“Ahjussi. Ahjussi, are you okay?” Tae-Young cracked one eye open to see a young girl. She looked to be about five years old, her hair tied back in pigtails. She was wearing a sunny yellow backpack, and he was a little surprised she was bothering him all by herself. Ah, but then he had seen her around the neighborhood. She was the daughter of the Chungs, who lived down the road. The father had walked out on them a few months ago and the mom was adjusting to it. After helping the woman carry a heavy load of groceries home, he’d been invited to eat with them, and this girl had seemed to like him well enough. He grunted at her incomprehensibly, which didn’t seem to reassure her. “Ahjussi, are you dead?”
“Hah?” He opened his eyes then, expression clearly not pleased. The Crane groaned as he pushed himself upright. “If I was dead, could I be talking to you?”
The girl looked relieved, really. She must have been a sweet little kid. “You’ve been sleeping there for three days, Ahjussi. Are you sure you’re okay?”
He laughed, then, and it got him to sit up properly, crossing his legs. “Of course I’m okay. This oppa just enjoys his sleep.” He shook his hand at her. “Don’t you have to be going to school or something?”
She huffed back at him. “School is finished for the day, you know.” Her puffy little face pouting at him brought a small smile to his face.
“I get it, I get it.” He said, standing up by slapping a hand on top of her head. “Hurry up and go home, then. Ah… I’m hungry. Should I go get some ddeokbokki?” He didn’t act like he was talking to her, but he quirked a little eyebrow at her and gave her the smallest glance as he did so, causing her to giggle. “You’re right, let’s go get ddeokbokki.” He walked away, acting as if he didn’t see the little pipsqueak trailing after him. A few minutes later, however, a squeal caused him to turn his head back in alarm.
A different man had grabbed the little girl’s hand, tugging her away with him in feigned concern. “Ahjussi! Help me!” The little girl cried, and Tae-Young sighed, as if it was a bother. In two long strides, he had reached the man and kicked his leg out from under him, grabbing the girl by the back of her jacket before she could get yanked down by the weird man tripping. The man had been wearing a big coat, and he didn’t look pleased to see that the girl hadn’t been alone after all.
“Hey! Why do you think you’re doing?” He exclaimed angrily. “I was just trying to help this little girl get home!” He seemed like he was about to kick up a fuss, and really Tae-Young wasn’t fond of people who did that. The look on his face was a mixture of boredom and disdain, and it appeared to take no effort at all when he socked the guy in the face, hard enough to send him reeling. He followed it up with an equally casual kick to the ribs that felt a lot more like a jack hammer bludgeoning him than a casual kick. By the time the guy had gotten some help, Tae-Young and the girl were far far away down the street snacking on the spicy rice cakes and strolling along as if nothing in the world had happened.