Chapter 10: Rebellious Stage

Yerin walked her adopted daughter to the child's front gate. She lets go of the little girl's hand but the younger girl just holds on.

"Go on, get in." Yerin said to the silent child. The younger girl lets go and runs inside the house. Looking at her back leaving her behind without a goodbye left a bit of a lonely feeling in Yerin. She might have been a bit cold but she didn't expect the same treatment from Sinb too. She'd been too used to the child's sweet actions. 

Sinb entered the house and went directly to where her parents were. She  climbed onto her mommy Eunha and hugged her.

"What's the matter baby?" Her mom asked the little girl but Sinb just shook her head.

"Did you get your kiss?" Her mom asked. The young girl kissed her mom and said, "Yeah".

"Ooooooh, I want a kiss too." Sinb's other mom said and went to steal Sinb from Eunha to have her kiss.

The two mothers had a lighthearted competition of whoever gets another kiss from their daughter. However, the two mothers got sidetracked and went into a discussion about liking their daughter more than the wife which later turned into tantrums and consoling sessions. Sinb, who didn't feel like being dragged into their banter-disguised flirting session, excused herself and went to bed.

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After Some Days

Eunha looked at Sowon with deep concern in her eyes.

"I wonder if Yerin will come today." Eunha thinks out loud, trying to gauge her daughter's feeling about the matter.

"I'm fine mom. There is nothing to worry about." Sinb repeats her line for the past several days. Both her parents have been silently communicating in front of her and its making her feel annoyed.

"I still think you should just talk to Yerin about whatever this is." Eunha stops playing with her untouched burger.

"Moooooom! For the nth time mom, this has nothing to do with eonni. I'm just not feeling like going out and playing with others." She continued eating her snack.

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SOWON'S POV

"What are you doing?! Let me go!" Yerin tried to peel my arms off from her waist. She pushed and pinched me but I held her tight till I got her in my car and drove to a ditch far away so I can murder her  . . . . . . . . . That was a joke -__- but I did drive to a not so nearby quiet place so we could talk.

I went out of the car and opened her door for her to get down too. She didn't move so I just carried her sulking self out and marched up the slightly steep cemented pathway going to a beautiful highrise park at the top of a hill. Maybe I should have just went to a convenience store. This is really bothersome but I still continued hiking up the hill.

"Get down, we're here." I said and crouched down so she could get off me but she just clung to me. I was out of breath and tired so I just let her be for the time being and just focused on catching my breath. After a while, she got bored and just willingly let go.

She walked to the railings that were at the edge of the hill and looked over the busy city streets. I went to stand beside her and also admired the view.

I let out a deep breath and turned to her but midway, I changed my mind. I have an idea of what happened and because I do understand what she told me before when we talked, I don't have the heart to push my thoughts as a mother on her.

It's just. . . . A little too complicated for children to go through.

I see my daughter, distraught for the past several days and its killing me.

I let out another breath and just kept quiet. I'm not trying to guilt trip her. What am I, a passive aggressive bully?!

I just. . . . . . I like them both. I want them to be well, the both of them. I know we bicker a lot, me and this little demon, but she's one of the constant beings in my life and though most of the time, I want the ground to just eat her whole, I might still like her. Ok I admit, I do like her. (SIGH)

"This is so awakward and yet, at the same time it isn't." She awkwardly laughs. I smile a little.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." I let out a soft laugh too.

" I hate how things are." She starts.

"I know you do." I would hate it too if I were her.

"And I hate you too." She continues -__-

I smile to myself which blooms into an honest laugh. "I was actually getting scared that you might fall for me instead, so that makes me relieved." I smirk at her. She gives out a disgusted look, and I just continued flirting with her.

We went on an exchange of flirty lines and insults which ended with her raising an imaginary white flag. According to her, she might really throw up if she hears another nauseating line from me.

We sat down on the cemented floor, our legs dangling from the cliff and our heads are in between the railings.

"I just want to say that, life isn't all about romance. It never was and it never will." I'm looking at the slow moving clouds but I can see her looking at me through my peripheral vision.

"Life isn't all about the pain too." I folded my arms on the railing just above my chest and placed my chin on it while still looking at the sky.

"I never knew that you've got it in you, being mature, that is." I might have stepped too far with my unwanted opinions, because she seemed troubled now.

"Hey, don't be sad. What I mean is that, you might be hurting now but sometime in the future, this wouldn't matter anymore. Just get past it and you'll be fine." I tried to cheer her up.

"I do understand what you mean. But understanding it and feeling it are different things and I'm not mature enough to control my emotions." She burried her face in her arms.

"You're coping up very well actually. I'm amazed at how mature you are for your age."

"I might be mature for my age but I won't be able to catch you so don't fall for me grandma." She said out of the blue.

"Yah! I'm being serious here and you're ruining the good image that you had finally made. Don't make me regret." I glare at her then we both laugh.

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More days pass by . . . . .

YERIN'S POV

Since I stopped going to Eunbi's house, I got more time to hang-out with my same-aged friends. Now they are pulling me into an all-too-familiar fast food store.

"I'm not going!!!!!" I tried to run away but they kept me in place. They said I was tooooooo heartbroken that they feel so uncomfortable looking at me. They are accustomed to me being a happily in-love flirty person and now seeing me like this is affecting the whole group's mood.

"We'll pay for your food so its a double win for you. So stop whining and come on." Joy pulled me by the wrist.

"Its not a double win 'cause I don't want to see them and I'm not hungry. You won't pay for anything 'cause I'm not ordering anything." I reasoned out.

"Then don't order anything. We're still going. Lets go guys." 

'Thiiiiiiisssss issssss sooooo awkward!' I screamed in my head. I shouldn't have told them.

When we entered the cozy looking store that made me feel melancholic. This place screamed my childhood life. I can literally imagine my younger self sitting on one stool at the counter, happily disturbing my first love while she was wiping the counter between us. My eyes strayed to the other areas of the all-too-familiar establishment. I wanted to run away that instant but a jolly voice that stirred my whole being happily walked to us.

I know I'm being overly dramatic again. I'm a child! I'm supposed to be dramatic. Atleast I'm not being such a brat like I'm supposed to be. You should commend me for that. Ugh! Should I run for it or what?

I felt two arms around my unresponsive body. I can smell her perfume. I loved that smell. I just kept my eyes on the floor so I won't see those cute beautiful eyes (four cute eyes were looking at me in my mind), those cute cheeks (I remember the mother daughter pair squeezing my face with their cheeks), that mesmerizing smile (I see Sinb with her cute innocent smile). I shake my head with the thought. What the heck! I don't have time to entertain that carbon copy.

"Eunbi is the cutest!" I heard my friends say while talking to Eunha. Flashbacks kept showing in my head. I see all the times Sinb followed me and kept spouting that she's the cutest and sporting a very endearing pout because I never forget to oppose her claims. At first I did that out of spite because I hated the thought of her trying to replace Eunha in my life but I don't know when exactly wherein I just did that to get a cute reaction from her. BUT EUNBI IS STILL THE CUTEST FOR ME! And another flashback of little Sinb appeared. SERIOUSLY?!

I was glaring at the floor when Eunha called out to me which I didn't hear 'cause apparently I was too busy talking to myself.

Joy slapped my arm in a not too subtle way to get my attention. I looked up and I was shocked to see Eunha. I totally forgot that she was here. I looked at my friends and asked what they were talking about. They just looked at me and pointed to the older woman with their eyes.

"Ahh, yes" I just randomly blurted an answer and they all cheered in joy. Now I'm more confused. I pulled Joy's sleave and asked her what's happening.

"Eunha-ssi said that we can eat anything we want, it's on the house!" She whispered to me.

"What?! No! We are paying." I objected. I am not owing Eunha anything while I'm in this state. My pride won't allow me.

"Its fine Yerin. You've been gone for so long and its for how they got you to come here, that's the least I could do."

"No, we'll pay." I'll pay no matter what.

"Don't mind her. If she wants to pay, let her." Sowon agreed which helped me a lot. "The rest can eat anything without worries. You don't need to pay." The lamppost continued. THE HECK!

I tried to argue but I was on my own against all of them and they didn't really listen to me anyway. I just slipped into a booth when the others went to order.

Our orders arrived and we started eating while they were all out teasing me 'cause the older woman kept on walking by our booth and kept on asking as about anything. It didn't help when she kept on glancing my way which fuelled their teasing more. I would have enjoyed the teasing then, before everything that happened.

I was just thinking that it could not get worse when I saw the said woman carrying a child that was blindfolded. We all know who that child is, of course.

She stopped in front of our booth. She placed the child on the floor facing us.

"Look who's here! TADA!" She said while taking the blindfold off Sinb. The child blinked before focusing on our group until our eyes met.

I missed those eyes.

She smiled at me and I couldn't help but to return it with a smile of my own.

"Aren't you glad?" Eunha teased and Sinb's smile disappeared and was replaced with a scowl.

"No I'm not!" She shouts before running away.

"Baby!" Eunha calls after her but doesn't follow her. "She's been in her rebellious stage lately. Don't mind her." Then she goes on to other topics with my friends.

I wasn't in the mood to join them so I just looked out the window, looking at the child who was hiding in the darkness in front of the store looking at me. I know she's looking at me and I know she knows I'm doing the same to her.

"Eunbi-yah"

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Dec 25, 2019
9:59 am