COMING HOME TO YOU | L.HS.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

As the car moved through the quiet streets, a calm silence filled the space between us. Heeseung's eyes stayed fixed on the road, but I could feel his attention, the quiet care in the way he'd glanced my way earlier.

After a few minutes, he finally spoke, breaking the silence gently. "Jieun, are you feeling good now?"

I nodded, offering a small smile. "Yes, I'm fine. Thanks."

Silence settled between us once more, comfortable yet heavy. His gaze remained ahead, but there was something in his posture, a hesitation, as if he had more he wanted to say. Finally, he spoke again, his voice soft, almost tentative. "Feel free to share with me what saddens you, Jieun. I know there's a lot."

I hummed, glancing down as I tried to sort through the rush of emotions. "Thank you, Heeseung," I said quietly, choosing my words carefully. "But I'll be okay."

He nodded, as if understanding the boundaries I was setting. As we pulled up to my house, I opened the door, stepping out but hesitating a moment on the sidewalk.

"Goodnight, Jieun."

He gave a faint smile, his eyes warm.

"Goodnight, Heeseung ."

With that, I turned, heading up the steps and inside, the night's chill still lingering around me yet somehow, the weight felt a little lighter.

________________

I sat with Yeonji at the dining table, helping her with her homework. Her little brows were furrowed, a small pout on her lips as she tried to understand the numbers in front of her, and I couldn't help but smile at her concentration. My mom sat nearby, watching the news on TV, occasionally glancing over to check on Yeonji's progress.

Just then, the front door opened, and in walked Jungwon, his usual easy-going smile lighting up the room. Yeonji's head shot up immediately, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Uncle Jungwon!" she squealed, abandoning her pencil and running toward him.

Jungwon caught her effortlessly, lifting her up as she giggled, her little arms wrapped around his neck. "There's my smart girl! How's the homework going, huh?"

Yeonji wrinkled her nose, then laughed. "It's hard! But Mom's helping me."

Jungwon gave me a grin over her shoulder. "Guess you're getting a refresher on math, huh, Jieun?"

I chuckled. "More than I expected."

As Jungwon set Yeonji back down, she eagerly pulled him over to the table, her little hand still gripping his. "Come on, Uncle Jungwon! You have to help too!"

He laughed and took a seat beside her. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. But you'll have to teach me—it's been a while since I did this kind of homework."

Yeonji giggled, clearly enjoying being the one in charge. "Okay, Uncle, listen carefully."

My mom joined us at the table, smiling as she watched Jungwon try to decipher a basic math problem with Yeonji instructing him in her tiny, serious voice.

"Mommy," Yeonji suddenly said, looking up at me. "Uncle Jungwon says he used to do homework with you. Is that true?"

I exchanged a smile with Jungwon, remembering countless afternoons spent in similar situations. "Yes, he did. He was the best at helping me. Just like he's helping you now."