Way Back Home

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You make me begin

Chaerin watched curiously from the window, her nose and cheek smushed up to the glass as her wide, doll like eyes followed the movement outside. It was odd. Her neighbor—a sweet older lady who was near the age of her own grandmother—had gone out this morning, and she took her car. The older lady didn't drive often, never really. So this was odd. Chaerin had watched that morning as her little old car pulled off down the street, rattling quietly as it went. It had now been several hours since she had left in her little blue car. The sun had moved steadily across the sky and the hands on the living room clock had circled around nearly six times. And still, Chaerin sat with her face pressed to the glass, waiting to see when her neighbor would return.

"Chaerin!"

Her grandmothers voice startled the girl and made her jump, which in turn made her cheek peel away from the window it had adhered to.

"You've had your face in that window all day, come help me with dinner," her grandmother beckoned the girl forward.

Chaerin spared one more glance out of the window, her little eyebrows furrowing for a moment, before she ran off to the kitchen with her grandmother.

The light of the sun was beginning to fade by the time Chaerin and her grandmother finished eating their dinner. As soon as the plates had been washed and put away Chaerin skipped back to the living room window, pressing her face to the glass once again.

"Chaerin, what are you doing," a soft voice teased.

"I'm waiting for the neighbor to get back, grandma," her earthy brown eyes glanced up innocently at her grandmother.

"And why are you doing that?" Her grandmother sank down on the couch, her knees popping loudly in the process.

"Because she's been gone all day! And she took her car! It's odd, grandma."

"Leave the neighbor alone, Chaerin. It's not your place to spy on where she goes."

"But grandma—"

"Go up to bed now, and no more spying. Okay?"

"Okay grandma," Chaerin peeled away from the window in defeat, there was no arguing with her grandmother. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sunshine," her grandmother placed a gentle kiss on her head and Chaerin clambered up the stairs to her room.

Just as she was pulling the covers back on her bed, Chaerin heard the slam of a car door. The neighbor was back! She rushed to her bedroom window, which had a view of the side of the house next to hers, but also allowed her a small glimpse of the sidewalk in front of their homes. Her eyes scanned around the street, squinting to see better through the darkness. Finally, she caught sight of the neighbor just as her front door opened and then shut quickly behind her. But the strange part was that she wasn't alone. Chaerin couldn't see well enough to see who it was but it looked like a child, judging by the height. Her face ripped away from the window with a gasp. She could have a friend!

Chaerin skipped to her bed with a hushed squeal of happiness. There really weren't many kids that lived in the neighborhood. And the few that did live there didn't like Chaerin, they said she was too loud, too annoying, so they wouldn't play with her. But now she might be able to make a friend! Chaerin hopped into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, snuggling down beneath the quilt her grandmother had made. She fell to sleep that night with a smile on her face.

ㄴㅇㄱ

She raced down the stairs, skidding around the corners of the house and into the kitchen where her grandmother sat eating breakfast.

"Chaerin be careful!" Her grandmother scolded as the girl flopped down at the kitchen table, a huge grin on her face. "What's gotten into you?"

"I'm excited!"

Her grandmother smiled, "And what exactly are you excited for?"

"The neighbor came home last night!" Chaerin bounced happily in her seat, still smiling widely.

"Chaerin, I told you to stop spying," her grandmother gave her a disapproving look, one that made Chaerin's smile slowly slip from her face.

"I'm sorry, grandma," she apologized quietly. "It's just that she had a kid with her when she came back and I—" she trailed off, fidgeting nervously with her fingers. "Well I just want to make a friend," her small voice faded into nothing.

Her grandmother smiled gently, knowing how Chaerin didn't have many friends to play with.

"Alright, you can go introduce yourself after breakfast," the girls face lit up again, "But no more spying!"

"Okay! Thank you grandma!" She dug happily into her meal, wolfing her food down quickly so she could go outside sooner.

Chaerin raced outside, her little feet pounding down the sidewalk and up the path to the neighbors front door. She pressed the doorbell over and over, hearing the chimes go off inside the house. It was early and the neighbor was probably still just waking up but Chaerin was too eager, she couldn't help herself, so she just kept pressing the bell until the door finally swung open.

"Well good morning," a kind-looking older lady smiled down at Chaerin.

"Good morning ma'am!" She grinned back, "How are you today?" It didn't hurt to be nice.

"I'm very well, thank you," the woman let out an airy laugh, "Is there something else you would like to ask?"

"Actually yes ma'am," Chaerin fiddled nervously with her fingers. "I noticed last night that you came home with someone who looked like they were my age," the woman's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to spy and I promise that I'll never do it again," Chaerin rushed the words out, "But I was just wondering if maybe I could introduce myself to them?"

The woman was silent for a moment. Chaerin remained with her eyes planted firmly on her shoes, more nervous than she had ever been before. If the neighbor said yes then she might have a friend! But if she said no then Chaerin would be back to playing alone in her room.

A sudden, chiming laugh rang through the air, Chaerin's big brown eyes snapped up to look at the lively woman who laughed happily.

"Of course you can!"

"Really?" Chaerin beamed so widely that her cheeks actually pained a little at the stretch.

"Well I don't see why not," the woman smiled happily down at Chaerin, "What's your name sweetie?"

"I'm Yah Chaerin!"

"Well, Chaerin, you can call me Grandma Min, come inside and meet my grandson." Grandma Min opened her front door wider and allowed a very happy Chaerin to skip into her house.