CHAPTER 1
1989 Spring season. A homeless man out in the middle of the night is getting ready for a dumpster diving looking for food or clothes when he came across a box on the side of the dumpster. To his curiosity, thinking that maybe it was some foods, he walks toward it and was surprised to see an infant. A child was left on the dumpster.
He immediately hold the baby to check if he is hurt or not. He wanted to keep the little angel but he can’t even afford to feed himself.
Thinking of the what was the best thing to do for the baby he went to the police station to surrender the baby. At first the officers accused him of kidnapping the baby but upon checking for any missing person report and found none they let the homeless man go and told him that come one gonna claim the baby he will be sent to an orphanage.
The homeless man bowed to the officer. Before he go, he hold the baby’s hand and say goodbye
“Bye Erik Kim. I hope you will find your family soon” the child was named Erik Kim based on the embroidered on his shirt.
Year 2005
“Erik”
“Yes, Sister anne?”
“Can you help the other kids to get ready for lunch”
The 16 years old Erik Kim was still at the orphanage. 16 years has passed but still no one wants to adopt him. The people around him are already concern about him because at the young age Erik Kim seem sto have accepted his fate that he will never experience having his own family.
“Sister Anne”
“Yes, Mrs.Lee”
“What will happen to Erik? He is already old enough to be adopted”
“I know that. I am so concern about that too. He basically grew up here with us. I am just praying that what we have taught him will not go in vain. He is a kind hearted kid, so selfless that he is already contended on what he has even though it wasn’t enough”
Sister Anne and Mrs.Lee look at Erik who is busy taking care of the other kids. Not even once that they hear him complains, he is happy to help other people. He is willing to do anything just to help them.
A month later, another kid was sent to the orphanage. A young 16 year old was sent there. She looks like she’s afraid of being surrounded by a lot of people. She rarely speaks when she wasn’t asked. A simple yes or no was what she will always reply when asked. She always choose to be alone and was always seen looking up to the sky sometimes a tear will escape from her eyes.
Weeks after she was brought to the orphanage, Erik decided to finally approach the girl.
“Hello. Would you mind if I sit beside you?” he asked the girl but got no response so he decided to just sit beside her but not too close to her
“You know it is okay to feel what you are feeling right now. It’s okay not to be okay. You cannot pretend to be strong all the time” Erik paused trying to see if he can get any response from the girl. And she looks at him with a sad eyes. Then she finally speaks to him
“You don’t know what it feels like to know that your parents are gone and that they are no longer alive. You don’t know how it feels like to be suddenly left alone”
Erik just smile at her and she frown thinking that the boy was mocking her “believe it or not I know how does it feel. And I’m sorry for your lost but you are still lucky”
“Lucky? I just lost my mom and my dad and you will tell me that I am lucky?!” the young girl snapped at him but he remain calm.
“Yes you are lucky because even though they are not here with you anymore, they still left you with beautiful memories that you can forever cherish” the young girl soften upon hearing that. Erik continues “you are lucky because you had a chance to be with them, to see them and to even feel their love. You can also have pictures of them that you can look whenever you misses them”
"I guess you are right. Maybe God had other plan for us that’s why He took them away from me this early. But still it hurts so bad knowing that they are never gonna come back”
“Life is full of twist and turn. You can never be truly happy when you never had a downfall”
"Where is your parents or do you know who they are?” and that question took him by surprise because it was the first time he was asked that but just like what he learns through the years, he masked the pain with a smile
“I don’t know where they are or if I have one. I don’t even know if they are still alive or not. Just like what I told you, you are lucky to have met your parents because I will never have that chance when they choose to abandoned me in a dumpster just days after I was born”
The young girl was taken aback by what she heard. She’s thinking how does he still manages to be this calm and strong despite having that kind of life.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ask you that”
“No worries. So don’t be sad anymore. I’m sure your parents wants to see you smiling instead of being sad. By the way, I’m Erik Kim” He offers his hand to the girl
“I’m Tiffany Hwang”
That was the day their friendship started. Two beautiful soul both experience a downfall but still manage to hang on and continue their lives with the hope of having another chance to have a family again.