THE SURROGATE MOTHER

Chapter 29

Saturday, 5 pm, somewhere at Seoul.

I do inhale-exhale to brush off my nervousness. I've been nervous since last night when I'd received a notification that Jisoo added me to her group chat with our friends there.

At first I didn't mind it thinking it might be a group chat for teachers, but then I'd noticed the members name so I checked it and found out they were all talking about me. Jisoo planned a lunch date for our squad so I could see them after so long. And that meet-up is today.

“Hey chill, Jendeuk” Jisoo try to make me relax but my heart is still beating so fast.

I don't know how they would treat me now, it's been a while since we last met. And I feel guilty for leaving them without saying goodbye. We promised each other before that we will graduate from college altogether and when each of us got a job, we'll not forget to give time to our group. But I myself was the first to break that promise. Nevertheless, I don't regret my decision, because I became the best version of me. I learned to stand on my own two feet, live alone and not dependent on other people. I didn't think I could handle it even though it was one of my fears, to live without one of my loved ones by my side.

“Don't worry, I'm sure they're not mad at you, they're definitely missing you” Jisoo says holding my cold hands.

“I can do this” I encourage myself.

“Let's go?” I nod and then Jisoo drag me towards the restaurant entrance.

She roam her eyes spotting the girls, so did I, and then we saw them already looking to us. Eyes widening, the two rise from their seats, except Tzuyu.

Still holding my hand, Jisoo starts to walk towards their table with a slow pace.

Even before we reached their table, the two immediately approached us. They hugged me together while bursting with tears.

“Why just now, Jen?!” Joy asked.

“We've been waiting for you Ruby Jane for a long time” Naeun said.

“Bitches, stop whining, you are embarrassing” Jisoo tried to stop them, but they cried even more. I'm just silently crying.

“You two are getting old but you like a crying-five-years-old” Tzuyu went to us.

“Girls, let's sit down. We have a lot to talk about” I stated.

“Yeah a lot” Naeun let go from the hug, while Joy remained still.

It took a few tries before she finally let go.

“Finally we can order now” Jisoo sat first.

“Look at you two, you're ugly now” Tzuyu.

“No matter how many bowls of tears we shed, we are still beautiful” Joy answer as Naeun agreeing by nodding.

After the waiter took our orders, soon they served the foods.

We ate first and after a while I started by saying “Sorry girls” I drank before continuing. “I'm really sorry because I didn't keep our promise that we would graduate from college together. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you beforehand that I'm going to somewhere far away. I've never been a good friend to you bec—” Naeun cut me off.

“What are you talking about, you've been a good friend to us. And the fact that you left without a word didn't make us angry, we were even more angry with ourselves because we didn't do anything to help you, and it was too late when we found out that your parents had disregarded you. That's why before you left, we noticed that you were always coming home to Jisoo and she had no idea that you were kicked out to your house. I don't know if Jisoo has told you this, but we helped each other pay a private investigator to find you, but he was unsuccessful in finding you. And then a year after the investigation, a friend of mine who works at Incheon Airport, said he saw you there the day before our graduation but he just couldn't remember what flight you took so in the end we just gave up on looking for you, we just pray that you will come back to us. And look at now, you really came back” She's teary eyed again.