Expectations 51

Author: Thank you for reading and for supporting.

Sung Yoon: Please rate the book if you like it.

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Still seated outside on the stairs, Hae Jin had his eyes closed, enjoying the fresh air, the freedom while Tae Jin was on his phone.

"I just got a text from Sung Yoon. She used her brother's phone"

Hae Jin opened his eyes, looking at Tae Jin with a smile on his face.

"How is she doing?"

"Fine, she said she's still looking for the old woman as well"

"I see" Sung Yoon only left yesterday yet it felt like she's been gone for decades.

He really missed her. Even though Tae Jin was here and he wasn't feeling lonely, it still wasn't the same.

"This old woman, you said before that, she used to visit every year, right?"

"Yeah, leaving food behind" Oh, she left food behind as well? Why's that?

He didn't think about this before, but,......why did the woman come over? That too every year? Could it be.......she used to live here?

And, why didn't she clean the house when she came over?!

................

Well, then again, she hasn't been here for 12years.

Even if she cleaned the house before the 12year she hasn't been here, it would have still looked dirty, dusty, since she hasn't been here for 12years.

Author: That's complicating, what do you mean Tae Jin?

Tae Jin: The story must continue now author.

Author: Smart guy, he doesn't want to get on my bad side. If he had shut me up,.............you guys know what would have happened next, right?

"Sung Yoon said a ghost can only take food that's offered to them or when they use their powers. And back then, I didn't know how to use my powers. I didn't even know I had powers, so, I believe she offered the food to me. Meaning, maybe she knew me. And I think, if I can find out about her, maybe I can find something about my past" 

He didn't think this way before. Hae Jin only wanted to find out if she was okay.

But, thinking about it, he realized maybe he will find out about his past if he found out about the woman.

"But, anyone can offer food to a dead soul" Tae Jin said and he realized he was right.

Right, so stupid of him!

Even so,.........*Sigh, he was tired of thinking. He'll only know the answers to his questions when he finds the woman.

"Also,....... I'm worried about her. Like I told you before, since the year I met you two (Tae Jin and Sung Yoon), she hasn't visited. I'm worried she might be sick or worst, dead"

He really was worried about the woman, that wasn't a lie and he wasn't pretending either.

"I see. Well, if Sung Yoon hears of any news, I'll let you know" Tae Jin said.

"Okay" Hae Jin said back and they ended up staring at each other, looking at each other in the eyes.

And,.....It was as if they were both searching for something in each other's eyes.

Strange.

Everything, everything around was disappearing and Hae Jin could only see him.

There was this strange atmosphere as well. Hae Jin didn't know what to call it.

But one thing could never be wrong, he loved staring at Tae Jin's enchanting light pink eyes.

And for some reason, he felt he was looking for something in them.

What could it be?

Before Hae Jin can think more of the questions he won't have an answer to now, Tae Jin broke the atmosphere as he cleared his throat and looked away from Hae Jin's gaze, cheeks reddened.

As a shame, Hae Jin did not see.

He was only focused on how disappointed he was because he won't get to look into Tae Jin's enchanting light pink eyes.

"So, what should we do now?" Tae Jin asked still avoiding eye contact with him.

Hae Jin didn't even get to question his weird behavior (Avoiding eye contact with him) when a car pulled over at the entrance of the house.

Immediately, Tae Jin turned to the direction of the car (His cheeks no longer red), Hae Jin following as well.

The car was no ordinary car. It was the newest car of the year and Tae Jin knew the driver very well.

Getting out of the car, a man in his 40s stood in front of the driver's seat, holding the door as he smiled, calling out Tae Jin's name, "Tae Jin"

The man was very handsome. Had short black hair and scarlet red eyes, resembling Shin Hye.

This man was none other than......

'Shin Hye's dad' Tae Jin said in mind before getting up and telling his hyung, "I'll be back Hyung" as he left to meet the man.

Hae Jin still staring at the man. He didn't even hear Tae Jin's words as his focus was on the man alone.

He looked familiar.

Was the thought running through his head as he stared at the man.

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Inside the car with Shin Hye's dad, Tae Jin stared at Hae Jin who for some reason, was staring at them.

Or should he say, was staring at Shin Hye's dad. What was going through his hyung's mind? What was he thinking about?

"Tae Jin" Shin Hye's dad called out his name, bringing him back to reality.

Turning to the man's direction, Tae Jin immediately answered, "Yes, sir"

"Sir? We're far from that, don't you think?" The man replied with an amused smile.

"You can call me Uncle or Mr Shin"

"Okay, Mr Shin" he said with a smile, feeling a little nervous.

"So,..." Here comes the real reason why he was here.

Tae Jin hoped it was nothing troublesome because now wasn't the time and he didn't want to have any problem with Shin Hye's dad, not when his mother's job was on the line.

"I heard you're dating my daughter" Oh, so, this was what it was all about.

"Tae Jin"

"Yes?" Tae Jin looked at him with a questioning look.

"Do you know why I permitted to let Shin Hye go to the state to stay with her grandma?"

"No" He didn't know why. He only knew why Shin Hye went with him. And that was because they were both heading to the same destination.

"You know, as a father, it wasn't easy parting away from my child. Even though I knew I had no time and won't have time with her because of my work. But,.......having her around was enough for me. A smile from her and I can take on tomorrow, no matter how tired I was. Hearing her laughter, ......"

Mr Shin said as he smiled, recalling Shin Hye as a child, laughing, "All my tiredness would disappear. I needed her and I knew I was being selfishness because I wasn't thinking about her happiness. And that's why I set aside my selfishness and sent her away " Mr Shin said, looking up at him, 

"I knew Shin Hye was lying. She didn't want to go stay with her grandma because she missed her or because she thought about her and didn't like the fact that she was all alone, living in that big house" The man said, afterwards, he could see the man was thinking about what to say next.

Gosh! He really was learning a lot after his arrival. Who knew everything he believed to be the truth wasn't exactly the truth.

"Actually" Mr Shin said, gaining his attention once again "She wasn't exactly lying when she said she wanted to stay with her grandma because she felt alone (Because her parents didn't have much time for her). In any case, the real reason why she wanted to go stay with her grandma was because you were leaving. She wanted to go with you"

So,....... that's why Shin Hye went with her. Then, why did her parents agree if they knew she was lying all along?

"Sure Shin Hye has always worried about her grandma since she knew her. She never liked the fact that she was alone in that big house. That five years old Shin Hye would always complain about it" Mr Shin smiled.

"However, like I said before, that was not the real reasons why she wanted to stay with her. You were the reason"

"If you don't mind, can I share something with you?"

'By all means' Tae Jin said in mind but answered the man's question by saying, "Sure"

"You see, I've always known my little girl felt alone, felt lonely being in the house even though, there were caretakers she could spend time with. I knew she felt alone because we weren't around. I knew........she wanted to spend time with us, but we didn't have time with her. You see, I also knew she never felt alone and was always happy when with you"

Wow, the man knew a lot he (Tae Jin) must say.

"I knew...... with you two together, she will not feel lonely because she really love you and she's happy by your side. That's why I, we (He and Shin Hye's mother) permitted her to go stay with her grandma together with you"

So then, if he's right, Shin Hye's parents only allowed, decided to let him stay with her and her grandma just so Shin Hye won't feel alone? Just so, she'll be happy because they knew her happiness linked to him?

So, then,.......if Shin Hye never decided to go with him, he would have went alone to stay in that boarding house?

Meaning, they never cared about him unless Shin Hye was involved.

They didn't even think about the poor grandma!

*Sigh, this was totally the opposite of what I believed and knew.

Then again,.......... he saw this coming and he wasn't surprised or angry or disappointed.

He's just glad they helped him. Directly or indirectly.

Without their help,.......he didn't know what would have happened to him and he didn't want to figure out either.

*Sigh, also,

He knew, Shin Hye loved her a lot.

He loved her a lot as well. More than his other friends because she was always there.

When he felt lonely, sad, going through depression, happy, excited, Shin Hye was always there.

He'll never trade her for the world.

"She was very sad, depressed when her grandma died. But she got through it because you were there. She said so herself and I saw it too. She believe, I believe, her mother believe, that with you by her side, she can get through everything. She's be complete. And I must say, is because of you that she's not a spoiled brat. I always thank God for you"

Wow,......... He didn't know what to say except, there was a lot of expectations. Can he meet them all?

"So, all am saying is, take care of Shin Hye. Don't make her cry or sad"

"Okay, Mr Shin" was all he could say.

Cause even he knew, he had to take care of Shin Hye as well.

She helped him a lot.

And he didn't want to disappoint her or make her sad.