"I'm going to New York and deliver this baby. My baby there." Sunny said with a determination that was clearly seen in her hazel eyes.

Her mother and father stared at her, then at each other. They put down their dinnerware.

"Well, actually, dear," her father started. "I want to suggest you the same thing. I think being here is not that healthy for you. Public's eyes will give you a lot of pressure like they already did."

"But are you sure you can look after yourself already?" Her mother continued. Her brown eyes were glinting with doubt.

Sunny smiled. "If you mean can I not try to kill myself again, then rest assure. I won't do that anymore."

Her dad stared hard at her, looking for verification in her eyes.

"Appa, I just realized that I want this baby, my baby to live. Besides, Fany will keep me checked all the time, and she can report to you if you want. She's in New York too remember, and Taeyeon is only about 200 miles away, coming every week to New York to visit her. So, can you give me one more chance and trust me?"

Both her parents were exchanging glances with each other.

"Appa, you're planning to stay in Korea for some time anyway. Why don't we switch places and you let me handle New York headquarter? Okay?" She gave in her best eye smile that she knew would melt her father's heart.

The old man snorted, "Now you can use that weapon against me again. I think I don't have any other option but give in?"

"Thanks, appa. I love you," Sunny beamed. She took another spoonful of rice.

Mr. Lee was staring at his daughter who sat across the table. He was feeling relieved inside. The fact that her daughter could shoot her aegyo weapon to him made him realize that his old optimistic sweet daughter was back. He gave his wife's right hand a squeeze of encouragement, showing that he could trust his daughter now, so should she.

"Why don't you take a break for the rest of your pregnancy, have fun in the States? You don't have to work," the old man spoke again after shoving quite a big chunk of bacon inside his mouth.

"Nah, I feel useless that way. Besides, being busy is good, Appa. And the fact that the New York headquarter is auto piloted ever since you returned to Seoul, it might be best if someone's there to replace you for a moment. Who knows if I could goal a new bid?"

"You really are your father's daughter, aren't you?" Her mother smiled, feeling amused. If any would tell that women didn't like to talk about business like men do, they couldn't get any more wrong. Her daughter's interest in business world always fascinated her. She was quick in thinking, rational and effective. And she couldn't be any more grateful to find those traits in her daughter once again. The horrible months which took away her daughter's spirit has passed. She couldn't help but wondered what had created a change in her so suddenly.

"Alright. Then I should ask assistant Park to help us with your visa tomorrow," he noted, loudly and mentally so he wouldn't forget tomorrow morning.

"Actually, the embassy had already granted my visa," she confessed. "I'm sorry not to telling you, but I had been thinking about this for quite some time. I applied for visa last month, and just this morning they emailed me the approval notification, telling me that I could pick it up tomorrow."

"That's fast," her father commented.

"I know right? I didn't expect the email notification too this morning."

"When do you plan to leave then?" Her mother asked.

"Hmm... this Saturday. Will that be okay for you? As for my work here, I'll divide and assign the job desc between my team member. Beside, Seohyun will assist, and every decision should get my approval first, so everything will be fine. I'll come to office and use these two days to brief them," she explained carefully. Her eyes were sneaking up to peek on her parent's expression. She could see her mother's bulging eyes when she heard her answer.

"Saturday is only three days away. Don't you think it's too fast, dear?" Her mother bargained. "I mean, I haven't apply for my visa. You shouldn't go alone."

"It's okay, Umma. I can go by myself," she assured her mother. "I will talk to Fany after this. She must be more than willing to pick me up on the airport. Besides, you know Fany, Umma. She's so fussy that I can compare her to you," she joked, lifting the doubt away with her easy personality."By the way, I want to show this to you." She rummaged her purse which she brought with her to the dining room intentionally.

"Is that the picture of our grandson which I begged to see but you didn't let me?" Her mother asked with a slightly annoyed tone. After Sooyoung dropped her from the hospital, she begged her daughter to show her the picture and the recorded video, but she wouldn't allow, saying that she wanted to wait for her father to come home and see it together. She pursed her lips upon remembering it.

"Aww, Umma, don't be such a kid. You're a grandma yet you pout like that," Sunny protested as she was taking out a photo from inside her purse.

"Am I not allowed to act cute that I'm old?" This time her mother protested. "Wait 'til you're my age, then let's see what your eye smile and aegyo can do."

Sunny laughed. "Butthurt Umma."

The family laughed together at her comment. It has been a while to hear laughter filled up that dining room. There were usually more people, more chatter, more laughter in that mansion. However, since her second sister went abroad, and the state she was in before, the mood in that house had turned somber. So they were glad that the cheery mood came back, although it lacked her brother-in-law teasing and the kids' constant babbling.

"Where are Eunkyu unnie and Hojoon oppa? Don't they want to see how their niece would like?"

"Niece?!" Her mother exclaimed. "So he's not a he, but a she?!" She reached out her hand, waiting for Sunny to hand the photo to her.

Sunny did like her mother gestured. She handed her the photo. "She's a she. Every body has been guessing incorrectly." Sunny smiled.

"Wah, the body has taken its form," her mother appraised. She gestured the photo to her husband's direction, so they could see together.

"She's cute, sweetheart," her father complimented.

"She is," Sunny answered proudly. After her visit to the hospital, her maternal instinct started to grow abundantly.

They continued eating, chatting over less serious topics like Sunny's nephew and niece, her sister and her husband in Kuwait. She told her parents about Sooyoung and Yuri who cried like mad women in maternity ward's waiting room.

However, after weighing this and that, her father finally asked, "What about Sungmin, dear?" Her father asked again. "I know it might be difficult for you, but we need to sort it out, don't you think?"

Sunny was caught off guard by her father's question. She heaved a deep sigh, "Well, I had made up my mind long ago. I'm sorry Umma, Appa, but I will not marry him. I can't even figure out if I still love him or I just care for him right now. Besides, although I said I understand his action, and at some point I forgave him already, but I can't forget. Not that easily. I'm sorry. I know how much you care about him for he takes you as his own parents. I'm fine sharing my parents with him, but I can't share my life with him. He hurt me, and he made me scared of him."

"Honey, it's not that we love him more than you are. For us, you are our precious youngest daughter. You are our precious maknae. If anybody hurt you in any way, we also feel hurt. To be honest, I can't forgive him for what he did. Just like Hojoon said, we almost lost you because of him." Her father reached out his hand across the table for hers.

"Thank you, Appa. But please don't hate him. You know that he's in his lowest point. He needs support. Something that I cannot give him right now. Something that I'm not ready to give him right now," She emphasized. "I know that maybe my request is too selfish, too much for you, but can you please stay by his side? You know that he's only tough on appearance, but inside he's fragile. That's why all these happen."

Her father stared at her. She knew Sungmin too well, care for him too well that although she was hurt that way, she couldn't hate him. He'd like to tell her to stop playing martyr for him, but remembering that guy, that boy inside grew almost alone all his life, he couldn't feel but sympathized. His heart which long longed a real son was intrigued. Maybe he was the one being selfish all along.

"I understand if you need time to accept him one more. Take your time, Appa, Umma. He needs you, he needs a parents figure the most." Sunny persuaded.

The old man sighed. "I understand," he said. "However, about your baby, she should grow up knowing her father. Don't forget that it's her right."

"Don't worry, Appa. I never had a thought to seclude my baby of her father. Don't want the history to repeat itself right?" Sunny answered. She finished her meal, then she went to tidy up the now empty plates on the table.

"Good. Then you should talk to Sungmin before you go to New York." Her father suggested, taking a sip of water from his crystal glass.

"I know." Sunny replied as she was carrying the empty dishes and arranged it in the dishwasher to cleaned, while her mother was boiling a kettle of water on the stove.

"Tea?" Her mother asked. It was her parents routine to have a cup of tea after dinner.

"Nah. I'm going to call Fany now. Good night, Umma." Sunny went over to kiss her mother on her cheek, then she went over to kiss her father who was sitting on the porch outside the dining room before going upstairs to her room.

Mrs. Lee poured the boiled water into two cups and brought it over to the porch. She set down the two cups on the small table between two armchairs, sat down and sighed.

"What's wrong?" asked Mr. Lee.

"She has changed. My daughter is back," answered his wife. "I am relieved."

Her husband smiled lovingly, "See. I told you she will come around. Our daughter is a fighter. I never doubt her."

***

"Your flight is tomorrow, right? When is it?" Sooyoung asked from across the line.

"Yep. I take an evening flight at 7.09 am," she answered.

"Are you sure about that?" She asked, concerned.

"You mean?"

"Don't you think they will think that you're running away?"

Sunny smiled through her phone. "There is a great significance between running away and outsmarting this situation."

"I know, but..."

Suuny cut her friend mid-sentence, "No but. Besides, I only need you guys to understand. The heck with other insignificant people, let alone public and journalists."

Sooyoung heaved a sigh across the line, "Alright. Yuri and I will see you off. Gosh, I can't believe this. You're leaving us. You're a traitor, Lee Soonkyu."

"Hey, it's Lee Sunny, okay," the later corrected.

"Whatever. Fany said Taeng had arranged her flight, so her arrival should be more or less similar to you. They will pick you up."

"Yep. She told me so," Sunny answered.

"Where are you now?"

"Han River."

"Talking to Sungmin oppa?"

"Yep." Sunny heard a loud sigh on the line. "Hey. I'll be okay."

"I still wish that you would just leave that jerk rot somewhere."

"Hey. He's not that bad, okay. He was just not himself," Sunny warned. "Maybe this is his wake up call."

"At your cost." Sunny could imagine her tall friend knotted her eyebrow in displeasure.

"I am fine now. I have my baby alright." Then by the corner of her eyes she could see a familiar figure came closer. "Hey, I have to hung up. Talk to you later."

"He's there?" Sooyoung asked.

"Yep. Just arrived. Bye, Syoung-ah." Without waiting for the other line to ring off, she hung up first. "Oppa." She nodded at the man who was standing in front of her.

"Sunny-ah." She could sense longing in his voice that made her heaved a sigh. It's over, Oppa. She talked to herself.

"Oppa." She greeted him back, studying his feature. The feature of the person she once fell deep in love with. The one that once gave happiness to her, and the one who took it away. There was a faint black mark under his skin around his left eyes and cheek, and a grotesque line of  dry gash on his upper lip. "Hojoon oppa did that, didn't he?" She asked.

Sungmin just shrugged. "I deserve it."

"I'm sorry, Oppa. I'll talk to him."

"No, I AM sorry. I was not myself at that time, and I deeply regret it now," Sungmin repented. His face was so brokenhearted that made Sunny felt bad for him.

"It's okay, Oppa. I understand you too well to know that," Sunny said. She walked over to the railing overlooking Han river below. The soft breeze of afternoon brushed her shoulder length locks on the side of her head backwards. "I'm going to New York tomorrow."

Sungmin snapped his head when he heard that. "W-why?"

"It will be less pressure for me there, Oppa. For the sake of my baby." She turned her head to see his anguished look.

"B-but... He is my baby too..." His voice trailed off at the end of the sentence.

Sunny felt the urge to yell, No! She is MY baby!! To be possessive over the little living being in her belly, but she refrained herself. She knew that despite his one big mistake which ruined everything they had all these time, he would be a good father. She knew it for he often shared about his dream of having a happy family with two or three children who were playing around. Something that he never had. She remembered how often he mentioned before about how he wanted kids from her.

She smiled sadly. Instead she said, "She's a she, Oppa. You'll be a father of a baby girl. That fact that I can never, nobody can ever deny. But I will not marry you. I just can't."

"Why? Can't we give it a try again?" Sungmin came closer to her, reaching out to touch her arm. However, she jerked back a bit, instinctively. Sungmin saw her unconscious rejection, which left a pang in his heart. "Can't you give me another chance to fix everything?" His voice trembled.

Sunny hung her head low, trying to swallow the tears which almost spilled, "I'm sorry, Oppa. I forgive you already, but that doesn't mean I can forget. I'm sorry."

The time seemed to stop at that moment. He stared at the only woman who had made his life brighter, and the slight bump which was visible, despite her wearing a loose white blouse. His heart ached so much that he wished to break down right there, right then on the designed gravel on the pedestrian walk, wailing for another loss in his life. First his childhood, his parental figures, his business, and now, his keeper. But he held himself together all his might. He shouldn't. He knew that what had happened was a wake up call to make him a better person, and he swore not to let her down anymore. He wanted to change.

"It's okay, I understand. It's a price that I have to pay," he said, adding sincerely, "I wish you happiness, Sunny-ah."

"Thank you, Oppa," she said solemnly, wiping a single tear that rolled down her cheek. "And I won't rob you of this child. The same thing that I won't rob her of her father. You are still her father despite anything."

That earnest statement broke off any strong pretense he tried to show her.

"Thank you so much, Sunny-ah," he said it over and over again, choking in the process, for the tears he tried to hold back was pouring down without stopping.

The afternoon wind gushed once more. Blowing at the woman and man who were standing there, holding themselves, and wiping the tears which continued to fall. The sky turned orange as the sun hung low on the west.

***

The next evening, her family and friends were all gathering in the airport.

"You should keep updating us your baby progress, okay," Sooyoung reminded her. "We could care less about the mother, but don't forget to update every single thing about this cutie here," added Sooyoung jokingly as she was her bump.

"Yah!" Sunny protested. She pushed her hand off her bump.

"Sunny-ah," Yuri called. She stepped forward to hug her pocket-size friend. "Take care, okay. Text me if when you arrive."

"Yuri-ah, I don't need your snot on my shoulder, please," Sunny humored her as she heard her dark-skinned friend sniffed.

Yuri broke off the hug and pulled off, knocking Sunny's head lightly as a respond.

"Stop the violence will ya?" the petite lady protested. She rubbed her head where Yuri knocked her. "Besides, it isn't like we aren't going to see each other anymore. You can always take a leave and visit me there, especially when this baby is due. And you'd better be there." She warned her.

Yuri chortled. "I will, I will. Promise. Say hello to Fany and Taeng."

"Tell them yourself. You can call them, can't you?" she criticized.

"Yah! Don't you understand hospitality?" the latter snapped back playfully.

Sooyoung shook her head. "Kids," she muttered.

"Yah! Don't pretend to be mature, chopstick! You're as childish as we are!" exclaimed Yuri.

The other people in their circle laughed seeing those three childish grown ups with their banters.

"Take care, dear," her mother pulled her into a hug. "Call me every day, okay."

"Will do, Umma." the later said.

"Don't forget your regular check up."

"I won't."

"Don't work too hard."

"Umma," she whined. "You are not sending your daughter off to college. I'm 26 for goodness sake. A grown up. Adult. Okay?"

Her mother chuckled. "Alright, alright. Sorry. By the way, take care of yourself and our granddaughter, okay?"

"Will do, Umma," the shorter woman smiled, then pulled off the hug.

"Appa," she called.

Her father beamed. "Pretty much the same with what your mother has said, sweetie pie."

"Ah, alright. I'll just hug you then," she shot an eye smile at her father before hugging him tightly. "See you later, Appa."

"Auntie, auntie! You have to call us when God sends our cousin to earth, okay. Don't forget!" Her nephew and niece were shouting and jumping excitedly. "And don't forget to bring us yummy chocolates when you get back."

Sunny laughed. "I will, sweethearts." She went to ruffle her niece and nephew's hair.

"Take care, Sunny," her sister pulled her into another hug.

"Ugh, my body would crush by the many people hugging me today."

Her sister laughed. Over her sister's shoulder, she saw her brother-in-law, Hojoon was standing a step behind.

"Oppa," she pulled off of her sister's hug to stand in front of her brother. "Don't forget my request, okay. You had promised."

Her brother-in-law ran his fingers through his hair, "I won't. I keep my promise."

"Good," Sunny nodded, feeling satisfied. "Thanks, Oppa." Then she checked her watch and turned to her lot. "I think I have to come inside now. See you around, folks."

Her lot voiced their good byes and waved their hands, sending Sunny off through the gate.

***

Hojoon came through the unlocked door of the humble house, finding his way to the living room where he saw Sungmin seated on the floor in front of the coffee table with papers strewn across it.

"You'd better learn to remember to lock you front door," he commented sharply.

Sungmin snapped his neck to his direction. "H-hyung... Why are you here?"

Hojoon pulled a piece of a small rectangular paper from his pocket. He extended his arm to hand the paper to Sungmin, "Sunny wanted me to give this to you. She told me to tell you that you should accept this little help."

Sungmin took the familiar paper and read the numbers. He stared at those zeroes written on that bank-note in disbelief. "H-hyung... I can't..."

"Shut up, Sungmin. If you really care about her, you'd better not to refuse her help this time. Instead, pay her back with your good progress in business. Sigh. She even asked me to advise you in business should you need it." Hojoon shook his head, clearly unable to understand his sister in law's way of thinking.

Sungmin felt a sting in his eyes. It felt so hot that his tears welled up, threatening to fall anytime. "Thank you, Hyung. Thanks Sunny. Thank you so much, and sorry for my stupidity."

***