The next day

“You sure you’re okay?” Henry asked me. I was putting on makeup, getting ready for the day. I looked at the mirror and shrugged.

“I look fine.” I said nonchalantly.

“I thought you don’t want to meet with him?” he asked. His eyes met mine through the mirror.

“It would be a lie if I tell you I don’t want to meet him. You have no idea how much I miss him.” I said softly and felt my throat tightened and my eyes getting hot. I swallowed and blinked away the tears and continued putting on mascara.

“Is there any nursery here?” I changed the topic.

“Nursery?” Henry asked.

“Well, I can’t bring Cherry to the salon every day.” I said.

“Trust us when we bought you this apartment. This apartment is safe and there’s a playground.” Henry said and I shook my head at him.

“I’m not that irresponsible.” I said.

“She needs to make friends. I’m sure they are plenty of children here.” Henry said. “I’m going for my schedule. See you,” he said and I nodded.

I drove to the salon with Cherry and greeted my co-workers. They were used to it and they were happy to see Cherry. Sometimes, they offered to take Cherry on strolls if there aren’t many customers. When I was doing someone’s hair, Cherry tugged on my blouse.

“Umma, can I go to dairy shop?” She asked. I looked around and saw Min Kyung was free.

“Min Kyung ah, can you accompany Cherry to the dairy shop?” I asked and her face lit up.

“Sure!” she said excitedly. “Kaja, Cherry yah,” she said.

“Gumawo,” I said and she smiled. “Be careful and don’t talk to strangers.” I said and Cherry giggled. I shook my head and resumed my work.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Cherry yah, unnie is going to see at that side. You choose what you want first okay? Don’t go out from this shop.” Min Kyung said and Cherry nodded obediently. Cherry took some white chocolate and turned around before bumping on someone’s leg and she fell.

“Gwenchana?” A man asked. She looked up and saw a man wearing sunglasses and felt scared when the man reached his hand to touch her. She did only what other kids will do, cried, catching the man’s off guard.

“Yah, uljima,” he said squatting down and looked around. He put a finger on his lips and Cherry cried harder. He took off his sunglasses and grabbed a candy near him.

“Do you want this?” he asked and made funny faces. Cherry laughed instantly and reached up for the chocolate.

The man sighed and gave her the white chocolate. “For a second I thought I was going to die…” he said sitting down on the floor.

“Eh?” Cherry said and stared at the man with her big eyes.

“Kamchagiya,” He said and Cherry pointed at his face.

“You know me?” He asked.

“Appa!” Cherry called excitedly catching Heechul’s off guard again.

“Whose child is this?” he groaned getting up.

“Appa!” Cherry called again, ran after him and hugged his left leg. He sighed and squatted down to facing the kid.

“Yah, kid, I’m not your–” he stopped. He realized how her eyes were the same as his when he was a kid. The nose too was the same when he was the same age as her.

“I found my appa~” Cherry giggled and poked his cheeks and pinched them before laughing again.  He froze.

“Are you mad?” Violet asked. Like a kid, he turned his face away from the girlfriend.

“Don’t be mad at me~” Violet showed her aegyo and he bit his cheeks to prevent him from smiling.

“I’ll cook you delicious Chinese and Korean meals, ne?” Violet asked. He turned his face to her and was about to say something when she poked his cheeks and pinched them.

“It hurts!” He said rubbing his cheeks before pinching her cheeks back and kissed her cheeks earning laughter from her.

“Cherry yah! I’m sorry, did she disturb you? I’m sorry again!” Min Kyung said and Heechul put on his sunglasses.

“It’s alright,” he said at the woman and glanced at the child. What was her name again? But then, he can’t ask the lady. She will think him as a weird stranger and maybe a kidnapper.

“Appa…” Cherry said sadly but smiled when she looked at the candy in her hand. Her appa gave this to her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Umma!” Cherry said excitedly and hugged my leg. “Appa gave this to me!” she said and I frowned. Appa?

“I thought I told you not to talk to strangers.” I said and looked at Min Kyung.

“I’m sorry. Cherry was talking to the man and called him appa. Luckily he isn’t mad.” Min Kyung said and I nodded. “Go to the back,” I said at Cherry and she pouted. I shook my head at her and walked to a customer.

“She can’t have met him…right?” I wondered aloud.

“How can I help you?” I asked the lady.

“A light makeup and I want to re-dye my hair.” The lady said and looked up, our eyes met in the mirror.

“You!” We gasped before clearing our throats at the same time. She gave me a smile and said,

“It has been a long time, Violet ssi.” She said.

“Yes, it is…Yoojin ssi.” I said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I rubbed my temples when Yoojin left. She’s in a girl group under SM now, and she had assured me that she was no longer going after Heechul and she even apologized at me. I sighed.

“A lot of things have changed over the past five years,” I mumbled.

“Excuse me, I want to pay,” a man voice said.

“Sure,” I said and looked up only to meet with another surprise.

“Sica told me that you would be here.” Donghae said and Cherry came to me. She glanced at Donghae before looking at me back.

“Is that your daughter? Wah, she really looks like her father.” Donghae said and waved cutely at Cherry.

Today is such a surprising day.

“Annyeong Cherry yah, I’m Donghae oppa.” He said.

“Oppa? It’s supposed to be Donghae ahjussi.” I said after recovering from the shock. We laughed and I frowned. “How did you know her name?” I asked and he grinned.

“Henry.” He said and I groaned.

 ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Err, sorry for the late update! I was in Thailand and didn’t have time to update except for my other story, Shady Girl.

How was the chapter? xD