the story of us 》sungtaro

40

People say that the only way a person can change is with time, becoming self-aware, and wanting the difference themselves.

Jung Sungchan believes that to be true.

Having decided the previous week that he needed to check on his dad since he hadn't seen the man in a while, he had made the drive that day.

In all honesty, he really had meant to stop at his own house first, but driving past that familiar red brick house made him veer off course, and before he knew it, he was knocking on the door.

Standing on the porch, Sungchan took a breath, debating his actions. In no way did he want to intrude, or bring up past harsh memories. He was about to turn tail and run, but his hesitant knocks were answered.

The door opened to complete chaos on the other side, a woman standing in front of it all. She took one look at Sungchan, talking to someone on the phone in her hand. "I'll call you right back."

Behind her, Sungchan could hear the pounding and drilling of tools being operated, and the low tones of working men's voices.

His attention was returned to a familiar woman, who was pointing at him. Her brows creased in recognition. "Sorry about that. I know you, right?"

She closed her eyes in thought, snapping alive when she found the memory. "Sungchan! You're Shotaro's friend!"

"That's me." He smiled, actually surprised that she remembered him. That could be a good sign or a bad.

"What's it been, three years?" She sighed, her manners returning to her. Her eyes grew in embarrassment as she opened the door wider. "Well come on in out of the cold. Sorry about the noise, we're doing home renovations."

Then inside the building, Sungchan could see the immense happenings occurring inside. People were everywhere, dust flying in all directions, and the Jung could barely hear himself think.

"So what can I help you with?" The woman said, her disheveled state from overseeing the frenzy clear.

Sungchan could hardly believe what he was about to say. He swallowed, half afraid that the woman would throw him out on her doorstep. "I came to see Shotaro, it's been a while."

That was an understatement. It had felt like ages without the smiling boy.

Sungchan's eyes couldn't help but wander the room, wondering if the Osaki had heard his voice and gone to hide somewhere.

The boy's mother saw his anxious gaze, putting it to rest. She glanced at the time on the phone in her old hand. "He's at work, but he should be here soon."

The words made Sungchan's stomach flip, but whether that was in a good-excited-to-see-him way or a worried-he's-going-to-scream-and-tell-me-to-leave way, he couldn't tell. Maybe it was a mix of both.

The woman was about to talk, but something falling to the floor with a crash in the other room pulled her attention away. She glanced behind her, the worry about what these strangers were getting into stressing her out.

"Sungchan, you can wait downstairs in his room. You remember where that is." She sighed, feet moving towards the crash. "I'm going to go make sure my house isn't falling apart."