I’m late. Is she even home yet? I wonder if she’s made herself dinner.  

Donghae all but flew home to make it home in time. Donghae wasn’t sure why he was panicking so much, she would be late home, like every night. Turning the key in the lock, he warily pushed the door open. The door had a creak to it, and if she was home he didn’t want to wake her up. Tip-toeing through the door, he held his breath.

“Donghae is that you?”

He breathed out, “Yeah mum.” He called back.

“I’m in the kitchen, come and join me.”

Donghae took his shoes off and entered the kitchen, where he was embraced in a warm hug. “Mum, you’re home early.” Donghae mumbled into her hair as he returned the hug. Hae’s mother was quite short for a woman of her age. Her long brown hair was tied up in a messy bun and Donghae could see that she had changed out of her work clothes and into a pair of sweats.

“I missed my Hae-baby.” She cooed, pinching his cheeks. Donghae took the time to take in her tired face: the bags under her eyes, the growing number of wrinkles, but at least her eyes were still smiling.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in weeks.” That’s because she hadn’t. Mrs. Lee was a single mother and the only way that she could support the both of them was by working long hours. That’s why Donghae always rushed home. To make sure that when she finally returned home she at least had a meal waiting at home for her. It was the least he could do, though it didn’t stop the guilt that grew in him when he saw how hard she worked for the two of them.

“I made dinner. Take a plate and go and sit on the sofa.” She pushed a plate full of food into his hand and ushered him on to the couch, before sitting down next to him with a hot cup of coffee in her hands. She smiled, “So, what’s new?”

“I broke up with Siwon.”

She paused, the cup an inch from her lips. “What? Why, he seemed like such a nice boy?”

“He is. Trust me it was for the best, he was in love with someone else. I’d never forgive myself if I got in the way of love.”

“Aww.” His mum shuffled closer and wrapped her arms around him. “My darling Hae-baby, you’re such an angel. I wonder who you got that trait from.” She teased, laughing loudly when Hae gave her an ‘I’m not amused’ face. “But if you weren’t with Siwon why was you home so late.”

He blushed and she gasped.

“Wer