4,000 Miles Away ♡ Lee Felix

🄲🄷🄰🄿🅃🄴🅁 7

╰┈➤ "Proud of you" *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

The next week I was exiting the Gimhae International Airport. It felt so nice to be back in Korea. I basked in the fresh sunlight after being inside a plane for almost twelve hours. Stretching, I let out a yawn and smiled to myself. Sometimes Korea felt more like home than Australia.

"Eun Joo-ah!" my grandmother's voice called from my left. "You made it safely!"

My smile grew as I ran to her, dropping my things to hug her, "I missed you so much! How have you been?"

"Oh this old woman has been fine," she stepped back, cupping my face and examining me, "I think you've gotten a little bit prettier since last time."

I giggled, "Me? I think you have."

"Thank you, dear," she then turned to my bags, "We should get your things into a taxi. Your grandfather is making lunch. He was so glad when he heard you were coming for a visit. Your mother said you were going to go to Seoul tomorrow?"

"Ah, yes," I confirmed, hailing a taxi for us, "I'm going to meet my boyfriend. He moved here two months ago."

"Really? I could have been sending him leftovers," she teased, "Is he studying here?"

I shook my head, grabbing my things again as a taxi slowed to a stop in front of us. I put my things in the trunk and together we climbed into the backseat. After giving the driver our address, I answered her.

"He came here to be an idol star," I said proudly.

She gave me an impressed look, "Wow. You know that boy from our neighborhood also went to Seoul to be an idol."

I chuckled, "Maybe they'll meet one day and become good friends."

She agreed, "That would be a good thing."

We made it to my grandparents' house and I excitedly jumped out of the car. The two of us collected my things and even in her older age, she still skipped up those front porch stairs in joy. I couldn't help but admire the youth she still contained. For a moment, I saw a girl the same age as me.

Entering the house, I smelled delicious food. I guessed my grandfather had made bulgogi and ramen. It was my favorite dish he made with his homemade bibimbap as a close second. For some reason I could never eat anyone else's bibimbap — his was the best.

"How's my girl?" arms immediately enveloped me in a hug. "We missed you! How are things at home?"

I returned the hug and answered him, my voice muffled through his shirt, "I'm good, things are going well. I missed you too."

"Good. I made bulgogi for lunch. You're hungry, right?" he released me and got a good look at me.

"Of course I am," I faked offense. "I'll go take my things and wash up. I've missed your food so much."

I ran up the stairs and carried my bags into my dad's old bedroom. The walls were still covered in the old floral wallpaper that had been placed since I had begun visiting as a kid. It wasn't my ideal pick, but it had aged well and still had a pleasant and cute appearance. I found that my grandmother had already made the bed with soft pillows placed neatly.

I quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes, hearing my stomach grumble multiple times. I guess it knew that grandpa's cooking was for lunch. I had craved it ever since I had left last time. Sydney's Asian restaurants just weren't the same as my grandpa's cooking or even the places here in Korea. Lunch was delicious as expected. I ate two bowls and then went to take a short nap after such a long flight. When I woke up, I played a few card games with my grandparents and caught up over tea. They were very interested in learning about Felix. They seemed so pleased that I cared about him so much.

My grandfather gave me a bittersweet smile, "You've grown up so much. Perhaps sooner than you should have. But I'm proud of you for being so strong, Eun Joo."

I was surprised by the sudden change in emotion, but maybe I was too busy telling my stories to notice. Tears pricked my eyes and my lips trembled, "Thank you for being proud of me." I bowed my head. I knew that my mom loved me more than anything but sometimes I didn't feel any of it.

"Oh Eun Joo-ah," my grandmother patted my back, "You've had a rough time, haven't you? It's just a sign that your future will be bright."

Wiping my tears away and trying to laugh a little, I sniffled, "I hope so."