Sometimes, the strongest people are the ones who love beyond closed doors

and fight battles that nobody know about

 

 

 

 

 

Seohyun's POV

 

She was surprised.

 

I stood there in front of her, wishing she could answer me right away. Her eyes were on me, still unmovable. I didn't want even to looked away. My two hands over my sides are clenching. My throat is becoming so dry. The beat of my heart are pounding unusually, as my breathing is somehow hard for me to cope. Gulping in, I bit my lip. I focus my eyes to her lips.

 

“What… you… just said?” I breathe in, hearing those words finally from her. I knew she would ask me that.

 

“The guy. In that picture…. Is what to you?” I know I heard her he is her boyfriend. But I needed another confirmation. What if I was just wrong to hear it? And boyfriend? Was that supposed to be husband? I really didn’t get this.

 

“He’s… he’s my boyfriend.” she answered confused to my words. I didn’t get any second waste and I answered her back.

 

“Do you mean, husband?” I correct her.

 

“Oh! the picture?” she chuckled, much to my surprised. I just couldn’t react anymore and just let her died her own until she turned to me serious.

 

“Oh yeah, forgive my words. He’s my husband… and why do you ask? You seemed so interested?”

 

“Pardon?” my eyes widened as I heard her correcting her own words earlier on. My heart couldn’t take it anymore. It felt like I just hit by an arrow and it broke into pieces. My tears are hinting to fell, as I hold it in. I gritted, totally can’t believe what I just heard.

 

“He’s my husband. You heard me.” she just said again with a little eyebrows rising for me. I looked away, couldn’t comprehend what I just heard. As I looked up to see my boyfriend in that picture, my heart even shatters more to those smile, his hand over her waist and his head are against to her. What was happening? I really couldn’t understand. I feel like I was fooled.

 

“Something wrong?” I nearly break down when I heard her words again, interrupting my thoughts. Quickly, I composed myself and look at her with a fake smile.

 

“Uh… can we proceed to your room?” I offered and she seemed not bothered to me at all as she proceeds to lead me to her room. As much as I want to run away and give my heart a break to this information, I remained calm and pretended that I am okay. I followed her while she keeps busy—introducing me with the things inside her bed. There was an old sofa, a wood coffee table; bed was big and also quite old. There was oxygen also being placed beside her bed. Some of medicines were placed as well in the night stand. To my right, a big window that viewed the city of Cambridge can also be found.

She also introduced me with the bed beside her own. Basically, her room was as big to be a house. I sat down in the bed she introduced me with her sitting across me in her own.

 

“So is it really okay if you sleep in that bed?”

 

“It’s okay.” I said and she nodded too.

 

There was a silent for a moment within us before I came up with a question—due to my curiosity.

 

“Can I ask something personal?”

 

“Go ahead.” She just simply said.

 

“Umm…. Your husband. Is… he really an Im?” I asked and she just nodded at me. It hit me. Im Yoong was indeed her husband. Same surname, same first name? This is really something so confusing here. I know my boyfriend is only a child in his family. He has a step sister who is Fany unnie. He doesn’t have any sibling at all. How can this be? There is something really so wrong here. It might be, Yoong is lying to me or… I was just mistaken? I refused to believe that my boyfriend is a liar, so I asked once again.

 

“How do you know him? And… where is he?” my voice were even cracking to which she just shrug.

 

She chuckle for some seconds first, before she answered me straightly and serious. The smile she had earlier was no longer there, looking out over the window. She was in deep thought.

 

“I don’t know where he is actually right now. It was… it was 4 years ago when I last saw him. I remember, his mother need to separate us because, she thought I and Yoong aren’t good for each other. Since we are just… young enough to be married. I knew him, through his active works to the community. We were in our senior high when we fall for each other and… actually got married after a year of dating. It was unfortunate for us as his mother needs to separate him from me when we got married. She doesn’t like me at all. But whatever it was, I and Yoong got married. I just wished I could see him again… because... he never know I was diagnosed to a brain cancer. I assumed, his mother doesn’t even tell him.”

 

She said, nearly want to shed tears. While I just listened to her—broken. It feels so real. It feels so true to my ears. Why is this happening? I got a lot of questions in my head. For once, I want to refuse. I want to deny that it was indeed true. But as I can see through her eyes, I couldn’t deny the fact. She and Yoong had a past and I was clueless to this. I was fooled to this information. I didn’t know how to react anymore as I lowered my head, trying to hide the sadness within me.

 

“Hey! Umm… what’s wrong?“

 

“Excuse me.” I couldn’t take it anymore and runs off to her bathroom, locked it and buried myself to my palms. My tears had finally drops, as I sob silently under my palms.

 

I don’t know how to handle this. Just when I have my best moment with him, shocking news me. News that never did I imagine. The innocent in Yoong’s eyes is so hard for me to believe that he was a liar? He was fooling me?

 

No.

 

No.

 

I don’t want to conclude yet. Yoong’s words should be considered first. Jumping into a conclusion without a complete story shouldn’t I entertain.

I need to ask my boyfriend. He’s the only person could complete the confusions in my head.

 

I wiped my tears, determined to hear a word from my boyfriend.

 

“Alright, Joohyun. This is something so impossible to begin.” getting up, I brought my phone out just to see him calling me.

 

I quickly answered it, and I was greeted by surprising news.

 

“Hyunnie. Mom is here.”

 

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Normal POV

 

Two questions only runs in a certain doe-eyed guy at the moment: One, What is she doing here? And two, what is he and Hyun going to do?

 

He stood there, motionless allowing his mind to have a moment of silence. A silence that leads to a panic? 

Mindless, he instinctively closes the door, run to his bed and reaches for his phone in the night stand and immediately contacted his girlfriend. 

 

"Yah! Yoong! Open the door!"

 

Yoong didn't bother to respond nor to go back to the door and open it. His call was quickly picked up to his skip of heart. His girlfriend answered and he didn't think twice to interrupt Seohyun's voice, saying "Hyunnie, Mom is here." It came as a husky voice. 

 

[Ne?]

 

Yoong's beating of heart didn't help for him to calm as he quickly answered. "What are we going to do?" 

 

"Im Yoong! Open the door or I will let your bodyguard to break this!"

 

Biting his lip furiously, Yoong keeps his hand over the handy phone tightly holding it. "Hey! Hyun! You still there?" Yoong got even panic, after being met by a silent. He can only hear heavy breathings from the other line. 

 

"Umm… I don't know how to face her Hyun. Should I just be calm? Should I just allow her? or what? I can't think of anything to do here. I think she'll going to drag me out here once I open the door." 

 

Silence~

 

To no avail, Yoong desperately ended the call as he think for his self. At this moment, he really needs to calm. Mind was blank and wouldn't respond at all as he tries himself to relax his mind. 

 

"Yoong, we're going inside."

 

Ruffling his hair, he decided to not respond anymore. He sat at his mattress running his hair over his head, massaging it furiously. 

 

BAM!

 

But what can he do? 

 

The door that startles him had made him stood, as he witness his mother staring at him intensely. He's in trouble, he can see it.

 

"M-mom." He took a hold of his self, allowing his mother to approach him slowly. "Uh... I'm-I'm... so-sorry."

 

Mrs. Im stopped. "What's the matter? Why didn't you open the door?" 

 

For some reason, Yoong raised a brow upon hearing his mother softly asking him. He took a deep breath and steps back. Though trembling, he needs to answer no matter what or else, his mother will know something wrong with him.

 

"I-Uh... Umm... I just-I just... Went to the bathroom. I got-"

 

"And you locked the door? Didn't you saw me in front of you?" Mrs. Im asked suspiciously.

 

"Uh yeah, I am sorry. I got surprised... pa-panic mom." Yoong looked down in shame, biting his lip in process. 

 

"Tch, fine. I'll let this pass. Hmm... Are you not going to hug me?" Mrs. Im spread her arms widely, offering a hug that her son doesn't even give her earlier. 

 

Yoong gulped. Reluctantly, he slowly complied. He opens his arms and once he had made contact with his mother's scent, he got caught off guard. An unconscious smile formed into his lips. Memories flashes right before him, back when he was still this young with her mother. Never did he imagine he can still feel the way he loved his mom. It's like, he missed the old times. Slowly, he tightens his hold to his mother's waist, nuzzling his face under his arms. The warmth from her is always been so good and he couldn't deny the fact that he truly treasured his mother. 

Unfortunately, there is something missing in the touch. It is different. He didn't feel her heart. He didn't feel the happiness from her heart every time he could feel her warmth back then. It was completely different now

 

"Son? I miss you." and even the words, it didn't seem like it came from her heart. 

 

"I-I... miss you... too mom." Yoong said heartedly.

 

To his surprised, his mother pulls away, showing a smile she couldn't look at straightly. "So? How was school?"

 

"It's okay." Yoong said, avoiding the stares instantly.

 

"By the way, I know you were surprised that I came back unnoticed. Well, that's only because I want us to spend your winter break vacation." Mrs. Im said, excitedly. Yoong who is surprised could only clench. 

 

"Hey, what's UP?" Mrs. Im persuade, reaching for her son's chin to make him face her. Yoong just fake a smile, saying... "Mom... I don't think... it's-it's right."

 

Taken aback, Mrs. Im loses her hold to her son's chin. "What-what do you mean?"

 

"I have my plans. I-I... think I won't be having my breaks. I still need to do some projects." Yoong lied, thinking of the possibility her mother would separate him from his girlfriend.

 

"Or you just don't want to spend with me, Yoong?! Is this about your girlfriend again?" Mrs. Im burst out.

 

"Yah! it's not. I just think of it... that it will be better if I'll advance-" Yoong argued but got interrupted right away from his furious mother.

 

"No! You're going with me. Let's spend Christmas together." Mrs. Im said firmly. Last time, she only celebrates the holidays alone, and now, she can't let it slide again. She missed her son so much, that she is willing to do something in order to have a break with him. 

 

"Mom! You don't know-"

 

"Yoong enough. I had enough with you. If I say it, you will do it. I give you a week to prepare for this... and for your information, I'll be staying here. Not going to stay at home." she added, tired arguing with her son. She sat at the mattress while she let her son in front of her groaning in compliance.

 

"Fine, if you want... then let me invite my girlfriend for this!"

 

Mrs. Im stirred up surprised to her son. "So you just admit to me. Your girlfriend is here!"

 

Yoong scolded his tongue for being so careless. But he gives in eventually. "Y-yeah... she's here. Is this one of the reason also that you are here?!"

 

"I knew it. I suspected it already. I never saw her back in Seoul." She just replied, and stood to level her stare to her son. 

 

"Then what are you trying to do?" Yoong bitterly asked. He gritted his teeth, glaring to his mother like there's no tomorrow. He knew, this mother of him is up to something once again. Those smirked from her had something? He can sense it and he won't just sit around. “I swear mom, I don’t know you at all. How can you be so inconsiderate to my feelings? Hyun and I—“

 

Mrs. Im shrugs. "Good. It was good to know that she actually made it here. I thought she's not going to make it. Well, she's just so clever isn't she?"

 

"Seriously! If you-"

 

"Oh! Well, I need to go back at home for the meantime. I'll see you later?" Mrs. Im said, giving a peck his son in his cheeks. "Behave, Okay?" she said and then left. Yoong stood only in his spot, motionless. He didn’t even have the chance to say what’s in his heart and mind.

 

 He took a deep breath with a slight of exhaustion. " I know her plans... and I'm not going to allow it." He mutters, thinking of the possibility where he could spend his winter break. "I need to do something." with that said, he reaches for his phone once again to contact his girlfriend. But for some unknown reason, he could get through her. 

 

"Didn't she just answer my call earlier?" He wonders. Trying his luck once again, he dialed and waited. 

 

But to no avail, his concern went up high. "Why is she not answering?" 

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

"That's the last picture I had with him." 

 

I fake a smile; bitterly to her after she had presented to me the pictures she and Yoong had shared. My heart isn't even responding now when I saw collections of pictures she had with him. There were in a garden, in the classroom, in a theater and even with them at a ball. I knew I was already invading some privacy of her, but I couldn't help not to request it. She was even willing to share some of them while she reminisce the things she had done with him. It hurts me more when she started to share me more their promises towards each other. I could feel how her words were so alike to Yoong's personality. I thought I was hearing the same story I had with Yoong for a moment. 

 

"What if one day, you’ll see him again? What will you do?" I dared to asked, though against my will. 

 

"Of course, I would hug him. I would kiss him, and tell him how much I miss him that my life has been so incomplete without him. I would be most likely going to keep him back." she