Seungho's POV

I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes, it was already late afternoon. Aeri was sitting on the couch next to me, biting the ear of her rabbit soft toy.

"Baby, how many times must I tell you to stop biting rabbity? It is painful for rabbity and you are eating in a lot of germs that will cause you to fall sick. Stop biting." I said firmly. I was only firm with her when it concerns things like this.

She pouted but stopped biting her rabbit soft toy.

"Where's Min Jeong?" I asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders.

I saw on the table in front of me a container of food with a piece of note stuck to it: I made this for you, so you better eat it. I swear it is just a little charred >.< I made slightly more so feed your daughter too :)

She made me fried rice with grilled chicken. Well, very charred grilled chicken, I guess. But she was thoughtful enough to cut the charred part away and cut the chicken up into tiny bites so I could eat easily with one hand.

"Come." I gestured Aeri.

She jumped off the couch and ran towards me. I pulled her up onto my lap with my good hand.

I fed her while I ate. Although it was a little too bland, I could taste Min Jeong's patience and love in it.

"Is it yummy?" I asked Aeri. She nodded her head vigorously.

"HAHAHA! Stop, stop. Aren't you dizzy? Silly pumpkin~" I kissed her hair.

As we ate, I cannot help but wonder where Min Jeong went. The last I remember I was telling her about how Aeri was like when she was still a few months old.

"Where did she go to?" I muttered to myself.

Aeri looked up, her head banging into my chin. But instead of crying, she laughed.

"Silly~" I laughed, rubbing her head.

She pointed at the door.

"Min Jeong left?" I asked.

She shook and nodded her head, seemingly confused.

"What?" I looked at her.

"There!" She said.

"There? Where?" I asked.

She pouted and slapped my thigh, and then ignored me.

After food, I coaxed her to sleep. I left her to sleep on the bed before heading outside. The moment I opened the door, I understood Aeri's words instantly. Min Jeong was sitting outside the door, staring into space.

"Min Jeong~" I called out softly as I sat down beside her.

She turned to me and let out a sad smile.

"You're up." She said.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I will never be." She laughed.

This is Min Jeong, always covering up pain with laughter.

"Did something bad happen?" I asked.

"I don't know. Is losing your loved one considered something bad?" She asked.

"Oh." It was all I could say.

I sat beside her awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"I... you... can talk, you know." I muttered softly.

"I know. I am not mute." She stuck out her tongue at me playfully. But behind that playfulness, I could sense the sadness she was trying so hard to hide.

"I mean, you can talk to me, you can be sad when you are with me. You don't have to be smiling constantly. You don't have to be strong all the time. You don't have to be afraid I would laugh at you or...." She silenced me by yanking me by my blouse towards her and then crashing her lips against mine. What is this? Are we kissing? With me sitting on her lap? What kind of a posture is this!?

Darkness overwhelmed me when she slapped her palm over my eyes. Is this why people kiss with eyes closed? So that you can picture yourself and your partner being the only ones in the entire world, despite the fact the both of you are indeed kissing in the corridor of a hospital?

We pulled away when we were both out of breath. Her cheeks were flushed and I could feel that mine was too.

"I...." I was lost for words.

We had just kissed, and I had no idea what to do next. My entire body felt numb.

"You're heavy." She said.

"What?" I asked.

"You're heavy." She pushed me off her lap.

"Oh! Sorry!" I apologized quickly.

She looked away chuckling.

"Why are you laughing?" I asked, confused.

"Just..." She kept on giggling to herself.

"Hey!" I smacked her gently, giggling along with her.

It took us awhile to calm down. We sat beside each other, not saying anything.

"It was awhile ago." She said.

I looked at her, but she was looking at the ceiling instead.

"It felt like yesterday that I received the call and rushed down to her house clueless to the fact she was gone. I always wondered, if I had known, would I have not gone at all? Because if I don't see her lifeless body, I could always live in the denial that she is alive, right?" She said.

She in a deep breath and closed her eyes. A single drop of tear flowed down her cheek. I had a very strong urge to wipe it away for her.

"I want to blame someone for forcing me to see for myself that she is gone. But who can I push the blame to? Everyone is hurting as much as I am." She continued, her eyes still closed.

Although I had no idea who she was talking about, I just listened as though I had an idea.

"Sometimes I hate my job. Because... if not for my job, I would have had more time with her. But now it is all too late. I didn't even get to say goodbye." She said.

"Then again, I would like to think of it as... perhaps we did not say goodbye because we would meet again." She finally opened her eyes, and as if she knew I was looking at her all along, she turned to look at me. Her eyes glistered with tears like diamond in the sunlight.

"Perhaps." I said.

"Definitely." She said, turning to look back at the ceiling.

A comfortable silence surrounded us. It was so quiet I could hear our breathing.

“My grandmother.” She said, breaking the silence.

“Huh?” I looked at her, confused.

“The person I was talking about just now was my grandmother.” She said, smiling at me.

"One day, we would die, wouldn't we? The question is, when." She continued.

I could feel myself shiver.

"Yes, and the answer is not now." I said hurriedly.

She laughed and smacked me on my chest.

"Aigoo~ What are you afraid of?" She asked.

"Noth.. nothing!" I said.

"Really?" She asked, her face inches away from mine.

"What.. what are you... doing?" I stammered.

"Has anyone tell you before what gorgeous lips you have?" She asked, staring at my lips.

I could feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"Since you kissed me just now, do you think I can claim those lips?" She asked, staring right into my eyes. I am suddenly feeling light-headed.

Is this a confession? And did she just say that I was the one who kissed her first?

"Yang Seungho, I thought I only fell in love with you, but now I think I am in love with your lips as well. What do I do?" She asked.

I choked on my breath and got caught in a coughing fit. Seriously, Yang Seungho? Of all times to choke!?

She looked like she was about to say something when we heard a loud thud.

"Aeri!" I choked, but she was already off sprinting into the room like a bullet.

I followed behind her, expecting to hear my baby girl's loud cries, but instead she was still asleep on the floor, sprawled out on her stomach, as if the fall did not hurt her at all.

"How did she fall off the bed when you had the handles up?" Min Jeong asked, looking at me with amusement.

"I guess she must have dream of herself in some sort of jungle gym." I said, trying to pick Aeri up with my good hand.

"Let me." Min Jeong said, cradling Aeri in her arms and putting my sleeping baby on the bed. I watch from behind as she smiled lovingly at the girl.

"You may not feel the pain, but we feel it, you know~" I heard her say softly, and then she planted a soft kiss on Aeri's slightly redden forehead.

She turned back to me, her cheeks slightly red, perhaps embarrassed due to the fact she caught me staring at her.

"I... I should... you know... get going." She said, looking around for her bag perhaps.

I nodded dumbly.

"Get well... No. I mean, rest well. See you later." She hurried passed me and before I could say anything, she was out of the door.

I said beside Aeri, playing absentmindedly with her hair as I thought about what happened outside. I could feel my heart beating wildly against my chest, and it was getting a little warm and stuffy in the room. It is like I am suddenly feeling all the emotions from the sudden kiss.

The door opened suddenly. My eyes widened at the figure at the door.

"Do you want to be my boyfriend?" Min Jeong asked.

I started gasping like a fish out of water. Yang Seungho, I am so disappointed in you.

***
Min Jeong: Do you want to be my boyfriend?