Misunderstanding

***

After two hours of searching around town, Jessica unexpectedly found Da-On sitting on the bus stop bench with a bag, as if he was going somewhere for his birthday. She decided not to call her friends and approach him carefully. When Da-on saw her, he immediately moved to the end of the bench. 

"Da-On ah, where are you going at this time of the night?" asks her as she takes her seat not far from him.

"I'm going to find my father, Noona." Da-On said and pouted cutely.

She slightly widened her eyes. "Chincha? Have you seen him—or do you already know his location?" she knew Da-On had been teased by the orphanage kids for not knowing his father.

"Yes, S-So-yu... she told me he's in Korea... I'm going there."

"Chincha? Do you even know that Korea has a lot of men?" she chuckled softly. "You could get lost if you go there alone, Da-On."

"I'm still going to find him." Da-on insisted firmly while hugging his small bag tighter.

"Do you even have money?"

"Seohyun Noona gave me."

"Omo, she did? How much?"

Opening his bag, Da-on took the small pouch and showed it to the older. Jessica moved closer to see the money inside. A play money of 1 thousand dollars is inside much to her amusement. 

"Wae?" Da-On is confused by her reaction.

"The money can't be used, Da-On. You see, it's fake and-"

"Seohyun Noona pranked me?"

"Ah, it looks like." Jessica awkwardly smiles. "But that's because you're still a kid. And a kid like you can't go on alone yet. Do you understand that?"

"Why not?" 

"It's because you can't still do whatever you like at this age. Aigoo, come here." She pulled him closer and hugged him with comfort. "When the time is right, let's go find your father, araso?"

"Da-on? Is that you?" Tiffany immediately rushed to the boy and the latter let go of Jessica. "Yah, I told you-"

"I'm sorry, Omma." Da-On didn't let her continue her words as he hugged her tightly. 

She eventually softened and hugged him back, rubbing his back gently. "I thought you were just going to sleep over with the kids in the orphanage, please don't do this. You worried me a lot."

Jessica sweetly smiled at them. "He's fine." she assuredly says. 

"I just want to have fresh air." Da-On looked up to her and smiled cutely.

"Chincha? Then you have a bag with you?"

"Yes, so I can eat my chips while watching the night sky, Omma." He explained referring to the junk foods he packed for himself.

"Whoa, no wonder there are few left in the fridge." Tiffany flicked Da-On's forehead playfully earning a giggle from him.

"We should get back now, so everyone can stop looking for him." Jessica suggested as she got up.

And just then, a truck slowly pulls over in front of them. 

"Yah, you guys want to go for a joy ride?" Ask Seohyun loudly which brought smiles to her friends. However, Da-On rushed to the truck excitedly and almost fell when he climbed the back.

"Aish, be careful." Tiffany scolded the little boy as she helped him climb the truck at the back of it. 

Jessica took the passenger seat while the mother and son duo were at the back. 

"Let's go Noona!" Yelled Da-on so loud and he slapped the truck just like the workers on the farm were doing it. 

Seohyun smiled and drove off carefully. But when they're already far, she speeds up, making Tiffany and Da-on scream and laugh as they enjoy the night joyride for the next couple of hours. However, they haven't even returned home when Da-On has fallen asleep in Tiffany's arms.

***

Jessica and Yihyun stepped out of their respective rooms in unison, both spreading their arms as they let out a huge yawn. 

"Good morning." And said at the same time as they took their seats at their small table outside. Tiffany sets the table earlier as usual and both eat their sandwich at the same time.

"Yah, did you guys get closer than usual?" Tiffany softly chuckles as she takes her seat across them.

Jessica and Yihyun looked at each other and immediately cringed. "Hell No!" and shouted at the same time.

"Tsk, no wonder the boys in the flower farm had been telling me you guys don't talk to each other when working." said Tiffany as she took a bite of her sandwich. And just then, her phone buzzed on the side of the table. She smiled when she received a photo of Da-On sent by Seohyun who drove her son to kindergarten school. 

"Speaking of Flower Farm, do you know that Donghae has a crush on you, Unnie." Yihyun smiled teasingly at the older woman next to her.

"I know and he already told me about that." Jessica didn't even hesitate to say it. "He's fine with us being friends." She smiled proudly.

"Whoa, that's good to know. I mean, it's been 2 years since we got here. I think he gone fond of you as a friend more than a lover."

"Exactly."  

"So can I confess to him, Unnie?" Yihyun asked while grinning.

"What? You like him? Just when?" Jessica almost choked on her food.

"When we got here." Yihyun answered proudly.

"Seriously? He's way older than you." Tiffany softly chuckles.

"I'm already twenty three, Unnies! And age doesn't matter."

Jessica and Tiffany didn't think twice and knocked Yihyun's head a few times causing her to laugh and dramatically win. 

"Finish your food and go to school already before we could kill you." Jessica warned seriously. Yihyun stuck her tongue out as she got up and ran back to her bedroom.

"Donghae is way even older than us." Tiffany is totally in disbelief.

"I think she was just joking. Let's not mind her and let's get to our work too after this." Said Jessica as she continuously ate her food.

"By the way, I heard from Da-On last night that you guys talked about Korea. Is this about his father again?" 

"Ah, that kid won't ever keep any conversation."

"I'm glad you scolded him again." Tiffany replied with a relieved smile.

"No problem. You know it's hard for me to mention that too. Anyway, I should get going now, otherwise, Yihyun's crush will scold me too for being late." Getting up, Jessica grabs her glass of water and drinks it carefully.

Tiffany got up to get her lunch box and handed it to her. "Have a good day, Sica." She said and they hugged briefly.

"Don't forget to tell Seohyun to deliver flowers to the port. They ran out of it yesterday." Said Jessica as she made herself to the bedroom.

"Yes, as if she doesn't always stop by the farm." Tiffany softly chuckles while picking up the dishes and bringing them to the sink. Her phone alarms which indicates she has to go to the orphanage and begin her 1 hour lesson with the kids. So she fastens washing the dishes.

***

After dropping off Da-On at kindergarten, Seohyun drove back to town and parked her truck across from her art shop. Two elderly women were already waiting for her on the bench outside the shop. They were her clients for the day, and Seohyun would be teaching them how to draw as well as drawing their portraits.

"Before we begin today's session, would you like to have some tea, Ma'am?" She politely asked as she opened the door to her shop and gestured for them to walk in. Once inside, she flipped the sign on her glass door to "open" and followed them to the pantry, where they made hot, refreshing tea while having a good conversation.

In the midst of it, a young photographer walked into her shop, looking around at every portrait on display. Seohyun noticed it and realized he was an Asian. She just let him until he approached their table.

"Um, excuse me, how much is that portrait?" He asked her with a friendly smile while pointing at her portrait of the beach. "It kinda reminds me of that beach I went earlier."

"You're probably the only one that likes the beach. It's just 5 bucks." She answered with a humble smile.

"Seriously? That's an awesome drawing right there. It's an oil painting, right? It looked so real like a picture. I'll triple it." He demands.

"Hell no, that's too much for a beach portrait."

"No, I insist. The beach is really beautiful to me and I had a good time with the locals. So please, take it." He said as he handed him the money. 

"Take it, Ms. Seo. You deserve it." One of the elders tries to convince her. She felt more shy but she took the money nonetheless and proceeded to wrap the portrait into a safe box. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Have a good one, lady." The photographer said with a sweet smile before he left the shop.

Seohyun smiled as she put the money into the pocket of her pants before she returned to her clients to continue their tea and conversations they had. After a while, she started working with them, doing their face portrait.

***

[Los Angeles]

While busy browsing the internet on her laptop, Sooyoung received an email from Seoul, South Korea that caught her attention and she clicked on the notification to see the email.

"Oh come on. I thought the U.S. government has more right to punish me?" She was caught by the Seoul Police helping the syndicate from New York so her mission failed she was deported immediately and the NYPD sent her to LAPD as a lady guard in a prison. "Tsk." The thought of the fugitives immediately brought her to the day Taeyeon declined her offer and she searched the three gentlemen's names on the internet for updates or what was up to them for the last 5 years. And recent articles were found about them.

- Chairman Kim Taeyeon just recently opened another headquarters in Europe for the expan