Another Life | chanseungin

potato soup

heyy
I accidentally published the wrong chapter and my heart dropped 😭

🍃

Chan carefully chopped the potatoes and placed them in the bowl. He, Hannah, and her boyfriend ended up at his house for dinner. He was cooking potatoes and leek soup, his favorite meal.

"I was a picky eater, when I was younger, still am, this was the only thing I'd eat for weeks." He said, cleaning off the cutting board. He grabbed the leaks and lined them up on the board. "Mom would make a bunch of this and freeze it so I could eat it throughout the week."

"What about our dad?" Hannah asked.

"He was very quiet, and he worked a lot. He always seemed unhappy, I don't know.." Chan thought about his father. He didn't like noise, anytime Chan spoke he looked so annoyed..

Hm.

Chan finished all his chopping and left everything to simmer. He poured them all some water, handing the glasses to them before sitting with them. Chan felt a bit weird, he's never invited people over before. He enjoyed it very much, Hannah was even sweeter in person and her boyfriend was nice and respectful.

After a few hours, Seungmin had came home. He looked at Hannah, at Chan, then back at Hannah. They looked so much alike. Chan invited Seungmin to join them, but he seemed less than interested in doing that. The three continued with their conversation.

After a few more hours, they decided to call it a night. Chan had work, and Hannah was meeting her boyfriend's parents. She gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek before stepping out of the house. Chan smiled softly as he watched his younger sister drive off and out of his neighborhood.

Afterwards, he started cleaning the kitchen. He really got in the zone and and cleaned up quickly. Seungmin came out his room and sat with Chan. Their lives seemed happier now, happy is good.

Happy makes them happy.

🍃

Minyoung was in a tough spot. Her boys weren't too fond of their father and they wanted her to leave him. She knew he had his faults, but she loved him all the same. They'd been together since she was in highschool, he was her first everything. She couldn't leave him.

She looked down at her son, Jeongin, he looked just like his father.. She smiled softly and held him close to her, soothing him as he cried. He hated to see her son so upset, but she thought he was being a bit dramatic. Although, she'd never say that.

Her husband had a short temper, but as long as she made sure everything was in order, she would be fine. He didn't hit her all of the time, anyway. He had his good days, where they were a family. A real, happy family.

She pulled Jeongin closer to her and held him tight. "I will be alright, my sweet boy." She said softly.

"But you won't! Please, mom.." Jeongin breathed out.

"Yes, I will. I am your mother, it is my job to take care of you. Not the other way around." She said.

He just kept crying, her other two boys sat back and said nothing. They were just here for Jeongin, having given up on their mother some time ago. Jeongin couldn't let her go, she was his mother. He had to protect her.

She just sighed and chuckled at the boy. "Sweet boy, I will be fine. He won't do anything I can't handle.."

"But you shouldn't have to handle it, Mom." Her eldest son, Woojung said "And honestly, you should think about us. We... haven't lived with him as long as you, but he's done... things to us too."

Minyoung's smile faltered a bit. "Love, what do you mean by 'things'?" She asked.

Woojung didn't respond, he just looked down at his lap. Jeongin quickly turned to Woojung and gave him a look. The youngest, Minchan, looked at his brothers with confusion.

"Boys." Minyoung said.

"Jung. Why..." Jeongin's voice was quiet, as quiet as it was when It was around.

"Because, she has to see It the way we do!" Woojung exasperated. He knew that Jeongin didn't want their mom to know, but it had been happening all his life. She needed to know.

"Innie, my love, what does your brother mean?"

Jeongin shook his head and continued crying in her arms. She was confused, and getting extremely worried. She hoped, prayed it wasn't what she thought. It couldn't be, he was a good man. He was a good man.

She went numb, Jeongin's reluctancy gave her the answer she needed. She was perfectly fine with being beaten half to death. She just wanted her boys to be safe, that's why she pushed them to leave the house. Minyoung carefully moved Jeongin and went to the kitchen.

Minyoung pulled out the chopping board and grabbed some onions. She started chopping away, in her own world. Her boys were confused, she did a complete 180⁰ and didn't mention it.

"Mom?" Jeongin managed to choke out.

"You guys should get home, your father will be here soon." She said calmly.

"Mom..." Minchan, who was silent this whole ordeal, said.

"I will be alright, I'll call you all later after dinner." She said.

The boys reluctantly left and went their separate ways.

tbc~
gn..