Read Sewn Into Fate :: Heroes Among Us

Aeryun watched as Hannah and her aunt disappeared into the crowd. The moment they were out of sight, she finally relaxed and looked down at her lunch tray.

Then she suddenly remembered the chocolates.

"Oh."

She had completely forgotten to share them with Hannah like they had planned earlier.

After a moment, she shrugged.

"She'll get over it," Aeryun muttered to herself. "Kids don't hold grudges for long."

“Being a child really must be nice,” she muttered.

“You're saying that like you're eighty years old.”

Aeryun looked up.

It was Chaerin.

Aeryun gasped dramatically.

“You abandoned me for a boy.”

Chaerin rolled her eyes and sat down across from her.

“I left for ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes is enough time for a friendship to end.”

“No, it isn't.”

“It is if the friendship is dramatic enough.”

Chaerin laughed despite herself.

“You're impossible.”

“And yet, here you are.”

Aeryun flashed her a satisfied smile before taking a bite of her lunch.

“So?”

Chaerin immediately groaned.

“No.”

“Oh yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Chaerin sighed heavily.

“You are never letting this go, are you?”

“Absolutely not.”

Aeryun pointed her fork at her.

“You disappeared with Bae Joonho. I deserve details.”

Chaerin lowered her voice.

“There aren't any details.”

“Liar.”

“I'm serious.”

“You're blushing.”

“It's hot in here.”

“We're eating cold noodles.”

Chaerin looked personally offended.

Aeryun burst out laughing.

“Fine,” Chaerin muttered. “We talked.”

“About?”

“School.”

Aeryun stared.

“School.”

“Yes.”

“On purpose?”

“Yes.”

“Voluntarily?”

“Yes.”

Aeryun looked disappointed.

“That is the most boring thing I've ever heard.”

Chaerin shot her a look.

“You asked.”

“I expected better. Let’s dress you up nicely for your café date after school before you end up traumatizing him more.”

Before Chaerin could retaliate, a loud cheer erupted from the basketball court outside the cafeteria windows.

Both girls turned instinctively.

Zeon had apparently joined a game.

A crowd had already gathered around the court.

“Wow,” Aeryun remarked. “People really like basketball.”

Chaerin followed her gaze.

“Or maybe they like Zeon.”

Aeryun shrugged.

“Fair. Including you.”

Chaerin said, well not anymore.

A few tables away, Liora also found herself looking toward the court.

Unfortunately for her, she wasn't the only one.

Several girls had gathered near the windows, pretending not to watch.

Meanwhile, at another table, Myeora observed the growing crowd around the basketball court.

She leaned back in her chair and smirked.

“Pathetic.”

Jiwon glanced up.

“What is?”

“People.”

Myeora stabbed a piece of food with her fork.

“It’s just a game!.”

Jiwon sighed.

“Not everyone is a good player.”

“No,” Myeora replied. “He’s obsessed with attention.”

“Not quite.”

Jiwon decided not to continue the argument.

Across the cafeteria, Aeryun had somehow obtained a second dessert from a student who thanked her for “saving the school from surprise tests.”

“You know,” Chaerin said, watching her accept the snack, “you're taking advantage of this.”

Aeryun looked offended.

“I am a victim.”

“You have three desserts.”

“A victim with benefits.”

Chaerin laughed so hard she nearly choked.

At that exact moment, the lunch bell rang.

A collective groan spread across the cafeteria.

Students began gathering trays and making their way back toward their classrooms.

Aeryun stood up and stretched.

“Well.”

“Well?” Chaerin echoed.

“If Mrs. Um comes back tomorrow, my popularity is over.”

Chaerin nodded solemnly.

“Probably.”

“And if she doesn't?”

“Then you'll become a school legend.”

Aeryun placed a hand over her heart.

“Finally. Recognition.”

“Let's just get back to class.”

“Fine.”

The two girls picked up their trays and joined the sea of students flowing out of the cafeteria, completely unaware that somewhere else in the school, Mrs. Um was having a very serious conversation with the principal about what had happened that morning.

Mr. Mansu and Tae finally arrived at the traffic authorities office. They first needed to find out which impound lot the truck had been taken to.

While Mansu headed inside one of the offices, Tae remained outside in the waiting area.

He pulled out his phone and checked in with his aunt about Hannah and the documentation process at the school's admin office.

The aunt replied almost immediately.

Everything went well. We just had lunch at the school, and Hannah even ate her vegetables!

Tae blinked.

What?

Before he could say anything, Hannah snatched the phone from her aunt's hands.

“I did finish my vegetable soup,” she announced proudly. “And I have to say, vegetables aren't that bad if they give me magical nails.”

Tae frowned.

“Magical nails?”

“Yes,” Hannah replied. “I'll tell you later. My favorite cartoon is starting now. Byeeee!”

The call ended before he could ask another question.

Tae stared at his phone for a moment before smiling to himself.

“Wow,” he muttered in disbelief.

A few minutes later, a group of elderly people entered the waiting area.

Tae immediately stood up and offered them the entire bench.

One of the elderly women smiled warmly.

“Thank you, dear.”

“No problem at all,” Tae replied.

The group settled onto the bench.

Almost instantly, one of the older men threw his hands in the air.

“Well, I don't think seven shots of vodka counts as driving under the influence.”

Tae awkwardly glanced at him before quickly looking away.

Another man scoffed.

“If you hadn't been drinking, maybe we would've made it to the beach by now. I can't believe you lied again!”

A woman sitting beside them groaned dramatically.

“I can't believe I'm missing out on the beach because of this.”

Another woman sighed and gently patted the old man's shoulder.

“Be easy on him. He just lost his wife and doesn't know any healthy ways to cope.”

Her expression softened.

“He's been drinking so much lately that he's started having liver problems too.”

The waiting area fell quiet for a moment.

The old man stared down at his hands.

For the first time since they had entered, he had nothing to say.

Then she added, “Hey, Ha-joon, if you're free tomorrow, can you come help my son fix the garden patio?”

“No,” he replied flatly. “I'm busy. Besides, I don't know anything about that stuff.”

The woman nodded thoughtfully.

“I knew Young-sook used to exaggerate about you and your skills,” she said. “There's no way you know how to fix anything—let alone woodworking, repairs, and mending things.”

Ha-joon immediately looked offended.

“Be ready by 5:00 a.m. tomorrow,” he shot back. “I don't wait around for people.”

The two women exchanged amused looks, while the other men tried—and failed—to hide their smiles.

Their mission had been successful.

Keeping Ha-joon busy with healthier distractions was proving easier than expected.

Just then, Mansu returned and interrupted Tae's thoughts.

“The impound lot is nearby,” he said. “Wait here for a moment. I'll be back shortly.”

With that, he walked off.

Tae assumed Mansu had headed straight to the impound lot. Instead, he stopped by a nearby convenience store.

A few minutes later, Mansu returned carrying a bottle of banana milk and a triangle kimbap.

He handed both to Tae.

“Sorry for the wait,” he said apologetically. “I'll make sure you get a proper meal soon.”

Tae accepted them with a smile.

“It's okay,” he replied. “Thank you. I was actually about to go buy something for myself anyway.”

Tae continued listening to their conversation. The waiting area wasn't very large, and the elderly group's voices weren't exactly hushed.

To avoid looking like he was eavesdropping, he wandered over to a nearby notice board and pretended to read.

The board was covered with road safety campaigns organized by the department throughout the month, traffic accident prevention posters, awards received by the authorities, and a section titled Heroes Among Us.

As he scanned the displays, he found himself thinking about the conversation he had just overheard.

How important—and how lucky—it was to have people around you who would go out of their way to help, even when you weren't brave enough to ask for it.

His eyes suddenly caught something familiar.

A silver brooch.

It was pinned beside one of the newspaper clippings.

The brooch featured intricate details, a tiny cat at its center, and a pink ribbon.

Tae immediately recognized it.

It was Aeryun's.

Curious, he lifted the corner of a newspaper clipping that had partially covered another article beneath it.

The moment he did, a photograph came into view.

It showed Aeryun sitting on the ground with four puppies nestled in her lap while their mother sat protectively in front of her. One of the puppies was being held up directly in front of Aeryun's face, perfectly concealing her identity from the camera.

Above the picture was the headline:

Heroes Among Us.

Tae read the article.

It described how a good Samaritan, who had chosen not to reveal her identity, had stopped traffic after spotting a litter of puppies wandering onto a busy road.

She had managed to save three of them, but one puppy and the mother dog had been struck by a passing car.

Without hesitation, she had rushed onto the road, moved them to safety, and contacted an emergency veterinarian.

According to the local animal shelter, the dogs would not have survived if she hadn't acted so quickly.

Tae found himself staring at the article longer than he intended.

For some reason, he wasn't surprised.

Of course she'd do something like that, he thought.

Aeryun seemed to have a habit of throwing herself into trouble whenever someone—or something—needed help.

"Hey, Tae."

Mansu's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"What are you reading so seriously?"

Tae quickly lowered the clipping.

"Oh, it's nothing."

Even as he said it, he couldn't stop thinking about Aeryun's kindness.

Mansu waved a set of keys.

"Come on. Let's get out of here. I've got the truck back."

They headed outside and climbed into the mini truck.

As Mansu drove, he casually munched on his triangle kimbap with one hand while steering with the other.

Tae stared at him.

"Mansu, should you really be driving like that?"

"I'll survive."

"I'm more worried about me."

Mansu laughed.

"Then do me a favor and play some music before I fall asleep."

He pointed at the radio.

"Otherwise I might drift off."

He paused dramatically.

"And then both of us will drift straight to heaven."

Both of them burst out laughing.

Then Mansu added with a completely straight face,

"No kidding."

Tae immediately grabbed the radio.

"Okay, that's terrifying."

He started switching between stations.

Static.

News.

More static.

A weather report.

Then suddenly—

"XO by ENHYPEN" began playing through the speakers.

Tae pointed excitedly at the dashboard.

"This songgggg!"

Mansu instantly raised the volume.

The rest of the drive turned into an unofficial concert.

Neither of them knew all the lyrics, but that didn't stop them from singing whatever parts they did know.

They drummed their fingers against the dashboard, shimmied their shoulders, and completely embarrassed themselves all the way to the wholesale market.

By the time they arrived, both were laughing.

The market was already bustling with activity.

Rows of suppliers displayed sacks and crates filled with ingredients for the chocolate shop.

Cocoa beans.

Almonds.

Cashews.

Pistachios.

Dried cranberries.

Walnuts.

Hazelnuts.

And countless other ingredients.

They eventually arrived at Evergreen Food Supplies, operated by Noh Taesung, the most trusted and honest wholesaler in the region.

People often traveled for hours just to buy supplies from him. His reputation wasn't built on low prices alone. He charged everyone fairly, treated every customer equally, and quietly gave extra discounts to those who needed help—often before they even asked.

Mansu handed over the ingredient list prepared by Mrs. Kwon and Zeon.

Taesung adjusted his glasses and carefully reviewed it.

"You'll find everything on this list here," he said. "Except for the flours."

He pointed at several items.

"Almond flour, oat flour, buckwheat flour, rice flour, coconut flour, and a few others. We usually make those in smaller quantities or prepare them upon order."

Tae immediately looked up.

"How long would it take for the flours to be ready?"

"A week or so," Taesung replied.

Tae frowned slightly.

Zeon had been looking forward to experimenting with new fortune cookie recipes over the weekend.

"Is there any chance they could be ready before then?" he asked.

Taesung thought for a moment.

"Sure. Send someone over on Friday. I'll make sure the flours are ready by then."

Tae visibly relaxed.

"Thank you."

Taesung nodded.

"I'll just need half the payment upfront."