Kwon Ji Hyun was playing water in the swimming pool with her father, Kwon Jiyong. By the loud shrieking laughter from her, everyone in the mansion could tell she was indeed happy with her father’s presence along with her mother, Dara who rather chose to stay at the side of the pool. Sometimes, she waved her hand at her daughter, getting her attention.

“Hi, look like a happy family?” A voice greeted from Dara back.

Dara was surprised at the sudden appearance of Chaerin and to say that her heart wasn’t ready to meet her was also true. Dara pulled out her expressionless face, faking a mask that her presence didn’t bother her any less. Somehow Dara wondered why there’s always Chaerin to appear after her. Why her?

Yes, Dara had decided to leave the mansion along with her daughter to end her marriage between her and Jiyong very soon but as long as she still stayed in the mansion, how she wished that Chaerin existence abruptly extinct and disappeared. She couldn’t see any glimpse of her without hatred. Jealous? Dara chose not to answer.

“My parents and I will have our dinner here. I prepared almost every single dish of Ji favorite. You know, when you left before, I spent my days cooked for him. Ji somehow lost his appetite when Aunty Minyoung cooked for him but when I did, he even request for more. So, Dara… you have no problem right that I’ll have dinner here with all of you?” asked Chaerin, lifted up one of her drawn brows, expecting Dara answers.

Dara simply shook her head.

“There’s no problem with that. Sometimes, it’s good to gather around and have dinner together.” Dara answered nonchalantly.

Jiyong had approached the edge of the swimming pool with Ji Hyun in his arms. He freed his daughter from his embrace and let his wife to take care of their daughter.

“Dara, can you get me the towel and my shirt, please.”

Jiyong pointed his finger at the direction where he stripped out his shirt before he joined his daughter in the swimming pool. Dara, in silence still walked to the direction that Jiyong appointed and grab the necessary that his husband needed and gave to Jiyong. Her attention back to Ji Hyun and helped her daughter by dry her with a towel and subconsciously Chaerin had stood tall next to them.

“Aww, Ji… why you need your shirt and towel before left the pool? Come on, babe… there is nothing to be shy about. I did see more when we still dated each other and why now you was embarrassed over me?” Chaerin shamelessly cooed at Jiyong and reciting their past without concerning Dara was still there.

Dara really wanted to leave both of them here to have their own privacy to recalling the memories shared between them because Dara simply never care. She helped Ji Hyun, her daughter to walk away from the swimming pool area to dress her. Dara had only taken one step away before Jiyong stopped her.

Dara, wait! Hmm… I’m going in first, Chaerin. I need a change for my clothes and by the way, regarding our past, let the past been gone because there’s always a room for improvement to be better.”

Jiyong left Chaerin and rushed his steps to get closer to his small family, oblivious with Chaerin frustration. Jiyong curved a smile to his wife and brought his daughter into his arms and tickles her playfully. Ji Hyun, again shrieking into laughter and Dara unconsciously smile at the scene before her.

10 minutes later, Jiyong entered Dara bedroom. His wife was lying on the bed with a sleepy Ji Hyun next to him.

“Dara, do you want anything for dinner?” Jiyong asked but Dara answered with a mere shook on his head.

“Then, let me grab anything for you. What’ll you like to have, Dara?” Jiyong asked again.

Dara stared straight into Jiyong eyes with the decent gaps between both of them.

“I don’t feel like eat anything today.”

Jiyong started to worry. Did Dara mood changed because of Chaerin sudden appearance along with her family in the mansion? Did Dara felt offended with the guests?

“Dara… babe… pleases… I’m sure the baby in your belly want to eat something,” Jiyong tried again to convince his wife that he needed to eat a lot.

Jiyong walked closer and caressed on Dara baby bump.

“Hi, baby… This is Appa here. What will you want for our dinner later? Appa will get those for you…”

Dara threw a weird glance at his husband. Weirdo!

“Dara, the baby wanted to eat bulgogi, dak galbi, andong jjimdak, bibimbap, japchae, pajeon and hotteok,” Jiyong explained with so much effort to his wife, as long as Dara was convinced enough to eat something during the dinner.

“You tell me honestly, who is the one that requested those food? The baby or the baby’s Appa? Why don’t you buy everything sell in the market and how about trade the market under the company?” Dara blatantly said her point.

However, Jiyong didn’t even feel offended with what Dara just said. He grinned because at least Dara talked to him and that’s a big improvement to their hollow relationship.

+++

Jiyong returned from the market with a lot of plastic bags in his hands contained with foods that he thought maybe Dara will crave for later. He went to the market with Chaerin along with her mother who happened to be Jiyong paternal aunt. At first, Jiyong opposed the idea to bring Chaerin with him to the market but his aunt was so persistent in joining him and he had no choice left.

Jiyong gave everything he bought to the maids to be served later and his eyes wandered on a few dishes served on the dining table. The maids and his mother, Lady Kwon was busy preparing everything to look somehow perfect for tonight’s dinner.

His mother, Lady Kwon somehow changed a lot after Dara presence and Ji Hyun in the mansion. She happened to be around in the kitchen more rather than before. If before, Jiyong could tell how much his mother was lazy even to step in the kitchen and let everything household works handled totally by the maids. But everything changed ever since Dara stepped in the mansion with their daughter, Kwon Ji Hyun.

“Why there is soft tofu stew, Maid Lee?” Jiyong asked one of the maids that prepared the dining table with the foods.

Maid Lee couldn’t even answered Jiyong because Lady Kwon was faster enough to fill in Jiyong curiosity.

“Dara cooked the dish just now. She said she has no appetite to eat anything meaty. Mummy wants to prepare something for her, but she rejected the idea. She said she wanted to eat soft tofu stew. Take it easy Ji, pregnant people always had their odd cravings.”

Jiyong left without saying anything.

Everyone had gathered around the dining table but Dara was still absence and there’s no glimpse of her. Lady Kwon had assigned one of her maids to call for Dara and it worries Jiyong a lot. The rice that had been scooped by Chaerin didn’t touch by Jiyong, at all.

“Lady Kwon… Dara ssi said she didn’t want to eat anyt