Jun's birthday party finally came. Namjoo was getting ready and she picked her best outfit for the small kid's birthday party. She has never took so many time just to put on her makeup. She wanted to look pretty for Jun. She wanted, to be pretty on her son's birthday. She has never had the chance to see him on his birthday, not even wished him a happy birthday. She wanted to cry but she would smudge the mascara so she hold it in. All she wanted to do today is to be the best for her son.

She opened her fridge and look at the cake she made for Jun and smiled. As she was putting on her earrings, Niel called. 

"You know, you live next door but you are coming late. We could have went together if you told me that you will catch up later in a few minutes that turned out to be a 'few' half an hour. Attitude~" He said sarcastically. 

"I have things to prepare. Mind your own business please." She replied. 

"I do want to mind my own business if the cake is with me. The highlight of the birthday party is supposed to be the cake. So where is the cake?" Niel asked. 

"The party started?" She asked. 

"Obviously. You hired the party planner. She said to start on time. So it started. Jun's classmates are already here. Hurry up!" 

"Fine, fine! I'll be on my way!" She rushed towards the shoe rack and took her heels. She ran to the parking lot bare-feet so that she could take extra care of the cake she baked. 

She did came late but at least whatever she planned, was perfectly beautiful and suitable for a boy like Jun. She instructed the event planner to add game-zone and also a big trampoline for the kids. She made the birthday party at the garden Niel's father proposed to her. It was beautifully sturctured and the flowers were pretty. 

"There you are!" Niel said. "Give me the cake!" She passed the cake to Niel. "I didn't know you were a good baker." 

"Just something I used to do a lot." Namjoo said and smile.

Niel looked at Namjoo and smiled. "You look really pretty." He was surprised by his own words. It was like a word vomit. It came out unnoticed. Namjoo looked at Niel's eyes as she was surprised that those words came out from Niel's mouth. Usually he teases her. All the time. "I mean, you are pretty, most of the time. Not only today." He was stuttering. "But I'm not attracted. I'm just saying you look pretty and... erm, worth half and hour late." Niel stuttered again and even his voice cracked. "You know what, Jun's friends are waiting for the cake." 

"Sure." Namjoo said awkwardly. 

Namjoo was excited to be there but she was also afraid. She stood at the corner of the seats alone before Chorong approached her. 

"You don't like the party do you? Too childish?" Chorong never had a good start with Namjoo anyway. 

"I do like it. For your information, I 'PLANNED' it." Namjoo glared at her. 

"Well, you have always seemed so, cold and boring. Thanks for the invite." She said. "You know, I have always felt like I know you somewhere but I don't know. You always seemed so familiar from the back. Looking at your back, it took me to a memory of mine. I don't know. Sometimes I get really weird." Chorong laughed alone. 

"Namjoo noona! Let's take a picture together at the photobooth!" Niel called. 

"I agree with you. You're weird. Not really sometimes. All the time." Namjoo said and decided to walk towards Niel and Jun.

There was a photo booth equipped with beautiful props and also mascots of pororo and other famous cartoon characters. There was even Elsa for Jun's classmates. They kept on asking Elsa to sing Let it Go. Namjoo bent down to look at Jun and smiled. 

"Happy Birthday. I hope you would grow taller so I don't have to bend down each time to look at you." She smiled. 

"I will grow taller!" Jun laughed. 

"Come on! Let's take a picture together!" Niel put on the props on Jun. He gave Jun the Captain America's mask and the shield. He got himself a big giant spectacle-frame and wore a big ribbon on his head. He took the final props, a crown. He put it on Namjoo's head.

"That's nice of you." She said sarcastically. 

"I don't know when the hell will you ever give me a proper credit for doing good things for you." Niel was adjusting his ribbon while talking. "A simple 'thank you' would do." He said as he turned around to face Namjoo.

"Fine then, thank you." She said and made Niel smiled. 

"Everyone ready to take the picture!" Niel said excitedly.

"We are taking family picture!" Jun said excitedly and left Niel and Namjoo speechless. 

Namjoo sat at one of the table and fed Jun some desserts. Jun looked at Niel who sat on his left. He saw Niel kept on taking a glance at Namjoo. 

"I can't wait to eat the cake!" Jun said. 

"It tastes good! I made it!" Namjoo praised herself. 

"Thank you." Niel said. "I know you didn't spend any penny from my credit card. I know you paid for everything." Niel confessed. 

Namjoo just smiled. 

"Why?" Niel asked. 

"I wanted the party to be perfect for Jun." She looked down thinking about how she missed his past birthday. "Jun-ah, do you like the party?"

"I LOVE IT!!" He screamed in excitement. "My friends love it too! Pororo is here too!" He said. "Thank you!" He said politely before running away to play with his friends. 

"Why do you keep on looking at me?! Is there some stained at my face that you seriously won't tell cause you want to humiliate me?" Namjoo got irritated at Niel who has been stealing glances at her. 

"You saw it all!?" Niel asked.

"You think I'm blind?" Namjoo said. 

"Well, I told you the reason. You're pretty." Niel smiled before leaving the seat. The way he said was as if he didn't mean it at all. Like it was just a game of his. It didn't even sound flirty but rather annoying. Like he actually meant 'out of all the days I've seen you, you look the ugliest today.'

---

It was finally the time to cut the cake. Everyone was singing happy birthday for Jun and clapping excitedly. Even Niel's friends. However, in between the crowds clapping their hands happily, Namjoo started crying as soon as they started singing the birthday song. Niel on the other hand, stood next to Jun and sang with him. Before Jun blew the candle, he said out his wish to Niel. 

"I wish for the chance to call you 'dad'." Jun said. 

Niel bent down and looked into his eyes. In Niel's head was only about the adoption. He felt like the decision needs to be make in that exact moment. It took him about a minute to finally responded to Jun's wish. 

" 'Dad' is kinda cool too." He hugged Jun tightly and smiled. After Niel broke off the hug, he saw Namjoo walking away crying. Right after Jun cut the cake, Niel ran after Namjoo. 

"Leaving already?" Niel asked. "Without saying goodbye?" 

"What do you want?" She refused to show herself crying. 

"You have been really nice to both, me and Jun lately. It's not that I don't appreciate it. I do. A lot, but if it is something that is disturbing your mind, you can just treat us like you used to do. It would be easier for you." 

"You're not comfortable right?" She asked thinking if Niel is uncomfortable with her being nice, how would he be when he knows that she's Jun's biological mother. It is not easy. 

"A bit but in a pleasant way." 

"Then, don't bother." Namjoo ran away and left the party. 

From afar, Chorong was looking at Namjoo who ran away. Namjoo has a distinct running style. It is really easy to tell it's her running from the back. She knows that kind of awkward-rarely-running-kind-of-run. 5 years ago, she saw someone with the exact same running style in front of the orphanage. The day Jun was left at House of Hope doorsteps.

"It can't be." Chorong said.

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Niel is now Jun's Appa~~~~~~~~~♥