Prologue. God Bless the Broken Road

The smell of the spring morning blossomed in the air and the cool breeze that suddenly brushed her face made her look up for a while to admire the sapphire sky above them. The silent flowing of the water from a distance enfolded her more on that serenity.

“Mommy!”

She turned to look at those giggly voice and she almost laughed at the sight of her baby girl falling on her bottom with leaves on both hands as if catching snow on a winter day. It was one of the game she loved to play on her mother— as if she would fall accidentally and when Seohyun would come running to her she would burst into her innocent laughter like she has done the biggest joke of her little life. She brushed off the strands of hair when the gentle breeze kissed her cheeks and shook her head with a repressed laughter to tell her angel that she fell for her trick.

Her little girl wrinkled her nose with a wide grin while clumsily brushing her hands together to detach the dirt that has stuck from her sticky palms. She called her mother again and raised her little hands to show how 'clean' they finally were. She stood carefully and brushed the remaining dirt from the hems of her dress then ran towards the flower bed and started counting.

“Ah one... ah two... twee...” her sweet voice played with her little fingers as she carefully touched each flowers. Suddenly, she looked up to her mother again so she nodded to assure her that she was doing it correctly.

“Fow... fife... fife...”

The little flower that supposed to be the sixth waited for her to finally get the correct number.

“Six...” Seohyun supplied.

Of all the decisions she ever had in her life, having her baby is the best she ever did. Not only the happiness she had given her, but also everything that followed.

Everything just fell into place.

“Six... sefen...”

The little girl continued then mumbled something which was not very audible from where she was sitting until Euna declared with all confidence.

“ A... B... C...”

She laughed as her baby continued counting using the alphabet. It was a relief that she woke up with that kind of spirit compared to some days where she wouldn’t be in the mood and would just throw tantrums. She breathed the brisk taste of the air again and smiled to herself. It was one of the mornings that she was thankful of— waking up in a warm cozy bed beside the soft cuddly skin of her baby. But she missed the feeling, always been missing the feeling of the other body that she would fall asleep in and wake up on. She missed his scent so much that even Euna could not fill.

This empty space he has left in her would only be his.

The recollection of him brought a bittersweet twinge in her heart. Everything reminded her of him as if her life has been redirected to a sole direction leading to a single man— especially that little girl whose smile amazingly mirrored his. All those times they spent together, every single piece of memory seemed to play in her mind; those silly quarrels, those little talks, those daring antics, those secret smiles, those hidden feelings...

Everything was unplanned despite the charade they willingly took part in.

Unconsciously, she toyed with her fingers, winding and unwinding, with the thoughts she was having until she turned to see her angel who was awkwardly sprinting towards her with her short hair somewhat unkempt by the breeze, “Please be careful, Euna...” she mumbled with a smile.

“Umma...” she plunged her little body into her mother’s.

“Who's the prettiest baby?” Seohyun brushed her nose against her princess that caused her to giggle.

“Euna!” The little girl shouted and giggled some more.

“Who's umma's love?” She laid her carefully on her lap and tickled her tummy with her face. She laughed to see the bubbles that were forming on her apple-red lips as she laughed.

“Euna!” The little girl shouted again combined with happy chuckles.

“Who—”

“…does Appa love?”

The voice caused her heart to make a topsy-turvy beat as she looked up to see him by the little bridge walking gently towards them. She couldn't do anything but to smile at him and to look at the squirming child on her lap.

“Look who's here...” she managed to say then gave her baby a soft kiss before letting her on her feet.

Euna did not wait for any further invitation as she ran towards the open arms of the father she has known.

“Appa!”

“Eunayah!” He welcomed his little bundle in his arms and lifted her up in the air, much to Euna’s amusement, “I miss you.”

Seohyun watched that beautiful scene unfolding before her eyes and her heart ached from the longing for his voice, for everything about him. She stood and made her way towards them as he continued to shower their baby with kisses and words she longed for him to tell her too.

Yonghwa finally looked at her when she stopped beside them and smiled. Oh, how she missed those curve on his lips. She did not say anything and waited for him to say something first but, just like her, he just stood there studying her as if it was his first time seeing her.

“Hi...” she finally said with a smile.

“Hi...”

"For the time being one is doing this or that, but whether it is a woman or a job,

it is not yet what is really wanted, a

nd there