章 6: I Want One Too

Jina was at school listening intently to the teacher's instructions. Ms. Karen was a new teacher at their school who was hired from abroad to help the students to learn. Jina studied at one of the most expensive schools in the country which was notorious for its extensive curriculum and foreign teachers. It was a strictly English speaking academy which was accessible only to the elites.

Furthermore, Jina was the smartest child in school. She had a sharp, didactic memory which she inherited from her father but also possessed a high level of talent for sports. She was part of the Little League, their football team for elementary students and was exceptionally good at it. Her teachers were impressed by her intellect as she not only studied well, but was very well behaved and friendly with everyone around her.

She was apt with attention at Ms. Karen's words. She was a tall, blonde woman in her late twenties with dark green eyes. A lot of the male teachers at school were already fawning over her and she paid no attention to them.

"I want all of you to draw pictures of your family members," Ms. Karen instructed. "It doesn't have to be perfect but just a simple drawing to show how much they mean to you. Let's all start now shall we?"

The children immediately started to work. Jina took out her crayons and began to draw her father on the paper in front of her. After a few minutes, she declared, "I'm done Ms. Karen!"

Karen was surprised. "So soon?" she asked. Jina nodded.

"Come here and hand me your drawing."

Jina got off her seat and strode over to her teacher. Karen took the paper and studied the picture.

"But this is a picture of your dad only," Karen frowned. "Where is your mother?"

"I have no mother," Jina said simply.

"Oh." It was all Karen could say. She really had no idea what else to say but patted Jina's head, her face hinting sympathy for her. Jina was confused at her reaction. Why did everyone do that whenever she told them that she had no mother? Why did they look so sad?

The other children were staring at her, some sending jealous vibes while others mirrored the sympathetic reaction of Ms. Karen. For some reason, Jina felt extremely uncomfortable. She lowered her head and went back to her seat.

"Jinjin!"

Another girl with twin pigtails hissed at her. She had mousy brown hair and was the same age at Jina. Her name was Kwon Minnie and she was Jina's best friend.

"Are you alright, Jinjin?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Jina replied. "But why do people act like that whenever I talk about my mom?"

"Act like what?"

"You know...sad. Why are they sad about it? Is it a bad thing to not have a mom?"

Right then Ms. Karen asked everyone to pay attention to her next instructions.

"I'll tell you later," Minnie promised. Jina nodded and tried to concentrate on her work for the rest of the class.

After her class was over, Jina and Minnie headed off towards the playground to sit on the benches there. School had ended and the children were starting to leave. Jina and Minnie stayed back, waiting for their chauffeurs to pick them up.

"So tell me Minnie," Jina insisted. "Why do people become sad when they hear about my mom?"

"It's because you don't have a mom," Minnie replied. "When people hear that someone doesn't have a mom, they become sad."

"But why?"

"I don't know," Minnie said. "Apparently, it's bad to not have a mom. I don't see why. My mom is so strict. She always nags at me and scolds me for being lazy."

"Are moms scary?" Jina asked in horror.

"Very scary," Minnie said with a shudder. "They're very scary whenever they become angry. Yesterday, I walked into the house with my shoes on and she scolded me so much that I started to cry."

Her words scared Jina. No one at her house ever scolded her. She was allowed to do whatever she wanted and if moms are that scary, then she was glad not to have one.

"Mom!" Minnie called out. A thin woman was approaching them. Minnie got off the bench and was running towards her when she tripped over and fell.

"Ahhh!" she screamed. Jina rushed to help her but before she could reach her, Minnie's mother hurried towards her. She bent down to see that Mina's knee was scratched.

"Who told you to run so carelessly?" she scolded Minnie. "See you're hurt!"

"It hurts!" Minnie sobbed. She was crying in pain. "Mom it hurts a lot!"

"Shh…" Minnie's mother gently shushed her. She took out some tissues and water from her bag, starting to clean the wound. "Mommy will clean it up and take you home, okay? It's just a scratch. The pain will go away as soon as mommy kisses it."

She placed a soft kiss on Minnie's scratches. Immediately, Minnie stopped crying and laughed.

"Can you stand?" Minnie's mom asked.

"Take me in your arms mommy!" Minnie squealed. Her mother shook her head in amusement and heaved her into her arms.

"Let's go home," she said. "I'll make your favorite, baked pasta today."

"Yaiii!" Minnie exclaimed. She turned around to see Jina standing there, observing the mother-daughter duo.

"Bye Jinjin!" Minnie waved.

Jina smiled and waved back as Minnie was carried away by her mother. For some reason, Jina felt a sense of emptiness within her while watching Minnie and her mother. She was envious and at the same time, yearned to get some of that affection. She desperately wanted to experience some of that motherly love.

Were moms as scary as everyone said they were? But why did people become sad whenever they found out that she did not have a mom? Where would she find a mother?

Find a mother...

Jina thought hard before an idea flashed into her head. There was only one place she could go in order to find a person.

"Young madam, it's time to go home."

Her chauffeur, Mr. Jang had arrived to pick her up. He was in his sixties and had been working for Minho's family for decades.

"Mr. Jang, I want to go somewhere else," she said at once. Jang was startled.

"Where do you want to go, young miss?" he asked politely.

"To the police station!"