As we entered the dining room, I saw a long tablecloth spread right across the floor with an extensive buffet laid out on it.

I looked around and noticed the twin uncles were still wrestling outside; I think that might have been their profession. I turned to ask Eonni, when she put her finger to my mouth telling me to shush and walked away, answering what seemed to be an important call.

I sniggered as she left, making a mental note to interrogate her after lunch to find out who this important call really was.

I stared down at the floor and my eyes were having a party that made my belly jump for joy.

There was every delicious food I could think of! Seaweed soup, rice cake soup, plain rice, kimchi fried rice, extra kimchi, trays of various seafood, ssam, crab cakes, sweet cakes, dumplings, bulgogi, bibimbap and other dishes I was unfamiliar with, but would definitely try them, hehe.

How Aunty Jeong managed all this on her own was beyond my comprehension.

Just as I was thinking this, Aunty Jeong came in the room with two little toddlers running behind her, squealing for attention.

"Don't look so shocked Minnie, I didn’t do all this on my own! Seo-yeon helped me and Halmeouni prepared some dishes beforehand." She chuckled.

She turned to the twins, "Say hello to your Aunty, Go-Mo! Say it, Go-Mo!"

They just stared at me with their innocent expressions as she shook her head in dismay.

"Ya, they won't speak right now but in a few hours time you won't be able to stop them from following you!"

I smiled at her, how did Uncle Hwi-jae manage to get such a beautiful lady? She was genuinely such a nice person and was just like a motherly figure. She was probably attracted to his comedy and his personality. Don’t get me wrong, he is handsome, but she is just in a league of her own.

I laughed as I ran over to the twins and attempted to grab them, but they scuttled away from me, turning their little heads around to see where I was until I chased them down the hallway.

They were laughing and I had cornered them in the porch, near our entrance.

"Rooooaaaar!" I growled at them like a dinosaur, hoping they would warm up to my entertainment.

It worked, as they were squealing with laughter. I got on all fours and crawled towards them, and managed to catch one of them whilst the other dodged past me laughing.

"Yaaa! What's your name? Tell me or I will eat you!" I was still in dinosaur mode.

He didn't answer me but was just giggling and squirming out of my arms. I pretended he was strong and let go of him temporarily, before resuming the imaginary chase.

Just then, I heard the front door open as I saw someone's feet in front of me. I immediately stood up, eager to see who it was.

It was an older man, no more than 60 years old. He was beaming down at me and holding the twin I just tried to catch.

Aigo, it was Halapoji.

I stared and realised he looked exactly the same, nothing had changed. What I loved about our family was that no one ever aged; Halapoji was still as fit and as young as ever. He was wearing a lilac polo shirt with shorts that showed off his toned legs. His hair was still the same shade of silver black, but the only difference was he had developed a few wrinkles. Dad looked remarkably like Halapoji and people could tell from a mile they were father and son.

He put the twin down and opened his arms wide to me.

"My child!" He embraced me tight as I hugged him back tighter.

"Halapoji! I've missed you so much!" My voice was breaking and I desperately tried to hold in my tears.

When we finally pulled away, I saw his eyes were glazed with tears but he wouldn't let them fall either.

So this is where I got it from, my attitude towards crying. A smile stretched wide on my face as I was absorbing in how much the house had lit up with his presence.

"Minnie, look at how much you've grown! I still remember you running around like these twins do now, begging me to catch you and teach you how to wrestle. Oh, how time flew by! My only regret is not being able to see you grow, my child."

He hugged me again as I saw Dad and Uncle Hwi-jae standing behind him, shutting the door. Uncle Hwi-jae put his hand on Dad’s shoulder before chasing the twins inside the dining room and Dad came over to us.

Dad put both his arms around me and Halapoji and we all embraced each other.

“Three lost generations have finally reunited; this is truly a day of celebration!” Halapoji cupped mine and Dad’s faces.

Dad went inside the dining room making a joke which made everyone laugh. I stopped Halapoji from going inside and he turned to me.

“Halapoji, I’m so sorry for not speaking to you all these years, I don’t know what came over me, I was trying to suppress everything. Today, I have realised that you guys had been missing from my life all these years.”

 I looked down, ashamed at myself.

Before I knew it, Halapoji lifted me up and put me on his shoulders. Ya!

“Halapoji! You’ll get hurt! Please put me down, aigo! I’m so big and heavy; I’ll break your back!”

I was protesting in alarm. Aigo, if he got hurt I’d never be able to live with myself. I’d be known as the girl who left everyone and came back just to bring bad luck to the neighbourhood.

He didn’t listen to me as he whizzed me in the dining room still on his back, he was too strong for his age! My uncles were laughing in shock as Aunt Jeong and Eonni were telling him to put me down.

He dropped me on the sofa as everyone welcomed him properly.

Dad and Uncle Hwi-jae both lifted Seoeon and Seojun in the same way; they were squealing in delight, we had become such a happy family.

“Everyone, shhh! Eomeonim is resting!” Aunty Jeong reminded us.

Everyone instantly went quiet and I slid beside Eonni.

 Halapoji was sitting on my other side and Dad and Uncle Hwi-jae were sitting opposite. The twin uncles were sitting next to Halapoji and Aunt Jeong was kneeling near the sofa, trying to get Seoeon and Seojun to behave.

No one touched anything until Halapoji broke his chopsticks and put food in his plate first.

Then Appa did the same and after him Uncle Hwi-jae and Aunt Jeong started to pour food in their plates. Uncle Ji-ho and Ji-hu forced me and Eonni to eat next before they finally placed food in their plates.

This was a cultural tradition; the elders always started eating first before the younger’s.

Tucking into the feast, it was the best I’d eaten in years; I had a bit of everything. Everyone was quietly eating, with the occasional screeching of the twins.

After she finished, Eonni started messaging someone and I peeked over to see who she was talking to. She turned her phone away from me and I pushed her with my arm.

She over acted and dramatically fell to the side.

“Drama queen!”

I stuck my tongue out at her and she kicked me whilst going up to take another call!

Aish, I would get to the bottom of her sneaky ways. I could see Appa was thinking the same as he closely watched her leave the room.

I saw Aunt Jeong hadn’t finished eating, but she was about to get up.

“Aunt Jeong, tell me what you need, you haven’t finished eating yet!”

I hopped over the now sleeping twins, and forced her to sit back down.

She willingly did so much for the family and now that I was here; I’d help her as much as possible.

“Minnie sweetheart, its fine. I just need to give Halmeouni her food and medicine. It won’t take long.” She tried to make me sit down.

“Ya, Aunty, I haven’t even met Halmeouni yet, please let me go instead.”

I really wanted to go to Halmeouni and I looked over at Halapoji for support, but he just chuckled and beckoned me to sit back down and eat more.

Just as Aunty Jeong tried to protest, Uncle Hwi-jae and Appa both told her to let me go.

“Jesu, (sister in law) please let Minnie go. It’s time she learns some proper family values.”

Dad was using the cultural value card against Aunty Jeong who couldn’t say no.

“Ok, fine. But let me make Halmeouni’s plate so that Minnie can take it to her.”

Aunty Jeong filled a bowl with seaweed soup and put some dumplings and plain rice on the side. She got up anyway and put the plate on a wheelie tray with a cup of water and some tablets on the side and told me where Halmeouni’s room was.

She ruffled my hair as I wheeled the tray off to Halmeouni.

I passed by Eonni who was in the hallway, sitting on the window ledge laughing down the phone.

Yep, it was definitely a guy she was speaking to, she was winding her straight hair on her fingers and was too immersed to notice I had gone past her.

I came to Halmeouni’s room and the door was half open.

I peered in and saw my ever-green grandmother lying down with her eyes closed. I knocked, and she didn’t say anything, so I came in wheeling the tray.

The sun was shining bright through the large window and it made Halmeouni’s face glow even more.

Just like Halapoji, she hadn’t aged one bit. She still had her light brown, fluffy hair falling just below her chin with a fringe and her skin was as smooth as I always remembered.

I sat down on the edge of her soft bed and saw she hadn’t developed any wrinkles whatsoever.

As I was her face, she opened her eyes.

I moved my hand away as a reflex and I sat there, gazing into her eyes.

She was looking back at me in disbelief for about a minute before she frantically pulled herself up. I was shocked to realise she was much weaker than I anticipated, so I helped her lean back against her feather pillows.

She never took her eyes off me and before I knew it, her warm arms engulfed my body.

Without warning, a tear rolled down my cheek and I closed my eyes to stop any more from falling.

I could feel her shaking as she was hugging me; I pulled her away and quickly wiped tears from both of her eyes.

“J-Jasmine, y-you c-came.”

I hugged her again. “Halmeouni, please forgive me.”

I put my head in her lap, with my hands joint together, begging for her forgiveness.

I knew it was because we left Daegu that she became so weak, and on top of that I never spoke to her at all. I used to ignore Dad and go straight to my room every time she used to call.

After what seemed like ages of her gently patting my head, I got up, remembering she needed her medication.

Halmeouni was watching my shaky hands as I picked up the tablets. I gently placed them in and helped her drink the water to swallow it down with.

She kissed me on my forehead and beckoned me to sit properly on the bed.

I obliged and took the bowl of soup with me so I could feed her as well.

Crossing my legs, I slowly started feeding Halmeouni soup and my heart was bursting with happiness, as I remembered how when I was sick, Halmeouni took it on herself to do every single thing of mine.

“That’s enough, sonnyeo.” (Granddaughter)

“What about some rice or dumplings?” I asked her, she needed to eat some more.

She smiled at me. “What did you have to eat?”

“I had everything! I can’t remember the last time I feasted on such delicious dishes!”

I wasn’t just sweetening her up, they were genuinely all made with such love.

“Well then, I don’t need to eat anything.” She was caressing my face and I sighed.

“Halmeouni, you do forgive me, right?”

 I needed to know.

“Jasmine, I was never cross with you to begin with. Yes, I did hope you would visit maybe just once, so we could see our granddaughter grow, but I guess we had committed a grave sin to receive such a punishment.”

Her words were breaking my heart, as tears swelled in my eyes again.

“Halmeouni, I- I became very selfish. All of you only ever loved me, but I’m so ungrateful. I haven’t been able to give an answer to anyone’s questions, let alone yours. Joesonghamnida.”

 I said solemnly, playing with my fingers.

Halmeouni took my fingers in her hands and kissed them.

“Aigo, it wasn’t that bad. It became a habit after a while, calling for you and there being no reply.”

Aish, these tears were nearly overflowing. Oh Halmeouni, if only I had the ability to express my heart properly.

Noticing I was sniffing, she tried to make me feel better.

“Actually, that boy you used to play with would visit me regularly after you left. He took my loneliness away, but then he left as well.”

Was she talking about Taehyung?

“Uh, Halmeouni. Which boy was that?” I asked innocently.

“Oh. Don’t you remember? Aish, what was his name again...?” Halmeouni was thinking.

“Uhm... oh yes, Kim Taehyung?” I pretended that I just remembered his name as well.

“Aniyo, not him. He never once turned back. You’re talking about Jun-seo’s son, aren’t you? Since Jun-seo died, that boy never once showed us his face, just like you.”

Then who was she talking about?

“Aigo, Jasminah, you know, that boy with the chubby cheeks. He was so innocent and his smile brightened up my day. His grandma was my friend, but she too...”

Halmeouni pulled me into her shoulder, as I was hugging her from the side. She was talking about Jimin, but what happened to his grandma?

“Uh...Park Jimin?” I asked.

“Ahhh yes, Jimin. His grandma died a week after you left. He was devastated. Poor boy went back to Busan.” Halmeouni was shaking her head.

I was dumbfounded. His grandma died?

Omo, poor Jiminie.

He still managed to smile so much! Aigo, what kind of a friend am I? I felt upset at hearing this, something that sad should never happen to such a sweet person like Jimin. He wouldn’t even hurt a fly, why should his feelings be hurt?

Halmeouni snapped me out of my thoughts.

“I’m guessing you weren’t aware of that. When you left, he’d come every day to ask if there was any news of you. Not just that, but he’d give me a reason to smile every day. I was disheartened when I couldn’t give any news of you to make him smile in return.”

I felt so small.

I knew how much Jimin cared about me, and he even cared about Halmeouni so much. But no one was able to give him this care back.

“Actually Halmeouni, I went to school yesterday and I met him and Taehyung again. I think Jimin has come back from Busan to study at Daegu High.”

Halmeouni sat up attentively.

“Oh really? Aigo how are they? How is Jimin? He must be so handsome now, but I bet he still has the same face! Does he still laugh with his eyes?”

I chuckled.

Halmeouni loved Jimin a lot.

“He is still the same. Even though things have changed with me and Taehyung, Jimin never once showed me how sad he was. He was just happy that I came back.”

 I brought up Taehyung’s name, hoping Halmeouni would advise me about him, but she only seemed interested in Jimin.

“You must bring him to see me one time. Hwi-jae told me there’s a fast train that takes half an hour from the city to here. If not, I’ll go to see him!”

I nodded, smiling.

“I’ll make sure to bring him here soon; you just concentrate on getting all the rest you can.”

I got back up and fed Halmeouni the rest of the food, her appetite came back after we spoke of Jimin.

We spoke about London and how I felt about Daegu, before Halmeouni let me in on the neighbourhood gossip. Halapoji was now the governor of Old Daegu, and so Halmeouni knew all the inner circle controversies and alleged affairs.

“Eomma! You finally met Jasmine again!”

Eonni had burst into the room, shouting delightfully. Aunt Jeong came in behind, telling her to not be so loud.

“Ya Seoyeonie, show Minnie her room.” Aunt Jeong ordered.

She smiled at me as I kissed Halmeouni on the cheek and ran behind Eonni, forcing her to give me a piggy back.

“Yaaaaa I’m not Halapoji! I’m dying under your weight, you fat rat!”

Eonni was being a drama queen again, but I knew she was strong and she ended up carrying me to my room.

My room was the first one from the entrance and its door was closed. Eonni took revenge by pushing open the door with her back, as I was on it.

“Owww! You pabo! That hurt!” I wailed.

“Good.”

She flung me on my soft bed and I threw a pillow on her. She hurled a yellow, star shaped pillow back at me, and we ended up having a pillow fight.

Minutes later we were both panting and threw ourselves on my bed.

I took this time to look around the room with my eyes and I fell in love with it instantly.

My room was a light brown wood colour, with off-white walls and what we were lying on was a low, double bed with white and yellow bed sheets. Because our house was all one storey, the windows were actually sliding doors that had a mini balcony which led straight outside.

I had a little matching desk in the corner, with a matching desk lamp and there was a matching closet stretching with one big sliding door.

They loved sliding doors.

I noticed my dressing table was next to my en suite bathroom and it was all a matching shade of light brown woodwork. I had a few family pictures on the walls and some traditional paintings with Hangeul writing on it. My suitcases were behind my door and it was all so perfect.

“Yaaaaa Eonni, this is too Daebak! Omo, I love it!”

I jumped off the bed and squealed in delight as I tried to drag my suitcases over. Eonni noticed I was struggling, so she helped me and together we unpacked everything.

Eonni helped me set my room as we loaded my shelves, cupboards and closet with my clothes and accessories. We were joking about memories we had shared and were playing games until we realised the sun was setting.

Taking out my hair straightener and laptop, Eonni laughed.

“You have so many electrical items, but there isn’t any electricity!”

My heart sunk.

“Oh no! What to do? How am I supposed to blog or browse the web or do anything?”

I was about to cry, electricity was my life.

Eonni burst out laughing, “Ya! We aren’t that backwards! Of course there is electricity and WiFi! It’s just faulty sometimes, but we have a generator, you gullible fool!”

I looked at her, and I too burst out laughing.

An hour later, we both looked around the room; it was finally set and was my dream room.

I hugged Eonni again and we both raced to the living room and the TV.

Eonni told me that every Saturday, there was a town meeting and a dinner that the whole family had to a