wonderlife (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wonderlife) wrote2012-04-25 10:02 pm
wonderlife) wrote2012-04-25 10:02 pm
Entry tags:
Family Gathering
Author: Nichole
Rated: G
Word Count: 758
Story Title: Family Gathering
Summary: Chan-wook and some of his children visit the burial mounds of their family
Chan-wook comes back every now and again; he comes back on their birthdays and on the days he buried them. He brings flowers and their favorite foods; he does all the things a good man should do. While he picks the weeds from their burial mounds, he talks to each of them. Chan-wook says all sorts of things to them, but no one’s sure if he even knows what he’s saying anymore.
As he pulls the weeds from his aunt’s mound, he smiles in wry amusement. “I’m now old enough to be your father, Aunt. In a year or two, all my girls will be older than you.” Chan-wook sniffs back his tears. “Isn’t it good, though? You get to stay young and beautiful forever.”
As he pulls the weeds from his childhood friend’s mound, Chan-wook laughs to himself. “I’m a father of seven now. Remember when we thought we would die before age thirty?” Chan-wook’s back cracks. “Ah, sometimes I wish I were still thirty or younger. Getting older is no fun. And you . . . you get to stay nineteen forever.”
As he pulls the weeds from Takara’s mound, Chan-wook feels his heart sink ever so slightly. “Taka and Ling’er, they’re old enough to be friends with you now, Honey. Imagine, your own daughters old enough to be your friends.” he has to stop himself from letting the tears flow. “Before long, Taka will be older than you. As for Ling’er, you’ll have to take care of her for me.”
Chan-wook always stays alone at the graves for an hour or two. After a while, he’s usually joined by his children; in the early summer of 2009 all but two join him; Jin is away in America and can’t get away, while Ling’er is sick and can’t leave the hospital.
Mason and Eddie usually bring the food up the hill; Aoi’s in charge of the blanket; and, Taka and Jiro just bring themselves.
Eddie helps Aoi put the blanket in front of Chan-wook’s aunt’s burial mound and offer a plate of apples. They kneel down together, bowing low to their great-aunt. Mason follows, then Jiro, and finally Taka. The children repeat this – moving the blanket with them – for all three graves. They are visiting their family, so each tries to act as properly as possible.
After they’ve all given their regards, Chan-wook’s children stand a bit away from the graves to let Chan-wook have another moment or two with his family. When he’s ready to go, Chan-wook picks up the blanket – he leaves the food for his aunt, friend, and Takara – and walks over to his children.
“Mother,” Eddie begins slowly. He’s not sure when it started, but somewhere along the way all the kids began referring to Takara as their mother. “Mother, Uncle, and Great-Aunt seem like they are doing well.”
Aoi nods in agreement as she slips a hand into Eddie’s. “They must like to look out over the city.” she turns toward the skyline of the city that lays miles below them. “You chose a good spot, Ahjuhssi.”
Chan-wook’s lips curl into a slight smile. “Don’t overly flatter me. You’re still paying for drinks tonight.”
Mason and Eddie exchange an amused glance. Leave it to Geum Chan-wook to talk about booze ten feet from the burial mounds of his loved ones. Absentmindedly, Jiro slips his left pinkie into Taka’s right one. Lovingly, Aoi slips her empty hand into one of Mason’s.
“The three of us should walk down together.” Aoi tells them with a small grin. “It’ll be fun.”
Eying them, Mason shakes his head. “If you two start singing. . .”
“Not happening.” Eddie assures his brother as the three start back to the car Eddie stole earlier that day.
Chan-wook watches them go, before turning his attention to Jiro and Taka; Taka’s watching him intensely.
“What?”
“Do you want to hold Jiro’s hand as we walk down?” Taka asks in her usual emotional way.
Chan-wook gently pats Taka’s head; it is his only reply to her question. Jiro takes it as his cue to lead Taka back down the hill.
On his own again, Chan-wook turns back to the three burial mounds. He knows, deep inside where all his fears are hidden, that there will soon be four burial mounds on his hill. Chan-wook offers the graves a small smile.
“I’ll be back very soon.” He tells them softly.
After a long moment, he too starts down the hill, knowing that he will soon be back to visit his family again.
Rated: G
Word Count: 758
Story Title: Family Gathering
Summary: Chan-wook and some of his children visit the burial mounds of their family
Chan-wook comes back every now and again; he comes back on their birthdays and on the days he buried them. He brings flowers and their favorite foods; he does all the things a good man should do. While he picks the weeds from their burial mounds, he talks to each of them. Chan-wook says all sorts of things to them, but no one’s sure if he even knows what he’s saying anymore.
As he pulls the weeds from his aunt’s mound, he smiles in wry amusement. “I’m now old enough to be your father, Aunt. In a year or two, all my girls will be older than you.” Chan-wook sniffs back his tears. “Isn’t it good, though? You get to stay young and beautiful forever.”
As he pulls the weeds from his childhood friend’s mound, Chan-wook laughs to himself. “I’m a father of seven now. Remember when we thought we would die before age thirty?” Chan-wook’s back cracks. “Ah, sometimes I wish I were still thirty or younger. Getting older is no fun. And you . . . you get to stay nineteen forever.”
As he pulls the weeds from Takara’s mound, Chan-wook feels his heart sink ever so slightly. “Taka and Ling’er, they’re old enough to be friends with you now, Honey. Imagine, your own daughters old enough to be your friends.” he has to stop himself from letting the tears flow. “Before long, Taka will be older than you. As for Ling’er, you’ll have to take care of her for me.”
Chan-wook always stays alone at the graves for an hour or two. After a while, he’s usually joined by his children; in the early summer of 2009 all but two join him; Jin is away in America and can’t get away, while Ling’er is sick and can’t leave the hospital.
Mason and Eddie usually bring the food up the hill; Aoi’s in charge of the blanket; and, Taka and Jiro just bring themselves.
Eddie helps Aoi put the blanket in front of Chan-wook’s aunt’s burial mound and offer a plate of apples. They kneel down together, bowing low to their great-aunt. Mason follows, then Jiro, and finally Taka. The children repeat this – moving the blanket with them – for all three graves. They are visiting their family, so each tries to act as properly as possible.
After they’ve all given their regards, Chan-wook’s children stand a bit away from the graves to let Chan-wook have another moment or two with his family. When he’s ready to go, Chan-wook picks up the blanket – he leaves the food for his aunt, friend, and Takara – and walks over to his children.
“Mother,” Eddie begins slowly. He’s not sure when it started, but somewhere along the way all the kids began referring to Takara as their mother. “Mother, Uncle, and Great-Aunt seem like they are doing well.”
Aoi nods in agreement as she slips a hand into Eddie’s. “They must like to look out over the city.” she turns toward the skyline of the city that lays miles below them. “You chose a good spot, Ahjuhssi.”
Chan-wook’s lips curl into a slight smile. “Don’t overly flatter me. You’re still paying for drinks tonight.”
Mason and Eddie exchange an amused glance. Leave it to Geum Chan-wook to talk about booze ten feet from the burial mounds of his loved ones. Absentmindedly, Jiro slips his left pinkie into Taka’s right one. Lovingly, Aoi slips her empty hand into one of Mason’s.
“The three of us should walk down together.” Aoi tells them with a small grin. “It’ll be fun.”
Eying them, Mason shakes his head. “If you two start singing. . .”
“Not happening.” Eddie assures his brother as the three start back to the car Eddie stole earlier that day.
Chan-wook watches them go, before turning his attention to Jiro and Taka; Taka’s watching him intensely.
“What?”
“Do you want to hold Jiro’s hand as we walk down?” Taka asks in her usual emotional way.
Chan-wook gently pats Taka’s head; it is his only reply to her question. Jiro takes it as his cue to lead Taka back down the hill.
On his own again, Chan-wook turns back to the three burial mounds. He knows, deep inside where all his fears are hidden, that there will soon be four burial mounds on his hill. Chan-wook offers the graves a small smile.
“I’ll be back very soon.” He tells them softly.
After a long moment, he too starts down the hill, knowing that he will soon be back to visit his family again.