I heard about it.

It was nearing noon when John found himself in the middle of nowhere, stopped on a deserted stretch of road by a high school girl. She stood by the side of the road, looking small and out of place in the vastness of the landscape. When he first saw her, he wasn't sure what she wanted, perhaps she was lost or in trouble, but he pulled over nonetheless, his curiosity piqued.

The girl approached him hesitantly, her eyes wide and filled with a mix of hope and desperation.

"Sir, can you give me a ride to my village?"

She asked, her voice soft and filled with genuine need.

John opened the front visor of his helmet, taking a moment to study her. She looked young, perhaps around sixteen or seventeen, with a slender frame and an air of innocence. There was no trace of deceit in her eyes, only a quiet plea for help.

After a brief pause, he nodded.

"Ok, get on,"

He said, his voice firm yet kind.

A smile of relief spread across her face as she quickly climbed onto the back seat of his bike. She was light and seemed to fit perfectly, and John couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility for her safety.

As they rode together, the girl held onto him lightly, her presence a reminder of the countless lives he could impact, not just at his destination, but along the way as well. They rode in silence, the only sound being the steady hum of the bike's engine and the wind rushing past. John didn't ask her any questions, respecting her privacy, and she didn't offer any information beyond her initial request.

The road stretched on, winding through the countryside, with only the occasional passing vehicle to break the solitude. The surrounding landscape was a mix of fields, forests, and small, scattered villages, each one a potential stop for John's mission. He kept his eyes on the road, his mind focused on the task ahead, yet he remained aware of the girl's presence, making sure she was comfortable.

"Where are you headed, sir?"

She asked, leaning gently against his back.

"Um... Have you heard about the village that was recently struck by disaster? That's where I'm going."

He replied, trying to deflect her curious gaze.

"Yes, I heard about it. But why are you going there?"

Her confusion deepened as she sought more answers.

"I just want to help the people in that area."

He looked back at her, hoping to make his intentions clear.

"Oh! Are you from that area?"

She asked, now even more puzzled, as his motivation seemed excessive to her.

"No."

He shook his head, denying the assumption.

"Huh? Then why? What can you do there alone?"

She felt perplexed, trying to pull him back to reality.

"I'm not alone. Others are going to help as well."

He clarified, disagreeing with her concerns.

"How are you so sure about that?"

Her confusion only grew as she pressed for more details.

"I hired them, so I know."

He admitted openly, no longer hiding the truth.

"You hired them? Isn't that a bit wasteful?"

She narrowed her eyes, questioning his logic.

"Why do you say that? Isn't life more important than money?"

He was taken aback by her perspective and responded firmly.

"Yeah... But earning money is also really hard."

She nodded, sticking to her own reasoning.

"Not as hard as losing a life."

He gently corrected her, trying to shift her viewpoint.

"That's true. By the way, I'm Jina."

She agreed and finally introduced herself.

"John. By the way, what were you doing out here?"

He had held back earlier, but now felt it was different, so he asked about her hitch-hiking in the middle of nowhere.

"Don't even get me started. I'm still furious just thinking about it."

She fumed, her face huffing with frustration.

"It's because of my so-called boyfriend."

She continued, her expression darkening with anger.

"He wanted to have sex with me in the middle of the jungle, and I refused."

She admitted, shyly, recalling the past.

"After I refused over and over, he just left me there, riding off and abandoning me in the middle of nowhere. That bastard."

She huffed, her face flushing red with anger.

"Huh... Aren't you still a bit young for that?"

He blurted out, glancing at her.

"I'm not that young, but... I just don't want to do that kind of thing with him."

She blushed and clarified, her voice tinged with a mix of embarrassment and defiance.

She was already a high-schooler, and he was only a couple of years older, so he hesitated to voice his opinion. He understood that it wasn't his place to dictate how she should live her life. After all, she was making her own decisions, navigating her own path, and he knew that any advice he offered might come across as patronizing or unwelcome. It wasn't that he didn't care, quite the opposite, but he recognized the fine line between concern and interference.