THURSDAYS.

05. MONDAY

Let me tell you a story for the time being.

We're in a world that's changed over only an hour ago.

Wait-

That's quite inaccurate.

Because who actually knows? Maybe It's changed a week ago to his memory, or just a day ago. Mayhaps it could be that it's only changed over thirty minutes, one-

Or even just a second ago.

Not even mathematicians could tell the exact moment where change could occur. Moments can't be measured, they can only be numbered.

Yet here this boy sat, in a bench of where he settled, waiting for his five year-old sister to be dismissed from preschool. It's only been six minutes and he was already ticking the tempo of his wrist watch ahead of it's own pace.

"One, two, three, four, five, six.."

It's only seconds away from nine-fifty and he's hoping to leave town before ten-thirty to visit his cousins who came all the way from China to Seoul.

He doesn't want to be late since the quote un quote "secret caller" (aunt Zhou) is expecting him and his family to come over to a "secret base" (rented house) all the way to a city next to Seoul.

Earlier an hour ago, Aunt Zhou called the landline through his cousin's phone thinking he wouldn't suspect a thing. She spoke in some threatening Chinese dialect of where he used to live from, while the giggling of his cousins could be heard from behind her raspy voice.

"If you don't come over here, we'll kill your dog!"

He'd already known it was his aunt who was behind the forced accent, her voice was all too obvious.

He and his cousins haven't seen each other since five years ago, and he guessed that Aunt Zhou probably wanted to surprise him and his sister. Making it seem like he was going to meet an untimely death, however instead he was just going to get surprise attacked by his cousins.

It was a perfect idea but they definitely used the wrong strategy to execute the plan.

"Right."

He told her. They didn't know that Nora had already passed two years ago. His cousins were definitely going to be sad about it. They really liked the dog.

Where is she? Where is she?

He bit his nails while taping his right foot in impatience. Glancing over his watch, he grew more anxious.

It's passed two minutes and-

"Ren!" He looked away from his wrist watch and saw his sister lightly slapping his leg. Looks like he didn't notice her leave her classroom through all the worrying.

"Wei!" He smiled in relief and bent down to carry his sister.

"Ren!" She repeated once more as he secured her on his shoulders, her legs on either side of his neck.

"-jun. try to say it! Ren-jun." He walked down the side walk carefully, making sure Wei wouldn't fall.

"Ren!" She just laughed and hit his head with her small fists.

"Ow! Don't do that, Wei." He playfully hissed.

"Sorry!" She pat his head softly and started singing the ABCs.

Renjun laughed at how funny her voice sounded. Since as a toddler, she still couldn't really sing on key without a guide. So he sang with her, as her voice started to blend in with his own.

"H, I, J, K.." he sang.

"L,M,N,O,P!" Wei continued, punching her fist into the air as she mentioned the 'P'.

As he was about to continue, his phone began vibrating. He put Wei down while answering the call, as Wei continued singing- once again off key.

"Hello?"

"Renjun! Hurry up! We don't have all day to go! The man said it wanted us there immediately-telling about something they have that we don't and want. Hurry!"

The caller cut the line before he even had the chance to speak.

Looks like his eldest brother was in on his aunt's plan too. But he'd decided he'll just play along so they wouldn't feel disappointed in themselves for not masking the tactic well enough.

"Hurry, Wei. We gotta go!" He brisk walked, while his sister ran. If she had to match up with him using those small legs of hers, she had to run.

"To where?!" She asked, cupping her palms beside her mouth to make her voice sound louder.

"To catch a randsom for Nora."