Suzy and Sang Moon agreed to just stay behind to help their mother clean the house. Myungsoo and Mr. Bae, on the other hand, accompanied Sunggyu to Incheon.

   “You met with your dad yet?” Sunggyu asked, while looking at Myungsoo through the rearview mirror. He was the one driving, and Mr. Bae had his seat reclined. He was taking a nap.

   “I saw him at the funeral,” he answered.

   “Did you talk with him?”

   “No.”

   There was a slight pause. “I see.”

   Myungsoo bit his lower lip. He looked down, clasping and unclasping his hands on his lap. Tears were threatening to fall from his eyes.

   “I’m angry at him, to be honest,” he confessed. “I’m angry because it felt like he didn’t even care.”

   Sunggyu didn’t reply, and this encouraged Myungsoo to carry on.

   “I’m angry and I want to punch him so bad. You sacrificed your time for us, so why couldn’t he do the same? I didn’t even talk to him at that time because I was afraid of what I might do. Daehyun loved him very much. Did you know that? He kept on putting on a good word for his father. And this is how he repays his son? By not returning without delay?”

   Silence followed afterwards, and Myungsoo broke it by saying, “But the person I’m most angry at…is me. I couldn’t even bring myself to forgive that man, and that was the very thing Daehyun wanted me to do.”

   The song coming from the player was nothing but a blur of psychedelic sounds, numb and jagged against Myungsoo’s ears. Sunggyu pulled over, and said, “We still have time. You can cry freely now.”

   And that was exactly what Myungsoo did. He cried quietly. Fat, salty tears emerged from his already swollen eyes and it trickled down his flushed cheeks, leaving a glistening trail. Sunggyu turned the music’s volume up, and Mr. Bae decided to not intervene. Sunggyu handed Myungsoo the tissue box on the dashboard and a bottle of water. After twenty minutes, they hit the road again, and Myungsoo’s heart felt better.

   “It takes courage to cry, doesn’t it?” Sunggyu asked quietly. “You are very brave, Myungsoo.”

<:>

   On their way home, Mr. Bae decided to drop by a local restaurant to eat. The both of them ordered the same food. Myungsoo was staring at him, then, and noticing that the young man wanted to ask him a question, he gave him the opportunity by saying, “Should we have a deep conversation while we’re together?”

   A tiny smile graced Myungsoo’s lips. “I’d like that, Uncle.”

   “So, you’re studying Music, right?”

   “Yes.”

   “Why’d you choose that course?”

   Myungsoo scratched the back of his neck. “It’s…a nice release.”

   “From stress?”

   “From just about anything.”

   “Ah, I see,” Mr. Bae said, nodding away. “Suzy likes to write, and she says it’s a nice way of expressing her feelings. So I’m assuming that you play an instrument?”

   “I mainly focus on the guitar.”

   Mr. Bae smiled. “What made you choose the guitar?”

   Myungsoo shrugged. “To be honest…it just looked nice before. I was eleven when I started playing, but it was just for fun. I never expected to take it seriously.”

   “Things that you’re usually passionate about starts as a hobby,” Mr. Bae remarked.

   “Then what are you passionate about, Uncle?”

   “I’m passionate about…” Mr. Bae leaned in closer, his bright eyes sparkling. “Listening to people.”

   Myungsoo cocked his head. “You mean like a counselor?”

   “Like a friend,” he corrected.

   “A friend,” the younger one repeated, the warm smile not leaving his face. “You’re the first adult to ever ask me why I chose my course. You’re a really good father.”

   Mr. Bae seemed to think for a moment. He then said, “I lack so many things when it comes to being a father and a husband, Myungsoo, but I’m still blessed because I see my kids going to school and having good friends like you. I’m still blessed because my wife loves me despite everything.”

   Myungsoo looked down.

   “And I’m sure that your father feels the same way, too,” Mr. Bae added.

   Their food finally arrived, and the carried on talking, revolving about seemingly trivial things which exposed a portion of their inner selves all the more.

<:>

   Myungsoo couldn’t sleep that night. And so, he took out a random book from his drawer. He paused, however, upon realizing that it was the Bible Daehyun used to keep. In the dim light he opened it, and saw some highlighted verses. It was done clumsily and some ink even bled through the pages. He smiled to himself, because he could clearly see just how intimate Daehyun was when it comes to his faith. He paused, however, upon reading a verse out of the blue. He kept on reading it until the words sunk into his thoughts. Tears fell from his eyes. Myungsoo then stood up to take a pen and a piece sticky note.

   John 16:33: Take heart, he wrote, before placing the paper on his closet.

<:>

   “Look at what the cat dragged in,” Woohyun remarked, the moment he saw Sunggyu enter his flat. He was watching a television show, then, while enjoying a cup of ice cream.

   “What are you doing in my place?” the older one simply returned.

   Woohyun grinned. “I just cleaned up, but decided to spend the night here, since you’ll be home. You’ll let me, won’t you?”

   Sunggyu scoffed. “Just don’t be noisy.”

   He entered his room, then, and Woohyun cried, “I changed your covers!”

   A chuckle escaped from Sunggyu’s lips. He quickly took a bath before spending the rest of the day tucked in his bed. He could hear the voices in the television, and the footsteps of Woohyun every now and again. He was thankful, because he didn’t have to return to an empty apartment.

<:>

   “You’re back,” Jieun said, smiling. Sunggyu and Woohyun entered the office, then.

   “Yeah,” he replied, while removing his coat and placing it on his swivel chair. “Did Woohyun give you a difficult time?”

   She shook her head no.

   “Then that’s good. I’ll have to go and see our manager. I’ll see you later.”

   She bowed, and with a tiny nod Sunggyu walked out of the room. Woohyun sighed, and he crossed his arms as he stared at Jieun.

   “You know,” he began. “You could’ve said ‘I missed you.’”

   “Woohyun!”

   He chuckled. “Well, that’s what your eyes are trying to tell.”

   Whistling away, he took the folders stacked on his desk and entered the printing room, leaving Jieun alone to dwell on her thoughts.

<:>

   Myungsoo stared at the Bae family while they ate breakfast. Sang Moon and Suzy were already in their uniforms, since it was already the start of the new term. Mr. and Mrs. Bae were talking about something related with work while the siblings were fighting over the last piece of pork on the table. Without breaking his speech Mr. Bae took his portion and placed it on Sang Moon’s plate. Myungsoo couldn’t help but smile.

   “We’re just like this every day, Myungsoo,” Mrs. Bae said.

   “That’s right!” Sang Moon chimed in, after swallowing his food. “Once you get to know noona you’ll see just how much of a scrooge she is.”

   “Hey!” Suzy yelled.

   “Well, I’m sorry for telling the truth!”

   “Sang Moon,” Mr. Bae warned.

   “Sorry.”

   Myungsoo merely chuckled. “I usually have a quiet breakfast, but this…is a really nice change.”

   They all smiled at him warmly, as if his company was something they actually wanted. And for a moment, he forgot about the pain he felt in his heart. After eating their breakfast the three headed to the train station. Sang Moon was staring at Myungsoo’s guitar case when he asked, “Have you ever had a girlfriend, hyung?”

   Suzy nudged her brother roughly, causing the younger one to give her a face.

   “No, I haven’t,” he honestly replied.

   Sang Moon looked at Myungsoo, with curiosity in his eyes. “Why?”

   “I am not interested yet. Why’d you ask?”

   He shrugged. “I just figured you’re someone who’s popular with the girls. You know, with your looks and all.”

   “He receives love letters,” Suzy teased, and this earned her a playful glower from Myungsoo.  She simply grinned, her eyes reflecting the conversations they had over the summer. At that moment, he was grateful because she didn’t forget.

   “Love letters?” Sang Moon exclaimed. “Girls still make those? Do you read them, hyung?”

   “I don’t.”

   “Ouch. Why not?”

   Myungsoo smiled a little. “Petty reasons.”

   “I see,” Sang Moon said, before picking up a handful of snow. He formed it into a ball and threw it towards Suzy. It hit her shoulder, causing her to yelp at the slightest. With eyes blazing, she sought revenge and Myungsoo could only shake his head as he followed after the siblings, who were already chasing each other. He looked up at the dreary sky, and realized that he wouldn’t be able to see Daehyun grow up. He wouldn’t be able to talk to him about the awkward stages of high school and help him get over his insecurities. He wouldn’t be able to see Daehyun graduate college, have a job and propose to a girl. He wouldn’t be able to see his future nephews and nieces.

   Myungsoo wouldn’t be able to experience such things, because Daehyun became nothing but a pile of ash, stuffed in a blue, cold urn.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
- Psalm 147:3