CHAPTER 2
I was living in the streets like this for around two years now. The way I survived was by asking strangers if they had any loose change, sometimes they would curse me off, and if I needed to use the bathroom I would go use the public in the park. I would bathe a couple of times a week in a fountain in the park during the nighttime, and by that, I meant rinsing my face, arms, and legs. I did not have much access to anything while I was homeless, so my options would always be limited. Over time, I learned how to steal food and water bottles from markets without people noticing.
Over 2 years (I was 11 now) I would track my birthday by counting the days. Since I did not know how to read, I would always look at the numbers on the calendar displayed at a street pole: 10/13. And today I decided that I would steal a piece of candy, or something sweet, and take it to the alleyway I call “home” to celebrate it by myself. With trash forming more, I made a small house made of boxes, bags, and old newspapers. No one has ever suspected that I lived there, which I liked very much.
Waking up around the afternoon, I was hungrier than usual. I was getting myself ready to go out and steal food again. I did not know that the day was going to be one of the most terrifying experiences I have ever had.
I remember waking up in my small house, my head was lying on a pillow that was made out of newspapers inside of a bag. I woke up because my stomach has been grumbling like crazy. I sat up with my hands over my abdomen, it has been getting more painful the more I get hungry. That is when I decided I would get some food somewhere, more than I usually do. I walked out of the alleyway and looked around my familiar surroundings. From my position, I could see the markets where I have been, but I wanted something else. I did not feel like eating something small. I have dreamed of eating an entire meal lately. But I did not have much money on me, and I was always scared to approach those places as well.
Then, I saw a man carrying a bag that seemed to have a great amount of food, and he was walking in my direction from my right side.
I wanted to look more at it, imagining the amazing food I would eat as soon as I got my hands on that bag. But, I tried not to make eye contact because I felt it would be very obvious. With a plan, I decided I was going to walk, in his direction, pretending that I was going to be somewhere else. As we both approached each other, I shoved him to the side with all the strength of an 11-year-old, and I tripped him onto the ground. That gave me enough time to grab the bag, and I ran back.
It was clear that I was thinking with my stomach, rather than with my head.
“Hey! Come back with that you little shit!” I heard him yell behind me, I did not look behind me since that would do no good for me. I made a turn and returned to the alleyway where I lived. I wasted no time getting inside the house, I sat up against the wall, placed the bag beside me, and covered my mouth with my hands to quiet myself. I was feeling a rush going through my veins, adrenaline. After I had calmed down I opened the bag, and a beautiful smell invaded my nose. There was food inside a takeout box, and before I was able to open it, my house made of boxes tumbled down over me. I was not being careful enough, and the man followed me to my only hiding spot in the city.
He held me by my worn-out clothes, on my chest, pulled me out, and he pressed me harshly against the brick wall behind me. I was struggling so that he would let me go.
“You dumb child,” He spoke, his tone made me feel shame for my actions. “Don’t you know that stealing is wrong?”
“I-I’m sorry! P-Please don't hurt me-!” I cried to him, trying to convince him to have mercy on a homeless child. But I was panting so much and I was so scared that I couldn’t speak clearly.
“I should teach you a lesson,” He grumbles, and my eyes widened when I saw his hands reaching for something in his pocket. He pulled out a pocket knife and pressed the blade against my cheek. “I should leave you something as a reminder to not take what doesn’t belong to you!” It was clear that this man was wanting to leave a scar on my cheek.
I felt the blade pressing harder against my cheek, and I felt something drip down to my chin. I was crying so much that I was not able to find out that I was bleeding. I must have been crying loud enough because I heard some footsteps approaching us. I thought it was a friend of his, and that he was going to watch him continue doing what he wanted to me. But as he approached, he had placed a hand on the angry man’s shoulder. I was not able to see the man's face clearly, since it was quite dark in the spot where we are.
“Excuse me, why do you have your hands on an innocent child?” He asks, in the most gentle tone I have ever heard. The man, bothered, let me go and I dropped onto the ground on top of the ruined cardboard boxes. He turned around and pointed the knife at him after he had swatted his hand away.
“It’s not your business. So if I were you, I would just leave before I get hurt,” He grumbled to him in response. I heard the mysterious man chuckle, and he swiftly pulled out a handgun, aiming it between his eyes. I gasped, and I covered my mouth with both of my hands. I had to be quiet at that moment. Nobody had forced me to, it was a habit from home.
“I would get hurt? You are the man with the knife here, I can end your life right by pulling this trigger,” He says in a menacing tone. The man with the pocket knife curses under his breath, he put his weapon back in his pocket and stumbles away from us.
The man in front of me placed his handgun away where it belonged, which turned out to be in his coat pocket. He turned to me and crouched down to my level. I tried shuffling away at first, holding my wounded cheek with one of my hands. I found it no use since the wall behind me did not allow me to move anymore.
“Calm down please, I am not going to hurt you,” He softly says to me, and I was able to take a good look at him now that he was closer to me.
"Tell me, what is your name child?” He asks quietly, his tone was so foreign that he was able to comfort me.
“My... My name is Sakura,” I replied, shuffling on top of the mess. I looked over at the food that I had stolen, and I frowned when I saw that most of its contents had opened and spilled on the ground.
“Very pretty name Sakura, an honor to meet you,” He says with a small bow, and I felt like blushing. I have never been complimented like that before. “My name is Kazan Yoo.”
I nodded, before deciding to bow my head in a greeting, just like he did.
“Where are your parents?” I did not reply: I could not remember if it was because I did not know the way back, or because I was still scared of what happened to me earlier. Or, maybe it was because I hated how the word "parents" reminded me of my father. Knowing that I was unable to answer, he was looking at the mess that was underneath my body.
“… Do you live here?” He questions me, and I saw the slight disappointment on his face as soon as I nodded. Kazan grew quiet afterward. I do not know what he had in mind at the moment, but based on his thinking expression it did look like he was debating about something.
He then looked at me and smiled, I was unsettled at first. Nobody has ever smiled at me like that, not even my own family, not even my own mother. I could not remember the last time when my family smiled at me like that, just as Kazan was smiling right now.
“Are you hungry? I can take you to my home and give you something to eat,” He extended his hand toward me, and I saw how his sleeve went a little upward. I managed to see that he had markings on them, and in curiosity, I pulled up the sleeve up to the elbow. My eyes widened at the sight of so many tattoos on his arm, and to think that they maybe continued above his elbow. I gently let him go and looked at him, with curiosity and concern in my eyes.
“Oh, those? They are drawings on my arms,” He chuckled, pulling down his sleeve. I pouted in response, I was not young enough to see those as drawings. But I felt relieved when I saw that he did not feel bothered when I touched him. Without warning, he gently held my hands and pulled me to my feet, along with him standing with me. “Come, I will take you to my home and feed you some wonderful food. Do you like onigiri?”
I nodded without even thinking twice, and he chuckled. He began to step forward, with my hand in his, but he stopped when I did not take a step along with him. He looked down at me, seeing that my other hand timidly held my worn-out clothing. I was feeling scared of going with this stranger who I know nothing about. The man must have read my facial expression because once again, he knelt and smiled at me.
“You have nothing to worry about, alright little one?” He says, rubbing my head with his other hand. “I am a good person that you can trust, and I promise that I will protect you from everyone in the world.”
I felt a twinkle in my eye, he sounded so sincere and honest, and after a couple of seconds, I convinced myself to go along with him. I nodded, and I made a small smile. I heard him chuckle as he lifted himself to his feet again. As we walked out of the alleyway, he turned to me with another of his comforting smile.
“You are safe with me.”