"Amor you're here," greeted Evelyn as soon as she saw her from the doorway.
"Uhm..... I just arrived actually sorry it took me this long to get back to fetch the children."
"Kids, let's go."
"Yes ma bye pa and aunt Evelyn," her children chorused.
Looking at Theo's house from the highway while waiting for public transportation with her kids that they can ride on their way back to her parent's house, Amor felt she lost her identity. Her parent's house is only 1 kilometer away thus they arrived there after a few minutes of travel.
"Amor you're back, come in," greeted her father.
"Sorry, we just arrived pa, where's mama?"
"Come with me, your mother is getting the room ready so that the children can sleep right away."
"Amor, you're back!" greeted her mother. "You can all go straight to your room now so that you can rest."
"Thank you ma," with no hesitation they went straight to their room and gave a weary look at her children who looks sad that they just left their father's house.
Two days with her children seem to fly so fast since she and Henry are now waiting for the trip bound to Cebu City in the North Terminal in their town in Daanbantayan 4th of April 2023 Tuesday 8:38 am. It has been months ago since she traveled with Henry and she is anxious since he will be living with her in a home that is not theirs. Seated at the 11th column 11th row on the left side of the driver Henry took the window seat thus she was seated in the aisle section. Clink clink clink. The bus inspector hits the bar handle of the door that signals the bus is now departing. The sun is already up and Amor is wide awake for the whole trip and took notice of where they at during the travel. With a speed of 50-60kph, Amor did not even budge as the bus traveled down the cemented sometimes rugged zigzag road. Due to the heavy traffic starting from Consolacion it took her an hour to reach the city, and when they got off in the north terminal she hailed a taxi. After a few minutes, they are now about to enter the condominium premises. Upon entering the gate the guard asked the driver for the homeowner's name, "Mr. and Mrs. Kim, boss," replied Amor.
"So, we are here now let's go up first to fix our things then we can take a rest."
"Can I stay in the play area after we fix our things?"
"Ah..... sure but don't stay there for long okay?"
After they've fixed their things, Henry checked the surroundings around the play area and heard some children's voices. Although it is already in the afternoon, there was enough shade in the area because of the trees. He tried to follow the direction of where the voices are coming from when he heard a bicycle ring behind him that caused him to immediately jump on the safer side of the road. The biker stopped and he recognized that it was Chaewon, "Hi Chaewon!"
Around the corner, another biker was approaching his direction and he recognized that it was Ha Jun so he also gave a casual greeting, "Hello Ha Jun!"
Ha Jun stopped beside Chaewon and he recognized Henry so he gave a formal greeting as well, "How are you, Henry?"
Chaewon got off the bicycle, took off her bike helmet, and turned to face Henry. She did not say anything but only lifted her gaze toward him with no expression at all. With her slim figure, he is always reminded of the damsel straight from K-drama.
"I am fine, Ha Jun thanks for asking. How about you?"
"Geuneun nae kkeoya. (He is mine.)" Chaewon told Ha Jun.
"Dodaeche mueos-i. (Whatever.)" replied Ha Jun then hurriedly rode on his bicycle and drove away.
"How are you, Henry?" Chaewon finally greeted him back.
"I'm okay, I thought you forgot my name. How about you? Did your brother get angry because I didn't pronounce his name correctly??"
"Huh? No, you got it right. What time did you arrive??"
"We just arrived a couple of hours ago."
"I see, wanna ride?"
"Oh..... no thank you, I'll just take a stroll around here."
"If you want I can ride at the pillion then we can stroll around the play area."
"Really? That would be nice."
"Sure," Chaewon gave her bike to Henry, and then she rode at the pillion. "Do you want to swim in the pool with me tomorrow?" asked Chaewon.
"Uhm..... I'm not sure, my mother told me I need to study Hangul with her before the classes start."
"Really? If you want I can teach you Hangul then you can teach me English."
"Ah..... that's a great idea, that way my mother can just concentrate on her work."
"Wow! I'll finally become a teacher."
Suddenly a cherry black painted 5 seater SUV stopped beside Henry and the window from the passenger seat rolled down, "Eomeoni! (Mother!)," cried out Chaewon.
Henry recognized that it was Chaewon's mother so he gave a casual greeting, "How are you, Mrs. Kim?"
"Cha-e deul-eogaseo Samuel-ege jajeongeoleuljusibsio (Get inside the car and give your bike to Samuel)," Ae Cha ordered Chaewon.
"Oh..... Henry I need to go now, I'll see you around."
"Uhm..... sure I'll see you later," and Henry watched the car as it drove away straight to the building.
A woman suddenly came out from the corner calling out Henry's name, "Henry!" Henry looked in the direction of where the voice was coming from and found out that it's his mother calling him, "Ma."
"Who were you talking to?"
"Huh? Ah..... I was with Chaewon earlier."
"Oh..... don't wander around too much besides we need to go upstairs now so that you can rest."
"Uhm..... ma, Chaewon actually offered to teach me Hangul then in return I can teach her English."
"Ah..... no bother, Mr. Kim taught me how to read Hangul for the purpose of me teaching you and besides our young masters have tutors to teach them the English language."
"Okay."
Driiiiin. Driiiiin. Driiiiin.
Amor missed the sound of the old alarm clock and it has been a month since Henry learned the basic level of Hangul thus he is now scheduled for a test by Do Yun. "Can we impress a Korean with our Hangul?" she asked herself. She chose to wear a chic and elegant oxblood tailored in felt double-breasted peacoat which features two pockets and buttons in the front paired with black leggings and a turtleneck underneath.
Standing outside unit 1203, she straightened her leggings and lightly knocked on the door thrice then David opened the door.
"Good..... good morning Mr. and Mrs. Kim," Amor stuttered but Ae Cha only gave her a glance and continued eating.
"Good morning Henry," greeted Chaewon.
"Joh-eun achim Chaewon (Good morning Chaewon)," Henry greeted back.
She saw Mila with her daughter sitting on the sofa thus they sat beside them. Mila and her daughter suddenly stood up but before Amor and Henry could give their greeting Ae Cha approached them. Wearing a walnut Cashmere crewneck sweater paired with a navy petite high-rise Peyton wide-leg pant in the four-season stretch, Amor can never equal her cuteness no matter what she wears. Ae Cha towered over her at 175cm in height and with just 1-meter distance from each other, Amor dared not to look into her eyes. With her head bowed down she is waiting for Ae Cha to say something but Do Yun called her out, "Ae Cha.....". Although it was not her name he called out Amor looked in his direction and instead of responding to Do Yun, Ae Cha headed out to the door thus Mila and her daughter hurriedly followed. Seeing how Do Yun looked at Ae Cha walking away she feels she is in the wrong place, "Is this a domestic issue?" she thought. Do Yun came out from their room wearing a brown Croydon plaid tan suit and headed out to the door thus she and Henry hurriedly followed.
The three of them ordinarily walking on the way to the parking lot not knowing that above them the sun is watching.