Min Jeong's POV

"Appa~" A soft voice called out. I looked out at the same time Seungho did.

"Aeri ah!" Seungho exclaimed, running towards her, pulling her into a bear hug.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Aeri nodded, looking confused.

He kissed her on her forehead and hugged her tightly. She snuggled her face into his neck.

"Bang!" She chuckled, hitting Seungho's head with her Pororo toy.

"Ahh! You..." He fell onto the couch with her still against his chest, pretending to pass out.

"Appa!!!" Aeri laughed, squeezing his cheeks.

"Appa!! Wakey!!" Aeri screamed, trying to pry open Seungho's eyes with her little fingers.

She poked him all over his face with Pororo, but his eyes still remained closed. What she did not see was that despite playing dead, he was smiling.

I cannot help but wonder what would happen to Seungho should he lose Aeri.

I would not let it happen, even if it would cost me everything.

Our eyes met when he peeked open one eye. He looked like he was going to say something, but I looked away, not giving him the chance to. I was not angry with him, I just do not think that it was an appropriate time for us to talk now. I grabbed my stuff and smiled slightly at him before heading out.

I got into my car and sat there, not able to drive at all. Tons of 'what ifs' went through my head. I hit my aching head against the steering wheel despite knowing no matter how many times I do it, the pain will still not go away.

/Flashback/

"Who is that at this ungodly timing?" I muttered as I hurried to the door, not wanting the doorbell to wake Aeri up. I had a hard time hushing her to sleep. She insisted on wanting to see Seungho, but I thought I should not spoil her by giving in all the time. The cafe is Seungho's workplace, not playground. And although the cafe owner is nice and understanding, all the more we should not abuse it.

Aeri cried and threw a tantrum. She probably fell asleep being angry with me. But I know how to pacify this girl. Ice cream with waffles will do the trick.

I opened the door, surprised to be greeted by two men dressed in suit.

"Is this Yang Seungho sshi's house?" One of the man asked.

I nodded.

"Is he in?" The same man asked, trying to peek in.

"No. Who are you?" I asked, blocking his view.

I had many wild thoughts going through my mind, including Seungho borrowing money from a loanshark and now they are here to hurt him and Aeri. But my Seungho is not that sort. He would put himself in danger, but definitely not his precious girl.

"Where is he?" Another asked.

"I said, not here." I answered. I had no idea where I got the courage to speak to them like this. A part of me was afraid they would pull out a gun and shoot me in my head, another part of me just wanted to knock them down before they can do any harm to Seungho or Aeri.

"Could you hand this to him then?" He asked, pulling out a letter from his pocket.

"What is this?" I took it from him.

"Tell him that if he does not comply, we would have no choice but to take legal actions against him." He said.

"What are you talking about? What legal actions? My Seungho did not commit any crime!" I got agitated.

They looked at me like as if I was mad, and then bow slightly before leaving.

I did not even think twice about opening the letter. I tore it open and read the content. I was thankful for the couch behind me or else I would have ended up collasping on the floor.

I clenched my fists so tight I could feel my nails digging into my skin.

This don't make sense at all. How could they do this to Seungho after all he has done for them? Although I understand that life is unfair, but this is the ultimate.

/End of flashback/

I jumped when my phone rang. I had no idea I was shaking until I heard my own voice.

"Are you okay?" The voice asked.

"Mmm~" This was the only sound I could make up.

"Look, Jeongie, I am sorry." Seungho said.

"I didn't mean what I said to you just now. I wasn't thinking. You must have been shocked too. I am sorry. I should have thought about you too." Seungho said.

"It's fine." I muttered.

"Are you home already?" He asked.

I looked around. I was still in the carpark. I just freaked myself out for the past 20-minutes.

"Min Jeong?" He called out again.

I bit my lower lip so hard I could taste blood.

"What's wrong? Where are you?" He asked, worried.

"I'm scared." I finally broke down like a kid.

"What's going on? Don't scare me like that, please. Tell me where are you." He said.

"I'm sorry." I choked.

"Min Jeong ah! Please!!" He yelled.

"I'm so sorry." I cried.

Seungho's POV

My heart ached as I hear her cry over the phone. As much as I want to go look for her, I had no idea where to start. She kept repeating that she was sorry as she cried.

"Love, where are you?" I asked when she finally stopped crying.

"Car. In my car." She said softly.

"And where is your car?" I asked again.

"My car?" She asked, sounding confused.

I asked her random stuff to keep her on the line while I scooped my sleeping princess into my arms before heading out.

I went down to the carpark of my apartment and true enough, at the place where Min Jeong usually parks her car, she was there. I walked over to her car and knocked on the window gently. She looked up and stared at me in shock.

"Open the door, darling." I said.

"Why are you here!? I'm so ugly now!!" She started crying again.

I cannot help but laugh. Why is she so cute?

I opened the door to her backseat to put Aeri in before opening the door of the driver's seat where she was.

"Go away." She covered her face.

"Why didn't you lock the door? What if some strange man came and took my precious girl away?" I asked, pulling her hands away from her face.

"No one wants an idiot like me." She cried.

"I want you." I said, pulling her into my embrace.

"Shhh~ Don't cry." I hushed her.

"Are you calling me an idiot?" She asked, pouting.

"Of course not." I laughed, drying her tears.

"I'm sorry." She said, avoiding my eyes.

"Why are you sorry for? I should be sorry for yelling at you. I shouldn't have done that. You were very shocked, weren't you?" I said.

She shook her head.

"They weren't scary? Did they hurt you?" I asked, checking her for injuries.

"No. You were scarier." She said.

"Aww~" My heart sank.

"I am sorry. I was..." I tried to explain myself but I realize I did not have any reason to back up my stupid actions.

"I'm just stupid." I said.

"I know." She nodded.

"Yah! You weren't supposed to agree!!" I exclaimed.

She laughed and covered my mouth, gesturing to Aeri who was asleep.

I pulled her hand away from my mouth, but could not take my eyes away from Aeri.

"What can I do?" I asked, feeling dejected out a sudden.

"I wouldn't let them take her away from you. From us." She said.

"I will kill anyone in our way." She continued.

I looked at her. She was serious. Min Jeong was not kidding. I am completely aware that if Min Jeong is determined to kill someone, she would do it. But to hear her say it to my face, although it was not directed to me, it was quite frightening.

"Don't say things like that. I don't want you to kill anyone." I said.

She lean in closer to my ear.

"I've killed many people. More than you can ever imagine." She whispered.

I swallowed hard, feeling shivers down my spine.

She turned to look at me, letting out an eerie smirk.

"Min... Min Jeong ah~" I stuttered.

"In my head. I killed them all in my head." She whispered,  before bursting into laughter.

I let out the breath I had been unknowingly holding. This ridiculous girl~

"Don't do that." I grumbled.

She pouted at me, and I lost instantly.

***

Min Jeong's POV

On the outside, Seungho may act like he is cool with things, but I could tell that as the days pass, he is struggling. Speaking from a technical point of view, Seungho did take Aeri away from her parents without their consent, but from a logical point of view, he took their parental responsibility into his own hands and brought her up. He should be thanked, not charged.

"Hey~" I called out to him.

He was sitting on the couch, staring at the Aeri's pile of toys. He turned to me and smiled weakly.

"How are you?" I asked, feeling his forehead.

All the suppressed unhappiness has caused him to fall sick and he was not even aware about it.

"I'm fine." He said, as soft as a whisper.

I kissed him on his cheek, earning another weak smile from him.

I wanted to say something, anything, to assure him that everything would be fine, but I had nothing to say for I was not so sure myself.

The letter stated that if we do not give Aeri up in a week, they would turn to legal means to get her back. We have spent the past three days acting as if everything was normal, but time is ticking.

"Seungho, you probably don't want to hear this, but we need to do something." I said.

"Like what?" He asked.

"I..." I bit my lower lip, not knowing what to say.

He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Let's hire a lawyer. We can win this." I said.

He looked at me, disgusted.

"No." He said.

"Why!? If this is about the money...!" He cut me off before I could finish my sentence.

"This is not about the money!" His loud voice rang across the apartment.

I stared at him in shock.

"My baby girl is not some object we can snatch! She's a human being! A baby! Not a ball! I will not kick her around!" He yelled.

"But... but what if we lose her? I totally understand you, but Seungho, you know it doesn't work this way, am I right?" I said.

For a split second, he looked like I broke him into pieces.

"No." He said, not sounding angry anymore, but instead defeated.

I pulled him into my embrace. He buried his face against my chest, and although he did not make a sound, I felt his tears wet my shirt.

"Appapa~" Aeri called out, walking towards us.

Seungho wiped his tears against my shirt, and then looked up at his girl with the brightest smile he could force out.

"Hi, baby. You slept well?" He asked her, scooping her up into her arms.

"Hungry." She pouted, poking Seungho's stomach.

"Does Aeri want some pudding?" I asked her.

"PUDDING!! AERI WANTS PUDDING!!" She screamed.

"Since Aeri wants pudding, Aeri will get pudding!" Seungho yelled back, throwing the girl into the air as they headed for the kitchen.

Seungho, I am not going to let you lose Aeri. This is the least I could do for you.