Mission J

Inside of the apartment was no different from the last time I saw Bae. The single-room apartment consisted of a small kitchen and living room that doubled as the bedroom. It was strangely clean and orderly for an apartment of a young teenager and his younger sister, but the apartment itself had very few things.
As I looked around, Bae was straightening out a small floor table, gathering up trash and hastily wiping down the surface with his sleeve.

“Noona,” he called over. He still had a grin on his face. “Here, sit down.”

His childish eagerness and ernest expression made me wince, but I forced out a small smile.

“Where’s Minah?” I asked, lowering myself to the floor before the table.

As if to answer, the bathroom door opened and out darted a tiny girl. She shot out and threw herself right at me, her thin arms wrapping tightly around my neck.
For a five-year-old, she had some strength.

“K-noona!” she yelped, right in my ear.

I patted the girl gently on her back, coaxing her to loosen her death grip.
“Minah, you grew too!” I told her.

Minah smiled widely and dropped down on the floor beside me. She leaned her small head against my arm.
“I was hiding in the bathroom. Quiet like a big girl,” she said proudly.

I didn’t miss Bae fidgeting uncomfortably at what his sister said. But I let out a small gasp and feigned surprised.
“Oh wow! You really are grown-up!” I exclaimed in an impressed tone.

Bae cleared his throat awkwardly, making me look back up at him.
“You said you had something for us.” he reminded me.

Minah perked her head up excitedly and expectantly, the prospect of getting gifts stirring her. I gave her a small smile before turning to my duffel bag.
“Way to put me on the spot, Bae,” I muttered.
I unzipped my bag and pulled out a big paper bag. I turned and passed it to Minah.
“Here, share these with your brother.” I told her.

Minah took the bag from me eagerly, bobbing impatiently on the spot. She pulled the paper bag onto her lap with a bit of struggle, as it was almost as big as her own body.
“It’s warm,” she hummed excitedly.

“What’s warm? What is it?” Bae asked, looking curious. “Come on, Minah, let me see too.”

“There’s more than enough for both of you,” I told him as the little girl reached in and dug through the bag. She let out a gasp and pulled out a big round bundle wrapped in white paper.

“Ho-bbang!” she nearly shrieked in excitement.

She shoved the bag off her lap and started to hop in celebration.
“Ho-bbang! Ho-bbang! Ho-bbang!” she echoed, holding the steamed bun over her head.

“Yah, Minah! Stop jumping,” Bae scolded his sister.

I reached into the bag and tossed him a random bundle.
“Here. There are different flavors.” I told him.

The way his face lit up at the steamed bun in his hands reminded me he was still a boy, forced to grow up faster than it should be necessary. His environment and living was what he was thrown into, not something he chose on his own. And yet despite the fact that these circumstances have treated him cruelly, he remained strong.

My thoughts were cut off abruptly when a half-eaten ho-bbang was shoved in my face.
“Aaaah, noona. Ahhh!” Minah ordered, pushing her steamed bun in my face. “Ho-ho, aaahhh.”
She instructed me to blow on the warm bun with a serious expression, urging me to eat as if my life depended on it.
“Aaah, aaahh!”

I grimaced a bit at her persistence, but I couldn’t say no. I blew on the bun and took a small bite.
“Mmmm,” I hummed, the sweet red bean taste blooming across my taste buds.
Minah stared at me as I chewed, studying me.
“Kwaen ch’a nay o?” she asked me.

I smiled and nodded.
“No-mu cho a yo.” I replied, assuring her that I liked it.

Minah beamed and sat down beside me again, settling down to eat the remainder of the steamed bun quietly.

I finished my bite of the ho-bbang and turned to Bae.
“Here, I have other things for you.” I said, reaching back into the duffel bag.
Bae looked up from his food as I pushed a new cell phone his way.
“Here, replace the last one I gave you with this one.” I said. “I already have my number in there and in case of a real emergency, al l you would have to do is push that button on the side. I’ll come find you.”

Bae took the phone and flipped it open.
“Woah, it’s even cooler looking than the last one!” he said with a half-full mouth. He swallowed and looked up at me. “Does this mean you’re going to stay in Korea?”

“For the time being,” I said. “I might have a few jobs here and there outside the country, but for the most part, I should be nearby.”
I then pushed an envelope his way.
“And here, you already know to be smart and careful about this.” I said.

Bae blinked at the envelope, and then back up at me. He picked up the slightly bulky envelope and peeked into its contents. I saw his jaw drop.
“Noona…we can’t accept this.” he murmured.

“Take it; it’s clean money.” I told him. “Don’t tell me that you can’t use the help.”

“I mean…Yea, money isn’t easy to come by, but I’ve been working in the morning and on the weekend…” he said, staring wide-eyed at the cash in the envelope. “I’m grateful for everything you do for us already…this is too much.”

I studied his thoughtful expression, his downcast eyes looking genuinely troubled. This boy…he was unlike any other fourteen year old I know in his maturity and modesty. Most kids with his circumstances looked out for their own backs, and any other kid would’ve taken the cash in a heartbeat without much of a thanks.
“Look Bae,” I said, my tone coming out softer. “I know you’ve been working hard. But I also know delivering milk and folding newspapers in the morning is just barely getting you by.”

Bae blinked, looking startled for a split second before recovering.
“You know what I do for my job,” he noted.

“What, you think I wouldn’t check on you two when I’m away?” I said. “Take that money to get yourself new clothes, Minah some toys. Take care of your own self from time to time. Besides, that kindergarten you got your sister in can’t be cheap.”

Bae’s eyes widened.
“Noona! Is there anything you don’t know?” he demanded.

“Well, I don’t know how you managed to get her in. That school does thorough background checks.” I said. “The paper works should’ve been mandatory with a guardian’s seal.”

Bae’s expression clouded with a troubled look, and he glanced at Minah, who was still preoccupied with her steamed bun. I got the hint.
“Fine. Take it as a down payment for a job.” I said.

“A job,” Bae echoed. “You’re looking for information?”

I nodded.
“If your information checks out and stands good, I will double what I just gave you.” I said. “What do you say?”

“Okay, let’s see. What are you looking for?” he asked.

“Have you heard anything about foreigners coming in or a new shipment of some sort that arrived recently?” I asked. “It should’ve come in sometime within the last four days.”

Bae considered what I told him, chewing on his steamed bun thoughtfully.
“I haven’t heard anything about foreigners, but there was this one thing I heard a tiny bit about some trader ship coming in with fresh cargo or something like that.” he said. “When was it…maybe Monday? But it didn’t sound like the usual load that comes through though.”

“Yea? What makes you say that?” I asked.

Bae shrugged, still looking thoughtful.
“The way the word spread and is getting passed on is different from usual. It’s much quieter. The streets have been more tense too.” he told me. “I wasn’t really listening carefully. I’ll dig a bit more and I’ll get back to you.

I nodded.
“Be careful, okay?” I said. “Call me if you run into trouble.”

I felt something fall on my thigh, making me look down. Minah had fallen asleep, her head resting on my lap and her mouth hanging open. She still had bits of red bean paste crusted on her face.

“Bae,” I said, keeping my voice low.

Bae peered over the table and down at his sister.
“Dang, I didn’t brush her teeth!” he hissed. “Let me at least wipe her face.”

He got up from the table and went into the kitchen where he retrieved a towel. He wetted it quickly in the sink before coming over to where we were.
Minah groggily struggled as her brother wiped the last bits of the ho-bbang off of her face. Bae finished and went to pick her up.

“I got her,” I said. I slipped my arms underneath her small body and lifted her up. “Just get the futon out.”

Bae nodded and hurriedly got to getting their bed set up and pulling out the blankets. I got up and walked over to their makeshift bed and placed her under the blankets. I stepped aside and let Bae tuck her in.
“She gets really cold without her blankets.” he grunted as he pulled at the covers. “But she keeps kicking them off at night.”
He sighed, finishing tucking her in.
“Sheesh, she must’ve been running around at school a lot.”

I crossed my arms and shifted my weight to my right.
“So, want to tell me how you came to get punched in the eye?” I asked.

Bae was silent as he dropped his gaze to his fingers and started to pick at his nails and scratch his arms. But finally he spoke.
“It’s not a big deal.” he murmured.

I raised an eyebrow at his evasive answer and cleat discomfort in his tone.
“Is it a problem I should take care of?” I asked. “If its someone in the area, I can straighten them out---”

“No,” Bae said quickly. “I mean…Don’t worry about it. It’s really nothing.”

I didn’t believe him one bit but didn’t push it. It was quiet between us until I broke the silence,
“The package I left the last time I was here; do you still have it?” I asked.

Bae finally looked up at me and blinked.
“Of course I do,” he said. “Hold on.”
He got up and scurried into the kitchen. I heard some shuffling and shifting of things as Bae dug around, probably to get to one of his cleverly hidden stashes. I didn’t turn, knowing how he was with his hiding places.
He came back seconds later with a worn, bulky parcel in his hand. He handed it to me with a small smile.
“I didn’t look at what’s inside.” he informed me.

I saw his eyes glued to the parcel that was now in my hands and raised an eyebrow. Curiosity was written all over his face, as if he was willing his eyes to develop x-ray vision.
So I opened the parcel and tipped its contents into my hand: a small lock key, few credit cards and ID’s under an old alias, and a match box from a bar.

“That’s it? That was what was inside?” Bae questioned. I didn’t miss the disappointment in his tone.

“This may not be much but this is all I need.” I told him. I pocketed the collection of items into my inner jacket lining.

“Are you leaving soon?” Bae asked.

I paused, considering his oddly wary question.
“Yea, I want to take care of a few thing tonight.” I answered truthfully.

Bae nodded, looking discouraged. He started to scratch at his arms again absent-mindedly. This time, I caught sight of his forearm and the angry red patch of irritated skin at the crook of his elbow where he had clearly been scratching.
I frowned. He didn’t have such habit a year ago.

“Bae,” I started, studying him. “What is---”

“Could you…” Bae cut me off, practically pushing the words out.
Something in his tone killed my words before they left my throat. He swallowed, and started over.
“Could you stay? Just for a bit longer?” he asked, his expression pleading. “Just until I fall asleep?”

I stared at him and his expression, bewildered at this request. But I put a small smile on my face and nodded.
“Sure, kid.” I said lightly. “I can do that.”



Bae snored lightly as he laid next to his sister. It didn’t even take a whole hour for him to fall asleep; we talked a little before drowsiness kicked in. Clearly, he was exhausted.

Bae grunted and flipped over to his right side before resuming snoring again. I rolled my eyes to myself and shook my head.
Minah kicks off her blankets? What about him, snoring and rolling around?

Sighing, I got up and scooped up the blanket left crumpled at his feet. I heard Bae groan groggily, mumbling under his breath and shifting onto his side. I straightened out the blanket, turned to pull the covers back over him…and paused.

Bae was completely out cold, snoring lightly as he had been. In his restless shifting, his tattered tank top had twisted and hitched up to show his torso.
And his left side was riddled with purple and red and sickly green---signs of a deep contusion.

I’ve seen my fair share of bruises so it didn’t take any effort seeing the angry colors shaping out a repetitive pattern of consecutive blows. Three distinctive slash marks repeated itself against Bae’s ribs, along with perfectly circular dots that covered the surface of the discolored skin. These markings were where the bruising was the worst.

This boy…what was he dealing with? And why was he hiding it?

I kneeled to the ground and draped the blanket back over him before quietly gathering my duffel bag and leaving the apartment.