Boundless

제 12 장

The smell of cinnamon and caramel overwhelmed my senses as I walked into Jae's mother's house of sweets, her bakery. It was absolutely amazing, there was modern beige and brown decor that accented the place. The aroma of baked goods made my mouth water. " Jae, I made chocolate bars for you , almond dark chocolate, just how you like it" She says averting her eyes to me, and sending me a wink. I smiled shyly. His eyes widened, " Really?".

His mother reached over the beige colored counter tops and handed him four plastic wrapped chocolate bars with ribbons tied around each. " Thank you mama" He kisses her cheeks and accepts them. She turns to me, " Since he was a boy, he'd been obsessed with those chocolates. He'd smuggle them in his room and that always infuriated his father, but I gave it him anyway" She says smiling at her son. He takes a bite of the chocolate bar and smiles. He looked just like a kid. I could picture little Jae, hiding underneath his covers, with his mouth covered in chocolate.

" Jae will be twenty seven years this year an——

——twenty seven?" I widened my eyes. This entire time I thought he was twenty four or five. " Yes, how old are you?" Ms.Park asks looking between us. "I am 24" I tell her and she nods. Jae shoves me lightly with his elbow and squints at me. " Why'd you act like I am so old?" He asks and I giggled. " Jae Eun, enlisted when he was twenty four, and now he's finishing university. I would like to have a daughter-in-law before he turns thirty" She tells me and I am taken back by this. I had no idea that Jae served already.

" Take a seat, I would like you to try my best sellers." And with that Ms.Park disappears behind the counter and Jae ushered me to a window seat where we looked on to the streets and sidewalks. " Your mother is pretty nice" I tell him and he smiles shyly. " Yeah, she has a good eye. I get that from her"He says smiling innocently.

Moments later she appeared with a tray of various sweets, and pastries. " You know back when Jae Eun was in high school, and this bakery was just starting out, I got so much costumers when Jae worked here part time. Girls would come and order, and order just so they can spare some time to see him" Jae face becomes red as he chokes on his chocolate. My eyebrows raised at this.

" Yes, he was always popular with girls. He had so much love confessions in the mail, and phone numbers. My son broke many hearts back in the day. He still does, matter a fact he has been turning every woman down since he came back from enlistment. That's why I was so excited to meet you. I thought he'd die a virgin, he's so shy!"

" Mom!"

I bite my lips to suppress my laughter.

" What? What did I say? Have you guys not have sex already? I honestly thought that you did, I m——-

——-Mother! Are you kidding me?" Jae buries his face in his hands. Both Ms.Park and I laughed at this. Jae flicked my forehead and I laughed harder at this as I rubbed at the spot. " We have sex, we have sex all the time. We had sex this morning before you came to my house!" Jae exclaims and I choke on nothing, and his mother slaps the skin of his neck. I pounded my chest and covered my mouth. Jae flashed me an apologetic smile. " Where are your manners?" She glares at him. " I am sorry mother" He apologizes. He bowed to her and to me. 

" Excuse my son, he can be a little inappropriate" She says shooting him a look. " There is something I want to show you let's talk in private"

               •.              •.            •.

  " Since Jae Eun was a little boy. I always wanted him to do greatly in anything he wanted to do. Jae Eun was a kind and considerate boy, and an even better man now. My son is much stronger than he puts off, and he is very private ." I almost snorted, Jae has been anything but private. " Jae Eun has always been the type to become attached to something he sets his mind on, and for most parts it has been good. Jae Eun is a good man." She says as we walk into a back room. She switches on the light and I see a blanket thrown over a mannequin.

" Jae Eun is my everything. The only good thing that came from my toxic relationship with his father. Jae Eun is kind, and he always puts himself before others. I hope that when he is with you, that both sides are equally as important and that you both share feelings for each other" I smile at this. " So I would like to give you this, as a official token of my approval" Her smile broaden and she pulls the blanket off the mannequin.

My eyes widened at the pink and green hanbok that the mannequin wore. I fingered at the material and it was of a soft and silky fiber. The plains of my palm ran over the sweet scented material, with gold and silver engravings on the wist area of the robe.

" It is gorgeous" I tell her and she smiles. I brought the material to my face, as I savored the smell. It was well kept. Ms.Park places her hands on my shoulders. " It is yours now" She whispers , giving me a warm smile. I had wanted to cry in that moment, I truly would have had I not been in front of her. Ms.Park was warm and welcoming, where as Mr.Min had not been. It only proved that love held no boundaries and neither should we.

Skin Color is just a physical trait, no it is a symbol of who I am. Those who choose to respect it, will love me and treat me as I am. Those who don't, are not just colorist but racist as well, and should take the label as lesser than dog. In this moment, as Ms. Park took my hand, I was determined to not let anything get in the way of my happiness. I would never ever doubt myself, and be ashamed of the melanin that marked my skin.