In Between

Chapter 20

Red Pov

On the road, we both fell silent, with me concentrating on driving and her looking out the window. Neither of us seemed inclined to start a conversation. I knew she wasn't expecting me to join her, and I was aware that she was wondering about my sudden actions. Even I didn't exactly know how I was feeling or what thoughts were running through my mind to insist come with her.

I just knew, I was just hurting from my past, and I was taking this opportunity to escape from it, avoiding the words of my father that were connected to it. I know my reasons for wanting to go with her were irrational, and I didn't have a valid explanation for why I wanted to accompany her. It felt like I just didn't want her to know anything about it, and I was trying to avoid those painful memories.

"How long until we arrive?" I asked.

"It'll take a few hours, but we're halfway there now." she replied, glancing at me briefly before turning back. I noticed she was no longer stuttering while talking to me, perhaps she was more relaxed now.

"After this, do you want to go somewhere else?" I asked, though I wasn't sure why I was pressing her for answers. "No, you should go home early because of the anniversary." she said. I simply nodded and refocused on driving.

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Vivian Pov

After an hour of driving, we finally reached the village, and I pulled up near the place I had left years ago. He parked his car in a vacant area, and we both stepped out, walking together toward the house.

Now that we were standing in front of the house, I suddenly felt something inside me about to burst. I didn't know if it was excitement at seeing them after a year or the weight of seeing my parents with our past behind us. The thoughts were drowning me, bringing back memories of the past. I stood there, staring at the door, lost in thought. As he noticed and spoke up.

"Are you not going to ring the doorbell?" he asked, looking at me as I stood blankly beside him. His words brought me back, and I gave him a thin smile before responding. As I fixed myself, my right hand unintentionally clenched into a fist. A shiver ran through me as I extended my hand, slowly placing my index finger over the doorbell button. I took one last look before finally pressing it, and the sound of the bell ringing filled the air.

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Red Pov

As Vivian pressed the doorbell, it rang out. I noticed her blank expression as she stared at the door, which left me somewhat confused about her behavior. Was she not happy to be visiting her parents after all this time? Or was she just nervous and overwhelmed with excitement, causing her to act this way? Many thoughts swirled in my head as I tried to read her emotions. Before I could figure it out, we noticed the door swing open, revealing a woman in her 50's standing behind it.

"Vivian?" the woman exclaimed, her face lighting up with a grateful expression as she saw her daughter. The warmth of surprise and joy was palpable as she extended her arms for a tight hug.

"Ma.. " Vivian said softly. "How are you? I'm surprised by your sudden visit. You look good, Vivian." her mother said with a smile, looking at her daughter fondly. Vivian smiled back. As her mother's gaze shifted to me, I straightened my posture, meeting her eyes and offering a polite smile.

"Good day, Madame." I said with a slight bow. Vivian's gaze shifted between us as her mother smiled at me and approached me, reaching out to touch my face. Vivian gasped in shock, and I was equally caught off guard by the sudden action.

"Ma, what are you doing?" Vivian said, quickly stepping in to gently pull her mother away from me. I couldn't help but chuckle at Vivian's embarrassed expression.

"No, Vivian, it's fine." I said.

"Vivian, who's this cute guy? Is he your boyfriend?" her mother asked smiled at me fondly.

"Ma?" she exclaimed, clearly not expecting her mother's words.

As her mother's words sank in, Vivian's eyes widened, and she turned to look at me, her face flushing with embarrassment. I felt a sudden heat rise to my cheeks, causing them to turn bright red as our gazes met.

"M-ma, he's Red... he's my classmate." she said quickly, diverting her gaze and tilting her head to look at her mother, hoping to change the subject.

"Oh, is that true, ihjo? Sorry, it's just her first time bringing a guy here, so I thought you two were together." she said, her gaze turning to me.

I nodded slightly, feeling a bit confused and unexpectedly nervous under her scrutiny. "It's fine, Ma'am. I-I don't mind." I replied. Her mother gave me a thin smile and shook her head slightly. Meanwhile, Vivian let out a sigh, looking somewhat relieved as her mother approached her, took her hand, and led the way inside.

"Anyway, come in, come inside." she welcomed warmly as we headed in, with me following behind them. As I stepped inside, I took in the overall space, observing the simplicity and niceness of the home. The blended theme of cream and white, along with mint green furniture, created a soothing atmosphere. The eye-catching shelf filled with books in the living room caught my attention, and I couldn't help but smile. I really liked the design and ambiance of the house. It had a traditional structure, yet it felt modern and cool, perfectly blending classic and contemporary elements.

Her mother told us to take a seat, and we sat down on the sofa. She sat opposite us, while Vivian and I sat next to each other with a safe distance between us. As we turned to face her mother, the smile she wore hadn't faded yet. She was still beaming with happiness at seeing her daughter. It was clear that she was grateful and filled with familial love that made me smile, felt happy too. Watching them, I couldn't help but think of my own mother, and it was evident that Vivian was close to hers as well.

"Ma... stop staring at me like that, it's kind of awkward." Vivian said hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper as she averted her gaze. "I'm sorry, Vivian, I just can't help it. I didn't expect you'd visit, and now that you're grown up... I miss you so much, my daughter." her mother replied, her words filling the room with warmth. Her heartfelt words made me smile, and I noticed Vivian's face soften, her expression brightening slightly. There was something endearing about seeing a mother's unconditional love, and I couldn't help but be touched by the scene unfolding before me.

"I miss you too, Ma." Vivian finally said, her words accompanied by a genuine smile that caught me off guard. As I looked at her, I felt a sudden shift in my emotions, drawn in by the warmth and light in her smile. It was different from the other smiles I'd seen from her, this one seemed to radiate from within, making it uniquely captivating.

"Vivian?"

Suddenly, a voice reached our ears, and we turned to see who it was, standing up as we did so. A man came into view, walking towards the living room, and I assumed it was probably Vivian's father. As he approached, I noticed a change in Vivian's expression. Her sweet smile, which had been present just moments before, slowly faded from her lips, replaced by a more serious look as she stared at her father, who was now walking closer to her.

When her father finally reached her, he wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug, conveying the longing he'd felt for his daughter, however I noticed that Vivian seemed to keep herself slightly distant from him, her body language suggesting a subtle reserve.

It made me wonder why she seems holding back?. "When did you arrive here, Vivian? I'm glad to see you. You're growing up well." her father said, his voice filled with affection.

"Nice seeing you too, Dad..." she said, offering him a thin smile before retreating back to her seat. I observed her father's reaction to her action, and it seemed like she was keeping her distance from him. Her mother, too, looked concerned, her expression betraying a hint of worry. Vivian's behavior had piqued my curiosity. Why was she acting this way?

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To be continued.....