For the duration of that day, Jinkyong spent time with her mother in the house and her mother massaged her leg as they just talked. In all honesty, Jinkyong didn't know what to say to her mother at first but as her mother asked questions— which didn't hit too close to home — Jinkyong became more comfortable. And as they went on, time flew by, and they reminisced the old days, talking about how life once was. How life was when Jinkyong was happy.

Her mother started to tell her about the vtown and how everybody was faring. She found out that Mrs Park had passed away and Mrs Han in the time that she was gone and Jinkyong felt a pang at that. Mrs Park was the butchers wife and always gave her meat on the way home school to give to her mother, bubbly and happy to everyone she came to know. Jinkyong wished she could've said goodbye. Mrs Han, she didn't know as well but it was still sad.

"You know, Mrs. Kim is inviting us over for a brunch tomorrow. You know, the classic Sunday brunch on the beach."

Jinkyong's heart missed a beat at that and her eyes widened at that. She'd totally forgotten about their sunday tradition of brunch with the Kim's—

The Kim's.

"Wait, does that mean...I mean, will the boys be there? Or....?"

Her mother frowns for a moment, a large crease forming in the center of her brows. "Well," she starts, "There's Jongdae and..." she trails off as if trying to remember. 

Jinkyong finishes it off for her, her own voice distant and detatched. "Junmyeon."

"Yes!" Her mother jumps, "that's him." She sighs, applying more oil to her hands and rubbing it onto her daughter's skin. "Ah, he was such a nice little boy. You two always hung out together on the beach. I remember it just like it was yesterday." 

Jinkyong feels her skin go hot at the mention of that, although she doesn't know why she would feel that way. Maybe it's the oil, or the cast. Nostalgia buzzes through her. "Is he, I mean, are they in town?"

"I assume so, the last I saw of those two was this morning." Her mother smiles, shaking her head with a light chuckle. "Ah, that's right. They went surfing those crazy fellas, this morning actually. Were only getting out as I passed by on the way to the clinic."

"He still surfs?" Jinkyong can't shake the image of a ten year old Junmyeon, swimming into the waves, yelling for her to join him. "I mean they?"

Her mother nods, "Yup. They're crazy I tell you, waking up at ungodly hours, running down to the water in the winter. I don't know how they do it those two."

Jinkyong sits back and basks in the familiarness of it all and her lips tug upwards slightly. "They're still the same."

They sit for another few minutes, talking in hushed voices before her mother checks her wrist for the time. "Oh," she breathes, brows pulling downwards, and Jinkyong leans forward asking, "What?"

"I have an appointment tonight...." Her mother looks up and Jinkyong feels dejected at the announcement. However, she only nods. Her mother is still a doctor and she must call for her duties when the time comes. Jinkyong can't rely on her like she used to.

"I'll be alright by mself mother, I'm not a child anymore." She assures her.

Although unsettled with the idea of leaving her daughter once again, the latter was right. Jinkyong had grown, too much for her own liking and although she'd said her goodbyes to her daughter years ago, it felt to her that nothing had changed and yet too much was different. The twelve-year-old girl she knew was now twenty-three. She was no longer a little girl and yet...she couldn't let go. She'd missed so much of her daughter's life, and she still somehow blames herself for the sudden seperation. 

Bidding her goodbyes feels all too similar but she knows that Jinkyong will be there when she returns. So, Mrs. Lee pulls on her coat and leaves her daughter to her own devices for the time being. 

~-~

-

~-~

Mrs Lee had been disappearing more often than not and although Junmyeon missed her presence at Sunday brunches (especially, he quite enjoyed the constant presence of her daughter—Jinkyong—who was staying with them in the absence of her mother. And things couldn't be better. Everyday after school, all three of them would race home and run down to the beach, enjoying the salty water which was warmer now that it was the peak of summer. 

Junmyeon was out in the water with Jongdae, Jinkyong in the shallows with—their dog—Smolko. It was burning down with heat and the waves were disappointing, the tide having gone out an hour ago. Jongdae waded next to him, lazily flopped atop his own board, face squashed on his side. He was sun bathing and Junmyeon didn't blame him. It was truly a beautiful day in Tongyeong. 

There weren't that many people on the beach, but then again there weren't that many people in Tongyeong to begin with. Being a small district on the coast of Gyeongsamnam, a city which many didn't know of, Tongyeong often went unnoticed. And what a shame it was. The beauties this little area beheld were priceless in Junmyeon's eyes. 

Luscious miles of bush, the stretch of farms on the far end of town with the local creek running through and hydrating their crops. The fishers that welcomed the morning with a daily catch, the old women that would pluck the tea leaves from the tea trees found in the forests by the riverbank. The beautiful sunsets and sunrises that Junmyeon could view every night from his window in his house situated right next to the beach. It was small, yes, but there was so much more to it than people with less than those in the bigger cities. 

Following suit of Jongdae, Junmyeon laid himself down, facing towards the shore and watched Jinkyong as she dove out and over the water. Smolko's tongue stuck out as he chased after her and she popped up several times, water spraying from as she laughed. A feeling of joy bloomed within his chest and Junmyeon felt a tugging at his lower stomach. 

He noticed that he'd been feeling this sensation take place a lot more lately and he couldn't deny that it only occurred when he was around Jinkyong. However, he didn't know what exactly it was. Was he harboring a crush on her? Were his hormones coming into play? Or was this normal? 

At school, it was quite normal for a guy to like a girl, ask her out and hold hands at school and maybe kiss her if he had enough guts to. However, he didn't know of anyone dating someone two years younger than him or even liking someone that way. Sure, everyone mingled together in different age groups seeing as the school wasn't at that big, but it seemed somewhat looked down upon. 

Shaking his head, Junmyeon wanted to stop thinking about this. He didn't even want to consider it. That would make things weird and he didn't want to confess to JInkyong, just to lose interest and break her twelve-year-old heart. Not that she would even say yes. 

Removing that thought, Junmyeon considered their current relationship and really, it was nothing more than a family feel between the three of them. They all felt comfortable sleeping in the same bed together, sharing secrets and pretty much anything blood-related siblings would do. She was his sister, blood-bound or not and Junmyeon couldn't ruin that. Heck, he'd hate himself if he even let his own feelings get in the way of what they had. 

When it was dinnertime, Mrs Kim called for them and Jinkyong walked out of the water, Smolko following behind. Grinning, Junmyeon yanked Jongdae's wrist and pulled him into the water in a swift movement. Spluttering and furious, Jongdae came up coughing, glaring at his brother. As they walked towards the shore together, Jongdae kept grumbling about how much he hated Junmyeon and the other could only laugh at that. 

For the next few days, Mrs Lee had not returned. Junmyeon was getting worried. Jin hadn't been taking it well either and when another call went unanswered, she disappeared after dinner, taking a walk along the beach. Mrs Kim didn't argue, seeing as they had clear sight of the sand strip and Jin promised she wouldn't stray too far. 

But, when more than twenty minutes had come to pass, Mrs Kim sent Junmyeon to fetch for her in which he did so happily, but concerned. Feet sinking deep into the sand, just as his heart to the pit of his stomach, Junmyeon walked towards the small crouching figure at the lapping waves of the low tide. 

A sniffling sound emitted from her and Junmyeon felt compassion fall over him. Crouching down beside her, he placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer for both warmth and comfort. In a soft, gentle, and comforting voice he uttered, "Are you alright?"

Jin gave a nod, thankfully leaning into his embraces as she stared out towards the water. "I'm just worried. Mother always answers my calls, always! Ans she's been away even longer this time." A dejected sigh. "I don't want to overreact, but what if, what if—" 

Her voice was beginning to tremble and Junmyeon, having none of it, cut in. "—No! She can't have Jin, you know that. Aunty Lee will be alright. She wouldn't leave without purpose and she wouldn't leave and not come back without an explanation. She loves you too much to do that."

"But—"

"—no buts. It will be fine Jin. I promise."

"Don't make broken promises." She remarked dryly, wiping at her nose with a sleeve. She had no doubt been crying alone, and for what reason, Junmyeon couldn't guess. It wasn't the absence of her mother—it ran much deeper—Junmyoen had noticed. By the way, Jinkyong looked on edge and anxious every waking moment the longer she stayed around. 

Ignoring her statement, he asked, "Is there something else bothering you Jin? I know this isn't just about your mother."

"Don't change the subject," she murmured under her breath. Junmyeon sighed, rubbing his hand in circles on her rotator cuffs. A relaxed breath escaped her. 

"Alright, but you can't keep hiding it forever. The truth will shine eventually."

"But everything will be alright? Right, Jun?"

Nodding reassuringly, Junmyeon pulled her in tighter with a reaffirming squeeze. "It sure will. Tomorrow, everything will turn out fine. I promise."

"I can always trust you to help." She whispered, taking his warming hand in hers. She never wanted to let go. 

~-~

-

~-~

Jinkyong knew. She had known all along. All those days that her mother was away, Jinkyong knew what was going to happen. And so she dreaded the moment when she would see the cars turn up at her home to take her away from everything she knew, everything and everyone she loved. And maybe that's why she felt a tear in her gut after seeing Junmyeon. It was Sunday and they had gathered for brunch, the Park family having joined them. They'd all said their merry greetings and told Jinkyong how much they'd missed her and that seemed to throw even more daggers of guilt to her gut. 

Jongdae and Chanyeol were as familiar as always and Junmyeon was...well he was his awkward self but Jinkyong figure they'd warm up to each other soon enough. Mr Park seemed to think she was still the twelve year old who came around to his butchery and acted as if she'd never left. 

She was sitting by herself, holding one of Jongdae's babies as he slept. She felt out of place. Years ago, before she left, she would've been out by the beach, waiting for their mother's to call them in for a meal, playing with the Kim's dog. 

However, Jongdae was a father, Junmyeon was busy on the phone, the useful women were in the kitchen—her mother, Jongdae's wife and Mrs Kim—and Mr Park was on the beach. The only other company she had was Chanyeol, the Park's son, but he was too busy tending to the meat on the grill to pay attention to her, although he did say something out of the blue here and there.

Juggling her knees up an down, Jinkyong looked down at the sleeping babe in her arms and whispered, "I guess you're the only one who's glad to have me." A laugh escaped her and she was sure she'd gone mad. "You didn't even know me, what am I saying?"

She'd really lost it. She was talking to a four month old baby, sitting alone at what was supposed to be her welcoming back into the town. And deep down, Jinkyong wondered how everyone got on without her. From the looks of it, they seemed to be doing just fine. It was as if she wasn't even there. 

When the food was finally ready, Jongdae took his child—who Jinkyong found out was named Hakyeon—and her mother lead her towards the table carefully, leaving her crustches by the porch sofa. Just the smell of the food reminded her of her childhood and combined with the laughter and bustling of the familiar bodies, Jinkyong felt something warm settle inside of her. She seated herself beside Hayeon, Jongdae's wife and a friend fr