The group went back into the house to search for Ji Ah once more, just as Julia suggested.
Going in, they also started hearing the whimpers, following the sound with Julia taking the lead. Julia led the group of men to a table, assuming that was where the whimpers came from, and she was right, as the whimpers were clearer in where they stood.
Although the whimpers were heard more than before, there was no sign of Ji Ah anywhere, but the little sounds and shivers of her little voice couldn't be mistaken.
Ji Ah, where are you? Asked Julia, calling out to Ji Ah once more. Hearing no answer, Julia bent down to see if the girl was under the table, and in doing that, she realized none of them had bothered to check under any furniture before.
She bent down to see if the girl was there, and there she was, curled into her tiny body, with her two little hands covering her tiny ears tightly with only the sound of her voice taking over the room. Ah, no wonder she couldn't hear us, thought Julia to herself.
Looking quite pitiful where she was, Ji Ah curled more into herself, afraid of the voices calling out to her, thinking it was a ghost or a fire monster coming after her. She curled more into herself, afraid of what might happen to her if she talked, so she kept quiet, trying to hold back her tears, as the little heart inside of her reached a harsh conclusion at such a young age. She knew her mother was never coming back for her, more afraid than her age should allow; she wondered what would happen to her now.
Not aware of what the little girl was thinking, Ji Ah reached out and tapped her gently, trying not to startle the girl too much.
Feeling the tap, Ji Ah curled in more, if possible, to herself, trying to shake off the hand tapping her, until she heard the sweet voice calling out to her; her little heart realized then that that was the voice of her Savior.
Ji Ah opened her eyes.
Ji-ah, called out Julia, trying to be as gentle as she could.
Seeing the girl opening her little eyes, Julia couldn't help but feel relieved at seeing that the girl was still responding to her.
The little girl looked into her eyes before jumping straight into her arms, using her tiny little hands to hug her more tightly as her little hands could allow.
Seeing the wrecked state the girl was in, Julia felt her heart melting fast like hot wax, and with every part of her accepting the little girl more than she should, she hugged her as tightly and gently as she could, not wanting to hurt the little girl; she hugged her like a mother would her daughter.
Then she said, I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
With all her mind, heart, and soul accepting that declaration, she knew that was a promise of a lifetime.