rescued?

She smiled bitterly.  What if she wasn't going to be rescued?  What if it was true that no one knew she was gone?  Maybe they would notice in a few hours when she didn't come to the shop.

She laid her head against the back wall and tried to think of anything else to pass the time and to distract herself.  As she closed her eyes again, she saw her parents sitting at the kitchen table.  It wasn't large.  Their home wasn't large.  She knew now that they had put all their spare money back for her and lived on only what money they needed at the time. She could almost smell her mom's cooking and it made her mouth water a little. Her stomach started to growl and she realized she'd not had anything since the coffee she and Namjoon had earlier that evening. She decided to "feed" on her memories and let her mind wander into her parents' kitchen once again.

"Did you bring home group class photo today, Hyejinie?"  Her mother's back was to her at the stove.  She was so slender that her apron strings circled her waist twice before needing to be tied. 

Hyejin dropped her backpack on the floor and ran to her mother, hugging her tightly from behind.  "Omma, I'm hungry," she whined, trying to be as childish as possible. 

"Let me see your school photo first," said her mother firmly, but with a small smile. She patted her daughter's hands that were resting on her stomach.  "Your father will be home shortly. Get washed up for dinner and then you can show us the photos together.  Okay?  Get going," she laughed as she smacked Hyejin's behind to make her move quicker.

"Alright. Alright!  I'm going!"  She snagged a small bite of chicken off a platter near the stove as she ran to her room to quickly change out of her uniform. 

She quickly put on something less stuffy and returned to the kitchen to find her father walking in, his tie loosened and his suit jacket unbuttoned.

"Appa," she shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck.

"How was your day, sweet girl," he laughed, hugging her back.

"Good.  Except Namjoon beat me at another quiz.  I swear, I'm going to be better than him someday."  She pouted and flung herself down into one of the chairs next to the table.

Her father laughed and removed his suit jacket.  "I'm sure you will. I'm sure you will. So, weren't you supposed to bring home your school photo today?  How did it turn out?"

"I look like a potato," pouted Hyejin, her arms crossed over her chest and her bottom lip nearly dragging on her chin.

"My daughter?  Look like a potato?  I doubt that!  Your mother doesn't look like a potato and you look just like her," grinned her father, wrapping Hyejin's mother into a warm embrace and kissing her neck lightly. 

"Oh honey," laughed Hyejin's mother.  "Seriously, though, Hyejin-ah, show us the photos.  I want to see your classmates."  She turned of the stove, wiped her hands on a towel, and then sat down at the table.