Mino said something funny as I laughed and left his office and closed the door behind me. He was such a goofball. The perfect match for Youngji's all too serious characteristics. Speaking of the wench, thank goodness she had the sense to finally call me and give me a headsup, God knows where. Hence why I was in Mino's office. I gave him a basic rundown on what she was up to. He was MIA last week so I figured I would fill him in.

Walking down the hall with a satisfied smile my mind strays to Jackson. It's been  two weeks since I last received a call from him. I hope he's not so busy as to forget about me. I miss him and even though I feel guilty over going along with his assumption that I am the girl who stayed in contact with him, I can't help it because now I know that he is the 'one'. I'm so glad he is persistant. I take out my phone and look fondly over the screen picture. It was a picture of me and Jackson that Youngji had taken the day we went to pick him up at the airport almost two months ago. He had both arms around my shoulder as I looked at him in surprise. That was the moment I learned what regret was. I regretted not keeping in contact with him to see where things would go between us over the years. That's why I spent the whole month he had in Seoul by his side...or whenever possible.  I let out a sigh. I guess I'll have to call him after work. 

I am about to put away my phone when it starts buzzing in my grasp. Checking my caller ID, I notice that it is my mom. Answering the phone, I put it to my ear. 

"Oh, Umma. You called? Do you miss your daughter already?" I tease.

The sound of crying comes through to my ear.

"Suzy-ah, my child. Your Appa..." she doesn't continue. She can't because her crying grows hysterical.

My heart seizes in my throat. "Umma...what's wrong?" 

"Umma! Why are you being like this? Tell me what's wrong...where's Appa?" 

I hear more crying and then the phone is taken away as the familar voice of my Uncle fills the line.

"Suzy-ah...your dad met with an head on collision going back to his office from his scheduled lunch meeting."

"No. That can't be true.No..." I hear a faraway voice saying, not even realizing that it's my own.

"Sweetheart. Listen to Uncle. He died on impact...I'm sorry." 

As if in a dream I hear distant shouting and remember falling but just as quickly I'm caught up in a pair of strong arms.

"I got you sweetheart." He comforts me as he gathers me into his arms. He is going somewhere with me but I have no idea where.

"Appa..." I remember chanting over and over even as I draw closer into the comfort that his arms offer. 

~~~

Once the plane lands in Seoul, I turned my phone. Honestly, because I'm  selfish, I turned off my phone the night I went to meet Youngji at Indigo. Once it powered up I saw a few missed calls from Mino and more than a few from Suzy. I even had a couple from my parents.

Now I'm curious. Both Mino and Suzy left me voice messages. I glance over at Youngji. Seeing the same look I have on my face, on her face I smile in encouragement and pull her into me for a kiss. "Babe. It'll be okay." I tell her as I breathe her in.  I slide my hand down her arm and wrist, stopping to play with the jade bracelet I gave her weeks go.  I smile remembering the relunctance in which she showed when I helped her slide it onto her wrist this morning, insisting that she not be too suspicious yet.  My girl is so adorable when she wants to be. 

She fixes my jacket lapels and looks back to her phone as we walk hand in hand through our gate and into the airport.

Putting the phone to my ear, I listen to the voice messages and everything in my freezes in that same moment Youngji stiffens beside me listening to her own messages. She doesn't relax after the messages are over and I try to get through to her. In fact, her eyes go liquid with unshed tears and I know she's barely hanging on by a thread.

I turn her toward me command, "Give me your keys, Love." 

Her hands tremble beneath mine as she tries to pull away from me but I tighten my hold. "We'll get through this, baby. I swear." I hug her to me, too afraid to let go.

~~~

After what seems like a lifetime, we finally get in contact with Mino who was generous enough to let Jackson borrow one of his black suits and a pair of white gloves. Needing some time to process all this without Jackson witnessing my breakdown, I go to home to change after Mino tells me he would be the one to take Jackson to the funeral home. 

Inside my car, I broke down for Suzy and her family...for the loss of "Uncle Bae Mine" as I affectionately called him since Kindercare. I cried until it felt like I had no no more tears left to give and then I drove home to find a black hanbok and a sentimental father waiting at the door to give me a much needed hug.

 Because my father volunteered to be of help the Bae's in getting things to run smoothly during their time of mourning, we had to run a few errands before arriving at the funeral home itself. When I finally stepped into the sanctuary where Uncle Bae's body was being held, I tearfully paid my respects just as a daughter would and sat with Auntie and Suzy to give them the much needed solace and comfort.

Fifteen minutes after my arrival, Jackson came through the sanctuary doors. Suzy surprised everyone when she caught sight of him at the door.  This is because, uncaring the remaining guests, she launches herself off of the floor and flies into into his arms,heartbroken. Auntie Bae watches all this and cries harder.

"Honey. Now that you are gone...Who will watch over our baby?" She laments achingly. 

"Auntie, please do take care." I reach over to hold her hand. 

"Youngji-ah...Uncle always listens to you...tell him to come back, please?"  A new wave of tears hit me and emotions clog up my throat. 

"I'm so sorry." I say. I find myself repeating those words. 

"Please." She takes me by the wrists and shakes me. "Please...." She begs until she has no strength left and is clinging to me weakly like I am a life support.

"I'm so sorry." I repeat again as tears run down my cheek. 

Someone must have raised a silent alarm because in the next moment, Mino comes through another door located to our left toward the front and carefully draws Auntie Bae away from me and into his arms. 

"Go take a break, Sweetheart." He says against my ear. At my nod, he sends me a wink and turns to face the altar with her again.

I am about to go out where Mino entered from but a few people start filing in from there while no one was near the back door so I had no other choice.

As I am about to pass Jackson and Suzy, I can't help but pause. I rumple her hair and give her a kiss on the cheek .  "Stay strong, Bae Suzy-ah." I whisper. 

Her head is still against Jackson's chest as she turns it towards me and nods with watery eyes. I quickly wipe a tear that escapes her eye and shake my head at her. "I'll be back in a bit." Again she nods and sends me a watery smile before turning back the other direction. Clearly she needs some rest.

I'm one foot away from my freedom when I feel a vise like grip on my wrist. I don't look at him but I do shut my eyes and pray for strength. I then look at him and my eyes plead with his to let me go. His jaw ticks and I move to step away but he doesn't give an inch. I feel something shift on my wrist and look down. Jackson must have felt it also because he too looks down.

The clasp to bracelet is broken. 

He tries to force to stay on my wrist but the clasp  only falls further apart. When Suzy shifts a bit in his arms, he finally lets go only to have the bracelet shatter against the hard floor tiles.

People turn their heads to look but I'm already out the door.