☾
i kept crying, while my aunt decided she heard enough of my sniffles. she walked away from the living room, and headed to her own room,
leaving me still stuck in mister byun's arms.
my real name, who my parents were, and why the townsfolk hated me so much.
it was all too much to take in all at once.
"You really do look like her." mister byun said wistfully, holding an old photograph next to me. he then put the photo into my hand, covering it with his. it was the photo he gazed at nights ago.
"You know Y0o-, Areum," mister byun started, saying the name contentedly.
"After her death I was heartbroken, and did some pretty bad things, as you were told."
"I thought making a family of my own would distract that numbing, ugly feeling. You know, finding another woman to love, having children to look after,"
"It never worked." he said, giving the near window a dull look. his hold unconsciously grew tighter, and i could hardly breathe. i looked to the window too.
evening rays were pouring though, landing on the two of us. i couldn't help but watch the sun set into the sea.
"That woman only loved my looks, and my money. She was a lustful, crazy wench. She ran away with my daughter and whatever riches she could grab, leaving behind our mistake of a boy." my attention averted back to mister byun.
"So I decided to leave that attempt at a new life behind, and tried having a fresh start in the city."
"But no matter what I did, I couldn't forget that feeling. Not until I saw you." he said lovingly, eyes glazed with affection.
"You know Areum, the city's an amazing place. There are buildings many times taller than the ones here, and lights brighter than the moon. You'll see this all soon!" he said happily, squeezing me in his hold.
"One week, and we'll be together." he said, before unwrapping his arms from me and leaving the photograph in my palm.
mister byun then got up, fixing his coat and loosening his tie. he then walked towards the door and gave me one last look before leaving.
"Just one week." he smiled, before pointing at the old calendar on the wall beside the door.
today was sunday.
the moment he was gone, i looked down at the crumbled photo in my hands.
unfolding it, my eyes began to water.
it was an old picture of a woman with long black hair, a beautiful face, and a stunning smile. she was gracefully walking along the beach, glowing from the setting sun's rays, in a white dress.
and is it was magic, i began to cry all over again, yearning to meet that woman who looked so much like me. i gazed at the photo for hours, and then had one dire thought occupy my mind for the night.
if i couldn't have gotten out of mister byun's arms, then there's no way i'd ever escape from him in the city.
