Chapter Text
Garu is at his mission in the mountains today, I don’t know why he still does these missions. he doesn’t get any money at all.
He never did.
Back then he just did it for Honor but as we're married, he has all the Honor in the world. so what else? well, I know his late father was a ninja, and that’s probably the reason now or he loves to fight so it could be. my thoughts got interrupted as I see Garu’s unwashed clothes beside me, and that’s all I can see. I put my hand on his uniform, wrinkles between my fingers as I move my hands.
I get up and go across the room to get a bamboo basket and put his dirty clothes in one by one slowly. I would usually do it fast but I go slow on these days, I remember that day clear as day. this is the day I met Garu.
Of course, Garu can’t remember the day we met cause we were so young but I still can, I remember everything, I remember his clothes, what I did, and my thoughts
I grab the basket and I walk to the door leading outside, I see my dear children jumping like frogs laughing hysterically, bringing me a smile. Gwon seems to see me and then my daughter Pamu. Pamu smiles brightly and stands up and runs up to hug me, "mama!" she hugs my lag and I place my hand on the top of her head, she looks up and smiles at me and Gwon walks up to me, I look at him.
"Ma, do we have to go inside already?"
I shake my head and point to the laundry basket. "you can go back to playing, just don't leave too far." I said I think about this day. and my smile slowly fades. Gwon notices and Pamu does too. "ma, why are you doing that face?" Gwon says. Pamu nods and adds "you do that face when something bad is on your mind."
I’m shook but I can't lie today, I hate doing that. I just look up and nod, my daughter feels loose and my Gwon walks up to me
"ma, me and Pamu are going hunting with uncle Hyah, and I'll give you a deer! I know you'll cheer up! I'll think about you and we'll eat it when pa comes!" Gwon says and Pamu agreed and gave me her pinky finger I smile at them, I don't know how I ended up with these angels. I gave her my pinky finger.
"promise. I can't wait for our feast, should we invite uncle Dumpling and his brothers?"
"ooooh! that'd be even better with their sauce-! mhmm!" Gwon cheers. I laugh and do Pamu. "let's go inside Gwon! our hunting stuff is in pa's training room!" Pamu and Gwon leave my sides and at the door, I turn behind and see they left the door open. I sigh and close it behind me and leave our doorsteps to the gravel to the lake.
Ching and everyone uses Santas laundry place but I prefer the lake Garu stops to drink. he says he's the only one to know about this lake and it's the cleanest he's ever drinking so I wash our clothes there. it's a tiny lake with lush forests surrounding the dirt at my feet, I arrive and kneel and reach Garu's clothes. I put my hand and snatch his dirty uniform. my mouth is shaking when I saw blood on Garus uniform, it was on his chest close to his right shoulder, I saw a tiny tear there too. Garu hasn't told me this, this was a stab wound
I feel the hardened blood on my fingertips, How did this happen?
I haven't seen his chest in months, I usually see his chest when I help him change when he's out of the shower but I haven't been helping him cause this house needs my attention like Gwon’s Homework, cooking, sweeping, my hair, Gwons attitude when he bullies Pamu, Pamu getting dirty and getting the kids out of Garu’s training and the last time I saw him showering was a week ago, the last time he really showered was three days ago when he visited Abyo. he spent the night there cause Abyo wanted Garu to teach him moves and they got so tired he stayed the night
I had to brush it off now, what could I do?
I rose up,
I remember I thought these thoughts and this day.
I slouch and my shoulder become heavy. this day. I met Garu today, and usually, people can't remember when they met their partners. but I remember clear as day, I remember being 4 years old starting off the day with my uncles giving me an order at address 219 at Han street. I smile and grab my roller skates and grab the meal off the desk and started skating.
' my uncles kept blabbering about this Chang guy moving in. he's a new guy and his wife died and the poor thing's got a daughter my age, uncle Linguini kept saying he hoped I'd be friends with her. I will uncle! don't worry!' I remember and then it's the part I remember most. I saw him
Garu was wearing his black suit but witHout a red heart, he looked really pale, even though the suit was tight the suit had wrinkles and his eyes, his eyes. I replayed his eyes in every nightmare, Garu has light brown eyes but his eyes were the coldest I've ever seen, dead is How I describe them.
At that moment, I stared at him, I let my footloose and I slipped with the food falling out of my hands, then Garu ran and put the food on his palms and saves me by putting his arm around my waist. I looked at him and I had my eyes open for the last time,
' he's cold' I got my balance right and put on a fake smile and bowed, he gave me the food and I went on my way to the House, flashforward o kept thinking about Garu. my mind went all 'whos he?' 'I've never seen him before 'he looks older' 'he smelled like flowers' 'he was surely fast'
I went to sooga village and I passed high buildings, I skipped and felt a presence, on the tallest building, there was a dark presence. I looked up and see the boy, he was on the top and looked down smiling, his smile terrified me, I've seen those smiles before. I’ve seen it on tv and it looked identical to a murderer. but not so soulless. he still had some soul in it. the boy held onto the pole and my heart skipped, my little four-year-old self knew it was suicide.
I don't normally do this but I have outstanding strength, in my legs too and I jumped up high to the building, we made eye contact and he was shocked. just seeing those eyes gave me a shiver, we were so close, nose to nose. and I knew I had to give him love, I knew I had to tell him to live, he can't die so young! so I kissed him on the lips, my first kiss at four. little Garu took some steps back and covered his mouth, and I was face to face with him. I gave him a fake smile, and he stood there. I go in for a hug, and immediately he pushed back and shakes his head.
We looked at each other and I walk to him to give him a kiss on the cheek. and I jumped out off the roof.
Garu ran to the fence to look over with shock on his face but I land on my legs and kissed the air and blew it to him.
Holy moly, I've never been so terrified! jeez what could I do?! im only four!! and worst of all, I gave my first kiss to a stranger! and a scary one!! he's not even my type!' I kept complaining as I roller-skated to Go Rong. my uncles welcomed me and I bring their money. I do two new deliveries and still. I thought of Garu. I arrived again and I gasped to see Garu in front of me. he looked back and stepped back grunting, I had to do something so I jumped on him and gave him a bunch of kisses, one on his left cheek, 4 on his forehead, 6 on his lips, and 3 on his right cheek. he pushed me away and I fake-smiled, and see he was all red.
'oh no he's red!! I bet he hit himself and bled everywhere! oh what can I do!!'
My uncles were shocked and saying where did I meet him and all that jazz. I get him up and pulled him to a table, I pulled him so hard his feet were off the ground. I sat him on his chair and went to the kitchen to place some Hot noodles. my uncles were staring at each other like when they see their k dramas, saying in their minds ' what's gonna happen next?' 'why am I so invested?' 'whys pucca doing this? we've never seen this dude before?' Garu just stared at me longly at my grin and grabbed his noodles and slurped. he leaped and ate more and more. I pretend to be in awe and I grin at him again.
Garu left and I waved goodbye but I had to know if he'll commit suicide again so I run to him with my arms up for a hug. Garu notices and runs but nothing can catch up to my speed and hugged him. we ended up walking to his house and I gave him a kiss bye and I left.
And I remember, all those times I kissed him. were fake until he grew on me, but that I can't remember. I don't remember falling in love with him. I get off my daze and I start scrubbing Garu’s uniform and clothes until sparkly clean.
I arrive home and I see smoke coming out our kitchen window, the smell of deer. I opened the door and enter. I see my kids and Garu on our indoor grill. they all smile at me and Garu lights up. I place the basket on the floor
"mama! look! I promised you! deer!" Pamu shouts and hugs my leg, I grin at her and place my hand on her head again.
"Thank you, kids! Should we call our uncles?"
Gwon runs to the telephone and spins the dial "on it!!"
"Hello uncles! How are you!- we're good, we're making deer and would you like to come?- Yay! And invite uncle Hyah and auntie Won okay?- okay! Can't wait!" Gwon hangs up and runs to Garu and helps him with the deer. Me and Pamu sit in the living room and fold Garus's clothes, Pamu likes to put on the radio and listens to blues and hums at every guitar, seems she listens to every blue song cause she hummed at every song not messing up. I smile and Gwon kind of hums along. We weren't even done cause uncle Ho, Dumpling and Linguini knocked on our door and hugged Gwon who opened the door and gave him gifts. They aged so much, Linguini has some wrinkles and his hair became white but he still had his muscles, Ho became more skinny and has a head full of wrinkles, however, he is kinda balding but has a hat to wear and became so skinny. Dumpling was more tan and had lots of sunspots, but he is fat but his hair is still black, I get up and so does Pamu.
"We're here! We came as soon as Gwon called and oh look at the boy! How was your hunt, my boy?" Linguini said as he lifted Gwon so high he could hit his head. but Gwon laughs. "We killed so many ducks and I gave 2 at your door uncles! Did you get them?" the uncles stop and Linguinini gave Gwon to Ho
"Uhm, Gwon. we did but-" Ho looks at Gwons smile, too pure to break, and sighs "you shouldn't do that cause people see them and take them?..." Gwon gasps Garu couldn't help but laugh and I smile too. "Now that's mean! I’ll use my ninja moves on anyone who steals my things!"
The uncles come in and hand Gwon a slingshot and baseball for their 'payment' and run to Pamu and give her crayons and one of my old dolls, I gasp. I remember playing with those dolls with Ching and laughing every day.
"Okay Garu! we'll show you some cooking!"
The uncles were intense in such a small kitchen and I had to pull my kids out when it was getting more intense than another knock. everyone stops and Ho says "must be Abyo and Ching.!"
Gwon slip out of my grip and open the door. He seems to be a smiling mess right now.
"Abyo please don't kick the do- Gwon!" Ching says and Abyo puts his leg down, "yo! wheres the meat?" abyo casually said.
"hey where’re the kids?" Dumpling shouts from the kitchen, Ching and Abyo enter shortly. abyo lifted up Gwon on his shoulders
"they got caught stealing the test answers at school and they're in detention." Ching says sadly but abyo doesn't mind "should've done it when the teachers were on break." Gwon pays attention in full focus "what were the answers? I need them!" everyone laughs at poor Gwon "you're so pitiful gwoo!" Pamu says, Gwon gets mad and points at Pamu. "better take that back before me and the twins bully you all day!" Pamu gasped and Garu gave Gwon a horrifying stare and so did Ching. Gwon gulped and everything played off.
We forgot about everything and we ate the deer whole, blues playing as Abyo and Gwon ate like monsters and laughing about their hunting trip, Ching and Pamu take their time cutting the meat and eating with silverware, Garu and the uncles eat with their delight, joining in Gwon and Abyo’s conversation but I kept looking at Garu. Who was beside me
His eyes looked happy and in bliss, I can't help but blush. he notices and smiles to and feeds me. I open my mouth and put my head on his shoulder. Hours pass by seconds and Ching brings some deer for the kids and leaves to pick up their kids that were picked up earlier by Bruce. Then the uncles leave cause it was late. We say goodnight and it was time to tuck our kids' goodnight.
"Gwon, me and your father need to tell you if you and the twins bully Pamu, then. the belt." I say with my tone darkened, he gulped and nods "yes mama yes papa I love Pamu I will never let anyone hurt her kay!" he yells. we say goodnight and it's me and Garu in our bedroom, he taps at my shoulder while I was brushing my hair and I look over him. he pointed at the scar on his chest, bows, and apologizes. I could do nothing now. it was healed already.
I kiss him on the lips and he kissed me gently too. I change into my nightgown and Garu changes into a shirt that was signed by a kung fu master and patterned PJs. We lay in bed and we sleep. and this time, I see no dead eyes