"Minhee, come here," my dad motioned for me to sit on his lap, my mom sitting beside him. As a kid who was so enthusiastic and energetic, I ran to my parents, the biggest of smiles appearing on my face.
My mom sat perfectly, her back was straight, her hands were interlocked together and were positioned in the middle of her lap, her feet crossed together to the side, her hair was made into a neat bun, and she wore the most beautiful smile. She was the definition of lady-like and grace, and honestly, I didn't want to be like her as I thought it was too suffocating and unlikely for a free-spirited character like me. "We've got something to tell you."
"What is it, mommy?"
My dad was the ideal dad, just like how mom was the ideal mom. He sat with confidence and dignity, legs slightly apart, his hair fixed into place and wore a business outfit just like usual. His smile was pretty, still, but I found it stiff and fake-looking, as if it was forced. It didn't look natural at all. Although he was good at it, like he mastered that smile for a long time already. "Your mom and I are going on a business trip."
"Can I come?"
"No, sweetheart," mom sweetly said. She patted my hair to comfort me when she saw my pouting face. "Don't worry, we'll bring a present when we come back."
"We'll be gone for 3 weeks. You're a big girl now, you can handle, right, sweetheart?"
I nodded.
My dad ruffled my hair after that and kissed my forehead. "We'll miss you."
I hugged my dad, leaning onto him. "I'll miss you too."
"You won't feel alone, I'll have one of our nannies to attend to you okay?" Mom then joined the group hug.
I felt the happiest at that time; that moment was when I felt I was really in a family. I felt loved, cared, and not neglected. I felt important, and most of all I felt happy.
It probably only lasted for seconds, as I know my parents weren't that in favor of showing affection to me and to each other, but that hug meant the whole world to me.
After that I immediately ran outside, going to our next-door neighbor, the neighbor I was the closest with. With them, I actually felt I was a part in their family. I didn't even knock on the door, I just opened the door and directly went to Joochan's room.
His head perked up at the sound of his door abruptly opening, he looked a bit scared but his face softened as he recognized my face.
"Minmin, why are yo---"
Without a second thought I lunged for him, attacking him in a tight embrace. When I felt him return the hug, it didn't take seconds for my tears to fall.
I didn't know what he thought when I suddenly did that, but I was thankful that he didn't question it. I cried on his shoulder, hugging him tighter. Him patting and rubbing my back and hair comforted me, at the same time made me bawl harder.
I calmed down after three minutes and pulled out from the hug. I removed the tears that were still on my face, and heaved a deep breath.
"Are you okay now?" He removed a stray tear on my cheek with his thumb, concerned.
I nodded. "My parents are going away for three weeks."
As a kid, Joochan and I had a deep friendship. We always shared deep secrets, shared funny stories, we even know each other's habits and most ticklish spots (this information shouldn't be said to just anybody as kids as it will be their target, knowing your weakness and all) at that time.
Of course, Joochan knew how my parents were always too busy for me. He knew how much of a forgotten child I was. And that's probably one of the reasons why Joochan and I were so close at that time: he knew how so lonely and suffocated I felt in that house, he knew how I wanted to be with someone so badly, just so that I won't feel lonely anymore.
I was glad that I had someone at that time.
"Three weeks? That's the longest trip they have ever had."
"Yeah," I sniffed. "But the good thing is, they hugged me today."
Joochan brightened up at what I said. "Really, Minmin? That's great."
"I'll treasure that hug forever."
"They'll be away for a while, though." Joochan stands up, looking for something in his room.
"I have you, it's okay." I smiled at him.
"But you won't be okay."
I didn't understand the weight of his words back then, but now that I recall back I now knew what he meant.
"Ahh! Finally, I found it." He came back to his bed, to where I was sitting at and sat close to me.
He held out a polaroid camera, one that was still good-looking as if it was bought just a while ago. He put film inside and grinned at me. "Want to take a picture?"
I looked at him curiously. "For what?"
"Just because I want to."
He held out the camera, flipped it so the lense faced us two. He slung an arm around my shoulder as I sniffed, and that's when he clicked it. The film slowly started to rise out of the camera and I frowned when it developed.
"I look ugly in the picture." I crossed my arms, mad at how my eyes were puffy from crying and how the picture captured the moment that I was pouting while sniffing.
Joochan's eyes sparkled in amusement as he saw the picture. "I think it's cute."
I forcefully grabbed the camera from his grasp and held it out in front of us. "Let's take another one."
I suddenly grabbed his shoulders, scooting closer since I wanted to put my cheeks closer to his and took the picture. I waited for it to develop to check if it was better than the first picture, and it definitely was.
Now I was the one who laughed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
While I was displaying a huge grin (although my eyes were still red), Joochan's eyes were bulging as his head turned to my direction, which was a comical sight.
"I was shocked when you grabbed my shoulders," his cheeks reddened and I laugh.
"I'm keeping this one." I chuckled to myself and tucked it inside one of my pockets.
"Then I guess I'm keeping the other one." He put the polaroid on his bedside table. "Promise you'll never let this picture go?"
"Never. You too, okay, Chanchan?"
"Promise."