My Family's Secret Website

The world stood still for a moment.

(.....)

Sohen stood motionless, trying to process the words he had just heard.

(She... my mom?)

- (Minju). "..."

- (Me). "..."

At that moment, they both just stood there... not knowing what to say next.

The beautiful woman could only lower her head, afraid to look her son in the eyes, while Sohen himself... felt only a deep, cold shock, as if someone had suddenly pulled the ground out from under his feet, staring at her with wide-open eyes.

All his life, he had been told that his mother had died in childbirth.

His father repeated it over and over... coldly, indifferently, as if it were just an inconvenient detail of his biography.

- (Sohen’s father). "Your mother died when you were born... She was a deceitful and terrible woman who cursed her life after your birth. You’re a mistake, a product of our foolish youth, so this must be karma. Never ask about me again, because... you’ll end up in an orphanage in no time."

His father always spoke negatively of her, especially when he was drunk, and... reminded Sohen that he was just an unfortunate accident from one wrong day.

He wanted to learn more about his mother, but eventually... he stopped trying, keeping any memories of her buried deep within himself, in the farthest corner of his heart.

Over time, he grew up, completely forgetting his biological mother, and now this woman was standing in front of him, telling him that she... was alive.

He didn’t move and just stared at her...

At her face, which seemed familiar and yet completely foreign.

Her eyes... beautiful, like the color of the ocean, deep, with a slight tremor in her gaze.

Her hands, which she clasped in front of her, as if afraid he would close the door.

(....)

- (Me). "Phew..."

Sohen couldn’t find a single word to say; he took a deep breath and exhaled, then just stood there, trying to figure out what to do next.

They stood like that for a few minutes, until the young man...

- (Me). "Come in..."

In the end, he decided they needed to talk and let the woman into his house.

Sohen stepped aside and let her pass.

Minju entered slowly, as if afraid the floor beneath her would collapse. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

(For her... this will also be a difficult conversation.)

Sohen closed the door and invited her into the kitchen.

When they entered, Runo, Karin, Phoebe, Nanako, and Maria were still there, chatting cheerfully about something, but when they saw Sohen with the unknown woman, they stopped.

Everyone was surprised that Sohen hadn’t returned alone.

They wanted to know what was going on, so Runo decided to speak up first and find out more:

- (Runo). "Sohen, dear... who is this woman?"

- (Me). "..."

Sohen already knew that as soon as he introduced Minju, it wouldn’t end with just a little surprise, but... Sohen couldn’t think of any other options, and he personally wanted to find out the truth.

- (Me). "This is Miss Minju, and she’s... my biological mother..."

- (Runo, Karin, Phoebe, Nanako, and Maria). "?????"

- (Me). "..."

(Now, from the outside, you can see what my reaction was after I... personally heard those words.)

Minju raised her head slightly to look at the others — then lowered it again and said nothing, while everyone present seemed just as shocked as Sohen.

- (Me). "I want to talk to her alone, so... could you leave us for a while?"

After Sohen’s words, the five surprised women seemed to come to their senses and decided to do as the young man had asked.

Nanako and Maria went home, while Phoebe, Runo, and Karin went to their rooms.

Now Sohen and Minju were alone.

- (Sohen). "..."

- (Minju). "..."

...

They sat down at the kitchen table.

Sohen poured her some water, but nothing for himself.

He just sat across from her and looked at her.

Minju held the glass with both hands, as if afraid it would fall.

Her fingers kept trembling.

- (Minju). "I know this sounds crazy..."

She was the first to speak... quietly, each word coming with difficulty.

- (Minju). "I was told that you think I died during childbirth. That... that’s the truth they told you, but it’s not the whole truth."

- (Me). "???"

She paused, took a sip, and continued, her voice growing even quieter:

- (Minju). "After giving birth, I suffered a severe head injury. A brain hemorrhage. The doctors said I was on the brink of death. I survived, but... I lost my memory. Complete amnesia. I didn’t remember my name, my life, or that I had... a son.

- (Me). "..."

- (Minju). "I woke up in the hospital and didn’t know who I was. They treated me, but my memories didn’t come back. The doctors told me I had no relatives and that I was alone. I believed them and started a new life. I worked very hard and moved around a lot. Before long, I managed to master several professions and improve my financial situation, but deep down I felt... something was missing."

- (Me). "..."

- (Minju). "About six months ago, after a difficult surgery and rehabilitation, memories began to return, and literally about ten days ago I had a dream in which a strange woman told me a lot about my past and that I was a mother who already had a grown son. She showed me what you look like and where you can be found. It was hard for me to believe, and I wanted to find out the truth. Thanks to a good friend, in a short amount of time I checked all the archives and found out the truth, although some details are still hard to understand, and a small part remains a complete secret connected to my ex-husband — who is also your father..."

- (Me). "..."

- (Minju). "I... I started looking for you. I found the relevant documents, and then... I found you."

- (Me). "..."

Minju looked up.

There were tears in her eyes.

She looked at him with a pain she couldn’t hide.

- (Minju). "I don’t know if I can ask for forgiveness... I don’t know if I have the right to, but this foolish woman wanted to see you... (~sound of crying)... She wanted to say that I never meant to leave you... (~sound of crying)... You might think it’s all a lie, but it’s really true. I swear on my life that it’s the truth... (~sound of crying)..."

- (Me). "..."

- (Minju). "I... I... I was broken, wounded, without memory, but now... this foolish woman is here to prove her sincerity and become, for you... at least a friend. I’m even afraid to imagine the suffering you went through in your early years. I found out that your father was a terrible man who didn’t value you, and my heart breaks that at that moment... this old woman wasn’t there... Forgive me... Forgive me, please... If only I had known... If only my memories had returned sooner... I feel so guilty toward you, my dear... (~sound of crying)..."

- (Me). "..."

Sohen continued to be amazed by every new word "Mom" spoke to him, while Minju couldn’t stop crying and kept saying, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry..."

They remained in this atmosphere for the next fifteen minutes, until the young man finally found the courage to speak...

- (Me). "I don’t know what to say..."

- (Minju). "..."

- (Me). "All my life, I was told that you died during childbirth. My father... he never talked about you. He just said you were dead, and I believed him, and then I accepted the reality. Life with my father was hard to call... normal, and after his death, there was a period that was so terrible that sometimes I thought about ending my life, but..."

- (Minju). "..."

Minju lowered her eyes; her tears rolled quietly down her cheeks.

- (Me). "My family’s arrival changed everything completely. They gave me happiness, family comfort, peace, and love that hasn’t changed one bit. Right now, I’m living the best life I’ve ever had, and... I don’t know how to process what you just said."

- (Minju). "..."

- (Me). "It’s unlikely that you’re lying to me. Your emotions reveal the truth, and I’ve learned to ’read’ the people I interact with well, but..."

- (Minju). "..."

- (Me). "..."

Silence fell over the kitchen again.

Sohen stood up from his chair, took another glass, poured himself some water, then drank it and...

- (Me). "It’s hard for me to accept what you’re saying..."

- (Minju). "..."

For a moment, Sohen stopped speaking again and simply watched the crying woman who called herself his mother.

He looked at her for a long time.

Too long.

There was no pretense in her eyes.

Not a hint of pretense or manipulation.

Only fear, guilt, and something else... something warm, almost painful in its sincerity.

That was the worst part.

(It would have been easier if she had just lied...)

- (Me). "I... don’t know what to say next. It’s all... too much and so shocking..."

Minju shuddered, realizing that her son was in turmoil from what he had heard.

- (Minju). "I’m not asking you to accept me right away, my dear... I’m not even asking you... to call me... Mom."

- (Me). "..."

(That last sentence didn’t sound sincere to me, and... I don’t know if I should be sad about it or, on the contrary, happy that she wants... to be my mom.)

- (Minju). "I... I just want a chance. To be there for you. To get to know you, if you’ll let me."

Sohen ran his hand through his hair, sighing.

His head was spinning.

Everything he knew about himself, about his biological family, about his past, suddenly felt... incomplete.

As if someone had opened the door to a room he hadn’t even known existed.

- (Me). "Why now... Why is all this happening right now?"

- (Minju). "I... I don’t know myself... It feels like someone’s cruel whim to mock our lives... Forgive me, my dear... Forgive me..."

These words hung between them for a moment, while Sohen...

- (Me). "I... believe you."

- (Minju). "..."

The woman froze.

It was as if she had even stopped breathing.

- (Me). "However..."

- (Minju). "..."

- (Me). "That doesn’t make things any easier..."

She nodded... and tears streamed down her cheeks with renewed intensity.

- (Minju). "I... know..."

- (Me). "I can’t just... go ahead and say, ’Okay, now you’re my mom.’ It doesn’t work that way."

- (Minju). "I... don’t expect that..."

He turned and looked at her again.

For the first time in all this time, his gaze softened.

- (Me). "I need some time to... process all of this."

She nodded immediately, without even trying to say anything else.

- (Minju). "I understand. Whatever makes you comfortable..."

- (Me). "I don’t know what will happen next. I don’t know if I’ll be able to fully accept this, but... for some reason, I don’t want to just push you away."

Her lips trembled.

- (Minju). "That’s... more than I could have hoped for."

Sohen sighed, a little wearily.

- (Me). "Don’t make a big deal out of this. It’s just... a pause."

She smiled faintly through her tears.

- (Minju). "I’ll take even a pause..."

Silence fell over the room again, but this time it was different from all the others.

Not as sharp or unbearable, but simply... uncertain.

- (Me). "Can you... stay a little longer?"

The woman again froze.

- (Minju). "I would love to, but... I can’t. It took me a very long time to get here, since this stupid woman lives so far away from this place. I need to go back and get some paperwork done so I can come back here and... stay here forever."

- (Me). "???"

- (Minju). "I have to quit my job, sell my house, and move to this city. All of that will take some time, but... it’s nothing compared to being with you. I have to make up for all the awful times you spent with that lousy person me once called ’husband’ and... try to earn at least a few percent of your respect."

- (Me). "..."

- (Minju). "I... will do anything to make you... accept me, at least as a friend, and if it turns into something more, then... that would be the greatest reward of my entire life!"

- (Me). "Hah... everything in its own time."

For the first time... after all those tense moments of conversation... Minju and Sohen smiled, satisfied that it had all ended this way.

They still had a lot to discuss, but... not today.

Minju washed off her makeup, which had smudged from all the tears she’d shed over the past while, quickly applied a fresh layer, and then left Sohen’s house.

- (Minju). "See you soon, my dear."

- (Me). "Yeah..."

Sohen’s biological mother turned around very slowly and left.

He realized she didn’t want to leave and wanted to keep looking at her child’s face, but she was forced to go so she could... return with a bang in the near future.

Sohen closed the door behind him and... plopped his butt down on the floor.

That conversation had drained him of a lot of physical and mental energy.

He lifted his head and started staring at the ceiling.

- (Me). "The morning is really... ’wonderful,’ damn it!"