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after the student exchange in japan, coming back to the normality of their routine had been difficult for all of them. studies, work, and heeseung had missed his car, so had yuwon. although there was something heeseung missed more— or rather someone.
after class, the usual buzz of campus life faded into the background as heeseung made his way off campus, hands shoved deep into his pockets. the playful banter with yuwon and the group felt like a distant memory, replaced by the quiet hum of his thoughts. the path to his grandma's house was familiar, worn into his memory from years of walking it, but today, it felt heavier.
his grandma's house sat on the edge of town, a small, cozy place surrounded by the remnants of a garden she used to tend to religiously. now, the flowers had grown wild, spilling over the borders, but it still felt like home.
heeseung pushed open the gate, the familiar creak greeting him like an old friend. the scent of lavender and old books filled the air, wrapping around him in a way that made his chest tighten with both comfort and sadness. stepped into the quiet comfort of his grandma's house, the soft click of the door closing behind him like the final sigh of the day. the warmth inside was a stark contrast to the autumn chill clinging to his skin, but it was more than just the physical heat that made him relax. this place—this house—was the one constant in his life, a refuge from the chaos swirling around him.
he dropped his bag by the door, the thud a familiar sound in the otherwise still house. the scent of lavender and something faintly sweet hung in the air, wrapping around him like a childhood blanket. it smelled like safety. like home.
"grandma?" he called softly, his voice almost swallowed by the coziness of the space.
from the living room, her voice, warm and familiar, floated back. "heeseung, my boy! come here."
he smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing a little at the sound of her. he found her in her usual spot, nestled in her favorite corner of the couch with a book in her lap, glasses perched low on her nose. her hair, once jet black, had turned silver with age, but her eyes were as bright as ever, twinkling with affection the moment she saw him.
"come here" she said again, opening her arms wide, and before he could think too much about it, he crossed the room in a few quick steps and wrapped her in a tight hug. she felt small in his arms now, more fragile than he remembered, but the love she exuded was still as strong as ever.
he held her a little longer than usual, letting the comfort of her presence settle deep in his bones. the world outside—school, yuwon, the mess of his thoughts—seemed so far away here.
"you've gotten taller" she said with a chuckle, patting his back like she used to when he was just a kid with scraped knees and messy hair. her voice was playful, but beneath it, there was a hint of something deeper—pride, maybe, or that quiet understanding only grandmothers seem to have. he pulled back, grinning down at her. "you say that every time."
