Cured

Ch. 6

Miss Evelyn, Miss Kim, Mee-Yon, and I made our way into town, heading to the market to buy gifts for Tao's eighth birthday and ingredients for the dishes that would be made to celebrate. I held a woven basket in my arms, the basket already filled with fruits and vegetables and sweets, Miss Kim filling her own basket with other items.

"Do you think he would like a book?" Evelyn asked, and I nodded, remembering how much he liked to read. "Oh, what about a new toy? Oh, he might like this...oh, or this!" She said excitedly, looking at one of the market stalls filled with trinkets and play things.

I smiled, watching as she picked many different items to give Tao on his birthday. As she shopped for him, Miss Kim and I continued to look for foods. I was excited; I had finally convinced Mr. Kim to let me help with cooking, and I couldn't wait to help out in the kitchen once again. He had fought to keep me out of the kitchen since I had arrived at the mansion, so I was ecstatic.

There was a small commotion behind me, but I ignored it, thinking it was just some argument between some merchants, continuing to go through some fruit baskets displayed in front of me.

"Miss Khristine?" Miss Kim's voice called out as I was looking at a batch of strawberries. I glanced over at her, and the worried look on her face sent a wave of panic through me. She was looking around at her feet, and over to Miss Evelyn, but she didn't find what she was looking for.

"What's wrong?" I asked, beginning to worry, and she looked back at me, panicked.

"Mee-Yon is gone. I can't find her." She said, and my heart dropped.

"What do you mean?" I asked, and turned to look around at the pathway, she was nowhere to be seen. "Evelyn!" I called, but realized she was already looking around as well.

"She couldn't have gone far, I'll look further this way. Miss Khristine, can you look down the stalls that way?" Evelyn said, then turned to Miss Kim. "Please stay here and make sure she isn't just hiding behind a cart or anything." She said, then made her way up the path, in the direction we came.

I made my way in the opposite direction, heading down the path, past carts we had yet to visit. I looked around for her, weaving between what few people were shopping as well. The market wasn't very busy, so I should have been able to see her. Did she wander out of the market?

As I searched, I passed a gap between two carts and sighed, deciding to squeeze between them, ending up in a large green field. "Mee-Yon!" I called out, but there was no response. "Mee-Yon!" I called again, and the familiar cloud of dark mist appeared.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked, seeing how scared I looked. Then she looked around, and realization came to her face. "Oh, this is when I ran off, isn't it?" She asked.

"Yes, now tell me where you are." I told her, but she shook her head.

"No." She said, and I looked at her like she was crazy.

"You're a four year old girl lost in a giant marketplace. Tell me where you are!" I told her, but she shook her head.

"I can't. Not yet anyways." She said, glancing down the stalls, and I followed her gaze, spotting a small child disappearing behind one of them. "You have to wait, otherwise you can mess up history. If I don't meet the person today in the market, you might not exist, and you definitely won't meet my brothers." She explained, but I was already running off after the child.

~~~

Future Mee-Yon's P.O.V.

I watched as Khristi ran off after the child I glanced at moments before. She will be mad at me when she realizes that it isn't my younger self, but it is for the best. If she were to find me, I would miss my chance to meet Mr. Choi.