- And done! - The woman said cheerfully as she finished braiding her daughter's hair. - You're growing up too fast. Soon you will have a boyfriend and next thing I know, I'm having to send you away to your husband's house.

- I have a boyfriend. - The young girl nonchalantly said, making her mom panic for a second. - No, actually all the boys in the class are my boyfriends. They're fun to play with.

- Oh no, dear. I'm talking about the man who you will love growing up. And if you choose to spend the rest of your life with him, he will be your husband.

- Love? You live with someone when you love him? - She looked up curiously. 

 - Most of the time, yes.

- But I love you! And I can't live with you anymore? Noooooooo, I don't want to! - The nine-year-old whined with glistening eyes. - You'll be so lonely.

- Don't worry about that, Byulie. I'm fine with that.

- Why do I have to have a boyfriend though? Can't I have a girlfriend? Girls are pretty, they have adorable cheeks for me to pinch too. Or I can live alone my whole life with you.

- Who taught you that? - Mrs. Moon suddenly raised her voice, scaring little Byulyi.

- N- no one. I'm just wondering. Am I not allowed to play with girls now? - She pouted.

- I'm not saying that. You can be friends with other girls, but you don't love them the way you will love your future boyfriend. Living alone isn't a good idea either, I must say. Just look at Grandma Jeowon beside our house. Isn't she sad all the time because she has neither a husband nor kids?

- Yeah... - The kid trailed off. With that, they changed the topics, but the conversation still lingered in her mind.

'Will I really need a husband to be happy? Why is love so complicated anyway?'

***

- Yong, I have to go on a business trip this weekend to Bucheon.

- But it's Friday afternoon now. - Yongsun frowned. - When are you going?

- Actually... I'm packing my things now. It's a little sudden but necessary to reduce the possible workload on New Year holiday. I don't want to do anything related to work when we are relaxing together. Sorry for not being able to tell you sooner.

- That's fine. - The psychiatrist tried to hold back a sigh. - I will miss you though.

- Me too. If I manage to go home by Sunday night maybe we could have a cuddle and movie night?

- Sounds better. - Byulyi could feel her smile through the phone. - Have a safe trip then. I love you.

- Love you too, Yongsun.

Her smile faded the moment the call ended. Her hands gripped the steering wheel as she braced herself for what was about to come. In all honesty though, she didn't even know if she should even try this.

The sky blue convertible soon stopped in front of the house she knew all too well. Holding her bag, she shakily pressed the doorbell and waited.

Tears brimmed her eyes as the house owner opened the door. The latter seemed to also be surprised. They both stood in a silent tension, until the lady walked inside, leaving the door open as a signal for Byulyi to follow her.

This silence continued when they sat opposite each other in the living room. Byulyi took time observing her old house, which wasn't so different from her memory. The middle-aged woman on the other hand stared at the person in front of her, the one she had given birth to thirty-three years ago. Her daughter.

It had been another three years of her not talking to Mrs. Moon. And her heart ached because of that. Oh did she wish to have her mother comfort her when she was in so much pain for not being able to fulfill her responsibilities as a mother-to-be. How silly, Byulyi thought, she was the one who decided not to announce the news to her after all.

The lawyer wasn't sure if this was going to work. Being homophobic was not easily changeable. But she wanted to give it a last try. That was her mother; she was about to enter another exciting chapter or her life and a part of her still badly wanted the lady to be a part of it.

Byulyi left the house when she was just still a teenager, and now here she was in front of her, having grown up so much after all these times she almost couldn't recognize her daughter. The older the lawyer got, the more she took after her own mother. Almost spontaneously, she was hit with realization, something she couldn't fully recognize from their last phone call.

- You look so mature now... - She spoke up, breaking the ice between the two. - Last time we talked, I still think you're just a child knowing nothing about this world...

- You sure do. - Byulyi sarcastically chuckled. - I was even pregnant when I talked to you and you still think my ual orientation is a phase.

- How was the baby? - replied her mother, actively ignoring the second half of her sentence, or she was going back to it later. Byulyi hoped it was the second possibility.

- She died. - The word rolled out of her tongue so easily, so nonchalantly, it surprised her. Mrs. Moon was indeed also taken aback. - The baby was stillborn at the eighth month. Today was her second death anniversary actually.

- W-why didn't you tell me?

- Because I don't think I have the right to. - The lawyer was on the verge of tears now. - You didn't accept me or the baby from the beginning, why should I tell the news to someone who wouldn't consider me to be related to her?

- I-

- You want to disown your daughter just because she wants to love who she loves and be who she is. - Tears started streaming down but Byulyi could care