Secrets - [TAEBIN FF]

Chapter 7

The kindergarten teacher placed her hands on the little boy's shoulders.

"Everyone, meet your new comrade, Soobin!"

Soobin gulped when all eyes were on him. No amount of media and paparazzi training could ever soothe the fright of being the center of attention, even if it was just little kids his age looking at him.

But... it's different, isn't it?

A little girl with pigtails suddenly walked up to him, sporting a smile.

"Hi! I think I know you!"

"You do?" Soobin curiously and naively responded.

"Yeah!"

A couple other kids joined her, and gasped.

"No way, you were on the news the other day, I saw you on the TV!"

"I saw you on the magazine cover along with your dad! My mom told me you're rich!"

"Are you a prince?"

Soobin abashedly laughed.

"No, but my dad is an important man. He's busy, so our chauffeur drove me"

"Wow!"

That must mean he really is rich, the kids thought.

"Come on, let's be friends!"

Soobin grinned, showing an array of rabbit-like teeth.

"Okay!"

"Ice cream!!!"

The children of the kindergarten flooded out of the gates to the ice cream truck, some holding their single won bills, and others had their mini wallets on them. Soobin had his little money pouch that his grandma gifted him in his pocket, stumbling after his friends who he made in under a short amount of time, only a month.

"I want pistachio!"

"I want mint chocolate!"

"And I want strawberry ice cream!"

"That would be 3,000 won for each," the ice cream man smiled.

The little pigtailed girl turned to Soobin.

"Soobin, could you pay for me, pleaaase?"

"Me too!"

"Come do us a favor!"

Is it really a favor though, if someone repeatedly asks for money from you every time? Because that was what was happening to him. This wasn't the first time Soobin has paid for his friends' ice cream.

But it was not because he offered it. It was because they asked him to.

Don't ask how, but somehow, Soobin's brain urged him to say no. Because this was slowly getting out of hand.

None of his friends, despite their words and promises saying they'll do, ever repaid him for the amount of times he not only just bought them ice cream, but also other snacks that were sold sometimes by the kindergarten.

So the little boy decided: he's putting his foot down for once.

"No."

The other children looked at him, astoundedly.

"What?!" his pig tailed friend exclaimed.

"I said no," Soobin firmly said. "You can pay for your ice cream yourself, and if you don't have money, too bad, you can't get it today."