Dreams And Nightmares

Chapter 2 ~ Family

"Aeia, Aeia!" a gentle voice calls.

I slowly open my eyes to see Jun Hae shaking me and telling me to wake up.

I groan turning my back to him.

"Aeia! Come on wake up! It's breakfast already! My mom and dad wants you to eat with us." he tries to convince.

At the final nudge I finally wake up. Jun Hae smiles and walks out of the room.

I scratch my head forcing myself to stand. I peer out the door looking left to right. "I forgot to ask where the bathroom is." I say to myself.

I open a few doors looking for the bathroom when I open a certain room with a drawing board and a lot of art supplies scattered about. And I begin to wonder if Jun Hae is starting to draw.

"Aeia?" I hear Jun Hae's voice.

I jump in surprise slamming the door close. "Sorry! I was looking for the bathroom!" I yell.

"Ah," he says. "The bathroom is there," he points to a white door near the staircase.

I avoid eye contact, rushing to the bathroom and locking the door behind me.

I sigh, gripping my shirt.

The mirror above the sink reflects my tears and I can see a girl who stupidly let herself give in to the person that broke her heart.

I turn the knob of the sink and feel the cool water on my hands. I splay the water onto my face, feeling refreshed.

Before I open the door I hear two voices. I press my ear on the door listening to their conversation.

I can hear Jun Hae's voice and he sounds like his in distress and an old woman talking in worry.

I couldn't understand what they are saying. They're speaking in Korean and I can only recognize a few words, my name, and the word Saranghae or Sarang.

My eyes widens. Why is Jun Hae talking about me and a topic concerning love?

A few moments later they both left and I can finally open the door.

Everyone is downstairs and I walk down the stairs taking a small peek at the dining room.

Jun Hae's mother, father and his two brothers are there setting up the table.

The table is low-lying and the chairs are red soft cushions, traditionally how Koreans eat.

His mother notices me coming down and she smiles, "Aeia! Come, come! Join us for breakfast." she says cheerfully.

I smile in return, hurrying to the dining table.

As we eat Jun Hae sits beside me and his two brother across the table scoffs and laughs.

His mother smiles at me again and asks, "How's the food?"

I chuckle, "Really great!"

She laughs and suddenly she looks at Jun Hae but he avoids her and continues to eat.

Suddenly one of his brothers asks me, "Are you his girlfriend?" he asks.

I stop eating, and Jun Hae becomes angry suddenly and starts to yell at his brother.

"Ani (No)." I say. Everyone suddenly becomes silent and they look at me for a moment. Then Jun Hae starts to say something in Korean making his brothers apologize to me.

"It's okay." I say.

Later my parents arrive rushing to me hugging me, and telling me how worried they are.

But my parents begins to talk to Jun Hae's parents and I realize they are all going to have a long conversation.

"Aeia," Jun Hae calls. I turn to see Jun Hae climbing the stairs calling out to me. "Come, let's go to my room. Our parents are going to talk for hours."

Then Jun Hae reaches for my hand and I hold his hand and he pulls me up to his room.