Chapter 7

They were quiet during dinner though both parents and even Yoona was celebrating the fact that they are complete.  They were seated beside each other and both tried to react on the topic every now and then. Tried to converse when they are spoken too. Joohyun will never forget the look in Yonghwa’s eyes. It was sad and confused, glistening with unshed tears. She thought of taking the first flight out of the country but remembered that she isn’t the Joohyun who, at first sight of trouble, takes the fastest way out.  She will see through this and everything else that needs seeing through and she will go home.

As she was folding her laundry, her mom came inside her room.

“So, how is work so far?”

“All good.”

“Is it too different from the one in the US? I mean the procedures and all?”

“No, except for the language everything is the same.”

“Do you still have money to spend?”

Joohyun looked up at her mother and smiled, “I’m okay mom. I have always been okay.”

Mrs. Seo sniffed and dabbed her cheeks quickly of tears.

“Mom, you okay?”

“Did you know that we went to see you?”

“Huh? Where?”

“Dad and I and sometimes with Yoona, we came to see you but we stayed away. Your aunt Tina said to not bother you. We know she means well.”

“You mean you have been seeing me for the last 7 years without really seeing me?”

“Of course. We are your family Joohyun, we can’t stay away from you. We watch you go to work, heard everything that has been going on with you from your Aunt. Your Immo said that you have been struggling but you are getting better and that we should just let you do your thing but I just miss you so much that I just need to see you even from a distance.”

Joohyun stood up and hugged and her mother tightly, “I’m sorry for my selfishness eomma. I never thought that it will be very hard for you when I ask to let me stay away. I was healing myself and I never thought that while I was healing myself, I was inflicting hurt on the people I should be protecting most. I’m sorry eomma”

Her mom shook her head and placed both her hands on Joohyun’s cheeks, “Never apologized for doing what you think is best for yourself. Your dad and I are extremely proud of everything that you’ve accomplished. If staying away was the help that you need from us, then we did it right by you. I would’ve loved to hold you like this in my arms but I know I will be holding you a lot longer if we just let you be and now, you’re home.”

“I’m sorry if I can’t promise you that this’ll be permanent.”

“It’s okay Hyunie, you are a grownup who needs to live your life.”

“Thank you for understanding eomma. We haven’t had the chance to talk ever since I came back. How is everyone? I mean aside from everything else that we’ve talked about”

“You mean Yonghwa?” her mom smiled knowingly.

Joohyun snorted. “He’s a very big puzzle to me right now.”

“Oh, we can tell” her mom affirmed.

“He’s been around a lot in the last few days that we were able to see each other. He also has been spewing non-sense.”

“And what does it feel?”

Joohyun rolled her eyes and went back to folding her laundry. “What do you think mother?”

Her mom giggled like a high school kid. “I just thought there may still be spark there”

“Mom, the only spark that I have right now for him is the almost dead bulb in my closet.”

“But why?”

“Well, let’s just say, I grew up. He may have been my first love but that’s about it. Love won’t put food on the table. Love won’t pay the bills. Love won’t put gas on my car. Love is love but I chose to live in reality.”

“But what if, and I’m saying What if, he likes you?”

“Mom, a tiger doesn’t change their stripes”

“What if he liked you even before, his stripes still didn’t change”

Joohyun frowned, “where is this conversation leading to?”

Her mom moved to the floor and took her hand, “All I’m saying is what if you two, you know can pick up where you left off”

“Where? In the hospital where we both almost died? No, Thank you. And please stop playing cupid, at dinner earlier, don’t go innocent on me, I saw how you and immo were smiling. I’m too old for that.”

“We were just happy to see you and Yonghwa together”

“Yeah, me and Yonghwa together and not killing each other.”

“Okay, I get it. But still, don’t close your door just yet. I feel like you shut down everything that has to do with Yonghwa.”

“It’s the proper thing to do mom.”

“Is it really?”

Joohyun just shrugged.

She almost broke into a run when she saw Yonghwa’s car by their door step.

“Good morning Joohyun!” he greeted her.

She smiled skeptically but still greeted him back, “Good morning to you too”

“Let’s go, I’ll take you to work,” opening the passenger door in the process. She was looking at him as she went in. He ran around and entered.

“You don’t have to do this you know” she said as she straps on her seatbelt.

“I know, I just want to spend some time with you.”

“Aren’t you busy? I mean a person like you must be busy.”

He quickly looked at her, “I am, but never for you”

“Yonghwassi, thank you for your time. I really really appreciate it but you don’t have to do this every day. I am capable of going to and from work myself.”

“Whatever you say Joohyun, I have decided, I will spend time with you. You said so yourself, you won’t be staying in Korea for long so might as well spend it together right? Just like the old times?”

She ran her hands through her hair, “do I need to remind you that you hated me and that you never spent time with me? I’m not sure what old times you are talking about but yeah, the last time that you welcomed my presence in your life was when I was 8, so is that the old times that you were saying?”

“Come on Joohyun, don’t say that, we did spend some time together”

“Yeah, we spent it fighting”

“So? Its still time spent together”

Joohyun sulked “I think you might have hit your head a little too hard.