*Haemin’s POV*

All I could do was pace up and down in front of the blue door that supposedly separated my mother and me. What was I doing here, anyway? Now that my brain was finally working a little better after a quick run from my old house, I did some thinking. There were too many questions in my mind and many worries on top of that. What would my mum say about my current appearance? I looked nothing like what I did three years ago. What was I supposed to say about my sudden visit then? I didn’t even come back for Thanksgiving. She would probably ask why I came to Incheon all of a sudden when I didn’t even give her a call for the past three years? Then, how was I supposed to answer her? Sighing, I lifted up my hand to ring the doorbell. Now isn’t really the time to think about that, is it? My mother needs me.

“Who’s that?”

Hearing her voice, my heart started racing and I was feeling scared at having to face her. When the door opened, my mother stared at me for a bit, not recognising her own daughter. then fell open and in a split second, tears gathered and hovered over her eyes, threatening to fall.

“Why are you crying?”I asked, anxious and scared.

My mother lifted up her arms to touch my face and slowly, her tears fell as she gave me the motherly smile that I used to see before my parents divorced.

“You’ve slimmed down, Haemin. Is it difficult in Seoul National?”she almost whispered.

At her question, I felt my heart ache. During the past three years when she was married to my step-father, she hadn’t even looked at me like she did now; let alone asks me about school. But right now, she still hadn’t mentioned anything about herself, her current job and her second divorce.

“Let’s go in. It’s cold out here,”I avoided her gaze.

“Oh, yes, yes. Silly me. I should have invited you in right away but I was too happy to see you,”she quickly pulled me in, closing the door after her.

We settled down in the small room she called home and just when she wanted to get a cup of water for me, I stopped her.

“I’m not a guest, you know. You don’t have to serve me,”I mumbled as I looked around the small room.

“Right. If you need anything to snack on or drink, just let me know, alright? What brings you back to Incheon? How’s school? Did you study till you forget to eat again?”she asked with a frown.

“I’m fine and school’s alright. What happened between you and that…man?”I asked her.

My mother looked down and let out a deep sigh.

“After you left, it was a wake-up call for me. I hated the fact that I treated you that way when you were with me. I cried almost every day and was in depression. We argued a lot because he hated the way I was acting and I even….tried to commit suicide,”she admitted.

“What?! Why would you do that? You’re my only family left! What am I supposed to do if I come here and find you gone?!”I asked, angrily.

“Well, I’m still alive, aren’t I?”she let out a small smile.

Her words made me roll my eyes.

“My suicide attempt caused him to hate me even more and we decided to get a divorce. While we were going through that, I went through counselling and got better. I’m alright now. It’s been a year since I’ve stopped the sessions,”she smiled.

“Why didn’t you call to tell me? You know where I’m studying at,”I asked.

“How could I have done that? You obviously left because you hated me. I couldn’t possibly load more problems onto you. Plus you need to study. Seoul National is the best school in Korea and studying there alone is hard,”she shook her head.

“I didn’t even study,”I replied in exasperation, hoping that she would stop questioning me about school and talk more about herself.

“You didn’t what…?”my mum stared at me.

Since my mum had been honest about her life after I left, I decided to be, as well.

“I didn’t study and my attendance is horrible. I didn’t attend class for the past three years. But they issued me a warning letter beginning of my fourth year so I attend class once a week now to graduate,”I confessed.

“Kim Haemin! What were you thinking when you decide to cut class?! You’re on a scholarship for goodness sake. Are you even still on scholarship?”she asked, in shock.

“I’m on the Dean’s list and I top my cohort so you don’t have to worry,”I replied.

“What? But you just said…,”

“I know, right? I’m amazed as well but apparently my photographic memory is pretty awesome. If only I trusted this ability of mine earlier, I could have cleared my college entrance exams while playing around with the gang,”I chuckled.

“Speaking of them, where’s Hyukjae?”

With that, I lost my smile.

“You didn’t come back with him? That’s weird. Hyukjae came to our house after you left and upon knowing you left for Seoul, he rushed back. The next time he came, he had already applied to study Law in Seoul and said he’ll bring you back safely,”my mum muttered to himself.

“He’s…he’s back home. I’m staying over,”I simply replied.

“Are you two dating now? You used to like him so much!”she grinned.

“How did you know?!”I blurt out before I could stop myself.

“Every time after I hit you, I felt guilty and followed you. Hyukjae was always there to comfort you so I decided not to go over,”she answered.

Rather than the fact that my mother knows I like Hyukjae, I was more in shock at how she actually followed me to the maple tree last time.

“I’m sorry, Haemin. For everything I did to you and didn’t do FOR you. I didn’t do my duty as a mother well. You don’t have to forgive me…,”

“Spare me the cringe-worthy words. It’s late and I’ll come back tomorrow,”I stood up, all ready to leave.

She may have done all the wrong things as a mother, but she was ultimately still my mother. The woman who gave birth to me and raised me to become who I am today. I couldn’t just turn my back on her. I was upset with her and hated her actions but I’ve never hated her as a person. She was still my mother, after all. The only family I have left.

“Let’s have lunch together tomorrow then. I’ll cook for you,”she held my hand.

As I nodded, I thought of the man who came all the way to Incheon for me.

“Cook one more portion for Hyukjae,”

*End of Haemin’s POV*

End of Chapter

DarkAngel