Engraved in Flesh

Angel Eyes

"Xena! Can you please put down your baby and help me out here?"

"Jeez, okay mom."

It was 1949, and Aru Kim was watching as her friend Xena set down a small child. Xena cooed at the toddler before joining Aru in the kitchen to make snacks for the kids.

"Isn't Ivy just the cutest?"

"Yeah, almost as cute as mine."

Ivy was the youngest of Xena's three children. Xena had her first child the same year she married Zhang back in 1945, the year the war ended. Aru sighed as she thought back to the end of the war. It was a time for celebration for most, given that the soldiers would be returning home to their loved ones. Her father never walked through the front door.

However, her annoyingly protective older brother, Hyun, did. The look on his face when he found out that his younger sister had given birth the year prior to his arrival was priceless. He looked as if he were told that people could stand on the surface of the moon! It took a while, but Aru and Mrs. Kim were finally able to calm him down.

"So, your anniversary with Zhang is coming up. Any plans?"

"Yes! Did you hear that Disney released another movie? I believe it was something along the lines of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. We plan on going to the theaters to watch it!"

Xena and Aru became Disney fanatics over the years. They were instantly captivated with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs back in 1937. Since then, they have watched every Disney movie that's been released over the years. They memorized the songs and lines and the names of characters. Now that they had children, they happily passed on the Disney magic to them.

"What about your kids?"

"Easy! Miss Jayul already offered to watch them for us! And you? Do you have any upcoming plans?"

Aru laughed before shrugging, putting the sliced fruit on plates for the children.

"I'll be headed home soon. Though, I will visit again soon. Oh! I'm taking Susu with me to go to Yellowstone!"

"Yellowstone? That's so cool!"

"Eomma!!! Can, can Soo Ah and I...ummm...go to pick sea shells on, on, on the beach???"

Xena laughed lightly at the stuttering boy as she and Aru turned to face two 5 year-old children. Both had identical features such as their eye shape, nose shape, and how thick their hair was. The boy had chestnut brown hair and blue eyes. He held the hand of the girl, Soo Ah, who had white hair and brown eyes. She also had one thing that the boy didn't: horns. Aru smiled as she handed both of them a plate of fresh fruit.

"Not now Joon. You and your sister eat up, alright? We're gonna go get your grandma and uncle soon and then go eat out, okay?"

"Mkay! C'mon Soo Ah! Let's eat outside!"

Aru watched with a smile as she watched the two run outside to the backyard, laughing. Xena shook her head and nudged her friend.

"How did you manage to have twins?"

Aru shuddered as Xena smiled.

"It was very painful."

"But you did it! You're so strong and cool~!•

Aru laughed as Xena tried to lean in and playfully kiss her friend's cheek. She moved out of the way, causing Xena to almost fall over. The two smiled and looked out the kitchen window, watching as Xena's children joined Aru's outside. Xena suddenly stopped smiling as she turned to look at Aru. Hesitantly, she asked Aru a question with a concerned voice.

"Aru, are you...no, will you keep waiting at the beach?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"It's just that everyone is nervous and worried. Ever since he was taken, you've been going to the same beach every year. Even when you moved out of state, you still came to the beach."

Aru sighed as she gave Xena a sad smile. Turning back to the kids, her eyes couldn't help but linger to the beach beyond the fence.

"What if he comes back, Xena?"

Xena didn't know how to respond to her friend, so she just hugged her. They were interrupted by a knock at the front door. Following the knock was Susu, who let themselves in. Smiling, they held up a bag of candy that they had brought for the children. Raising an eyebrow, Xena put her hands on her hips and tilted her head.

"You know that you're gonna turn our kids into hyper bombs, right? We just got out of a war, no need to start another."

Aru just laughed at her friend's comment, her laugh growing louder at Susu's triumphant face. The three adults joked around and talked as the children played outside. When the clock had signaled that it was 5 o'clock in the afternoon, Aru gathered her two kids from the backyard. The three said their goodbyes and made their way to Aru's mother's house.

Hyun stayed with his mother. He stayed for teo reasons: he hadn't had found his soulmate yet, and his father hadn't had come home from the war. Both Aru and Hyun agreed that leaving their mother in grief was not the best option. Aru had offered to stay with her mother, but Hyun insisted that he would. He didn't want Aru to be tied down from all the possibilities of an amazing future she could make for her kids.

"Besides," he had told her, "it's not like I have anyone waiting for me like you do."

She could tell that he was devastated that he didn't have a soulmate yet, but she didn't push the subject. Xena faced the same dilemma with her twin sister, Pearl, who also had not found her soulmate yet. Xena and Aru had tried to encourage the two, as well as their other friends without soulmates, that they still had hope. They all seemed to think otherwise.

"There's my little sister and the two most beautiful children ever!"

Hyun was waiting on the porch as Aru and the twins showed up. Joon and Soo Ah laughed and ran to Hyun with big smiles.

"Uncle Hyun!!!!"

Aru laughed as Hyun struggled to keep the two 5 year-olds in his arms. She playfully punched his arm and went to hug her mother, who had just came outside. The five of them got situated before making their way down to the restaurant.

Aru took one more look at the beach before walking away.