Chapter 12

“Welcome home, young lady.” The head maid greets Sungmin with a smile.

“I’m home, ahjumma. Where’s everyone?”

“Madam is at the lounge, arranging flowers and master is still at work.” She informed, “Do you want something to drink, young lady?” she asks, as she takes Sungmin coat and walks beside her.

“A juice may be.”

“I will be right back, okay?”

Sungmin nods her head and the old lady goes to the kitchen to do her work. Sungmin drags her feet lazily to the large living room. She lies herself onto the big couch and closes her eyes slowly. She is tired, mentally and physically.

I really love you, Sungmin.

She has been recalling the confession made by Siwon over and over again. It confuses her. And a part of her feels something that she never feels before.

“Sungmin.” She turns her head to the voice when her name is called.

There’s a beautiful woman, standing in front of her. She’s holding a bouquet of flowers in her hand, smiling sweetly.

“Hae-umma.” Sungmin greets her back.

“Finally you decided to come home.” She puts the flowers on the table and went forward to where Sungmin is.

“What’s making you come home suddenly? Miss me already?” she teased.

Sungmin chuckles by that question, “You know that I always miss you, umma.” She moves forward and hugs her mother firmly.

“I know. I’m just testing.” She answered proudly, chuckling together with her daughter.

“Yeobo! I’m home!” Someone shouted and appears suddenly from the front door, smiling his gummy smiles.

“Look, your ‘lover’ also has arrived.” Donghae said to Sungmin, smirking.

Sungmin laughs at her, “Oh umma…”

“EH?” the man looks surprised when he saw two people standing in front of the door.

“Hyuk appa.” Sungmin calls him, with a smile welcoming him home.

Eunhyuk’s mouth hangs open to see her daughter, “My baby!” He runs and crushed her into a tight hug.

“Ap...pa…can’t breathe.” Sungmin pats her father repeatedly for him to let go.

“I don’t care! I’m not letting you go.” Eunhyuk just laughs and hugs the girl even tighter.

His wife on the side just laughs at his childish attic. She knew her husband so much after all.

“Enough, dear. You’re suffocating her.” Donghae stops her husband.

Eunhyuk pouts when he was stop from hugging his daughter. Still, just by seeing the smile on Sungmin’s face, his heart melts right away.

That weekend, Sungmin decides to pay visit at her parents’ house. Sungmin lived alone but, she often goes back and forth between her apartment and her parents’ house. She blames her father most of it because he always insisted for her to go home. She knew that her father is just worry about her. The parents knew the truth about her past anyway, that’s why she follows everything they said.

Her father, Lee Hyukjae or also known as Lee Eunhyuk is a famous business man. He is a very handsome guy and has been successful from the young age. He is always busy and actually very wealthy. The apartment where Sungmin lives is a present from him especially to his daughter. He even offers for Sungmin to work with him to take his place but Sungmin refused by saying that she is still so new in the business world. That is also the reason why Sungmin works with Kangin. Eunhyuk refused to let Sungmin work with somebody else at first but when he found out that it’s Kangin that Sungmin chose, he lets her go. Above all people that knew Sungmin, Kangin is one of the people that know Eunhyuk is her father (he has been warned to not hurt Sungmin by Eunhyuk once before). Not many people know about her family background because she hides about it from everyone with a reason.

On the other hand, her mother, Lee Donghae is a full housewife. She is a florist plus an interior designer before, but after she got married, she has been devoting her life just to the family. She decided to quit the jobs and helps her husband most of the time. Furthermore, her husband’s wealth is enough to support all the family members already. So, she just takes part in taking care of their health and safety. Her purpose is mainly because she didn’t want any of the family members to feel left out whenever her husband went to work outside. She wants to be the best mother for Sungmin and of course the family.

Sungmin loves both of her parents so much. She didn’t have any other people she can rely on except them. There’s a reason to all that but, for all the time, she has been keeping the reason only among her and her trusted people.

“So, how’s your work now? Ready to take over my business?” Eunhyuk asks, while munching the food that was cooked by his loving wife.

“Appa…” Sungmin trails her word long, “You know exactly my answer to your question, right?”

Eunhyuk sighs. He stops eating and focus his stare towards his daughter.

“But why? It’s about time right? I’m not getting younger, you know.” He reasoned.

“And you are not that old too, remember?” Sungmin adds to his word.

“But…”

“Hyukkie, why are you forcing Sungminie like that?” Donghae cuts his words, siding her daughter.

“Hae…not you too.” Eunhyuk whines.

“How many times have we talked about this? You said that you’re willing to wait.” She defends Sungmin while the girl nods beside her, agreeing.

“I know I promise that. But, how many years must I wait more?” her wife and daughter stare at him, with a pleading eyes.

Eunhyuk sighs, “Fine, I’ll wait. Just don’t make me wait for too long. There’s a lot I want to give you, you know.”

“Yes appa. I will try my best.”

They continue eating their dinner in harmony. In truth, Eunhyuk has few times asked his daughter to replace him as the company CEO, but Sungmin refused every time. She always reasoned that she is not ready to become one. It makes Eunhyuk disappointed, but at the same time, he still didn’t argue much about it. No matter what, the time will come where Sungmin will inherit everything that he has.

~~

“Umma, where’s appa?” Sungmin asks her mother, walking inside the living room where her mother is watching the television.

“He’s upstairs, taking a bath I guess.”

“Oh…what are you watching?” Sungmin walks to her and take a seat next to her on the couch.

“The same old drama. It’s getting intense now. You know, the daughter-in-law is actually plotting to kill her mother.” Donghae informs her, eyes still fixed on the tv.

Sungmin hums, replying to her. Together with her mother, she also watches the drama shown in the tv. But, truthfully her mind is wandering elsewhere. Even with Donghae by her side talking, she just answers it short and simple.

She was thinking about Siwon’s confession at the party. Also, she’s trying to figure out what does she really feels about Siwon. She has known him for a few months now. The man has always been a gentleman to her. Even without anyone telling, she actually can guess that Siwon is courting her. But, what matter is, her feeling towards that guy. She did feels comfortable with Siwon and she also like him, but like and love is two different things. Will she be worthy for Siwon? What if he ever found out who is she really is? Will he still love her? Questions by questions keep on spinning inside her head. And yet, she has no answer to it.

After the drama ends, Donghae turns to look at her daughter. But, Sungmin is staring faraway, like someone who is in deep thought. She calls her name few times but remains unanswered by Sungmin. 

“Sungminie?”

“Yes?” Sungmin replies, “Um…umma!” she flustered when she wakes from her daze and Donghae is looking at her straight into the eyes at a very close distance.

“Are you okay?” Donghae asks her worriedly.

“Ah…I’m…I’m…” she sighs, “I’m okay, I guess…” she answers tiredly while rubbing her non-aching head.

“What’s wrong? Care to tell umma?”

“I’m okay, umma.” Sungmin fixes herself and avoids from looking at Donghae, “May be I’m just stressing myself with the work.” She adds.

“Sungmin. Look at me when you’re talking.” Donghae demands, more like an order.

Sungmin stops from moving. She keeps on playing with the hem of her dress and she slowly turns to look at her mother. But, her eyes are sad and mixed with confusion.

“Come here,” Donghae pats her lap.

Understanding the gesture, Sungmin slowly puts her head on her laps. Donghae Sungmin’s hair gently and waits for Sungmin to tell her whatever she is feeling for the moment. Sungmin closes her eyes, enjoying the touch and warmth from her mother.

“Someone confessed to me, umma.” Sungmin starts.

“He said he likes me, so much. Or, did he say love? I don’t know.” She adds more when Donghae responds to her.

“But?”

“But…I don’t understand my feeling, umma.” Sungmin confessed.

Donghae put out her ears and listen to Sungmin’s side of view without any interference.

“You know my past, right umma? You know how much I don’t trust someone that easily.” Donghae nods her head slowly, she feels sad whenever Sungmin bring out the past once again.

“The first person man that I ever trust is only appa, and then it was Jinnie. After that, it was Yeye oppa and especially…Kyuhyun…” she said the last name, almost like a whisper, “But, even Kyuhyun didn’t like me just the way I like him. He made me sees that everything is just a dream after all. He made me sees that, me liking someone is just meaningless.” Her voice sounded sorrowful with the last statement.

Donghae continues on her hair, letting her to carry on.

“I’m scare, umma.”

Sungmin closed her eyes slowly, restraining herself from crying there. She has an issue regarding love matter, Donghae understands it. Ever since she’s small, Sungmin has always have low self-confident. But, to see she’s so scares because of one confession, makes Donghae feels sad. Sungmin feels a kiss planted on her forehead. When she opens her eyes, Donghae is looking at her with a thin smile.

“What are you so scare of, Minnie? Umma and appa is here, right? We told you many times that we’re going to protect you.”

“What if he didn’t like the real me when he found out?” Sungmin asks that one question that struck inside her head.

“What if he feels disappointed in me?”

“Then, it’s his loss.” Donghae comforts her, “Anyone who has the heart to reject you is really an idiot. Especially that stupid best friend of yours.” she said, sounding upset.

“His name is Kyuhyun, umma.” Sungmin corrects her.

“I know his name, pumpkin. I just don’t want to say his name. It makes my heart boils whenever I remember that he rejects your love so casually.”Donghae scoffed.

“He didn’t do anything umma. I told you he didn’t give me a reply right?”Sungmin defend Kyuhyun.

“Well, yeah. He practically laughed at your confession. That is much more worse you know.” Donghae retorted.

Sungmin laughs softly by her mother’s anger towards Kyuhyun. Sungmin told her everything that ever happened to her, that’s why she knew about Kyuhyun’s confession. Donghae knew that Sungmin still in love with Kyuhyun but at some part she really hopes that Sungmin will open her heart to accept someone else.

“Pumpkin…” Donghae calls her gently, “Umma will not force you if you’re not yet ready to accept other people in your life. But more than that, why don’t you ask your heart more clearly. What do you really want in this life? Is it really worthy for you to continue waiting for someone who doesn’t even appreciate you?” she advised.

“What if I still love him umma?” Sungmin speaks out her true feeling.

“Then, don’t stop loving.”

Sungmin turns to look at her mother, face to face.

“I didn’t tell you to throw your feeling away. I just want you to open your heart to someone else.” She explains.

“Loves hurt, I know.” Donghae smiles sadly at her, “But, it doesn’t mean that you have to close your heart completely only because of one man.”

“But, what if…”

“And we’ll kill him, together.” Donghae cuts her sentence, knowing what Sungmin is going to say.

Sungmin smiles at her.

“Thank you, umma…” she closes her eyes slowly and hugs the mother.

Donghae hugs her with the same warmth. She sings a lullaby for the girl until she finally falls asleep. It is unusual for Sungmin to seek such attention from her, but every time she did, Donghae will make sure that she is well taken care of. She really loves Sungmin so much. For her and her husband, Sungmin means everything in their family. If anything ever happens to her, they know how much it will affect the whole family.

TBC

Another update from me, and a bit story about Sungmin’s family. They will be a key point in Minnie’s later part. As usual, comments are highly appreciated! Thanks in advance for anyone reading this! And thank you for the new subscribers!!!