Empty Space | BTOB LMH

Chapter 23

Chapter 23
Strange World

SONG HARIN

The events of yesterday already seemed a decade ago once I see Hwayoung running towards me. My heart melted as she hugged my legs tightly. "O-mma!"

I smiled and took her in my arms. My eyes were suddenly shining with tears I couldn't hold back for the possibility that I couldn't have managed to hold her like this, if Minhyuk and his people didn't protect me.

I hugged Hwayoung so tight and stayed like that for a while.

"O-mma! Grandma and I went to Lotte World!"

I smiled and kissed her cheek. "Did you have fun?"

"Of course! We rode the carousel! And then, grandma bought a minnie mouse headband for me..." As Hwayoung talked animatedly about their day in the themed park, Haneul's mom was watching from the front yard with a smile on her face. I smiled back at her despite how we left things the last time we met.

She bought a new set of tea toys for Hwayoung which the kid immediately ran to after she was done talking about her day.

I sat beside Haneul's mom, watching Hwayoung speak with her new dolls.

"Thank you for lending her to me for some days." Haneul's mom said with a smile. "She's such a bright kid when she gets comfortable, you know?"

"Yeah, she is."

"She reminds me so much of Haneul when he was young." She sighed wistfully. "He was so bright, so full of life. It didn't matter whether he had friends or not as a kid. He played with anything he had and was happy for it."

"Haneul's the same as a teenager and an adult."

"Yes, he is." She said and turned to look at me. "I'm sorry about the other day."

"Well, it has passed. If there's anything I'd learned from these days, it's just living in the moment. The past barely matters and unchangeable. And the future will always be as unpredictable as it is. We really only have the present. There's no point in keeping the bad feelings. They'll just make your heart heavy."

She smiled at me and took my hand. "I was still wrong. It's just... I felt jealous for my son. Hwayoung came to me and all he talked about was this Minhyuk ahjussi whom her mom loves."

I chuckled. "She said that?"

She nodded, squeezing my hand. "I was just afraid that my son would completely be forgotten, you know. I want Hwayoung to grow up and know her dad."

"Of course, that is happening. I would never ever forget Haneul, mother. And I would never allow Hwayoung to grow up without knowing her dad, although it won't be the same. I still want her to know that her dad loved her so much."

Haneul's mom nodded. "Thank you, Harin-ssi. Thank you." She said and her eyes were teary, so I pulled her in a hug. I knew that if ever Haneul was watching us from somewhere, he would be smiling at us right now. He loved it when the people that mattered to him got along. "And you have all the right to fall in love and be happy again, Harinㅡbut please make sure he loves you, too. And he loves Hwayoung. That's important. He would be replacing my son's role in your life."

I smiled and pulled away. "Don't worry, mother. I'm certain he loves me and my daughter sincerely."

So, before we went home, we made a deal that Hwayoung would spend every other weekend with her. The other weekend with my mom.