Taeyeon's parents & adoptive parents:

 

Tiffany's parents:

 

 

 

 

Author’s POV:

 

 

25th March 1996, Seongnam-dong Housing.

 

 

As soon as Taeyeon and Jiwoong reached home, they saw their samchon that worked in the special force together with their father about five years ago was in the living room of their two-storey house. They greet him warmly after their run and jump into the handsome man's welcoming arms. He looks great and masculine to carry them in his strong arms for awhile. He got a choppy fringe short haircut and he was only two centimetres shorter than their father, but still looking great as ever. His skin was tanned as he always exposed himself to the sun as what they remembered when they happen to ask him last Christmas Eve at their house.

 

Mr. Song JoongKi is a married man. He was married to their mother’s best friend, Mrs. Song HyeKyo just three years after their parents happily married each other. That was during a spring. A month over after Taeyeon was born. Their love story begins during their parents’ garden wedding in Jeonju. Taeyeon still remembered the story from their parents, like how nervous their uncle JoongKi was after he saw their aunt HyeKyo for the first time. He was struck by her beauty. He can’t do his speech at their parents’ wedding properly as his attention has been stolen by the woman that now he can call as his wife. On that day, he shortened his speech, decided to sing a wedding song, and asked for a duet with their aunt HyeKyo. That’s how everything started as what they heard.

 

"Aigoo.. aigoo.. the two of you are so heavy in just a few months samchon was away." He complained playfully while kneeling and putting them down together from his embrace. He stared at their face one after another. The gentle smile that he displays were making the two kids smile along with him. Happiness was clearly written all over their face. It’s been a few months since they last saw him. Because he’s still working with a special force, they can’t see him so often like their aunt HyeKyo who worked together with their mother and lived with them. "Samchon brings a gift for you guys." He went to the couch to search for their big presents before handing it over to the two cheerful kids. "Belated birthday Jingoo-ya and Taengoo-ya. Samchon is so sorry because samchon was late again this time. How’s school today? Have you guys been studying well?"

 

"Thank you, samchon!" Both of them replied in unison, giving the handsome man another hug again together.

 

Their father was watching them closely from his seat. Uncle JoongKi is like an older brother to their father. Actually, he has been raised by their late halmoni and that's why they called him as their samchon. He was an orphan who wanders around without a destination. Their grandparents decided to let him stay at their hanok house in Jeonju and raise him well just like their father. The house where they lived right now, it has been bought using their parents and uncle JoongKi's money. They did a joint loan together. Because the house was big and have five bedrooms, so it's really enough for all of them to live together just like their house in Jeonju.

 

"Just a thought of samchon was enough for us, actually. We are happy to see you again, samchon." Jiwoong smartly told the man who works to serve for their country. "By the way, samchon... I got a new best friend today. She helped me with maths exercise and she can speak Korean, Chinese, and English well." His face was a bit excited when he shared them the story. For the matter of fact, he still can’t get over the feeling to have a new international friend that was so friendly to him. "Her name is Victoria. She asked me to call her Vic. She’s from China. She was just moving here with her family last month. I really love this international school a lot. I see almost a quarter of international kids in our school who converse good English. I think appa and umma really sent us to the greatest school of all."

 

His father chuckles lightly upon hearing Jingoo's funny confession. They just have no idea how much money they have to pay for sending them to the best primary school, he thought. Giving the best for their children always come first. They will work hard to provide the best for their children with the hope their children could get a brighter future. Thanks to his late elders. They got to live well like this because of the dairy cattle farm business that he took over from his late mother since five years ago.

 

"Oh?" Taeyeon got surprised, "I made a new friend too, oppa. We communicate thru drawing because she is from L.A and she can only understand English and a little Korean. My English is still bad. I was so sad when I can't understand her. I need to work harder so I can understand her next time."

 

"You communicate with your friend over a drawing?" JoongKi asked a bit interested as Taeyeon’s story seems different than Jiwoong. She looked ever so sad too that makes him want to speak with her more than Jiwoong. "That's awesome, you know. No need to be sad about it. Instead, you should be proud of yourself because at your age, you already can draw well and make your friend understand you. You know that you can learn English slowly. You still got a long way to go, Taengoo-ya." He comforted the young kid and it automatically makes Taeyeon smiles again.

 

"Samchon said that to make me happy, right? Taengoo promise to make a beautiful cartoon of samchon and imo later. It will be my small present for consoling me now. I heart you, samchon. Thank you for giving us a birthday present. Me and oppa will treasure it very well."

 

"Samchon heart you and Jiwoong a lot too." JoongKi replied and looked over his best friend on the couch that he can call as a younger brother, remembering SooHyun was the best cartoonist when they were younger. Taeyeon really resembles him a lot, he thought. Even from the way she talked also almost similar to him when he was young. The Jeonjuan dialect stick in Taeyeon whenever she speaks, sometimes. "She must get her talent from you."

 

His friend agreed with a nod.

 

"The reason why she's my daughter. Actually, Jingoo can draw like her too." SooHyun announced while lifting up his slowly from the couch to walk and kneel together in front of his adorable and talented kids that he loves. "Jingoo-ya, Taengoo-ya... appa and samchon need to discuss something together about some work project. Please take a shower and change your clothes appropriately. Appa will take care of Hayeon shortly after she wakes up. We will fetch your mother with imo HyeKyo so all of us can have outside dinner together after that."

 

"Outside dinner with samchon and imo?" Jiwoong got over excited from the announcement that his father made. It's been awhile since they last have a family dinner with their samchon and imo together, so of course it excites him. He cried gleefully when his father gave a confirming nod. "Horeeeyy! I will get ready with Taeyeon now. Let's get ready Taengoo."

 

That night, the two older kids were having a great time eating their favourite steak and beef wrap that their parents, imo, and samchon made for them. The selection of foods they have were truly mouth-watering as well. The new famous steakhouse in Apgujeong that they went were giving them a great service throughout their dinner. It was full-house during their visit, but they still receive fast service from the workers. Because their father knew the restaurant owner and have been providing them the best fresh meat, so they got a discount coupon for their next visit. Their father said, it’s a business strategy like encouraging them to come again. And of course, their father will bring them again next time. He said they must support each other in business.

 

That night as well, the two older kids learned that their samchon got a three month break from his work in the special force. Their father wanted to open a joint business together with their samchon that they called as a food truck while their samchon was on break from his work to serve their country. Their father and samchon said, they haven't seen anyone has ever come up with the idea yet in the city. So, they wanted to be the first to test the market since they have a budget and resources to start another business.

 

"What is a food truck, umma?" Taeyeon asked when her mother went inside her room to check on her. She was in the mid of counting her piggybank coins and notes again when her mother joined to sit on the edge of her single bed, facing her. "I heard appa and samchon talked about it during dinner. I don't get it. What is a food truck? Is it food with a truck?" She asked blankly again, looking all cute with her eyes that blinks a couple of times that work the magic to melt her mother's heart.

 

JiHyun pulled her daughter's head gently to plant a kiss on her daughter’s forehead before she her long black hair tenderly. She took the time to explain slowly to her daughter about the business her husband wanted to do. When Taeyeon shows a sign that she understands, she received another question again.

 

"Umma, can I work with appa and samchon? I want to find money like them too."

 

"Wae? The monthly allowance appa and umma gave is not enough?" Her mother asked worriedly, scanning the piggybank that currently on her daughter's bed. She looked at the small paper that Taeyeon wrote and noticed to the big amount, 182,500won. She wondered if that was the total amount of her daughter's saving or that was the money that her daughter wanted to find. "Do you need to buy anything that umma should know?"

 

"The monthly allowance appa and umma gave is more than enough for me. I saved all of them actually because I always bring packed food umma always prepared for us. Our cafeteria provided free food for us too."

 

"Then, why do you need to work?" JiHyun asked interestedly as her daughter is still so small to talk about work. "You should not worry about working, darling. Let appa and umma do it right now. When you grow up, you can worry about working and to find money on your own. But not now. That’s appa and umma responsibilities to give you the thing that you want if we can fulfil it."

 

"But I can’t wait till I grow up. I need money right now, umma. I don't have enough money that I want. I only have half from the amount I need." Taeyeon scratched her head and pouted. Sad when her money that she counted three times is not enough.

 

"Do you need to buy something? Umma will try to get it for you if you tell?" JiHyun tried again. So her daughter will spit out the thing that she wanted to do with the money. "You know that umma and imo got an offer recently to be a private nurse to monitor a rich patient. We got a big pay now compared when we work in the hospital. Your father’s Dairy Cattle business in Jeonju is rising well too. We can help you if you share it with umma." JiHyun explained softly. She knew her daughter rarely demands anything from them. She played all types of toys by sharing it with their neighbour’ kids and never even requested anything if they ever visited a toyshop. It’s always them who picked it for her, so she wondered if Taeyeon wants to buy something that she likes this time.

 

"Actually, I don't need it for me. I want to help my friend to fulfil her mother’s request." Taeyeon revealed softly, staring at her mother's beautiful eyes that have the same color as her. Looking at her mother's eyes make her understand how everyone was praising her eyes. To her, her mother's eyes were the greatest thing that she had ever seen. She could find her reflection in her mother's eyes easily whenever she looks at them like this. "My friend's mother was sick right now, umma. They moved to Korea because it's her mother's final wish." She continues again by remembering the cartoon Tiffany drew, "Her mother told my friend that she will get better if my friend gets 365 ice-creams. I want to help her completing her goal by sharing 365 ice-creams to our school kids. But I don't have enough money in my piggybank. I counted it three times already. I only have 90,000won right now. That was all my saving for three months allowance."

 

"You count the money on your own?" Her mother asked, a bit impressive as her daughter was so young to count big numbers.

 

"I got a help from imo HyeKyo awhile ago before umma comes to my room." She showed her notebook, the numbers of coins and notes that she wrote on her notebook with the help of her imo. "I counted the money together with imo and she helped me to count the total amount I need if one ice-cream will cost me 500won."

 

"Ah…" JiHyun smiles to recall the reason why her best friend asked her to check on Taeyeon. Can’t believe she got a daughter who was so thoughtful of others. Her daughter and her friend were really so innocent too, she thought. They will trust everything their elder said as if that will change anything. Perhaps, did her daughter likes the kid that she wanted to help? "Who is this friend that you wanted to help? Is it the one that make you smile the other day?"

 

"Dae…" Taeyeon felt amazed to her mother’s instinct. "How did umma know that? I didn’t tell imo about this."

 

"The reason why I’m your mother, you know." She taps the tip of her daughter’s nose and smiles again when the thing she guessed was right.

 

"Oh? Umma said the same thing like appa this afternoon. But appa said the reason why I’m his daughter." She shared the conversation she had with her samchon, oppa, and appa after they arrived from school briefly to her mother before she got another question again from her mother.

 

"May umma know this kid name from L.A that you want to help and can draw well like you?"

 

"Her name is Tiffany Hwang Mi-Young. She really can draw well like me, umma. No, she did pretty well than me. I really like her drawing a lot."

 

"I see. So you are in the same class with a daughter to Mr. Tim Hwang Young-Min?"

 

"Umma knows her father?" Taeyeon asked bewildredly.

 

"Of course, her father is once a famous Korean ballad singer. Umma loves his song Because of You and Beautiful. He really sang them well. People said he wrote all of his songs for his wife, Mrs. Lee Yoon-Ji. I think he quits singing after he marries to your friend’s mother because she was sick even before they got married." JiHyun shared a little bit of Tiffany’s father story with her seem like a surprised daughter. "Umma and imo worked to treat your friend's mother, actually. She has been discharged from the hospital today. That's why we got a chance to have a family dinner with samchon and imo together. Starting from tomorrow, umma and imo will work on a shift at their house in Incheon before imo takes a short leave with samchon to Jeju."

 

"Really?" Taeyeon eyes grew bigger, finding the news that her mother shared that seem bring a light in her life somewhere. She doesn't know if she was so happy. But why should not she be happy? She was smiling to know about her mother and her imo have been working to treat Tiffany's mother together. What a coincidence, she thought. It makes her feeling so close with Tiffany right now. The thing that she heard from her mother was truly like a good news to her too. "So Tiffany’s mother is already healthy right now?" Taeyeon questioned with full of interest. "The headmaster called Tiffany and she went back earlier before our class is over. I thought it was something serious."

 

"That's because the chauffeur was picking her up earlier from school as her mother wanted to see her at home. Umma can say that Tiffany’s mother is getting better than before, but still need to be monitored regularly." JiHyun answered the truth, but not giving any further details to her daughter. "You should go to sleep now since it's already late. Don't worry about your friend and her mother too much. Let's see what umma and appa can help you tomorrow. Now, please go to sleep with a happy thought." She planted another kiss on her daughter’s forehead. "Umma loves you a lot, darling. You have no idea how lovely you are and how lucky we are to have you as our daughter."

 

"Umma…" She stopped her mother from helping her to keep back her saving into the piggybank. She looked all nervous right now to hear her mother's lovely confession. "If umma said it like that, won’t it make me carry a baby in my tummy?"

 

JiHyun stared at her cutest and purest kid that she loves. She doesn’t know why she likes to make her scared by fooling her like that. Perhaps, because she can’t get rid her comedic-self easily. She liked to daughter after seeing her scared reaction last time.

 

"Saying affection among family member is okay. I mean saying it to appa, umma, your siblings, your samchon, and your imo. You will not make your family member gets pregnant. Just don’t do it to others. You are still so young to commit anything as love to anyone."

 

Taeyeon feels like she wanted to share something after her mother's explanation, but she just keeps the things that she wanted to say to herself. "I love umma more than umma loves me if like that."

 

"Will you love umma more than Tiffany?"

 

"O-of course!" Taeyeon stuttered for her mother's unpredicted question. It took a few seconds before she continues again, "Umma is the prettiest and the coolest mom in the world."

 

"That's a relief to know. Remember, you should not love anyone too much. You don't want to make their tummy got bigger or make umma got a grandkid too soon, right?"

 

"Ummaa?" She whined in panic, feeling discomfort to hear her mother's statements. "I promise to love you more than anybody else in this world. Please don't scare me more."

 

"Aigoo you should be doing that forever, cutie. Because umma loves you more than anything else in this world too."

 

"How much do I worth to you, umma?"

 

"All the money in the world can't even enough. You are so precious to umma, darling. Now, please go to sleep with a happy thought. Remember appa and umma will always love you. Let umma helps to tuck you in." She helped to put the piggybank back to Taeyeon's study table before tucking in her daughter nicely.

 

"Umma, you forget my goodnight hug and kiss."

 

Her mother walked back after switching off the light to give the thing that she always did to all of her three kids. She didn't forget it, actually. Being a mom for eight years makes her aware to the regular thing she always did before sending them to sleep.

 

"Umma loves you and goodnight, darling." She kissed her daughter's lips and forehead after she gave a loving hug that her daughter needs.

 

"Taeyeon loves umma too. Goodnight umma."

 

 

*******

 

 

26th March 1996, Seoul International Primary School, Seongnam.

 

 

Tiffany was crying again during recess after she found out Taeyeon, Sunny, Yuri, and Hyoyeon were helping her to give 365 free ice-creams to the students in their school for the cause to help her so her mother will recover fast.

 

"I thought when Taeng asked us to give free ice-cream to our classmate and every student, she will be happy. Why did she cry again?" Yuri sounded upset to see Tiffany was crying with her face down against the table where she always sat in their class. "Taeng, you go and talk to her. Because of you she was crying again today. It’s all your fault! Probably, she dislikes the thing we did. You should apologize to her right now so she could be quiet."

 

"Why would she dislike it? And don’t you think that you are being so harsh on Taeyeonie with your words? Because if you don't agree that you were being so harsh on Taeyeonie, I feel like I want to smack your head so badly right now." Sunny tried to argue with Yuri on behalf of her quiet friend who felt bad right now to face this kind of tense situation. "I saw she was smiling before she cried. Maybe she just felt touched by our effort. Do we always cry because of sadness? No, right? Sometimes we cry when we are happy, sometimes we cry when we are angry, and sometimes we cry when we are hurt or sad. So, don't be so negative by blaming Taeyeonie."

 

"How did you know that, bunny?"

 

This time it was Hyoyeon’s turned to investigate. Yuri has already become quiet from her bark,