Magical Tea

A Happy Reunion

Min Ki returned home from his time travel on the day before New Year's Eve. Mina was so relieved to see his son looking none the worse despite being missing for three days. She merely hugged him right and did not have the heart to berate him. "Is everything alright, son," was all Mina asked afterwards.

"I am sorry, Umma, for making you worry, but I am very much fine. Feeling better, in fact. I got to be with her when she needs me most and these past three days must be the most fulfilling days I ever had for the entire fifteen years of my life," Min Ki declared.

"Then, all is well, in that case, son. If you need to go visiting again, ask for my permission face to face, okay?" Mina appealed.

"Thanks a lot, Umma, for being so understanding. I will try visiting again next week. I have to try something which is kind of like an experiment but let us forget about all that for the meantime and focus on the New Year's Eve celebration first," Min Ki revealed mysteriously which somewhat intrigued Mina. Knowing her son though, Min Ki would only talk about it when he felt ready.

"I got to tell your Tita Maya. She was as worried as I was. She will be very ecstatic once she knows you are safe and back home," Mina stated, already dialling Maya's number on her phone.

Maya was quick to receive Mina's call. She was just on her way to the office when Mina called and although she was riding on her husband's van she did not hesitate to pick up the call.

"Beshy, I got good news!" Mina's opening remark.

"I bet it is! You are practically singing in excitement. What's up, beshy?" Maya asked, smiling herself.

"Min Ki is back just as he promised. Please join us for lunch later," Mina invited.

Maya's heart jumped on hearing the good news, before it began to beat like a drum as usual when Min Ki gets mentioned. "I am glad to hear that, beshy! I will be there at past twelve this noon," she promised her friend.

Mina immediately checked the pantry for ingredients she might need for the lunch she was very excited to prepare for once since the day Min Ki went missing. Good thing she had stocked up lots of everything not only considering the preparations for New Year's Eve but also for normal days' food preparations.

Min Ki was also excited to see Maya. He wanted to tell her of the things that happened during his travel. He wanted to tell her stories her sixty-seven-year-old self shared with him during his stay at her house.

When it's almost lunchtime, Min Ki hailed a tricycle to fetch Maya from her office. It was too hot for her to ride his bike anyway. He arrived at the office just in time to see Maya coming out of the building where she work. He called her attention to where he just alighted the tricycle.

Maya saw Min Ki as soon as he called out her name. She quickly walked towards him and climbed inside the passenger area of the tricycle Min Ki had hired for the ride back to his house. Min Ki at once settled himself right beside her. They were both silent all throughout the ride.

It was just a quick ride from Maya's office to Mina's house. Min Ki grabbed Maya's hand the moment they disembarked from the tricycle and led her inside the house. Once the door was closed to the outside world, Min Ki grabbed Maya's shoulder to hug her tight like there was no tomorrow.

Maya let Min Ki hugged her. Her arms wound around his torso as well. She might have known Min Ki's whereabouts during his absence but she still worried about him and thought about all the dangers he might have encountered during his trip. His older self could not help him at all and instead must avoid meeting with him to prevent any disaster befalling them during his travel.

"Wow! Let me join your reunion," Mina declared when she saw Min Ki and Maya hugging just inside the closed front door. Min Ki and Maya included Mina in a group hug.

Their arms still around each other with Maya in between Mina and Min Ki, they walked towards the direction of the dining room. Mina and Min Ki had outdone themselves in preparing their lunch good for three people with hearty appetites.

They talked about many things other than Min Ki's trip and did lot of justice to the food in front of them. Maya had to call her secretary a few minutes later to file her a leave of absence for the remaining four hours she would be absent from the office. She just sent a quick message to her immediate boss about her absence and she was free to be with Mina and Min Ki for the rest of the afternoon.

As per her usual schedule of nap time, Mina went to her room and left Maya and Min Ki sitting and talking at the living room.

Once Mina had slipped into her own bedroom, Maya at once turned directly at Min Ki to interrogate him about his trip. Min Ki smiled at her animated expression. "I knew you followed me there. Your older self still have a sharp memory and told me something about a very embarrassing moment in her past," Min Ki relayed.

"Oh, my goodness! Stop! If you already knew that then there is no need to talk about it," Maya prevented Min Ki from continuing his spiel by placing a palm over his mouth.

Min Ki smirked before letting his tongue swipe at the inside of Maya's palm. Maya jerked back her hand in surprise and slapped Min Ki's shoulder painfully.

Min Ki laughed before taking hold of her hand in between his palms and refused to let go despite her effort to pull it back. Min Ki pulled her closer instead and they sat on the sofa side by side, holding hands.

Min Ki regaled her with stories about his stay with Dominic and Maya in their house and how he helped the two in preparing for the New Year's Eve celebration since their daughters were all coming home for the occasion with their husbands and children. Their family still celebrate the tradition their old way of gathering together and giving gifts the first few minutes after it struck twelve midnight signalling the beginning of the New Year.

"I have a plan I need to embark on a few days from now. This time I will ask mom's permission to go traveling," Min Ki divulged.

"Hmm, you knew of the danger you might be in if your older self meets your other self, so just be extra careful, okay?" Maya reminded.

"Don't worry, I will not let myself be in any danger. I still mean to reel in the woman of my dreams into my life so she gets to be with me the rest of our lives," Min Ki continued.

"Huh? And how are you going to do that?" Maya was confused.

"I'll let you in to the secret once it becomes a success," Min Ki stated with a wink. "For the meantime, let us enjoy this beautiful moment of our happy reunion," he said.