Addicted To You

36 - Gravity

The whole family drove me to the airport and we made an adventure out of it. My flight was scheduled for mid-afternoon, so we stopped at my favorite local place for lunch on the way. Jinki was taking everything in stride, thankfully. The girls cried, which made me cry.

I was going to miss them, but I reminded them that I would be coming back to visit as often as I could and they would be coming to visit me soon. Eric and Andrew had agreed to let them spend a few weeks with me over the summer. I had already cleared that with the guys before I brought it up.

I hooked them up with KiJun for Korean lessons and made them promise to study so they would not feel too lost when they were there.

On the flight back, we experienced heavy turbulence, making it hard to rest. I was too anxious to sleep anyway. Poor Jinki was very nervous and she would not leave my lap. Petting her helped keep us both settled.

I was excited to start my new job and I was even more excited to see the guys. The break had been good for us. Min's helping me through meeting my dad had also been good for us. It seemed to mark a turning point in our relationship, a new normal that we could navigate together. At least that's what I kept telling myself.

The guys were planning to announce in a few days that I had joined the team. They wanted to give me time to take care of all the official stuff without an audience.

When we were approaching Incheon airport and the seatbelt light came on I had to put Jinki back in her carrier. She didn't want to go because she was upset by the flight. She cried after I put her in and I felt like a horrible cat mom. People were giving us looks, like the ones they give mothers of crying babies. I apologized and then ignored them. I left it open enough that I could put my hand through and pet her. It seemed to help a little. That was all I could do right then.

She calmed down when we got inside the airport. Like me, she was happy to be on solid ground again. Our driver met us with the "Noona" sign again, making me smile. It was Chul Moo so I didn't need the sign, but it was a nice touch. He drove us to the apartment, and I was greeted with seven smiles, balloons, and a cake. I let Jinki out first and then stood with my arms out for the hugs.

Changkyun was first then Minhyuk followed. He hugged me like nothing was different, which I appreciated. His smile was bright, not pained like it had been before I left. The break must have been good for him too.

Jinki went to the bathroom and then made the rounds to make sure her house was the way she left it. Before cake, I set up her bowls and got her toys out. She drank a little water and then went to Kyun. She had a lot to say like she was telling him about the flight and how she had missed him.

The cake was delicious, and I ate too much of it. I was hungry since I hadn't felt like eating on the plane. It was mid-afternoon and dinner was still a few hours away, so cake would hold me until then. I enjoyed my welcome home party, but I was tired. I hadn't slept much the night before and their energy could only take me so far.

It took a couple of days to readjust my body and I didn't do much for those days. Jinki barely left my side unless Changkyun was in the room. He came by to check on us several times. I still hadn't changed the code so he would let himself in after letting me know he was there.

The eight of us ate dinner together every night. They fed me well. My appetite was returning and so was the ten pounds I lost while I was gone and couldn't eat.

Minhyuk and I seemed to be managing. It wasn't awkward but it wasn't how it had been in the beginning. We both made the effort so that the others didn't feel uncomfortable. Thankfully, I was no longer affected by the others like I had been, but Minhyuk still held that power.