He stood there staring after the young woman and her daughter. She walked into her house and closed the door quickly right behind them. He found it very amusing how fast she wanted to get away from him.

This neighbourhood must be a scary place if she couldn’t stay behind for me to say my gratitude to her, He thought to himself.

He looked towards the house miss park shin hye pointed to earlier. Hmm this must be my auntie’s house, he thought.

It’s been years since he seen his auntie. She is a sweet woman, sister to his abeoji. While his dad was a cold, calculating man, his sister was a kind sweet woman.

Abeoji cut her from the family when she fell in love with a common man and married him. Since then he hasn’t seen his aunty. He didn’t know where she lived and heard nothing about her until recently. His mother told her where she was and that she is a widow now.

His heart went out for his auntie, a person who always treated him like a second son.

Now, she is living in this countryside all alone. As soon as he heard about her, he had to come and see her. He needed to get away anyway. His dad was controlling his life to a point that he couldn’t take it anymore. Hmm he signed, but he would have to go back soon, something about his dad makes him hesitate about disobeying him.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. While waiting he looked around the place. He never been to a country-side before and found this place very beautiful and quiet. It gives him a peaceful feeling unlike the place where he lives. It’s nice to get away from his busy life in Seoul.

He was enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful scenery around him when the door suddenly opened. He looked back at the middle-aged woman front of him.

“anyasayo auntie” he bowed towards her.

“omo, omo is this who I think it is?? Min ho’ah? Is it really you?” she was staring at him in a shock.

“My handsome beauty does that to everyone” he joked towards her.

“Aiiishh, you little brat. You are just like your mother. Ah, so grown, and of course handsome. My nephew” she had tears in her eyes as she stared after the boy who was like her own son.

“Aunty, how long are you going to keep me waiting outside, I’m cold”

“Oh. Oh. Sorry. Come in child” she dragged him inside.

Min ho was looking around the place where his aunty been living the past few years. It was cosy but very lonely. He took a seat and asked how her aunty was doing.

“why didn’t you ever contact me?” he turned and asked her. she saw that he was upset about it. She has hurted this child unintentionally.

“you know about your father, he wouldn’t have liked it if I was in contact with you and that would have led to problems. But I was in contact with your mother. She always kept me updated” she told him while he listened quietly. Until recently his mother kept his auntie’s existence as a secret. He understand why but it still hurts him.

“Keunde, doesn’t your dad know you’re here? He let you?” she said, I doubt he would have.

“No, he doesn’t but it won’t be long till he finds out where I went. I guess I have like a week” he smiled at her.

“Hmm, that brother of mine, he is not still controlling your life is he?” she angrily asked him

“Auntie I’m hungry, aren’t you going to feed me?”  He tried changing the subject.

“oh my child, wait here, I’ll make you every favourite dishes of yours.” She went rushing towards the kitchen. He found his auntie very much like own mum.

Shin Hye’s House

“omma, why do you look upset?” so won asked her mother. Omma looks like she is about to cry, she thought.

“its nothing so won’ah, omma is just tired from working” shin hye replied. She stared ahead, deep in her thoughts. He really looked like he doesn’t recognise me. Its him, I know. But how can he not recognise me? Is he acting? Aniyo, if he saw me, he would have showed hatred. But he was very nice, he really must have not recognised me. Aish this is so confusing. Why is this happening to me after all these years. 

“who was that man outside halmeoni’s house omma?” so won asked.

Shin hye’s eyes shot up to meet her daughter’s eyes. She has same eyes as her father. So mesmerizing and piercing. “it was someone who needed help direction to halmeoni’s house and I helped him so won’ah. Now go to sleep.” Oh why do I feel so guilty, She thought.

So won was quiet for awhile sleeping on her mother’s lap. Suddenly she shot up and said “omma, don’t you think that ajusshi was handsome? Woah he was so tall, my neck was hurting when I was looking at his face omma.” Shin hye stayed quiet listening to her daughter’s going on about the ‘handsome ajusshi from outside’.

“Omma, omma, is my appa handsome like him? Tall as him? Tell me omma” so won eagerly asked shin hye.

“ne, he is.” She replied

“I knew it. He must be handsome since I’m very cute” so won cheekily said, bringing a smile to her mother’s face.

She went back to sleeping in her mother’s lap. After while she got up again and looked into her mother’s eyes and asked, “omma, when would appa come to see me?” she had tears in her eyes, “I really want to see him omma. Doesn’t he miss me?”

“aniyoo so won’ah, appa misses you every day. That’s why I give you