This child...
He'll be all right... won't he?
Child's Mom felt as though her brain was suffocating from lack of oxygen, all because of a few half-formed guesses.
"Linlin..."
She couldn't help murmuring his name.
Her child...
"Mom."
Child's Mom froze.
All she could hear were the voices of the customers and servers in the shop.
All kinds of voices.
Noisy and clamorous.
That "Mom" had seemed like an illusion.
Did she miss her child too much?
"Mom."
"Linlin."
Child's Mom called out without thinking.
"Linlin, Linlin..."
Child's Mom's voice grew louder with each call. "Linlin, Mom's right here!"
Everyone around them was startled.
"What happened?"
"She was fine a moment ago. Why did she suddenly..."
"Could the shock have been too much?"
"She seems awfully fragile."
"The important thing now is to call the police and find the child."
"Shut up!"
Child's Mom shouted.
Her anxiety had lent her expression a hint of ferocity.
The shop fell silent in an instant.
Everyone's mouths hung slightly open, their faces showing both shock and confusion.
"Linlin, Mom wasn't telling you to shut up."
Child's Mom realized there was no longer a sound beside her. The last trace of color drained from her lips.
Her face was deathly pale, making those who had started to say something swallow their complaints.
Instead, they sighed inwardly, their faces full of sympathy.
"Linlin, answer Mom."
Only the lingering tremor in the woman's voice remained in the shop.
Someone was about to offer her some comfort.
"Linlin, your mom's calling you."
A gentle male voice suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's attention.
Especially to the subject of his words.
Linlin?
Wasn't that the name of the child this young mother had been calling for?
Child's Mom abruptly turned toward the