UNREQUITED LOVE

Chapter 38

The trip to Sooyoung’s home town wasn’t quite long. Compared to Shibuya, they were on the country side of the tracks. Clean air, small houses and no traffic.

The view was great too. The green and endless pastures that followed one after another were awe-inspiring.

The students enjoyed the trip and looked forward to reaching Sooyoung’s hometown, especially since it’s known for its endless small green hills that surround the small town and the streets that’s headed to the town.

But while everyone else were at peace with the scenery, Yong’s heart was the only one not at ease.

Hyun has noticed that ever since the start of their trip, something has been bothering Yong.

It was bothering her too and she finally decided that she would find the right time to ask Yong about it.

Sooyoung’s hometown was the second to the last place they’d visit for their educational trip and she wanted to make sure that before they get home to Shibuya… she’ll know what was bothering Yong.

----

Since Sooyoung’s hometown was a pretty small one, the advisers agreed to group the students and allow them to go sight-seeing with themselves.

The town possesses a number of great views and educational locales that the students may visit without getting lost.

One senior was assigned to each group and as expected, Siwon was grouped with Sooyoung and the rest.

They all headed to Sooyoung’s house directly after they were given permission to leave.

“Ohh Sooyoung, I can’t wait to see your sisters. Do they all look like you? Or they look like Yong… I mean you two don’t really seem like twins with all the looks, and the heights and all.” Hyo said as they walked together.

Sooyoung paused and thought about Hyo’s question. They all gave out a huge laugh with Hyo’s tactless question.

“What do you mean by ‘the heights and all’ Hyo??” Yong asked in an intimidating tone and Hyo quickly took back what she said.

And they all laughed once again and everybody seemed to be having a great time…

“Actually… Yong looks a lot like our mom. I look like our dad.” Sooyoung said and smiled at the thought of her mom.

Yong was taken aback by Sooyoung’s statement. Ever since they’ve met two years ago, he never dared ask Sooyoung about their mom. He only listened to Sooyoung when there are moments that she would tell her about their mom.

He did not know why… but Yong isn’t sure of how he should really feel… after all those years longing for his real mom… he simply did not know where to put those overflowing and yet unfamiliar emotions he had for her.

Sooyoung was lucky enough to have lived with their mom and get to know their real dad too. He tried his best to express affection towards Sooyoung and his dad, but that was even hard for him before he met Hyun.

Behind the enjoyable atmosphere everybody was putting up, everyone has also noticed Yong’s unspoken tenseness.

Hyun wrapped her hands around Yong’s arms more tightly as they walked together.

“Don’t worry… everything will be fine.” She assured him. He looked at her and gave her a smile of resignation.

His tensed shoulder finally loosened and once again, the group continued to talk more about Sooyoung’s town.

“Our mom often talked about Yong with me…” she paused and looked at Yong who was once again surprised by what she said.

“She never forgot about me after all…” he thought with glee.

---

When the group finally reached Sooyoung’s house, everyone was so excited to meet Sooyoung’s family.

Sooyoung’s house was a two story house that looked pretty much like a decent and happy home.

The family used to live in a much smaller house but gradually moved to a bigger one.

“Unnie!!!” a cute voice came from the door and they saw a tall, lean girl ran from the door to the gate where everyone else stood.

“Soojin!!! You look so tall and all grown up now!!” Sooyoung went to hug her younger sister. She looks skinny just like Sooyoung but her eyes were smaller and she had thinner lips.

The others stood awkwardly behind the hugging sisters.

Yong, specifically took note of his half sister in front of him.

Once the sisters finished giving each other hugs, Sooyoung looked at her friends and said…

“This is my younger sister, Soojin. She’s still in junior high and look at her, she’s as tall as you, Hyo!”

Hyo went to Soojin and wrapped her arm around her shoulder, showing everybody how she still looks like a Junior High student.

“Hi Soojin! I’m a friend of your sister, Hyoyeon!” Hyo said while smiling at Soojin.

Soojin smiled shyly back at her and slightly bowed.

“Aigoooo! She’s too cute Soo. I couldn’t imagine you being this shy when you were in Junior High!” Hyoyeon laughed.

“Yah! I wasn’t shy at all.” Sooyoung replied which made everyone else laughed too.

Siwon, Hyun and Yong also introduced themselves to Soojin and right after, they all entered the house.

---

“Appa!” Sooyoung shouted as she saw her dad go out from the kitchen.

“Ohhh Sooyoung, you’re finally here with your friends. Your sisters and I were preparing lunch for you and your friends here.”

Sooyoung quickly went straight to her dad and gave him a huge hug. Her other two sisters followed their dad out and they look exactly like Sooyoung’s dad, just like Soojin.

It was pretty clear from their looks that Sooyoung wasn’t anything blood-related to her dad since she got her looks from her real dad, but seeing their actions, it looked as if they’re one big happy family.

Siwon stepped in and went straight to Sooyoung and her sisters with their dad.

“Goodmorning sir.” He said and bowed to him.

“Oh?” His dad gave Sooyoung a confused look and she simply laughed at Siwon a little.

“Dad… this is my boyfriend, Siwon.”

“Ohhh… so this is the guy. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He said with a strict voice. Siwon looked straight at him, obviously breaking a sweat.

“Daaaad!” Sooyoung prevented her dad from scaring Siwon some more.

“By the way, these are my friends… Hyoyeon, Seohyun and Yong…”

They all agreed not to tell Sooyoung’s family about her real relationship with Yonghwa to prevent endangering them from –J.J.’s threats.

After giving introductions and a short chat about themselves, they all went to eat lunch.

Sooyoung’s dad was entertaining and down to earth. He obviously loves his daughters, including Sooyoung like she was his own.

Yong, on the other hand, remained silent the entire time. He observed little details in the house.

Their family pictures. The paintings in their wall. The colorful tiny figurine displays and even the collection of books on their shelf.

He tried to remember the house he lived in with his foster parents. Though it was welcoming, there was something different between that and this house.

Maybe because of the fact that the parents here gave all their attention to their children, whereas in the other, Yong often ate alone and seldom gets to talk to his foster parents.

“The house was obviously lived in by a majority of girls since it was very warm and feminine.” Yong noticed.

He wondered how much of the things in the house possess a story about their mom.

He would love to ask about her… but doing so would stir questions about who he really was and nobody wants that.

“Do you like some of these Yong? It tastes real good.” Hyun asked while putting shrimps on Yong’s plate during lunch.

She was worried about Yong. The fact that they were inside the house of Yong’s mom whom he had always longed for was probably overwhelming him.

She wanted to be part of that. She wanted him to tell her his thoughts. But it seemed like this was a different Yong.

She remembered the Yong she met for the first time.

The man who spoke less and think more. The man who was distant with everyone. But it was the same man she has started falling for ever since.

She also wanted the man who was engaging and honest to her. The man that Yong grew into when he met her… how she wanted to ask Yong to tell her what’s inside his mind and heart right now.

“Maybe that’s just what girls always want… to be a part of their world and feel that their opinions also matter for the guys… it’s a bit selfish but why do I feel this way?” Hyun thought sadly to herself.

“Uhh… thanks Hyun.” Yong replied politely at Hyun but gave her his warm smile.

“She must be worried about me. Pull yourself together Yong!” Yong thought to himself.

----

After they finished lunch, they went back to their living room to rest for a bit.

“I apologize for all the mess. We’ve completely boxed our things before since we were preparing to move into a new house but when we learned that Sooyoung would be bringing her friends over, we thought of putting it back, the living and dining room only at that.” Sooyoung’s stepdad told them.

“Ohh by the way dad, you told me that you had something important to give me.” Soo asked her dad.

“Ohh yeah. About that, follow me.” Her stepdad stood up and went to the stairs. Sooyoung followed him and signaled everybody to follow too.

Soo’s dad proceeded to the room where Soo’s mom’s belongings were kept.

When they all entered, it was all nicely kept in different boxes of different size. Only a single box remained open.

Soo’s stepdad went there and took something out.

“Here.” he said and handed Sooyoung a piece of brown envelope.

“What’s this dad?” she asked.

“It’s your mom’s. I never opened it. Before she died, she asked me to promise her that when you’re mature enough, I’m going to give it to you.”

Soo’s eyes opened wide, as well as the others.

“It’s for me??” she asked again… “How about my sisters and Y-“ she almost said Yong and remembered that her family know nothing about Yong.

“She left the other girls something too. But this one’s her treasure. I have no idea what’s inside it. I never dared to open it and break my promise with your mom Soo.”

Soo hold unto it tightly. Her eyes started to water while looking down at the brown envelope in her hands.

Siwon went to her and placed his arm around her shoulder.

Yong wanted to go to her too. And even hold the said object that their mom treasured…

But he remained to where he was standing, immobilized and feeling foreign. He wanted to have that connection with their mom too.

But he just don’t know how’s that possible.

After Soo’s stepdad and half sisters left, only her, Siwon, Hyo, Hyun and Yong were left inside the room.

They all went to Sooyoung but Yong still remained to where he was standing.

Hyun paused and looked back at Yong. She gave his hand a tight squeeze and his eyes found hers.

“Hey…” she said once again.

Soo and everyone else looked at Yong and Soo went to him.

She captured Yong’s other hand and pulled it towards the open box where their mom’s personal belongings are.

She then took a piece of cap out. It was obviously old based on its smell and look. It was their mom’s favorite cap, as Sooyoung could remember. Their mom wore it every time they went out during hot summer days. She placed it on Yong and pulled it down towards his face, covering Yong’s eyes with it.

They all saw a tear rushed down his cheeks and he bit his lips to stop it from quivering.

“You can take as much as you want in here Yong. I’m sure our mom would gladly give you anything you want if she had known that this day would come.”

Yong did not reply but all of them saw the tears on his cheeks. Good thing Sooyoung placed the cap on him and pulled it down to his face to cover his eyes.

She placed his hand on Yong’s shoulder and bid everyone to leave him alone inside the room.

Hyo and Siwon followed Soo’s lead while Hyun remained standing beside Yong… his hand on hers.

After a few minutes, she slowly slid her hand from his and walked silently out of the room.

She closed the door behind her and leaned on it. Without knowing, her tears also started to pour down. It hurt her to see Yong so… lost.

And she couldn’t even do anything to help.

But she knew that he needed this. It was because of their mom and dad’s past that gave Yong so much hardships and thinking that after all those hardships… he didn’t even had the chance see his mom and tell her how much he loves her.

It was just… unfair.

She wiped her fallen tears when she heard footsteps behind the door. Yong wasn’t wearing the cap anymore and he had wiped his tears away as well.

His eyes were a bit puffy but not that obvious as to say that he cried.

Together they went down the stairs as Yong took Hyun’s hand on his without saying anything.

---

After bidding farewell with Sooyoung’s family, the group decided to visit some famous views of the town.

Sooyoung decided to take them to the hills that surround the town since one of those hills was where hers and Yong’s mom was buried.

After a short walk, they reached the said hill.

They saw that it was only Soo and Yong’s mom’s grave was located there just beside a tree.

“Woaaaah!” Hyo said with awe. The view from that hill was great… probably just like the view from the other hills too.

They took endless photos of the scene but that was after they went straight in front of their mom’s grave.

Soo went first followed by Siwon.

“Hi mom…” Sooyoung said in a distant tone. “How are you?” she asked again…

“I came here to introduce you to great people…”

“I’m sure you’ve already seen him… we know that you’ve watched over him too… but finally he’s here… my lost twin’s here mom.” She looked at Yong with a sad smile.

“I brought him to you… I know you’re happy seeing Yong mom…”

Yong went beside Siwon and sat.

“I’ve also met this awesome guy mom.” She said while looking at Siwon.

“He told me he loves me mom…” she said and blushed.

“I also met true and loyal friends along the way…” she looked at Hyun and Hyo who quickly went to sit beside Yong.

“Doesn’t Yong and Hyun look good together?” She added while smiling at the two.

Hyun blushed with the way Soo addressed to their mom about her and Yong but Yong did not really show any reaction at all aside from the tensing on his shoulders again.

“Hyo also has a boyfriend mom, a good guy… his name’s Doojoon. Maybe we’ll bring him here to meet you too. I know you’d love to know everything about my friends…” Soo did not finish her sentence and instead only heaved out a sigh.

One by one they paid their respects to Soo and Yong’s mom and talked to her, including Hyun, Hyo and Siwon who were just introduced to her.

Yong was the last person to pay his respects.

He sat there, infront of his mom’s grave not knowing anything to say.

And so instead, he proceeded to paying his respect and prayed for the soul of his mom.

But before he finished, he whispered to her one last time…

“I’m trying my best to protect everyone I love mom… Please, please guide me…”

And with that, he stood up and joined to where the group was waiting for him while enjoying the scenery.

End of Chapter 38