"Dad, I'm home," I say, as I remove my shoes and begin to walk into the kitchen. I am taken aback when I notice my father sitting on our dining table. He was playing with an empty coffee mug and looked like he had been doing just that for the entire day. I stopped, my hand placed against the cool, brick wall. I was unsure of what to do. He looked at me, and a small smile began to play on his lips.
"You look so much like her," I gulped, trying to ignore the pain I felt in my chest.
"Do you want to eat anything?" I moved away from the wall and began to slowly enter the kitchen. We would visit my mother later on in the day, around night time. She loved looking at the stars, so we sat with her and looked at them too.
"No," He said simply, still twirling the blue cup in his hands. His eyes continued to look at the cup as if everything else wasn't there. I noticed then, it was my mother's cup.
"I'm hungry, dad. Let's eat some bulgogi." I said, looking at the back of his head from my spot near the kitchen basin.
"I'm so sorry, Eun. So sorry." He said, his shoulders beginning to shake and his entire body crumbling, leaning towards the table. I opened my mouth in shock of his emotional behaviour. I quickly moved towards him and sat down at the table. I wasn't the best at consoling people, but I could sit by him.
"Dad..." I started to explain to him that he had nothing to be sorry about. He provided for both of us. He had maintained a roof over my head and made sure that I had food in my belly. He worked hard, and he should be proud of himself. He hadn't even let me take up a part time job just so I could focus on school.
"I don't talk to you anymore. I used to spend hours talking to you, about everything. Now, I don't even come out of my room. I realized today how empty this house would be without you. I'm so sorry." I knew he wasn't directly talking to me. I knew he was also talking about my mother, but I still bit my lip from crying too much. He needed to know I was strong, and I was okay.
"Dad, I know you're working hard. Don't..." My sentence trailed off as he looked at me with bloodshot eyes. I looked down at my interlocked palms.
"You don't ever complain to me, you know? And I take advantage of everything. I'm going to talk to you, Eun. I love you," He placed a cold palm against my cheek and smiled softly. I nodded, telling him how much I love him too.
And just like that, the house seemed less empty.
-
I climbed into my bed, which was warmer than the outside had been, and shuddered as I stretched my legs. I had just gotten back from the cemetery and it was pretty late, but I was wide awake.
The cold, still air of the cemetery grounds was still clinging to my skin as I wrapped my blanket around my body. I couldn't get the cold, white tombstone out of my head.
Park Ae Tae
A loving mother, wife, and sister
Born 8th November 1976
Died 17th August 2016
I trembled as I recollected my mother.
Her shining black eyes that always smiled at me when I played the correct chord on the piano.
Her glowing brown hair that she let me braid every evening.
Her laughing voice as she recalled a silly thing my father had said.
Everything.
I remembered everything.
I felt warm tears escape my eyes and I coiled into a smaller circle.
I needed to feel her warm embrace once more, just once more.
-
"Eun...Eun...Eun are you okay?" I jumped out of my mood less reverie as I looked at all my friends looking at me. Bora had her fork near her mouth and was looking at me with deep sadness etched on her face. She took the bite of her spaghetti and continued to look at me. Everyone else was doing the same. Seong was sitting next to me, and she had been the one to pull me out of my thoughts.
"Did you have a late night?" Lee asked as she monitored me closely. She had put down the food she had bought and was inspecting me, to make sure I wouldn't lie.
"It's been one year," I managed to say. Everyone understood and they nodded solemnly.
"One year of what?" Seong asked me. All my other friends had begun to eat. They knew that the best thing they could do right now was to leave me alone.
"One year since my mom died," My face acquired a blank expression as I began to think about that day again. It seemed so close but so far away.
"I'm sorry," She said, reaching for my palm and rubbing circles on top of it. I thanked her, continuing to eat with my other hand.
-
I was scratching my head with my pencil when I heard a loud thump startle me. A few people seated around me glared at me. Lately, I didn't fit into libraries. I looked up to find Yoongi sitting in his usual chair with a brown box in front of him. I ignored him, leaving him to his own antics, and focusing on the political science homework in front of me.
He tapped his knuckle on the table to garner my attention.
I sighed, put down my pencil, and looked up at him.
"What?" I said simply.
He slid the box closer to me and I rolled my eyes.
I pulled the box towards me and peered inside.
I felt a gasp escape my lips as I looked at the tiny bundle of fur sleeping inside.
"Oh my god..." I said softly as I placed my index finger on the forehead of the little puppy and stroked it.
"This...this...this is too much." I said, looking at him while stroking the puppy. He had a satisfied expression on his face as he watched me play with the puppy.
"You shouldn't be sad, Eun. It annoys me," He said, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.
"Thank you, Yoongi," I managed.
(A/N: I am so so so sorry for the horribly late update. I have dedicated this chapter to the person I think was waiting for it. I personally apologize for making you anticipate!!!!)
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Trouble
Fanfiction#1 in the Confetti Series. - Libraries and Park Eun In are inseparable. She has been attached to them for over a year and has grown comfortable to the faint humming of the electric fan and the central A/C. Until the loudest, most obnoxious, the laz...
