Chapter 5: Thanks For Today
Chapter Theme: Thanks - Seventeen

Han Seungwoo

I rushed to Dongpyo's school. My mind is wondering if he's calm now. I don't want him to be upset with anyone. He doesn't deserve this kind of treatment. If I could only explain everything to him at this moment...

When I arrived at the gate, I took a quick break. I put my hands on my waist while I was busy catching my breath. I run again after I feel that my breathing is fine.

On the playground, Dongpyo was sitting alone on the swing.

"Uri adeul.. gwaenchana? Are you hurt?" I cupped Dongpyo's face. I wiped his tears away and was searching for any wound or scratch. Looking at his state, he's physically fine and I don't think he's emotionally fine.

(Are you fine my son?)

He remained silent and won't even look at me. He lowered his head motioning that he doesn't want to talk anything to me.

No one was in the playground aside from the both of us. His homeroom teacher is inside the classroom continuing her job.

"Can you please stay here for a minute? Don't go anywhere okay? I will talk to your teacher," I patted his head smoothly. "You're a brave boy Dongpyo."

I made my way to the faculty room. Dongpyo's homeroom teacher was still teaching so I waited there for almost 10 minutes.

"Annyeonghaseyo," I greeted the teacher when she entered the faculty room. She was taken aback for a moment and blinked for a few moments. Why does everyone blinks when they see me? Do I look like a ghost?

"A-annyeonghaseyo," she bowed and went to her table. I can sense her uneasiness. Maybe it's related to Dongpyo.

"Please take a sit for a minute, sir."

I occupied the seat in front of her table. Some of the teachers who are inside the faculty room looked at me. I didn't expect that one of them would wink at me. I offered a smile and she blushed.

As the minutes passed I feel uncomfortable so I decided to talk to Dongpyo's teacher. "I'm Dongpyo's father seonsaengnim. I'm here to ask what happened earlier. My son is waiting for me outside and he won't even glance at me."

She stilled for a moment like she was thinking about what to say. "Your son has been bullied by his classmates. It was the first time. I let the class draw their family earlier. He passed a drawing of his family. It was him, his father, and his grandfather holding hands together. The kids started to ask him why he didn't draw his mother. That was the time when he looked at me trying to ask for help. I told the kids to stop grilling him. They stopped but to no avail, they started to compare their works. It was only Dongpyo who had a drawing with no mother," she said with all the details.

My heart sank. It was painful for me and I couldn't imagine how painful it was for my son. How can a child bear immense pain? How I wish I can stop the cruelty of this world. Why can't they just shut their mouths?

Kids in this generation are forgetting the GMRC. I hope they can change into good people in the future. Their actions shouldn't be tolerated.

The teacher handed me Dongpyo's drawing. He did great. He meticulously draws our physiques well. The future of Dongpyo in art is enormous that's why I should work fourfold.

"Among the kids, Dongpyo's drawing is the best. At a young age, his skills are already showing. I hope you will support him, sir." The teacher smiled admiring the drawing.

My eyes started to water then I smiled. "I will lead him to the right path seonsaengnim. I hope you will do the same too to all the kids."

"Don't worry. I will call for a PTA meeting soon so we can discuss the behavior of the children inside the classroom."

"I will look forward to it. Thank you for today."

I stood up. The teachers started to gaze at me like earlier. I offered them my smile again and some of them giggled.

"Yah! You're already married. How could you have a crush on someone who's already married too?" I can hear a man's teacher say.

"Did you not hear them talking? He doesn't have a wife you pabo!" The woman replied.

I continued walking while holding Dongpyo's drawing. I will go to an art shop later so I can frame this. This is worth being displayed inside our house.

I walk with a bright smile. My worry descended and was replaced by a warm feeling because of Dongpyo's drawing.

As I set my gaze back to the playground looking for Dongpyo. To my surprise, he was no longer on the swing. It was as if no one was there. I guess he walked away after I turned my back.

"Dongpyo! Dongpyo-ya!" I screamed his name.

"HAN DONGPYO!"

The school guards were able to understand what happened when I called Dongpyo's name numerous times. I showed them Dongpyo's picture and one of the guards told me that he saw him running to the exit gate.

"It is not weird for a child to run like that. They always run hastily when they see their parents outside the gate so I didn't bother to check him." The guard explained while pointing to the exit gate.

"We will check the CCTV first, sir. We will notify you asap when we will get something." One of the guards said. I nodded in response.

"Wait! He might be caught by the dashcams from the cars parked outside. Can you check those?" I asked hoping that Dongpyo is still nearby. "I'll go find my son outside and please contact me if you will find him."

Running and calling Dongpyo's name for an hour is not even tiring. How could he possibly run away so far? The school already helped me in finding him. They saw that he went on the left side so we're finding him all the way from there.

I asked some passersby and standbys if they saw Dongpyo but they all gave me no as an answer. "Are you sure you haven't seen this kid?" I asked some middle schoolers.

"We will surely tell you ahjussi if we can see him!" A girl offered her cellphone to me. "You can input your number here so we can call you," she said and she tucked her hair in her ear. The other girls giggled like this is some kind of joke.

I left them and continued my search.

"Abbeoji?" I said as soon as I answered his call.

"Dongpyo's home and he's acting weird. A woman helped him to come home. She said that she saw Dongpyo running in the street and was almost hit by a car. Why is he --" I ended the call.

My legs started to tremble because I have been running for 2 hours now. I told the guards that my father found him.

"Yes, he's at home now. My father saw him and he picked him up. Thank you for your effort and cooperation."

After I thanked them, I drive my way home. I wanted to hug Dongpyo so badly and I wanted to thank the woman who take him home.