- Sunni PoV -
All I need to do is have a serious talk with Jungwon. Halmeoni told me once he auditions for a company and makes it, she'll move and go into hiding. She knows that Mr. Yang would threaten Jungwon using her.
The sun begins to set as rain slowly trickles down. Halmeoni started cooking dinner and it seems like we're going to have a feast today!
I watch Jungwon as he's moving a box into one of the closets.
"Wah!~" He lets out as he loses his balance.
I quickly run up to him and grab the box before he drops it. He seriously gets more and more clumsy as time goes on.
"I got it," I say to him as he gains his balance back.
He runs his fingers through his hair making me notice his sweaty forehead.
I place the box in the closet. "You should take a break. I brought you here so you can see your grandma," I softly say to him.
I get on my tippy toes and pat his forehead using my sleeve.
"Lets go help your grandma cook," I suggest going back on my heels.
"You two go relax! I got it here!" Yells halmeoni from the kitchen.
"Lets go on a stroll!" Jungwon's eyes light up saying that.
I furrow my eyebrows as I look out the window.
"It's still raining," I say concerned.
"Exactly!" He smiles as he looks through the closet. He grabs an umbrella and wiggles his eyebrows, "Strolls through the rain are the best."
As we walk outside standing close together under the umbrella, we talk about his grandma and how she practically raised him. The rain hitting the umbrella didn't tune out the sounds of our laughter as we joke amongst each other.
"Heeseung sings too?" I question in shock. Now we're on the topic of his friends.
"They all actually can," Jungwon informs. "I always kept mines a secret until you know..."
"You're crazy talented Jungwon, you shouldn't have to hide it," I assure him.
He shrugs, "Riki's an amazing dancer also. He's a mini Michael Jackson." Always changing the subject...
"I wouldn't say mini, he's practically a giant," I say laughing.
He giggles, "You're right, I remember when he was shorter than me and now he's even taller than Heeseung."
"You guys are so close," I say softly smiling. "I'm sure you guys would make a great idol group."
He scoffs, "I don't know about that..."
"I want you start practicing again," I lay it on him.
He stops walking and we face each other.
"Go to auditions and land yourself in a company," I continue looking up at him. "You can do it."
He sighs and shakes his head, "I don't care about my parents, but I do care for halmeoni."
"But Jungwon-"
"First they threatened me with Ms. Kim and now look at her," he cuts me off. "Who knows what they'll do to halmeoni..."
"Jungwon, she'll go into hiding-"
"It doesn't matter," he cuts me off again. "They'll find her no matter what."
I stare at him as he looks at me seriously. Something that would never change about him is that he's stubborn, sometimes too stubborn.
"I understand, but halmeoni wants you to," I say. "Go for it..."
He gently cups my cheek, "We should head back, I'm sure the food is ready."
Jungwon...
*******
"And Sunghoon?" Halmeoni asks Jungwon as we're seated in front of the magnificent spread.
Halmeoni prepared seaweed soup, Jungwon's favorite, japchae, homemade kimchi, braised potatoes and other special side dishes made with love!
"He quit ice skating," Jungwon informs before indulging into his soup.
"Really?" Halmeoni asks in shocked. "He could've went to the Olympics!"
"That's what you told me when I quit Taekwondo," Jungwon says with a laugh.
"Oh, you were that good huh," I tease him.
"He's the best at everything he does," Halmeoni hypes him up.
I look over at Jungwon. I'm sure he knows he's the best, but why doesn't he want to show it? There's that inner ambition inside of him that some may not see because of his innocent features. I wish he would just go for it.
"Sunni's a really good singer," Jungwon suddenly compliments.
Halmeoni's eyes widen. "You don't say!!" She lets out impressed.
"Ya!~" I nudge him with my elbow.
"So we have two idols to be?" Halmeoni raises her eyebrows and smiles at us.
"That's the dream!" I brightly say.
"Tell me Sunni, when did you realize you wanted to become a singer?" She asks giving me her full attention.
Jungwon then puts down his spoon and does the same. Gosh, they're exactly alike.
I clear my throat and start to think. I feel like I've known since forever. There was never a day that I wasn't singing or dancing when I was younger. It was just in my soul, but if I were to think about a time I truly wanted to sing, was when I sang for my mom for the first time...
This was before she wanted me to become a professor, and before I became a crazy wannabe idol.
Mom was always working, so she never really heard me sing until I was 10.
It was the day of my birthday, and sadly the death anniversary of my dad. Even though my mom always seemed so bright and cheerful for me, I could always see the hint of sadness in her eyes.
"I overheard my mom singing Meet Him Among Them by Lee Sun Hee on my 11th birthday," I start explain. "The song was just released and I could tell my mom absolutely loved it. Though she never explained why, I knew it was because of my dad."
The lyrics to the song resonated with her. I remembered hiding behind the kitchen wall hearing the pain in her voice. It was nearly 10 years since dad died, yet her heart still felt that pain.
"I went to my room and looked up the lyrics right away and sung it for her that night," I say reminiscing the exact scene.
She teared up, almost breaking down in front of me, but knowing my mom, she didn't want me to see her like that.
"She hugged me and said 'Wah, my daughter sings just like Ms. Lee Sun Hee,' but.." I pause. "That day was the last time I heard her sing that song... and she never played it again."
I take a second to continue. Just remembering her face at the time. I know she probably felt like I saw her at her weakest, and she always wanted me to see her tough side.
"That's when I wanted to do it, just her grabbing my face in admiration made me feel so happy," I finish with a smile.
I look at halmeoni as she's smiling at me sweetly. I then look over at Jungwon who's giving me a smug look.
"You look rather suspicious," I tell him with my eyebrows raised.
"Kim Sunni, you know I'm also capable of coming up with master plans," he says with a smirk.
Huh?! What could this cat be even thinking about?
We suddenly hear a few knocks on the door.
"Aigoo~ who could that be at this hour?" Halmeoni says with a grunt as she gets up from the table.
"Yang Jungwon, you better tell me what's going on in that weird brain of yours," I squint my eyes at him.
He squints back, "It's my little secret for now~"
We then hear a loud gasp coming from halmeoni. We look at each other frantically before rushing over to the door.
We freeze seeing her...
Halmeoni approaches her.
"J-Jiyoung..."
- Jungwon PoV -
What is she doing here? I knew it! I knew they would find out where halmeoni lives no matter how secretive she could be!
Something sees different though...
I stare at my mom, feeling a mixture of anger and confusion, and noticing that she's not like her usual self.
This is the first time probably since I was a child, that her hair isn't in some fancy up-do, her face is pounded with makeup, and her style is like she's actually her age.
Not only that, her eyes are puffy and glossy, and her stance isn't uptight and proper like how it usually is.
Since halmeoni got kicked out, mom never talked about her. I'm sure she never thought to call check up on her, she never did before even when she was living with us.
During birthdays and holidays, she'll always give halmeoni an envelope full of money. Not even bothering to take the time out of her day to think of gifting her something more meaningful than colored paper.
To see her here, I'm beyond shocked.
- 3rd Person PoV -
Jiyoung's emotions become overwhelmed from seeing her mother. She notices how she still looks the same, beautiful youthful face with mesmerizing eyes just like Jungwon.
She feels conflicted on whether or not to hug her. She knows she's only treated her badly in the past, and now when she feels like her world is crashing, the only person she could think of to go to, is her mother.
Her eyes shift behind her as she notices Jungwon and Sunni. She doesn't know what to think seeing them here together.
Rather than how she used to react, she feels guilty.
Her emotions get the best of her and she breaks down in front of them.
Halmeoni embraces her in her arms. She, herself, is in shock to see her daughter. She never thought her daughter would be knocking on her door in Daegu.
Halmeoni closes her eyes as tears rolls down her cheeks.
She feels it in her heart that her little girl is back.
After comforting each other, Jiyoung sits down to eat with halmeoni.
Jungwon and Sunni decided to go to the guest bedroom to have their own conversation.
Seeing his mother left Jungwon with mixed feelings and a question of why she's here.
Sunni was also quite shocked to see her enemy. Sad to think that one of enemies is her boyfriend's mother.
"What happened Jiyoung?" Questions halmeoni looking at Jiyoung worried.
Jiyoung sniffles as she puts down her spoon.
Feeling embarrassed and ashamed, she's quite hesitant to tell her what happened.
She knows she had always put Mr. Yang first before everyone. Seeing the affair happen, made herself have a reality check.
To have a man who wasn't even a good husband control her all these years was pathetic.
Halmeoni grabs Jiyoung's hands.
"You can tell me honey," Halmeoni softly assures her.
Jiyoung nods before taking a huge deep breath in and exhaling.
"My husband is having an affair," Jiyoung finally lets out. "I don't want to be with him anymore, but how can I escape him?"
Halmeoni stares at Jiyoung worried. Her heart breaks to see Jiyoung like this, but as bad as it sounds, she's not surprised that Mr. Yang is having an affair.
She's not concerned about him though. She knows all she can do is provide comfort and an escape plan for her daughter and grandchildren.
"Divorce him," Halmeoni simply says. "Divorce him and get custody of Jungwon and your daughter."
"He's not going to let go of Jungwon so easy," Jiyoung says with a sniffle.
"Too bad, too sad," Halmeoni says. "He not only treated you bad, but he treated Jungwon like a puppet."
Halmeoni squeezes Jiyoung's hands.
"You don't need him. You never did. I'm going to get you guys out of that hell hole."
- Jungwon PoV -
"You okay?" Sunni asks me worried as she scoots over to me.
We sit on the floor in halmeoni's traditional Korean bedroom.
I start to think of the reasons why mom would be here, but seeing her break down makes me erase all the possibilities.
"Maybe I shouldn't leave halmeoni out there by herself with her," I say about to stand up.
Sunni grabs my arm and pulls me down.
"She's fine," Sunni softly says. "I think something happened to your mom."
I nod, "Possibly, but why come to halmeoni? She treated her like trash all these years."
That's when we hear a couple of knocks on the door before it slides open.
Me and Sunni look to see my mom standing there.
There was a moment of awkward silence.
"I'm going to help halmeoni in the kitchen," Sunni says as she gets up and leaves.
"Sun-"
"Bye!" She cuts me off as she walks past mom.
Mom steps inside the room and slowly closes the door.
I can feel that she was hesitant to sit down next to me. It feels weird, considering all the sit down talks we had were controlling.
The air feels tense but not the intensity I usually get from her.
"I'm sorry," She says softly.
We're not looking at each other as we're seated greatly apart.
"I've treated you like a mere puppet... I can say it was because of your father, but... I was apart of it. You're only 17 but I gave you a life that wasn't worth living and I'm so sorry," she continues filling up the silent air.
I stay silent hearing her apology. I just feel a lot of resentment towards her. An apology after basically my whole life isn't going heal the bloody wound.
"I know this won't make up for everything, but... I promise I'm going to be the mother you always wanted," She takes a pause. "Starting with divorcing your father."
My eyes widen.
I look at her in shock, frankly very surprised that she's divorcing him. Never would I ever think she would do that.
"You're what?" I ask still trying to process this.
"Your father... is having an affair," she says still not looking at me. "He doesn't know that I know, and..."
She then finally looks up at me.
"He planned on murdering Ms. Kim..."
A/N
Hello my loves!! We reached 4k!! Thank you much for reading, and I hope you guys are enjoying the story!
These past few chapters have been pretty short, so to spoil you guys, chapter 30 will be relatively long! Well, longer than the past few haha :)
Till the next chapter~