He stares at me with a straight face. A huff escapes his plump lips. "Leave or-" I cut him off smoothly.
"-Or what?" I ask curiously, raising my eyebrows. 100% dedicated to the conversation.
The stranger chuckles bitterly, "Or I'll pour these noodl...
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C H A P T E R 16
I looked at myself in the mirror and then the whitening cream infront of me. My foot tapped against the floor nervously. Should I do it? I stared at it like if it was some type of magical cream the would erases all my problems. I shook my head and sighed, tightening the lid on the bottle and carried it to my room, sitting it down on my night stand. I heard a knock on my door and I turned around quickly, startled by my mother in the doorway, "Yes?" I asked, hoping my body was blocking the whitening cream.
"Are you okay?" She asked and I nodded quickly, probably too quickly. Her eyes went into little slits as she stared at me, but she let it go. "Where's Hyunjin?" She frowned and I felt myself relax a bit.
"He's with his niece. He said he hoped you would understand why he didn't come," I have said his message. She shrugged, "That's okay.. you two are going on another date soon," she said and I frowned, "Again?" I asked and she nodded, "Yes Mica!" She rolled her eyes, "You guys have to get to know each other," she frowned.
"What if I don't want to get to know him?" I asked and she crossed her arms, smirking slightly. "What?" I asked.
"You like him," she said. I scoffed, "In your freaking dreams," I said honestly. She scoffed back, "Mica, you two are a whole lot nicer than you were when you first met," she said, walking in and sitting on my bed. I acted like I was thinking about what she said as I turned my body as she sat and I felt myself panicking about the cream.
"Doesn't mean I like him," I paused, "We're frenemies," I replied.
I grabbed it with my hand behind my back and shoved it in my pocket. I dropped it by the other side of the bed so she couldn't see it. A loud thud was heard from the container making contact with the floor. "What was that?" She asked and I shrugged, "I think I kicked something," I muttered cluelessly.
"Okay well... what's frenemies?" My mom asked. I shrugged, "Friends but my enemy."
"How does that work?" She asked and I threw my head back groaning, "Is this an interrogation?" I asked, looking back at her and she chuckled, "Sorry no, I was just bored so I wanted to talk to you."
I sat down beside her and threw my flat on the bed, "So why didn't you tell me Hyunjin went to my school?" I asked, setting my elbow on the bed, resting my cheek in my palm as I stared at my mother.
She looked at the ceiling, "Honestly, I didn't know you guys were going to the same school. I just knew we lived close but I didn't know it was the same school district," she said honestly.
I shook my head, "Okay, well, how did you meet his mom?" I asked her. She chuckled, "Is this an interrogation?" She mocked, glancing at me and I rolled my eyes in response, "Haha."
"Well, your father actually grew up here," she said and my eyes went wide and I sat up, "Dad grew up here?" I asked, smiling slightly and she nodded. "I'm from India, Your father,Korea," she said and I cocked my head. "Was he mixed or anything or was he just North Indian?" I asked and she sighed, thinking about him, "He was North Indian."
"Oh cool," I muttered, pausing, "So he moved to India?" I asked and she nodded, "Yes, that's why I have the accent and he didn't. But I learned Korean when I first met him and he learned my language," she paused, "That's why I picked up Korean so easy. I hadn't used it in a long while though."
"Wow, no wonder," I said jealous. She took a deep breathe, "Hyunjins moms, mom cared for your father when he lived here. He was homeless when he was young but, Hyunjins grandma, helped him when he was young and your father became friends with Hyunjins mom," she explained and I was completely fascinated by the story. I was learning things about my father I never knew and I was learning that moving to Korea wasn't completely random.
"Your father and Chu promised if one of there kids struggled or families, they would be there to help, and she is," My mom said, sitting up.
"Does Hyunjin know?" I asked and she shrugged, "I have no clue."
I found a little comfort that a my father lived somewhere here along time ago. His death happened in Chicago but I loved that I was now where he grew up. It made me feel like a piece of him was still with me. The fact instantly made me hate Korea just a smidge less.
"Do you know where he grew up?" I asked sadly and she shook her head, "No I'm sorry baby," she said, suddenly opening her arms for me to hug. I cuddled her and she rubbed my back. "We can asked Hyunjin mother though," she offered and I looked at her, "That sounds like a great idea," I mumbled and it was silent for a pregnant moments as we soaked in our thoughts.
"I miss him," I mutter, instantly feeling a tightness full my chest. She sighed, "Me too Mica, more than words could explain," she chuckled bitterly.
"I thought Chicago would be safer than India, but now I second guess that all the time," she mumbled, her voice seemed dazed.
"India was dangerous we're I lived growing up. I wasn't rich but I wasn't super poor. When I met your father and we stared to date, I knew I wanted different for you. I chose the wrong place to live, I should have done my research," she sighed, kissing my forehead head, "And for that I'm sorry Mica," she almost whispered the last sentence.
I looked up at her and she looked down at me, "His death is not your fault."
