The Old Store

"B...but...how come he is my father? You told me my father is died" Wellan instantly backing up, confusingly looking at her mom and Uncle Ho

All Wellan's knows about his father is he is died in accident when Wellan still in her mother womb, not even the picture of his father ever shown to her.

"What you meant she is my daughter?" even Uncle Ho can't hold his shocking expression, stopped for a second then calculated the times he left and Wellan's ages.

"No way...""No way..."

"Yes, it is..." Wellan's mother smiles with tears still there flowing but now it's a happy tear

"No way... you in pregnancy during that time? Why didn't you tell me?" Uncle Ho again holds Wellan's mum hands.

"I just knew it and wanted to surprise you that night but think about the fact I'm telling you now after 20 years even more surprising, right?" holding back his husband hands and looking at their confused daughter

"Wow!! Mum... you're such a good liar" Wellan standing up with stiff expression.

"Wellan...dear...mom so sorry, like so so sorry... please don't be mad at me" Wellan's mother wanting to reach to Wellan's hand but she just steps back a few steps avoiding her mother to reach her hands, looking down at the white tiles.

"Wellan...honey, you are that Mad to me?" again her mother asking a question after seeing how Wellan reacted

Slowly walking around the bed, Wellan go near where Uncle Ho sits.

The sudden change of their status causing the awkwardness, not only to Wellan but also Uncle Ho.

"How come I mad at you after leaving you alone... I'm so happy for you mom!! Congratulation for having back your husband" Wellan showing her wide smile and cheerful face, she was just teasing her mother.

The laughter filling the room, the atmosphere getting warm with they're relieved and more jokes.

There are a lot of stories Wellan wanted to tell to her mother and also about Uncle Ho who takes care of her in the Trapped World.

Two days later

In the dinning table, after having their breakfast. Uncle Ho, Wellan's mother and Wellan discussing about how should they come out to the neighbourhood and their related after their sudden missing.

"For me it will be easier because it just about weeks since I left... We can tell people that me and mom having a big fight before I am missing then I hide at my friend place at these times" Wellan showing her talent on making up stories

"Yeah... I can just tell the cops that I hide the fight from them" her mum's agreed.

"But how about Uncle Ho?" Wellan shifts her eyes to Uncle Ho who sits next to her. Up until today, Wellan and Uncle Ho are already agreeing about how should they call each other and no problem with Wellan calling him Uncle Ho, she is not yet ready to change from Uncle Ho to Father.

"It'll be hard but let's figure it out slowly... better if I know the situation first, as for my family..." Uncle Ho stops his words.

Spending his times in the Trapped World really erasing some of his memories, he almost forgot about his own family beside Wellan's mother.

"Your mother passed away 10 years ago... I'm sorry" she said in a soft tone looking at Uncle Ho and continue"Your only sister is living in the United States with her little family now, it's up to you whether you want to call her soon or later"

"She's married already?" Uncle Ho looks excited, his young sister must be an adult now

"Yes she's married and have 2 adorable son..."

"Mom.... so I also had an aunty? Wah for how long will you keep it secret from me, you deserve the Grammy awards for excellence secret holder mom...if I didn't gone missing, there would be no way I will know this truth right?" Wellan complaints attacking her mom again

"Dear....I would have brought these secrets with me to my grave if you hadn't met your father...I have planned everything since the day I realized that your father might not coming back for us...but thank God he is here now" she gratefully holding Uncle Ho's hand.

"Eiiii....stop flirting early in the morning, okay I'm fine now...just let me know if there's more of them that you forgot to tell me...well... what's now?" Wellan have a bite on her sandwich, the sandwich she missed the most even though it just a simple sandwich.

"If there are no problems with Wellan's case and mine, how about Jio? You said you guys lived in the same building right?" Uncle Ho can't get rid thinking about Jio

"Ahhh Jio oppa!" Wellan puts back her sandwich and feeling sad.

"Jio? The guy who went missing before Wellan? You guys meet him there?" Wellan's mother expecting

"Mom...we lived together in the same house there, he was super handsome and cool...And I also have more bros..." Wellan's pausing, just suddenly her heart started to feel aching. The vivid picture of Yoka and Mikan's face pops right on her mind and make her feel stuffy inside her heart, thinking about how are they doing right now in the Trapped World make Wellan stops her words and look at Uncle Ho instead. Her eyes full of tears and just down her head and cry silently.

"Hey, honey... What's happened? Are you okay?" Her mother imitatively go to her and hugs her "Is everything okay there? Don't worry...they will be fine...okay...oh dear..." she caresses her daughter on the head.

"About that boy Jio, where can we get his information? Talking with his family might help us little bit even though we don't know how will they reacted to this news" Uncle Ho can't expect anything from his family but it still worth to try than nothing.

"I know his father and his manager...we were on the same boat when our child gone missing and as the person who ever experienced this event I tried to explain the things to them and thankfully they're very open minded to listen to my explanation" Wellan's mother releasing the hugs and look at Wellan "I believe that they will be fine there...just like you and your father, they will come back to us here, you hear that?" one again she cares Wellan's back and back to her chair, grabbed her phone and call someone

*******

In the afternoon

Ting Tong!! The doorbell rang.

Wellan's mother goes to answer the door then she came back inside with two men who is Manager Keon and Mr Libin.

"Please wait a minute..." She asked them to have a seat in the living room and preparing to serve the tea she made before.

"Thank you..."

"Thanks mam..."

Both Manager Keon and Mr Libin hurriedly coming after Wellan's mother called and told them something important to tell them regarding Jio.

Joined them in the living room, Wellan's mother did asking Uncle Ho and Wellan to stay in the room first so Manager Keon and Mr Libin won't overwhelmed by their presence

Nervously waiting, Manager Keon asked the question immediately after having a sip of his drink.

"Sorry mam but I'm too excited for the news...sorry if I overreacted or...or...can we listen to the news now?" he gave up on chit-chatting

"I know...me too, but before I tell these informations, I want you to know that there are no hidden traps or something with crimes related in this incident. Like it going to be hard for you guys to digest the information but please believe me, even me myself still not believe this is happening to me in my life" Wellan's mother afraid that this is just like a fraud

"I trust you mam..." said Mr Libin and manager Keon nods on following

"Well let me start with this... honey, sweetheart!"she yells in short to call uncle Ho and Wellan to come out from the room.

Mr Libin and manager Keon catch with their eyes that two people coming out from the room. They didn't notice at first but seconds after... Manager Keon covering his mouth with his hands while Mr Libin calmly follows them until they sit on the chairs.

"Mam... is not this your missing daughter?! And he... He is your..."brokenly speaking, manager Keon let go his words disordered

"Yes...he is my missing husband...I know it' seem so unreal but please believe me...just like they're coming back to me, I believe that Jio will be back too" it still Wellan's mother speaking.

"Hi... I am Jio's father, Libin" unexpectedly Mr Libin reaction is calm and the way he introduces himself is so cool.

"Nice to meet you Mr Libin, I am Ho Jalung..." uncle Ho formally introduces himself.

"My name is Wellan...nice to meet you" Wellan bows her head

"Nice to meet you too Wellan...you must have no idea how sad your mom when she's losing you" Mr Libin also greets Wellan

"I know... but uncle... you'll have no idea how strong Jio oppa now" proudly Wellan said without she knows that get words just now makes Mr Libin and manager Keon freeze.

"You met Jio?!" they say the same questions at the same time.

Realising her words could be to sensitive for the guest, Wellan slowly backing up and regrets a bit

"Yes we met him... We lived in the same place... we shared the same foods up until few days ago when he decided to send me along with Wellan back home instead of himself coming with Wellan through his only portal to this world," Uncle Ho answering instead of Wellan

From this beginning, Uncle Ho slowly explaining the things as clear as possible. How things work here and there, how to come back to Real World and so on. But Uncle Ho lowered the strength of the beast of the winger creatures and magic team or the stone monsters when telling Mr Libin and Manager Keon about those things they had to fought there.

Mr Libin and Manager Keon got mixed feeling after listening to the story. They're happy that Jio is alive and healthily living his life somewhere even though he is on the other world but at the same time they feel sad and a bit discouraged by the part Uncle Ho tell them that their only way back to Real World is just from Yoka's portal now.

In the end, Uncle Ho still asked Mr Libin and Manager Keon to keep it secret from anyone as they don't know how to reach to Jio and Yoka in the Trapped World yet and they'll go together to Jio's apartment to check if there is any clues in his apartment about the power that sent them to the Trapped World.

*****

Mr Libin and Manager Keon leaves when it already evening.

"Want to strolls around the neighborhood, Wellan?" uncle Ho wanted to relax a bit after stressful hours explaining and sharing all his experiences

"Sure... let's go" Wellan feels excited.

Before going out, uncle Ho and Wellan is wearing long jacket, hoodie inside, caps and mask to disguise their face from the neighborhood.

Walking around the for about 10 minutes, uncle Ho stopped.

"What's up uncle Ho?" noticed that uncle Ho is looking straight at that one small old store on the corner of the road, Wellan also stop and try to find what could've attract uncle Ho's attention

"That store...that mid age man..."he murmured softly and digging his memory about that old man who runs the store just exactly right when he thinks about something, the mid age man comes out from the store biding goodbyes to his customer.

"Oh...you mean uncle Majan? What's with uncle Majan?" Wellan spotted uncle Majan came out of the store too.

"He didn't seem aging at all except for his hair is now greyish...no way" Uncle Ho doubting his own thoughts but then his steps is leading him to walking fast toward the store

"Eh uncle wait for me!" Wellan ran after uncle Ho, clueless.

Uncle Majan has no idea of this stranger suddenly came to him and stands in front of him for a while before take off the cap and the mask.

"You. Ho Jalung?!" Uncle Majan cry