Context Clues | Completed

Chapter Twenty-Three | The Blessing of a Family

Kang Il

Had you told me that I would be standing outside the orphanage I finished my youth in holding Tae Men's hand in mine a month ago, I probably would have laughed you off and rolled my eyes at the preposterous notion. It didn't seem possible that I would finally find my happiness with Tae Men, but here we are, in front of a place that held some of my happiest memories post-accident and also the deepest pains from the earliest days of Tae Men's absence from my life.

"You're sure that I shouldn't have brought more?"

Tae Men points at the fruit basket I had taken from her upon arrival.

I roll my eyes at her question, "They'll be more surprised that I brought someone back with me to even notice that I brought a gift. You are the gift in this situation."

Tae Men rolls her eyes but I spot a slight blush on her cheeks despite her nonchalant attitude.

We enter the gates and start walking towards the main building where a couple of kids play hopscotch outside. A couple of familiar faces wave at me and a little girl with pigtails and a gap in her front teeth waves at me before running inside the building.

No doubt to announce my arrival and the presence of my 'friend.'

As expected, within a minute, the smiling face of Sister Michaels appears with the usual herd of children surrounding her.

Over the years she had added more grey to her hair and more lines to her face, but she was as lovely as the first time I had met her in the hospital all of those years ago.

"Eomeoni," I wave.

She hobbles down the stairs and over to Tae Men and I. She hugs me to her small frame tightly and as she lets go she puts her hands on either side of my face and smiles at me brightly,

"Kang Kang, how are you, my boy?"

"I'm good, Eomeoni. How is your health?"

"As good as an old lady like myself can hope for."

"Eomeoni, you're not—"

"Oh shush, don't lie to me Kang Kang, you know better than that," she turns and looks at Tae Men who is standing silently next to me, "You brought a guest back. Is this...?"

"Yes, this is Tae Men. My girlfriend," I say proudly.

Tae Men shoots me a furtive glance as though to say, "Watch your mouth," but I ignore her, the pride in my soul needing an outlet.

I look down at my girlfriend and smile, "Just because we're not telling your family we're dating doesn't mean we can't tell mine."

"You haven't told Tae Men's family you're finally dating?" Sister Michael's eyebrows raise in surprise, "May I ask why?"

Tae Men chuckles, "I'm sure you know that this has been a long time coming; as the oldest child of a series of unmarried siblings, the pressure to settle down is at an all-time high so as soon as we tell them, the incessant badgering to get married will be unbearable. For the both of us since my family considers Kang Il family which means they have absolutely no filter or self control."

Tae Men's words warm me to my core and I nod in agreement at her statement.

"Which means I can only acknowledge her new status in my heart with my family for the time being," I rub the back of my neck and smile at Sister Michaels sheepishly.

"New?" Sister Michaels says softly.

"KANG IL!"

The three of us turn around and see a herd of new kids running over to us, different sized baseball gloves and balls in their hands.