CHAPTER 52: Come and Go

Saturday morning looks bright as usual. And as usual, Jonghyun spent time to have breakfast with his dad. But what unusual was Jonghyun looked a little gloomy. His dad had been watching, waiting for his son to begin the conversation. But Jonghyun only ate the breakfast in silence. Finally, Mr. Kim started the conversation by writing on his notes and showed it to Jonghyun.

Do you have to work in a restaurant today?

Jonghyun read a note from his dad and replied, "Yes, Dad .. What's wrong?"

I want to go to Gangneung, haven’t been to your grandparents' graves for a long time. Can I go there myself?

"Don’t go alone, Dad .. I'll accompany you to go there on summer vacation."

When did the summer vacation begin?

"Two weeks more.. Wait me until summer, okay? Don’t go alone .. It will make me worry .."

Mr. Kim chuckled.

Do you know that now you are the one who makes me worry?

Jonghyun frowned. "Uhm? Why?"

You look gloomy. What’s wrong?

"Ah .. I'm fine, Dad .." Jonghyun was lying as he bent his head down.

Mr. Kim put down his spoon and looked at Jonghyun before writing down the sentence he wanted to say.

I see you gloomy. I wonder what makes my son gloomy.

I'm really waiting for you to say it yourself. But even I have asked you, you don’t want to tell me.

Why? Is it because you don’t want to make me worry?

Jonghyun stared at his dad after reading his sentences. Suddenly he felt guilty, moreover when his dad added his sentences.

Do you know that it's what worries me.

Just imagine if in order to make you not worry I go quietly to Gangneung without telling you?

Jonghyun bent his head.

Jju ya, do you want to help dad not to worry?

Jonghyun looked at his dad, feeling embarrassed after reading his notes. "I'm sorry, Dad .. I don’t know if my silence actually makes you more worried .. I .. I'm just thinking about something."

Jonghyun took a deep breath before saying, "In order not to feel the pain, I deliberately close my heart. But even though my heart has been tightly closed, why am I still feeling hurt? " Jonghyun bent his head down. While playing the spoon, he continued, "The girl I like seems now liking another guy, dad .. She has forgotten me."

Jonghyun chuckled. "Actually I really have no right to be disappointed, angry, or jealous. That’s because when she gave her heart to me, I created the wall between us. But I never thought that seeing her with another guy would be as painful as this." Jonghyun smiled. It was like his habit to smile every time he felt hurt.

His dad held out his notes again, responding to Jonghyun's outpouring of heart.

Don’t say you have no right to be disappointed, angry, or jealous.

That's your own feeling, Jju ya.

You have full rights to it.

After Jonghyun read it, his dad picked up the notepad and wrote a few more sentences.

You also have the right to be happy. One of them by fighting for your love.

Jonghyun paused to read the sentence from his dad. The short sentence was like having a magical power that warms his heart.

His dad added another.

Don’t be afraid to be happy Jju ya.

Because if you resist to feel happy, that means you also hold the urge for dad to feel the happiness.

Jonghyun looked at his dad deeply, feeling both touched and sad to read his dad's sentence.

And his dad slowly stood up and walked slowly with his crutches. He walked slowly toward Jonghyun and Jonghyun also stood up to him. His dad then embraced Jonghyun tightly. He hugged him for a long time.

Jonghyun was actually a bit confused. It seems to have long since he embraced his dad like this. The last time was when he won the Olympiad. Now he returned his dad's embrace with a tight hug. Though they both hugged in silence, they both understood that they were very fond of each other and were grateful to each other.

His dad let go of the hug and then showed his pinky finger. It made Jonghyun's forehead crease, "Uhm? What do you mean, Dad? "

His dad pointed to the right pinky finger and then showed left pinky finger and linked the two.

"Oh, dad wants me to promise?"

His dad nodded, then he smiled and pointed at his smile before then linked the two pinky fingers again.

Jonghyun paused and smiled. "Do you want me to promise to be happy?"

His dad nodded firmly with a smile, before then gave his right pinky finger, waiting for Jonghyun to link it with his finger.

Jonghyun's heart felt so warm, it felt like tears would spill. But he held it back. Now is not the time to cry. Jonghyun said to himself.

Then he linked pinky finger to his dad's finger. "I promise to always be happy, Dad .. so dad will be happy too."

His dad smiled.

They continued the breakfast with Jonghyun confessing to his dad that the girl he like is Hanna. His dad told Jonghyun to make sure Hanna’s feeling to him and may just give up only if Hanna already liked other guy. And his dad asked Jonghyun not to be sad if that happens, because basically people come and go in this life. If it isn’t Hanna, there will be another girl who got his heart. Jonghyun was embarrassed if they continue to talk about Hanna so he changed the subject starting from discussing his internship plan in the summer to a new menu at Il Mondo. Although Jonghyun and his dad communicate in different way, but it doesn’t reduce the togetherness of dad and son.

After breakfast, as usual Jonghyun washes the dishes, while his dad returns to the room to read the book. Jonghyun went through his usual activities, studying for SAT preparation. After he finished studying, he showered and prepared to go to work.

As he was about to leave for work, he had no idea that he would find his dad curled up on his bed holding