* you again
jiho runs into @dxmiae after a long time apart.
sometimes his mom living alone worries him. sure, she has jiho on speed dial and knows to call him if she ever has a problem, but...it's different than him actually being there in case of emergencies. sometimes she doesn't know there's a problem until the damage has already been done.
then he reminds himself how stressful it was when he lived with her, and that he is 23 years old and allowed to have his own life. besides, he lives in urbane apartments, and his mom lives in brickstay villas – it's obvious who has the higher quality living situation here. it felt like the least he could do for her.
he thinks this is more respectful to his mom, too. it would be a little demeaning to live with your son watching over you constantly, like you're some fragile thing incapable of taking care of yourself. sure, it feels like that sometimes...but she's allowed to have her own life, too.
the happy medium is him visiting her in person once a week. he tries to call her every day that he can, too, just to check in. on the days he visits, he picks up food so he can be sure she has something to eat that she'll enjoy. he tries to help her meal prep for the rest of the week, too, but he's not the best cook and his mom is easily overwhelmed, so it's mostly simple things.
he usually ends up more tired than refreshed after seeing her, which makes him kind of sad. he's tired most of the time, though, and it won't stop him from taking care of her in the ways he can.
he's on his way out, halfway down the hallway, plastic bag with leftover food his mom insisted he take with him in one hand, when he sees her: hayun. he stops in his tracks without really intending to.
it's not like it's a bad thing to see her. it's not like she and jiho had a bad relationship. it was closer to good, if anything – a bond forged over hating their mutual father figure during one of his mother's short-lived marriages. they didn't keep in touch once their parents divorced. it just feels weird. somehow, he never really expected to see her again.
for a moment, jiho wonders if he's just hallucinating and it's just some girl who looks like hayun, but no. he's pretty sure that's her. he just stands there kind of awkwardly, then eventually says, "hi."