Electric Love {Minsung}

Chapter 15: Unexpected Visitors

Around six was when Jisung was released from the hospital. A social worker had come by and talked to him, and it was agreed that he would stay with the Kim family for the time being. They got some fast food before making their way back to their apartment complex.

Mrs. Kim was always a nice woman, but she was incredibly kind tonight. As they made their way into the apartment, Mrs. Kim said, "Jisung, honey, you can get your things and bring them over. You and Seungmin can share a room for the time being."

"I'd like to stay in my own room for now, if that's okay."

She thought about it. "It is just down the hall. I guess that'll be all right. Take this with you." She took a bag of red vines from her pantry and handed it to me. "It will help."

"Thanks."

"Want me to come over too?" Seungmin asked.

"Thank you, but not right now."

Seungmin smiled in understanding. He pat him on the back. "I understand."

Jisung walked down the hall. He unlocked the door, walked into the dark apartment, and flipped on the lights. Since he moved to Gimpo, he had spent a lot of time alone, but the apartment had never seemed so quiet and empty. He looked down at his birthday watch, then twisted it around on his wrist.

His eyes teared up. Where was she? He went into his mother's bedroom. There was a picture on her nightstand of the two of them at a beach in Busan. It had been a beautiful day. As he picked up the photograph, he wondered if he would ever see her again. His heart clenched. He lay on her bed and cried.

Sometime in the next hour, there was a knock on the door. Jisung wiped his eyes and trudged out to the front room to open the door. He had assumed it was Seungmin, but to his surprise, Minho's mom and who he believed was her wife, stood in the hallway. They looked distraught.

Officer Lee spoke first. "Hi, Jisung, we're Minho's parents. Could we speak with you?"

Jisung gulped, and he rung his fingers, his rings gone. He looked at them nervously. He assumed they were here to talk to him about his mother. "Sure," He said, stepping back from the door. "Come in."

Mrs. Lee's eyes were puffy. Officer Lee put her arm around her, and they walked inside, shutting the door behind them.

"Is Minho okay?" Jisung asked.

Mrs. Lee began to cry. Officer Lee said, "When was the last time you heard from Minho?"

"Yesterday afternoon. He was going to go with us to the aquarium. But when we got to the school, he was gone."

Mrs. Lee began to cry harder.

"What's happened?" Jisung asked, clueless to the reasoning for their emotional reaction.

"You haven't heard from him?" Officer Lee asked.

"No, ma'am."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Then you didn't know that Minho ran away?"

Jisung's heart froze. "No. Why would he do that?"

She shook her head. "You know, I'm tough on him sometimes. I just ..." She paused, overcome by emotion. "I told him that if he didn't start spending more time at home, he would have to give up dancing." She rubbed her palm over her eyes. "He texted his goodbye."

"We just didn't see it coming," Mrs. Lee sobbed.

"He won't return our texts," Officer Lee said. She took her wife's hand. "We wanted to ask you a favor. We just want him home and safe. Will you please tell him that we love him and would really like to talk to him?"

"If I hear from him," he said. He felt sick but knew he couldn't show it. "But I'm sure he has a lot of other friends he'd contact first."

"Then you have no plans to see him?" Officer Lee asked. There was a strong inflection in her voice.

"No. I haven't heard from him since yesterday."

They were both looking at him with a peculiar gaze. Finally, Mrs. Lee said, "An hour ago, he sent another text that said 'Tell Jisung I'll see him soon.'"

Jisung felt like the wind had gotten knocked out of him. Chills climbed up his spine. When he could speak, he said, "I don't know what he meant by that, but if I hear from him, I'll call you. I promise."

They both sat looking at him, and he guessed they were trying to decide whether he was telling the truth or not. Finally, Officer Lee said, "Thank you, Jisung." They stood and walked to the door.

Mrs. Lee stopped in front of my door, blotting her eyes with a Kleenex. "I don't know if you know this, but Minho was adopted."

"He told me."

"The counselors told us that sometimes adopted children can carry a sense of abandonment. We tried to fill that, but I guess we failed."

"I don't think you failed," he said. "There must be some kind of misunderstanding."

"That's kind of you to say, Jisung. Minho thinks a lot of you. I think if you told him that we love him, he'd believe you. I think he might come back."

"I don't know what's going on, but I know that Minho loves you both. I'll let you know if I hear from him."

"Thank you," Mrs. Lee said. Officer Lee put her arm around her and led her out of the apartment.

Jisung ran down the hall and knocked on Seungmin's door as soon as they were gone. Seungmin answered the door holding a half-eaten toaster strudel. He read the panic on his face.

"They have Minho."