Adopted K.NJ

Introductions

Rose looks out of the window of the orphanage she was kept in, at the people wandering the streets, music blaring through her headphones. She sighs, all hope of ever being adopted completely gone. If fact, she didn't even want to be adopted anymore. She kind of liked her small room and the odd people here.

Her family died in a fire when she was 10. She was the sole surviver. She had a major infection in her mouth preventing her from speaking, so she couldn't warn her parents of the fire worming its way toward them from the stove as they cooked breakfast. She felt powerless as she watched their skin crackle and bubble before her very eyes.

She can still hear their screams to this very day.

A knock on the bedroom door snaps her out of the flashback. She types on the little recorder that speaks for her. "Come in."

The orphanage woman, Mrs. Kim, comes in. She knows some broken English but not much. She says, "Man here. Come down."

A man? Wanting to adopt? This sounds too good to be true. She starts to jump up when she remembers. Don't get your hopes up. He'll probably take one look at me and leave.

She takes her time getting off the window seat and walks downstairs, behind Mrs. Kim. When she reaches the bottom of the steps, she looks around for the man. She suddenly spots him talking with another kid. He looks completely disinterested, but when he spots her, his eyes light up, a spark which hasn't been there for years.

He smiles slightly, but it's more like a smirk. He's.. strangely attractive, with the mask down under his chin, making his cheeks look puffy. Well, more puffy than they already are.

Mrs. Kim starts talking to him in Korean, Rose not understanding a word they're saying. He suddenly turns to her, that smirk on his face again. For some reason, it makes her resent him. She doesn't know why.

He suddenly says, in perfect English, "I hear you don't talk much. Is that right?"

She nods, looking at her feet. He tilts her chin up, slightly glancing at the tiny kitten stuffed animal in her left hand. He smiles that annoying smirk again and then stands up, talking to the woman.

She suddenly claps her hands and pulls him into a room. He gives her one last glance and a wink before following her into the room. She feels her cheeks become hot at his small actions.

They come back out after a minute. Mrs. Kim shoos her upstairs saying, "Go! Pack!"

She's speechless. She quickly runs upstairs and packs the few belongings she has: the recorder, a few shirts, a dress, a pair of jeans, her three stuffed animals, and her phone.

She walks back down the stairs, not as enthusiastic as she thought she'd be. When she gets downstairs, the guy takes her bag and introduces himself, "I'm Namjoon. You don't have to call me dad if you don't want to. Now c'mon, I have some things I need to get before we go home."

Home... That's a word that sparks a sense of belonging in her. She almost smiles but then reminds herself she has to stay strong, in case he decides to return her, again unwanted. So she shrugs instead.

He walks out with her and puts her bag in the backseat of his extremely expensive car. She tries not to gawk at the inside as he opens the door of the front seat for her to get in. She slides in and quickly buckles herself in.

He gets in as well, looking at her several times. She looks at him and types on the recorder, "What are you staring at?"

He smirks, yet again, and asks, disregarding her question, "You're gonna be trouble, aren't you?"

She looks at him and types on the recorder, "What's it to you?"
 
He sighs and answers his own question, "Yes, you are..."

He starts up the car, again asking a question, "So how old are you? Aren't you like, 12 or something?"