p a s t

ꜱᴀᴇʙᴏᴋ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ

ꜱᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ɢᴀᴛᴇꜱ

3:37 ᴘᴍ

I was 10 years old when innocence was taken away from me.

After waving goodbye on my classmates, I whirled my head, looking for a familiar car that Papa drives. When I finally spotted my father, he hoisted me up immediately and before I could even protest, I was already on the front seat.

There was this heavy look on his face as he revved the car engine and steered the wheel. My gut warned me that something isn't right or I ate way too many nachos. Either way, I couldn't bear staying silent around any longer.

"Papa, are you okay?' I stared hardly at him, pouting. He inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh, like he was trying to calm himself. "Of course, sweetie." He glanced at me and continued. "Let's fetch Michelle, okay?"

Michelle doesn't go in the same school with me and so, papa fetches me first because Michelle's school was farther than mine.

I nodded as I attached my seat belt. I was still deep in my thoughts on the fact that Papa wasn't being himself. Without realizing, I called his attention again.

"Papa?"

He only hummed in response.

"Is mama at home already?"

I could see him flinching; his fists starting to clench on the wheel.

"(y/n) you see. . ." He paused, eyes narrowed. ". . .Mama is still on her work."

I was too young to even notice that he feigned it.

Papa pulled the car over as he clasped my shoulders.

"Remember when you wanted to join a car race?"

I nodded as he continued. "Papa will join a car race right now so hold on tight, okay?'

Nodding in response again, I latched on the seat belt as I giggled. I have always dream riding on a car full speed. The feeling of exhilaration as as the wheels go faster and faster makes me squeal in delight and I really wanted to feel that.

Papa pressed on the accelerator as the car moved again;  but this time, the speed has gotten faster.

Strange. Earlier, I just felt thrilled but now. . .

"Hold on tightly, (y/n). I'm gonna make a sharp turn!" Papa screamed. The realization hit me. I feel scared. I feel scared that we might get bump anytime soon.

"Papa! Stop! Papa, stop this!" I shrieked as I tried to grasp his sleeves. But it seems that my words can't get through his mind.

"We can't let the other cars surpass us, right? This is a race after all." He says, smirking. Despite him, being determined in this car racing, I want us to withdraw. I whirled around, only to see three, shiny black cars tailing behind with speed. Those cars all look the same.

"Papa, just let them win." I tugged his sleeve again, this time more force was added in it. The fear is still in me and no matter how I thought about happy things, it still doesn't work.

I was too young to notice that this wasn't a car race to papa.

"We can't, (y/n). Michelle is waiting." He said with calmness in his voice. I just don't understand everything. The cars are still behind, almost reaching us. Suddenly, a head bobbed out from one of the cars and the person was holding a . . . gun?

"Shit. Jahad's rankers." I heard him mutter as he steered the wheel in a  different direction. Then there was a loud deafening sound and before I could even see it, a bullet has perfectly pierced through the window; and luckily, no one was hurt.

"Papa! What's happening?" Why do they have guns?" Tears were already streaming down my face, my breath came faster. He still ignored me as he tapped into his earpiece. I never noticed he got something like that.

"Hansung? Yu Hansung?"

There was another gun shot as I ducked my head and continued to cry. I was such a crybaby back then.

"Have you gotten Michelle? I have (y/n) here already." I pulled his shirt again to distract him. "Papa. . .papa. . ."

He made different turns and I was getting dizzier by each passing minute. Beside the road was a huge forest and I also noticed that the cars were gone behind.

"They're just momentarily gone. They'll appear soon." Papa said with caution, pulling out his car keys. The engine went off and everything was silent. That moment made me calm but then papa opened the car and hoisted me again. I held tight on his shoulders as we ventured through the forest. I saw nothing but trees with gigantic size as Papa trudged. The leaves crunched on every step, his breathing was shallow and I could sense he's exhausted. After sometime, he had put me down.

"Now, listen carefully (y/n)
Papa needs to distract those bad guys. So they won't see you. You'll be meeting Yu Hansung here and take good care of your sister, okay?"

I nodded my head. Where is he planning to go? Why is he going to leave me with a stranger? Why are we even chased? These questions whirled in my head and I only managed to say, "Papa, please don't go."

My eyes were already red and puffy. I just want this to end.

He turned around and started to run towards the direction from where we came. "Papa!" I screamed as I tried to follow him. However, I only stumbled, unnoticing a rock tripped me. My face fell straight to the ground. The dried leaves sticked on my face and on my (h/c) locks. When I raised my head to stand up, my father was nowhere on sight.

I didn't want to move anymore. Everything started to feel numb and so, I closed my eyes, letting my body rest on the forest floor.

Some few seconds later, I felt a cold touch on my elbow. My eyes stirred, vision a bit blurry. There was a figure who scooted closer and gently shook me.

"Papa?" I mumbled.

When everything got clearer, I was mistaken. There are two blonde heads in front of me. . . A woman and. . .

". . . Michelle" I whispered out as the woman helped me to stand. Michelle only stared at me, seemingly not even aware what was happening. The blonde woman carried me on her back as she held Michelle's hand.

"Let's go before those other rankers will catch us."

"What about Papa? Michelle, Papa is still back there!" Michelle stayed silent, staring at the clearing. Did she even heard me? The woman gave a terrifying glare to me as she spoke.

"There's no time. We must get out of here."

Before I even realized, the blonde woman was already striding her way. She kinda have this weird, loose robe and it might get caught on the twigs or branches because it was too long. 

I turned my head to the direction where Papa has gone to.

And it hit me. Papa is still there! He needs me.

I scrambled on her back and landed on the floor. I was about to run but Michelle gripped hard on me.

"You're so hard-headed (y/n). He will explain everything once we're safe." Michelle said, pointing at the stranger.

I  slapped her hand with such force causing her to flinch in pain.

"You don't know anything. Do you even care about Papa? He's there. . . He's there Michelle! Chasing those men with guns." My eyes teared up again. ". . . and you weird lady! Don't even try to kidnap us!"

"I don't mind you calling me a lady but I'm technically a guy. Have trust in me (y/n) because your father told me to rescue away you away from those rankers." And this weird lady, no, this weird guy guy grinned at me. This must be the person Papa talks about.

I stared at Michelle, observing her demeanor. She seems having trust on this man-woman looking guy. "How did you know all of these?" I asked as he held my tiny hand and also reached for Michelle's. We started to walk at a faster pace.

"Your father and I work for the Tower, ruled and operated by Jahad Han." He paused when a huge log hindered our path from exiting this forest. He carried us up one by one so me and Michelle can get to the other side.

The blonde man continued. "I am a department director in his school named Tower Academy and just below the school is a secret research facility where your father works."

The blonde man-woman explained as I tried my best to comprehend things even how complex it is.

"Your mother created a bio-weapon and your father decided to not let Jahad lay his fingers on it. They escape along with the bio-weapon as I fetched Michelle. Jahad is such a dangerous man and to let him have the bio-weapon would be a catastrophe."

Michelle finally spoke after her long silence. She looked hard at the taller blonde. "So, where is the bio-weapon?"

He paused, unsure of how to answer her question. "Who knows? I'm just hoping Jahad didn't have it."

"Did Mama made it here too?"

His lips formed into a thin line and he went silent. He didn't answered me at all.

We moved more quickly and sooner l, we made it to the other end safely. Grandma was there l, waiting for us as she cried. She embraced us in her arms as the man-woman guy stood there while watching.

"The parents didn't made it. I'm sorry."

a/n: took me a while to write this. sorry :'> anyway, good evening.