Come Rain or Shine

Let the dust settle

Mina can only listen to her mother.

"Until he experienced his slump back then, Chan turned into an unhappy, ungrateful kid. He was drunk, he spent time with I don't know, maybe his friends, he can't write music, he can't be on stage. He was lost........."

"Until he met you, Mina"

Mina looks at Chan's mother's eyes.

"I could see the sparks on his eyes again because of you. I could see him on stage writing songs again because of you, he was so ecstatic when he talked about you to us. He never talked about his slump but somehow he told us that you became his inspiration, you made him a lot better, I didn't know what power you have, Mina. But you made him happy. Though he never showed it to you, you did make him happy, and you know that Chan's music career skyrocketed after he met you"

Mina's weeping.

"So many artists came to Chan's funeral that 3 days, I could finally see that my son was so talented that so many musicians, artists paid their respect that day, they reached out to me, talking about how great Chan was as a musician, as a singer, as a songwriter, and as a producer. He was so loved by all those people. But I know Mina, I realized that he was going great at music that sacrificed his relationship with his family. I know that Chan wasn't a perfect husband, and wasn't a great father. I would hate him if I were you, hell I would leave him. But you stayed, during those first 5 years you stayed. And I am so thankful for that Mina. I do" Chan's mom started to cry.

"I came to realize how Chan got his personality, how he can not open up his feelings, give everyone around him the cold shoulder, act like he didn't care although he cared, he got it from me. I made him like that, he's indeed my son. I may not be a nice and kindhearted mother-in-law Mina, but trust me, I do care about you a lot because I am so thankful that you stayed with Channie up until his last moment"

Mina covers her mouth with her hand, she just doesn't want to cry hard.

Chan's mother rubbing her hands again. Mina tops her hand with hers.

"I am so sorry Mina if I ever hurt you, I hurt everyone with my words, I behaved badly, I scolded you a lot, I demanded a lot, I challenged you a lot. I give a damn about you Mina because I can never trust Chan with anyone else. But I am still Chan's mother, no matter what I sometimes unconsciously blame you because I didn't want Chan to be wronged though I knew that he's all the blame. I am so so sorry Mina about that"

Mina shook her head.

"Mother......." Mina starts to speak again, "Channie also helped a lot as well, I won't survive this world without him" Mina wiped her tears and took a deep breath, calm herself down.

"I was a talented singer, same as him I experienced a slump as well. I thought everything was done for me, I tried to be something I wasn't, I can't accept my reality. I just can not"

Mina then laughs to herself thinking about her past, "But Channie, because of his personality, she made me look at every opportunity around me. She told me that I had to try everything to discover something I was so good at, and he never gave up on me. I was too focused on my dream, but that time I realized I can't do that, I didn't know what I want, I can only do that thing at that time. Channie gave me many options to be tried, he opened my mind, widened my knowledge, shaped me, he helped me discover that I really love to teach, thanks to Channie" Mina laughed softly.

"He made me out of my pithole, he pulled me away from my darkness, Mother, and because of that, I lived until now. And the most important thing is, without him, there won't be Sujin. She's like the gift to me, Mother"

It's the first time that Mina and her mother-in-law got a chance to talk like this. They never spoke it out, all Mina knew that his mother hated her, all Chan's mother knew that Mina always thinks of her as a burden.

"Mina I never hated you, I never. Yeah, I was mad back then for Chan's decision, he was irresponsible with his action, you guys were too young and I did think that it was all stupid. But, I never hated you, Mina. You both allowed me to be a grandmother. And I will always be thankful for that" Chan's mother tightens her grip on her.

Mina smiles at her.

"So please, don't feel guilty over this. I want you to be happy Mina, please. I've never seen you happy, actually. I know that you're happy raising Sujin, I know that you're happy with your works, but I feel that I've never seen you happy genuinely. So, please be happy"

"You too, Mother. You too, I am sorry that I always asked you to take care of Sujin. I am sorry"

"No, I am so glad that she stayed with me"

They both can't let go of each other's hands. Chan's mother looked at Mina dearly, looking her in the eye.

"I came here to say goodbye, Mina" Mina's confused.

"Wha......what?"

"With Chan's gone, I can't live here all alone"

"Mo......mother, you, you have me. I can take care of you"

Chan's mother shook her head.

"Your job isn't to take care of me, Mina. I came here years ago with his Dad for Channie. We moved here for him. Now that he's gone, it feels like my duty is also done. And, I can't be here, I would be sad that he's not here anymore"

"Mother................"

"I would live with Hyukkie in Aussie. Hyukkie asked me to move in with him, he can not see me live alone here in Seoul. I have another kid that I have to take care of, Mina. I am going to live with him. And for 13 years, Sujin is always beside me, now she's growing up so fine. Hyukkie kids need his grandmother as well" Chan's mother smiles at her.

"Mother, do we have to be stranger after this, cause I don't want to, I can't"

"Please don't. Your daughter has my son's blood Mina, she's a Bang. Please let me see her once in a year perhaps, you should visit Sydney, I would wait for you there"

Mina then hugs Chan's mother.

"Take care, Mother. Please be happy. I hope you meet another hiking buddies there"

Chan's mother smiled, "My hiking buddies would be my 2 grandkids" She laughed.

"You take care as well, Mina. Please, I beg you to be happy. You deserve that, Mina" His mother held her hand for the last time.

That was a good closure to Mina. Now Mina knows how much Chan's mother cares about her, and how much Chan cared about her too. It is true what Chan's mother said, Chan rarely showed his emotions, but he did things in his own way, he cared about things in his own way.

Now to think about it again actually makes Mina sadder. The first thing Mina would visit after she got discharged would be his burial. Mina also should pay her last respect to him even though it's too late.