[Hellion Brothers: Book #4] Aequor Heart

Chapter 31

Thirty One - Yojeung and Gab
(Yojeung's story pt. I)

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It was one afternoon in England when the family decided to come out and take her in the park hoping that somehow, it will help their little child.

2 years has already passed since they first got her yet the young girl still didn't talk too much. She only talked to the couple and never to a stranger. Not even a single word.

It took them 3 months to finally finish the process before they could finally say that she was their child. She was a 'Lee'. After that, they went to England and migrated for Kijun's business.

When Yojeung was finally around 6 years old, they decided that her birthday will be the day they got her so they will know the exact date of when that happened.

She didn't make friends even though she was already schooling. Her classmates always played altogether but they saw how Yojeung kept distancing herself from others. She was an introverted child. On her birthday, she asked them to not make her go to school anymore. And because they didn't want her to be left out in her education, they just decided to get her homeschooled in which she accepted.

But Sunday was their family day, so there was no tutor for her. She was playing at the grass alone while still in her parent's eyesight when a little boy went to her and approached.

"Hi."

Silence.

"Hi."

Silence.

"Uhh... Hi?"

Yojeung stood up and tried to go back to her parents when her way was blocked by the little boy.

'Maybe she can't hear me.' is what the little boy thought.

He waved at her enthusiastically and a big cheerful grin was plastered on his face. However, this gesture just got Yojeung scared. Her eyes started to get teary and started crying out loud. The little boy began to panic.

Hearing their daughter's cry, the couple immediately ran towards her in worry. Kijun took her in his arms and Seolji patted her back in an attempt to calm her down. Yojeung hid her face in Kijun's neck.

"Why are you crying baby?" Seolji calmly asked in a motherly way.

Yojeung pointed her little finger towards the little boy standing quietly on the side, watching them. His eyes went wide at that.

"I didn't do anything Ma'am!" He immediately defended, his British accent obvious in his voice.

"Oh! Sorry about that little boy. My daughter is just scared of strangers. Don't worry. It's okay." Kijun smiled down at the little boy and ruffled his hair.

"I just wanted to be friends with her and play." He pouted.

"You can. But I think you will need a lot of patience to do that little mister. You see, my daughter doesn't talk to anyone easily." Seolji explained, lowering herself so she can be at eye level as the pouting boy. "But I would like it if you two become friends."

His face lit up with the idea. He nodded cheerfully and diverted his eyes towards her, a new mission encrypted in his mind.

Since then, after school times, the little boy kept visiting their house. He was just a street away from them anyway. Also, Seolji and his mother Gail were friends before the kids even met so knowing that the two somehow can get along with each other made them happy.

One day on a weekend, the little boy visited again and they were on Yojeung's garden currently staying. He again told Yojeung some of the stories he had about his school and friends just like what he usually did whenever he visited. He was determined to make Yojeung talk to him. He told himself that once Yojeung talks to him, he will become the first friend she ever had.

Yojeung, not actually interested in those stories, decided to just lock herself in her room until he goes home when she tripped herself on her own feet and stumbled on the ground. Her cute little dress had a little amount of dirt because of that as well as her petite hands.

"Julianne!" He called out in her English name. He ran to her aid and helped her stand up. "Ohh… Be careful. Look at your hands now. It got dirty. Your dress is dirty too."

He wiped off the dirt from the edge of her dress with his hands until it was gone before wiping off the dirt from her hands too.

A memory struck in her mind all of a sudden. This certain boy was scolding her too because she was so dirty due to playing on the sand. He was wiping off the dirt in her hands and face while scolding her. And she remembered calling the boy as 'oppa'. She was scared that he might be angry but that 'oppa' just smiled and said he wasn't mad at her. He was just simply taking care of his little sister.

"Oppa..." she called out.

The little boy was halted by that moment. He looked at her in shock as if she had grown another head. "Did you just say something?"

"Oppa..."

He screamed in surprise. Finally! His Julianne is now talking! "Talk to me again!"

"Oppa…"

"My name is not Oppa. My name is Gerald Andrew Bryan McCartney. But please call me Gab okay?"

"Oppa..."

"No. I said call me Gab. G-A-B. Gab. Say it again."

"Oppa..."

"No Julianne! Common. Follow me. Say, 'Gab'. "

"It's okay Gab." Seolji said, smiling happily at them as she brought them snacks. "In Korea, the females call their older brothers or any boy older than them as 'oppa'. She is calling you as older brother."

"Really?!" Gab's eyes twinkled. Seolji nodded at him.

"Okay then. Call me all you want, hmm? From now on, because you talked to me, we are hereby declared as friends. We’re going to play now okay?"

Yojeung slightly smiled at him.