June 14, 2022

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!"

Hakyeon's voice seemed to have echoed in the whole place and without further notice, a middle-aged couple bursts out of one room with a shocked and smiling expression patched up on their faces. "Hakyeon? Oh dear, is that you, son?" the middle-aged woman, Mrs. Cha, asked as she flashes a face of shock.

"Hi, mom!" Hakyeon warmly greeted before hugging her tightly.

"Why, if it isn't our little Hakyeon!" Mr. Cha laughed. "How've you been, son? Life being hard on you?"

"Dad, life's fine for me." Hakyeon smiled widely. "In fact, we're having a rather smooth lifestyle back at home, don't we, Haneun?" he asks, eyeing his teenage daughter.

Still a bit shy and out of words, Haneun hardly manages a slight nod before averting her eyes at her grandparents, whom she accidentally makes eye contact with. "My, my, is this the little Haneun we once saw back then?" Mrs. Cha giggled as she bent down to look at Haneun in a better view. "Why, Hakyeon, son, you've raised her into this beautiful lady she is now!"

"She's seemingly a fallen angel gifted from the heavens. Back then when we last saw her, she was nothing but an innocent and helpless infant, am I right?" Mr. Cha asks, making Hakyeon nod. "Dear Haneun, you've grown well!"

"T-thank you?" Haneun stutters cutely, making everyone in the room smile and grin brightly. Despite the warm welcomes, Haneun couldn't help but to feel uneasy and unsettled. Last time she's been with her grandparents was when she was a year old alone! And that's twelve years back then! She can't even recall the faces of her grandparents back then, and she can barely speak.

She only saw them in the pictures Hakyeon kept in this album he only showed her once. This time, she was meeting them in person. "Why so quiet, Haneun? Are you still uncomfortable around this place or with the fact that your mom's leaving you here for a while?" she hears Mr. Cha ask.

"I might sound disrespectful, but I feel both." Haneun softly answers, making Mrs. Cha smile down at her.

"Dear, mom's just going to be gone for a few days and before you know it, he's back here again!" Mrs. Cha says. "Don't worry, grandma and grandpa will be here for you, right?"

"... Yes." Haneun nods.

"Anyway, Hakyeon, we prepared lunch for the two of you! Mind joining us for lunch? Your brother and sisters will be here any minute." Mrs. Cha smiles as she faces her youngest son.

"Ah, sure! If we won't be much of a bother, why not?" Hakyeon giggled. "And wait, did you say hyung and the noonas are coming along?" he blinks in surprise, which his mother simply nods in compliance. "Oh, that's great! Haneun, you get to meet your uncle and aunts!" he clapped as he faces his emotionless daughter.

"... That's great then, right?"

"Of course!" Hakyeon nods. "Come along, Haneun, let's have lunch."

Shy and seemingly not able to get a better grip of herself, Haneun seems to have just let herself get dragged by her mother to the dining room, where of course, lots of mouthwatering dishes were served. Hakyeon might be the cook in their house, but this time, she admits that the dishes served before her eyes were a lot better than her mother's.

* * *

"Mom! Dad! Anybody home?"

Haneun hears two feminine voices and one male voice cry out in the doorway, which of course, Hakyeon runs towards to. Being a respectful son he is, he gets the door in behalf of his parents. Soon, Haneun nearly chokes on her food as she hears Hakyeon squeal and cry out in joy. Haneun, alerted in the time being, quickly runs towards her mother as soon as she hears her shriek but was rather held a back as she saw him hugging two ladies years older than him and a man, obviously years older than Hakyeon too, patting his back.

"Hakyeon, we've missed you greatly!" one of the girls cried out as she flashed a wide grin to Hakyeon, who managed to reflect the expression back. "Wow, you're still gorgeous, brother! You seem to not grow older physically!"

"I don't think that's a compliment?" Hakyeon pouts as he eyes the older female. "Come on, Jihyun-noona, I'm growing taller too, you know!" he cries out.

Soon, Haneun gains their attention, making her flinch a bit in her place. "Oh my- is she who I think she is?" Jiyoung, Hakyeon's eldest sister, gasps as she slowly approaches the young female. "... Haneun? Is that you?"

Haneun, despite quite dumbfounded and shy, slowly nods her head, making the older lady wrap her arms around her tightly, happiness heard in her voice. "Gosh, you're so big now! You've become quite a lady along those years!"

"No way, this is that little infant back then?" Hakseon, Hakyeon's older brother and eldest sibling, gasped as he kneels beside Haneun. "Wow, you're quite a lady now! You look so petite, and glamorous like Hakyeon here!"

"Of course she'd get my looks, hyung!" Hakyeon laughed proudly.  

Seeing Haneun sudden shock in meeting her relatives so quickly, Hakyeon tries to reach out for her and pull the young teen near him, which of course, Haneun was rather grateful of. "Guys, guys, you're actually scaring Haneun now." Hakyeon laughed as he switches his attention to his daughter. "Haneun, do you perhaps recall them?"

"... They look familiar." Haneun softly replies as she looks at Hakyeon. "But I'm not quite sure."

"Of course that'll be your answer. You were still a baby back then when you first met them!" he giggled as he pointed at his siblings. "That lady's your Aunt Jihyun, my older sister and the third child among us four." he smiles while pointing at the brown-haired female, who casually waves at Haneun with that familiar smile patched up her face. 

"That lady's your Aunt Jiyoung, the second child and my eldest sister." Hakyeon says as he points his index finger at the cerulean-dressed female, who flashes a sweet smile at Haneun. 

"Lastly, that's my older brother and the eldest sibling among us, your Uncle Hakseon." Hakyeon ends as he points at the brownish-black headed male in front of them, who casually waves at them slightly with a faint smile on his face. "You got that, Haneun?" he asks as he eyes his daughter, who eventually looks at them.

"Aunt Jihyun, Aunt Jiyoung, Uncle Hakseon. Yeah, I got it." Haneun nods, making her aunts and uncle clap in amazement on how she got their names that quick.

"What a smart kid she is! Thank goodness she didn't get your brains, Hakyeon!" Hakseon teased, making Hakyeon hit his shoulder mercilessly. Of course, the males exchanged hits, making the ladies sigh by the sight of how immature they still were. 

"Sheesh, you guys never grew up!" Jiyoung laughed as Jihyun tried stopping the guys. "Come on, mom's calling us for lunch already! We wouldn't want the food to get cold, would we?"

"Never!" the Cha siblings cried out as Hakyeon and Hakseon stopped exchanging attacks. Hurrying, the four heads to the kitchen. "Haneun." Haneun hears her name getting called by her mother. "Come along, sweetie." he smiles sweetly, offering a hand at her, which she gladly took in hand. 

It would be quite exciting for her since it would be the first time she'd actually have a fine dining time with some relatives she first meets. Well, they are the first relatives she had actually met in person... and had met well already. The feeling around the table was rather different not because of the number of those who'll dine along, but because of that warmth the family shared.

* * *

"Oh lookie, it's our Hakyeon when he was two years old!" Hakseon chuckled as he pointed at a little boy standing up helplessly with his eyes fixed on the camera. Of course, Hakyeon blushed bright red as he tried to snatch away the album in his brother's hand. 

"Hakseon-hyung! Quit showing that to Haneun!" Hakyeon shrieked as he flailed his arms and landed a few attacks and hits on his older brother's shoulder, making poor Hakseon flinch in pain.

"Sheesh, you guys do mature late." Jiyoung sighed deeply.

Haneun, on the other side, was quietly scanning the albums and the new pictures she's seeing now quite intruiged her. To her curiousity, she saw a younger-looking Hakyeon with an infant around his arms. "That's you when you were five months old, Haneun." Jihyun said out of the blue, making Haneun jolt in surprise. "That's me?" she blinked.

"You look so innocent, don't you? Is it hard to believe?" Jihyun laughed.

"... No. It's just that I don't have much of my baby pictures back at home." Haneun answers softly. "I don't put my hands on mom's stuff since I wouldn't want to discover things that mustn't be discovered without permission."

"That's my Haneun." Hakyeon giggled as he wraps his arms around the teen. "Such a careful young angel! Oh~ I'm so blessed to have such a daughter like you!"

"And I'm rather lucky to have a niece like her! She's someone any parent would wish to be their child!" Jiyoung chuckled. "Why, I do wish that I'll have a child like your Haneun, Hakyeon!"

"I wish Haneun was my daughter." Hakseon sighed. "Seriously, what'd you do to deserve such blessing, huh, Hakyeon? You were nothing but big trouble back then in your salad days, you lil' troublemaker!"

"Look who's talking, someone who nearly got expelled in his ow school due to unacceptable actions!" Hakyeon countered, sticking out his tongue at his older brother.

"You put that tongue of yours back inside your mouth or I'm cutting that off!" 

"Try me, hyung!"

"Guys, please. At least be mature enough for Haneun here." Jihyun giggled as she back-hugged the young teen. "In fact, she acts a lot more mature than you guys!"

"Haneun, you find them troublesome, don't you?" Jiyoung chuckled as she averts her attention at Haneun, who simply eyes her aunts. Once more, she takes a look at Hakyeon, who looks at her back. Slowly, a faint and soft smile creeps up her lips as she answers in a rather inaudible voice.

"I like how mom acts like that. It seems like he never will get old." Haneun smiles.

"Oh my- that smile!" Jiyoung squealed, surprising Haneun herself. 

"You smile like an angel, young lassie. Hakyeon, you lucky creature, you better let this lady grow up properly or else you're gonna die early!" Hakseon threatens with a sweet smile. "Be sure you don't let her go!"

"Hakseon-oppa's right, Hakyeon." Jihyun giggled. "You better take good care of Haneun as if she's your dearest treasure in the whole entire world! A child like this isn't given by the heavens just like that!"

"Noted, noona." Hakyeon smiles as he makes his way towards his daughter, looking down at her with his proud and joyful charcoal orbs. "Haneun is my dearest treasure, isn't she?"

A small smile and a light shade of pink slowly invades her cheeks as Haneun lowers her head, making her black hair cover her pink-tainted face. Laughter soon rose up, matched with soft giggles as the family spent this moment together.

"Well, I guess I'll have to get going now." Hakyeon sadly says as he bids farewell to his family.

"Be safe on your trip, son. Do well, alright?" Mrs. Cha smiled warmly. "Don't forget to take lots of rest too, okay? Don't push yourself to the limit that much or you'll be in big trouble, Hakyeon."

"Noted, mom." he nodded.

"And drop calls too, okay? So we won't be worried." Mr. Cha added, which Hakyeon nods in understanding to. 

"Do well, little brother!" Hakyeon's siblings cry out in unison as they flashed wide grins on the youngest brother, which Hakyeon manages to reflect back. Finally, his eyes meet Haneun, who simply stands there quietly, eyes not wanting to meet Hakyeon's. "Sweetie?" Hakyeon calls out, but was simply ignored by the young teen. 

"Haneun?" Hakyeon tries again, this time, finally grabbing Haneun's attention. Slowly, he kneels in front of his only daughter and holds her shoulders. "Haneun, sweetie, you need to be strong while I'm gone, okay? Do well in your school and be a good girl to your grandparents, do you understand me?"

"Yes."

"Come home early and be sure you don't return home late. If you suppose you'll have to come home late, inform your grandma or grandpa, okay? Don't let them get worried of you! Don't be a trouble-"

"Mom. I get it." Haneun shakily breathes out as she speaks softly. "Get going now. Your travel time might get delayed."

Hakyeon's eyes never fooled him, thus, when he spots a tears rolling down her eyes, Hakyeon quickly pulls her for a hug and laughs sadly, making Haneun find holding back her tears a lot harder to do. Soon, she finds herself unconsciously having her tears roll down her flushed pink cheeks. Sobs soon filled the silent house and soon, wails of sadness.

"Aw, why are you crying?" Hakyeon pouts, holding his tears back. "Are you going to miss me?"

"Who wouldn't?" Haneun sniffles. "I don't want to be away from you. I want to be beside you, or at least in the same place you are. I want to be there for you no matter what, mom. But... I know I'll just be a bother to you and nothing else. I'll be a big trouble and be a distraction in your work."

"Haneun, don't think that way." Hakyeon frowns. "Come on, where's the optimistic Haneun I raised these years, hm? Come on, smile for me, Haneun."

"How am I supposed to smile when I'm dying inside because I'll badly miss you?" Haneun bursts out as she tightens her grip on Hakyeon's arms. "I'm sorry that I can't be there beside you, mom. I'm sorry-"

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Haneun." Hakyeon giggled. "Come on, look at me. Listen, you're my greatest treasure that I am most proud of, and that's more than enough. Haneun, dear, I promise that I'll be back soon. I'll be back before you know it, okay? I swear that to everything around me."

"Make sure that you don't break that promise." Haneun sobs.

"I promise."

With that final farewell, Hakyeon smiles and places a motherly kiss on Haneun's forehead before grabbing his luggage and heading out of the house, waving his hand up in the air, which they answer with another wave. Haneun simply stands beside her grandmother as she watches Hakyeon call out a taxi and ride it. The vehicle soon drives away and later on, it disappears in the horizon. Haneun simply lowers her head as tears dripped down her eyes. "Haneun, your mom'll be back soon, we promise." Jihyun smiled as she patted her niece's back.

"Come on, stop crying." Jiyoung added. "Tears don't suit us ladies well. Smiles do the trick so come on, smile a bit."

"As I said, I can't smile with agony ruling over my chest, Aunt Jiyoung." Haneun sighs as she slowly heads back in the house, her grandparents, uncle and aunts watching her sadly as she walks further away. 

* * *

Hours had seemingly lapped painfully slow. It felt  like forever for the once sobbing Haneun, who was now staring at the ceiling above her. She rolled here and there, walked here and there, looked at this and that. It did feel like centuries have passed for Haneun to notice that the clock had finally struck ten o' clock.

And of course, she can't sleep for heaven's sake! Worry of her mother's condition while they're temporarily separated was the one that kept her awake and alive... "I wonder if he's travelling safe..." Haneun thought as she stared out in the window. "Mom, I hope you're doing well."

"I wouldn't worry that much about Hakyeon if I were you." Haneun hears Hakseon say, making her spin her head instantly and look at her uncle. "He's a man of his own word. He says that he'll be fine, right? Then, he will be." he smiles.

"I'm his daugther, of course I'll definitely worry this much." Haneun frowns as she averts her attention away, just to hear his uncle walk closer to her and sit in the vacant chair beside him.

"Hakyeon used to be a big trouble maker back then when he was your age." Hakseon chuckled as he recalled that memory. "Mom and dad would often be called in his school for his numerous alibis, and that seriously made mom sick once. He would often stay up late hanging out with his group too and well, let's just say he was lucky enough to have this future given to him." 

"What do you mean, Uncle Hakseon?"

"Well, he did have you in an early age. He was nineteen when he gave birth to you and well, he did insist that he's gonna be okay with that situation, and he did succeed in convincing us with that."

"Mom's a strong person, what do you expect?"

"I should agree in that point." Hakseon laughed as he tapped his niece's back. "Go on, you need to sleep now, Haneun or you'll get severe eye-bags in that young age of yours. Go to bed now." 

Defeated and finally settled, Haneun nods and quickly heads to her bed, Hakseon lovingly tucking her with the rose-pink colored blanket and wishing her a goodnight before closing the lights and closing the door. Haneun closes her eyes but something still feels wrong.

She feels unsettled.

"I know this isn't right, but I have to trust my guts just this time." Haneun sighs as she sits up. Her eyes looks at the clock and notices the time. Her sharp intelligence was all she needed to come up with a plan and in an instant, she heads to her bag and grabs the white diary her mother gifted her with during her birthday.

With a black pen, she starts scribbling down the paper as she sat on the bed she was given with. Once she was done, she closes the object, heads to her bag to put them back in their proper place and grabs another piece of paper from the sticky note she luckily finds inside her bag. Using the same pen, she scribbles down words and sticks it on the bed she managed to fix earlier. 

"Now, to proceed to step one." Haneun mumbles to herself as she waits for the clock to reach eleven, which she knows will be the time everyone is drifting peacefully in sleep. Impatient with such, she quickly moves once the clock strikes ten-thirty and with quiet movements, she brings her bag and opens the window. With one last look, she slowly climbs down the house, running further and further away.

06-14-22

I have a feeling what I'm about to do now won't bring me to anything good, but maybe, it will. Fate kinda plays on me well, you know?

Today's the leave of my mom. He had dropped me off at my grandparents' residence and there, I met my grandmother and grandfather. Sooner or later, mom's siblings came by too. They were namely Aunt Jihyun, Aunt Jiyoung and Uncle Hakseon. They were pretty much like mom too.. except a bit more mature, I guess.

Something I can differentiate them from one another would be their attitudes. Mom, being the youngest, is the bubbly and hyper one... and the trouble maker. Aunt Jihyun, the second youngest, would be that one who simply laughs and finds everything fun, and humbly accepts life's ups and downs. Aunt Jiyoung is the one who tries to tell her siblings to try acting their age, especially her brothers. She's the mature one. Finally, Uncle Hakseon, the slowly maturing eldest brother. He might seem the eldest, but he's just the same level with mom.

Anyway, back to the topic, I can't stand this worry I have. I want to trust my guts this time, and once in a while. I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm going to do it anyway.

I'm running off. Away from my grandparents' residence and maybe, I can catch up with mom's location. I guess it seems impossible but hey, once a girl like me puts her mind to it, it CAN happen.

That's all, see you the tomorrow... if I still survive.