Tiffany Hwang’s Home
Gangnam-Gu, Seoul
3 p.m.

 

“So baby and Daddy met?” Taeyeon softly brushed her sleeping goddaughter’s hair.  She went home with Tiffany to see and play with Kendra only to find the little girl soundly asleep that afternoon.

 

Tiffany nodded.
No lies this time.
No lies with the best friend.
Funny that she went all-out lying with the Daddy.

 

“And?”

 

“And I lied with all my might…” Tiffany lay on the opposite side of the bed, with Kendra in between her and Taeyeon, “Only not to be believed at all. He didn’t believe a single word I said. Not even the ‘the’s, and ‘and’s.’ I saw his eyes.”

 

“And?”

 

“And what?” Tiffany was confused; she just told Taeyeon, Seunghyun refused to believe her lies that Kendra wasn’t his child when she tried to tell him.

 

“You said you saw his eyes.” Taeyeon smiled, teasing.

 

“Your point?” Tiffany, still can’t get her best friend.

 

“So, Kendra’s going to be a big sister soon?” Taeyeon laughed hard.

 

“Kim Taeyeon!” Tiffany’s eyes widened while she almost shouted.

 

Of course, that’s Choi Seunghyun’s eyes.
Need explain more?
No, baby.

 

 “Mommy…” Kendra yawned.

 

“Sorry, baby.” Tiffany cooed. “Momma Taeyeon is here.”

 

She calls Taeyeon, Momma too.
Talk about confusing a little baby early in her life.
Too many mommies and daddies.

 

“Hello baby.” Taeyeon kissed her.

 

Kendra smiled sleepily. The little girl still wanting to go to sleep. She looked too tired.

 

“What did my baby do today?”  Taeyeon asked.

 

“Buy toys.” Kendra suddenly was alert and energetic.  She spread her arms wide; as wide as the smile on her beautiful little face, “Many, many toys.”

 

Tiffany and Taeyeon eyed each other.
Something’s fishy.

 

“But Daddy Nichkhun said he will buy Anna and Elsa and Olaf dolls in America, remember?” Tiffany reminded her now jumping little girl. Kendra’s been wanting to get those Frozen dolls and Nichkhun had promised his little girl he’s going to get her when he goes to the States.

 

And yes, Kendra was jumping in her bed. Mildly shaking her confused Mom and Godmom, literally. Excitedly talking about the new toys she have, not minding her mom who is now looking worried by the minute, trying to fight her hunch who bought those toys. While Momma Taeyeon is a reflection of her mom, looking worried as hell too.

 

“Big Olaf… and Barbies… ballerinas, the swan princess, Disney princesses…” Kendra was giggling while she continued to jump with happiness and excitement.

 

Tiffany and Taeyeon looked at each other for the nth time. The exchange of expressions, weren’t varying at all.

 

Uh-oh.
Here comes trouble.

 

Tiffany knew Kendra already had some of those toys she mentioned. But her baby wouldn’t be as happy and as excited as she is now if she didn’t get a new lot. The eager mother, in no time, rushed to the adjoining room where she kept her daughter’s toys; she wanted to faint after she saw them.  

 

YES.
New toys, lots of them. Various sorts, in different sizes. Boxes, plastic bags, paper bags are everywhere. Her eyes counted the Barbie Dolls, all the lovely long-legged dolls still in their boxes. She held her breath when she saw the Ballerina ones that Kendra mentioned, there were five of them. Every ballerina Barbie looks the same, only the tutu’s color differed.

 

She saw a bike.
A pink bike.

Play kitchen. Play bakery. Play beauty parlor. Toy booths that even Tiffany and Taeyeon can play with.  
Baby Alive. No, babies alive. (Tiffany didn’t want to find out how many babies were there.)
A Doll House, taller than Kendra.
A Princess’ Castle, taller than Kendra.
Dolls, stuffed toys, some bigger than Kendra.
VTech and LeapFrog learning educational toys.

 

It’s a toy store right inside their house.

 

And Tiffany had just one word to say, before she slammed her fist on the door, “.”

 

“Mommy?” Kendra followed her to the toys’ room. The little girl’s now hugging an Olaf doll.

 

Olaf, Elsa and Anna… those Frozen characters.
The dolls, Tiffany finally saw them.
And that’s when a tear fell.

 

Daddy Nichkhun’s going to get her those, not…

 

“Who bought you these toys, baby?” Tiffany knelt while she wiped her tears. Apparently, it wasn’t just a single tear.

 

“Daddy.” Kendra answered while she touched her mother’s face.

 

Daddy?
That handsome man?

 

“Daddy?” Tiffany nodded. “Daddy went here?”

 

Kendra nodded.

 

“And he brought all of these?”

 

The little girl nodded again while she giggled. “And cake and ice cream! Candies!”

 

Nichkhun never gave Kendra candies. He never gave her a spoonful of ice cream either. It’s a different Daddy, for sure that Kendra’s talking about.

 

“You’re not supposed to eat sweets, Kendra.” Tiffany reminded her. “Mommy said no, remember?”

 

“But Daddy said it’s okay.”

 

Mommy said no.
Daddy said it’s okay.

 

“No, baby. If Mommy says no, then it’s no.” Tiffany told her. “Okay, baby? You always have to believe Mommy and not that Ahjussi… he’s not Daddy. He’s Uncle, remember?”

 

Kendra nodded.

 

“Uncle Tabi.” Tiffany finished while she hugged her little girl.

 

Lies extend most especially to her little baby.
Tiffany almost felt like crying every time.

 

“Mommy…” Kendra broke free from her mother’s hold, “Uncle Tabi said he was sorry… and that he loves me so much. I don’t believe that too?”

 

Taeyeon who was listening and watching from the side, silently left her spot. She can’t bear to hear Tiffany answer that question. But she shouldn’t have; because Tiffany didn’t answer. The beautiful yet confused mother just hugged her little baby tighter while she cried some more.

 

It’s not only toys that were overflowing in that room that afternoon, tears and regrets were fighting  for their own spaces too.

 

Tears.
Regrets.
All coming from Tiffany.

 

She never thought Daddy wanted his baby too.
But Mommy said no, even before Daddy knew.

 

 

British International Kindergarten
Hannam-dong, Seoul
11.30 a.m.

 

“Hello Ma’am.” Tiffany smiled at Mrs. Kang. “I’m free today; I’m picking my little girl up. Kendra.”

 

Tiffany tried to scan the room but can’t seem to find Kendra. She was excited when their practice ended sooner than expected and she knew she had the time to pick Kendra from school – something that’s been rare for her, and something that she wanted to do very badly.

 

Mrs. Kang looked confused. “I don’t mean to pry … but are you and Kendra’s Dad not in speaking terms?”

 

“Uhm, what do you mean?” Tiffany asked, surprised.

 

“He picked her up fifteen minutes ago.” Mrs. Kang told her. “He didn’t tell you?”

 

Tiffany need not answer her question; with her dazed yet pained expression, the teacher got her answer.

 

“And it’s really, really not my thing to be meddling… again.” Mrs. Kang finally gave in to her curiosity, “But Kendra’s Dad… he’s the one who’s been picking her up every day, right? I mean, he’s got to be. He looks like her… and he said he’s Choi Seunghyun. Kendra is…”

 

“Thank you Mrs. Kang.” Tiffany cut her off. “I have to go.”

 

Shoot.
Seunghyun picks her up every day?
No, no, no.
Tiffany wanted to faint.

 

But the thing that might have made Tiffany not want to get up after fainting is this: Seunghyun might have found out by now.
 

He said he is Choi Seunghyun.
Choi.
 

Her baby is too.

 

 

Tiffany Hwang’s Home
Gangnam-Gu, Seoul
12:30 p.m.

 

“I only wanted to meet G-Dragon…” Yu-mi, the new babysitter cried.

 

“All along I thought you get Kendra from school every freaking day, but I was wrong.” Tiffany cried harder than her kid’s nanny. “That was your job. To look after her. I trusted you, but what have you done? You let a stranger take her.”

 

The face off.
The furious mom versus the nanny who claims she just wanted to meet a dragon.

 

“But isn’t it TOP’s her dad?” Yu-mi tried to reason, “They look like each other so much.”

 

“How many times must I explain that when I was pregnant I kept on watching him on TV?” The never-ending, getting-corny, now-getting-unbelievable reason. Tiffany kept telling her and everyone who asks, and who tells her, ‘Your baby is TOP’s baby.’

 

“You have a crush on him?” But Yu-mi still had energy to ask useless questions despite Tiffany wanting to chop her head off. “You watched him for nine months?”

 

Crush.
You don’t make babies with your crush, Yu-mi.

 

But Tiffany declined to answer the question. She wanted privacy when it comes to her feelings for TOP, which by the way are non-existent if we are talking romantically now.

 

 “But I always check on her.” Tiffany shook her head, still refusing to believe, its right under her nose that Choi Seunghyun had been in contact with her baby ever since they met.

 

“I always tell you the truth.” Yu-mi answered straight.

 

Yup.
Yu-mi tells Tiffany the truth. She always tells Tiffany that Kendra’s with her dad; she didn’t lie.

 

“Now where’s my baby?” Tiffany cried.

 

“Disneyland?” Yu-mi sounded dumb and irritating, but she offered an answer.

 

“Disneyland?”

 

“Tokyo.”  Yu-mi answered proudly, “It’s not the first time.”

 

Tokyo?
Tokyo is in Japan, which is outside of Seoul.
You will need to ride a plane to get there but pass through immigration first.

 

“She can’t leave without her passport…” Tiffany’s heart raced.

 

“I gave it to him… and her birth certificate.” She replied without realizing the gravity of the situation, still.

 

“Why?!” Tiffany stood up, stomped her feet, and cried louder, “Why?!”

 

“Because he asked for it, and I know where they were kept and I can get it.” Yu-mi now sounded frantic, “I’m sorry…”

 

“Why did you do it?” Tiffany now slumped in the floor crying her heart out.

 

Game over, baby girl.
Daddy knows.

 

“Because I only wanted to meet G-Dragon.” Yu-mi answered.

 

Same reason.
G-Dragon.
And that made unleash the dragon inside of Tiffany Hwang.

 

 

Narita International Airport
Narita, Japan
4.30 p.m.

 

“Mommy!” Kendra giggled on the phone.

 

Tiffany felt stiff the moment she heard her daughter’s voice on the other line. She felt scared the next second.

 

It was Seunghyun who called her.

 

“Give the phone to Uncle Tabi, Kendra.” Tiffany told her little one.

 

“Our flight’s cancelled; I’ll give her back tomorrow.” The deep voice told her on the other line. “Sorry.”

 

“Sorry?” Tiffany shouted, “You kidnap my daughter and you say sorry? Damn you, Choi Seunghyun.”

 

Click.
He hung up on her.

 

So much for thanking him months back when Seunghyun picked Kendra up from school when no one else could because basically no one is allowed to except him, her or the guardian who fled. She was desperate and had no other means but to call him to get her. Now, she was still feeling desperate that Seunghyun is still reaching out, apparently spending time with his daughter despite Tiffany’s denials, lies and excuses on him not being her real dad. Daddy Tabi’s not buying anything. At least, all those lies coming from Tiffany.

 

Seunghyun meanwhile hugged Kendra and kissed her while they waited for a car to take them to a hotel, “Daddy loves you so much. I love you, baby.”

 

“I love you too Daddy.” The little girl smiled, “But Mommy always tell me you’re Uncle Tabi, not Daddy Tabi.”

 

“Mommy tells you that?” Seunghyun suddenly became sad. Tiffany obviously doesn’t want him to be a part of Kendra’s life.

 

Kendra nodded.

 

“I am your Daddy.” Seunghyun told her, “Don’t call me Uncle Tabi, okay? What’s your name?”

 

“Kendra Choi.” She smiled brightly.

 

“And I’m Choi Seunghyun.” Seunghyun told her, “See? We’re both Chois. You’re Kendra Choi because Daddy is Choi Seunghyun.”

 

Seunghyun kept stressing on the Choi, making a poor three-year old understand that he is her father since they have the same surname.

 

“Mommy’s not a Choi.” She pouted.

 

Daddy only smiled.

 

“Can we make her a Choi too?” Kendra asked.

 

“Maybe.” Seunghyun smiled.

 

Maybe.
And maybe Mommy will kill Daddy when they get back to Seoul.

 

 

Tiffany Hwang’s Home
Gangnam-Gu, Seoul
2 p.m.

 

He didn’t even need to ring the doorbell.
He knows the passcode.

 

Seunghyun walked past the angry Tiffany and went straight to Kendra’s room. He moved around as if he was familiar with the house. He was carrying her little girl who was sleeping soundly. He carefully placed his baby on the bed, pulled up a blanket up to her chin and kissed her. Seunghyun had to take her Minnie Mouse head band with mouse ears off her too. Kendra refused to remove it the entire trip.

 

He walked towards Tiffany who was sitting on the sofa, and placed Kendra’s passport and three other things that Tiffany didn’t recognize.
 

No eye contact. Seunghyun was waiting for World War III and was prepared for battle. But it did not come so he just left and did not do anything else. Seunghyun left without saying goodbye. Tiffany wanted to get mad, shout at him, curse at him but she didn’t because Mickey Mouse ears got in the way.

Seunghyun’s wearing them too.
And he’s got it on the entire trip too.
And Tiffany didn’t know whether she’ll laugh or not.

 

Oh the three other things were bank books.
All for Miss Kendra Choi or Ms. Stephanie Hwang.

 

Daddy’s saving up for his little girl, of course. Tiffany could’ve been regretting all the words she might have told him out of anger. Thank goodness for the Mickey Mouse headband. It could’ve painful and disastrous or even mortifying on Seunghyun’s part.

 

 

Tiffany rushed to follow Seunghyun outside. She found him waiting for the elevator. Tiffany got his hand and returned the bank books.

 

“Kendra’s not yours.” She told him, “Sorry. I really am.”

 

Seunghyun nodded and smiled, “We have a good combination, Tiffany. Our baby’s really beautiful. She might look exactly like me…”

 

Seunghyun then handed her back the bank books, “But she has your smile.”

 

But at that point Tiffany couldn’t even smile at his compliment nor can she remember how her smile’s like. Mickey Mouse ears shouldn’t have gotten in the way and Tiffany should’ve fired her guns at him right there and then.  
 

But then again, he was cute.
She found him cute wearing Mickey’s ears like that.

 

 

YG Entertainment Building
Gangnam-Gu, Seoul
11 a.m.

 

“Hyung, if her mother says she is not your kid, then she’s not your kid…” He took a sip of his espresso then turned back to face Seunghyun. Next thing he knew, that same coffee was all over his shirt because his mouth had spit all those he had just taken in.

 

“Say hello to Uncle Jiyong.” Seunghyun told Kendra.

 

“Damn.” Jiyong cursed loud, “I think I’d have a crush on you if you were a girl.”

 

Kendra was terrified hearing Jiyong speak loud, so she ran behind Seunghyun and held on to her Dad’s pants in fear.

 

“Sorry, baby.” Jiyong sensed he scared the little one so he went up to her while Seunghyun was laughing. “Uncle Jiyong is sorry. Hi there, I’m Kwon Jiyong. Uncle Ji.”

 

“Hello.” Kendra smiled weakly.

 

“What’s your name?” Jiyong asked cutely.

 

“Kendra.” She replied, while her eyes traveled to Jiyong’s tattoos. “Why do you have drawings on your body Uncle Ji?”

 

Seunghyun kept on laughing while Jiyong looked slightly embarrassed.

 

“Hyung, do you tell Boss?” Jiyong sounded worried.

 

“I tell the world…” Seunghyun picked Kendra up and kissed her cheeks thrice while counting. “In one… two… three…”

 

“You know the consequences, right?”

 

Kendra was running around giggling when she shouted, “I love you Daddy!”

 

“That?” Seunghyun smiled at Jiyong, “I couldn’t think of anything else, except that consequence.”

 

Jiyong then smiled and got it. Career and fame takes second spot, baby girl’s got to take over. “She’s beautiful, Hyung.”

 

“The dad is beautiful.” Seunghyun laughed.

 

“Who does she call Mommy?”Jiyong asked.

 

“You’re never going to believe.” Seunghyun told him, “It’s more believable that I’m gay rather than I made a baby with her.”

 

“Daesung?” Jiyong ask with a straight face.

 

“Daesung doesn’t have an ovary.” Seunghyun replied with the same expression.

 

“Who?” Jiyong was eager to know.

 

“Girls Generation.”

 

Jiyong gasped.

 

“That’s too exaggerated, Kwon Jiyong.” Seunghyun hit him in the arm, “It’s as if saying they don’t have ovaries too.”

 

“Which one?”’

 

“Most beautiful, of course.” Seunghyun smiled.

 

“I-I-I never thought you had a thing with Kim Taeyeon too.”

 

Awww.
BIGBANG boys choose their preferences among the girls on the next side of the fence.

 

Taeyeon for Jiyong.
Tiffany for Seunghyun.

 

“Tiffany.” Seunghyun smiled.

 

Jiyong gasped again.

 

“What is it this time?” Seunghyun was confused, yet wanted to laugh at Jiyong's facial expressions.

 

“She’s taken, right? I always thought she and that dude from 2PM rocks together. The power couple. You’re not going to destroy that, are you?”

 

Seunghyun shook his head, “Of course not. I just want to raise my baby, that’s all… Power couple? See that little girl who’s about to jump from that high chair? If her parents aren’t the power couple, she wouldn’t turn out to be as beautiful as she… Oh baby…”

 

The baby who’s about to jump from the high chair is Kendra. Seunghyun even described it to Jiyong. He ran as fast as he can to get to his daughter to stop her from hurting herself.

 

“Power couple huh?” Jiyong mocked, “The dad’s a Bingu, how can that be?”

 

 

It’s been obvious that since Seunghyun had been crazy about his daughter, he lost time to spend with his girlfriend. Kim Ha Yul came one time to his house, only to find Daddy Tabi reading his baby a story from a book while the little girl drank her milk from a feeding bottle.

 

His calls become seldom and as if done out of habit. His questions were the same and he seemed to be uninterested with her answers. He’d always ask, ‘have you eaten?’ Ha Yul would always reply ‘YES’, Seunghyun would follow up, ‘what did you have? Is it delicious?’ even if there was one time Ha Yul said ‘No’.

 

Seeing her in person was too forced. All of the time Seunghyun kept glancing at his watch, seemingly wanted their date to finish soon. Ha Yul thought he had work; later on Seunghyun had admitted he picks Kendra up from school or takes her out sometimes.

 

Skin-ship is limited to a soft kiss as hello and goodbye. is gone. So the best conversations after the love-making were gone as well.

 

“What?” Ha Yul placed her fork down, “You’re going to pick Kendra up? It’s Saturday. She has classes on Saturdays?”

 

“She went to a school trip.”

 

“She’s four for goodness’ sake, young kids do that these days?” Ha Yul wanted to appear interested in Kendra-matters, but in reality, it’s her way to keep Seunghyun’s attention to her.

 

“She’s three.” Seunghyun corrected. “I told Tiffany I’ll get her from school when her class arrives.”

 

Tiffany.
They talk.

 

“Tiffany?” Ha Yul cleared .

 

“Kendra’s mom.”

 

“You still talk? I mean, talk… talk…” Ha Yul didn’t know where to begin. She didn’t know Seunghyun and Tiffany are still in contact with each other. All the while she thought there was a middle person between them, but she was wrong.

 

“I sent her a message.” Seunghyun cleared.

 

“She’s fine with it?” Ha Yul asked, hoping to hear a NO.

 

“No.” Seunghyun honestly admitted, “But she can’t do anything about it anyway. I’m getting Kendra and she’s sleeping in my house tonight. Tiffany’s in Hong Kong for a tour, so my baby is mine for two days.”

 

“I see.” Ha Yul’s tone was sad. She did get a No, but what came after it is what she didn’t expect.

 

“I have to go.” Seunghyun stood up. “You can go home by yourself, right?”

 

Ha Yul nodded.

 

Seunghyun already left the restaurant when he came back to give Ha Yul a kiss. He forgot so he came back. He said something’s amiss; he forgot something, and he remembered he forgot to give her a cold, quick smack on the lips.

 

Cold.
Quick.
Forced.
Out of a habit.

 

His kiss.
The passion faded.

 

Ha Yul cried going home; even if she doesn’t want to, the kiss made her.  

 

 

Choi Seunghyun’s Villa
Hannam-dong, Seoul
7 p.m.

 

“Mommy!” Kendra rushed to Tiffany when she arrived at Seunghyun’s house. “Let’s live here Mommy.”

 

Tiffany froze.
Is Seunghyun teaching her baby those things?

 

“Come here, baby.” Seunghyun came out of the kitchen holding a plate and a spoon. “You’re not yet done eating…”

 

There were few seconds lag before Tiffany can utter a word, “Hello.”

 

“Hello.” Seunghyun responded. “You’re early.”

 

Tiffany turned to Kendra instead of replying to Seunghyun, “Let’s go Kendra. Let’s go home.”

 

“I will sleep here, Mommy.” The little girl told her mom, “You too.”

 

“No, baby we have to go home.” Tiffany insisted. “This is Uncle Tabi’s house, not ours.”

 

“No. I’m sleeping here.” Kendra ran to Seunghyun.

 

“Finish this first.” Seunghyun told Kendra as he gave her a spoonful of rice with chicken.

 

“Kendra.” Tiffany called her.

 

“Let her sleep first then I’ll drive you home.” Seunghyun told Tiffany without looking at her. “She’s going to throw a tantrum if you force her.”

 

Tiffany raised her eyebrow.
So Seunghyun knows Kendra better than she does, now?

 

“Choi Seunghyun.” Tiffany had to inhale deeply before she can talk again, “I don’t know how to begin but--”

 

“Then don’t.” Seunghyun knew where this conversation is heading.

 

“Stop meeting with my child.” Tiffany told him. “I can sue for you that.”

 

“Go ahead.” Seunghyun challenged her, “How can a Dad not meet her daughter?”

 

“You are not her father!” Tiffany almost shouted. “I need not explain anymore.”

 

Her eyes were saying something. She’s in for battle, and Seunghyun took this opportunity to finally let it all out. How he felt betrayed Tiffany kept Kendra all these years from him.

 

“Can I have at least a single reason why I just met Kendra when she’s already three?” Seunghyun demanded.

 

Seunghyun held it for so long, he’s about to burst.

 

“You don’t have any reasons to meet her when she was one… two… and even now that she’s three.” Tiffany said icily. “I feel very harassed Choi Seunghyun. You are already being too much and I feel like you’re harassing me. I appreciated your help but this is crazy…”

 

“I’m waiting for your reason…” Seunghyun told her, “And stop telling me she’s not mine because we’re done talking about that.”

 

“I never had regrets meeting you Choi Seunghyun…” Tiffany’s eyes began producing tears which fell on her face, “Only now.”

 

“Tell me your reason Tiffany Hwang and I’ll decide whether I’d say if I’ll ever regret meeting you or not.”

 

“You didn’t meet her because you are not her Dad, Seunghyun.” Tiffany, at this point, is still insisting. "She is Nichkhun's baby."

 

“I’m setting aside all the obvious reasons, Tiffany. My feelings for her, Kendra’s looks, everything else which points out she is mine, I’ll put it on the side for the meantime. But you have to tell me, if she isn’t mine why is my name there in her birth certificate listed as her father? Why is Kendra, Kendra Choi and not Kendra Hor--”

 

Ooops.
Seunghyun doesn’t know Nichkhun’s last name; it could’ve been a perfect line in a drama or in a movie, should Seunghyun have known Nichkhun’s last name.

 

“You have to tell me.” Actor Choi Seunghyun recovered and delivered his lines once more, “If you feel harassed then I feel cheated. If she isn’t my baby then I was used all this time for whatever reason. If she’s mine, which I believe more than one hundred percent, then the more I feel cheated of those three years that I don’t know she existed.”

 

Tiffany looked away. The drama of her life is far from over.

 

 “You took it all away from me Tiffany. Those times when I should’ve already been taking care of her. I should’ve been as excited as you when she first talked, when she took her first step. I should have taken a picture of her smiling with just one tooth. Even those diaper changing, making her formulas and sleepless nights, I missed all of those things…  I wanted to call you a bad woman for doing something like that but I can’t get myself to do it. You still gave birth to my baby after all.”

 

“Nichkhun’s her dad.” Tiffany’s got no answer except that. Despite the many things Seunghyun threw at her, Tiffany’s got only one thing to say.

 

“Let her sleep first then I’ll drive you home.” Then Seunghyun turned his back.

 

He didn’t get anything out of Tiffany Hwang.
So much for his straight-from-the-heart best-actor lines.
He didn’t know he was dealing with a best actress.

 

 

COEX Mall
Seoul
4.30 p.m.

 

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