Chapter 42

"Mother's advice"

Namjoon reached with his right hand and put the car in "park", whereafter he leaned back in the car seat and exhaled loudly. He was tired, not because he had been driving for the first time in a while, no, he wasn't physically tired. Rather, he felt emotionally drained, like he was ready to pass out any minute.

While feeling his body slowly becoming one with the car seat, Namjoon grabbed his phone from the glove compartment. 

No messages. No phone calls. 

He let out a sigh before putting the phone into his pocket. Then he collected all his strength, opened the car door and got out. 

The evening breeze felt refreshing, and somehow it helped clear his mind after being confided in a car for so long. He took a look at the house in front of him, where lights could been seen through every window. Then, after locking his car, he took a step forward and walked up to the front door.

He firmly pressed the bell next to the door and felt reassured when he heard the usual melody echo from inside the house, soon followed by the sound of footsteps nearing the entrance.

"Well, if it isn't my dear son," Yeon Hee said with a big smile, when she opened the door and saw Namjoon standing on the other side, "I didn't know you were coming, did you text me?"

"No, I didn't," Namjoon said as he took a step inside and started untying his shoes, "I went to visit... someone... in Daegu, so I thought I'd stop by on my way back. Besides, it's Korean New Year, so I'm not going to work until Thursday. I hope it's not troublesome, me coming without any notice."

"Oh no, how could it ever be troublesome for a mother to be visited by her son," Yeon Hee said while she helped Namjoon out of his jacket and hung it on a coat hanger, "you're staying the night then?"

"If it's not too much trouble," Namjoon said.

"Of course it isn't, I'll just go tell your dad you're here," Yeon Hee said.

"Alright," Namjoon said and watched his mother walk down the hall, towards his dad's library. 

As Namjoon entered the living room, he suddenly heard a familiar sound of paws clicking on the hardwood floor, and a big smile formed on his lips as he happily greeted his dog with open arms.

"Monie!" Namjoon exclaimed while giving the fluffy white dog a big hug, "ah, I've missed you! I wish you could live with me, but then again, it would be cruel to keep you locked up in an apartment all day, wouldn't it?"

"Seems like you've missed your dog more than your parents," Namjoon heard a masculine voice say and he looked up to see his dad in front of him with a huge smile on his face.

"Dad, it's so good to see you," Namjoon said before enveloping him in a warm hug, "how are you?"

"I'm good, aside from the fact that my son never visits me," Han Soo said and faked a pout.

"Dad, don't guilt trip me like that, you know I'm busy," Namjoon said.

"I know, and so am I, I guess that's why our schedules never match."

"I guess so."

"Alright you two, if you set the table, I'll get dinner ready," Yeon Hee interrupted, and Namjoon and Han Soo both nodded before walking to the kitchen, getting ready to help.

Eating a home cooked meal from your parents would beat take away anytime, and it most certainly tasted better than the few times Namjoon had tried cooking for himself. Something that often ended up with him burning the food or breaking something in the process.

"Mm, mom this is delicious," Namjoon said as soon as had taken the first bite and Yeon Hee laughed satisfied.

"I'm glad to hear that," Yeon Hee said, "before you leave, I'll pack up some food to take home." Namjoon put down his chopsticks in a dramatic manner and looked at his mom while saying:

"Mom, you really are the best!" Namjoon's sentence only made Yeon Hee laugh again.

"You two are as close as ever," Han Soo said with a sigh.

"Well that's because Namjoon-a always has been a mommy's boy."

"Mom!" Namjoon exclaimed, but Yeon Hee just shushed him.

"It's no use trying to deny it," Yeon Hee said and Namjoon let out a sigh.

"Fine, just don't go saying that to everyone," Namjoon said.

"Our son is right," Han Soo said, "if you say that, how will he ever find a girl who will marry him."

"Oh right," Yeon Hee said and Namjoon felt like punching his dad in that moment, "have you met any sweet girls while staying in Seoul?"

"I'm too busy at work to be dating," Namjoon said, hoping his mom would drop the subject.

"Of course, that's why you should just hurry up and get married," Yeon Hee said and Namjoon internally rolled his eyes, "what about that sweet girl who lives next door?" Namjoon nearly choked on his food when Yeon Hee asked the last question and he looked at her in disbelief.

"Mom, didn't I already tell you she's my student?" Namjoon said.

"Are you dating your student?" Han Soo asked and Namjoon smacked his head while letting out a sigh.

"No, I'm not dating a student, dad."

"But even if he were, why is that a problem?" Yeon Hee asked, earning a glare from both men seated at the table.

"What's wrong?" Yeon Hee asked, "sure, it might not be ideal right now, but in a few years, who will even remember the fact that she was your student?"

"Well, I'm not dating her," Namjoon said with a sigh, "but... I'm worried about her."

"How come?" Han Soo asked.

"Actually, she was the one I went to visit... In Daegu. Her brother lives there and so does she at the moment," Namjoon began explaining, "some things happened and... she's talking about not finishing her education."

"Oh my," Yeon Hee said, "it must be something bad for her to make such a decision."

"It is..." Namjoon said and moved his rice from one side of the bowl to the other with his chopsticks, "but even still, how can she even consider stopping her education?"

"I agree, it seems a bit rash," Yeon Hee said, "but if that's what she wants."

"She's not thinking straight! I mean, she's the top student of her department. She's such an intelligent, hard working young woman and she wants to throw it all away?"

"She's the top of her department?" Han Soo asked, "then she has to finish her education. Is she finishing a bachelor?"

"Yes, by the end of summer."

"Well if she really is as intelligent as you say, then she shouldn't stop there," Han Soo said, "she should continue on with a higher education like you did."

"Alright you two," Yeon Hee said with a firm voice, "let's not talk more about this, it is not our place to meddle in other people's business."

"Sorry, mom," Namjoon said.

"It's okay," Yeon Hee said, "let's just eat."

The conversation at the table remained rather vague during the rest of the meal. It mostly revolved around Namjoon, how he was during at the University, if he was comfortable in his apartment and of course his mom asking him to come home more often.

Then, when everyone was done eating, Yeon Hee began cleaning the dishes and Han Soo returned to his library, while Namjoon stayed behind in the kitchen.

"Namjoon-a, just go to the living room and relax," Yeon Hee said.

"No, I want to help," Namjoon said and grabbed a dishtowel, "besides, I get to spend more time with you this way."

"When did you become such a smooth talker?" Yeon Hee said and laughed, and Namjoon did the same.

"I don't know," Namjoon said, "but I'll just let you know, I doesn't work on the ladies, it only works on you."

"So you are thinking about such things," Yeon Hee said and Namjoon looked away, hiding his red cheeks.

"Of course I am," Namjoon said in a low voice.

"So," Yeon Hee said and looked at her son with a raised eyebrow, "is it that girl?" Namjoon turned his head and looked at his mom with a sigh.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Namjoon said, "she doesn't like me... at all."

"Are you sure about that?" Yeon Hee asked, "it sounds to me like she's been going through a lot of things lately."

"She has," Namjoon said, "I think... in general I think she's had a lot of things to battle with in life."

"Then you have to be patient with her," Yeon Hee said, "if you're having a hard time just getting by in life, how would you have time to think about falling in love or dating?" Namjoon looked at his mom while listening to her words.

"Maybe..." Namjoon said and looked down at the pot he was drying, "as far as I know, she never really used to hang out with people before last semester. I don't think she had any friends until recently."

"She probably focused all her energy on her school work," Yeon Hee said, "you said she's the top student, right?"

"Yes," Namjoon said and he suddenly started chuckling as he continued, "I still remember the first time I met her, she was so uptight. She wouldn't even look at me. But now I think she's changed a little bit. She's opened up, if not to me, at least to her friends."

"That's really nice," Yeon Hee said and Namjoon nodded.

"But Namjoon-a," Yeon Hee then continued, "I wouldn't have said this since we shouldn't discuss other people's life, but since you seem to care about this girl, I want to say it anyway."

"What is it, mom?" Namjoon asked, feeling slightly nervous all of a sudden.

"I know you want what's best for this girl, but you have to let her decide for herself-"

"I know-"

"I'm not sure you do," Yeon Hee said, "didn't you go to visit her today to persuade her to finish her education?"

"Yes but-"

"It's good that you worry about her and care about her, but you shouldn't push your beliefs onto other people," Yeon Hee said, "if she doesn't want to finish her education then that's her choice. And even if she's intelligent and a good student, that doesn't mean she's obligated to take a high education. She should do what she wants to, even if what she wants to is to work in a store or... I don't know... become a sanitation worker." Namjoon couldn't help but laugh at the last part of his mom's sentence.

"Mom, how could a girl like her work as just a sanitation worker?" Namjoon asked, "it would be a waste of her skills."

"Aren't you being too narrow minded?" Yeon Hee asked, "And there's no such thing as 'just a sanitation worker'. Every job is important in its own way. We need people to empty our trash, people who work in grocery stores, who clean our shopping centers and I could go on. If everyone took a high education to get a doctor's degree, our society would fall apart."

"Yes, I know that," Namjoon said, "but shouldn't someone intelligent like her get a better job? One where she gets challenged?"

"Don't you think it's more important that she finds a job where she can be happy?" Namjoon looked at his mom and swallowed whereafter he nodded.

"Of course I do..." Namjoon said, "all I want is for her to be happy... I'm just... I'm worried about her."

"I know," Yeon Hee said, "but when a girl you like is facing a difficult decision, all you need to do is hug her and tell her you'll support her no matter what she chooses." Namjoon nodded and reached out to grab the next dish his mom handed to him. He let out a sigh as he whispered to himself:

"I wish I could do that..."

***

Namjoon reached out to turn off his alarm clock, whereafter he sat up in his bed and stretched out his body. After being able to sleep in for a few days, it was tough waking up early again. He yawned and then stretched out his body again, before he finally got up and started walking around his apartment. He opened the fridge and saw all the boxes his mother gave him to take home. Maybe he should eat some of it for breakfast? He could use some extra energy to face the day.

After eating, he hopped into the shower and quickly got ready to leave. He locked the door behind him and was just about to leave when he turned his head and looked at the door to Na Ri's apartment. For a few seconds he was just standing there, like a strange person staring at his neighbors apartment door. 

When he finally came too, he shook his head and let out a sigh. What was he even expecting at this point?

Namjoon then put his keys in his pocket and turned around, heading towards the elevator, but as he took his first step, he heard the sound of a door unlocking and immediately turned around.

His eyes widened when he saw the door open and Na Ri walk outside, using her foot to make sure the cat didn't get out, before probably locking the door behind her. After doing so, she turned around and was about to walk forward, but when she saw Namjoon, she stopped.

For a while, nothing besides the sound of the wind could be heard on the external gallery, and both of them just stayed in their spot, not saying anything, not doing anything.

Until suddenly, Na Ri took a step forward and she walked up to Namjoon, her face against the floor.

"Good morning," Na Ri said and looked up, making Namjoon swallow.

"G... Good morning," Namjoon said, still in too much of a shock to think straight, "when... when did you get back?"

"Last night," Na Ri said and looked away again.

"Well, I'm really happy to see you," Namjoon said without thinking and he immediately felt his cheeks heat up, but as he looked at Na Ri, he noticed her cheeks had the same red color he assumed his had.

"But, I'm pretty sure there's someone on campus who's going to be even happier to see you," Namjoon said to change the subject, "so why don't we get going?"

***

"NA RI-YA!" Min Ji yelled at her lungs full capacity as she jumped directly into Na Ri's open arms, "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too," Na Ri said while trying her best to hug Min Ji back.

"But," Min Ji said as she pulled away from Na Ri, "I thought you weren't coming back?"

"Well..." Na Ri said, but before she could finish her sentence, she heard a familiar voice interrupting her.

"Are my eyes deceiving me or am I dreaming?" Taehyung said and Na Ri turned around and sent him a big smile, "oh yes, I'm most certainly dreaming."

"I missed you too, Taehyung-a." Both Taehyung and Min Ji widened their eyes as they looked at Na Ri.

"Who... are you?" Min Ji asked.

"Yes, what happened in Daegu?" Taehyung asked, but then quickly leaned in and whispered, "or, do I not want to know?" Na Ri chuckled slightly.

"I think... I just needed a break..." Na Ri said, "but... I'm glad I'm back."

"So are we," Min Ji said, "Taehyung-a, where's Jungkook-a."

"I'm right here, what's going o-" Jungkook said, but stopped mid-sentence as he continued, "wait, Na Ri-ssi? You're back?"

"I am," Na Ri said while nodding.

"That's great!" Jungkook said, "but I thought you weren't coming back?"

"Ah..." Na Ri said.

"We can hear the details later, right now it's just nice to see you again," Min Ji said, "besides we should get to our class."

"Yes, you can tell us after school," Taehyung said.

"Actually..." Na Ri said and felt three sets of eyes staring at her as she continued, "I would like to speak to Min Ji alone after school."

"Really?" Min Ji asked.

"How come we're not allowed?" Taehyung asked, "now I'm all curious!"

"It's probably just girltalk," Jungkook said, "you should leave them alone."

"But I can do girltalk! I have all the latest gossip," Taehyung said, "did you know this guy went on a blind date last week?"

"Hey, what are you doing?" Jungkook said angrily and both girl started laughing.

"Although we would love to hear more about Jungkook and his blind date, I think it has to wait," Min Ji said.

"Fine," Taehyung then said and they all started walking towards the auditorium.

"What do you need to talk to me about anyway?" Min Ji whispered to Na Ri as they walked next to each other.

"I just..." Na Ri said in a low voice, "I need your help."

Hello everyone!

I just have one thing to say: What are you doing? There's only one chapter left, hurry up and go to the next chapter!

Oh but of course you shouldn't forget to leave a comment first.

Stay safe!

Love, Annalise~