Me and my Husband

11

Pathetic

            "HELLO SO-WON"

Hae-min greeted her daughter with a large smile. "Hi umma! is appa home?" her four year old asked. "no he went to pick up somethings for dinner" Hae-min began typing on her computer.

"I made another drawing for you" So-won plopped down on the couch beside her mother. So-won often bragged about her mother as the four year old thought her mother was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Of course like most young children do. She always admired her mother's long hair and pretty clothes. "You are going to be an amazing artist one day" Her mother smiled down at her.

So-won dug through her backpack, a folded paper slipping out with a painting. Hae-min reached down and picked it up "what is this?" she asked. She opened it and read it, it was a love note addressed to Suno.

"Who gave this to you?" She asked looking over at her daughter. The young girls eyes casted onto the floor. "I won't be mad at you honey, i just want to know okay?" Hae-min stroked her daughter's wavy hair.

"Ms.Ha gave it to me. She said it was for appa and not to let you see it" the small girl mumbled. "I see. Thank you for telling me the truth So-won" Hae-min placed her laptop on the arm ledge and kneeled in front of her daughter.

"How many of these letters has Ms.Ha gave to daddy?" She asked sweetly. The girl looked up at her mother with glossy eyes "four" she said. Hae-min smiled at her daughter.

"Am i in trouble?" she asked. "Oh baby no! No you're not in trouble. Remember no matter what you always tell the truth, promise mommy you'll always tell the truth".

Hae-min held out her pinky. So-won wrapped her pinky around her mothers. The door opened and Suno emerged holding grocery bags. "Appa!" The little girl jumped from the couch ready to hug her father.

"My lilly! how was school?" he set the groceries down and scooped her up. "Mommy saw the letter from Ms.Ha." Suno looked at Hae-min. "Honey go watch tv, i have to show mommy something" he set her back down on her feet.

The couple walked into the bedroom. He pulled a trash can from the bathroom. Similar folded notes discarded inside. "She just won't stop" he grumbled. "I'll fix it" she said.

"What?" he questioned. "I love you suno. So i'll fix it. Ha Jin-ah will learn" She smiled sweetly. Suno just nodded and grabbed the letters giving them to her wife.

Jin-ah opened the door revealing Hong Hae-min. "Mrs.Hong?" her eyes widened. "Jin-ah" the woman replied. Jin-ah placed slippers down, glancing enviously at Hae-min's heels.

Hae-min kicked the cheap slippers away and walked inside the dingy apartment. Jin-ah closed the door and followed her. "you went to college right?" Hae-min asked glancing around the apartment.

"Yes ma'am" the woman nodded tucking a stand of her long black hair behind her ear. "Good then you should know what happily married means" Hae-min pulled out the letters.

"Your time with him ended years ago. Choi Suno is mine. Get over it" She snapped. "He was mine first!" she woman stomped her foot.

Hae-min scoffed "and now he's married to me. I tolerated your psychotic behavior when we were young but we are adults now and you're just pathetic".

Hae-min tossed the notes in the trash can. Her hand dug into her bag and pulled out a box of matches. She striked one and dropped the lit match into the trash can.

The notes bursted into flames making Jin-ah gasp. "Don't you ever use my daughter in your little ploys. She's a child". Something in Hae-min's eyes felt eerie. The light from the flames reflecting off her face as she stared into the woman.

"Do you understand?" Hae-min cocked her head to the side. "yes" Jin-ah stared at the ground. "good" Hae-min scoffed before grabbing a glass full of what seemed like water and threw it on the flames.

The smell of burnt paper flooded the room. She set the cup back down with a clink and went to make her way to the door. "i'll be her mother one day. just you wait Hong Hae-" she was cut off by a sharp slap.

"Bitch are you crazy?" Hae-min snapped. Jin-ah held her cheek. "Don't let those sweetheart headlines fool you Jin-ah. I'll kill you. Especially behind my daughter". The woman then left the home. A sense of triumph coursing through her veins.

A part of her felt guilty for the happiness it caused her to finally slap Suno's ex girlfriend. Before Suno finally gained the courage to ask Hae-min out he went out with Jin-ah. She took the break up extremely hard and would reach out to him sometimes.

Some messages were angry, some begging him to just leave Hae-min. Becoming his daughter's teacher? too far. Hae-Min would be sure to have her switched. Her phone rang in the pocket. Vincenzo's name sprawled across.

She answered it placing the phone up to her ear. "Hello Cenzo!" She smiled. "Hae-min, it's been a while." she heard the smile in his voice. "Okay would you like to have dinner with us one day? I'm sure your niece misses you" she said.

"I miss So-won too. I'll text you with further plans okay?" he asked. "Of course, Goodbye Cenzo" she said. He hung up and she continued to her car.

Vincenzo and her were good friends as kids and she studied abroad with him in high school. The two always had a very deep connection and So-won called him uncle cenzo.

"Momma!" So-won smiled at her mother as she walked through the door. So-won was sat on her father's lap as he brushed her hair. "Hi honey" she took off her heels and sat down beside Sunho. The man leaned over kissing his wife.