Clash of Colors

Not in Vain

Those lips trembled. Stumbling forward onto collapsing knees Aunt Youngja clung onto her arms like a wailing baby asking to be carried. Howling, "No! No! Chunhei! Chunhei!"

Of course, Namjoo was not so heartless. At the same time, she didn't want to be plastered with a name that was not hers. She felt for this woman, grieving over her best friend, her daughter.

"That's not me," Namjoo said.

"My daughter, my daughter..." her voice kept overriding hers.

Namjoo was frustrated. Namjoo was conflicted. Namjoo was sad for her. But, "I'm not Chunhei. I'm not your daughter."

Unable to hear her the woman continued weeping until her voice croaked.

The sound of her crying was soul crushing. Yet so unnerving. Everything pressing in on her from all sides. Hyejoo. An angry father who would not help his wife move on. An ignorant son. Sehun who was angry at her. She missed her father. The city driving her to an edge she had never experienced before in her life. All because she had opted into coming here.

The problem wasn't that serious and it was serious. This had nothing to do with her but it had everything to do with her.

It was driving her nuts!

"Stop it! Stop it!" Namjoo burst, shrieking. "I said I'm not Chunhei!"

A moment's silence deafened the home. Destroying the hysterical situation. Then the woman's eyes rolled back and she landed on the linoleum floor with a thud.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

He was bored. Haven't gone out at all. Stuck home the past few days trying to look up jobs rebounding between the television, going outside to stare at the tree, then to his room again. Staring at his phone on and off. Looking at his messages then tossing the mobile device to the side.

Now he was wondering if he really should go see Namjoo. Maybe tomorrow. Just out of curiosity.

Upset with her for saying those things about him. He had come home that night. Slammed the door to his room and tossed the lollipop onto his bed out of anger. Not the new one. Though he had hesitated to do so, he had grabbed the already destroyed one. Thrown it down and paced his room in a fit. Hurt by her.

Since most of the anger had wilted away, he missed her. Just listening to her rant about how each day seemed hopeful. Joking with him. The things she could do that brought a smile to his face. Even the sky seemed so dull these days.

Sehun threw down the phone when he heard someone bounding up the stairs urgently. A knock on his door then it opened. It was his mother. Out of breath, panicked. Catching him off guard.

"Do you want to come to the hospital with me?"

Grabbing his attention, he asked, "Is it dad?"

"No." she said. "It's your aunt."

Several minutes headlights later he was racing with her down the hospital hallway. To the quiet VIP rooms where a doctor was administering a diagnosis on his aunt, who had collapsed in her home. Feeling his heart drop when he saw Namjoo sitting outside with her head hanging low. Looking so miserable like a child who was lost.

Hearing their footsteps, she turned. Immediately rising to her feet. She looked tired and very apologetic.

Greeting his mother first, explaining, "He's talking to the doctor right now."

His mother touched her shoulder comfortingly then turned to open the door. Hushed voices flowed out. When she turned to see if he was coming, he said, "Go ahead."