𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 - 𝐡𝐲𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐧

十一

As soon as I knocked, I felt like I was making a mistake. This wasn't my place. I almost turned around and walked right back down the porch steps, but the door swung open and revealed an older woman who seemed drained of colour, as if she were alive but not living.

"Can I help you?"

I cleared my throat and asked if I could come in. She led me inside and we sat down at a small table beside an open window. Sunlight caught the dust particles in the air and cast deeper shadows over the woman's already sunken face.

"I know you don't know me," I began, "But my name is Park Chaewon. I work at the cemetery where your daughter is buried. I've been spending a lot of time with your daughter's friend Hyejoo lately, and there were some things she wanted me to say to you that she couldn't say herself." The woman covered her mouth with a hand and nodded as tears welled in her dull eyes. "She and I talked about what your daughter may have needed to say to you. First of all, thank you. From everything Hyejoo's told me, you were an amazing mother. You fought for your daughter until the end, and you never gave up on her. Hyejoo said your daughter would want to apologise for the way she died, for everything she put your family through because of her mistake. It sounds like she loved you a lot. She wasn't who she became toward the end. No matter what your daughter did, she loved you more than anything. Hyejoo wanted me to make sure you know how much your daughter loved you."

"Chaewon, Hyejoo is my daughter."