CHAPTER 53: Tears are falling

A woman came to the room with red and puffy eyes, making few of the people in the room looking at her.

"Oh? Aaron hyung comes with whom? "Dongho asked Minki who was standing next to him.

"Isn’t that----" Minki hasn’t finished saying the sentence when Jonghyun and Minhyun turned to look at the person and got surprised.

"---- Soyeon noona?" Minki finished her sentence and turned to see Jonghyun.

Jonghyun stared intently at the woman. He tried to recognize the person, but the reality somehow hit him hard.

His eyes continued to follow the woman who was walking toward the coffin. In front of it, she fell down and then cried loudly as she called, "Daaaad ..... daaad ... I’m sorry.. I’m sorry.. I come too late.."

Minhyun, Minki, and Dongho look bewildered at Jonghyun who was still silent to see his sister crying over their father. Soyeon then stood up and approached Jonghyun. It seen from her face that she had just cried badly. She then hugged Jonghyun while crying, meanwhile Jonghyun just stood silent, his hands clenched tightly beside his body. He didn't return his sister's embrace.

After changing into a black hanbok and wearing armband, Soyeon returned to the side of the coffin and stood next to Jonghyun. Minhyun, Minki, and Dongho then gave Soyeon a chance to accompany her brother to receive guests. They then moved into the dining room. There, they immediately approached Aaron to ask about Soyeon.

"Hyung, how did you bring Soyeon noona here?" Minki asked.

"Have you been communicating with her all this time?" Dongho added the question.

Aaron glanced briefly at Minhyun before replying, "Yes. I still communicate with Soyeon noona. So I told her about her father's departure."

"Daebakk !!" Minki and Dongho screamed together.

"So all this time ......" Minki couldn't continue his sentence because he was too shocked.

But Minhyun immediately asked what Minki wanted to ask. "If you're still communicating with her, then why has not she ever come back? Why is she just back at a time like this? "Minhyun asked with emotion.

"Don't talk haphazardly, Minhyun ah. You don't know what truly happened. "Aaron replied deeply.

He took a deep breath, feeling a little regret replying to Minhyun's question with the same emotion. He also said, "I cannot tell it here. The time and place isn't right. But I hope you don't corner Soyeon without knowing the full story. Isn't she able to be here and accompany Jonghyun now is a good thing?"

Aaron's words made everyone nod slowly.

Aaron then asked for permission to come out for a while, but when he stood up, Minhyun could grasp Aaron's glimpse at Sujin. A guilty look. That pictures Aaron's view on Sujin that Minhyun could feel. Sujin was immediately ducked as she continued her activities bringing food and drinks to the guests.

-00-

At night of the second day, when no guests were coming, Soyeon asked Dobong-dong kids to rest at home, and thanked them for accompanying Jonghyun, but Dobong-dong kids insisted on staying. Jonghyun didn't talk much to Soyeon. He only talked to her as necessary. When the parents were in good company with Soyeon, asking how she was and so on, Jonghyun wasn't interested at all. He will be stepping out to pick up food at another table. Hanna could feel the change in Jonghyun's attitude, so she would then accompany him and then followed by Dobong-dong kids.

Hanna was actually also curious about Soyeon and wanted to ask Aaron, especially with their relation that looked so close. Soyeon always looked for Aaron when asking help and Aaron somehow was always on Soyeon's side. Hanna even felt bad to Sujin, she could imagine how Sujin feels when she sees her own boyfriend close to another woman. Especially when Hanna heard Dongho whisper to Minki, "Does Aaron hyung break up with Sujin noona?"

"What are you saying, Dongho ya??"

"I just ask .. Aaron hyung looks close to Soyeon noona. Don't you remember that Aaron hyung had a crush on Soyeon noona? "

"Yaa! That's when they were kids. It's just a childhood crush. "Minki scolded Dongho.

Hanna came over with deliberately clearing . "You guys should help me taking plates and cups, not gossiping here."

Dongho and Minki immediately pretended not to be talking about anything and left.

Hanna didn't like them talking about her brother, but in her heart, Hanna also knows that what they are saying is true. The fact that when they were little, before Sujin came to Dobong-dong, little Aaron admired Soyeon. Probably just as Dongho admires Sujin or Hanna admires Jonghyun.

Hanna shook her head, scolding herself how at a funeral like this she thought about romance.

-00-

The third day, the car was prepared to bring the deceased to Gangneung, his hometown. Jonghyun was deliberately requested that the deceased to be buried in Gangneung because he remembered the last chat with his dad. They had planned to go to Gangneung in the summer, but it turned out his father could go home to his hometown faster, but under different circumstances.

On the last day of the funeral, Jonghyun became the leader of the ceremony by walking the front carrying the name of the deceased, followed by Soyeon who brought a picture of the deceased. Behind him were Minhyun, Minki, Dongho, Aaron, and Minseok (Minki's brother who deliberately excused from the military to mourn), as well as Minhyun's dad carrying the coffin. Jonghyun still didn't cry, he really held himself not to cry. His chest panting, trying hard to regulate his breath to hold his tears. Meanwhile Soyeon had been crying ever since the funeral singing was sung.

The coffin was already put in the car, Jonghyun and Soyeon went into the car accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Hwang. While Mr. Hwang asked Aaron to use his car to take Sujin, Minhyun, Hanna, Minki and Dongho to the cemetery. However Sujin chose to accompany Mrs. Choi in Mr. Kwak's car, along with Mrs. Kwak, Grace, and Minseok.

The two and a half hour trip to Gangneung was filled with silence. Not much to say, all drowning in sorrow at the departure of Mr. Kim. Arriving at the cemetery, several distant relatives of Mr. Kim were ready to start the ceremony. The late Mr. Kim was buried next to his parents' grave. Soyeon couldn't help but cry and hugged Jonghyun. While Jonghyun still tried so hard to hold his tears seeing his dad's coffin slowly buried.

[Scene where Jonghyun trying so hard not to cry]

-00-

After the funeral ceremony ended, the group returned to Seoul. Just like when leaving, the return trip was also filled with silence. The group arrived in Seoul at night, Jonghyun returned to his home with his sister. While the other Dobong-dong kids gathered at Minki's house, feel the need to talk about how they should do to Jonghyun.

"Actually I want to stay over at his house now, accompany him .. he must be very sad .." said Minki.

"Yes, me too .. We used to hang out in his room, I think it would be okay if we all stayed there." Dongho said.

"I also want to accompany him .. but shouldn't we give Jonghyun a chance to talk to his noona?" Minhyun expressed his opinion.

Hanna supported it. "Yeah, Minhyun's right. There must be a lot of things they should talk about together."

"Speaking of Soyeon noona, have you got an explanation from Aaron hyung, Hanna?" Minki asked.

Hanna shook her head. "Not yet. Oppa hasn't told me anything yet."

"I'm really surprised when she comes in. How did she come in at this time? After this, is she going to live with Jonghyun? Then what about their mom? Why didn't Their mom come?" Dongho asked many questions.

"I honestly think so, Dongho ... but we all know, it's not appropriate to ask that now, give Jonghyun time to grieve." Minhyun said.

"Yeah, Minhyun is right ... after all we should also be preparing for school tomorrow .." Hanna reminded.

"Ah, yes, we have to go back to school." Dongho complained. "But tomorrow Jonghyun is still off right?"

"Yeah, tomorrow he has to go to the court, take care about the inheritance .." Hanna revealed.

Minki was a little surprised to hear that. "Oh, how do you know?"

"I know from oppa, Soyeon unnie asked him to drive them there." Hanna explained.

"Aaah, right, Soyeon noona is very close to Aaron hyung, why didn't she ask Minseok hyung for help though?" Dongho asked incoherently.

"Why'd you have to bring my name?" Minseok who sat not far from them also commented. "Besides, tomorrow I have to go back to the military camp"

"Yeah, why are you making this up?" Minki slapped Dongho's arm gently.

But Dongho's simple question was able to make two people silent. Hanna and Minhyun were both silent, thinking about what really happened between Aaron and Soyeon. Because inevitably it is related to Sujin. And Aaron and Sujin's relationship will also have an impact on Hanna and Minhyun.

-00-

As Jonghyun and Soyeon returned to their home, they were a bit awkward. Soyeon was still a little confused as soon as she walked into the house. It had been a long time since she had returned to her own home. Meanwhile Jonghyun went straight to Mr. Kim as he got home.

In an attempt to make herself closer with Jonghyun, Soyeon made Jonghyun a cup of warm tea.

"Drink the tea while its warm, Jju ya .." Soyeon said as she sat on the mattress in front of Jonghyun.

Jonghyun was still silent. He didn't turn to see his sister at all.

Seeing Jonghyun's cold attitude, Soyeon started the conversation, "How have you been? Sorry that I just got to ask you today.."

Jonghyun was still silent, he pretended not to listen.

Soyeon was about to hold Jonghyun's hand, but he brushed it off.

Jonghyun stood up and then went to his room. Soyeon pursued him, but Jonghyun has already closed the door. He deliberately avoided Soyeon. Somehow, Jonghyun felt not ready to talk to her sister.

Soyeon let it go. She understood, her brother needed time until he ready to talk to her.

-00-

The next morning, Soyeon had served breakfast made by Mrs. Hwang. She knocked on Jonghyun's room door and asked him to have breakfast. But there was no reply from inside the room. Fortunately the Dobong-dong kids came and persuaded Jonghyun to come out.

"Jonghyun ah, it's us .." Dongho knocked on the door while shouting.

Not getting a response, Minki added, "Jonghyun ah, Come having a breakfast! The breakfast made by Auntie Hwang is so delicious."

A bit impatient, Minhyun coaxed Jonghyun. "Yaaa, Kim Jonghyun! If you don't come out, then you don't appreciate my mom's effort to cook in the morning just for you."

Jonghyun slowly opened the door. He still smiled to welcome his friends. "You guys are very noisy in this early morning. Tsk."

"You don't usually wake up thi late." Dongho responded fast.

Jonghyun chuckled. "You get your milks today? Who’s delivering it?"

Dongho split. "Still have time to ask that? You're really?!"

Jonghyun was still trying to smile. "Sorry I haven't been able to get back to delivering milks."

"Don't think about that, you punk! That doesn't matter!" Dongho looked getting annoyed.

Seeing Dongho's impatience, Hanna emerged from behind his friends. "Jonghyun ah, we all have breakfast, after this you also have to eat your breakfast, okay?"

Jonghyun smiled again before nodding.

Hanna smiled back. "We're going to school then .. if you need anything, just write in group chat."

"Will you come directly?" Jonghyun asked quickly.

"Of course." Hanna answered firmly.

Jonghyun smiled.

"Okay, we'll go .." Minki said before waving his hand and going out with the other Dobong-dong kids.

After Dobong-dong kids leave, Jonghyun has no choice but to have breakfast with his sister. Jonghyun stumbled to the dining table and started to eat the breakfast his sister has prepared.

"Your friends are all growing up now. It's such a long time I didn't meet them." Soyeon said, trying to start a conversation with her brother. But Jonghyun was still silent, he was busy eating his rice. He ate his rice without any side dish. Basically he ate just to keep his promise to Hanna.

"You guys are still close friends. I'm glad to see it." Soyeon added, and somehow the sentence drew Jonghyun's attention. He threw cold stares at his sist