The night was dull for Seunghyun. Usually, at his own home, he’d partake in a serious match on Starcraft, or indulge in one of his many game consoles. But at the Kwon household, there was nothing for him to do. Lazily, he sulked into the kitchen where his aunt was still cleaning up the dishes.

“Good evening, imo,” He said, taking a seat at their breakfast nook. Seunghyun laid his head on his hand.

“I’m sorry that you’re bored,” Mrs. Kwon pouted as she noticed Seunghyun’s expression. “I don’t know what boys your age do nowadays, other than always go out. Jiyong is always going out.”

“I’m not like that,” Seunghyun replied proudly. “I can remain at home.”

“But I see you suffering.”

This was true. Seunghyun let out an exhausted sigh.

“You’re just like your mother,” said Mrs. Kwon. She placed the last of the clean dishes inside her cupboard and then turned back to Seunghyun. “She always wanted to go out and explore.”

“But look where she is now,” he scoffed.

Mrs. Kwon frowned. “Your mother was very successful.”

“She was.”

The sad look on Mrs. Kwon’s face still had not disappeared. After placing her last clean dish on the rack, she took a seat across her nephew.

“When you were little, I remember how you would always cling to your mother tightly when she held you. You really loved her, and she always told me how much she loved you, too.”

Seunghyun didn’t reply, but he rolled his eyes as his aunt spoke of his absent mother.

“This all may sound repetitive but you don’t understand. Your mother didn’t want to leave you – ”

“If she didn’t, then she wouldn’t have left so quickly, and without her saying goodbye,” replied Seunghyun bitterly, as he recalled the day his mother left him. “She chose us over work. My mother was surely a great actress. We were all fooled by the act of motherly love she put up.”

“Are you convinced that all you just said is true?”

“Yes, of course. I saw for myself the way she lacked emotion when she drove away. She didn’t care about me, or my father, all she cared about was – “

“That’s not true.” Mrs. Kwon abruptly interrupted her nephew. “You don’t know everything.”

“I do. My stepmother told me everything.”

“Really? And what - may I ask - has she told you?” Seunghyun’s aunt challenged.

“Well,” Seunghyun bit his lip, trying to think. “She said that my mother left us because of her career and the money and the fact that she couldn’t stand living with my father and me. She said that my mother hated us. It wasn’t only until she finally contacted me and asked me to stay with her in Paris did she apologize for leaving me.”

“Did she tell you why?”

“I don’t think she has any reason to. I already know.”

Mrs. Kwon sighed. “You don’t. Did you bother to ask her if what your stepmother said was true?”

Seunghyun shook his head slowly. “No…”

“Have you realized that around the time your mother and father began separating, your stepmother started working for your father?”

Seunghyun blinked, as he pondered for a moment. His aunt was right.

She continued, “Did it ever occur to you that your stepmom was behind your father and mother’s divorce?”

“What? No!” Seunghyun glared. “It was pretty obvious, even before my stepmother came in the picture, that my parents would be divorced.”

“Sure, they had disagreements, but not to the point where divorce was an option. Deep down your mother loved your father. She didn’t love the man he became. He was so focused on his work, and when that stepmother of yours came by, his mind was totally consumed with negativity.”

Seunghyun couldn’t believe what he was hearing from his own aunt. Was she defending her sister, or was she insulting his stepmom?

“Who told you that your mom left you and your father for her career?”

“My stepmom.”

“And did she ever tell you about the gifts your mother sent during each holiday?”

“Gifts? What gifts?” Seunghyun scratched his head.

“Exactly. She kept them from you and your dad. She made it look like your mother had moved on and forgotten about you.”

“That’s not entirely true. My stepmom let me visit her in Paris.”

Mrs. Kwon scoffed. “Of course, what could she do? She couldn’t keep your mom away forever, especially if she came here to Korea herself. If she didn’t come here and see you in person, you’d never have been able to talk to her.”

Seunghyun steadily tapped the kitchen counter he was leaning on. Was his stepmother behind all this? It did seem coincidental and everything his aunt revealed to him seemed to fit perfectly with reality. Frustrated, Seunghyun got up.

“Where are you going?” His aunt asked him as he headed out the front door with his car keys and a coat in hand.

“To get the truth.” He replied.

_____________________________________________________________________

A/N: A THOUSAND TIMES SORRY FOR KEEPING YOU ALL WAITING FOR A MONTH. I'm beating myself up right now as I speak. Anyone want to join in? Just grab a club or any other blunt object and swing away. haha, kidding. But yes, to be honest, I've loooost all sorts of inspiration to continue. Heck, I even forgot what this story was about (I had to re-read it to get back in the game).  I actually don't know what to write about now. I mean, well, Jiyong and Eunji have confessed they still like each other, Jiyong knows the truth about how Seunghyun really got into the academy, Seunghyun finds out about his lying stepmom... and I don't know. I've hit a major major wall. Help?