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Alyona looked back at Taekjoo once before saying goodbye to him. Taekjoo stood there motionless, as if he was still trying to process everything. Did it have to end right here? right now? Was this his last goodbye to Alyona? He watched her small figure disappear into the endless expanse of snow.
He broke into a quiet sob.
Zhenya quickly came over and hugged him gently. He reassured Taekjoo, saying, "It will be alright. People come and people go. It's not your fault, Taekjoo."
Tears streamed down Taekjoo's face. He couldn't control it anymore. He allowed himself to collapse in Zhenya's arms and buried his face near the crook of his neck.
The rest of the evening went by in a calm, somber quiet.
June (5 months later)
Taekjoo and Zhenya were at Yastka again. It was slightly hot and warm here compared to the eternal freezing cold at Ajinoki. They walked together side by side, hands entwined, talking about what flavor of ice cream Taekjoo would be. Zhenya started joking around like the goofball he was when suddenly, they heard a loud cry for help.
Piercing, loud, and clear. Taekjoo flinched. It was a child's cry. Shrill and relentless, the child wailed continuously. They sprinted around the alley and stopped.
A child in a blue dress, with her back facing towards them, sitting on the pavement. Her platinum blonde hair was in pigtails, which were coming loose with her blue ribbons. Her hair was a frenzied mess and she was still sobbing.
Taekjoo froze. Her voice. Her hair. The dress. Taekjoo held his breath. Could it be…?
"Alyona?" Taekjoo asked with a trembling voice. The child turned her head.
Alyona's eyes were red and puffed from crying. The shimmery depths of her crystal blues shone more clearly than ever, her tears highlighting everything. As soon as she saw Taekjoo's face, tears welled up again, and she started to cry, hard.
Taekjoo immediately hugged her. Shock and disbelief plagued Taekjoo's mind, making his head hurt. He picked up Alyona, and asked her in Russian, "Ангел, что ты здесь делаешь? Где твои родители?(Angel, what are you doing here? where are your parents?")
Alyona tried to speak in between her sobs and hiccups. "Они ушли, мистер Тэкджу, они бросили меня. Они сказали, что я им больше не нужен (They left, Mr. Taekjoo, they left me. They said they didn't want me anymore.")
Taekjoo's phone chimed. He opened it to see a message from Alyona's parents. Cold and cryptic in its nature, it said, "We don't want her anymore. Do whatever."
Taekjoo could not fathom what was happening. The crying child in his arms had wrapped her hands around Taekjoo's neck, drifting off to sleep. He could not understand whether he was concerned or glad or..anything at all.
Part of him was concerned for her. Where was she to go now? Wouldn't she miss her parents?
Part of him was also glad. So very happy, that Alyona would not have to go through torture anymore. The child he had said goodbye to two months ago, reluctantly, was now laying in his arms. He would treat her so much better. Buy her toys, cook her favorite meals together, Zhenya and he would play piano for her every night before bedtime, and she would fall asleep in pure bliss. Secure and comforted by their presence.
Zhenya wrapped his arm around Taekjoo's waist and held him close. "You alright?" Zhenya asked, concern evident in his voice. Taekjoo's train of thought broke and he looked at Zhenya. Zhenya gave him a small smile.
Later, evening at Ajinoki,
Zhenya carried Alyona on his back and went inside the kitchen.
Taekjoo was trying to make them a meal (he was failing miserably). Zhenya and Alyona giggled from behind. Taekjoo flipped his head around and asked, "What's so funny?" Zhenya laughed out loud and Alyona giggled.
After a pause, she said, "Я вас двоих очень люблю, мистер Тэкджу и мистер Евгений. Мои родители всегда на меня кричали. Они говорили, что я... что это такое? Эмм... проклятие...? Не знаю. Мама всегда говорила, что ненавидит мои желтые волосы, а папа всегда меня за это бил. Мне это не нравилось, но с вами я чувствую себя так хорошо, счастливо и в безопасности! Я почти жалею, что вы не мои родители...(I love you two so much, Mr Taekjoo and Mr. Yevgeny. My parents would always yell at me. They told me I was a..a what again? umm..a curse..? I don't know. Mommy would always say she hates my yellow hair and Daddy would always beat me up for it. I didn't like that, but with you two I feel so nice and happy and safe! I almost wish you two were my parents..")
Alyona got distracted and started playing with Zhenya's hair. "Господину Евгению идут желтые волосы, почему мне не идут?..(Mr. Yevgeny looks good with yellow hair, why can't I..?")
Taekjoo was angry. Frustrated with these people whom Alyona called her Mommy and Daddy. Pathetic excuses for parents.
Taekjoo whipped his head around and told her gently, "Милая, ты самый красивый ангел, которого я когда-либо видел. Ты очень-очень красивая. Самая красивая. Никогда, никогда не говори, что ты уродливая (Baby, you're the most beautiful angel I have ever seen. You are very very pretty. The prettiest. Never, ever say that you're ugly.")
Zhenya chimed in and said, "Если кто-нибудь тебе такое скажет, детка, я тебя убью...(If anyone says that to you, baby, I'm gonna ki-")
Taekjoo put a hand on Zhenya's mouth. "Он хочет сказать, что собирается преподать урок и им тоже. (Wh-What he means to say is that he is going to teach them a lesson too.") Alyona smiled softly, showing her adorable gummy smile. Taekjoo placed a small kiss on her forehead and returned to cooking.
"Hey, where's mine?" Zhenya's whiny voice followed. Taekjoo sighed and kissed him.
"Thank youu." Alyona giggled at the two men as they engaged in their regular, couple banter.
Night fell. Alyona was carried to bed and Zhenya tucked her in.
He came outside to meet Taekjoo, who was sitting near the fireplace. Seeing Zhenya, he wrapped his hands around Zhenya's body, searching for warmth. He hugged him tightly and asked, "So what do we do now?"
Zhenya was quiet. After a beat, he looked at Taekjoo, affection overflowing from his gaze. "I don't know, but we'll figure it out. As long as we're together."
Taekjoo hummed in response and rested his head on Zhenya's shoulder.
They both fell asleep near the fire, bodies entwined like grapevines. It was a new chapter for them.
The End.