Tale 9

The only family I ever have is my mother, weak and fragile mother who made a lot of mistake in life but never once she ever left me. She struggled a lot, but she was always there to hold me. Just like she never abandoned me, I would stand tall as a rock for her anchor on the storm that was her life. That is how sacral a relationship between families is, to forgive when no one else would.

Maybe that what was my mother and Mr. Seo found in each other, a love that makes a family, to care and protect at the worst condition and tears of laugh in the best.

I never tried to find out before, just like Changmin said, because I was too consumed with hatred to see the light that once shine only in my mother when she was everything to me. I’m the one who abandoned her just because she found the love in her harsh life, with excuse to free myself from her shadow that feels too heavy to bear.

I remembered the time when my mother start to blossom with smile and rosy cheeks, of flowers and presents, of late night sneaking outs and dates. Second year of high school when my mother looked exactly like love-struck teenager that almost everyone in my class was, the beginning of dooms that was. Rumor soon spread that the mother of illegitimate daughter now became a mistress of the S Group’s Mr. Seo, pouring gasoline in the already wild-fire.

How am I supposed to find out before, when the bomb exploded while I just flinched for a second—I wanted to ask Changmin just like that.

Just like this time, when the still legitimate Madam of the Seo’s household and the Mistress came face to face, in the hallway outside Seohyun’s VVIP room, as two mothers.

I saw it coming, the trembling hand of my mother with a cup of something she hold, and as I ran to them in reflect, and—SPLASH—the lukewarm coffee right into my—why, of why it had to be white—t-shirt.

“Sooyoung!” my mother shocked screamed was heard, “Oh my—are you alright, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean, Soo, I’m so sorry…”

“Mom,” the other daughter of the two mothers came out from the room, with little dressing on her head, beside her was Cho Kyuhyun—the Cinderella’s prince from the party, “Can we have a walk? I need some fresh air…”

Mrs. Seo shifted her eyes from my mother and I, to her daughter, “Yes, let’s go,” she said as she took her other hands. As the daughter and mother walked away, while my mother still dabbing my shirt with repeated apologies and I, on the other hand, with repeated ‘it’s okay’.

“Here, come inside,” Kyuhyun referred to Seohyun’s room, “Seohyun wouldn’t mind if you borrow some of her clothes.”

For once, I saw something in his eyes, the look that I got a lot when I was younger, of disgust and… pity.

“No, it’s okay, I just stop by to give her—“ I reached my hand inside my bag and pulled out two books, then handed it to him, “—some books, so she wouldn’t be so bored..” I smiled, trying so hard not to look so pathetic.

“Oh, these,” he looked at me as he recognized the books, “How did you..?”

“I think I’ll get back now,” I said, “Mom, whom did you come here with? Chauffer? I think you should go home now… Let’s go…”

I hold my mother close as she muttered, “I don’t meant to do that, but she was insulting you… I’m sorry, Sooyoung… I’m sorry…”

I knew she wouldn’t do something like that if it wasn’t because of me, she would do anything just for me, and it hurts so much that my mother had to go through something like this over and over—even when I knew this was all her fault, to love and be loved by someone you shouldn’t, to broke a sacral relationship that was family—both theirs and ours.

Just after I send my mother off, he suddenly stood right behind me as I turned around—like any drama you could imagine—that Cinderella’s Prince Charming.

“Why did you do that?” he asked, looked quite confused for someone who used to look so arrogant.

“To stop both sides kept hurting each other when there were still open scar to be tend.” But I said nothing, because he would never know our wounded relationships.

“You pushed Seohyun but you defend her mother,” he said again as I don’t look like I’m going to answer him soon, “I don’t understand.”

“Why are you trying to understand anyway,” I frowned, “I don’t understand.”

“Just wear this,” He forced a blue blouse into my hand, “you looked hideous walking around like that.” He said as he left me with the blouse.

I really didn’t understand him either.