After Dark (Prompts)

Be With You - 12

Chapter warnings: This is a little angsty so please proceed with caution. 

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Im Cheol-Ryung gave a deep bow to show his respect to Kim Ra Hee. He had not seen Hwa-ryung's mother in so long. Was it still proper to call her his mother-in-law? He was unsure. 

Hwa-ryung's parents lived away from the city and the drive was not something the elderly couple took too often. When Hwa-ryung, their only child, passed away, they no longer traveled to Seoul. Seeing Kim Ra Hee now was a surprise to Im Cheol-Ryung. She seemed to have aged since they last bid each other goodbye at the funeral.

In spite of that, he felt a kinship to the elderly woman. After all, they were two of only three people in the world who felt the loss of Hwa-ryung so acutely. They were also members of a group no one wish to join: parents who have lost children.

"How are you?" Kim Ra Hee repeated. "You are looking well."

"Thank you," Im Cheol-Ryung replied. Escorting her to sit at a nearby bench, he asked, "I am surprised to see you here. How have you been?"

"It's the same. Hwa-ryung's father is weak and I fear he will join her soon," she shared, sadly. 

"I'm sorry to hear that," he told her, sincerely. 

"Another loss to come and yet the world just keeps going by," she mused. "How do people move on, Im Cheol-Ryung? Have you figured it out?"

He felt stumped. How did one move on? For him, it was because of one person making him realize there was much to live for. But that did not seem right to tell  the woman before him who was about to face a loved one leaving her yet again?

"I worry that soon, only I will remember my daughter and the grandchild I never knew," she continued. "Promise me you won't forget them."

"I won't," he promised.

Kim Ra Hee sighed. "But you are still young. A new love can wipe off all the memories of my Hwa-ryung."

Im Cheol-Ryung frowned. Was that correct? That didn't seem right? But then again, he used to visit the cemetery weekly and now it's been over a month? He didn't even remember. Was he forgetting his wife and child?

The woman stood. "I should go. It was nice seeing you, Im Cheol-Ryung."

He stayed seated at the bench, staring into space, long after Kim Ra Hee had left. "Am I disrespecting your memory by moving on, Hwa-ryung? I'm sorry if that's how you feel but I did not wish to do that. I will try to rectify this."

Rectify.

Correct.

He had uttered the words but he did not know how. 

Did rectifying mean to only let Hwa-ryung and their child's memory occupy his mind and heart? Wasn't it possible to let another person else in?

And how did he remove someone who had already crept into his heart? Someone who he dreamt of a future with?

Did respecting the memories of loved one who have passed mean that he shouldn't love anyone once more? What did he do now that he was almost certain that he was in love again?

Was this even something that needs to be corrected to begin with?

*

Ha Chae Yoon saw him walk in late to the meeting called again by their station chief. It was a select group of people due to the nature of the topic. 

 Im Cheol-Ryung mentioned to her that he was going to the cemetery today, but because of an early training session, she was unable to join him. He was now sporting a deep frown on his face.