Chapter 2

That was weird – Haneul

What is? – Yumi

Earlier, with my dad and your mom – Haneul

OMG! You noticed also? – Yumi

After a few exchange of chats, Haneul called Yumi

“Sorry about earlier, like how my dad acted, I swear it was my first time seeing him freeze like that”

“Me too unnie same with my mom, in my 20 years my mom had always been polite and accommodating but earlier she was so stiff she barely acknowledge your dad, sorry about that, I didn’t know what had gotten into her.”

“It’s okay, it’s just weird, like they know each other”

Yumi’s eyes turned into big saucers as she sat up from her bed “Could it be?”

“Where you born here?” Haneul asked

“Nope, I was born in the US”

“Your mom tho where did she study? For college, here or US?”

“Here, cause she said she and dad went to the same university, in SNU as well”

“Really?! Coz my dad went there as well, reason why I have to go there and yeah basically my whole family went there”

“Wow is it like an initiation or something, and if you don’t pass they’ll throw you out?”

Haneul laughed “something like that but wait when did our mom enter university?”

Yumi shrugged as if Haneul can see her “I don’t know but she was born 1974”

“Aw, my dad 1972, do you know what course your mom took?”

“Now I’m one bad daughter because I really haven’t gotten a chance to interview mom about her school days”

Haneul clucked her tongue “Too bad, my dad took up music and then shifted to business eventually because my grandparents doesn’t like my dads course. He told me he loves music so much he was even in a band”

“Wouldn’t it be cool if my mom and your dad actually knew each other back then? Though I highly doubt since your dad took up music and I don’t see my mom having any interest in music at all”

“Yeah that would be nice”

Seconds tick by until Yumi spoke “Unnie what about your mom? Where did she study?”

She can hear her Haneul unnie sigh “well same as you I didn’t get to see my mom, at first they said she died while giving birth to me, then when I was around 8 I think, I overheard my grandparents arguing with my dad and I somehow heard that my mom left us for another man. For some reason I don’t know what to believe. I mean I guess regardless of what happened in the past, I would just hope she really just left, atleast she’s alive somewhere and well there’s this chance that I might see her one day, meet her.”

Yumi sympathized with the girl. She too was raised by a single parent but unlike her unnie, her dad is no longer living anywhere in the world. There won’t be any chance of her seeing him.  “Are you mad at her?” she asked

Haneul smiled form the other end “I was, during my rebellion years, alive or dead, I was mad at her, I was mad at her for leaving, I was mad that she’s not with us, especially during those times when nobody seem to understand me. Eventually I understood that no matter how you make the best out of your life…life will just be life. I made peace with it and besides, I’m now a grown woman, I’m 23, if things go as planned, Siwon and I plan to settle down 2 years from now. And I will have children of my own. It wouldn’t be good to have issues at something I’m not even sure. I asked dad when I was younger and he just chose to not answer me, so I learned to just let it be”

“Well atleast there’s still a chance your mom is alive, mine doesn’t. Mom said she threw my dads ash away at the Han River so this weekend I’ll be going there to pay my respect.”

“Want me to come with you?” Haneul asked

“If your free, then of course! It’s my first time seeing my dad it would be nice if I can introduce you to him as well”

“Great! It’s set! I gotta go I have to finish my term paper”

“Sure unnie I’ll check on my mom and sleep, Im so full from the food earlier I think i/m about to go into food coma, tell Siwon oppa thank you for the treat!”

“Sure will! Goodnight!”

“Night!”

Yumi hopped off her bed and went out of her room only to find her mom in their small kitchen crying.

“Mom?”

Joohyun looked at her daughter and cried louder. Yumi quickly approached her and hugged her “Mom are you okay?”

Her mom didn’t say anything and just continued crying. Her moms cry is very pain stricken that she can’t help but tear herself “Mom what’s wrong?”

Joohyun just shook her head

“I won’t be able to help you if you won’t say anything. You’re scaring me mom”

Joohyun removed her daughters arms and held them “I’m sorry honey, I was just so sad at what’s happening with grandpa, he’s not recognizing me anymore and Its just sad when people you love so much doesn’t even know who you are” and with that she bawled more

Yumi had nothing to say to that because