over • joshua

「028」◀ w

2005.

❝Dito ka nalang Minji..❞

❝Don't go please..❞

Jeonghan and her sister Somin begged so much just to make Minji stay at their homeland. Minji's family decided to migrate to Los Angeles for more opportunities. Today is the day of their flight, and Minji was currently in tears, seeing how her bestfriends cry just to make her stay and, she felt like she left Seungkwan once again.

❝B-babalik ako..Somin. Jeonghan, promise. Kahit iniwala mo 'yong pellet gun ko.❞ She let out her pinky finger. Tinanggap iyon ni Jeonghan kaya ngumiti na ito.

❝Promise 'yan ha. Walang magbabago.❞ Jeonghan said, kaya tumango si Minji.

❝Walang magbabago.❞ She assured. After hugging each other and bidding goodbyes, her mom called her to get in the car.

This wouldn't be the last time I'll saw you, Jeong. I promise.

—

Namangha si Minji sa ganda ng tanawing nakikita niya ngayon. Hindi man gaya ng tanawing puro punoo di kaya'y dagat, napapatingala siya sa matataas na building na nakikita niya ngayon. Kakadating lang nila sa L.A at papunta na sila sa tutuluyan nilang bahay.

❝Kuya, tingnan mo 'yun oh! Ang ganda!❞ She blurted out and pointed the billboard. Napatingin naman doon si Jimin.

❝Maganda nga!❞ He agreed. Alam ni Minji kung bakit tahimik ang Kuya niya, dahil alam niya rin ang pamilyar na pakiramdam na yon. Ang mawalay sa taong nakasanayan mo ng kasama.

She thought. But it wasn't the reason.

Because in Jimin's mind, he regretted the fact na siya ang nagrequest na ampunin ang batang si Minji para maging kapatid niya. Dahil simula ng maampon ito, hati na ang atensyon ng magulang niya. Madalas si Minji nalang ang naiintindi ng nanay niya.

They finally arrived at their destination. Napalingon pa si Minji sa mga taong naroon at nahagip ng paningin niya ang isang batang lalaki na nagbabasa lang sa tingin niya ay tapat ng bahay nila.

❝Nari! Daehyun! It's been awhile!❞  Another middle-aged woman came into the picture, calling their parents out. Sumunod naman dito ang isang lalaki.

❝Sohee! How are you? Where's your son?❞ Her mom asked the woman. Ngumiti naman ito at sumagot.

❝We're fine! Our son Jisoo's been reading books there, wala ng tigil.❞ Natawa ang babae bago ituro ang batang tinitingnan niya kanina.

❝Joshua! Come here!❞ Jisoo? Joshua? Naguguluhan si Minji dahil iba-ibang pangalan ang itinawag ng tatay ng bata dito. Nakita niyang isinarado ng batang si Joshua ang libro niya bago lumapit sa kanila.

❝Hello po. I'm Joshua Hong. Pleased to meet you.❞ The boy greeted, and plastered a smile on his face. His voice was angelic, his face looks angelic too. Minji wonders if he was a fallen angel or something.

Lol.

❝Good! Jimin and Joshua could be friends, as well as my new baby, Minji.❞ Pakilala ng nanay niya sa kaniya. Napalingon naman ang pamilya Hong sa kaniya. Kabilang na ang bata.

❝Aw~ She's cute!❞ Puri ng babaeng Hong sa kaniya. Nagpasalamat naman siya dito.

❝Let the kids know each other. Tara munang magtsaa sa amin.❞ Aya ni Mr. Hong sa dalawa pang nakatatanda. Ngunit nagpaalam si Jimin kung pwedeng dumiretso na siya sa loob ng bago nilang bahay para magpahinga.

Naiwan silang dalawa ng batang Hong. Tahimik ito, hindi katulad ng kaibigan niyang si Jeonghan.

❝A-ano. Ako si Minji. N-nice to meet you.❞ Hindi alam ni Minji kung bakit siya nauutal ngayong kaharap na niya si Joshua. Lumipat sa kaniya ang tingin nito bago ngumiti ng malawak.

❝Joshua,❞ He offered his hands for a shake and Minji gladly accepted it.

And at the age of 10, she felt something electrifying, after holding his hands. She saw how he smiled and she felt something...

more than what she felt for Jeonghan.

—

❝Huhuhu! Ang hirap naman nito!❞ Minji cried as she tried to climb the monkey bars again, while her knees began trembling. Alam niyang ilang beses pa ang gawin niya, malalaglag na siya. Nasa playground siya ngayon at wala ang Kuya Jimin niya dahil nagkalagnat ito.

Sa di kalayuan ay naglalakad ang batang si Joshua dahil kagagaling lang niya sa youth service ng church nila. Napatingin siya sa gawi ni Minji na ngayon ay hirap na hirap pa ring umakyat sa monkey bars.

❝YAAAAA!❞ Joshua was shocked after she saw her fall after clinging her arms on the steel bars. Agad niyang nilapitan si Minji para tulungan ito.

Nakayuko si Minji at sinasapo ang nagdudugo niyang tuhod. After noticing that someone is watching her, she lifted her head and saw Joshua offering his hand to her.

Hindi alam ni Joshua kung bakit ganoon nalang ang kaba niya nang makitang umiiyak ang babae, pero hindi ito napansin ni Minji kahit na nanginginig na ang kamay ni Joshua.

She held it for support. Iika-ika siyang naglakad papunta sa bench pero tinulungan siya ni Joshua.

❝Ayoko na umakyat diyan huhu.❞ She wiped her tears but it won't stop falling. Joshua, on the other hand, picked his hanky from his pocket and gave it to Minji, without even looking at her crying face.

❝B-be careful next time.❞

He said, then left the playground without hearing Minji's thanks to him.

A tear fell, followed by another one..and then another, until it was unstoppable. It scares me, Park Minji.

—