I was sitting on a bench, waiting for my class to begin –  I took a traditional arts class as my summer class. And it was Monday, and on the last week of summer – when suddenly, an old man approached me. His eyes narrowed, starred deeply on my eyes before finally, he spoke up.

“You must be Jung Heeyeon, the daughter of Kim Seungmi,” he said as the whole of his old face turned bright all of a sudden. I nodded slowly, smiling a bit as I threw a questioned gaze at him, “Ye-yeah. And who are you, ahjussi?”

“I’m Kim Kijung,” he replied as he sit down next to me. “I’m your mom’s bestfriend. We have been friends since high school but have been busy these past three years so we are rarely contacting, and it’s only on Facebook. That’s why I know you.”

I smiled, thinking about how strange the way Mr. Kim said.

“How’s your mother? Is she alright? It’s really been a long time since the last time I met her.”

“Yes, she’s alright.” I replied him. Then, the thought about him being here suddenly popped out on my mind. “What’s your doing here, Mr. Kim?”

“I’m accompanying my son,” he replied, still having a big smile plastered on his lips. For God’s sake. If there were a contest for those whose smile lasted for such a certain yet long time with a hidden camera then the winner would have won a brand new iPhone 5, he obviously would. Unfortunately there wasn’t any hidden cameras as I saw each corners of the wall.

“Your son?” I raised my eyebrows.

“Yeah. He’s in the regisration room right now,” he answered as he pointed a room next to the guestroom with his index finger. Registration room? Was it too late to join the class? Since it would be over next Friday I thought the class had already closed the registration.

I was deep on thought when the bell suddenly rang, followed by the announcement of my class which was about to start.

“It’s for my class,” I stood up while picking up my bag and threw an empty cup of americano I had drank it before on a nearby trashbin.

“Ah, there’s my son!” he raised his voice once he looked at a boy who had just gotten out from the registration room. I followed his gaze and found out that his son had such a great posture – well, I couldn’t see his face since I was facing his back. It seemed that he was older than me.

How on earth could a boy like him still be accompanied by his father? Such a father’s son.

“I gotta go. Bye Mr. Kim. Nice to have a talk with you,” I said, didn’t forget to bow at him.

“Oh yeah, see you next time, Heeyeon!”

I quickened my step before Mr. Kim would have a mind of introducing his son to me. When I stepped onto the class, I had never thought that my meeting with Mr. Kim would be the beginning of all the things that would happen soon.

“Umma, I met your bestfriend.”

Me and my mother was having dinner on a bulgogi stall nearby. It had become our routine to have dinner after she picked me up after class.

“Who?” she beamed, excitedly asking me, putting her fork back to its normal place.

“Mr. Kim Kijung,” I replied as I took another slices.

“Oh, yeah he’s my bestfriend! Where did you meet him? I miss him a lot!” she said as she playfully patted and grabbed my left shoulders. Seriously, it did hurt a bit. Her teenager soul was coming out of his old body.

“Calm yourself down, Umma,” I pouted. “I met him when I was waiting for my class. He was accompanying her son. It’s just, ergh, such a shame for an elder boy like him. He isn’t a queen, is he?”

“Seriously? His son is on the same age with you. Or maybe a year older? I forgot it,” he replied as he rolled her eyes, trying to remember something while ruffling her brown hair. Yeah, she has just done some changes on her hair.

I shrugged. I wasn’t got into the topic and decided to take another slice when suddenly, her phone rang.

“Yeobosseyo?” she gave me her hand as a ‘wait a minute’ sign. “Yes, I am... Oh, you! Yeah, I’m with Heeyeon right now... Really? Where?” then she immediately stood up and looked around. She ended up raising her hand cheerfully. “Yeah, I see you pabo! Come here!”

I looked to the direction my mom had raised her hand at, and it apparently was Mr. Kim with his son who were walking towards us. It was difficult to choose whose face was the happiest; my mom or Mr. Kim. I didn’t know, they both looked like a lost puppy finding its lost toy, way happier than an are you smarter than a fifth grader’s winner.

“Kijung-ah! How are you?” my mom started the conversation.

“I’m fine,” Mr. Kim replied, hugging my mom for a while then having himself a seat.

When mom and Mr. Kim were lost on their emotional conversation, I just kept silent, feeling a bit awkward and confused on what to do. My bulgogi was already eaten. I took a glance at Mr. Kim’s son and he was seemed to also have the same awkward feeling. He looked down, busying himself with his iPhone.

“She’s my daughter, Heeyeon,” my mom said as she placed her arm on my back.

“I have already met her,” he chuckled, followed by me smiling a bit. “Himchan, introduce yourself.”

The said boy whose name was Himchan shook his hand with my mom’s. 

“Whoa, you have grown up, Himchan!” my mom looked at him with a disbelief eyes. I rolled my eyes. Wasn’t she had already saw him a few minutes ago? “Heeyeon, introduce yourself to Himchan.”

I gazed at him awkwardly though it was me who firstly giving my hand. “Heeyeon imnida,” I said to him in a short and flat tone which later replied by him with a smile before busying himself again with his iPhone. Well, the next thing which popped out of my mind: he was kind of gadget freak. Geez.

The conversation was seemed to be endlessly lasted. Neither both of them weren't choosing to end it up. But thank God my mom looked down at her wristwatch and it was already 8pm. She definitely realized she wasn’t only with her bestfriend.

We ended up giving a goodbye to each other.