(3 years old Tiffany)

No One’s POV

Little Tiffany was sleeping in peace in a sunny afternoon. She was having happy dreams that made her smile while she was sleeping, but things changed when she heard noises outside, waking up her beautiful nap.

Tiffany rubbed her eyes cutely, adjusting to her surroundings a bit before she got off the bed. Right after she got off, she sneezed a couple of times as her body temperature changed. She walked to the door and stood on her tippy toes to open it since she was a little too short to reach the door knob.

She cracked the door open a little bit for her to just see everything that’s going on outside in the living room.

“How can you do this? To your own family…” Mr. Hwang looked at her wife that has all her luggage at the door.

“When I first married you, you promised to me a good life and look at us now, we're gonna get kicked out tomorrow because we haven't paid our rent in 2 months. We can never have a meal that makes our stomach full. We don't celebrate any holidays because we're poor.”

“Because of that reason, you’re abandoning your family? What about Tiffany? She is only 3 years old. Imagine her growing up without a mother to be by her side.”

“I just can’t live like this anymore. I’m sick and tired of this life.”

“Remember when we vowed that we’ll go through problems like this together? What happened to that?”

“Things change. I’m sorry.” With that, Tiffany’s mom grabbed her luggage and left the house.   

Tiffany who was behind the door saw her mom left, immediately rushed outside to the living room.

Hearing the door open, Mr. Hwang turned around and greeted by Tiffany who was looking up at him.

“Daddy. Where is mommy going?” Little Tiffany asked her dad as she was holding her favorite stuffed animal in her arm.

“Ah…Tiffany…Mommy just going on vacation. She will be back real soon.” Mr. Hwang lied, not wanting Tiffany to experience not having a mom as such a young age.

“Okey…I will miss mommy a lot while she’s gone.”

Mr. Hwang quickly gave her daughter a hug. A tight hug.  

(3 and a half year old Tiffany)

No One's POV

“Daddy, when will mommy come home? I really miss her.” Whined Tiffany.

“You see Tiffany. I can’t answer that question because I don’t even know when she’ll be back…or will she ever.” Mr. Choi mumbled the last part.

“I believe that she’ll come back because daddy told me mommy is on vacation and she’ll be back real soon. You won’t lie to me right daddy.”

Mr. Hwang didn't know how to answer that question. It was either save Tiffany from knowing her mom left or tell the truth. At the end, Mr Hwang decided what's best. "Of course not sweetie. I will never lie to you."

(4 years old Tiffany)

No One's POV 

“Are you sure about this sir?”

“Yes I am.” Mr. Hwang signed the contract.

“Ok. I’ll send this off to the department right away. You can talk to your daughter while I do this.” The employee went out of the room along with Mr. Hwang.

Mr. Hwang nodded and went out the room.

“Tiffany. Come here.”

Tiffany immediately obeyed her father’s instructions.

“Yes daddy?”

“Tiffany…daddy has to work somewhere else for 3 days. You will stay here for the next couple of days while I’m gone okay?”

“Yes daddy. Promise to come back in 3 days?” Tiffany held out her pinky. Mr. Hwang looked down for a second and also held up his hand.

“Promise.” Mr. Hwang and Tiffany’s pinkies connected, forming a promise. As soon as they formed the promise, a lady came out from the office and stood by Tiffany. “I got to go okay. You be good while you’re here. Remember that I’ll always love you okay? Don’t forget that.”

“Yes daddy. Be safe okay?” Tiffany gave Mr. Hwang a hug. Within that mere second, Mr. Hwang shed a tear, knowing that it’ll be the last hug that he’ll get from Tiffany.

“C’mon dear.” The lady politely said, hinting Tiffany to let go of his dad. Tiffany let go of Mr. Hwang held the ladies hand while waving bye at her dad. Mr. Hwang watched her daughter hold on to the ladies hand before they disappeared in a corner.

“I’m sorry Tiffany.” Mr. Hwang looked up at a sign. A sign that said ‘Busan Orphanage’. 

(4 and a half year old Tiffany/Half year later)

Tiffany’s POV

I sat on my bed and looked out the window. It was a cloudy day as the sun was being covered up. I looked down at my hand and my hand automatically stuck my pinky out.

“You promise daddy… that you’ll come back in 3 days. It’s been half a year…where r u?” I keep looking down at my pinky.

(6 years old Tiffany)

Tiffany’s POV

After 2 years of waiting for my dad to come back, I knew he abandoned me at an orphanage. How stupid was I to think that my dad would actually come back. I didn’t even know I was living in an orphanage until some kids knocked some sense into me the other day.

That day I was playing on the swings. It was a really sunny day as the sky was pure blue. I closed my eyes while I was swinging high above the ground. I kept closing them until suddenly, I heard someone yelling at me to get off.

Having some dignity inside of me, I said no. I wouldn’t have said that if I knew they were going to stop the swings and push me off to the ground. I cried, calling my daddy whom I missed so much.

“Your dad is never coming back. He gave you to the orphanage.”

“What’s an orphanage?” I said innocently

The kid laughed at me in disbelief. “You’re kidding right? An orphanage is when parents abandon their children at.”

“My daddy will never abandon me. He loves me.” I defended. He promised he will come back. He promised.

“He would of come back and get you if he didn’t abandon you. Face the fact kid. Your parents didn’t want you.”

With that sentence, it finally made me realize something.

My dad will never come back for me.

(7 years old Tiffany)

No One’s POV

“Tiffany did you pack everything?”

“Yes Mrs. Park I did.”

“Okay. Grab your stuff and come with me dear.”

Tiffany listened to Mrs. Park and grabbed her luggage. Once Tiffany was out of her room, she was greeted by two people.

“Tiffany. This is Mr. and Mrs. Choi. They are your new parents.”

“My new parents?”

“Yes.”

“Hello.” Mrs. Choi said softly, not wanting to scare Tiffany.

“Hi.” Tiffany greeted back

“Well. You’re free to go Tiffany.” Mrs. Park said with a smile.

“I won’t be back here anymore?” Tiffany asked innocently

“No honey. We’ll go home.” Mrs. Choi spoke out.

“Home? Isn’t my home here?”

“This was your home. You have a new home now.”

(8 year old Tiffany)

“The plane has officially landed in California, USA. The weather here today is 65 degrees and the right now it is 2 in the afternoon. Please remain seated and keep the seat belts on until the captain has turned off the seatbelt light. Again, Welcome to California, USA.”

The plane took drove a little bit around the airport before it stopped. The light for the seatbelt went off and everyone got up.

“Tiffany sit here while I get the luggage okay?” Mr. Choi said to Tiffany.

“Yes daddy.”

Mr. Choi opened the compartment and grabbed his carry on out of the space and placed them on the floor. After placing the luggage down, Mr. Choi walked out of the plane while holding to Tiffany’s little hand while Mrs. Choi was behind them.

The family safely stepped out of the plane and into the passenger boarding bridge. They walked on the bridge for a couple of minutes before they actually set their foot on a real floor.

After 15 hours of flying with 3 times of changing planes, they have finally set their foot on USA.

(9 year old Tiffany)

No One’s POV

“Okay. Bed time story is done. You need to sleep now.”

“But dad, can’t you read one more?” begged Tiffany.

“Tomorrow Tiffany. Tomorrow. Promise” Mr. Choi brought out his pinky to make a promise to Tiffany.

The second Mr. Choi brought out his pinky, all the flashback of how Tiffany’s real dad brought out his pinky came all back to Tiffany. Because of what happened in the past, it always haunted Tiffany. And now, whenever Tiffany hears the word promise, she always have this mindset where people will just go off it.

“It’s okay dad.” Tiffany slipped under her cover, leaving Mr. Choi dumbfounded.

Mr. Choi retreated his pinky and bend down and kissed Tiffany in the forehead. “Ok. Good night dear.” Mr. Choi then shut down the room light down.

(18 year old Tiffany)

No One’s POV

“Everybody, please move your tassel to the side.” The principle spoke with a microphone to everyone that’s in front of him.

All the graduates moved their tassel to the left to show that they graduate.

“Now, please throw your caps up!”

In only a second, hundreds of caps were up in the air with thousands of people cheering for them.

(23 year old Tiffany)

No One's POV

“Can’t believe I’m back into this house again. It brings back old memories…” Tiffany touched the sofa lightly.

“I know right? I can’t believe we were going to move back to Korea again. I thought when you dad said it, it was a joke.” said Mrs. Choi.

“It’s not a bad thing mom. I like being here. Where I’m from, although I do miss Cali a lot.” Tiffany ended her sentence with a little chuckle.

“I miss it too. But let’s go help dad. He’s literally trying to carry all our luggage inside this house and you and I both know clearly that they aren’t light.” Mrs. Choi was talking to Tiffany as she is walking out the door to help Mr. Choi.

“Yes. Mom.”

[Flashback ended]

when i first started to think about this chapter, i honestly thought it'll be a lot harder to write, but at the end, my fingers were like basically typing on its own because i had so many good ideas 

i don't believe i clearly stated why Mr. Hwang left Tiffany in the first place. If you guys didn't understand, it is ABSOLUTELY FINE because i plan to reveal it in the future. But, if you kind of read through when Tiffany was 3 years old, it kind of says it, but not. I'm testing your reading skills here 

thanks to neolightning for upvoting ♥ and of course big thanks to people who took time to place a comment! The best morning I can have is when I wake up and i go on AFF while I'm still like half awake and see there's a new comment notification. Like you guys won't believe how fast i smile. 

The next update will be on my other stories beacuse I believe i updated 2 times on this story already, maybe third lol. I lost count. 

For people that don't know yet, for every two updates i write on this story, i'll update a secondary story which is Pass Me By. I noticed how i didn't properly annouce that so here you guys go.

im going to end it like how i always end it, peace!