Baby Steps (pt. 2)
The Last SongMinsook breathed in the crisp and salty air wafting in from the crashing waves. It was now the middle of spring, and the temperature was just starting to warm up. The last few weeks had still held the cool remnants of the passing winter, and the next few would foreshadow the scorching summer that was around the corner, but now it was just perfect.
"Waaaaaaaaaah! Omma! Isn't this nice? Is this the place you talked about? Can we come here more often?" SoEun frolicked along the sand, leaving tiny footprints.
"Omma... is this.. is this Paradise?"
Minsook patted her head. "No sweetie, this is the beach. We used to come here a lot when your sister was your age," she smiled. Minsook reminisced the last time she went here. SoEun was so little back then. It really has been long. Why haven't we once been here after that day, she wondered. Ever since her husband got a better job, the time spent at this beach decreased and soon faded to none. Why though? It was never far. It's always been there. She was thankful that nothing has changed. Even the air smelt the same. Salty, crisp. She inhaled deeply and stared into the distance. I'd love to see Minyoung my little SoEun grow up beautifully here. Will I be able to? She looked at SoEun, then at Junho, who was already piling sand into buckets to build a sandcastle.
"Nuneo!!" SoEun whined, "You need to put that tower over here!" She pointed to a sandy mound she made with her hands.
"No! I want it to be right here!" Junho said stubbornly.
"But that's not high enough! How is the princess suppose to wait for her prince? She wouldn't be able to see him!! Om--"
Junho sulked. "Fine. Why don't you build it then? I'll go find shells! Okay?" SoEun's face brightened up a little. YAY! She hummed to herself while constructing the sand fortress. So pretty! It was complete with four turrets and a huge waterway to prevent 'enemies' from harming the imaginary 'princess' that dwelled in it.
"Omma! Look!! Isn't it pretty, omma? Will I live in a place like this when I grow up?"
"Remember what I told you yesterday night? Nothing is impossible if you pray, right?"
SoEun clasped her hands as if praying. One day, when I grow up, I will live in a palace like this, and find my Prince like in those stories Omma always tells me about! She giggled to herself as she admired her masterpiece. Something seemed to be missing, though..
"Nuneo-yah!!!! Nuneoooooooo!!" She called. Where was Junho with the shells?? Did he steal them for himself?
Seeing SoEun pout, Minsook asked, "What's the matter, sweetie? Is there something wrong?"
"Nuneo.. he's not here yet.. he promised to look for shells but why isn't he here yet..?" SoEun whined. A sandcastle just isn't complete without shells!
Minsook then spotted a little figure in blue hopping towards them. "There he is! See what I told you?" her daughter was so impatient sometimes. Junho wasn't even gone THAT long.
"What took you so long?" SoEun grumbled. She glanced at his bucketful of shells, and her eyes lit up again. "Wah! That's alot.. Did you take pretty ones?"
"Of course!! I even found a treasure, you know!"
"Treasure? What treasure?! Let me see!! I want it too!" SoEun turned to Minsook. "How come Nuneo gets one? I want one! I want treasure!"
Junho stuck his tongue out. "It's a secret. I'll show you when we visit here next time!"
"But that's so long!!!! I want to know NOW!" SoEun pleaded. She looked at Minsook, but the woman just smiled. She was sure that it wasn't really something. Just SoEun's curiosity, and that Junho just wanted to little girl.
"I'll go look for it myself, then!" SoEun protested. Minsook wanted to stop her, but her steps was just too quick. She couldn't have run that far off, could she?
"Junho?"
"Yes, eomoni?"
"Why don't you follow her? Could you please show her where you found your 'treasure'?"
"Sure!! I will protect her, eomoni!"
Minsook realized that, even if they always seem to be so disagreeable sometimes, Junho always gave in to SoEun, and cared for her like a little sister. She sometimes forgot how stubborn the little boy was, according to what his grandfather always complaint. He seemed pretty mature for a boy his age. Minsook let the loose strands of her hair softly blown by the breeze. The sand on her feet felt warm. The waves splashed lightly on her feet.
"Eomonim!! Eomonim!!!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Junho's voice and scream that sounded like SoEun startled Minsook. She sprinted to look for her daughter frantically. Where was she?! Is she hurt somewhere? Heart thumping, Minsook followed the sound of her daughter's cries. Her daughter couldn't be far could she? Wasn't Junho with her? She soon found SoEun who was sitting, legs sprawled, sobbing. Minsook's eyes followed the tiny drops of blood on the sand to her her daughter's profusely bleeding right foot. She almost fainted in shock.
"SoEun-ah!" Minsook exclaimed in horror, "How did this happen? Let's rush to the hospital, okay? Junho? Junho! Get in the car!"
It turns out that SoEun stepped on a piece of broken glass that was lying somewhere on the beach, and it looked serious.
She carried her daughter into the car. Rubbing her eyes, SoEun said tearfully, "It hurts, Omma. It hurts so bad.. There's so much blood! Will I die?"
"Aish. Don't talk ridiculous things. Just sit quietly until we reach the hospital, okay?"
Junho just sat in the back seat without uttering a word. Of course he felt sorry for SoEun. Since it was his fault that SoEun went searching for the 'treasure' in the first place. Will she be alright? Will I get to show her what it is? He thought. He really wanted to show the 'treasure' to SoEun.. He didn't expect her to get hurt looking for it, though he was pretty sure that it's the only one lying on the beach. But SoEun insisted, anyway. Either way, he felt guilty.
~~~
Minsook paced about the hospital halls, worried what might happen to her daughter. Truth be told, she was more than worried. This is the first time she actually let SoEun out of her sight, and it was this first time that got her daughter hurt. What if her daughter gets crippled for life, she ridiculously thought. Sure, it was just a piece of glass. But what if..?
"Will she be fine, Doctor? There isn't any shards of glass, right? The wound looked deep, and I'm afraid it would.." her voice trailed off, only to be interrupted by the doctor.
"Yes, yes she will. She just needs a little rest. We already cleaned and dressed the wound. Compared to what we face everyday, this is just minor. You have nothing to worry, Mrs. Kim. SoEun will do just fine.."
Minsook heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness it was nothing. She worried too much that she forgot about Junho by her side.
"Eomonim... I'm so sorry..." He was almost in the verge of tears.
Minsook hugged him. Poor thing must've been worried. It wasn't really his fault, anyway.
"Will she be okay?"
"It's okay, Junho-yah, she will,"
"Jinjja?"
Minsook nodded, smiling grimly.
"Ommaaaaaaa....!" The nurse already had a limping SoEun hand in hand towards them. She was already to a piece of strawberry candy.
"Are they done treating you? Does it still hurt a lot? How was it?" Minsook couldn't help but question, after the nurse went in.
"It stinged a bit.. but the nurse gave me candy! So I'm fine now!" SoEun exclaimed in cheerful tones. Candy always made her happy. Her face fell when she saw Junho.
"Meaner!" She harshly whispered. He made her step on that broken bottle. All because of that stupid treasure. She turned away, facing only Minsook.
SoEun her daughter's hair. "SoEun-ah.. Did you know that he was so worried about you?"
"EH?! But it's all his fault!"
"Kim So Eun. Don't be like that.. Say that you're sorry"
"Why should I?? Do I have to..?"
"Of course you do."
Junho stared at her hopefully, delving into his pockets. "It's okay! Look what I found!" Junho suddenly exclaimed, taking out a Band-Aid. He proceeded to put it on SoEun's already bandaged foot and gave it a kiss before neatly putting it on. "My mom always does this when I get hurt, and it always does immediately! She also says that if you put this onto something bleeding, it would heal right away!"
SoEun softened a little. "Thank you, and.. sorry..." she whispered softly.
"Okay! We're still friends, right? You will still come to play with me, right?"
SoEun nodded, and offered him a piece of candy. Minsook was just glad SoEun didn't choose to ignore him. SoEun wasn't really the type who gets angry for a long period of time, and they were friends, after all.
"Eomoni! I will fully take responsibility of her! Forever!" He saluted.
Minsook was touched. Happy that SoEun found a friend as compassionate as him. Young at age, but is already aspiring to take care of another.
"Arasso, now let's hurry home, hmm? Your grandparents must be worried."
Junho tiptoed and whispered in her ear "Don't tell them about this, okay? Harabeoji would be so scary if he finds out.. and won't let me play with her anymore!"
"I won't, Junho. Don't worry. How about we get ice creams before getting home, hmm? I'm sure SoEun will like it too," she comforted.
"YAYYYYYYYYYY!" Junho and SoEun screamed from the back. "Ice cream! Ice cream! I want a MelonBar! Or chocolate! Or strawberry!"
"I like sweet potato!"
Junho's eyes went round. Sweet.. potato?
"I'm allergic to that stuff..."
~~~
~*A month later*~
The Lees had chose to move from their house to a villa in a farther part of Busan, since it was nearer to be beach, and Mongjin thought they could use a bigger house for them to settle in, and for their family in Seoul to visit and stay overnight. He also agreed to let Junho stay a little longer. Even so, his grandson's toy collection didn't decrease. Instead, Junho's toys kept coming in and his playroom already was already lacking too much space. After settling in, they decided to do a housewarming, not forgetting to invite the Kims, of course. Meanwhile, at a household on another part of of Busan, just before
the party, Jonghyun and Minsook seem to be arguing about something.
"Are you sure, yeobo? I mean, it's been a while since you last drove.. this far. Let alone Dong-gu!" Jonghyun asked, calm but in shocked tones.
"Don't you trust me? And it's not long since I last drove. Didn't I drive there last week? To see the Lees' new house? " Minsook protested.
Jonghyun hesitated. He was there at the time, so he wasn't as worried. "Why not.. I send Minyoung and we bring the girls together, hmm? After all, wouldn't it look awkward that I'm there alone? How could I let my wife send my daughter, then drive to a party alone? People would say things! I have my pride too, you know!"
Minsook shook her head. "No. It's 8 already, and I should be going half an hour ago to send Minyoung! Would you like our daughter to be locked outside? I already got SoEun ready, so you needn't worry."
Jonghyun had no choice. "Fine. Just come straight away. I wouldn't want to be waiting there will all those.. wealthy people around." he reasoned, looking down at his slightly shabby suit.
Minsook already made her way towards the porch.
"Oh.. and yeobo? I love you!" Jonghyun yelled as Minsook started the engine. Jonghyun shook his head. His wife could be so stubborn sometimes, and was particularly strange throughout the week.
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