Crossing The Line (Seulrene)

Slowly...

Mrs. Bae slowly turned toward her husband « Honey? » Her trembling voice called.

He looked down at her with a seemingly unfazed expression but she could see in his eyes that it had touched him as well. He just didn't want to show it. His ego, she told herself, was always in the way.

« We won't be able to fix anything now so I'm going home » He announced « You can follow me or stay, I don't care » His words hurt his wife but did he care? That was a mystery to her at that moment. Nevertheless, he spared one last glance at his children, his jaw clenching, before he went back inside the house to leave. Taeyeon detached her hand from Tiffany and followed him to close the door behind him.

The three siblings expected their mother to follow him, as she always did, but the woman did no such thing. She stayed rooted in place, eyes traveling from person to person until they settled on Joohyun and Seulgi, especially on her daughter's hand gripping so tightly her girlfriend's hand.

Taeyeon came back to the garden and went to her wife's side immediately. Mrs. Bae watched her wrap her arm around Tiffany's waist as the other woman leaned against her side. A sudden thought came to her mind.

« Are you two really together or did you just say that to make us change our minds? » She asked respectfully.

« We really are » Tiffany showed her ring proudly. Mrs. Bae glanced at Yeri « Yes, she is really our daughter » Tiffany anticipated her question.

« And proud to be » Yeri said, puffing her chest cutely.

Mrs. Bae lowered her head in shame, gulping, before looking back at her children « I failed you, haven't I? »

« Not always » Kyung-Mi said truthfully « It was with good intentions at first, I can tell. But...well...I failed my siblings too » She sighed « I was supposed to protect them. Even from you »

« It's not your fault » Hyun-Woo told her and Joohyun nodded.

« It was...It is. I'm old enough now to be able to do it. It's just...not easy when it's your own parents that you have to fight » She looked at her mother.

Silence awkwardly settled on the garden where only the cracking fire reminded everyone that it was supposed to be a barbecue party.

« Would you like to stay for the barbecue? » Tiffany suddenly let out. Everyone looked at her with surprise but they immediately changed direction when Hyun-Woo replied:

« Oh, yes, please. I'm starving » Kyung-Mi slapped his arm but he just shrugged « What? It's true. It's hurting » He patted his stomach.

« Let's get some more food on the grill then » Mr. Son tried to smile naturally yet it was still awkward. Everyone directed themselves back to the table slowly but Mrs. Bae stayed on her spot, lost in her head. Kyung-Mi sighed and took Hyun-Woo and Mrs. Shin to go sit at the end of the table. Joohyun stared at her mother. She was still scared, terrified actually, but she could see the internal conflict of her mother. She couldn't believe they had managed to go through her mother. They talked. She listened. And she was actually hearing them. She let Seulgi lead her to the table, thinking about how incredible it felt to be heard and seen.

« Mrs. Bae, can we talk? » The woman in question raised her head to find Mrs. Kang in front of her. She had a sympathetic smile on that made her nod « Let's take a walk » She gestured for her to go ahead.

They walked along the garden for a moment, getting farther away from the table and barbecue.

« You must think I'm a horrible mother? » Mrs. Bae let out.