On the day that my father decided to meet up with some friends and Baekhyun finally had to return to his office (lets just say his new employee was not as good as Taeyong), my mum brought me on a long-awaited mother-daughter date. 

My mum was one fun to be around. To put it into perspective, she was the one who convinced my dad to have an early retirement when she realised I was more than capable to maintain a life of my own. Then they flew off to their dream retirement destination together, not minding the fact that when they might not be able to rejoin the workforce again after their planned return in five years. She figured that a woman who did not have a honeymoon or any travels throughout her thirty years of marriage deserved that at the very least. 

Just as she had a strange choice for her life's plans, she had an odd sense of fun. 

The first place she wanted to go in the absence of Baekhyun was his old residence. Apparently both my parents had refrained from mentioning Mama Byun upon their return, even though they knew my friend would have been perfectly fine with that. So mum decided to drag me over to the house, and was surprised to find that Baekhyun had turned it into an Airbnb. 

"He contemplated selling it away since he knew he probably did not want to stay here anymore, but at the same time he wanted to keep it. So that guy refurnished a couple of rooms and the dining area a little," I explained as my mother gave understanding nods. Her only reply was complimenting Baekhyun on how smart he was to turn this into a source of income too, after his own business. I could tell from her smile and forlorn look at the gates that she was immensely proud of Baekhyun for being able to do that. 

"Do you remember that day, when you barely woke up and just ran out of the house in your pyjamas and slippers, straight to here?" Of course I did. 

A soft chuckle left our lips. 

It was the morning after Mama Byun's passing, and Baekhyun had just returned from the hospital. The first thing I read on my phone that day was "she left", and immediately I flipped out of bed and ran over in my pink polka-dot pyjamas and ugly flip flops. I didn't care that I showed up like a fashion terrorist, and neither did Baekhyun, because we both knew that the only thing he needed after that long night was a hug. In this big house, Baekhyun was suddenly alone. 

"You even slept over for a few nights," mum laughed, "you have no idea how torn your dad was. He knew it was a sensitive period but at the same time you were still in a relationship with that cheater then. It took me two solid hours of persuasion to reassure him. And see? I was right about you guys." 

A slight pang of guilt hit me, but then I was more distracted by the memory that mum had dug up. In those few days of stay, none of my words got to Baekhyun. What really jolted him back to reality from his daze though, was me burning his breakfast for three consecutive days. 

"If I remain in this state, both of us might just die from food poisoning." Those were his exact words. Baekhyun promptly stopped my cooking endeavours after that. After we moved in, Baekhyun had tried to improve my culinary skills, but it was already a miracle that I could now cook a total of five dishes. All thanks to him.

The next stop was Mama Byun's grave. I could see why she decided to visit today - she probably wanted to avoid visiting her old friend when Baekhyun was the one accompanying them. She stood motionless before the gravestone, holding on to a bouquet of flowers that we picked together at the florist. 

"Spring is coming, and so are blooming days ahead. Your Baekhyunnie is doing great too. He's bloomed. Have you been watching him too?" 

Mum may love to tease me, but deep in her heart she was the most (rightfully so) motherly figure that cared for not only me, but all those around me too. It wasn't that difficult, since her daughter was the kind to hang out with the same bunch pretty much since high school. Now that I think about it, Mama Byun and her had been rather close ever since Baekhyun and I forged our friendship. 

"I've been updating Mama Byun, she definitely knows that her son has bloomed," I turned to my mother, who smiled a little at my statement. 

"I think I'm jealous, Mama Byun. Sounds like my daughter updates you more than she does for me. Haven't heard her speak this gently about anyone in front of me." I laughed, embarrassed by my mum's mention of my terribly ungentle behaviours. It's not true though, that I update Mama Byun more than my parents. It's just that having your enthusiastic parents react to and like everything you say on social media, then subsequently grill you about them over Whatsapp, can be both heartwarming and tiring at the same time. So sometimes I deliberately keep things vague. To Mama Byun though, my visit to her graveyard every other month was an incessant rant about my colleagues and the antics of her own son. Not so much about his life, but more about his ridiculous joke