Himchan's POV

What was so wrong with me that she didn't want to be with me? She said she still loved me so why can't we be together?

"She has a life, a kid, a husband." Yongguk spoke up as we were in the car, driving back from the launch party. "Did you actually think that she would just throw that all away?"

His question riddled my brain. "No."

"What am I supposed to do now then?" I stared out the window.

"Have you forgotten about Nahyun already? I thought you were going to propose to her." He made a sharp right turn which startled my deep thought.

"Yah! Why must you drive like that?" I grabbed my pounding chest.

"I'm taking you somewhere." He didn't look at me.

Soon he came to an abrupt stop. "Get out." He demanded.

"What?" I was confused. It was too dark to identify where we were.

"Get out and don't forget this." He tossed something at me and I caught it. It was the ring I showed him not too long ago. "You've got to move on."

I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out the car. As soon as I slammed the door shut, he drove off. 

When I turned around I realized that I was right outside of Nahyun's place.

"Oh god."

~~~

"Himchan, it's 2 o'clock in the morning. What are you doing here?" She covered herself up with her robe.

"It's cold. Come inside then explain." She pulled me inside.

"I love you and I can't wait any longer." I stopped in front of her door.

"What in the world are you—" She stopped talking when I got down on one knee. "Himchan." She whispered.

"I feel like I've known you for years and we connect on such a deep level. I didn't realize till tonight that I'm ready to move on... with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I opened up the box and held up the ring. "Choi Nahyun, will you marry me?"

"O-of course! Oh my goodness, yes!" She pulled me up and into a hug. I smiled and buried myself into her hair.

This is what I want, right?

Of course it is.

~~~

I could have taken a cab home, or even called Yongguk to pick me up but I decided to walk. It was unusually bright morning in November. People looked happy, bird were chirping. Maybe it was just my very own happiness that made everything else seem great. 

I was getting married. What could I not be happy about?

But of course, I had to think of Ally. And just like that, the sun went away, the chirping ceased and my ears were bombarded with loud honks and other forms of road rage.

"I need my Americano." I headed in the direction of Starbucks.

Usually, I never stay and enjoy my coffee with the scenery of the city. But today I decided to. 

Sitting down at the table nearest to the window, I sipped on my smoldering hot beverage as I stared out the window.

It only took a few minutes before I could normally drink it without the worry of burning my mouth.

"Mommy, look!" I heard a familiar voice. When I looked up, out the window, it was no other than Bailey doing her infamous twirls with Ally trailing right behind her with a smile on her face. Bailey looked like she was ready to perform for all of New York at any moment.

"Beautiful sweety, but you have to save your energy for tonight." She stopped Bailey to fix her hair. "You're going to do so well."

I quickly finish off the rest of my Americano and got up to meet them. "Ally." I ran up to the two.

"Himchan!" Bailey grabbed my hand, jumping up and down. 

"What are you doing here? Are you following me?" She gently pulled Bailey away from me, which made my heart ache but I didn't understand why.

"No, I swear. I saw you from inside." I put my hands up to show my innocence. 

"You didn't say bye yesterday!" Bailey hit my leg.

"Oh ouch!" I pretended like her hit crippled me and fell to the ground. "No! No more! I'm so sorry! You're too stronger than me!" I cowered as she ran up to me, giggling.

"That's right!" She put her hands on her hips like a superhero.

"Himchan, get up." Ally bit down on her bottom lip to keep from smiling.

"Bailey, come here." I whispered and she inched closer. "I'm sorry for not saying goodbye. Will you forgive me?"

She put a hand to her chin and it for a moment before coming up to my ear and whispering back. "I forgive you." Then she surprised me by wrapping her tiny arms around my neck and squeeze. At first, I thought she was trying to strangle me but I realized it was a hug.

When I looked up at Ally, her expression confused me. She looked, dare I say... scared? Worried? I couldn't quite place it but it wasn't good.

"That's enough, Bay." She pried the little girl off of me, making us both whine. "You're gonna be late for the final rehearsal."

I slowly rose from the ground as they began to walk away. 

"Wait!" Bailey pulled her mother back in my direction. "Come to my recital! I'm going to be the star!"

"Bay—" Ally interjected.

"I can't." I bent kneel down to face Bay. "I wish I could."

"Then come," she whined. "Please. It's at 6:30 at Princeton Elemen—"

"Bay!" Ally intercepted yet again. "He said he can't. Let's go."

"But—"

"Come on." She pulled Bay away with tears forming in her eyes. It broke my heart more than I would like to admit. 

"Princeton Elementary." I whispered to myself.

~~~

I stared at the clock on the wall as the hour hand got closer and closer to 6. And tapped my foot against the hardwood floor as I bit my lip. I guess my anxiety was getting on Yongguk's nerves because he grabbed a fly swatter and slapped my thigh.

"Can you not? What's up with you? You've been tapping your foot for 30 minutes straight."

"I'm sorry." I rubbed my now stinging thigh. "I saw Ally today."

He tossed the swatter and scooted up closer to me. "What happened? Was Emily with her? Was Seunghyun with her?"

"She was with Bailey. Nothing exciting happened, if that's what you think." I sighed. "I don't know what it is about that kid, but I feel a connection. And the feeling has been tugging at me since I met her."

"How old is she?" He asked.

"Five probably, maybe six." 

"And when was the last time you saw Ally before she left Korea?"

"Six years. Where are you goin—" I cut myself off. "That's not possible. Seunghyun, himself, that she was his daughter. Who lies about something like that?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows?"

"I have to go." I grabbed my coat and ran out the front door.

"Princeton Elementary, Princeton Elementary..." I repeated to myself as I typed it into my GPS.

By the time I got to the auditorium of the school, the lights were beginning to dim and the curtains were being drawn.

I could see Ally and Seunghyun sitting all the way up front. And just as I was about to approach them, an announcement was made that the play was about to beginning. "I'll just have to wait." I sat in the back closest to the exit.

As the curtains were being pulled back, the first person I saw was Bay. She looked adorable in her blue tutu and princess tiara.

A few moments passed before her eyes found mine and a huge grin grew on her face and then on mine too. 

"That's my girl."