POHANG

“Bye, Ha Neul-ah! See you later!” Hye Seon waves her hand to Ha Neul with a smile. She's so glad because ever since her granddaughter was small, she knows, all she has wanted is to have a mother and she finally gets her Eomma back.

Looking at her grandmother, Ha Neul feels bad. She's going to leave her by herself. “Maybe Halmeoni should come too?” Ha Neul offers.

Hye Seon shakes her head. She wants her granddaughter to have one on one time with her own mother. “I should just stay here, I’m too tired from last night.”

Ha Neul frowns. She feels bad about leaving her grandmother by herself. “What are you going to do by yourself?”

“I bring my favorite book here!” Hye Seon exclaims, motioning inside the house with her thumb.

“Chaeksikjueuija?” Ha Neul wonders. Chaeksikjueuija or The Vegetarian is a novel by Han Kang, which is one of the best Korean pieces of literature.

“Eo.”

Ha Neul tilts her head before furrowing her brows. “You’ve read it more than 5 times. Maybe I should try reading it too.”

“Aniya, go.” Hye Seon chuckles. Her granddaughter starts talking nonsense. She gently pushes Ha Neul to go with her mother. “Ji Hyo-yah, go. I’ll be fine here.”

“Please call me if anything happens, Eomeoni.” Ji Hyo says with a smile, which gets replied by a nod from Hye Seon. She immediately closes the door when she sees Ha Neul is still frowning, so she doesn’t feel too bad.

“Say goodbye to Appa first, Im-” Ha Neul stops herself. “Eomma.” She corrects herself with a small voice.

Ji Hyo feels bad, but she still replies with a smile. “Of course, let’s go.”

Ha Neul finds her Appa in the hallway near the kitchen as soon as they open the door and hugs him immediately. “Appa, I’m going to the shop.”

“With Eomma?” Jong Kook moves the baby hair on Ha Neul’s face.

“Ne.” She doesn’t know why but she doesn’t feel comfortable yet calling Ji Hyo ‘Eomma’ and she doesn’t want to hurt her heart by keep calling her ‘Imo’. So, she settles with just avoiding the potential of calling.

Jong Kook scoots down to her level and hugs her tightly. “I’m so proud of you, gongjunim. Saranghae.”

Ha Neul understands the meaning behind his words that tucks a string in her heart. She takes a deep breath before replying to his hug. “Saranghae.”

“Shall we?” Ji Hyo asks after they're done hugging, extending her hand for Ha Neul to take.

Ha Neul nods and takes her hand with hesitation.

“Oppa, call me if anything happens.” Ji Hyo says to Jong Kook which gets replied by a nod, before walking outside. “I Seul-ah, be a good boy, okay?”

“Ne!” I Seul screams from inside.

As soon as they’re outside, Ha Neul lets go of Ji Hyo’s hand and walks ahead of her. Ji Hyo sighs before jogs a little bit to walk by her side. She really wants to talk to her daughter but doesn't know where to begin.

“Are you excited?” Ji Hyo asks all of a sudden because the silence is deafening. The only thing they can hear is their footsteps and the birds chirping around.

Ha Neul looks at her with a questioning look.

“About going to the shop.” Ji Hyo quickly explains.

Ha Neul shrugs before answering in a quiet voice. “Kind of.”

They then walk again in silence. Ji Hyo frowns slightly because she doesn't want to push her daughter.

“So, where is your shop?” Ha Neul opens a conversation suddenly when it feels too awkward.

“We have to go to the city.” Ji Hyo replies, feeling happy that Ha Neul is the one who's willing to make a conversation.

Ha Neul nods. “Is this place not the city?” She asks, motioning at her surrounding with her finger.

“Aniya, here is closer to the beach and slightly outside of the city.”

Ha Neul nods again. “How are we going to get there?”

“We have to take a bus.” Ji Hyo points at the bus station with a couple of people there. “Wear this hat, Ha Neul-ah. We don’t want people to start noticing you.” Ji Hyo takes a peach-colored bucket hat out of her bag.

Ha Neul takes the hat but just holds it in her hand. “No one knows me. But I haven’t taken a bus before.”

“Really?” Ji Hyo asks to both of the questions.

“Yes.” Ha Neul also replies to both of the questions. “We use cars in Seoul, with black glasses.”

Ji Hyo knows that so very well, but she’s going to let her daughter tell the stories. “Ah, tinted glasses. Yes, because celebrities do need privacies, huh?”

Ha Neul nods her head. “Are you a celebrity?” Little Ha Neul never looks up for her mother on the internet because it never crossed her mind.

“I was.” Ji Hyo answers with a small smile when they arrive at the bus station.

“How does it feel like to take a bus?” Ha Neul asks again when they’re still waiting for the bus. She has always been full of curiosity since a little toddler.

“It’s definitely different from cars. You should experience it by yourself.” Ji Hyo answers, not wanting to spoil the fun.

Ha Neul’s eyes start to light up when they see a bus. “Is this our bus?”

“Yes, let’s go.” Ji Hyo extends her hand again and this time Ha Neul takes it tightly. “Welcome to your very first bus ride.” She whispers on her ear.

Ji Hyo sits beside Ha Neul, who’s busy admiring the interior of the bus.

Not until thirty minutes later, they arrive at the city’s bus station that’s full of people.

“Is this your shop?” Ha Neul is still holding Ji Hyo’s hand tight