SEOUL HIGH UNIVERSITY | saida

sorry

Dahyun stepped into her apartment, hanging her keys on the rack by the door and slipping off her shoes. The aroma of a home-cooked meal greeted her senses as she entered.

"Unnie, I'm home!" she announced with a sense of excitement, making her way directly to the kitchen where she assumed her sisters would be. A heartwarming scene awaited her—a table set for dinner with her two sisters, accompanied by an unexpected guest.

Seeing her sisters entertaining a visitor, especially a woman in her 40s, was quite out of the ordinary for Dahyun.

"Oh Dahyun, you're here," Rosie acknowledged, prompting the others to briefly glance at her pale presence. "Wash your hands and let's eat now," she added, her words carrying a sense of familiarity and comfort.

The woman's heart swelled with emotion; this was the moment she had been longing for. As her long-lost daughter stood before her, a single tear welled up in her eye. Swiftly brushing it away, she fought to contain her feelings, not wanting to overwhelm her child.

"Annyeonghaseyo~" Dahyun greeted the visitor, her voice laced with sweetness as she bowed gracefully before complying with Rosie's request. The woman observed her child intently, Lisa and Rosie exchanging knowing glances that went unnoticed.

Finally taking her seat after a moment's hesitation, Dahyun felt the unease in the air. The atmosphere was decidedly awkward—an unfamiliar tension had settled among them. The usually chatty environment during mealtime was replaced by a suffocating silence that weighed heavily on Dahyun's shoulders.

"Have you had breakfast at the café?" Lisa initiated a conversation, attempting to break the ice. "I have," Dahyun replied simply. "I, uh, I wasn't aware there would be a guest."

Lisa and Rosie exchanged a glance, realizing Dahyun's lack of knowledge about the situation. Clearing her throat, Rosie spoke up, "D-Dahyun-ah, t-this is Mrs. Kim."

Dahyun's gaze shifted to the woman introduced as Mrs. Kim. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kim. I am Kim Dah..." she began, her words fading as her eyes locked onto the woman's face. "Hyun," she continued, her voice trailing off, a perplexed expression taking over.

At that moment, time seemed to freeze. Dahyun stood rooted to the spot, her mind racing as she recognized something oddly familiar about the woman before her. As Mrs. Kim's voice resonated softly, she extended a warm smile and a handshake, but Dahyun's focus remained fixated, her grip never reaching its intended destination.

Confusion danced in Dahyun's eyes, each passing moment only deepening her bewilderment as she confronted an unexpected truth.

The room fell into an abrupt silence, even Lisa and Rosie found themselves momentarily frozen in place. Dahyun's reaction was immediate; she stood up, abandoning her food without a single word before hurriedly making her way upstairs. The woman, recognizing the gravity of the situation, reacted swiftly and pursued Dahyun, concern etched across her face. Rosie's intention to follow was halted by Lisa's intervention, who understood the complexity of the moment.

For Dahyun, an orphan who had grown accustomed to the absence of parental figures in her life, the sudden revelation was overwhelming. A decade and a half had passed since their separation—an immense period that had eroded the memory of her parents' faces. This was the reason she hadn't recognized the woman right away.

The prospect of reuniting with her birth mother stirred a whirlwind of emotions within her. Amidst the happiness and relief lay a complex web of sadness, confusion, and anger, stemming from the circumstances that had led to their separation. The notion of having a biological connection was both deeply fulfilling and emotionally staggering. The realization that her mother was just behind those closed doors, knocking and reaching out to her, was an almost surreal experience.