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Bags? Check. Outfit? Check. Peace? Hm.
He already had everything prepared beforehand yet he still feels his heart thumping out of his chest and its not because of good good reasons.
He was worrying a tad bit too much, causing him to be even more anxious.
Sooner or later, he finds himself at the same mahogany door which he used to knock on everyday. Everything was still the same as it was before he left it.
He's been standing there for a while so It was obvious that he was stalling.
Minho was at the place where he used to go to as a kid, the location where he was once loved, and where his adorable children (cats) waited everyday after school. He used to call this house his home.
Even though only fond memories laid here and played like a video tape through his mind, theres this uncertain and uneasy lingering aura that releases throughout the whole house.
Never knew going back to the area you literally used to live in would be this awkward, suffocating, and nerve-wrecking. It was like going to your ex's -whom you somehow manage to stay friends with- wedding
He wasn't the type to be hesitant but yet there he was, his actions contrasting his statement completely. He shakes his head vigorously and breathes in, his body moving unconsciously back and forth in a continuous beat along with the breath, preparing to go inside.
Gosh darn it, he's just gonna go for it. He was already there so there's really no going back. His free hand shyly moves from its previous position instead towards the white plastic doorbell. But before his fingers can even greet the new surface, he was startled by an interruption.
"Can I ring the doorbell?"
Believe me when I say he was extremely shocked and almost screamed. He was hyper focused on the outcome of what would happen after ringing the doorbell that he lost conscious of the fact that he was in the presence of someone else.
The said person was clinging on to him and kicking the floor and cement from utter dissatisfaction and boredom due to Minho contemplating wether this was truly a good idea.
He lightly pats the persons head, "Of course you can, Aera."
Hearing that tickled Aera's ears' with joy. It kind if enlightened Minho with the fact that children can be amazed and impressed by every single thing with just enough hype.
She presses the button and a sound responds to the touch. They can both hear the ring echo throughout the house inside. Aera manages taps the button 2 more times until Minho picked her up putting a pause in Aera's musician arc.
Suddenly, and as expected, the black metal doorknob starts twisting with the sound of the locks unlocking followed behind it.
The figure was seen also taking a moment before opening the door. There was a long pause between the two sides before it finally entered them in.
"Welcome back home, son." It was Minhos mother, but she was way too different from the person he last saw. She grew older, she had more wrinkles, and looked a lot more distressed, there were some grew hair starting to sprout and grow.
She used to be so young and carefree. He remembers how she loved smiling which was evident in the wrinkles near her mouth.
There was an unexpected tingle and sting in his eyes and up his nose but it was not enough to let the tears flow and so Minho was able to suck it back in.
He missed her so much and there was this feeling or thought of the years going by way too quick causing him to feel a bit panicked.
He coughs and brings Aera to the ground. He gently pushes Aera a bit forward since she was hiding behind Minhos legs. Unfortunate she doesn't budge.
He gives his mother an apologetic glance after bending down on one knee before the child. He rubs soothing circles and pats on Aera's back.
"Hey-hey, whats wrong kid?" He say while giving her a calm but direct eye-contact. He sees her silently gasp for breath before speaking.
She goes up near Minhos ears and Aera responds with a hesitant whisper.
"...she looks like me."
This was heard by the woman standing at the doorframe and shines what looks like a small smile. This was not seen by Minho of course, but Aera caught it.
Without saying anything, Aera moves up towards her grandmother and gives her a cute and cheeky smile.
"Your funny, you laughed at something that wasn't a joke." Aera says giggling while spinning with the support of Minhos leg.
"Come in, its too cold outside." Minhos mother says to the both of them. While walking in, he gets hit with the sense of nostalgia with the sound of the door shutting in the background behind them.
He takes of Aeras and his shoe revealing their socks. He looks at the large staircases, the paintings which were hung up, the old chandelier, and the rugs. If not everything, the whole interior changed one way or another.
And he already knew whose doing it was. Speaking of the witch, a slender figure was heard walking down the stairs step by step. Their gloved fingers slowly gracing the handles.
It was his step-mother, the one he was on the phone with earlier. It was a bit awkward with his birth mother since he was bugged by his stepmom throughout his whole life.
You must be wondering, why didn't Minho's mother move out after the divorce? Because his grandmother begged for her to stay since she absolutely adored her and for the sake of me.
"Minho. You're here." She says greeting me.
"You look surprised." I say after giving her a bow, I then joke around a bit, "Why? Are you not excited to see me?"
"Don't kid around, and don't even think about us welcoming you with open arms." She says keeping her tone down in front of the child before her.
To be in truth, she wasn't a horrid, terrible person. She loves my dad more than anything, and he loves her a whole lot too. So they decided to marry each other for love and he divorced my mother.
But there was no actual hard feelings or so I've heard. It was an arranged marriage, and they did try to fall in love but it was clear that it was never meant to be.
Being a good mother on the other hand? Proved to be a bit difficult since an 8-year old was suddenly placed in her hands. She had no experience and attempted but in the end she gave up.
Now, we're not some crazy rich family or of super high status but she was, which is why my grandfather strongly agreed to proceed the divorce papers and marriage.
But he never really liked her, and that caused some bad malfunction in his grandfathers plan.
"I can take care of her if you want," Minhos mother says to cool down the unreliable tension.
She takes Aera from his arms and places her on the ground to stand on her feet. She bows and waves a goodbye and Aera copies her.
Aera holds her hand while my mother tells her 'I'm safe' and 'its okay' from time to time.
"I told your father that you were coming so he's waiting for you at the living room."
