Junmyeon’s question was kind of answered when he didn’t see her for days now. It had been 2 days after Sunhwa left Byul with him. If not for Byul who had been looking her mother during night and day, he wouldn’t have the massive headaches now.

“appa.. when can I see umma?” The little girl mumbled, hugging an oversize plushy to her cheek during one night at his apartment.

Junmyeon was helpless on providing a good reason to his daughter. Sometimes he just said something that wasn’t even making sense including her ‘mother’ went overseas for God sake. He was idealess. There was a time where he grew tired and decided to give it a try of messaging or calling her which she had not responded. That one also drove him to another level of losing his saneness. Sunhwa left him without telling him the first place which was breaking the deal.

There was even a time when Byul started crying.

“hyung, what happen here? I could hear Byul’s voice screaming from my house.”

Junmyeon sighed for the nth time just for that day.

 “please Sehun, you lives five blocks away from here.”

Byul eventually stopped crying, probably because of Sehun’s presence. He just watched Junmyeon cleaned the messiness on her face who had been crying terribly as the younger male guessed that.

“it must be hard for you, taking care of a daughter.”

“it’s fine. I can handle them.”

“you know what? Sunhwa has been raising Byul all this time.. then when Byul is 5, it’s your turn to look after her which really give a shock to your lifestyles. ” Sehun bemused.

Junmyeon would say he had finally found a way to breathe properly when his daughter attention hooked on the television. She decided to walked over the couch, climbing up and sitting with eyes silently watching.

“Actually I felt uncomfortable towards Sunhwa. She might not sleeping all night just to look after Byul back then.. you know kid at age 1 or 2 years? he shrugged. “you can say there’s a good thing that Byul appeared in my life when she’s already 5.”

“but she’s still crying when looking for her mother..”

“well right.”

“you should find her mother.”

“I can’t do that.”

“why not?”

“probably Sunhwa already give up on her adoption towards Byul.”Junmyeon commited a small shrug.

Sehun’s eyebrows knitted, “there’s no way she would do that, she loved Byul so much and you know that.”

“but remember that Byul is back to me again. And Sunhwa is not even her biological mother, if she keeps her parental right as Byul’s mother, then what people would say? I know her, she’s not that stupid not to think about the consequences.”

“just give it a shot hyung, you’ll never know.”

Upon hearing Sehun’s encouragement, Junmyeon decided to give it a shot, which should be fine. It should be alright. Just giving a shot. Period.

He tried to came to her apartment and guess what, he had no luck to meet her.  He repeated the same habit for the next day but still no gain. Until when he tried the third charm, which he stood in front of door, long, like contemplating his choice. Truly speaking, he actually had no choice. Good thing was that he had brought Byul along who was waiting patiently beside him.

“Byul, do you know your mother’s password?”

She nodded vehemently.

“good.” He smiled, feeling a little bit stupid- no, a total fool for not asking her earlier since yesterday and nudiustertian. He brought her in his arms, so she can punch the button.

A succession of beep resonated and Junmyeon pushed the handle. Byul squirmed away from her father’s grasp as she ran towards the master room. Junmyeon took a few steps inside, this was his first time coming here. He looked around the well-organized living room, it was silent and peace and dimmed. The living interior looked not much different from what he had back in his own unit. Only the dim-sepia light within the shelves along the hallways enlighten the home. He followed where Byul had gone.

“Byul wait.”

He warily poked his head to the room which he believed was her room. The scent was a bit distinctive. It felt special with a pleasant fragrance. Without stepping inside the room for he afraid of any unexpected encounter, he decided to check at the other place when Byul called him.

“appa.. umma is not here.”

Junmyeon had his eyebrows furrowed, “really?”

Byul shook her head in confirmation, “I’ve look at the bathroom.. but mom isn’t there.” She said, waltzing back inside the master room.

Out of nowhere, a dark, curious tone resonated through the hallway,

“who are you?”

:.::.::

“what did you just say?........ she did?...... okay thank you for the info.” Chanyeol ended the call and he couldn’t help to contain his widening smile. His grip on the wheel tighten. When the traffic light turned green, he stepped on the