"My daughter, Zoya," Mrs Dongyun called softly. "If you're free, come now. Someone has been waiting for quite some time. I think he has come to pick you up."
Zoya froze.
A flicker of surprise crossed her face.
She had just told Minji that she would come on her own.
Why did he come?
She forced her thoughts aside, smiled, and turned toward Mr Donghyun.
"I'm coming."
Mr Donghyun looked toward his wife with a smile.
"Seo-yeon, if you're free, you should come too. Let's give our lovely daughters a little break now."
He gestured toward the other girls.
"Yes, of course," Mrs Donghyun replied. "Our conversation is almost finished. You go ahead. We'll follow."
Mr Donghyun looked back at Zoya.
"Zoya, you should come as well."
"Yes," she replied briefly.
Mrs Donghyun smiled at her.
"But, Zoya… before you go, please finish what you were saying. Which dua did you make to Allah? When you first started learning Arabic, what was the very first thing you spoke to Allah about?"
Her question was gentle, almost motherly.
Zoya lowered her gaze.
"For someone's guidance…"
She hesitated for a moment before looking toward Ji-hye, the girl who had been asking Mrs. Donghyun questions earlier.
"Like Ji-hye. She's worried about someone. I was worried once, too. So I made this dua to Allah."
Her fingers slowly rubbed against each other as she spoke.
"Now, whenever I start worrying about him, I recite that dua. It heals me… and I hope it becomes a path for him."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"And one day, he'll walk on the right path with me."
Her voice softened on the last sentence.
Her gaze dropped again.
Then Mrs. Donghyun asked something that made Zoya's heart skip.
"Zoya… were you born Muslim?"
The question caught her completely off guard.
Zoya slowly lifted her eyes toward Mrs. Donghyun.
For a moment, their eyes met.
Then Zoya lowered her gaze again.
Around them, every girl had turned toward her.
They were waiting for her answer.
"Yes…" Zoya replied quietly.
"I was born Muslim."
Her head remained slightly bowed.
A soft murmur passed through the group.
Zoya looked up and smiled gently, as though reassuring them that there was nothing unusual about her answer.
Just then, her phone vibrated inside her bag.
She pulled it out.
Minji.
"I need to go, Mrs Donghyun. I think someone has come to pick me up."
"But promise you'll come tomorrow," one of the girls said.
Zoya gave her an apologetic smile.
"I can't promise that. I might leave tomorrow."
"Leave?" Mrs Donghyun asked. "What do you mean?"
"Yes, Mrs Donghyun…" Zoya smiled softly. "I might leave tomorrow."
"And where will you go?"
"Busan."
"Do you belong to Busan?" Ji-hye asked curiously.
"No. I study at the National University. It's semester break, so I came to Seoul with my friends."
"Oh, that's nice." Ji-hye smiled brightly. "I'm from Busan too."
Then she looked toward Mrs Donghyun with playful excitement.
"Now I've found my soulmate in Busan."
Everyone laughed.
"Zoya, can I have your number?" Ji-hye asked. "I'd like to stay in contact when we're both in Busan."
"Of course."
Zoya smiled at her.
"I'd love to stay connected with such a warm-hearted girl, too."
They exchanged numbers.
After saying goodbye to everyone, Zoya stepped outside.
She immediately tried calling Minji back.
But the call had already ended.
"Hello, Minji…"
"Zoya, why weren't you answering your phone?"
"I didn't realize. My phone was on silent."
"Tell her Jeon J will come to pick her up," a voice said from behind Minji.
"But Zoya won't come. I know her," Minji replied.
"Ask her. Give me the phone. I'll tell her myself."
It was Jinhun.
But before Minji could say anything else, the call disconnected.
Zoya lowered her phone.
At that very moment, she noticed Mrs Donghyun approaching.
She put her phone away.
"Zoya," Mrs Donghyun said, "if possible, have dinner with us tonight. Who knows when we'll get another chance to meet?"
"Mrs Donghyun, please don't insist."
Zoya smiled warmly.
"I'm already very happy that I met you. I'd love to keep meeting like this, and whenever I get the chance, I'll definitely come."
"Then dinner is decided."
Mrs Donghyun smiled as if the matter had already been settled.
She had small Korean eyes, enhanced by soft blue contact lenses that made her look especially graceful.
"Alright," Zoya said. "I'll check at the office who came, and then I'll come back. But you'll have to do me one favor."
"What is it?"
"Please drop me home after dinner."
"Of course. We'd be happy to."
Mrs Donghyun smiled and walked away.
Zoya headed toward the office.
But when she reached it, there was no one there.
The room was completely empty.
She looked around.
"Where did they go?"
Her eyes moved toward the doorway.
"It was definitely him…"
She frowned slightly.
"I recognize phone ringtones. I can even match a lot of them."
She paused.
"But…"
Her hand rested against her chest.
"My heart says it was him."
She didn't know why.
She simply felt it.
Just then, Mr Donghyun entered the office and found Zoya standing there.
"Mr. Donghyun, who came?" she asked. "You said someone was here, but the office is empty."
"I don't know."
He looked around.
"He was here. I stepped out for a moment, and when I came back, he was gone."
Then he smiled.
"But he'll come again."
"Who came?"
Zoya kept her voice calm.
But inside, her heart was repeating one name.
Again.
And again.
She was almost certain that whatever name Mr Donghyun was about to say would be the same name echoing inside her own heart.
Mr Donghyun opened his mouth to answer—
—but before he could say anything, Mrs Donghyun entered the room.
"Let's go," she said lightly.
Mr Donghyun smiled and looked at Zoya.
"Seo-yeon says you're having dinner with us today."
He chuckled.
"I would have been even happier if he had joined us too. Still, your presence has doubled our happiness."
Zoya smiled softly.
"But first, I need to inform my friends."
"Of course. Why not?"
Mr Donghyun nodded reassuringly.
"You call them. We'll drop you home afterwards, so don't worry."
Zoya sat down in the office while Mr Donghyun stepped away.
She took out her phone and called Minji.
_____________________________________
"Why did you hang up?" Jinhun asked Minji.
"I didn't hang up."
Minji's voice was soft.
"The call just got disconnected. She'll call back when she's free."
She tried to reassure him.
Meanwhile, everyone else was preparing to leave.
Bags were being lifted onto shoulders. People moved around the room, talking quietly as they gathered their things.
Jinhun glanced toward them before calling Jeon J.
"Hey, Jeon J. Where are you? When are you getting here?"
"I'm busy right now."
Jeon J's voice came through the phone as he stepped out of the mosque.
"Busy?"
Jinhun's tone sharpened.
"Busy with what?"
"Jinhun…"
Jeon J had barely begun explaining when Jinhun interrupted him.
"I know where you are. I won't ask anything else right now. We'll talk about the rest later."
His voice became firm.
"Bring Zoya to the Han River. We've all planned to go there."
"I'll come," Jeon J replied quickly.
Then he added,
"But I'm not bringing her."
Jinhun frowned.
"And I'm not her driver, either. Come and get her yourself."
"Bye."
The call ended.
Jinhun stared at his phone.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he muttered,
"You really shouldn't have disconnected the call."
He looked at the screen again.
"Alright. Jeon J will arrive soon."
He lifted his bag and stepped outside.
"Minji… Zoya?" Sophia called.
"I'm checking…"
Minji reached for her phone.
Before she could make the call herself, the screen suddenly lit up.
Zoya was calling.
"Oh—her call just came."
Minji quickly answered.
"Zoya…"
"Minji, I'm going to Mr Donghyun's home for dinner tonight."
Her voice was soft.
Minji immediately frowned.
"Why aren't you coming with us? We're all heading to the Han River."
"No. I promised Mrs Donghyun I would have dinner with her."
"Zoya—"
"Minji, try to understand."
Zoya's voice remained gentle.
"I'm more comfortable here for now."
Minji was quiet for a moment.
"Okay. But before you leave, make sure you call me."
"I will."
Zoya smiled faintly.
"I'll call you."
The call ended.
Sophia immediately moved closer.
"What did she say? Why isn't she coming?"
"She's not coming."
Minji looked toward the others.
"We have to consider everyone's comfort."
No one argued.
With that, the group gathered their things and headed toward the Han River.
_______________________________
Mrs Donghyun took Zoya home.
Their house was only about a five-minute walk from the mosque.
Mr Donghyun was still at the mosque.
As they walked, Zoya glanced toward the quiet neighbourhood.
"You really didn't need to insist," she said. "You could have let me go. I wasn't even hungry."
"Oh, don't say that."
Mrs Donghyun smiled.
"We really want you to eat with us."
When they reached home, Mrs Donghyun immediately began preparing dinner.
The kitchen was neither too large nor too small.
The house itself wasn't particularly big, but there was something beautiful about it.
It had three rooms, a TV lounge, and a small kitchen area connected to the lounge.
It could easily be described as a ground-floor luxury apartment, but a simple luxury apartment seemed more fitting.
The entire place was bright and airy.
Almost every wall seemed to have room for a window.
During the day, there was hardly any need for electric lights.
If the windows were opened, sunlight would naturally fill the entire house.
Zoya looked around once.
Then again.
And then, for the third time, she smiled.
"Mrs Donghyun, your house is really beautiful."
Mrs Donghyun smiled.
"Do only the two of you live here?"
She asked while adding onions to the pot.
"No. Our son, Ji-ho, lives with us too."
She stirred the food.
"He comes once a week. Most of the time, we meet him at the mosque. But today, Mr Donghyun invited him for dinner."
"You invited your son yourself?"
Zoya sounded genuinely surprised.
"Yes."
Mrs Donghyun smiled.
"He runs a restaurant, so he doesn't have much free time. He even has a room set up there and sometimes stays at the restaurant."
She continued cooking.
"Sometimes we go to see him. Sometimes he comes here."
Zoya watched her for a moment.
"You're truly a very patient mother."
Mrs Donghyun turned around, surprised.
"Why? What's so patient about that?"
Zoya suddenly burst into laughter.
And once she started, she couldn't stop.
Mrs Donghyun stared at her, completely confused.
"What happened?"
Zoya laughed again.
"If you understood Urdu, I would tell you."
She tried to control herself.
"In my country, a mother's reaction toward her only son is very different."
"A mother's reaction toward her son?"
Mrs Donghyun looked even more curious.
"I don't understand. Tell me in English."
"No."
Zoya shook her head, still laughing.
"It wouldn't be fun that way."
She smiled.
"Describing mothers from your country in your own language has its own charm."
Mrs Donghyun laughed.
"Then I should learn Urdu."
She turned back toward the stove.
"I want to understand a mother's reaction too."
Both women laughed together.
Between the laughter, casual conversation, and the sounds of cooking, dinner was finally ready.
By then, Mr Donghyun had returned.
But they were still waiting for Ji-ho.
A few moments later, while Zoya continued talking with Mr and Mrs. Donghyun, the front door opened.
Their son had arrived.
The moment Ji-ho stepped into the dining area, his eyes fell on Zoya.
An unfamiliar face.
Sitting at his family's table.
He paused for half a second, surprise crossing his face.
Mr Donghyun noticed.
"This is Zoya."
Ji-ho nodded politely.
He was still curious, but he didn't ask anything.
Mr Donghyun gestured toward the food.
"Come. Let's eat."
They all settled around the table.
As dinner began, Zoya quietly observed the atmosphere around her.
There was something she couldn't help noticing.
A difference.
A quiet contrast between dinners in Pakistan and dinners here.
Those who had lived away from home would understand it without needing an explanation.
The silence.
The simplicity.
The unspoken distance.
Then, in the middle of dinner, Mrs Donghyun suddenly spoke.
"Donghyun…"
Everyone looked at her.
"I want to learn Urdu."
Ji-ho, who had been eating while scrolling through his phone and checking something on the menu, suddenly stopped.
His finger froze on the screen.
At almost the same moment, the sound of chewing around the table seemed to disappear.
Zoya looked at Mrs Donghyun.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
She already knew exactly why she had said it.
Mr Donghyun looked at his wife curiously.
"Why did you suddenly develop a desire to learn Urdu?"
"Actually…"
Mrs Donghyun calmly placed her spoon down.
"I want to understand something."
She glanced toward Zoya.
"I want to know how a mother of one son reacts in Zoya's country."
Mr Donghyun frowned slightly.
"What's so special about that?"
He looked genuinely confused.
"A mother having one son… what's unusual about that?"
"There is something special about it."
Mrs Donghyun smiled.
"In her country."
Mr Donghyun looked toward Zoya.
"You asked Zoya. She already explained it."
"But Zoya refuses to explain properly."
Mrs Donghyun smiled at her.
"She says if I understood Urdu, I would understand exactly how mothers in her country behave—especially mothers who have only one son."
Ji-ho looked from his mother to Zoya.
A surprised, amused smile slowly appeared on his face.
Zoya lowered her head.
She was already laughing quietly.
Mr Donghyun watched her.
That morning, he had seen her cry so much.
Seeing her laugh now brought a strange comfort to him.
"Can you tell us in English?" he asked gently, half-joking.
"Because if Seo-yeon actually starts learning Urdu, it may take a very long time before we get an answer."
Zoya lifted her head.
She looked at him.
"I was just teasing Mrs Donghyun."
She tried to defend herself.
But everyone was waiting.
Zoya finally sighed.
"Alright. I'll tell you one reaction."
She placed her hands together.
"When a son comes home late without informing his mother…"
She paused.
"And especially when he comes home in the morning…"
Her expression became serious.
"But you're not allowed to laugh."
Everyone immediately laughed.
Zoya pointed at them.
"I'm serious!"
"No, no."
Mr Donghyun raised his hands innocently.
"We won't laugh. Please tell us."
Zoya smiled.
"Alright."
She began.
"The son quietly enters the house."
She lowered her voice, slipping into the role.
"And sitting right there on the sofa…"
She pointed forward.
"…is his mother."
She changed her expression.
The family was already trying not to laugh.
The son looked at his mother.
'Mom… you're awake?'
He was shocked.
Then the mother turns toward him.
'When did I ever sleep?'
Her voice is sharp.
The son looks confused.
'Why didn't you sleep?'
The mother stares at him.
'I felt like staying awake all night. I wanted to see how my son manages to stay awake the whole night.'
Zoya's expression became completely serious.
Her words landed like tiny arrows of sarcasm.
Everyone at the table was already struggling to hold back their laughter.
She continued.
'Mom, I was about to come home, but a friend stopped me.'
The mother immediately replies,
'Oh… your friend stopped you?'
She pauses.
Then—
'Did your friend notice that his friend's mother was sitting alone at home waiting for him?'
Zoya raised an eyebrow.
'Or did he not see that?'
Ji-ho covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
Zoya continued.
'But Papa is with you,' the son says lightly.
The mother rolls her eyes.
'Your father sleeps like a horse—or maybe a rabbit. He has no worries.'
She placed one hand against her chest.
'But this is a mother's heart. When her son doesn't come home, she can't sleep.'
Then she shook her head.
'Fathers don't understand these things.'
Everyone laughed.
Zoya smiled but continued.
The son finally gives up.
'Mom, I'm really sorry. I won't be late again.'
The mother immediately catches the word.
'Late?'
She looks at him.
'You weren't late. You came in the morning. Please correct your sentence.'
The table erupted again.
Zoya tried to remain serious.
The son sits beside his mother.
'Mom, I've grown up now. Sometimes I get late.'
The mother looks at him dramatically.
'Yes… yes. You've grown up.'
She nods slowly.
'That's why I raised you.'
Her voice becomes emotional.
'I stayed awake night after night. I took care of you. I worried about you…'
She places a hand against her heart.
'All so that one day you could sit in front of me and say…'
She looks at him.
'Mom, I've grown up.'
The laughter at the table slowly begins to fade.
The playful scene suddenly becomes emotional.
The son notices the change in his mother's expression.
'Mom… I didn't mean it like that.'
But it is already too late.
The mother looks away.
Her eyes begin to fill with tears.
'I thought I had only one son.'
Her voice trembles.
'I thought he would be my support when I grew old.'
She wipes the corner of her eye.
'And now you're already telling me that you've grown up.'
The son immediately becomes worried.
'Mom, please don't cry.'
He moves closer.
'My dear…'
He hugs her softly.
'Next time, I promise I'll come home on time.'
And then—
just when the son thinks the emotional crisis is finally over—
the mother's entire expression changes.
She looks at him.
'Will you have breakfast?'
The son blinks.
'What?'
She looks him up and down.
'Look at you. You didn't eat all night. You've become so weak.'
The entire table breaks into laughter again.
Zoya laughs.
"Just hearing 'my dear' switches everything."
She shook her head.
"Two seconds ago, she was heartbroken. Now she's worried about whether he has eaten."
The imaginary son looked down at himself in confusion.
How exactly had he become weak after missing one meal?
He had spent the entire night eating pizza.
Burgers.
Fried chicken.
Snacks.
Everything except—
the proper food his mother had cooked.
By now, everyone at the table was laughing uncontrollably.
Ji-ho wiped his eyes.
"How can someone become weak from not eating for just one night?"
He laughed.
"In fact, he probably spent the entire night eating pizza, burgers, and everything else…"
He looked toward Zoya.
"…but he didn't eat the food made by his mother?"
Zoya smiled.
Then her expression softened.
She looked at Ji-ho.
Then at Mr and Mrs Donghyun.
"Actually…"
Her voice was quieter now.
"A son doesn't become weak because he doesn't eat for one day."
The laughter slowly faded.
"But when parents don't see their son for even one day…"
She paused.
"…their eyes become tired."
Her gaze rested on Mrs Donghyun.
"Their hearts become restless."
Silence.
Zoya smiled gently.
"Because boys don't always understand how much their mothers struggle for them."
No one answered.
Mrs Donghyun looked at her quietly.
Mr Donghyun lowered his eyes.
And Ji-ho—
for the first time that evening—
didn't have a joke to add.
The room fell completely silent.
Outside, the evening breeze moved softly through the open windows.
Inside, the warmth of the dinner remained—
but Zoya's words stayed with them long after her voice had faded.
She simply smiled.
And said nothing more.
To Be Continued…
Regards,
ZK 💌