The Year of Heartbreaks

Busan pt. 1

"Look who's here! My lovely daughter.." Wooyoung's mother ran out of the house in her graceful way with her two hands wide open, ready for a hug. Haneul dropped the luggage she was about to carry inside and paced towards the older woman with glee.

"Omma!"

"Aigoo.. doesn't anyone feed you there? Why are you so skinny?" the middle aged woman knitted her eyebrows in concern. She turned Haneul's body around with disapproving look, "Wooyoung-ah, why didn't you feed her?"

"I thought you didn't realize that I'm here too, Mrs. Jang," Wooyoung grunted as he showed himself from the other side of the car, "And what? First time you see me in months, that's what you're asking? Where's my hug?"

"Hahaha arasso, arasso. Aigoo.. " she released Haneul and turned to hug Wooyoung tightly, "Now, leave the luggage for later. Let's go inside first. Anyway, I called your sister but she said the kid had a doctor appointment tonight, so maybe she'll drop by tomorrow."

"We came on such a short notice, you didn't have to tell her to come." Wooyoung said with guilt, "I'll call her tomorrow, now it's so late already," he glanced at his watch and realized the drive took longer than expected. He was exhausted by the endless driving. Haneul had offer to take turns, but he didn't want to make her even more tired after the long week of being busy with concert. However, seeing the two woman in front of her walking with their hands linked together, it was all worth it.

"I didn't have the time to clean up your old room, you have to sleep here for the night." mother said to Wooyoung as they got into the living room, "Haneul can use her old room, we use it as a guest room now so it's ready to be used."

"Don't I should at least get a blanket?" Wooyoung protested when he saw nothing on the sofa aside from several couch pillows.

"I'll get them for you later, let mom rest," Haneul glared at him.

"Aigoo.. I miss seeing the two of you argue, hahaha," mother laughed, "Yes, Haneul-ah, please do. It's inside the usual closet. Anyway, I prepared some dinner, you two haven't eat yet, right?"

"Is dad still not home?" Wooyoung asked. He didn't see his father's car outside and it wasn't his old man's habit to be out drinking until late.

"Ah, there's a get together with some friends. Let your father enjoy himself for a while." mother said as she scooped rice for Haneul, which Haneul received gratefully and then sat on the dining table. The younger woman couldn't stop smiling since she got there, it seemed like she had missed this house much more than she had always thought. She especially missed the motherly attention from the woman who was now busy nagging at her only son.

"Aigoo, agashi, you don't have to be so thrilled seeing me getting roasted by mom," Wooyoung protested when he realized how much fun Haneul was having across the table.

"It's just that you're the one to always nag at me, so it's refreshing to see someone doing it to you, hahaha," Haneul commented. Her casualness to the guy who had made her feeling awkward these last few days sure surprised her, but she was glad that she could be herself again around Wooyoung. Being miles apart from Seoul, all her problems seemed to temporarily fade out. As she dwelved deeper and deeper in the relaxed conversation inside the brightly lit kitchen with Wooyoung and her mother, work, and ultimately, Junho, seemed to be in a whole different world for her right now.

The same thing could be said about Wooyoung. Despite the uneasiness that was still lingering deep down his heart, he was glad he asked her to go home. Glancing at Haneul from time to time, there was this feeling that, afterall, nothing had really changed between them. At least, Wooyoung saw that Haneul was still the same woman that had lived with his family for years. They were still family. As for other things, he would figure it out from now on.