Jeans | Y.Jw

| 2.17 |

I had barely gotten home for dinner in the evening. We had barely even sat down to eat the dinner. It was rudely cut off by the apartment telephone ringing loudly from the front hall. Jungwon had answered the call, he was still in the call. Somehow the atmosphere in the apartment had changed.

It had gone from our usual cozy feeling. Dinner had been normal, Jungwon had been early home and decided to cook for us this time around. Since it was Friday he had brought some cheap white wine that we could drink - the only one both of us liked because wine usually was too sour for us. We had laughed, reminisced the times when we first got together, teased and joked around with each other.

Then the telephone called.

Jungwon had left the table with a teasing smile on his face, promising me that he would be back in a moment with the greatest comeback to date. I had laughed at him. Now he stood out in the front hall by the telephone, talking in a hushed voice. Somehow even the screeching of tires and carhorns outsides sounded dull and muted. I couldn't see Jungwon, but I could sense something had changed.

"I'll talk with her, hold on," Jungwon calmly stated out in the front hall and my head immediately turned towards it. Anticipating his appearance. Once he did appear he snickered slightly, "why did you stop eating?"

"I was waiting for you," I excused and removed my hands from under my chin and into my lap as I sent him a small smile.

"Look, we need to talk about something," Jungwon excused and walked over to sit back down in his chair. I immediately nodded and just stared at him, "how... no... would it bother you if I went back to Liverpool for a while?"

"No," I shook my head calmly, "you'll come back, right?"

"Of course I will," he assured with a small snort.

"What about work?" I questioned and he shrugged before rubbing his face.

"I suppose I could get a few days off," he sighed before starting to pick at his lips and stare straight ahead out towards the front hall.

"What's going on?" I whispered quietly, "what in Liverpool needs you?"

"Mary."

"Oh..."

I went quiet as I looked back down at my plate, staring sternly at my half-eaten food. I knew that Mary was a touchy subject for Jungwon ever since Christmas passed. He didn't like that he had been too busy to go home to her for Christmas and that she was unable to come to the apartment for the evening. 

I didn't dare bring her up often. Jungwon had a tendency to get snappy and ask me to just let the subject be, if I ever brought it up. I understood why. He missed her, and in a way it wasn't fair that I so easily could go see my brother, when he had so much trouble with going back to see Mary.

"Mom's decided it would be best for her to move to a foster family," Jungwon revealed and I nodded quietly as I adjusted how my fork was laying on my plate, "they already found one in Leicester... she's to move next week."

"Leicester is far," I murmured and he only hummed in return.

"Mom wants me to come and help the last week before Mary moves... pack her things and help ease things at home. Seems like mr. Baker isn't too happy with the decision," Jungwon whispered quietly, "I told her I'll ask you if it was alright for me to go, before I took any decision."

"If you don't go I'll put you on a train myself," I remarked and he nodded quietly, "and I'm going with you."

"They need you in the bakery," he shook his head, "and I don't want you back on Great Homer Street again."

"And I don't want you back in the same house as that horrid man," I shortly replied and finally looked up at him, crossing my arms lightly across my chest.

"This is not about your family," Jungwon sighed before looking over at me, "don't interfere."

"Tell me when we're going and I'll pack our bags," I insisted.

"Ji..." he sighed and closed his eyes tightly before rubbing his eyes, "you need to stop wanting to involve yourself in all about my family. I can handle it. Just trust me."

"I do trust you," I assured him with a small nod, "I'm going with you as support, because I know the toll that environment can have on you."

"Why can't you just let me fix this myself?" he sternly questioned, "I am perfectly capable of achieving things without you being there as support."

"If I am not supposed to support you, then I suggest you find out why I am here," I decided, "tell me when we're going and I'll pack our bags. While you're at it you might as well tell me why I am here, then I can figure out how much I need to pack."

Calmly I stood up and left the dining table, wandering down to the bedroom while I could hear a heavy sigh out in the dining room. I quietly got myself washed up, washing the flour and cinnamon scent off of me before getting into my pajamas. When I got out of the bathroom the apartment was eerily quiet, but I didn't move out of the bedroom. I only grabbed my book and continued to read through it.