It’s been ten years since leaving the forest, but Minseok has never forgotten the feeling burgeoning from the depths of his stomach when he had found his cave empty that day. Joonmyeon and his father still tease Minseok about his imaginary friend, Kai. But Minseok, despite being disillusioned by Kai’s abandonment, still believes his friend is out there somewhere.



Minseok had followed in Joonmyeon’s footsteps and it was hard not to, given Minseok’s own background. His new father supports him wholeheartedly. The person who had adopted Minseok is the man who found him at the forest many years ago -- a man named Kim Jongdae, the man with the curled smile. And Minseok is forever grateful for Jongdae’s support and love. Together with Joonmyeon, Minseok has grown up with loving and respectable role models who have largely made him the man he is today.



It’s another day at the office on a fine Tuesday morning. It’s sunny days like these when Minseok remembers fishing in the forest with Kai. Giving a little sigh, he places his bag on his desk.

His now boss, Joonmyeon, walks up to Minseok’s desk.

“Coffee?”

“Of course!” Minseok replies cheerfully. “I’ll go make us some.”

Like always, Minseok enters the break room to power up the coffee maker. He surprised though when Joonmyeon walks in with him.

“Your last case went well.”

“Yep. I’m so glad little Baekhyun has found a good home. I knew he had it in him. He just needed to open up to people. And now, he has a new brother!”

Joonmyeon smiles fondly and reaches up to pat Minseok on the head before lower his hand to pat Minseok on the shoulder. Minseok is no longer the little kid who was found in the woods.

“Well… seeing how your last case is closed and all…”

Minseok looks up at Joonmyeon curiously while adjusting the coffee filter.

“You know how you said you wanted to be put on tougher cases?” Joonmyeon asks.

The coffee machine snaps shut and Minseok turns to face Joonmyeon with a serious look in his eye.

“Of course. I’ve been asking for tough cases since I moved to this branch.”


Joonmyeon thinks of Minseok’s own case and how everyone had said placing Minseok or even adjusting Minseok to normal life had been impossible. Joonmyeon smiles at the eager expression on Minseok’s face.

“Well…”



***


“There’s a kid of eighteen, who’s moved from home to home since he was found at the age of fourteen. It seems like he’s prone to violence when he’s forced to stay in a particular area. And he’s not been so lucky with foster parents. He’s coming of age soon, when he’s going to be legal on his own… and well, we need someone to take him in until he’s twenty. And make sure he’s going to be okay on his own.”

And maybe it’s because “alone at fourteen” rings a bell with Minseok, but Minseok accepts wholeheartedly and waits with a flutter in his chest at the announcement that the kid is going to be brought into the office.



It’s at 4:30 in the afternoon that a kid, taller than Minseok already, comes into the office. Minseok watches from his desk, surreptitiously. The boy’s eyes are sleepy and seemingly apathetic to his surroundings. He moves with a grace that somehow seems familiar to Minseok and it makes Minseok all the more curious.

The boy is shown into a conference room. When Minseok enters the room with Joonmyeon, the sleepy eyes turn toward Minseok and the half shut lids, open a little wider.

Joonmyeon clears his throat.

“Ahem, this is Kim Jongin. Jongin-ah, meet Kim Minseok, your social worker.”

“Ah…” Minseok opens his mouth to say hello, but the piercing stare of Kim Jongin makes him lose his voice.

Joonmyeon smiles, thinking Minseok is nervous.

“Now don’t give Minseok too much trouble, you hear?” Joonmyeon says lightly, before leaving the room.

The moment they’re left alone, there’s silence filling the room. Minseok is filled with a sense of longing and odd desperation. What was this feeling?

His voice seems to fail him once again, but finally Minseok manages to say, “Nice to meet you Jongin-ah.”

And the returning smile is so beautiful, warm, and familiar that, suddenly, Minseok is silently swallowing back tears.

“Nice to meet you” Kim Jongin says, his voice low and smooth. “I’ve been waiting for you, Kim Minseok.”


-the end-