9. Time will tell

"Syong. Choco. It's time for lunch. Call your grandma." Mom yelled out standing at the kitchen door frame and from her voice it's clear that she is frustrated. "Syong. Didn't you hear mom's call?" I looked at the idiot of my bother who was busy playing the video game. "My good sis. She called you too. So, you need to get up." He smirked giving me a glance and continue playing the game. Well, he is not the only one who is playing as I'm the second player who has not won a single game. I do not know why I agreed to play with this fool and now he would tease me for it. "Syong. You cheater. You again mislead me." I yelled as the game ended and I threw the console on the sofa. "Hey! You need a brain to play so don't mind me." He sniggers exiting the game and I huffed getting up from the floor. I didn't argue with the brat as it was useless to win over him so I looked around in search of my granny. I was so engrossed in winning the game that I lost the track of time. Today is the weekend so we have lunch a bit late than usual and to have some fun I decided to play the game but I ended up being a loser. Actually, it's my first time playing a video game and my brother purposely misguided me. I will make that brat pay some other day. I then walked to the balcony and look for granny but she was not there. So, I walked back inside and headed to her room. Her bedroom door was closed and I did not hear any sound from inside. Granny would always sit in the living room if not in the balcony so I stop for a minute and pushed the door. The door was not locked so it opened and I entered inside to see granny sitting on her bed holding a photo frame in her hand. She was so much engrossed in that photo frame that she did not notice my presence even when I sat on the bed beside her. I glanced at the photo frame and smiled looking at the couple wearing bridal attire. The photo was in black and white but the bride's smile was so bright that it made the photo eye-catching. "You have grown old granny." I teased her placing my head on her shoulder. "I'm already an old lady, you naughty child." Granny laughed poking my forehead. "Today is the day I met your grandpa and it's been ages ago since he..." Granny trailed off smiling bitterly and I hugged her sideways. "Grandpa surely loves you a lot. That even after so many years, you still remembered your first meeting." As a person gets old, his/her memory power will lessen but my sweet granny remembered the minute details. "How could I forget? Ah..." She sighed patting my head and caresses the photo frame. "Your grandpa and I love each other so much that we live together for 40 years. Even in his last breath, he promised to wait for me in the afterlife. That foolish man.!" Granny shakes her head as if remembering the particular memory. "He used to tell me that he wanted two children but when he saw me giving birth to your father while crying in agony, he vows to near touch me." She chuckled placing her head on top of mine. "He pampered me so much that he would not let me do single household work. My job was only to receive his love and lazy around. You know, my friends would be jealous of our relationship?" She said while looking at my face and I nodded with a smile. "As time passes, we will grow old but the love will never waver even if that person is far away from you." Granny gave a sad smile looking at the frame. "Your grandpa, he had tried his best to give me all the happiness that I could not help but remember every day we had to spend together. He loved me so much that I forgot about sadness but he...he could not fulfill his one promise." I hear slight resentment in her voice. "What promise?" I was curious to know about it. "He...that man promised me to spend his whole life with me yet he left me." Granny broke down clutching the frame on her chest and tears slipped from her eyes. "He left me." Granny muttered as if accusing my grandpa. "Granny!" I made her looked towards me and wiped the tears off her face. "You just told me that he would wait for you in the afterlife. And he would be sad when he will see his beloved crying like a baby." Grandpa would use that endearment to call her. "So please do not cry. Do not try to exhaust your body and think of living us?" A tear slips from my eyes and I choked hugging her. "You know, you are the dearest one but still you...you don't love me!" I acted spoiled and tried to pull away but she holds my hand stopping me on time. "What you know? Ah...you are my sweet grandchild so how can I leave you alone. I still need to see you getting married and settle down with the man of your life." She patted my cheeks and tucked the strands of hair behind my ear. "And I need to talk about it to my old man." She sighed placing the frame on top of the nightstand. "Granny! Is love so powerful?" I know, I sounded childish but I couldn't help but ask. "You silly child. You will know once you met the right guy." She smiles whole heartedly making a smile crept on my lips. "It's not happening soon." I'm so busy at my job that I did not get free time for myself and dating and all are not the cup of my tea. I rather build my career and achieve my goals. But looking at the current situation...I frowned when I recall the past days' activities. "Time will tell my dear." Granny muttered getting up from the bed and I recalled something. Before I could open my mouth, Syong's loud voice came from the door. "Granny! Lunch is ready." "We are coming." I hold granny's hand and walked out to the dining table. My dad had lunch gathering with his old friends so mom, Syong, granny, and I were the ones in the home. I pulled the chair for my granny and helped her to sit down. Mom placed the lunch in front of us and I sat beside her. "You did not help your mother?" I was about to put the spoon full of curry on my mouth when granny gave me a disappointing look. "I..I." I trailed off feeling guilty and bow my head down putting the spoon in my mouth. "She was busy playing the video game." Syong smirked glancing at me and I shoot a dagger at him. "Then what were you doing? Being the grown-up man, shouldn't you also help your mother?" This time I smirked glancing at my poor brother who did not respond back. "I will wash the dishes and Syong will do the cleaning." I declared before my brother could take advantage. It's not that I do not want to help my mother but it's just that my mom wants perfection in her work so being the woman who cannot cook proper food, I did not dare to help my mother. Other than cooking I can help her with anything. But my granny wanted me to learn some cooking skills from my mother while seeing her cooking, which seems impossible in this lifetime. "Clean the table properly. Don't forget to discard the wiper." Mom reminded Syong and he nodded eating his food. After having lunch, mom and granny walked out to the living room and I carry all the utensils to the washer. I then washed the dishes and put them on the tray to let them dry. Syong has also finished cleaning the kitchen and he walked out after washing his hand. I too wiped my hand with the towel and walked out to the living room. Mom and granny were watching a TV show and I too sat down on the sofa joining them. "Choco! Some is calling you." Syong came running towards me and handed me my mobile. I accepted the call after glancing at the caller id and a man voice greeted me. "Dr.Velour. I'm Nate, Mr.Reghen assistant." "Hello! Nate." I greeted back. "I call to informed you that the vacation has been decided so please pack your luggage and a car will arrive at your apartment to pick you up." Nate spoke in a professional voice. "The car will arrive at 3 pm. Please do not delay." He added the last part which made me remember that the jerk was also joining us. When Nicho had talked about the vacation, I had thought he was just joking and his arrogant grandson would not let him go but now I need to go along with them. "Vacation?" I asked after a long pause as I couldn't believe that the jerk agreed within three days. He had argued with his old man the other day and walked out the door looking like a mad bull. I hadn't seen him for days and now his assistant is telling me to pack my luggage. "Yes. Dr.Velour. Mr.Reghen is waiting for your arrival." Nate ended the call and I was in a daze thinking about the so-called vacation. Why did the old man need to go on a vacation? His legs are getting better but that does not mean that he can be care free. But the old man is so stubborn that he wouldn't listen to anyone. "Choco! You are going on a vacation?" Syong exclaimed giving me are-you-sure look. "Choco?" Mom called raising a brow at me. "Mom. I need to accompany Nicho on vacation. I will be back in a week." The therapy session will end in a few days and I do not need to stay long. "When are you going?" Mom asked changing the channel. "Now." I muttered getting up from the sofa. "I need to pack my luggage. I..." I ran to my room and opened my wardrobe. "What to pack?" I pondered glancing at my clothes. "Let me help you." Mom who had followed behind took some clothes and helped me pack my luggage. I had an hour to get ready so I dressed up quickly and went to the entrance of the apartment. Syong helped me to bring down my luggage and when we walked out of the elevator, a black SUV was already parked at the entrance. "Syong. You can go." I wave him goodbye and he walked to the elevator. Nate walked out from the front door and helped me to carry my luggage. He placed the luggage on the back and I opened the passenger seat to get inside but I stopped when I see the person sitting inside. "I will take the cab." I muttered looking at Nate and was about to close the door when the jerk gave me a sharp glare making me freeze on the spot. "I don't have time to wait for your nonsense so get inside." He glanced at his Rolex watch and gave me an impatient look. "I won't delay you." I turned to walk away but Nate gave me a pleading look telling me not to cause any trouble. I gritted my teeth getting inside the car and sat at the far end away from the jerk. I had avoided him like a plague for a whole month and now I had to share the car with him.