40 |Twists & Turns

***

After parting ways with his friends, Taeyeon ushered Da-On towards the airport's main exit. With one piece of luggage secured in his left hand, Taeyeon offered his right hand to Da-On, who clung to it with trust. Meanwhile, the young boy cradled his beloved bear stuffed toy in his right arm. The remainder of their belongings were expertly managed by Taeyeon's vigilant bodyguards.

Da-On, who was unfamiliar with the individuals trailing behind, found himself repeatedly glancing back to check on the luggage being handled by the bodyguards. Despite their reassuring smiles whenever their eyes met, Da-On couldn't shake a slight feeling of apprehension around them.

"After settling into the black car, Da-On patiently waited for Taeyeon to join him before finally mustering the courage to ask, "Taeyeon Appa, who exactly are they?"

"Oh, they're just some of Appa's friends. They work for me," Taeyeon explained calmly as he tenderly secured his son's seat belt. 

"Do you work with them? What do you do?" Da-On inquired innocently.

"I work as a banker. And I'm also a barista at my cafe," Taeyeon answered, chuckling at his son's inquisitiveness. "I'll give you more details when we head to work together tomorrow," he reassured Da-On.

"Welcome back, Mr. Chairman," the driver greeted them warmly as he settled into the driver's seat. "And a warm welcome to Seoul, South Korea, Kim Da-On," he added with a cheerful smile directed at the young boy through the rearview mirror.

Da-On was taken aback. "He knows who I am."

"Yeah, I've already mentioned you to him. He's Mr. Jung JongSeok, our family driver," Taeyeon said, seizing the chance to introduce his driver.

"Hi, Da-On," the driver greeted warmly, offering a brief wave to the young boy.

"Hello," Da-On responded with a small yet shy smile, returning the wave. The driver smiled back before carefully driving the car forward.

"Why don't you take a nap?" Taeyeon suggested, hoping to give the young boy some rest.

Da-On smiled faintly but shook his head. Instead, he diverted his attention to the view outside the window, captivated by the bustling city lights. Seoul was a stark contrast to what he was used to, with its towering buildings and lively atmosphere. "Will Omma come right after?" he inquired, momentarily lost in thoughts of his mother before refocusing on Taeyeon.

"Yup, just as she mentioned before we headed to the airport," Taeyeon affirmed with confidence. "Probably in about 3 days," he added reassuringly.

"In 3 days, which means, Saturday?"

"Nope, it means, Sunday. The days in Seoul are ahead of Ireland, Da-On."  

"Chincha?"

"Yes. So while it's nighttime here, it's probably daylight in South Dakota." 

Da-On nodded in understanding. "I see," he murmured before returning his gaze to the cityscape outside. Despite his limited view due to his height, he could still make out the sparkling lights emanating from the various buildings, casting a mesmerizing glow across the city.

"If you are tired, just sleep, okay?" 

"Yes, Taeyeon Appa." He answered without stirring off his eyes outside.

Taeyeon quietly smiled, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned his head against the headrest, preparing to doze off during the journey. However, he was reminded of his plan to tell Da-On about him and looked at the young boy. 'Nah, I guess it's not the right time. Tomorrow, I'll make sure to tell him everything.' he told himself, determined to tell his son the truth about his real father.

***

In the quiet stillness of the early morning, Yoona finds himself amidst the task of unpacking, his belongings strewn across the room from two bulging suitcases. The necessity of acquiring new luggage arises from the thoughtful gift of potato chips bestowed upon him by Seohyun, alongside the delicate canvas she crafted for him. With care, he arranges his possessions within the confines of his closet, before extracting the painting from its temporary confinement within the luggage.

Contemplation ensues as he gazes upon the artwork, pondering its placement within his sanctuary. "This spot seems fitting," he murmurs softly, choosing the wall opposite his bed as its new home. A sudden realization strikes, prompting him to seek out the requisite tools for its installation.

"Ah, a hammer and nails are needed for this task," he notes, setting forth on the mission to secure the artwork in its rightful place. But before he could get them, he heard his phone ring on top of the nightstand, prompting him to rush to it and pick it up. His face lit up the moment he read Seohyun's contact ID flashing on the screen as a video call. 

He fixed his curly fringe first before he accepted the call. "Seohyun-ah! Good morning!" he greeted right away when she saw her face.

[The night has fallen here. Good evening from my corner of the world] Seohyun responded with a gentle wave, her weariness evident as she lay on her stomach in bed, engaged in conversation with him.

"You okay, baby?" He got concerned. "You look beautiful even though... Tired?"

[Yeah, just feeling a bit drained,] she admitted with a big yawn, followed by a warm smile. [And thanks for the compliment, you're not looking too bad yourself.]

"I'm happy, and it's all thanks to you," Yoona beamed brightly. "You know exactly who's behind this smile."

[Silly. But ditto. How was your flight?]

"It went well, though Da-On's curiosity knows no bounds. It was amusing to watch him explore," he chuckled, settling onto the bed with a sweet smile. "I already miss having you around."

[It's just a day, it's not like a decade.] Seohyun softly chuckled. 

"You do miss me too, don't you?"

[Yeah, I do. I wouldn't call you if I didn't. By the way, we'll begin to do the mission tomorrow. So yeah, good luck to us.]

"It'll be alright. I trust Mrs. Lee for handing you with that ring."

[The ring is already in the Authorities' care. I think they'll see it through the scanner to make sure it wasn't like an explosive ring or something.]

"Your silver ring tells the story," Yoona giggled, noticing the ring adorning Seohyun's finger.

Seohyun quickly angled her hand towards her phone's camera. [It truly is. It holds so much meaning], she remarked with a tender smile.

"[Hey, Im Yoona, why not just marry her already?]" Tiffany's voice suddenly interjected as she playfully popped up from behind, teasing the young couple.

[Unnie!] Seohyun exclaimed as she slapped her friend's arm earning her laughter.

"Noona, did you already reach out to Da-On and Taeyeon?" Yoona inquired promptly.

[Not yet. I'm waiting for it to hit 8 am over there. I bet my Da-On is still sound asleep at this hour. It's nice to see you up so early, Yoong,] she remarked with a hint of gratitude.

"I... I was just really looking forward to hanging my painting on the wall," he confessed shyly, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

[You did not just tell me that in front of me and your girlfriend!] Tiffany softly chuckled. [I'm out here.] 

Seohyun laughs at the older. [She's just being dramatic. Just call your family already!] And throw a pillow toward her.

"You guys are so sillies." Yoona giggled. "But where's Jessica Noona?" 

[Showering. Always the last one to freshen up], Seohyun replied, rolling over in bed as she prepared to rise and head to the balcony. "[Check out how bright the stars are here, Yoong.] Excitedly, she flipped her phone's camera to the front-facing view. "[They mentioned there might be aurora borealis tonight.]

"Omo, I'm so envious! I've always wanted to see those lights in person! But hold on, it's snowing there?"

[Spring here is running late, so yeah, there's still some snow. But the cold isn't too bad. Let's make a plan to see those lights once the mission's done. We could come back here together, you know], Seohyun suggested, her excitement bubbling as she envisioned herself and Yoona marveling at the breathtaking auroras.

"One day. Mark my word." Yoona remarked firmly.

[Now, I'm really missing you.]

"I miss you too baby. Don't skip your meal, okay?" 

Seohyun softly giggles. [Yes. You too. I know you're always the stubborn one.]

"Of course not. It was you!" Yoona denied strongly.

"[We're both so stubborn]," Seohyun declared, prompting a brief moment of laughter between them. Then, they sighed, exchanging fond smiles filled with affection.

"Aigoo, I've never felt this deeply in love with anyone before, and it's all your fault," The older teased affectionately.

[You're lucky you're my first love.]

"And your forever love. Because I'm going to marry you and fill our lives with little ones," he grinned mischievously, earning a playful scoff from Seohyun.

[Be careful what you wish for.]

"We haven't even done it. So yeah, we'll have like a football team."

[Yah! I'm not a machine]

Yoona bursts into laughter. "I'm just teasing. Ultimately, it's your call. I'll respect whatever decision you make. But maybe, just maybe, we could go for three? One girl and two boys, perhaps?"

[Stop imagining it. I'm not ready for that yet.]

"I understand, but there's nothing wrong with dreaming of our perfect family. You know, you're the only person I can envision spending the rest of my life with," he expressed tenderly.

[Aigoo, they were right when they said that when someone's incredibly happy, they start thinking all sorts of strange things,] Seohyun remarked, finding herself believing in such notions now.

"It's not weird at all! It's just a human thing!" Yoona defended himself firmly.

[Well, if you say so] Seohyun softly chuckled, then suddenly heard Jessica returning inside. She casually acquiesced and settled back onto her bed. "[I think it's time to sleep now. Good night from my end, Yoong.]

"Good night, baby. I love you."

[I love you, too, Yoongie.] 

Yoona smiled warmly before hesitantly ending the call from his end. His smile widened even further as he imagined himself starting a family. Unable to contain his excitement, he screamed into his pillow. "Five babies would be perfect! We'll have our own basketball team," he remarked, giggling at the thought.

***

"Can I have cereal, please?" Da-On's plea was immediate as he glanced at the table, which was laden with a traditional Korean breakfast unfamiliar to him. 

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to at least taste one of them? You've tried the eggroll back in Sunshine Village." Taeyeon asked with a hint of concern, noticing his son's hesitance towards the breakfast he had woken up early to prepare.

"I... just... miss being in Sunshine Village," Da-On admitted with a wistful tone, his pout betraying his sadness. "I miss having breakfast with my favorite cereals." As he spoke, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease brought on by the unfamiliar surroundings, reminding him of the warmth and familiarity of his previous home.

"Alright, I'll check if I have some... cereals," Taeyeon responded, opening the cabinet above with a hopeful expression. However, after a brief search, his disappointment was evident. He checked the rest of the cabinets and even the fridge, but there were no cereals to be found. It seemed he wasn't a cereal person after all.

"Would you like me to buy it for him, Mr. Chairman?" The maid noticed the problem and offered some help.

"No, it's okay, Ms. Jang. I'll buy it myself," he assured his head maid with a polite smile before turning back to his son at the dining table. "I'll get it for you, but you have to stay in your seat, okay?"

"Yes, Appa." Da-On smiled cheerfully right away.

With a quick smile, Taeyeon removed his apron and hurried out of the house. He had a meeting to attend later and couldn't afford to waste a single second. Rushing to the nearby convenience store, he entered and headed straight for the cereal aisle, where an array of flavors greeted him from the shelves. Hastily, he grabbed two boxes at random and swiftly made his way to the checkout counter, eager to complete his errand and get back to his responsibilities.

However, upon his return, Taeyeon found Da-On in tears, throwing tantrums and causing a commotion with the maid who was attempting to calm him down and keep him seated. Concern etched on his face, Taeyeon approached them swiftly. "Da-On, what's wrong?" he inquired with genuine concern, his heart sinking at the sight of his distressed son.

"I want to eat cereal now!" Da-On exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice as he angrily tossed the pillows from the sofa, narrowly missing the maids who dodged his throws with nimble movements.

"Here, the cereals are here," Taeyeon said as he handed the box to the young boy. However, as Da-On checked the box, he threw it on the ground in frustration.

"It's not the same cereals I love! I want the cereals from Sunshine Village! I want the cereals Omma always gives me," Da-On cried out, his voice filled with longing and frustration. He collapsed to the floor, wailing inconsolably as memories of his mother, friends from the orphanage, and beloved Noonas flooded his mind. With each name he screamed, the pain of separation echoed in the room, his sorrow relentless and palpable.

Taeyeon clenched his fists, a surge of frustration welling up within him as he fought the urge to scold his son. However, he knew that maintaining his patience was paramount. With a determined effort, he took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to steady his nerves. Despite the chaos unfolding b