In the Hands of Fate // lee heeseung

001

Minhee POV
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17 years. I had lived in the same city for 17 years and never left once, not even to go to the next city over. I grew up here, gained and lost friends, and just had everything I could ever want. Then, not even giving me a week to say goodbye, I found out my mother was moving us far away.

I came home one day to see her drastically packing up all her things. My mom was never completely sane, always convinced that someone was watching her or going to kill her, but this was the first time we had moved because of it. It all got worse when my father died 3 years ago. She became afraid that those who were "following" her, killed him.

Of course, he committed suicide because my mom and a teenage girl were a lot to handle. When he died, I grew up very quickly. I became my mom's full-time caregiver, only being able to leave for a part-time job when I turned 16. I would miss my home, but since I wasn't a legal adult, I couldn't argue against it.

I checked the time. 7:18 pm. I had twelve minutes to get home since my curfew was 7:30. It's not like my mom would notice if I stayed out later, but I preferred to be on time. So, grabbing my bags from off the seat, I rushed out of the cafe. This would be the last time I'd get to sit by that window and read until it's dark outside.

My hand gripped the strap of my bag tighter and I carried on. I tried to look over the crowd of bustling people, but being on the short side, I couldn't quite see that far, but I could see enough to know that the bus I had to get on was already there. I groaned loudly and tried to squeeze in between people.

Just as it seemed that the wave of people would never end, I burst out of it, bumped into something hard, and stumbled to the ground. My head bumped against the ground, not hard, but it was painful enough to make my vision blurry for a second. Laying on my stomach on the ground, I saw the bus drive away. Just my luck.

I cursed and pulled myself up off the ground. "Are you okay?" a man asks, "I didn't watch where I was going." I grabbed my bag up off the ground and brushed off my clothes, then looked up at the man. He was attractive, slightly wavy hair, my age, a little older, attractive, and familiar.

I squinted my eyes at him as he did the same and I felt my heart drop. It was him. The boy from that day. The day my father died. He was here, right in front of me. I exhaled deeply and stared at him. He recognized me too. "Heeseung," I mumbled quietly. His eyes slowly blinked, "Minhee," he says.

I closed my eyes and shook my head, "This isn't real," I muttered. I felt as though the crowds of people on the city streets were no longer there. Maybe my mind of just giving me one last memory of the painful past I've had in this city. It must've been reminding me of all I've suffered.

I open my eyes. Heeseung's still there, staring at me like he was a statue. My voice shook, but I managed to speak, "It's been a long time," I say. He grins softly, and bites his lip looking down, "I've occasionally thought about how you've been," his smile widens and he looks back at me.

I open my mouth to speak, but I suddenly can't, I just smile with no words. He still had that effect on me. Even back then, when I thought that I could no longer smile, he made me smile and I'd never forgotten that.

Heeseung looked at my forehead, "Is your head okay?" he asks. I touch it gently and flinch, "It's a little sore," I reply.

That makes him smile even more for some reason. He grabs my hand, "Good, let's go get something cold for it," he blurts, the drags my into the crowd before I can say anything against it. I'm slightly taken aback by him still being so persistent. He pulls me into a convenience store.

I stop him, by tugging my arm back, "I can't go anywhere right now, I have to get home," I tell him, slightly wishing I would've kept my mouth shut. Heeseung's grin fades, "Why?" he asks. I look away from him, but chuckle, "I hardly even know you, and I'm moving in the morning so I just have to-"