❝ if you were to choose between two people-
would you choose the person you love or the
person who loves you? ❞
━ a poignant narrative that weaves through the tapestry of girlhood, boyhood, friendship, parenthood, love, and loss. It follows the li...
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episode 00: Open Me and I'll Remind You What Happiness Looks Like.
6:04 PM saturday, may 7th of 2017
LIFE IS IRONIC,they say. That's one thing I learned growing up as the second born in a family of five. Nothing ever runs smoothly.
Science says that second born children will more likely become rebels because the lack of affection from their parents give them the opportunity to act out. And it's true, I guess. For thirty seven years, growing up was like offering myself to the whole world that I was not good enough. Being the middle child required a lot of patience and sacrifice. I always thought my parents never cared about my achievements, only saw me for my wrongdoings or when they had something for me to do.
Now that I have become a mother myself, I understand how difficult it must've been for my own mother to live her life that way while her children were busy arguing about who'd take the last piece of pizza or who'd get the seat next to the window in the car. Thinking back now, I wonder why I was so stupid not to realize it then.
If only I had known sooner...
WHEN I SEE the lights on inside the house as I walk in through the front gate, the thought of my husband being home early immediately comes to mind. It's been a long time since he's come home before the late hour after he received a promotion as senior at work. From that moment on, I have no recollections of him having dinner with us as a family. Regardless, I put on a smile, a little anticipation of excitement etched on my face, suddenly bringing colour to this cloudless evening.
I tiptoe my way into the house as quietly as I can, not expecting anything special. The door locks automatically behind me and I slip my ankle boots into the shoe closet. That's when I notice three unrecognizable footwear placed tidily at the entrance. To my surprise, it turns out that our new home is empty of my husband's presence, only the muffled noises of strangers chatting in the living room is what I hear clearly.
I let out a shaky sigh, walking in to check who's home. Then, like the noiseless wind on a winter morning, my older sister approaches me, along with another figure and another behind her.
Although I am a little shaken up by the occurrence, the smile on my face enlarges as soon as my gaze lands on these guests. In front of me are my old friends, grinning ear to ear, salvaging me from my disappointment. Despite it being months since we've last seen each other, I can't deny that this reunion feels exactly like the first time we met. Like falling in love, they say—magical.
"How did you guys get in here?" I ask later when my sister drags me to the couch where I spy multiple opened bottles of soju and cans of beer on the centre table.
