Sancutary | 박성훈

8. Recalls Of The Wretched Past

Bora and Maena took seats from the cafeteria with their trays. They have a favourite table near the large windows of the room, so they went there like always. 

"It's annoying that Mr. Choi always gives so much work to do. I mean, I never have time to do them in lessons? Again, I have to do it at home or doing breaks.", Bora complained to which Maena chuckled. It's a fact that Mr. Choi does give much work, but Maena does them fast, sometimes even carelessly so she doesn't have to do it at home. Besides it's literature, so she doesn't care that much.

"Well", Bora started and took her chopsticks to start eating. "tell me about you and Sunghoon. You came yesterday to complain to me about how you want to move back home." 

"Ah, yeah. It's nothing serious. I was the one who threw a tantrum at him, like I said.", Maena cleared while stirring the food on her tray. Maybe she felt some quilt of how she talked to him then, but he didn't seem upset about it, no. 

"So like, you're good now? After all, he brought you to campus this morning." 

"Yeah. We're good.", Maena nodded and so did Bora with a smile. Then they ate for a while, just enjoying the food. Though something lingered in Maena's head that she wanted to tell to her best friend. "But um.. There's something.", she started hesitantly and Bora just kept nodding to encourage her to tell it.

"It's his private affairs, so promise me not to share it with anyone. Of course I can count on you.", Maena said.

"Yeah! You can count on me.", Bora assured, feeling excited of what she was about to tell.

"You know, I think he's an alcoholic.", she kind of whispered the end, not really sure why, since no one else was there to hear and besides they wouldn't know who they're talking about. 

"Really?", Bora gasped and covered her mouth. "That's literally a red flag.", she frowned in slight concern yet in shock.

"I mean, it's not that he becomes aggressive or anything, it's that he just drinks a lot. Just yesterday he had passed out in his bed, or so I believe." 

"Mm, okay. Well, do you find it as a problem? That he drinks. Because you two live alone, and I know that it might be scary that-", Bora started hastily, but Maena cut her off. "No. No, I don't feel threatened." 

"Oh, okay. Good.", Bora replied and seemed to calm down.

-

Maena heard a knock on the front door even when she was upstairs in her room. She was curious who it was and she went to peek from above the stairs when Sunghoon went to open the door, even though she can't see there to the hall.

"Oh, dad. What are you doing here?", she heard Sunghoon's voice. 

"Am I not allowed to visit my son's home?", Junho said almost sarcastically and stepped inside the house. "But really I do have something to tell you both. Where is Maena?", he asked and looked around the house.

Maena heard her name and walked down the stairs immediately, now carefully to not slip like before. "There you are!", Junho claimed happily. "That's for you. I wasn't sure about your size, but I hope it fits well.", he said and handed a weird kind of bag to her.

"What is it?", she said and peeked inside it.

"A dress.", Junho answered. "Though, you might have own dresses, but I wasn't sure of that either."

"Thanks, but why do you give it to me?", she asked. In fact, she doesn't have own dresses. She's that type of girl to not really wear something like that, but for sure in fancier events. 

"That's what I had to talk about. I think Sunghoon already knows. Let's sit down.", he said and went to the couches in the living room. He observed for a moment at the papers on the table that Sunghoon had been working on, but didn't pay any more attention to them. Sunghoon sat down in the same place he always sits and Maena next to him.