And Then You Came... [Eunhae] |✔

13. Happiness

''Being able to stop and be aware of the present moment is part of the definiton of happiness..."

-Thich Nhat Hanh.

Eunhyuk had woken up way too early, all thanks to his phone's vibration to let him know that a text had arrived.
He sleepily switched on his phone and winced at the bright light.

The text was from his mother, and Eunhyuk felt a dull disappointment; he didn't need to read it to see what his mother had to say.

      ---4.28 a.m. Eunhyuk, We are so sorry that we won't be able to come today. Your farther and I left for Japan an hour ago. It was urgent.----

Eunhyuk flipped the phone back and tried to go to sleep; but sleeping was out of question becuase he started remembering all the past memories that he had been trying to forget. He realized that in every important day in his life, his parents had always found a way to betray him.

*flashback*

It was a mild afternoon with a light hint of rain, 8 year old Hyukjae jubilantly skipped along to his house, clutching the grade report of his elementary school in his small hand.
For the very first time he had obtained 70 marks for the math paper. It was his first self achievement after battling with the numbers for over a year.

"mommy! dad!" he screamed with pure happiness "I've got 70 this year! I'm so happy!"

Hyukjae danced around the living room while his mother and father came out from the kitchen.

''let me see Hyukjae" said his mother and took the report from Hyukjae's hand. She looked at it and frowned.

"but you have low marks for all other subjects" she said while flipping the pages.

With childish annoyance, Eunhyuk took the report and showed it to his father; expecting a word of praise for his hard earned victory.

"hmmm...low marks for everything. Why are you doing this Hyukjae? don't you love us?" he asked.

"b-but" stuttered Hyukjae "but atleast-"

"atleast is not enough Eunhyuk" said his mother shaking her head.

"Next time, make sure you show us a good report with marks over 80 or we will think that you are being a very naughty child" said his father while his mother nodded along.

Eunhyuk staggered up the staircase and crashed on to his bed. A huge sob was forming up his thraot, and he tried everything to hold it back.

That day Eunhyuk gave up trying to please his unemotional parents. It was just a waste of time. So the little 8 year old sobbed his heart out alone in his room while lightning fashed and the dark sky roared outside.

*present*

He had somehow fallen asleep because the next time he woke up, it was for his alarm.
A ray of sunlight fell on him throught the window making eveything look golden. Hyukjae  had completely forgotten about the text that was almost like a dream.

He quickly got up and dressed, after having a quick glass of orange juice, he skipped along to the university.

By the time he got there it was filled with some of the early bird parents who couldn't wait to visit their child.
Eunhyuk ducked his head low and kept walking until he got to the backstage of the university auditorium.

"There you are!" said Jong quickly steering him to their relevent place. "Thank god you came early punk, we need some extra help with the props. Donghae is already helping them; we start at 11.00 a.m. and finish at 1.00 pm remember? you two perform at last" he said and left Eunhyuk standing in the middle of the room.