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It was late, almost midnight. The house was quiet, and Aeri’s mind was still racing from the argument with her mother.

Her heart felt heavy, as if the weight of her words had settled deep inside her chest, and she couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at her.

She stood outside her mother’s room, hesitating. The door was slightly ajar, the faint glow of a lamp inside casting shadows across the hallway.

She had never seen her mother like this—so vulnerable, so... hurt. Aeri knew she had said things that couldn’t be unsaid, things that could never be taken back. But she also knew her mother wasn’t perfect, and neither was she.

Taking a deep breath, Aeri slowly pushed the door open, stepping inside the room quietly. Harin sat at the edge of the bed, her back turned to Aeri, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion, as if the weight of the world had landed on her.

Aeri’s throat tightened as she took in the sight of her mother’s frail posture. Harin looked so small in that moment, not the towering figure of authority she had always been. Aeri felt a surge of guilt, even though her anger had been justified.

“I... I’m sorry,” Aeri whispered, her voice trembling.

Harin didn’t turn to face her at first. The silence between them was thick, filled with unspoken words and lingering resentment.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Harin slowly turned her head. Her eyes were red, swollen from the tears that had only just begun to subside.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Aeri continued, stepping closer.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Mom. It’s just... I’ve felt so alone for so long, and I—I don’t know how to deal with it. I don’t know how to make you understand, but it wasn’t fair to say that to you.”

Aeri's voice cracked, the weight of her words finally sinking in. She hadn’t just attacked her mother; she had exposed a painful truth about her own feelings, about how neglected and misunderstood she had felt for years.

Harin’s face softened slightly, but her eyes still held a guarded sadness. She reached for a tissue on the bedside table, wiping her eyes before speaking. “Aeri...” her voice was soft, a stark contrast to the sharp tone from earlier.

“You think I don’t care about you? That I’ve never cared?”

Aeri swallowed hard, fighting the lump in her throat.

“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that... you’ve always been so focused on your work, on what you want for me. And I... I’ve never felt like I had a choice in any of it. I felt like I was always just the daughter you molded into something you wanted me to be, not someone who could just... be myself.”

There was a long pause, and Aeri held her breath, waiting for her mother’s response.

Harin stood up slowly, her expression still clouded with hurt but with a trace of understanding.

“I didn’t realize how much I was pushing you,” she admitted quietly.

“I thought... I thought if I set everything up for you, you’d be happy. I wanted you to have the best, to have everything I never did. But I never stopped to think about what you needed.”

Aeri stepped forward, finally closing the distance between them. Her voice was soft as she whispered, “I just wanted you to be there for me, Mom. That’s all.”

Harin’s eyes softened further, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Aeri saw the warmth in her mother’s gaze. The walls between them had crumbled, if only slightly.

“I’m sorry too, Aeri,” Harin said, her voice barely audible.

“I’m sorry for not being the mother you needed.”

Aeri nodded, feeling a mix of relief and sorrow. It was a small step, but it was something.

Without saying anything else, she hugged her mother, a tentative embrace that slowly became more comforting as Harin wrapped her arms around her.

The apology was unspoken between them, but the warmth of the moment told Aeri everything she needed to know.

They didn’t have all the answers, and they didn’t have everything figured out.

But for the first time in a long time, Aeri felt like maybe—just maybe—things could start to heal.

I'm sorry for the late update y'all...
I've been busy with my university but I promise to post updates asap.

Thank you so much for your love and support!!!𖹭