It was already a week since Chaerin and Yedam went back to Seoul. Kris helped them get back the house they used to live in, although Chaerin refused his help countless times. He even helped them move their things.

At first, Chaerin was afraid that the issue might explode again so she stayed in a low profile, good thing no trouble came to her way. Yedam was also back to his old school which was good for his recovery. Since the accident, Chaerin never let Yedam out alone. She would always drop him off to school and pick him up after. Yedam knew it was too burdensome for his sister since she already started working but he knew that it was the only way she would be at ease.

It was Monday and Yedam’s classes were over. Like he used to do, he would play with his friends while he waits for his sister. “Yah! Yedam-ah, where’s Chaerin noona? Is she coming?” one of his friends name Byung Joo asked. “Nae, I think she’s just late” Yedam casually replied. “How long will she take? I really have to go. Eomma will worry” he apologetically stated. “It’s okay. You can leave now. I’m sure noona will be here soon. I’ll just wait by the entrance. Bye Byung Joo-ya!” Yedam waved as he walked away.

It was almost 5:30pm and the sun was already setting. Yedam was tired and sleepy so he contemplated whether to head home alone. “I used to go home by myself. I’m sure one day alone will cause no trouble, right?” He flung his bag strap on his shoulder and took a deep breath before stepping out of the school grounds. “Yes. I can go home by myself!” he uttered with slight defensiveness.

Chaerin began tapping her fingers on the table as she glances at the clock on the coffee shop’s wall. She should have left about an hour ago but the shop was still packed with customers and her colleague was absent so she did not have any choice but stay. “Eotteokhe? I hope Yedam’s fine.” She was extremely worried.

Yedam carefully crossed each street leading to their house until he reached the busiest street where he had the accident. He stopped on his tracks when he saw the light turn red and cars speed in front of him. He waited patiently for it to turn green.

There were already a lot of people waiting to cross the street. He felt more relieved. I don’t have to worry since I just have to follow these people.

Even before the lights turn green, Yedam noticed his shoelaces were untied so he knelt down to tie it. When the go signal was on, everyone crossed the street leaving Yedam, he panicked a little so when he was done he immediately got up and ran to cross. He didn’t notice the stop signal lit.

That’s when he saw it, a speeding car was heading his way and he was too shock to even move to avoid collision with it. “Noona!” he screamed and closed his eyes and then he felt being lifted into the air. He knew that he was hit so he waited until he hit the ground but he never did. He was already standing firmly without even hurting anywhere.

“OMO! Yedam? Lee Yedam?” the man who saved him from another accident exclaimed.  “Yah! Are you okay? Huh? Answer me!” he started shaking him since he still had his eyes closed. Yedam slowly peeked and saw a blonde man looking worriedly at him. “Yah! Yedam-ah are you okay? Are you hurting anywhere?! Eotteokhe? What would have happened if I haven’t seen you. Huh?”

Yedam shook his head in response. “A-ahjusshi, who are you? Why do you know my name?” Tao mentally slapped himself for making him confused. “Oh yes, we haven’t formally met yet. I’m W… I’m Tao. Call me Tao Hyung since I’m almost the same age as your sister.” He smiled brightly towards the kid.

“Aniyo! I think I’ll call you ahjusshi!” he innocently answered. “Okay then will you tell me why you’re alone?” “Noona was supposed to pick me up but she might have been busy with work so I decided to go home when it was late already.”

Tao nodded. “Work? She already had work? When did you get back to Seoul?” he casually asked. “Wae? Why are you asking? Are you a stalker?” he accused. “Aniyo! Aniyo!” Tao frantically waved his hands.  “Yah! I saved your life and then you call me a stalker?”

“Whoever you are, I won’t tell you anything. Noona told me not to talk to strangers” Yedam stated. Tao hissed at his innocent comment. “She also told you not to cross the streets by yourself” he whispered low enough for Yedam to not hear. “Okay, I won’t ask anymore. Did you eat already? Are you hungry?” He let out a fake smile to hide his annoyance because Yedam wasn’t cooperating.

“Aniyo! I’m not hungry!” he lied but to no avail since his stomach suddenly growled which made Tao giggle. “You’re not hungry huh? Let’s go! I’ll treat you to a buffet! Do you like seafood?” he nicely asked. “I… I…” Yedam was hesitating whether to go or not but getting to eat seafood overthrew his will to not to talk to strangers.

Both of them walked towards the nearest restaurant to eat. Yedam’s eyes widened when he saw all the food in front of him and what’s better is that he can eat as much as he wanted. They silently ate; Yedam chowing down all the food in his plate while Tao delicately chews on his prawn.

After having their fill, Yedam was already too bloated to even walk or talk. He slumped back on his chair and held his big stomach. “Yah! Look at you! I didn’t know you can eat that much! Daebak! Let’s go get some ice cream and stroll to digest all that food in you.” Tao chuckled when he saw the side view of Yedam’s figure.

Chaerin got out very late from work. She immediately called the neighbor ahjumma. “Ahjumma, did Yedam go home yet?” she worriedly asked. “Aniyo. I was out in the balcony all afternoon and I haven’t seen him” she answered. “Really? Kamsahamnida ahjumma.” After hanging up the phone, Chaerin rushed to Yedam’s school with the intention to pick him up. “Eotteokhe? You were waiting so long!” she worriedly muttered.

When she arrived in Yedam’s school she noticed that all the lights were already switched off except the one in the guard house where a man in uniform was standing.  She walked towards him to ask. “Annyeong. Ahjusshi, did you notice a little boy waiting anywhere?”

“Nae. Lee Yedam? He left an hour ago.” Upon hearing his answer, Chaerin’s knees weakened. If Yedam left an hour ago, why hasn’t he arrived home?, she thought. She politely bowed at the guard and ran to look for Yedam. Eotteokhe? Yedam-ah! Where are you? She traced the way from the school to their house but Yedam could not be found anywhere. She began to panic.

Kris just got off work. He was riding at the backseat of the car while looking out of the window. His eyes widened when he saw a familiar figure hurriedly walking. “Ahjusshi! Stop the car!” He immediately got off and ran towards that person. “Chaerin-sshi” he called but Chaerin was too occupied to notice or even hear him. He tried to catch up with her. “Chaerin-sshi!” This time he held her in the elbow to stop her from hurrying.

Chaerin stopped but did not turn around to look at him. “What are you doing here? Did you just get off from work?” Kris asked but was again met with silence. “Chaerin-sshi? Wae? Why are you not answering? You’re not even looking at me. Wae?” he frustratedly said. He turned her around to make her look at him and when she did, his mouth instantly hanged open in shock to see her tears streaming down. “Are you crying? Wae? What happened?” he worriedly asked.

“I… I can’t find Yedam! Because of me, something bad might have happened to him once again?! Eotteokhe?” She cried even more. Kris was always hurting every time he saw her like that. He held her hand and gently hugged her. “I’m sure it’s not your fault. I’ll help you. We’ll find him!”

While she was in Kris’ arms, something on the sidewalk caught her attention. “Oh…” She freed herself from him and ran towards it with Kris confusedly trailing behind her. Chaerin picked up the thing on the ground and her thought was confirmed when she saw that it was a Superman keychain. It made her even more anxious.

“Wae? What’s that?” Kris asked. “Ye-Yedam-ah has something like this. I-It has his name on it.” She slowly turned the keychain to check the carved name and her tears flowed once more when the name Lee Yedam was printed on the object. “Eotteokhe? It’s Yedam’s! Eotteokhe!” she wailed.

“He’ll be fine. Okay? I’ll ask around if they saw him.” Kris approached a street vendor and asked whether she have seen him. He described him a little bit and the ahjumma immediately nodded and said, “Nae! I saw him waiting with the other people to cross the street. He suddenly bent down to tie his shoe lace and that’s when I turned back to what I was doing. And then…” The ahjumma hesitated.

“And then what?” Kris anxiously asked. “And then I heard a commotion but I did not bother to turn around.” “Commotion? What commotion?” Chaerin interrupted. “Like I said, I did not turn around so how would I know?”

Chaerin was going crazy. If there was a commotion that time and Yedam can’t be found anywhere right now, it only meant one thing for her; something bad happened to her brother. She cried non-stop. “Chaerin-sshi, calm down. Let’s contact the hospitals near this place and ask for Yedam..”

Kris called all the hospitals he could think of but none of them said that Yedam was rushed to their hospital. It was a bit of relief for both of them but they were even more lost now that they don’t know where to find him.

Tao and Yedam bought an ice cream in a convenient store. “Woah! Ahjusshi! This is an expensive ice cream! How rich are you? Huh?” he innocently asked. Tao can only chuckle at his question. “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.” Yedam was the first one to step out of the store and he was immediately spotted by his sister.

“Yedam? Yedam-ah!” Chaerin ran to his side and hugged him. “Yah! Where have you been huh? Have you been wandering around by yourself? Eotteokhe? What would I do if something bad happened to you huh?” she worriedly uttered. “Noona, mianhe. I waited for you but it was getting dark. I knew you were being held back from work so I thought you’re really tired. I’m a big boy now so I tried to go home alone.”

“Go home? How is this called going home? Huh? You left the school an hour ago before I called the ahjumma at our apartment. Why do you have to wander out alone?” she scolded him. “Noona, I’m not alone. That ahjusshi took me to dinner and bought me ice cream.” Yedam pointed at the door where Tao still has not emerged.

“Ahjusshi? Who? Yah! Have you talked to a stranger? Huh?” she scolded him more. “He’s not a stranger. He said he knew you” Yedam replied. “Yah! That’s what they all say! Where is he? That ahjusshi. Huh?!” At that time Tao stepped out of the store.

“That ahjusshi!” Yedam pointed. Chaerin angrily turned to look at the person he was pointing to. Kris also followed. “Tao?!” they exclaimed almost at the same time. “Chaerin-sshi?” Tao spoke. “Tao? How come you’re here?” Kris asked but Tao put on a cold expression and looked at Yedam and Chaerin instead. “Mianhe. I kept him out. I figured he was hungry after his stomach growled so loudly” he teased. “Yah ahjusshi!” Yedam pouted.

“Yedam-ah, don’t call him ahjusshi. Call him Tao hyung instead, Arasso?” Yedam nodded obediently. “Mainhe Tao hyung. I kept on calling you ahjusshi.” Tao smiled at him and said, “Its okay. I feel even more responsible when you call me ahjusshi. I like it!”

“Noona, you were with Kris hyung?” Yedam asked. “Aniyo. We just bumped into each other while I was searching for you. Yedam-ah, kaja! Let’s go home.” “I’ll take you home” Kris said but before Chaerin could answer his phone rang and he answered it immediately.

After talking with the person on the other line, Kris hung up and had an apologetic expression. “Mianhe Chaerin-sshi. But I need to attend to something urgent.” “It’s okay. We can go home on our own. You should get going. Annyeong” she answered. “Hyung annyeong! Let’s play next time arasso?”

Kris nodded and waved back to the two of them and left. Deep inside he really did not want to leave. After seeing Tao there, he suddenly wanted to stay with them. He wasn’t sure how Tao knew them or what he was to them but it bothers him a lot.

“Tao-sshi, eotteokhe? How did you find Yedam?” she asked. “I just happen to be there” he briefly answered to avoid any more questions that might lead to him revealing that her brother almost had another accident but his efforts were shut off when Yedam spoke. “Noona, if it wasn’t for him, I would have had another accident.” Chaerin’s eyes widened and her fists clenched into a tight ball. Yedam told her everything that happened and she was relieved that Tao was there.

“Kamsahamnida Tao-sshi.”  She hugged Yedam tightly and sighed. “What will I do with you? Huh? You always worry me” she spoke, tears threatening to fall so she took a deep breath. “Mianhe noona. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“I’ll drive you home. You seem too tired to take a public transportation. Kaja.”  Tao took Yedam’s back pack from him. Chaerin only followed him to the car without talking.

The way home was quiet; after Tao asked where he should take them, no one dared to speak anymore because Chaerin was too tired to do so and Tao understood her so he also remained silent. Yedam instantly fell asleep after eating a lot back at the buffet restaurant.

Tao parked in front of their apartment and was about to speak when he noticed that Chaerin fell asleep. He did not want to wake her up; he knew she needed rest. He fought the urge to stare at her but failed. He saw her calm expression as she travels to her own dream land. It was fascinating for Tao.  Watching her inhale and exhale is surprisingly relaxing to him.

He observed her facial features. No double eyelids? He did not notice that before so it made him even more amused. She was different to the other Korean girls he see every day; no sign of surgery on her already-pretty face. Chaerin moved a little so that her face was now facing Tao; it made his heart beat speed up. A few strands of her hair covered her face.

Tao subconsciously extended his hand to remove the strands of hair from her face but at that moment Chaerin moved again and opened her eyes. She immediately sat straight and looked at the embarrassed Tao but she seemed not to notice what he almost did.

“OMO! How long have I been asleep?” she shyly asked while child-likely rubbing her eyes. “No too long. We also just arrived” he lied. “Oh.” She checked Yedam who was sitting at the back seat and sighed when she saw him sleeping. She was about to wake him up when Tao stopped her. “Don’t wake him up. I’ll just carry him to your apartment.”

“Aniyo! He is not as light as you think” she refused. “Don’t worry. I’ve worked out enough for this moment” he joked. Chaerin giggled. “Okay, suit yourself.” Tao carefully took Yedam in his arms. He was surprised that he was not as heavy as Chaerin said.

Chaerin headed towards their room with Tao and Yedam behind her. She opened the door for Tao and motioned to the bedroom.

After settling Yedam, he went to the small living room where Chaerin was. “I’m sorry for the messy apartment. I haven’t been able to clean up after we moved” she tiringly spoke. “It’s okay. I don’t mind” he nicely replied. Chaerin smiled. “So do you like something to drink? Coffee? Juice?” she offered. “No. Don’t even bother. I’ll get going so you can rest.” “Are you sure?” Tao nodded in response.

Chaerin walked him to his car. “Thanks for today. For everything.” “It’s nothing. It’s like Yedam is a part of my life now, including you.” With those words, she couldn’t help but look at him with a confused expression. “I hope you won’t hate me after what I’m about to say…. but I really don’t have the strength to stay away from you anymore.”

Chaerin’s heart raced. What is he saying now?, she thought. “Tao-sshi…” She could not find the right words to say. Tao waited for what she was about to say but his hopes went down when Chaerin avoided his gaze. “I… I kinda hoped you’d tell me to not stay away but I guess I was wrong? Anyway, don’t think too much about it. I’ll get going. Bye.” Tao went closer, held the back of her head and gently planted a kiss on her forehead. Chaerin did not move at all because she was still shocked by what he said.

After a minute, Tao drove away, frustrated at himself. You’re acting like a fool!, he scolded himself. Chaerin was left alone, standing confusedly on the driveway. Mianhe Tao-sshi. I can’t respond to what you said... because I have Kris-sshi. Mianhe.