5.1

“Come on in.”

As Joo-eun and Chaeyoon entered the tearoom, Joo-eun’s mother, Mrs. Ko, dressed elegantly in traditional Korean hanbok, greeted Chaeyoon with a graceful smile.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, how have you been?”

Chaeyoon smiled brightly and greeted her. But inwardly, her conscience pricked at her for turning a blind eye to Joo-eun’s deviation.

“I mean, what’s new with me? It’s the same day-to-day. I know I asked you to come despite being busy. Joo-eun always grumbles that you’re too busy to even spend time with her.”

“What is she talking about? I’ve already had several farewell parties with her.”

Chaeyoon looked at Joo-eun with an exasperated expression.

“It just shows how much I’ll miss you.”

“Enough already. You’ll end up following me to New York anyway.”

At Chaeyoon’s words, Joo-eun laughed heartily, indicating that she would indeed follow.

“I’m worried too. She lacks sense.”

Mrs. Ko clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

“What’s wrong with going to see a friend?”

With a graceful motion, Mrs. Ko brewed tea in a white china tea set with a blue pine tree and poured it into a set of white teacups. The transparent golden color was beautiful.

Chaeyoon savored the fragrance of the tea before taking a sip.

“The aroma is wonderful. The color is so beautiful too.”

“Isn’t it? This is a tea called White Sandalwood. It’s named because the tea leaves look like white peonies that have just bloomed.”

“That’s a beautiful name, but I only know green and black tea.”

“That’s just the broader category. Each type of tea leaf has its own name.”

“Tea has such a profound world of its own. Your tea-making skills are truly exceptional, Mrs. Ko. Thanks to you, I’ve learned that tea can be delicious.”

“Is that so?”

Mrs. Ko looked pleased at Chaeyoon’s words.

“Look at that, look at that, Han Chaeyoon, the player, her skills in flattering my mom are showing up. What profound world? All tea tastes similar anyway.”

Joo-eun muttered discontentedly.

It was strange that Joo-eun, who was usually so cheerful, was so rebellious in front of her mother. Seeing this, Chaeyoon’s heart grew impatient, and she quickly spoke up as if to deflect Joo-eun’s attitude.

“It’s true. Brewing tea also requires skill.”

“What skill is there? You just need to get the temperature and time right.”

Mrs. Ko waved her hands in the air and shook her head in modesty, but a smile spread across her face.

“It’s not as easy as it sounds. My mom is talented in many ways, but she finds brewing tea challenging. She said that tea leaves choose their people.”

“That’s because I love tea. If I hadn’t married him, I might have gone to China to learn more about tea.”

Mrs. Ko said, staring into her cup filled with golden tea.

“Mom? I can’t believe you had dreams too.”

“Of course, I was young once like you, and I had dreams too.”

Mrs. Ko looked nostalgic, then glanced at Chaeyoon with pride.

“Seeing you embark on your studies abroad makes me envious of your youth. How nice it would be if Joo-eun could live doing what she wants, like you.”

“It’s you who said I couldn’t go when I mentioned studying abroad.”

Joo-eun grumbled under his breath.

“Unlike Chaeyoon, you don’t have a clear purpose. It’s obvious that you’re going for fun, so why would I let you go? There’s so much gossip about a woman studying abroad without a good reason. And with your engagement coming up, we can’t afford to be the subject of rumors.”

“See? Mom’s words and actions are different. To others, she says it would be nice if I lived ambitiously like you, Chaeyoon, doing what I want. But to me, she says not to do anything.”

Joo-eun spoke rebelliously. The mother-daughter conversation became increasingly heated, causing Chaeyoon to feel increasingly uncomfortable.

“Do you even have something you want to do? You show no interest in anything, and when you seem intrigued, you quickly lose enthusiasm. You don’t have the determination or courage to carve your own path like Chaeyoon does.”

“And who raised me to be like that? It’s you and dad.”

Hurt, Joo-eun abruptly stood up from her seat and stormed out of the tearoom.

“Joo-eun!” 

Chaeyoon stood up swiftly from her seat.

“Let her be. Isn’t this how she always is? Sit down and finish your tea.”

Mrs. Ko drank her tea like it was no big deal. Sitting back down on the couch, Chaeyoon took a sip of her tea.

Chaeyoon knew that Joo-eun’s rebellious attitude was problematic, but her words were not entirely wrong. Joo-eun could do anything she set her mind to, and ironically, as her friend, Chaeyoon understood this best.

It seemed that children of wealthy families easily accepted their privileges and the price to pay as a given, but Chaeyoon often felt this was contradictory from an outsider’s perspective.

“If Joo-eun decides to pursue something on her own, would you support her, Mrs. Ko?”

“Of course.”

“Even if it goes against your wishes? Could you support her without trying to bend her will?”

“Does Joo-eun have something she wants to pursue?”

Mrs. Ko looked intently at Chaeyoon, trying to discern her intent.

“Not currently, but she might find something in the future. She might discover something she wants to do while visiting me in New York. After all, New York is a land of opportunities.”

“Why does she need to go all the way to New York for opportunities? Joo-eun is already surrounded by them.”

“Are those really opportunities? An opportunity means having the chance to do what one really wants to do.”

“Opportunities are all the same. They’re paths that lead to a better life than the one you have now.”

“What is a ‘better life’? Sometimes I feel sorry for Joo-eun. You say she’s not persistent, but there’s a lot of things you never let her do in the first place.”

“Because it’s dangerous.”

“Studying abroad isn’t dangerous.”

“It could be dangerous for Joo-eun. She’s different from you.”

At the mention of being different, Chaeyoon looked down. 

This was precisely why she addressed Mrs. Ko formally and not as ‘Joo-eun’s Mom’. Whether intentionally or subconsciously, even while acknowledging them as friends’ relatives, she categorized them differently at critical moments.

Mrs. Ko continued in a softer voice. 

“Right now, you embarking on your studies abroad must seem freeing, and perhaps Joo-eun is envious. But the more you have, the more you stand to lose. Joo-eun is young and immature. She doesn’t understand how much she has. As a parent, it’s my duty to help her not to lose and regret. What parent would want their child to go astray?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Chaeyoon lifted her teacup, sipped her tea, and closed her mouth.

I should have known better than to say anything. It wouldn’t make a difference anyway.

“Do you really have to go abroad for your studies?”

Mrs. Ko broke the silence.

Chaeyoon looked at Mrs. Ko silently, her expression unreadable.

“It’s a shame to send you away like this, not that I have any other intentions, but with you by her side, you’ve been able to control her stubbornness and lack of sense. Oh, if only Joo-eun could handle herself half as well as you do.”

Mrs. Ko sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

“No matter how impeccable you think my behavior is, it’s Joo-eun that you love.”

Chaeyoon’s words left Mrs. Ko momentarily at a loss for words.

“Yes, you’re right. Even though she’s imperfect, Joo-eun is still my daughter. That’s why, out of parental desire, I want to keep you by her side. Can you reconsider the proposal I made before?”