I wake up from the rustling sound from outside.

Blinking one eye open, I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. Are you kidding me? It’s only six in the morning. I sit up while fixing my bed hair. “Geez, Grim Reaper just killed my good sleep.” I groan before getting off the bed. Today will be her first day in work but I didn’t tell her to prepare so early? Or if she plans to prepare early, she could have at least made her movements gentle so I didn’t wake up. I make my way out of my room while scratching my tummy. “Yah.” I groan and saw her combing her already damp hair, she looked fresh and clean. “it’s just six in the morning, why so early.” I add while stretching my arms.

“it’s my first day of work, I don’t want to be late.” She answers making me look at her skeptically. “Uhm, hello? I go to work at eight.” I tell her as a matter of fact. “Hello to you too. You’re the boss so you can go whenever you want and I’m not the boss so I need to be punctual.” She answers before standing up. “Why, aren’t you coming with me?” I ask while blinking. I follow her into the kitchen and saw her putting the fried rice she cooked into a bowl with a big spoon. “No special treatment right? Just like a common employee, I’ll take a public transportation to go there, not be driven by my boss. Duh.” She explains casually.

“It’s a waste of money. Just go with me, geez.” I grunt before taking the bowl of rice from her. I walk out and placed it on the dining table. “No, it’s really okay. I don’t want your other employees to say something or talk about us.” Jiwon insists and follows out to the dining area now carrying a tray with small bowls of the breakfast she prepared and some side dishes. “It’ll be rush hour. Busses will be full; I swear you’ll regret it.” I argue back as I was sitting down. “Yah, what’s with you?” Jiwon stops just behind that chair she was supposed to sit on while holding onto it.

“What do you mean what?” I ask while clearing my throat. I maintained my eyes down the food as I begin eating. “Hmm. . .” She lets out such skeptical sound and from my peripheral view, I see her bending down to me. Her face was right beside mine as if checking me out. “You’ve been weird since Saturday. I wonder why.” She muffles and her hand reached up to my face but before she could pinch my nose I hit her hand away. “Don’t touch me.” I grunt and turn to look at her and it was such a wrong move of mine as the tips of our noses bump onto each other.

But she quickly pulls away and runs her fingers through her damp hair.

She coughs while pulling the chair to finally sit across me.

Then there was silence.

The hell is wrong with this woman? “So. . . we’ll get the result on next Thursday right.” I open a topic and she curtly nods while eating. “If it shows that I’m not the father, what will you do.” I ask and out of nowhere I feel an abrupt edginess rushing through my veins when I said those words myself. “You know I’m so tired of fighting about the truth. I already said you are the father but I don’t want to sound pushy anymore. So just SHUT UP.” She finally spoke in between chews. “And you know you’re spitting rice on me as we speak. Don’t talk when your mouth it full, that’s like a classic quote.” I grunt back as I brush off a piece of rice that has accidentally landed on my left cheek when she spoke.

Why do I have such small dining table just enough for two people.

“Whatever. But in case you still wanna fight the possibility of you not being the father, alright. I will leave you alone and never show myself to you again. Happy now?” She answers back and somehow; all I could do is to gulp. “That’s good to hear.” I respond while clearing my throat. “But the thing is, you’re really the father so I’m sorry to say but I don’t think I’ll leave you alone anytime soon.” She then adds making me squint my eyes. “That’s good to—not good to hear. Totally. I think I’d have to leave with the annoyance forever.” I reply before taking in a spoonful of rice. “Anyway, I just remembered. Who was that old lady I bumped into when I went to your agency last Saturday night when I gave your umbrella? I didn’t see her in your employees.” She asks and my face stiffened right away.

She must be talking about Lee Jeongja.

“She looked like she saw a ghost and stuff. I asked how and who is she and what does she need but she just ignored me and walked out.” She adds. Suddenly, scenes from that night flashed back into my mind. I almost burst at my own mother, I almost told her the truth about me. I almost did what I initially wanted to do for all these years. “She’s nothing.” I briefly answer to avoid furthering the topic. “Are you sure? She seems to know you though? Cause the way she—“I said she’s nothing okay?” I