The United States and Korea's Joseon Dynasty established diplomatic relations under the 1882 

Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, and the first U.S. diplomatic envoy arrived in Korea in 1883. US-Korea relations continued until 1905, when Japan assumed direction over Korean foreign affairs.  Chanyeol’s grandparents came over with Korean Legation in 1883.  His parents were born in DC in 1885.  He was born in 1905.  His parents decided to stay, seeing the rise of Japanese aggression, but feared Japanese retaliation, and so all fled to West ia.

It was just before noon.  I was feeding the children.  “Tommy, you know better than that--go wash your hands.  No, Johnny, Mr. Ribbett cannot eat at the table with us--yes, Mary Ellen, that’s a mighty pretty bouquet of dandelions you got there, go ahead put them in some water and set them on the table, and then we can look at them while we’re having lunch--I can’t say as I know exactly when Halmoni’s coming, Johnny, sometime after lunch I reckon, so you better have washed behind your ears, young man--here, Tommy, hold Charlene while I get something on the table for y’all.”  

I was just about to dish out a mess of poke greens and cornbread dumplings--I know that’s your favourite, and I wanted you to have something good when you got back from the doctor’s--when I...I suddenly started to think of you…  Couldn’t help but chuckle...me...a lovesick old housewife, staring out the window and thinking about her man like some sort of moony young girl...

But I couldn’t help it.  You have any idea how wonderful you are?  A kind man, a strong man, my salt of the earth man--the kind of man who would give someone the shirt off of his back.  And look what you did--you went and gave me four of the most beautiful children anyone has ever seen this side of the Blue Ridge.

A man’s voice, hollering up a storm is what broke me from my reverie.  

“Hey!  Hey!!!  We need some help out there!”

“Now, what in the world...”  Dropping the bowl to the table, I poked my head out the kitchen window.  “Ben Moseley, what on earth is wrong with you? Why are you out here hollering like a cat with its tail cut off?”

He stopped, panting, sweat pouring off his high forehead as people started coming out of their homes, crowding around.  “It’s the mine--dam’s broke--number 8’s all flooded!”  The men started running around, grabbing anything they thought they might need before running toward the mines, as Moseley wiped down his forehead with his kerchief before running on--still sounding the alarm.  

My heart fluttered in my chest, and I had to clutch the sink to keep from falling.  Your cough had been acting up again--you’d been talking about your chest feeling tight--so I made you promise to go see Doc Godsey, but I didn’t know if you were still there, or if you had finished up with him and gone on to the mines.  It was Mary Ellen that pulled me out of it--her little voice asking, “Momma?”  I knew I couldn’t break down in front of the children, so I just...closed my eyes, stood tall like my own momma had taught me how to do.  “Momma’s alright, baby.”  I didn’t turn around, though.  I couldn’t turn around--not yet.  “Hey, Momma needs y’all to do me a big favour, can you do that?”

“What do you need, Momma?” Tommy asked.  

Something about hearing my eldest’s voice--I can hear it...it’s gonna change soon...gonna sound like yours, all deep and rumbly-like--but something about it just...gave me what I needed, so by the time I turned around, I was okay.  I was okay… On the outside, at least.  “Momma’s going to go check on Daddy, but I need you to do something for me, okay?”

“What do you want us to do, Momma?” Mary Ellen asked.

I took the baby from Tommy, and wiped her little face from where he had been trying to feed her.  I could see you in her eyes, and I...I don’t know if I ever--not ever in my life--meant anything as sincerely as I did when I told them to pray for you.  “Pray for your daddy, babies.  Pray that he’s alright, that he’s safe, and sound, and whole, can you do that for me?”

“Of course, Momma,” Tommy said, his little forehead creasing.  He laughed a little, but I could see it, see the shine of fear, of worry creeping into his eyes.  Your eyes.  All of our babies have your beautiful brown eyes…  “Momma, you don’t think--”

I shook my head a little, and he stopped.  That boy…  He’s our first…  I love you, Park Chanyeol, and I always will...but I never knew that love like this existed til I had him.  All his life, I have only ever wanted to protect him from everything, from every little thing, but in this moment…  In this moment, I needed him to be strong.  I couldn’t coddle him on this--I needed him to be there for his brother and sister while I came to check after you.   

Our boy, he’s smart.  He’s so smart…  He just kind of...nodded, and I knew that...something had happened...something deep inside of him.  I knew that, regardless of what happened today, I wouldn’t be coming back to my baby anymore.  

But what could I do?