Haeun is currently walking hand in hand with Minseok as Haeji walks in front of them, leading them to the living room.
Each step she made, her heartbeat got faster and by the time they reach the entrance of the living room, her heart was beating as if she had just finished running.
She was beginning to get sweaty palm and her throat started to dry. Even though she told herself to be strong, she doubts she could completely go through with it without involving her actual feelings.
Like how could she when she's going to meet her grandparents & parents for the first time after being missing for years? Honestly she doesn't even know how to feel about it.
Even though she's going to meet her real parents, it feels as if she's going to meet her adopted family. All her life, as she could remember, was her being Lee Haeun, the only daughter of Kang Mina and Jee Hyun Seok.
With all this information being new to her, it's hard for her to take it all in and accept the fact, especially since her 'parents' brought her up with utmost love and care.
They have never given her anything less then any normal parent would but instead go out of their way and gave her everything she wanted, even when they couldn't afford to buy anything for themselves.
Thinking about all the sacrifices and hardships they have face to raise her, even when she wasn't their real daughter, made her misses them greatly.
She starts to wonder how they were and wishes to see them again, not knowing of the miserable fate that had become of them while she was gone.
As she was thinking of a perfect date to see them again, Haeji's voice broke her trains of thoughts as she asks one of the servants to open the door for them.
Slowly, the door began to open and the faces of her supposed family members started to be unveiled. Little by little, their faces were seen and the moment the door was fully open, Haeun could see the drastic change in their facial expression.
All of them were crying out of happiness and relief but Haeun could tell that some of their reaction was faked and forced. From that, she could already identify who Haeji's family members were.
She honestly almost scoff when she saw how they were acting. It was so bad, she wonders why the others couldn't see through their acting. If she could give them an award for the worst acting, she would gladly hand it to them.
While she was internally fighting with her inner demon to not laugh at the scene in front of her, an elderly lady had started walking towards her while wiping her tears with a handkerchief. With one look, she can tell that it was her grandmother.
Seeing that she was struggling to walk towards her, Haeun decided it was best to walk towards her grandmother instead. She couldn't bear to watch her slowly walking with her back a little hunch to the front. It was as if she could fall anytime she was taking a step forward.
As she stood in front of Grandma Lee, she could see clearly how her eyes were gleaming with happiness as another set of tears started falling out of her eyes, wetting her rosy cheeks. She then gently took hold of her hands as she tenderly grasps it in her hold.
"My dear granddaughter. You're finally home... How I had wished for this day to come sooner. You have no idea how worried me and your parents were. But most of all, I'm thankful that you're back to us safe and sound. I'm sorry it took us so long to find you, dear grandchild. Please forgive us for being such irresponsible grandparents and made you live in who knows where for all these years."
Haeun remains silent the entire time as she tries to hold back her tears. Seeing her grandmother crying and apologizing for something that wasn't her fault, made her heart broke into pieces. Why do her grandparents and parents have to apologize to her when the culprit doesn't even feel a single remorse in themselves for doing such a thing to her?
She swore she was going to make them pay for making her grandparents and parents felt sorry for her when they shouldn't even apologize since they did no wrong. Even if it takes all eternity, she's willing to go through such length for the sake of her family that has suffered all these years blaming themselves.
"It's okay. You don't have to blame yourself. It's my fault too since I lost all memory of you guys. If it weren't for that, I would have come back to you guys long ago. So please don't cry. It pained me seeing you cry like this. I promise, this time I won't go missing from you guys again. Would that be okay, grandma?"
Instantly, she could see her grandmother's eyes lit up with joy. She was sure it was because she had called her grandma because as soon as she said that, her grandmother was smiling widely. Maybe it's because she had been waiting for that very moment to hear her calling her 'grandma' again.
Haeun spent a couple more minutes talking with her grandmother before helping her walk to the nearest sofa in the living room. She then walks towards her parents and greets them as they engulf her in a tight hug instead.
Her mother was crying profusely as she keeps caressing her head, still not believing that she was right in front of her. As for her father, he wasn't crying per se but he was looking at her with eyes that seem to have longed to see her baby daughter grow up to be such a fine lady but couldn't.
Seeing all this in front of her, Haeun could no longer hold back her tears as it slowly drips down from the corner of her eyes. She wonders how much suffering and pain they must have gone through thinking she might already be dead but couldn't even find her body.
It pains her to the core seeing how they have missed the chance to see her grow up and experience being an actual parent for her. She as a mother knew that the greatest gift a parent can get is to see their child growing up right in front of them.
But knowing that they couldn't experience that and even had to think that their only child was dead, must have given them such excruciating pain for them to go through their daily lives.
If she remembers correctly, Minseok had told her before that the reason why her parents loved her dearly and that her mother almost went insane after she went missing was because her mother couldn't give birth anymore.
Her mother's womb had contracted some virus while she was pregnant and she had to have it taken out. Thankfully, the virus didn't affect Haeun and her mother manages to safely give birth to her before her womb was taken out.
Because of that, she couldn't get pregnant with another baby again. But it was also because of that same reason that her parents had loved her dearly and wanted to shower her with everything that they could as a parent but their wish didn't last for long.
When she had gone missing, they searched high and low for her but she couldn't be found. Even went she was pronounced dead, they didn't want to believe in it until they saw her dead body with their own two eyes.
In those years, there were countless times that Mrs. Lee had tried to kill herself. She even became mentally ill for a few months, after hearing her precious daughter was dead. Even when Mr. Lee had suggested adopting a new child to relieve her grief, she didn't want to.
All she wanted was to see Haeun again and finally, she did. So the grief, the sorrow, the pain that she felt all these years seem to have made a great deal for her that she didn't seem to want to let Haeun out of her grip.
Haeun knowing of all the pain that she had gone through, just stood there quietly as she let her mother caress her face and hug her countless times. Honestly, she wanted to cry buckets but she knows it would just make the situation worst so she tries to hold herself in.
Few minutes had gone past and Mrs. Lee had finally calmed down, wiping her tears away as she continues to hold onto Haeun's hand. They then made their way to the seating area, where Grandma and Grandpa Lee were waiting for them.
As all had settled down, all eyes were on Haeun as they know she must have lots of stuff to tell them about, such as the unknown guy who was currently seating beside her and holding her hand.
"Mom, Dad, Everyone. I want to introduce you to my husband, Kang Minseok. We have been married for two years now. I know it might be too late and comes as a shock to you guys but I hope you can bless our marriage. Also, I don't know if you guys have been told but I have lost most of my memories so I can't remember much about the past. I hope you can understand that too."
The room had turned quiet with neither of them knows how to react to what they had just heard. Aside from Haeji and her mother who were pretending like they just heard this news and nothing of it, everyone else was thinking how to respond to Haeun without hurting her feelings.
"I see. It's good that you have someone to takes care of you but don't you think you're too young to get married? But of course, since you're happy with your marriage and wishes for our blessings, there's nothing we can do then. As your memory loss, we had been informed by Haeji already. So you don't have to worry and take your time to recover, alright?"
Grandma Lee took everyone by surprise when she unexpectedly accepts the fact that Haeun was already married to some random guy that they knew nothing about. But since she accepts her marriage, the others have no choice but to agree to it as well, especially her parents.
They didn't like the fact that their precious daughter had married someone with a background that they know nothing off. Though they agree that Minseok does look presentable and seem like a nice guy, they can't be sure that he is indeed a good husband for Haeun.
They have already made up their mind to accept Haeun's marriage with Minseok for now, till they do a full background check on him. Until they got proof of documentation that Minseok comes from a decent family background and is clear of any criminal record, they swore to keep an eye on him at all times.