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⇒ Lonely St., Seoul, South Korea
9:30pm

"For Our Right To," Chan recited, an enduring smile on his face, Bella's head pressed against his chest as they laid as comfortably as could be in the open tent. The child wore her own smile too, as they chanted the speech that they had come up with; a few words to comfort in nights stifled by the eerie silence of their alleyway.

Chan dismissed any idea to complain, though. A quiet path in the middle of the city was a miracle in disguise, he concluded instead. A safe place, sort of, although in the most inconvenient way possible, for Bella, considering their situation.

Bella laughed before following after her father's words, her small hand stretched forward to the outside of the tent, petting the warm head of their relaxed, sleepy Rot Weiler.

"Unite, Invent, and Try, don't cry," she grinned wider, sitting up some to word the final line before her father's face, poking both thumbs into his displayed dimples, and wiggling her petite frame above his buffer one when Chan's voice echoed with hers.

"Because I love You, and FORTUITY will get us through!" Bella nuzzled her face into her father's neck, playing with the rough hair on his head in the process, basking in his warmth.

Adoring the protective hug starting from her back, and shivering from the immense love that she could just feel radiating from her father for her innocent being.

"I love our poem, daddy," she sat up, smiling still, "and I love you! Thank you for taking care of me."

"I love it too, pumpkin. And of course! Who else am I gonna let take care of my princ-"

"Chan!"

"Huh?"

"Fuck, Chan- I need your help," a stuttering voice cut Chan off, the visitor's visibly panicked expression ridding all impulse to correct his decision to swear in front of the minor. Breathless, said male took a small package from his pocket; a ziplock bag, and flung it into Chan's tent, apologizing to Ben quickly for hitting his back in the process.

"What is this?" Chan brought Bella to his side, picking what his pal had sent in with a questioning look on his face; brows arched, lips parted, and eyes kind of dark, sensing where that was going. "What is this, Hyunjin? What mess are you trying to bring me into right now?"

"Just, do me a favor," Hyunjin stood back up, wheezy, eyes darting to every corner of that poorly-lit alleyway as if night vision was a power spawned amongst his average capabilities due to the still unexplained rush of adrenaline. "Don't tell anyone that you saw me, Chan. I'll be back a little later. But- shit- do this for me, please."

"Hyunjin no-"

Chan grumbled as Hyunjin sprang off, hasty and with a glance over his shoulder every few steps, as if sensing, validly, that something or someone-- or some persons were after him.

Nervous for his own safety due to the uncalled-for inclusion of his participation, Chan stepped out of the tent, instructing Bella to stay inside and to keep quiet no matter what happened. No matter who came by and threatened.

No matter what happened.

"Don't touch this either, okay?" He folded Hyunjin's concerningly small bag as close as possible without it bursting and spilling the white, powdery content, and checked it away to some corner of the tent, on the inside. He set it out of sight, wisely, underneath the carrier containing the bulk of Bella's own belongings.

"Okay," Bella nodded, worried, "but are you okay? And uncle Jin? Is he okay?"

"Everything will be fine, princess," Chan kissed her head, sighing before closing the tent, aiming to turn and look around for any sign of what problem Hyunjin was a part of at that hour.

But even before Chan could utter a form of encouragement for himself, two figures appeared a few steps away; both tall and slim, but with evident muscles. They wore plain, boring shirts, Chan assumed under the dim lighting, and he gulped as they drew closer, Ben already growling violently behind him.

"Who-"

"Are you from around here?" One's voice cut Chan off; coarse with the overuse of marijuana, "And do you know a Hwang Hyunjin? Do not lie to us," he scoffed, "we know he ran through here. Did you see a man run through here?"

"I- I don't know a Hwang Hyunjin," Chan tensed up as both men drew closer to himself, circling an awfully close distance around him, like CGI sharks performed in the numerous films that he had enjoyed before being subjected to a life outcasted from modernization. "Who- who are you?"

"We ask the questions tonight, pretty boy," the one that Chan assumed to be the leader among them two held his collar, faces uncomfortably close, causing Chan to flinch at the ungodly fetor wreaking from his open mouth. Chan tried to tilt his head backward, as far as possible from the stranger and shook it, eyes closed.

"I said I don't know a Hwang Hyunjin," he said louder, tearing up; feeling weak and ever so pathetic, "I saw a man run by, but I don't know who it was. This is usually a quiet alleyway, and I stay away from trouble. It's just-- Ben, calm down," Chan paused his rambling to instruct the dog away from his preparedness to pounce on the intruders; thick drool hanging from his exposed teeth. "Stay back, boy... stay back."

One of the men spat on the ground before Ben, taunting the poor animal, Chan thanking the universe that Ben was obedient enough, since it was undeniable that only more trouble would be stirred if Ben attacked. Maybe even bloodshed, if they carried weapons.

"As I was saying," Chan shuddered, "it's just me and my do-"

"Daddy?"

"Fuck."

Chan shut his eyes when the zipper of his tent went down, disappointed in Bella for going against his fatherly direction.

"Daddy, what's going on? What are they doing to you?" She began crying, wishing to stand and go to the defense her father in any way possible but, she froze up. Of course, for her own good, but Bella felt too helpless for her liking, at that moment. And hated feeling that way when the only person who ever sought to protect her after her mother, was caught up by some random men. "Let him go..."

"Me, my dog, and my daughter," Chan whispered, letting a tear fall, "please, please do not hurt her."

"You sure you don't know a Hwang Hyunjin, right?"

"Right. I am sure." Chan sighed, relieved, as they let him go. And then he held his chest, leaning forward with the other hand leaning on one knee as the men hurried away, heading for the secondary road at which they assumed Hyunjin had disappeared.

Chan panted, sobbing into the hand brought from his chest to his face, head aching, heartbeats raging, from that supposedly near-death experience.

That near virtue-loss experience, for his dear Bella.

"Bella, I told you to stay inside and to keep quiet," Chan almost yelled, frightened more than anything.

With teary eyes, he made his way back to the tent, straining to lay down before lifting Bella onto his torso again, consoling her to the best of his ability. "You should always obey me, Bella. You know better. You shouldn't have to see any of that. Promise me that you won't disobey me like that again, Belle. Promise!"

"I promise," Bella sobbed harder, clinging onto her father by his shirt, face buried into his chest. "I'm sorry, I heard shouting, and I was scared. I didn't want them to hurt you, daddy. I don't want to lose you like we lost mummy."

"Baby," Chan hummed, understanding, feeling bad that he added to the child's undeserved concern, "I know you care," he kissed her head, sighing, "I know. And I know you would hate for anything to happen. And I want to promise that nothing won't, but you'd have to listen for that to happen. Because if someone hurts you, then I'd fight for you, and that's how daddy would get hurt. So you just have to obey, okay?"

"Okay," Bella coughed, straddling Chan's lower stomach and wiping her eyes, smiling slightly when his thicker thumbs met her face to do the same, "I'm sorry..."

-

10:30pm

"Don't you fucking say it!"

"Chan I'm-"

"Don't you fucking say that you're sorry, Hyunjin. Because how dare you? How fucking dare you drag me into this mess?" Chan slammed the dumpster near him, trying to reprimand the taller male with a considerate volume, considering that Bella was laying just a few feet away. "You know how I feel about this drug shit. You know that I do not want to be part of this lifestyle, Hyunjin."

"I know..."

"You know! You know yet you're still trying to drag me into your bullshit! You risked my life, my dog's life, and most fucking importantly, my child's life and her fucking innocence tonight, Hwang Hyunjin. How could you be so careless and selfish? How, Hyunjin?!"

"I'm sorry, Chan, I was desperate," Hyunjin cried, toying with the small bag that Chan had thrown back in his face, still shaken up from the night's events. "I shouldn't have dragged you into it, and so I am sorry. Especially about Bella... I'm really sorry, Chan."

"Yeah, now I have to go looking around again because I don't know how much longer I can stay here," Chan scoffed. "These are dangerous men, and now they know I have a daughter? Fuck me, Hyunjin. I-- I'm so upset right now. And you should know better! You should know that the illegal way is not the best to get better in life. I'd rather live out here forever than start doing drugs and those things, Hyunjin-"

"You have a child, Chan. So you have to be a role model for her, I get that. But I don't have anyone, okay? I am sorry for involving you, but don't tell me what to do," Hyunjin pursed his lips, letting tears fall, "I don't have anybody! I've been on these streets for three years, and you don't think I'm tired? Trying to do things the right way? Well, the right way gets you nowhere!"

"Hyunjin-"

"No, listen to me. I know you try to be optimistic about everything but think about reality, Chan. You've been out here for a year and a half already. Claiming that you think about Bella, but won't give her up for foster or-"

"Hwang Hyunj-"

"Listen to me! Bella is a child, who has an entire life ahead of her. You can't even go out to look for jobs because you can't leave her alone for too long. You're still out here because of her-"

"Hwang fucking Hyunjin!" A slap met Hyunjin's face, harsh, and from a man filled with rage; eyes red, and heavy tears streaming down his face. "Leave my daughter's name out of your fucking mouth from now on, you hear? You don't know shit about me and Bella's life. So shut the hell up, and leave us alone."

Chan was full-on sobbing, at that point. His voice shook feverishly with his words, but he cared not.

Not when Hyunjin was attacking every single aspect of his insecurities of fatherhood like that.

Not when the suggestion of Bella being thrown into the corrupt government system was being suggested so carelessly.

And not when the true hopelessness of Chan's standing reality was being narrated with so much remiss detail.

"Never come back to us, Hyunjin. Just- go on with your life, and leave us be. It's drugs that you want, right? When you're able-bodied, childless, and able to find some viable work that doesn't require formal clothes or money beforehand? Alright, Hyunjin. Underestimate your privilege and do your damn drugs."

"I just- I wish you the best, Chan," Hyunjin sighed, defeated, taking a note from his pocket and bringing it forward, understanding Chan's skepticism to accept. "This is clean money, I promise. Just take it... it isn't much, but I can't leave you forever and not give something... you have helped me a lot."

"I don't need your money-"

"Oh shut up," Hyunjin snorted, "and just take it. For all the times you've fed me when you had nothing... and cheered me up... and encouraged me. I'll never forget. $20.00 isn't much, but it's what I have for now."

Accepting it, Chan hummed a soft, "Thank you," tearing up yet again before engulfing Hwang Hyunjin into his arms. He didn't hate him; couldn't hate the only man who showed him true friendship in all that time on the street.

The only other human being that he could trust with Bella, for the time being.

The timing was just not meant to be, and either had to go on their own way. At least for a while.

Hopefully until Hyunjin would place more effort into self-discipline, and work on his values. And perhaps until Chan would take the decision being opposed so violently by his heart, for the betterment of both him and Bella.

Maybe.

Just maybe, he considered Hyunjin's words a little bit too much that night.

And mayhap Chan hugged Bella a little bit too tight that night, crying into her shoulder as she slept.

Scared to lose the only person that gave him a reason to persevere up the hill of life, despite his forlorn efforts.

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Questions [Optional]
1. Did you understand their poem? Using the letters of FORTUITY?

2. What do you think about Chan's replies to Hyunjin about what he did? Justifiable or unjustifiable?

3. What do you think about Hyunjin's decision to do drugs? Can you see the comparison that I'm trying to show?

4. Do you honestly think that Chan should give Bella up to the system?

5. Did you enjoy the chapter?