The Age Of Love

Eleven - Going Home

The traditional Korean style home came into view as Jeong Hyeok turned the rental car into the driveway. He'd only ever been there three times before, years ago, but it was just as he remembered it. It was amazing how some things could remain exactly the same even after so much else had changed.

It made him nervous. This house always made him nervous. He could walk into a literal palace and feel completely composed, but this house made him entirely out of sorts. He didn't belong here. This was a home filled with love, kindness, and joy. It was like being hugged, it should feel warm and comforting, but for people who hadn't been raised that way, the thought of an impending embrace could cause their muscles to tense and their bodies to fill with dread.

But this was where his daughter was, and she deserved to be raised in a loving home with an overabundance of hugs. So he needed to face his fears head-on, for Eun Jung's sake. He got out of the car and made his way to the front door and knocked.

There was no answer for a minute and he was about to knock again when he finally heard a shuffling from behind the door. After another second, it swung open. Se Ri stood in the foyer, wearing a pair of yoga pants and an old college t-shirt. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and not the stylish kind that was supposed to look effortless but actually took twenty minutes to style.

"Hey," he smiled nervously.

"Hey," she grunted in reply, turning and padding back into the house.

He followed, closing the door behind him. "It's good to see you too," he rolled his eyes. Se Ri just collapsed face-first into the couch. "What are you doing?"

"Sleeping," she mumbled into the sofa. "Eun Jung's sleeping, so I am sleeping." She rolled over onto her side to look at him and pointed a finger. "And if you even think of saying 'I told you so', I will knee you in the groin. Not right now because that would require me to get up, but someday after she's gone off to college and I have the energy again..."

"Where are your parents?" he asked, walking over to the Pack N' Play where his daughter lay sleeping. He thought Se Ri would have a little more help.

"Working."

"It's Sunday." He resisted the urge to reach down and pick Eun Jung up. He wanted to hold her so bad, but he didn't want to wake her.

"People eat on Sundays too. It's probably their busiest day during the week. My parents also bought an old nursing home and turning it into an extension, so Eomma has been pulling extra hours getting things ready."

"That's great. Business must be good"

"Mmm, yeah, we make a lot of money," she mumbled drowsily

Jeong Hyeok forced his gaze away from his daughter to look at Se Ri. He wondered when the last time she'd slept more than a couple of hours was. He walked over to the couch and wedged his way in. Se Ri's head wound up in his lap and he instinctively reached out to stroke her hair. Until his hand encountered something sticky and his nose crinkled up. He bent down to get a better look but quickly recoiled backwards. "I think you have spit up in your hair."

"I have spit up everywhere," she grumbled sleepily.

"You wanna take a shower?" he suggested.

"I can't. What if she wakes up?"

Jeong Hyeok tensed irritably. "If Eun Jung wakes up, I'll take care of her," he ground out. He could take care of his own daughter for a few hours. Did she really not trust him to be alone with the baby?

Se Ri pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"Do you know how to change her?"

"Believe it or not, I have changed diapers before."