SEALED WITH A KISS (Taekook)

14(III)

3 months passed by still Jimin was with his aunt.. helpless and miserable. He grew thin... The eyes which once hold all the light was now lifeless...the voice which boomed through the walls with his cheery self was never heard. He haven't talked to anyone.. His hopes died down the day when his aunt told him the reason for his suffering.

She hated him... Hated him like hell.. Jimin's mom stopped giving her money after her arguement with him. His aunt has no other way to buy her drugs. Yes drugs.. He was broken when he got to know that he was living with a drug dealer.

He wakes up early in the morning..cook food.. do the cleaning and hear her scoldings and her insults...the names she used to call him disgusted him..

But his patience broke when she started coming home drunk and with other men.

He wanted to go away from there... He wanted to be freee...wanted to live his life the way he wants rather than being her toy... Moreover he still wanted his hyungs and best friend.

He was not allowed to go out anywhere alone. The only place he went was to the grocery store next door that too with his aunt. The store owner had a slight liking towards this boy.

His once died down hopes where given light one day when he went with his aunt to this grocery shop. As they were shopping she got a call and had to go out of the store.

' You listen to me.. I have go to the nearby cafe for 10 minutes... Don't you dare use your stupid brain and do anything or else I'll show you your place understood?' she held his jaw hard enough to leave prints over them. ' Stay here till I come' she ordered and walked away.

Jimin sighed...what else could he do...where else could he go... His train of thoughts were broken when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw the store owner smiling at him

' Why don't you run away?' he asked. Jimin gave him a questioning look
He continued ' You can trust me... I am seeing you for the past 3 or 4 months and as I have noticed you have become extremely thin and pale from the first time I saw you. And today when I heard what she told just now my doubts were confirmed.
I'll help you run away from here'

Jimin looked up with hopeful eyes' but why would you help me?'

' I don't have any child.... Me and my wife live alone.. whenever I see you I always think that if I had a child he would have been about your age maybe... So I just want to help you' the shop owner said.

'Will you really help me escape?' Jimin asked voice filled with hope.

' Yes.. I'll.... Tell me where will you go? You have any family members in any other city?' the shop owner asked..

' My only family was my mom...she died... Wait my hyungs.... My hyungs are in Seoul. I want to go there..but I don't have the money for the tickets.' his smile faltered

' Don't worry I'll book them.... ' he explained his plan to Jimin and they agreed on that.

After sometime his aunt came back and they went home.

The next day he saw his aunt leaving at her usual time. He hurried to his room took out his backpack which was already packed and went to her room. He took the money his aunt has kept in the locker and went outside and saw the shop owner waiting for him outside the house. He ran up to him and hoped on to the car..

They reached the station and he handed over him the ticket.

"Take care of yourself...' the old man told

' Thankyou... Thankyou so much for helping me... I'll come back to see you with my hyungs' Jimin hugged him

They bid their good byes and he entered the train to Seoul.