Chapter 53- A Small Transformation

Sunlight beamed through the windows, shining onto Wonwoo’s face. He tossed and turned around in bed, not wanting to get up. He relented when he realized the sun was never getting off his back. He sat up, ruffling his hair, looking around the room. I’m not home. Oh. Right. Yesterday. Wonwoo got up and washed himself up, changing in a new set of clothes. He grabbed his wallet and fully charged phone, leaving the guesthouse. He let out a small smile as he walked on the gravel road. It had only been one night, but he was feeling much better. It definitely helped having no one around you, trying to comfort you. One thing people never realized was the fact that they were bringing up the pain and hurt whenever they try to comfort the other party. Sometimes, all a person needs is a listening ear or a shoulder to simply lean on.

Getting on a bus, Wonwoo was on his way to the Sunrise Peak. It had one of the most beautiful scenery views, and people usually gathered there to watch the sun rise as the name suggests. On his way to the peak, he his phone again.

From: Fluffy Hoonie

WTF…I can’t believe you went all the way to Jeju Island…

WITHOUT ME. :<

Stay safe please…and take lots of pictures for me.

You know…he really misses you.

And…he stayed for the night in your room…

Tell me when you’re coming back.

We’ll pick you up.

To: Fluffy Hoonie

Yessss…I’ll take lots of pictures for sappy Hoonie. XD

I think I’ll be going back…tomorrow…

The plane will reach around…11 in the morning?

I have something crazy I wanna do…

From: Jeonghannie Hyung

Won…are you feeling alright?

I heard from…him.

Don’t worry…I’ve talked to him. Can you give him a chance to explain things? Please?

For hyung?

From: Soonyoung

Yah…I haven’t receive a single reply from you.

And I had to hear from Seungcheol hyung that you went to Jeju…

THE NERVES OF YOU.

WHY DIDN’T YOU BRING US WITH YOU T_T

To: Soonyoung

Sorry youngie…hehehe.

I turned off my phone…sorry for no reply…

I’ll buy something home for you~

From: Seungkwannie

HYUNG!

HOW COULD YOU GO TO MY HOMETOWN WITHOUT ME!

I WANTED TO GO…

To: Seungkwannie

Sorry Seungkwan…It was an impromptu trip…

I’ll bring you along the next time…hyung promises…

I’ll buy you something~

And lastly…

From: PupGyu

Baby…I saw all those messages and presents you prepared for me…

Can we talk when you come back…?

I really miss you a lot…

Without you around……my heart feels…really empty.

Wonwoo didn’t reply to that last message. He didn’t know what to say. He alighted from the bus, and walked up to the peak. It was a little tiring, but Wonwoo knew it would all be worth it when he reached the top. When he eventually did, he couldn’t feel happier. The wind was blowing in his face, almost like blowing the burdens and troubles off his mind and shoulder. He has never felt this relaxed in a long time. He didn’t forget to take pictures of the view in front, and also taking selfies of himself. He sent a few to his friends and laughing out loud when they all replied with an angry face.

“I wish you were here with me mum…I remember how happy you were when we came the last time…” Wonwoo whispered under his breath, as he sat down on the bench, admiring the beautiful scene.

“Where did you go…I really miss you a lot…if only you were here…you would have known what to do. I feel so lost now…” Wonwoo whispered, closing his eyes as he felt the sun warming him up. The heat was just right, keeping Wonwoo warm, but not too warm to make him break out sweating. After sitting under the sun for almost 2 hours, Wonwoo decided to leave and go walk around to explore and to get some presents as he promised. Back on the bus, he took out his phone again.

From: Fluffy Hoonie

What crazy?!

Yah don’t you even dare…

To: Fluffy Hoonie

Excuse me. I wouldn’t kill myself over a breakup.

I’ve thought things through already…

You wanna go dye your hair? We can do it together. Hehe.

From: Fluffy Hoonie

…and why would you wanna do that?

You gave me a ing lecture on why we shouldn’t dye our hair.

Now you’re asking me to do it with you?

Are you out of your mind?

Return Jeon Wonwoo…you alien

To: Fluffy Hoonie

I overheard this bunch of kids talking just now…

They were saying that a person only lives once.

You know? YOLO.

Let’s just do it.

From: Fluffy Hoonie

O.O

Since when were you into like these?!

To: Fluffy Hoonie

Let’s just say heartbreaks change people a little.

So are you in?

I remember you saying that you wanna dye your hair pink?

From: Fluffy Hoonie

…I was just thinking about it…

To: Fluffy Hoonie

Well since our school allows…

LET’S DO IT.

Wonwoo smiled to himself. He had made up his mind. To start afresh. By himself. He wasn’t going to let anyone hurt him anymore. Wonwoo travelled to a Hallabong farm, the same one his mother brought him to 10 years back. There were many tourists there, picking the fruit one by one. Wonwoo smiled as he remembered his mother carrying him as he picked the fruit the last time. If only she could be here with him now. He could easily pick one quite high up with the advantage of his height. He shook his head as he felt tears pricking his eyes. He picked quite a bit of Hallabongs, placing them into the box provided. When he was done, he carried the box and brought it to the counter.

“Alone?” The old lady asked as she weighed the fruits Wonwoo picked. Wonwoo smiled, nodding his head.

“Your eyes are really beautiful…you remind me of a lady who visited this place years ago…she said she came here because she missed her son. She also told me that Jeju was the first and only holiday vacation she had been to with her son. And she really regretted not having more money to bring her son out often…” The old lady sighed. The story caught Wonwoo’s attention. It sounded really familiar and close to heart. Something was telling him that it could possibly be his mother. But then again, he wasn’t the only one who came to Jeju with his mother years ago, and it being the first and only holiday…

“D-do you know the l-lady’s name?” Wonwoo asked politely, trying to satisfy that curiosity inside of him. If that lady was really his mother like that intuition in him said, what could he do? It wasn’t like he could find her with that few clues.

“Nah…I never had the chance to ask her. The last time she came here, was 8 years ago…she said that her son was adopted and she could finally let go…never saw her after that…” The old lady said. Wonwoo’s heart dropped. Wait. It can’t be right? But it was too much of a coincidence. Someone else getting adopted 8 years ago…and the old lady never saw the woman again. Wonwoo stumbled backwards, and the old lady guided him towards a bench.

“Son…are you feeling okay? You seem quite pale? Do you need me to call your parents?” The old lady asked, patting Wonwoo’s back. Wonwoo shook his head, wiping the tears off his cheeks.

“May I ask…what are you doing here alone? It isn’t common to have kids your age come here themselves…” The old lady asked, rubbing Wonwoo’s back, trying to make the younger feel better.

“I-I needed to clear my mind…and this was…the place my mother brought me to…10 years ago…” Wonwoo said, sniffing.

“You don’t think…that lady I was talking about…was your mother…right?” The old lady asked again. This time, Wonwoo shrugged his shoulders.

“D-do you know what happened…to t-that lady?” Wonwoo asked, looking at the old lady with hopefully eyes.

“I heard…that her health wasn’t in a good condition? It was so long ago…I can hardly remember…” The old lady said. Wonwoo thanked her nonetheless, picking up his emotions. He wrote his address on the box, and the Hallabongs he picked would be shipped to his house