Hanni's POV
After an hour and a half I had arrived at my destination. At this exact moment I was standing in front of Hye Kyo house. Looking at that environment in which I lived for so long, but that now it was so strange. It wasn't a big house or small. Let's say that it was a beautiful middle class house, painted with ivory colours, it was a little damaged, but nothing that a beautiful renovation wouldn't fix. Thinking that at any moment this house could be taken away filled me with anger. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, that wasn't my biggest problem, looking at that woman again was.
I walked in slow steps to the porch of the house, looking through the window in search of Eunchae, but no sign of her. The little one was probably sleeping, it was still too early. I was afraid to get in, that was no longer my home, even though I support it.
It has been 2 years since the last time I saw them. After so many arguments with my mother, I decided to keep my distance, which did me good. I don't know if I could have handled being judged by her for much more time. But here I was, with my hands sweating, and a certain nervousness and anxiety tormenting me. I wasn't the old Hanni anymore, but I still was afraid to hear all of her words again, those words never came out of my head, I could hate her if I didn't know everything that she went through to support us.
'You can still leave, Hanni.'
My subconscious shouted, but I wouldn't obey it. I had to face that situation sooner or later. I was doing my role as daughter, and she would have to do hers as mother.
I stopped in front of the door and knocked on it lightly for 3 times, which quickly was heard because in a matter of a few minutes the door opened. And to my relief, it was Eunchae. The little one looked at me static as if she had seen a ghost, to soon open a broad smile.
"UNNIE!"
Eunchae practically jumped in my arms, squeezing me tightly in a hug loaded with longing. I swear, I felt like crying, shedding all the tears that I've been bottling up. She was quite different now, her hair was longer, probably would be very similar to mine, she was taller, she already passed my waist. And surely she already knew how to talk perfectly well.
"I can't believe you came back! I missed you so much, unnie."
Her voice was happy and excited. I just cried, I cried for how much I missed her, I cried for seeing her so big and so different.
"I missed you too, Chaechae, a lot."
She let go of me, and stared at me smiling.
"Where is Hye Kyo?"
I quickly asked.
"She's not here, she left a little while ago. Come in, Unnie!" Without her in that house I was already more relaxed. I entered the place that used to be my home, seeing that it hadn't changed at all, everything was exactly the same as when I left.
"I thought I would never see you again, Unnie."
"I promised you that I would come back, remember? And I came back."
I smiled at my little sister who pulled me to sit down on the couch.
"Will you move back in with us? Mom put several things in your room, but you can stay in mine."
"No, Eunchae, I just came to visit. I already have my house."
"I thought you would come back, Unnie."
"I can't, but look, I promise to visit you more often, ok? And I'll take you to see my apartment."
"Really? You promise?"
"I promise! You will love Karina and Danielle, they are like my sisters too."
"I heard mom say that Danielle isn't a nice person, Unnie."
"Well, I guarantee you that she is completely wrong, Eunchae, Danielle is a wonderful person."
"If you say so, I believe it! But when are we going to your apartment?"
The little one asked anxiously, making me laugh.
"Soon, I promise!"
She smiled and hugged me tightly, she told me everything about what's been going on these past few days, Eunchae was only 8 years old but she was wise like someone older. She told me that lately Hye Kyo had been acting weird, and that Joongki was back at frequenting the house. It wasn't always, but she saw them talking a lot of the time. I couldn't believe that after everything that man, who I would never call father, was back. And the worst, my mother could be getting back together with him after everything she has suffered.
"Are you sure of what you are telling me, Eunchae?"
"I am, dad comes here and asks her for money. He plays with me sometimes, he even takes me out for ice-cream."
"You shouldn't be around him."
"He's not bad, Unnie, not anymore."
"You don't get it, Eunchae, he's not a good person."
"Can I know what you are doing here?"
I heard Hye Kyo's voice echo inside that room, causing a strong quiver all over my body. The last time I heard that voice, things didn't go well. I got up from the couch staring at the woman in front of me, she was different from last time, her hair was shorter and lighter.
"I needed to talk to you."
"I have nothing to talk to you about, Hanni."
"Yes you do, I need answers."
I said seriously, I wasn't her little daughter anymore. After the fight we had I matured a lot, I was now a woman of formed ideas.
"Go to your room, Eunchae, I'm going to talk to Hanni."
Eunchae grumbled for a few minutes but then she left to go to her bedroom. Hye Kyo walked over to her armchair and sat down, throwing a cold look on me.
"I see that you are very well in life. Your clothes seem expensive. Your work pays good money, doesn't it? Or do your clients give you presents?"
I swallowed hard, feeling a huge pain to hear those things again, to that woman I was a call girl.
"I buy everything with my own money, not that it's any of your business."
She smiled sarcastically.
"What do you want?"
"I want to know what you have been doing with the money that I sent you."
She wasn't expecting that.
"The money goes to the payment of the house, of course!"
The woman quickly stood up.
"Oh c'mon, don't lie! I received an eviction letter, you have to vacate this house! Where is the money going? Because it isn't going into this house!"
"It doesn't concern you!" she shouted.
"Of course it concerns me! It's my money!"
Her eyes were burning with hatred. I felt my body shudder, but I wouldn't let it get to me.
"Well, keep that damn dirty money that you earn, I don't want it."
"And you want to live on the street? Because I guarantee you that you can't support this house with what you earn in that little corner shop.
"I rather live on the street than take money from a whore."
I stood silent.
"Yeah, stay quiet."
"I don't think about you, I think about Eunchae, I don't want her to suffer because of your stupid pride."
"Stay out of it, you shouldn't even show up here, I don't want you to contaminate your sister with your dirty character."
"My dirty character? I have been striving to give you the best during all these years."
We were both almost shouting inside that room. Eunchae probably was hearing everything.
"You strive? By having sex with strangers?"
"I am not a prostitute! I have my job."
"You are. I saw it with my own eyes."
"You didn't see anything, and even if you did, it's my life. I know what I am, Hye Kyo."
"And you are still proud?"
She sneered.
"Yes, of everything I have today."
"You have nothing!"
"I have a lot more than you! I heard that you are talking to Joongki again, are you letting yourself be fooled by what he says?"
"And what if I am?"
"Are you crazy, mother? Have you forgotten that the fault of this family's misery was his?"
"It's your fault!"
No, that was too much. She was defending the man who mistreated her for years, who left her in misery alone with two kids. I felt like crying, my chest burned, but I would be strong enough.
"Mine? Have you forgotten how much he beat you? That he left us in misery?"
She stared at the floor, taking a deep breath.
"It's to him that you are giving the money, isn't it? Is he forcing you to do something?"
I tried to get closer and touched the arm of the woman who seemed to be crying. Yes, she was crying, and even after all of those insults thrown at me, I felt sorry. I didn't want to see her suffer, because I loved her.
"Don't touch me, girl. He's not forcing me to do anything, Joongki is helping me."
"Are you serious? You really believe that, mother? He's crazy, a gambling addict! You know that!"
I shouted angrily.
"And you are a whore!"
I closed my eyes trying to find strength, Hye Kyo took all from me. Can you imagine what it's like to hear these things from your own mother? It's painful, the words will gradually eat you alive until you can't take it anymore.
"Enough! Enough!" I shouted in front of her.
"I won't allow you to talk to me like this! I won't allow you to give my money to that man! If you want to live on the street, go ahead! But go alone, Eunchae stays with me, even if I have to take you to justice and take her away from you. And you can be absolutely sure that I will win, because no judge will leave her with a dysfunctional family like this one! I am sick and tired of your insults, I don't care anymore. If you want to think I'm a whore, go right ahead. I know exactly what I am, Hye Kyo! Now pay close attention..." I got closer to her, staring into her eyes with all the anger and hurt I felt.
"I can very well pay everything that is delayed here, but I won't support this idea that he helps you, because who helps you the most here is me."
She didn't even say a word, she kept quiet, staring at me as if she was scared of my reaction.
"I will come here every month to see my sister and pay the house rent. And you can't and won't stop me. I am tired of being mistreated when I just want to help you out. I am no longer the silly little girl to whom you can say whatever you want."
"Who do you think you are, girl?"
"I am someone much better than you are being right now."
This was a crucial point of all these years. I would never in my life talk to her like this, I wasn't like this. But the situation forced me to be.
"Hye Kyo? Where are you?"
This could only be the work of fate. The man who I really didn't want to see, had just walked into the room. And when he saw me his body quickly stopped. The atmosphere weighed like a ton, making a thousand memory flashes go through my head. Every moment of agony, his drinking, his cuss words and his violence were present in the memories that I thought to have forgotten.
"Now the circus is complete, right? What a beautiful family..."
I sneered.
"Aren't you ashamed to show up here?"
"Ashamed of what? You are the one who should be ashamed, right? I heard that the prostitute here is you."
I looked at Hye Kyo who remained silent.
"You know nothing, you are just a disgusting worm who inhabits this earth. A damn gambling addict, I abhor being your daughter. And yours too!" I shouted to both of them.
"Get out of here!" Hye Kyo shouted.
"When he takes everything away from you again, don't come apologizing to me. I am warning you to get out before it's too late, mother!"
"You know nothing!"
"You are the one being blind! Do you want to get beaten up again? Do you want to starve? You can go through all of that but my sister you will not take it together. I won't let her be a bitter person like you made me be."
I grabbed my bag, looking one last time at both of them. They were the example of everything that I didn't want to be. I looked at the little girl who cried on the top of the stairs, looking at me.
"I'll come back, Eunchae, I promise."
The girl nodded, and just like that I got out of that place.
As if I was carrying tons on my back, I left that place. Feeling weak, sad. Seeing those two people in front of me was enough to completely ruin my day. How could Hye Kyo side with him after everything he did? That only increased my concern about Eunchae, the girl was too young, she hadn't witnessed the acts of violence, but I had. It was all imprinted in my memory.
I walked for a few blocks until I arrived at the subway, I would return home and spend the entire weekend locked up in there. I wasn't in the mood nor did I have patience for anything. In a few hours my quota of kindness had gone to hell.
After a while I got out near the central park, I walked for a bit, trying to clear my head, until I saw Le Café', the place that Minji had introduced me to a few days ago. I remember her exact words:
'I like to come here to think, and because of it, I always had the desire to go there.'
I crossed the street, entering that cozy environment once again. The place wasn't crowded, there were a few people at several tables chatting animatedly. When I got to the counter the man with a slightly big belly was cleaning some frames with black-and-white pictures of Paris. He was so distracted that he didn't even notice my presence.
"Good Morning."
He quickly turned around.
"Good Morning, Miss, can I get you anything?"
"A hot chocolate, please."
He smiled and nodded.
"Rita, honey, a neat hot chocolate for this young lady over here." he shouted.
"You don't look strange to me."
He said, staring at me.
"Ah! I know you! You were here with Minji-ah!" I smiled at the man who seemed happy to see me.
"Yes. I loved your hot chocolate and so I came back again!"
"That's great! Do you want a croissant too? They were just made and they are warm. With that sad little face, they will cheer you up."
He could really notice that I was sad without me even saying anything?
"I think they will, yes."
"Of course they will, I'll bring you one, and take that sad look off your face, are you fighting with Minji? Because if you are, don't worry, every couple has their fights."
The man spoke as he walked away. Couple? He really thought that Minji and I were a couple?
"Here you go, Miss!"
A lady with black hair spoke, serving me the hot chocolate and the croissant.
"I hope you like it, excuse me."
The food in that place was really divine, I was in heaven. Matteo talked with me for a good amount of time, he showed me some pictures of Minji when she was little beside her dad. The girl has been simply gorgeous since childhood.
"I have her as a daughter."
"I imagine, Matteo."
"Miss Pham?"
I heard that more than a familiar voice, was it coincidence or fate? I turned around coming face to face with the green eyed woman who seemed surprised to see me there. She was beautiful, as always, she wore her formal clothes, skirt and blouse that looked so good on her.
"Miss Pham."
"Well, I'll leave you two alone. Minji-ah, fix this, whatever happened, Hanni is not well!"
I blushed instantly, Matteo talked as if Minji and I were fighting. Minji laughed and sat down. When she looked into my eyes, Minji became serious, she seemed worried.
"Did something happen?"
"No, ma'am, you don't need to worry."
"Hanni, can we make a deal?"
"Sure."
"While we are outside the company, or better, outside of our working hours, I want you to call me Minji. Sometimes I need to get out of my tough posture, you know?"
I smiled calmly and nodded.
"I'll try."
"Tell me, what happened? Weren't you going to see your family today?"
"I already went, ma'am, I mean, Minji."
"And that's why you are sad like this? Was there any problem?"
Was she really worried about me?
"Yeah... Let's say that I don't get along with my parents. Actually, I barely talk to them, but I saw my little sister. And I'm happy about that."
"Family problems, I know how they are. Today I'll have to go to my family's house in Busan, actually I'm being forced to go."
"Do you have problems with them?"
"Not exactly with them..." Minji sighed.
"It's complicated."
"I imagine, family is never easy."
"It isn't, and I don't want to go. I don't want to be alone with them."
It was so weird to see her sensitive like this. She didn't even seem the day-to-day Minji, but like she had said, sometimes she needed
to get out of the tough posture.
"If there's anything I can do to help you, I'm here for that."
Minji said nothing, she stared at me for a few minutes. And then made a face of who just had a great idea.
"Yes, you can help me, Miss Pham!"
"I can?"
"Of course! You could come to Busan with me."
"What?"
I asked surprised.
"I know it seems crazy, but look, it will be easier if you come with me. I'll say I have a meeting with a supplier on Sunday. And that you came with me, so we'll have to stay in a hotel. It will help me to not stay sleeping there and spend less time with them."
Is Minji's parents' house so awful like this? To the point that she wants me to go along with her and give an excuse not to stay?
"I don't know, ma'am. It's your family..."
"Please, Hanni. I know, I abuse your goodwill, but you can save my weekend. And I'll save yours, I believe that staying home eating donuts alone is not the best solution."
I let out an amused laugh.
"How do you know I would do that?"
"You look like someone who does that." she said with a broad smile.
"Am I right?"
"Maybe yes, maybe no."
Minji laughed, causing me to laugh as well.
"Are you coming with me? I can ask Danielle if you want."
I smiled at her, Minji could be so funny.
"Yes, I'll go with you, but I need to stop by my house first, I need to grab some clothes."
"Right, I'll take you there now. You grab your clothes and we go."
"Perfect! I'll pay and then we can go."
"Okay."
I got up from the chair and went towards the counter. While Minji was at the table, Matteo approached her smiling.
"You did a good job, she's happier now." I heard the man tell Minji. I felt Minji's eyes on me, and pretended not to notice. Accepting to go with her this weekend was crazy, but I needed that, I needed to forget my problems, and Kim Minji was the perfect solution for that.
I left the 'Le Café' and saw her leaning against her car. How could she be so breathtaking? I walked slowly towards her, analyzing every detail of that body that I knew really well.
"Ready for our weekend, Miss Pham?"
"Yes, I'm ready!"