Walking back into her living room, Dong Kyung found her Aunt Soo Ja with an open suit case, rifling through some clothes. Kneeling by the older woman, patiently waited to see what she had to say.
Aunt Soo Ja took out a soft pastel scarf, wrapped it around her niece's neck, then a pretty soft red sweater held up against her body, she brushed back the younger woman's auburn locks, softly spoke,
"I can see through you. So I am not angry with you. It will be burdensome. It will be nuisance. It's obvious with those thoughts that you did not contact me."
She sits back, admires the color combination,
"The color is perfect. I bought it during a sale last year. It's pretty. It was a good buy. You've been like this since ten years of age, always studying my mood. Acting like a polite stranger, never wanting to be a burden, doing as you want. You stress yourself you. So how can you not be sick?"
Aunt Soo Ja affectionately brushes back Dong Kyung's long hair, places a knitted cap on her head, which is too large, flops down, covering her entire face. Dong Kyung sits, whimpers,
"Aunt…"
Her Aunt continues messing with the knitted cap, says,
"Until when are you going to continue acting polite? Are you a guest who walked into my life? But why is this cap so big…did your noggin get smaller? Ahh I guess that I will give it to Seon Kyung."
She takes off the cap, revealing a teary eyed Dong Kyung's saddened face. She continues digging through the suitcase, pulls out dresses, sweaters, says,
"There are a few summer dresses I bought. Do you want to try them on now? I bought one or two every time I thought of you in Canada and they piled up like this. You have to wear them all according to the season. We have to get our money's worth out of them. I boarded the plane with that resolve. So, brace yourself, okay?"
Dong Kyung stares at her Auntie, feels the woman's heart felt love. This woman who took her and Seon Kyung in to raise when their parents died in a car accident. Grabbing the knitted cap, she says
"Don't give this to Seon Kyung. It's mine."
Aunt Soo Ja affectionately smiles, says,
"You're just like your Mom with you're love for clothes. Do you know how many dresses my sister stole from me?"
Dong Kyung looks down, sadly responds,
"That's why I wasn't going to steal your life…"
Aunt Soo Ja gazes fondly at her niece, lovingly says,
"You never stole it. I just gave it to you. Because I wanted to give it to you."
She wraps Dong Kyung into a gentle hug, kisses the girl's hair, knowing this is all the comfort she can offer because her niece never allows anyone to see her cry….