Chapter 11: I take your hand, my dear.

It was the first day of autumn and according to the lunar calendar, it was supposed to be the Thanksgiving Day in Korea. Thanksgiving Day or Chuseok Day usually celebrated by the whole Korea with joy and happiness with family gathering and delicious food, hoping for prosperity in life for the upcoming years. But today’s Thanksgiving Day had changed to funeral day for Shinhye with family and friends gathered to pay their last respects to Mrs Park and her family. Instead of hoping for a prosperity life, Shinhye was hoping she was in her mother’s hug before she had left her forever.

Thanks to Chuseok holidays, the newlywed had spent a week in Busan for the funeral ceremony without any need to skip their works or classes in Seoul. Suzy had been by Shinhye’s side since in the plane to Busan until up to this moment. Since they had been friends since high school, Yonghwa knew Suzy could comfort his wife better than he could comfort her. The boys were in Busan too, giving their supports to their sister-in-law to get thru the hard times.

But Shinhye needed more than that. She was very fragile inside though she seemed rigid on the outside. Her mother’s sudden death with all the signs and hunch that she felt before this had broke her heart into pieces. As a person who believed in superstitious, she still could remember her mom’s last words for her and it hurt her more. She needed more strength, but she didn’t know who could provide her with more strength.

“Is Shinhye inside?” Yonghwa asked Suzy who had just walked out from his late mother-in-law’s room. Shinhye had been staying in the room with Suzy to clean up her late mother things.

Suzy looked at Yonghwa, shutting the door behind her. “Yes,” she answered.

“How is she doing?” asked the concern husband. He knew Shinhye was devastated with the news. His wife had been silent the whole week and locked herself in the room when there were no more guests came to pay their condolence to her.

“Just like how she lost Shinwoo oppa, she is having difficulties to accept this sudden news. But she will be okay soon. Give her a lot of support, stay by her side and fill up the emptiness in her heart, she will be fine,” said Suzy. “Mrs. Jung is calling me to help her on the death documentation for Shinhye’s mother. Please don’t tell her that I go on her behalf because I know she would be in tears again to do all this stuff. I’m going now,” Suzy excused her from him.

“Ah geure,” Yonghwa nodded his head. As Suzy walked away from him, he knocked the door slightly. But there was no answer from inside the room. Slowly, he opened the door and took a peek inside the room. Yonghwa entered the room and walked to his wife who had fallen asleep on the couch, surrounded by Mrs. Park old clothes. Shinhye was hugging a photo of Mrs Park and Shinwoo oppa in her arms. Yonghwa slowly lifter his wife in his arms and carried her to the bed.

Gently, he put his wife down on the bed and tucked in the blanket for her. As Shinhye turned her body to Yonghwa and brought the photo in her hands closer to her heart, a drop of tear fell underneath her close eyes. Yonghwa wiped away the tears of his wife with his hand and gently caressed her hair.

“Mianhae Shin ah. Seems like all I bring is bad luck when you are with me. But I promise you, I’ll fill up the emptiness in your heart. I’ll bring the happiness to you. Mianhae Shinhye ah...” he reached for her hand before bury his face on the mattress, soaking the mattress with his tears.

The breeze autumn wind brushed off Shinhye’s hair as she put down the bouquet of flower on her mother’s grave. Her mother was buried next to Shinwoo’s grave. After giving their last respect to the late Mrs Park, the Jung’s and Shinhye walked to their car. Mr Jung drove them out from the cemetery. It would be the newlywed’s last day in Busan since the Chuseok’s holiday was ending soon.

Mr Jung pulled over the car by the beach. Shinhye shifted her gaze from the window to her father-in-law. “Waegure abeonim?” asked her.

“Shinhye ah...” Mrs Jung looked at her who was sitting at the rear seat with Yonghwa. “Go get some fresh air with Yonghwa. We know how you feel and we don’t want the devastated feeling to eat you up later on.”

“Your eomonni is right. Go get some fresh air, it’s time to move on,” added Mr Jung.

Shinhye cleared . All she wanted now was to be in her mother’s room and sleep. Although she had been sleeping and crying a lot this week, she didn’t have enough of them. She thought to herself that she still need some space and time to accept all this and move on. She still need to find the strength to keep her alive. And she thought she needed to do this all alone, although there were so many people around her were lending their hands to help her.

“Kamsahamnida... but..”

“Gahja,” Yonghwa was already outside, opening the door for her. Shinhye looked at her husband who was smiling at her.

“Ne Shinhye ah, eommeonim and abeonim just want you to be happy like always, arasso?” said Mrs Jung.

Shinhye took a deep breath and let it out. She knew they were all trying to help her and telling her she was not alone. And she felt thankful for having them around especially during these hard times. Seeing the hopeful smile from both Jung’s, Shinhye nodded her head slightly and bowed her head to her parents-in-law. 

“Ne,” she smiled slightly. “Kamsahamnida. I’m leaving,” she stepped out from the car.

“Ne.... have fun you two. Yonghwa, bring her home with a smile on her face okay. Call me when you need a ride home later,” Mr Jung said before driving off from the beach, leaving the married couple behind.

Shinhye turned to the ocean once her parents-in-law disappeared from her gaze. Yonghwa looked at her. “It’s too bad we are now entering fall. If not we can join the wave there,” Yonghwa tried to start a conversation with his wife. “Or maybe we could just wet our feet by having a wal