I let the boy wait outside as I got some of the leftover mee-yuk-gook for him. He finished it in less than a minute. Then he leaned back and sighed. Out of nowhere, he let out a burp. I had to giggle. He looked at me and smiled.
"Sorry about that."
"It's okay."
I hesitated before I asked him the next question. "Umm…so what's your name?" He glanced at me and then stared at the ground. I could tell he was debating to tell me his real name or not. I didn't want him to feel obligated to telling me his name. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Ji Won looked at her surprised. "No! It isn't that!" he yelled. She stared back at him surprised too. Then he lowered his voice. "I'm sorry. Please don't misunderstand."
She nodded her head slowly and Ji Won can tell that she was confused. Ji Won felt that he could trust her and he wanted her to be his friend.
"My name is Eun Ji Won and you are?"
"Nam Mi-Na, but call me Mina. It's easier to remember."
Then she gave him the sweetest smile. Ji Won felt his heart beat a little faster when she smiled at him. He blushed and looks away.
"So uh, how old are you?"
"13," she replied. "And you Ji Wonee?"
He smiled when she called him that. "I'm 15," he said turning back to look at her.
"15?" I asked in disbelief.
Ji Won nodded.
"Where are your parents oppa? You're too young to be living in the streets."
He shrugged his shoulders. "I can take care of myself." I gave him a doubting look because he was trying to pull that tough guy act on me. "It's okay though," he told me. "I have a family. It's just that things are bad at home so I'm just getting away from it for a while."
'So he ran away,' I figured out.
I could tell that Ji Won was a good person. "Do you have a place to stay tonight?" He shook his head. "How about staying in my room then," I offered.
Ji Won couldn't believe his ears. He stared at Mina. 'Did she just offer him a place to stay?'
"Ji Won?" Mina asked as she waved a hand in front of his face. "Are you okay?"
Ji Won shook his head and snapped out of it. She placed her hand on his knee. "Oppa, I asked if you want to stay in my room for tonight?"
Ji Won was so touched that he felt his heartache. No one had ever cared about him so much but he didn't want to feel as though he owed her. "No thanks."
Mina looked at him with her big sad eyes. "Please oppa? I'm afraid of the dark." Ji Won smiled. He knew she was lying so he would say yes. For the first time in his life, Ji Won felt warm inside because now he is wanted. He let out a sigh.
"Aigo Mina, okay. You talked me into it. But just for tonight though."
She giggled and nodded.
"Okay."
