“oppa!” 

Kai spun around and was greeted by Byul right in front of the door, his eyes widen.

 “Byul…” 

She grinned as she pulled Kai’s hand so he can crouch down to match her level, “where’s umma?” the very first question escaped .

Kai was speechless.

Not because of the question.

 Byul had been gone for days and right now was the 4th day after her missing. She looked perfectly fine, no ill, no harm, flawless like she was just coming back from a vacation at beach.. eh no, most likely she just return from the spa. Kai thought momentarily before he snapped out from his outrageous  imagination.

“where have you been?” he held her shoulders while his eyes were still wide.

Byul beamed radiantly, “I was with appa and uncle Sehun!” 

Kai furrowed his brows, he absolutely had no idea about these people even he had been hearing stories about Byul with his father from Chanyeol, when suddenly Byul squealed in delight, “umma!” he flinched as he saw the little kid already sprinted towards the called person.

Sunhwa turned around to the voice.

She blinked.

“Byul?”

Being clueless she was, she just crouched down and caught the nearing Byul who was hyper to be in her embrace. In reflex she hugged Byul  closely, since it was a sane person would do.

 They parted from the hug as Sunhwa framed her small face, looking precisely at every feature of Byul's face as to confirm that she was really her daughter. 

"are you okay? You’re not hurt somewhere do you?” she concerned, even her facade was serious with crestfallen which matched a mother worrying her daughter losing for some days.

A young mother, with unmarried status. 

Kai was amused to think in that way,  but he rather stifled his laugh.

Byul shook her head,  smiling, “no.. I’m totally good mom..” 

Sunhwa furrowed her brows. "Really?" She eyed her daughter from top to bottom in a slight movement.

Byul kept her reassuring smile. "Yes.. I'm really fine."

Sunhwa heaved a small sigh, still with unsatisfied expression plastered on her face in which made Byul felt guilty. Her lower lip was jutted out as she muttered,

“umma, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have go out that evening.. actually I just want to go to the playground but then I got hungry and went to the-” 

“It’s okay, what’s important right now you’re here with mom.. next time don’t do it again okay?” Sunhwa said. She couldn't stand seeing Byul like she was going through a punishment. It was not like she was not strict at her daughter. But for now she thought that she should let it pass instead of telling her off. 

"Byul, do you want to eat something?" She asked, "I'll cook your favourite food.." she poked the younger's cheek, as the latter  cheekily flashed a meek smile, "hmm, but mom..actually..I-" Byul hesitated, ".. I'm full.."

Sunhwa stared at her like what-is-my-daughter-eat-when-she-just-come-back-home?

"w-what do you mean?" She cautiously asked, as her brain managed to come up with a conclusion that someone must have taken a responsibilty in nursing Byul when she was away from her. And somehow she was afraid.. of Byul's answer.

"mean what?" Byul asked back innocently.

 "..I mean, what did you eat?  No I mean, who did-"

“it’s dad! Mom, I've met dad!"

“what?” Sunhwa would be less surprised if Byul told her that she met a ghost.

Byul nodded eagerly, “yes.. mom, we still have dad!” she exclaimed happily.

Sunhwa looked up as to meet eyes with Kai.

It was right.

 Chanyeol wasn’t lying when he said about Byul was with his father all this time.

 Almost immediately Kai reacted and ran outside the apartment.

Kai breathed in and out, he placed his palms on his knees, panting.

“he’s gone.” He whispered, watching the retreating sight of a black coupe leaving the apartment.

:.::.::.:

Sunhwa was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees. She couldn't help but keep on thinking about.. the father. Back then, when her sister was still alive, she never meet her sister's boyfriend. Or to be precise, Byul's father. She kept wondering on how did the father looked alike? 

Does he look like Byul? Oh wait, no.. what am I thinking? I shouldn't even think about him. He has nothing to do with Byul now.

She closed her face with her palms as she shook her head fervently.

“umma,”

Sunhwa looked at her, “oh? You're not sleeping yet?”

Byul shook her head, “can I sleep with mom tonight?”

 “sure..” she smiled as she grasped her closer and ruffled her hair with her right hand.

Byul cherished  this moment of being able to be around her mother for she had been missing her so much despite the fact that she had been staying with her father at the meantime. 

Talking about her father made Byul remembered something that she, as in needed, to share it with her mother.

“umma, it was good.. to be able to talk and stay with dad last night.” 

Sunhwa almost chocked on her saliva when she heard that.

 She tilted her head as she slighlty lifted Byul's head to face her, still in a disbelief manner, “y-you slept with a man?”

“no... he’s not a random man.. he is dad.” Byul corrected.

Sunhwa remained dazed as she ran her fingers through her hair, her face was slightly pale, “Byul I’ve told you, dad is-”

“umma please..” Byul said, “dad is still alive..” she pleaded hoping Sunhwa would believe her.  

as if.

Sunhwa just stared at the younger.

“Byul why you’re not listening to me now?" she spoke in a firm soft voice, but at the same time she sounded tired.

It was like she had been going through a hard time not to get into 'that' topic. 

Anything but Byul's father.

She knew that he was not the righteous father for her. He's the one who wanted to kill Byul. Which father deserved a daughter who will kill her anyway? 

At least that was what she believed.

Byul lowered her head, avoiding eye contact, “I-I was just telling the truth.” She mumbled.

Sunhwa closed her eyes momentarily and sighed, “you should sleep now..” she patted her head as the latter obediently crawled to her place on the bed and lay down.

:.::.::.:

The next morning during breakfast;

“hey ahjumma I swear I'm going to call a  physiatrist if you keep doing that?" Kai pointed his finger at Sunhwa who was just stirring her bowl of cereal, watching the motion of grains with more interest as he took his seat across her by the table.

Sunhwa looked up at him, scoffing, "doing what? And why would it even related to a physiatrist?" She made an act of stirring again, still looking at him, not minding if the spoon making a clanck sound. Kai sighed. 

"Whatever.."

"..And I’ll make sure Byul calls you ahjusshi after this.." She glowered.

Kai sticked out his tongue, “as if you can do that."

She about to open , but was instantly interrupted.

“oppa..” Byul suddenly or magically as Kai would call it, cooed as she made her way to the dining table, carefully taking her seat beside him.

“see?” Kai chuckled.

Sunhwa just shook her head as Byul continued speaking up in a cutely appropiately, not-gonna-make-you-puke manner, “oppa, oppa.."

"yes my sweetie?"

"can you bring me to the park today?”

“NO!”

The two were surprised at how Sunhwa suddenly shouted. At this moment, they just grateful she made a good income so they can actually lived in an appropiately private unit where they don't have neighbor seen through the window.

"wow.. woman.. calm down." Kai shook his head in a mockery manner as he placed his left hand against his chest pretended to calm his not-so-fast-beating heartbeat.

She stared at Kai then Byul, shaking her head in the process, “you’re not going anywhere…” in which making the two’s face fell.

“why?” Byul demanded.

“yeah.. it is not acceptable.” Kai complained. 

“j-just don’t go anywhere for today..” Sunhwa's eyes were directed at the table, not having enough courage to face the two's raging state, since she might not able to point out her reasons anyway. Even if she had one, it wasn't strong enough enough to convince the little girl.

Byul huffed as she pouted, showing full cheeks which looked red now. She got down from her seat and ran to her room, most probably sulking. Sunhwa and Kai just watched her left and had no intention to stop her.

“what is your problem?” Kai started, emphasizing every word came out from his mouth as he folded his arms to his chest.

Sunhwa looked at him this time, anxiety was written over her face and the latter couldn’t deny it.

 "I’m afraid Kai..” 

He frowned, “what are you afraid about?”

“what if the father takes Byul away from me?"

“-I don’t think I can live without Byul..” she frustrated. 

Kai was silent, the frown he had in his face early was immediately replaced by an apologizing look, concern face. He understood well Sunhwa’s position. As a close next door friend whom always visited her 12 hours a day, he knew she wasn’t the  birthmother to Byul but her love was something that anyone could not doubt about. It was pure.. and if anyone ever questioned it, he or she should really earn a hard smack on the head. And he knew this thing would happen someday,  the thing where Byul’s father would find out the truth - it was just a matter of time.

 “Sunhwa.. I think you should get over it.”

 She looked at him in puzzlement, or probably she was rather offended at how Kai seemed like telling her to 'stop'.

Stop. 

As in sto