Chapter 35

The people in the kitchen were trying their best to look busy going in and out to the dining area, cleaning tables that are already clean, mopping the floor for the nth time until they eventually gave up since they ran out of reasons to hover and stay.

“When did you arrive?” She eyed him sharply

“Just this evening, I came straight from the airport”

“Where are your things?”

“Inside the car I rented”

“How’d you know to get here?”

“GPS Hyun..GPS”

She shivered when she heard him say ‘Hyun’ she kept a straight face and continued asking

“Where are you staying?”

“I still don’t know but I remember you offered your home so I’m taking up the offer, wow now I know how criminals feel your questions accompanied with glaring feels like I’m being interrogated” He chuckled

“Not funny Yonghwa let’s go, it’s getting late, follow us in your car let me just turn off everything”

She stood up from her chair when he grabbed her arm “can’t we just take my car and leave yours here then come back for it tomorrow? I’ll return the car tomorrow as well”

“I can’t your rental has no car seat”

“We can just transfer it”

“You know what? I had a pretty rough day, if you want to you do it, I won’t be the one transferring the car seats to and fro the cars, go ahead I’ll just close up, the keys are beside my bag” She went to turn off the lights leaving only the night light on the outside. She arranged the seats that they sat on, double check the lock before heading for the office where Ysa is now fast asleep.

The drive home was silent until Joohyun spoke

“Why didn’t you tell me your coming? Or do the kids know?”

“No I didn’t tell them, if I told you you might run and hide somewhere”

“Don’t flatter yourself, I won’t stop my world just because of you” she looked at him smirking

“Joohyun, is it me or everything that comes from your mouth nowadays are all sarcasm?”

“It’s you Yonghwa nothing but you” he shook his head hearing this\

They arrived at the house and everyone is already in their respective rooms. Joohyun carried Ysa to the little girls own room and Yonghwa was left in the middle of their living room waiting for Joohyun to tell him where to put his things. Since she is not anticipating his arrival, she was thinking of where to let him sleep, she checked on Maki but the boy’s already fast as sleep. 

“You can put your things in my room first” she instructed him while she gestured him to follow her “I forgot to ask have you had dinner?”

He was looking around the house, it was big and spacious the staircase was done with intricate balustrade, guess thats what you'll get having an architect for a father  “no not yet, I thought of going to a drive through but hurried to your restaurant instead because I might miss you”

“Well, I’ll heat up dinner then, I haven’t eaten myself, here is the room, I would ask you to sleep on the couch since the guest room were turned to an office but I can’t do that since you’re the guest." She looked at him as he dragged all his luggages one by one inside the room

“Where will you be sleeping then?”

“I’ll sleep with Ia for the night then tomorrow I can fix the room then we can move you there or if you won’t be comfortable here you can stay at Buddys’ house”

“No I’m okay here even the couch is fine if you’ll be uncomfortable”

“Nah I’m okay, rest first, I’ll just call you when dinner is ready” she motioned him and pointed the bathroom inside her room. She went out the room and silently closed the door behind her. She stood leaning at the door one hand clutching the door knob while the other was trying to feel her heart. She closed her eyes trying to recognize what she feels. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes only to see Ia standing in front of her door, arms cross

“So mom, I heard you talking to someone, is that someone who I think he is coz the voice seems sooooo familiar?” asked Ia

“gosh I almost had a heart attack how long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to see you do this” she reenacted what her mother did but with exaggeration

“I didn’t do that!”

“ah yeah you did, would you like me to repeat just so you can remember it?”

“No!  let’s go to the kitchen I haven’t had dinner”

The two went down to the kitchen, Ia got herself a glass of water and set the plates on the kitchen counter and took a seat on one of the stool. Joohyun then started heating up the leftover food from dinner. While waiting for the food, she too took a seat at one of the stool facing Ia.

“We haven’t talked yet, but I am mostly sure he is here because of Ysa”

“He didn’t say anything the last time we talked but basing on our conversation I don’t think he is just here for Ysa alone” Ia answered her mother while munching on her cookies “Oh ma, wait I forgot I’ll show you something” she put down her cookies and went upstairs to her room and quickly grabbed the letter that arrived today, she was about to close her door when she sees Yonghwa also coming out of Joohyuns room.

“Yo! Uncle Yong! So good to see you!” Ia hugged him

“Hey beautiful! Wow you’re getting prettier!”

“Don’t start, that won’t help you with mom it’s like just a month since we last saw each other I doubt there was a big difference between that time and now!”

“now I can’t even say my daughter is pretty?!”

She hooked her arms with Yonghwa and chuckled “try saying that in front of momzilla and you’ll probably be back in Korea by this time tomorrow” The two laughed and made their way to the kitchen. Joohyun was now putting the heated food on the kitchen counter when they approached her. Yonghwa took a seat beside her and Ia sat right across them placing the letter in front of her mother but not letting go of it

“okay, promised me you’ll think about this! Just don’t say no for now” she gave her mother a pleading look

“What’s this?” While taking the letter from Ia’s hand. She opened the enveloped and read the content. Yonghwa moved closer to be able to read the letter to which Joohyun shared with him. After they read the letter she looked at Yonghwa then closed her eyes trying to just absorb what she just read