Chapter 15 (Part 2)

(After the flashback, you will notice a change in point of view ^_^)

Twenty years ago.

“Yonghwa! What did I just hear? The boys told me that you and Yeri broke up. And when I checked her in the dance studio, she was crying so hard. What happened?!" Seohyun asked with hands on their waist as she walks towards the center of the baskeball court.

Yonghwa continues to shoot, dribble and run around. 

“Ya! Jung Yonghwa!” Seohyun shouted.

“What?” Yonghwa chuckled as he continues to shoot. 

Seohyun tries to steal the ball but Yonghwa just played with her as he moves with all his tricks. 

“Ya! I’m talking to you!” 

“I’m talking to you too.” Yonghwa playfully responded as he dribbles the ball around Seohyun. 

Seohyun glared her eyes and her nostrils flared. That made Yonghwa stopped running and face her with a laugh. 

“Why are you laughing?!”

“Because you’re funny, Seohyun-ah...” 

“Why did you break up with Yeri?” She asked again and went back to the topic.

Yonghwa sighed. “Just...just because...that...”

“What?!” Seohyun yelled. “You have no reason again? You’re just bored and all?”

He shoots the ball again on the 3-point line before he answered. “She knows that I don't like her from the start. She's the one who insisted to be my girlfriend." He said then shoots again. "But I can't take her being clingy and all anymore."

Seohyun sighed. “Yong...Yeri is like your tenth girlfriend this year already.”

“Oh did you count?” He asked like it was a usual thing and then dribbles the ball before he layed-up. 

“I’m serious, Yonghwa. Don’t you pity all the girls you play with?” 

Yonghwa went to the bench to drink some water and wiped his face with the towel after playing by himself. 

“I’m even doing them a favor, Hyun. I never courted them. They’re the ones who asked me to be their boyfriend." Yonghwa answered with a sheepish smile.

Seohyun rolled her eyes and just sighed. 

“Come on. Let’s go home and stop nagging.” Yonghwa said as he wraps his arm around Seohyun and almost chokes her neck as they walk out of the campus.

While they were walking home and happily eating their favorite ice cream sandwich, Seohyun sighed after remembering a clear image of Yeri crying that she saw a while ago.

“Yong..” She started as they walk. 

“Mmm?”

“Stop hurting girls, okay?” She reiterated. 

Yonghwa sighs. “I don’t intend to. Believe me. And I think I’ll hurt them more if I stay in a relationship while I continue to just pretend that I like them when I really don't."

Seohyun pouted and glared at him. 

“Ahrasseo...I’ll try my best.” Yonghwa held up his hands in surrender. "I won't promise but I'll try. But you also have to know Seohyun-ah, that in relationships, there will always be someone who gets hurt... so you know, it can't be prevented." 

“But still!” 

“Okay fine...fine...”

Seohyun sighed, “Can you imagine your future daughter crying over a guy like how Yeri did a while ago?!" She said then her nostrils flared. "Gosh! I'm gonna kill a guy who'd make my future daughter cry like that!"

Yonghwa was controlling himself but he failed and laughed out loud.

“Ya! What’s so funny?!”

Yonghwa was still laughing. “You’re thinking too much. How can you think of having a child when you, yourself, are still a child?" He commented with a chuckle.

“I’m not a child anymore. I’m an eighteen-year-old young lady." She answered, rolling her eyes and folding her arms on her chest.

Yonghwa was still chuckling until it subsided, “But really...” He turned to Seohyun, "You want to have children in the future?"

“Of course I do. I think everybody does. Don’t you?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet.” He said then looked at his best friend.

“Mmm... I see... But me, I’ve always wanted to be a mother.” She said. "Even before I dreamed of any profession, I've always wanted to have children and become a mother someday."

Yonghwa looks at her intently as they walk and nods silently, trying to understand her words. 

“So...how many children do you want to have in the future?” 

Seohyun pouted her lips, and her eyeballs go up and sideways, thinking hard. “Mmm... Maybe one or two.. One boy and one girl. Or maybe two boys... or two girls." Then she chuckled being so giddy just the thought of having children. "I don't know.. I don't care how many.. as long as I'll be a mother." 

***

“Mommy Seo!” Six-year-old little Jea suddenly back hugged me, crying out loud. 

“Why? What happened?” I asked worriedly as I turned around to look at her little face. Her nose and cheeks are red. I know she's crying but I can't help but find her cute with her chubby rosy cheeks.

Jea pouted her lips and pointed her index finger on Miyoung, who is standing few meters away from us. 

I sighed. 

“Miyoung-ah...come here!” I called her. 

She was hesitant to come near but I insisted and glared my eyes on her, calling her to come. Miyoung rolled her eyes and pouted her lips too, glaring at the other little girl.

“What happened?” I turned to Miyoung. 

“Nothing! Jea’s just being a crybaby.” Miyoung defended. 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I caressed Jea’s back to comfort her from her sobs. 

“Miyoung...Miyoung Unnie..she..she took my..my...pink purse...” Little Jea sobbed. She continues to sob, covering her eyes with her short arms.

“I told you this is my purse!” Miyoung justified. “Yours is the yellow one! Mommy Seo said mine is pink!” She raised her voice.

“Miyoung! Stop it!” I glared my eyes. 

“But you really said that mine is the pink one Mommy, right?” Miyoung whined at me.

Fine. It’s my fault. Right! I should have bought two pink purses. 

“It’s okay...it’s okay... I’ll just buy you a pink one, Jea...” I hugged her as she tightly wraps her short arms on my neck. 

“But I want it now! I want the pink one! I want it it! I want it!!!” She whined hardly. 

I looked at Miyoung, trying to convince her to just give it to Jea by mouthing it to her. But I saw that her eyes are welling up as well, and her hand it tightly gripping the purse, not wanting to let it go.

But Miyoung gave up and hands the purse to me. I gave it immediately to Jea and her sobs went down But I saw Miyoung's tears falling down already.

I immediately got up to embrace her. “It’s okay. That’s so nice of you to give it to Jea. You see? Being an Unnie makes you do good things. Don't worry, I promise to buy you a new one." I comforted Miyoung.

I embraced the two girls.

“Now...” I continued, “I want you two, to hug and make up. Don’t fight ever again.” I said. 

Little Jea was ready to give Miyoung a hug. It was a childish fight but they’re so cute. They're very tiring at times, but I love them with all my heart. They're treasures to me.

“Good...” I told them. “Now, since you both have been good girls, we’ll go to an ice cream shop and indulge all day with it!” 

“Yey!!!” Jea jumped in joy while Miyoung was just wiping away her tears. She’s tall for her age but her mind is still innocent and childish at times. That thought made me smile.

“Why don’t you say goodbye to Halmoni and Harabeoji before we leave?” I asked them. 

The two girls knelt and bowed deep on the graves. 

Innocent little Jea waved her hand on the graves as I held her other hand and placed my other arm around Miyoung's little shoulder.