“Saeng oppa!”

Young Saeng was shopping for some groceries at the supermarket when he felt 
a tug on his hand and he looked down to find a little girl holding on to his hands.

“Min Jung? You’ve grown so much taller…”

“Why haven’t you visited me? You said you’d come with Joelle unnie the other time”

“Mianhae, oppa has been busy. Why are you alone? Where’s your omma?”

“Min Jung didn’t I tell you not to walk off without informing me? 
Oh Young Saeng-shi, how have you been?”

He had gotten to know the little girl after bumping into Joelle at the same supermarket 
several months back. She was babysitting them for the day and shopping for some ingredients with 
Min Jung and her baby brother, and he ended up joining them for their little baking session after 
giving them a lift back. He then met her mother Khrysalis briefly when she returned home from 
her appointment. 

Young Saeng felt a surge of happiness when he found out from Khrys that Joelle
had been helping with her husband’s business for the past few months, and was
beaming when she handed him a namecard which marked the end of months of futile searching.

“Oppa will you come to my birthday party this Sunday? Unnie’s baking me a cake!”

“Ah… our little princess is growing up. Sure, I’ll be there”

He made his way to the café immediately after that and was relieved to see her at work, but 
his mind was filled with what ifs as he stood opposite the café and watched her from afar, 
contemplating whether or not to approach her.

What if she doesn’t want to see me? 
What if she avoids me again? 
What am I going to say to her?

He finally decided against approaching her until the day of Min Jung’s birthday party itself. 

“Happy Birthday Min Jung”

“Saeng oppa! Let me show you my cake!”

The little girl dragged him into the kitchen excitedly upon greeting him at the door
and he made a mental note to remain calm no matter what was going to happen next. 

“Unnie!”

“Yah Minnie who did you…”

She froze upon the sight of him and the awkwardness between them was thankfully reduced by Min Jung. 

“Oppa look! Princess!”

“De… such a pretty cake for our little princess…”

“Unnie made it!”

“Min Jung ah, stay with Oppa while I check on your brother ok…”

He gripped onto Joelle’s hands as she tried to make her way out of the 
kitchen, only to be shrugged off by her.

“I’m sorry Jojo, I’m really sorry…”

“I… need to check on the baby…”