Call Your Name [ Chaennie ]

Call Your Name - Chapter 16

Hello BLINKs!
This chapter has a lot of connections in the previous chapters.
So, I hope you take a quick review on the previous contents before reading this one. 

Thanks! Enjoy reading!
================================================================================================================================================================

--JENNIE P.O.V.--

IT'S 24TH OF MARCH 2020,
And it's been a year since I return from South Korea.
I'm now strolling around the West Potomac Park. Yes, I get back to Washington on its end of winter, and when the cherry trees start blooming sporadically across Tidal basin.
This is the only Washington D.C.'s weather my legs can tolerate, and I am talking about the winter hideous effects in my legs... the cold titanium does to my bones... it's horrible... the pain mostly radiates to my whole body. Atlanta was my escape for years; it was warmer there. I know in my case it's foolish to withdraw from Samsuk and Ms. Son Yejin. Plus, Lia was the one to remind me when it's already the end of the winter and the weather is not bad for my legs, so I can go home.

I can take the mild winter Atlanta is having, but there's no place for me there. Working with Yejin, only reminds me of what happened last year. I was also living in an apartment owned by her. Now I have the whole unfortunate years to live here in Washington as I ditched the life, I had for six years.

It will be hard for me, just by thinking of it.

That's why I'm out in the first place... to breathe some fresh air. Thinking about my next steps while I'm inside my apartment can make me go mad. Though now my phone is ringing like crazy... with Lia's messages asking me where am I and what am I up to? Such an annoying cutie. I smile at the thought of her endless energy and turn off my phone after I once respond.

Enough of this. I place my long brown tweed coat on the grass and sit on it. Contemplating.

Let's start to reminisce. I shut my eyes.

And I know it's time to tell my side of the story.

I ONCE STUDIED AND LIVED IN AUCKLAND, New Zealand when I was in Middle School. My dad let me fly with him when he had offer of 5 years contract in Auckland City Hospital to teach about Neurosurgery. It was hard to live my mom alone in Seoul. She never flies once in her life. I thought maybe that's the reason she won't ever come with us there.

I fly back to Seoul alone for long breaks or holidays. But my dad never come with me due to his busy schedules. I guess I won't celebrate holidays with both of my parents until dad and I permanently come back to Seoul.

But apparently, I'm stuck here for years. So, instead of thinking about me missing my mom, I focused with my new environment. I struggled too much living in a foreign land. But I need to bear this, I know my parents only want the best for me. Though it took me years to be finally adjusted.

I was too busy with my own issues that I forgot to observe one of the biggest changes of my life back then.

It's the 4th year of our stay, I finished Middle School and I was to fly to Seoul. It's my dad's day off but he let me take a cab without him. He was very tired, so I let him be. I'm halfway to the airport, but stupid to forget my present to my mom so I had to return to the apartment to pick it up.

I dropped my bags to my shock of seeing my dad smooching with another woman on my favorite living room couch with only her undies on. I saw her hospital gown on the coat rack, and thought she is his workmate... and his lingering fuck buddy? How can I be so blind to not notice that for years?! (Yes, my dad confessed to me after I caught them on the act.)
They don't even wait for me to take off entirely from the country before they done their dirty hobby!

My dad is a cheating bastard! And I guess my mom knew about that.

I despised him for doing that! For fooling his own family! I didn't look back when I started to run away from there. And that came the time that I flew back to South Korea with one-way ticket on my hand.

Though my dad was the fortunate one, I still chose to stay with my mom. My mom got our house and my dad got the car and our apartment in Gangnam after the divorce.
 It only left me with money to pay my School until College.

So, my mom who was a housewife since I got in this world... obliged herself in three different jobs: As a housekeeper, a waitress, and a mail carrier. I trembled every time I think of how she managed all of it. Just imagine seeing my mom in her late 40s working like there's no tomorrow, just to give me food on my mouth because I didn't get my School money as cash.

I was very young that time and was still affected with my dad's departure. I did see my mom's suffering, but I didn't help her because I'm too occupied swimming in my greatest depth of agony.