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Okay, so what was it that Lina needed? A pork, milk, some potatoes and bread. No, there was something else. One more thing, what was it? How can she forget it, when it’s just five things? She’s in her late twenties, she shouldn’t have a memory issue. Why didn’t she write down a list? Why didn’t she think of it? It would save her so much time. She wouldn’t have to go around the store, looking for the fifth thing, trying to remember. She could have been back home by now, resuming the series she spent the last day watching. She was so curious about what would happen next. She stopped it in a cliffhanger, remembering she didn’t eat yet. She looked around her flat for some food and only found an old bread and an apple. She totally forgot about buying the groceries as she was so busy with the series. But can you blame her? She is a young woman, having nothing better to do as her friends were working (she had a free week of work) and didn’t currently have a partner. There were better opportunities to spent your Wednesday and Thursday but she always was more of a homebody. She like her personal space and she didn’t mind being alone (even if her friend Felix called it sad).
She had in her shopping cart more food than she needed and expected, but that’s what happens when you spend half an hour instead of ten minutes in a store. She pulled in chocolate, popcorn and multivitamin juice. But it was perfect for her movie time. Perfect combination with a detective movie.
She almost had a boyfriend, apparently a really sweet boy, as everyone said, or the three people she asked. Apparently he was different from other guys, the dream guy almost. Oh, but not a dream boy for Lina. He was too busy and didn’t feel like making time. He was too serious, almost never made a joke-alright, he did, but he didn’t understand Lina’s humour. And she made herself look stupid around him as she didn’t understand few things he was saying. And he played the guitar, which was the main reason why Lina had a crush on him. He looked so fine with his guitar. But after the two weeks of nothing happening and only texting (even though they met in a party Jina brought her to). He was promising to make more time for her, he did not. He was only talking about guitars, it’s nice that he loved what he was doing, but come on. And after the two weeks, he finally made a free time. They met up, a teaching guitar lesson. Lina was learning on a guitar, she loved doing it but she didn’t need to know everything about it (from how to play chords to theory to material). It was not necessary, she just wanted to have a good time. You can enjoy something even if you don’t know everything about it. And well, she didn’t even have to tell the guy, because he ghosted her. She used to be sad and angry, she didn’t even know what she did wrong, if she looked bad or said something she shouldn’t, then it turned into an anger for the guy to not caring anymore. That’s when he finally texted her, apologising. She did respond to him, but she said the truth, as it was wrong of him and rude (she also thought about what if something bad happened to him). He told her that he didn’t even know if he wanted to date her and that he had to make up his mind. Which he didn’t, because he asked her if they can not text again for him to think. Felix told her to text him just a ‘k’, which is what she did. And the guy didn’t text again, his loss (Felix’s word). Felix told her to not to think about it again, she was a young attractive woman and there are many fishes in the ocean. Jina straight up said that the guy was a jerk and that she didn’t like him from the beginning.
“Eomma?” Lina felt a small hand grab hers. She looked down and saw a small child looking at her with big eyes of admiration. She didn’t know who this little boy was but she felt in love with him and his big foxy eyes.
“Oh hello. Where are your parents?” Lina asked with a smile. “What are you doing here all alone?”
“…dunno, I lost my papa.” Murmured the child, staring at Lina with the big eyes.
“That’s okay, we’ll find him together. How does that sound?” Said softly Lina. “Where did you see him last?”
“I don’t remember…” he babbled.
“Oh, that’s alright. No need to cry. We’ll look around.” She clarified, petting the boy’s hair. She wanted to head around but the boy stood still. “What’s wrong, little one?”
“Legs hurt…up, please?” He stared at her with hopeful expression.
“Alright, yeah. Now let’s go.” She shook her head and picked up the cute child.
They walked around, it was quite difficult to look for the boy’s father as he was pointing at random things and asking what is it. Or he kept singing baby shark and not answering Lina’s questions. Or saying hi to random people, most of them would say hi to him back and tell Lina that her baby was such a sweetheart. He was mostly on a good behaviour, he was very mature for his age (which was four as he showed her on his fingers). And he even told her a name, Innie. She told him hers, however he continued calling her mom. She didn’t have the heart to tell him (or like after the five times she told him, he would just nod and call her mom again).
His favourite colour was a pink, his favourite movie was Harry Potter (which then led into five minutes of talking about it) and he only had his father whom he loved three thousand and he didn’t have a mother as she apparently left the day he was born. Which was incredibly sad, but he didn’t really seem to get it as he was saying it so casually. He probably didn’t even understand it, it was better, though. He also told her that he has a sibling, which turned out to be a dog named Berry. Apparently she was very fluffy and gave great cuddles. Innie also kept playing with Lina’s earrings, at first he asked what it was and then he kept playing with it as he liked the sound it was making. She couldn’t be even mad at him. He was such a cute baby.
“Innie?! Thank god, here you are!” Called a man’s voice. Innie’s father, probably. “I was looking for you everywhere. I told you to not let go of my hand.”
“Papa! Hello.” Innie jumped a little in Lina’s embrace. He was smiling brightly at his father. Lina turned to look at the man. Holy moly, it was the most handsome man she had ever seen! Not now, she was helping Innie! She can think about it later.
“Oh hello, I’m sorry, I took your son. Well he found me and I helped him to find you. And I hope you’re not mad, I’m holding him, but he kinda insisted on me holding him.” She blurted as she put Innie down. The boy immediately went to his dad and hugged his leg, so cute.
“Don’t worry, it’s alright. I’m glad you helped him.” The man smiled, his dimples were showing. Can he be even more perfect? Not only that he was buffed, had curly hair and the perfect smile, but he even had a dimples. “It’s good that he went to you, I don’t know what he would do alone. Oh right, I’m Chan- Bang Chan. Thank you so much for your help.”
“I’m glad I could help. I’m Lina, by the way, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She smiled back, subconsciously her hand find her strand of hair.
“I know what you must be thinking, ‘how could this man be so reckless to lose his child?’ But I promise, I took good care of Innie!” He tried to joke, even though it sounded more like a sarcasm. Him trying to feel better about losing his child in a store.
“No no, no need to worry, it can happen, that’s normal. I don’t think you’re reckless or anything.” Clarified Lina, trying to calm down Chan’s nerves. “I don’t have a child or anything but I also forget a lot of things. My friends are complaining about it a lot. So I totally get it.”
“I’m glad, then.” Responded Chan, showing his dimples again. “Well, we should probably go, I need to go to the work in an hour. Okay, Innie, say bye to Lina.”
“Bye, eomma!” Yelled the child happily. Which made Chan turned red with his eyes open wide.
“Lina, I’m so sorry! I don’t know why he called you that. I apologise.” Reacted Chan, making Lina laugh.
“It’s fine, I don’t mind. Innie is so cute.” Chuckled Lina.
“Yeah, but still. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable or upset. And it’s rude to call strangers that. I promise I raised him better. I don’t know why he even did it, he never did it before. He didn’t look like he would want a mom, if you know what I mean, it’s not really something we talk about.” Objected Chan.
“You never had a girlfriend that you wanted Innie to meet?” Asked Lina, when she said it out loud, it sounded rude and totally not her business. But Chan didn’t look mad.
“Not really, when I went on a date with someone, everything went great, until I told them I have a son. Some would just say they don’t care, even though they left after a week or so, and some straight up said that they dislike children and left. But they don’t matter to me, my son is my everything.” Told Chan. “I’m sorry, I’m kinda overwhelmed you by the amount of information.”
“No, I think it’s sweet that you love your son so much.” Admitted Lina. “And I don’t mind you talking a lot or dropping your whole life on me, I like it. I mean, I don’t mind.”
“Thank you, Lina. But I should really leave now.” Stated Chan, then he added: “Would it be okay for you to change numbers? I really like talking to you.”
“Oh, yes, of course! Let me put my number in your phone.” She replied and did as told.
“Sweet, I’ll text you later.” Promised Chan, both of them smiling at each other.
“Bye, Chan and Innie.” She said, remembering that Innie was there too. The boy smiled at her and waived with his tiny hand.
“Bye bye!” Called Innie.
After that, Chan and she texted a lot. And they kept accidentally meeting each other (at the store, a park, a cafeteria, and many other places). It took them three months, until they finally went on a date. It turned out great, they ate delicious food and chatted about everything and nothing. And after that, they went on many dates. Until Chan called her, saying that he needed someone to babysit Innie. Saying that he tried everyone but no one was free, apologising multiple times and asking if it was really okay. And that’s how she found herself with Innie in her flat.
Innie was watching a movie in her living room, when someone knocked on her front door. It was Felix and Jina, coming for a visit.
“Hi Lina noona- wait, who’s that?” Started Felix, turning his attention on Innie.
Meanwhile, Jina on his side was staring between Lina and Innie with wide eyes open. “What is Jeonginnie doing here?” She asked after few seconds.
“Wait, you know the kid?” Questioned Felix, looking at his girlfriend.
“Yeah, it’s Bang Chan’s son. I told you about him, right?” She knew Chan?
“The Australian guy, isn’t he?”
“Yep, that’s him. Now, unnie, why is Jeonginnie in your flat? Care to explain?” Requested Jina.
“Well, he needed someone to babysit Innie.” Explained Lina.
“Papa and eomma are going to get married.” Claimed Innie, smiling proudly, his eyes were full of glee.
“Eomma? Married?” Felix and Jina reacted at the same time.
“Well…umm, me and Chan, we’ve been seeing each other.” Mentioned Lina, her face was bright red.
“Are you now? If I knew, I would have introduced you earlier.” Jina bursted into laughter. “How did you two even meet?”
“Well, actually thanks to Innie. He grabbed my hand in a store, he wandered away from Chan.”
The thing that Lina needed was Chan and Jeongin. They were her missing pieces. Sometimes all you need is a love.