Chapter Ten: Bond

“What happened to Taeminie?”

Upon the mention of his name, Taemin raised his head and looked at his mom. His eyes were a bit unfocused and his cheeks were red. Upon seeing his mom, his face broke into a wide grin.

“Mom, you’re here!” he exclaimed enthusiastically.

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, his hand slipped from Naeun’s shoulders as he took a step forward. He attempted to give his mother a hug. However, due to his unsteady gait, he ended up swaying to the side. Naeun was quick to help him but she ended getting pulled along with him.

“Omo!” Mrs. Lee gasped. Within seconds, she was at Taemin’s side to help the struggling Naeun. Together, they assisted Taemin to stay upright.

Taemin’s shoulders vibrated as he let out a small laugh. “Whoops! I almost lost my balance.” He laughed as he spoke.

Mrs. Lee swatted her son’s arm. Her eyes were narrowed as she spoke. “It’s not funny!” she scolded. “Stop laughing.”

Taemin bit his lower lip to contain his laughter. “Sorry, mom.” He apologized. A thin smile edged his lips.

Meanwhile, Naeun was quiet as she watched the exchange between mother and son. She was feeling a little light headed from the sudden turn of events. Never did she expect that she would encounter Taemin’s mother in this kind of situation. If she was given a choice, she would have wanted it to be in a better circumstance.

It had been a long while since the last time she saw the elder lady, and she could say that they were quite close in the past. Whenever Taemin would bring her home to visit, his mother would often, as Taemin calls it, ‘steal her’ from him. They used to spend a lot of time in the kitchen as they bonded over hours of cooking. The elder lady was patient and soft-spoken, much like her son. It was through Mrs. Lee’s guidance that her culinary skills improved.

“Naeunie?”

The mention of her name broke her out of her reverie. She did not realize she got lost in her thoughts.Son Naeun, stop spacing out! She chastised herself. Lately, there had been many times when she caught herself doing so.

She turned to look at the person who spoke and smiled sheepishly. “Yes?” she asked.

“Are you okay?” Mrs. Lee spoke softly, her face etched with concern.

She nodded. Somehow, she was feeling a little awkward and conflicted. After all that had happened, she was unsure on how she should interact with the elder lady. Should she treat her like before, or would they go back to being strangers?

She smiled bitterly as a heavy feeling coursed through her veins. The idea of being treated like a stranger did not sit well with her. In her most personal thoughts, she knew she still wanted the kind of relationship she previously had with the elder lady.

“How much did he drink?”

She was pulled away from dwelling into that sinking feeling when the elder lady spoke.

She shrugged, completely pushing away her negative thoughts and feelings. “I’m not really sure,” she answered.

Mrs. Lee gave her a blank look. “I thought you were together?” she asked.

She shook her head. “He was with his friends when I saw them. He was already drunk then,” she explained.

Mrs. Lee gave her son a defeated look. “Aigo,” she murmured, “why did you drink so much?” She pinched Taemin’s right cheek.

“Mom!” Taemin swiftly turned his face away from his mom and leaned towards her. “It hurts,” he cried, rubbing his reddened cheek with the palm of his hand.

Mrs. Lee made a face. “That’s what you get for drinking too much,” she scolded.

“But mom, I didn’t drink that much,” he claimed and pouted his lips. “I swear, I just had a few shots,” he promised, scratching at the backside of his head.

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