48 The Request (9): Dreams Must End

"Is that tteokbokki? Can I have some?" 

His lips broke into a lopsided grin. He was happily basking in the sunlight when the smell of tteokbokki lured him to this spot. The sight of it was making his mouth water. 

Jinhyun waited for the older woman to reply but she was so shocked upon his appearance that she was unable to speak. 

Sojin was staring at her son in disbelief. He had lowered his mask to talk to her. She was caught offguard by his sudden presence. Yet, her eyes could not have enough of him. She wanted to hug him but somewhere in her mind, she was holding herself back.

"Ahjumma?" he asked tentatively. "Did I startle you? Should I leave?" 

His words snapped Sojin out of her reverie. "No," she quickly said. "Please sit down." 

She scooted over to let him sit. Jinhyun sat down beside her, his eyes still on the lunch box she was holding. He did not realize it before, but he was starving. 

Sojin quickly opened all the layers of the box. She had spent all morning cooking the items Jinhyun loved. She was not sure if he really liked them or not since she gathered the information from his past interviews. In the box were spicy tteokbokki, omelette rice, cheese sticks, beef stew and mangoes. It was not much but it was all she could do for him with her limited means. 

"Please, have some," she smiled and pushed the box towards him. 

"Thank you!" he said gratefully and digged in. He took a bite off the tteokbokki first. 

"Mmmm…." he relished the taste of the hot and spicy rice cakes. He was craving it for months but thanks to Sekjong's strict diet, Jinhyun could not eat any tteokbokki for a long time. "Ahjumma, this is delicious! Did you make them?" 

Sojin nodded. Her son looked like a child as he relished the food. She fought hard to hold back her tears as she saw him up close for the first time. He was such a handsome boy. His eyes were brimming with endless optimism and his smile was genuine. She could sense his restless energy as he gobbled up all the tteokbokki. She was greedily memorizing his face, etching it in her heart. 

Jinhyun, who was so absorbed into the delicious food, realized that he was eating the lunch of a complete stranger. 

"I'm so sorry ahjumma," he apologized. "I'm eating your lunch!" 

He tried to push the box back towards her but Sojin stopped him. "Don't worry about me," she reassured him. "You can have it. I'll be fine." 

"But then, you'll not have anything to eat!" Jinhyun protested. 

"I already ate," Sojin said. "Before coming here." 

"So you must have brought this for someone," Jinhyun realized, feeling mortified. 

"That person was discharged this morning," she lied. "So don't worry. The food will go to waste if you don't eat it." 

There was a strange earnestness in her plea. For some reason, Jinhyun could not help but comply with it. He picked up the spoon, continuing to eat. 

"Whom are you visiting, ahjumma?" he asked as he scooped the omelette rice into his mouth. 

"An…old high school friend," Sojin replied. "But she left this morning. I didn't know."

She turned towards him. "How are you feeling?" she asked. 

"I'm fine," he said. "Just inhaled some smoke." 

"That was a very noble thing you did," Sojin commented. "Saving that girl." 

"Ah, that. It was nothing really," he shrugged. 

You have grown up to be a fine man, she thought with pride. Even though she could not raise him, her son turned out to be a good person. She was always afraid that he would have a hint of that vile man in him. But to her relief Jinhyun was a far better man than his father. The very thought of that monster made her shudder in fear. 

It was surreal to her. She was sitting with her son and feeding him the food she had cooked. Never did she had dreamed that this wish of hers would turn into a reality. After being robbed of the hope that Jinhyun will probably never get to taste her cooking, she felt elated that she ended up sitting with him. Even though he did not know that she was his mother, her heart was content with this. 

"And that person left without telling you?" Jinhyun asked. "That's just bad! By the way, this omelette rice is the best thing I've ever tasted." 

"I'm sure you have tasted better," Sojin smiled. "You are a celebrity after all!" 

"Yeah, but I don't know why this tastes better than even the ones at finest restaurants," he blabbered. "You're an amazing cook!" 

And he meant it. Every dish he tasted was starting to feel bland in front of the simple lunch he was eating with that old woman. He could not pinpoint it but there was a warmth in those dishes. As if they had been specially prepared for him. 

"I'm glad you think that way," she smiled, patting his head. Her emotions were on the verge of exploding. She fought back her tears with great difficulty. No Sojin, she scolded herself. Don't cry. Don't let your emotions control you. 

"How many family members do you have, ahjumma?" he asked. 

"I… I have a son," she said, feeling a little hesitant. 

"Where is he?" 

Sojin paused before replying, "Far away. We don't live together." 

She did not want to elaborate. What if she slipped up something to make him suspicious? 

"He left you all alone?" Jinhyun frowned. "Why would he leave his own mother all by herself? What does he do?" 

"It can't be helped," Sojin said. "Sometimes, for the sake of our loved ones, it's best to stay apart."

There was an inexplicable pain in the old woman's voice. Jinhyun did not probe her further. She stared ahead, lost in her own thoughts. 

"Doesn't it make you sad though?" he finally asked. 

Sojin turned towards him. His dark eyes were exactly like hers. "As long as he's happy, I'm happy," she said. "Even if I'm far apart from him."

Jinhyun was puzzled but it seemed that the old woman was truly happy. There was a look of contentment on her face. She was at peace. 

"Oh, you're done," she noted. Jinhyun looked down and realized he had indeed finished all the food. Sojin quickly gathered everything. 

"I should go now," she said. "I have taken up too much of your time." 

"No, please stay!" he exclaimed. "I'm fine. Tell me more about your son."

But Sojin knew their time was up. She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she would not be able to control herself from hugging him. Her heart was screaming to tell him the truth but her mind held her back. 

"I have to go," she said in a sad tone. For some reason, Jinhyun was reluctant to let her go. He did not know why, but the old woman made him feel safe. She was looking at him lovingly, a gaze he had yearned for many years from his own mother. 

"Do visit my studio," he requested. "I'll be really happy if you do." 

The plea in his voice was breaking her heart. But Sojin needed to be strong. She could not fall apart. For the sake of her son, she must not be weak. 

"I'll try," she lied. But Jinhyun could tell, she was lying. Nevertheless, he nodded and smiled. 

Sojin turned away, clutching the lunch box to her heart as she walked towards the exit. Jinhyun watched her back, going far away from him. 

As soon as she was out of the gates, Sojin completely broke down. Her son was so close and yet, she could not even hug him. She wanted to go back and embrace him. Shout to the world that he was her son. Tell him how proud she was of him. 

But it was not possible. Their short time together was nothing less than a dream. 

And dreams must end sometime. 

avataravatar
Next chapter