Unbreakable Love

-UL 5-

S O O Y O U N G

Why is her body full of bruises and scars? Don't she take good care of Hyeju? Does she hurt Hyeju? Why?

I feel more bad seeing her in this state. How can she experience these bad things for just being a child? Why does it need to be Hyeju to suffer like this?

"Does... does she harass her?" Sunmi unnie slowly asked.

"I don't know unnie, I don't know." I honestly said.

I hope she doesn't. I know she won't, she can't hurt anyone.

"How'd you know?"

I knew already what unnie is referring to, I'm too occupied and tired to explain, I gave her the paper I got from the plushie.

As unnie reads the letter, I stare at Hyeju.

She's beautiful, really really beautiful. How dare am I to make this beautiful baby cry.

"Who's the he she is talking about?"

"I don't know unnie."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know."

I don't know, I don't know anymore.

Sunmi looked at me and hugged me.

"Hey, I'll be with you okay? Remember that I'll always be with you every step you take."

"Unnie, what should I do? I just don't know what should I do next. Of course, I'll keep Hyeju with me, I'm okay with her being with me but how do I explain to Hyunjin?"

Hyunjin, she can easily understand, I know she'll get what I will explain to her but of course, I worry about what she'll feel.

"Hyunjin would understand it Soo, just be careful of how you are going to tell her. Don't surprise her about this kind of topic, explain it to her slowly and surely, okay?"

I nodded my head.

"You should rest too Soo, I'll go ahead, I'll come back tomorrow to check on her."

After Sunmi unnie left, I sat down on the stool beside the bed and caresses Hyeju's little hand.

I hope everything will be alright now that I know about your existence. I hope everything is just going to be okay.

"I promise to love you and take care of you Hyeju. I'll give you all the things you deserve little one."

-

The next day came and Sunmi unnie came back to check on Hyeju, she says that Hyeju can be discharged this morning after she eats her food and give her last check-up before going home.

"You feeling a little bit better already Soo?" Unnie asked.

"Somehow unnie, I'm just a little bit worried for later unnie." I said.

Later this night, mom will drop Hyunjin off, I know but also do not know how I am going to explain to her. I just hope it won't be too hard to explain to Hyunjin.

"Hey, it will be alright, okay? Eat breakfast now, when Hyeju wakes up, make sure to feed her the porridge."

"Yes, unnie."

Sunmi unnie then left. I grab some apples and slice them in half. I was just staring at Hyeju while I eat the apple waiting for her to wake up. Shoving the last piece of apple in my mouth, Hyeju started to move from her sleep.

She slowly opened her eyes and panicked of not knowing where she is and with the dextrose connected to her.

"Hey, hey Hyeju, it's okay. I'm here." I said calmly and holds her hand.

"I don't want to be here, please." She said with her teary eyes.

"Shhh, we'll go out later okay? For now, you need to stay here, okay?" She shakes her head.

"No, I don't want to be here." She said.

I hug her and tried to calm her down. Soon enough, she is already calm and just hugs me back.

"Are you hungry? Should we eat already?" I asked her and tries to release from the hug but she doesn't want to.

"I don't want to eat." She mumbles.

"Hyeju, you need to eat so you can go out of the hospital and we can go home already." I said.

There were silence that surrounds us.

Hyeju's like Hyunjin when she's sick. They are both clingy, don't want to eat, and both don't want to be inside the hospital.

"I'll eat." I heard Hyeju say and release me from her hug.

I got the porridge that is not that hot anymore and sat on the stool. I grab the spoon with a little amount of porridge and blow it for her.

"I-I can eat on my own." I heard Hyeju say.

"You want to eat on your own?" I asked and she slowly nodded her head.

"Oh, okay, here. Slowly okay?" I said and put the porridge on the table attached to her bed.

I look at her as she eats. She might have felt that I was looking at her and she looked back at me. She gets her spoon and raises it up to me.

"You want some?" I smiled.

"No thanks, I'm fine." I said and pats her head.

She goes back in eating and I just wait for her to finish. The door opens revealing Sunmi unnie.

"Oh, you're awake!" She happily said.

Hyeju immediately grabs my hand.

"Yah unnie! You scared her." I said and glared at unnie.

"Oh, sorry Hyeju, I'm just excited to see you." Sunmi unnie said.

"You know my name?" Hyeju curiously asked.

"Yes, your mama told me your name."

Hyeju looked at me and look back at unnie.

"Are you Lee Sunmi?"

How did she know? I haven't told her anything.

"You know my name!" Sunmi unnie shouted that surprised Hyeju.

"Yah unnie! Quit shouting." I told her.

"How did you know my name Hyeju?" Sunmi unnie excitedly asked not minding what I said.

"Mommy always shares stories about you and... and her friends and... and about mama."

She called me mama?!

Hearing her calling me mama makes me feel that I am really a mother, yes I am already a mother even before I knew about Hyeju because I adopted Hyunjin but it feels different.

"She does?"

"Yes, she said that you are all nice." Hyeju answered.

Sunmi unnie kept on asking what Hyeju knows about her and I just listened to what they talked about.

I never thought that she will share something about me or Sunmi unnie or even maybe about Jinsol, Jungeun, Kahei unnie, and Haseul. I'm glad that Hyeju knows about us.

"Done! Little Hyeju can now go home!" I heard Sunmi unnie say.

I look at Hyeju and she is smiling.

She has her gummy smile, now I have something to remind me of her, and I don't hate it.

--

An update before I go to sleep...