“Oppa, how was the shoot in Jeju?”

“Yeah it was good. Yonghwa had every detail covered really well.”

He answered as he continues flipping through the files that had accumulated over the period he was away.

Yoona stood in front of him, looking at his face absorbed by his work.

She wanted to ask him more, he wanted his replies longer. Over the 5 years, they were the best working partners. They were compatible in so many ways in so many things, it seems they fit well together, perfectly. She knew him inside out; his schedules, his habits, his tastes, his preferences.

There were the usual dates, the hugs, the kisses, the nights spent making love away.

But for 5 years, he had never told her that he loved her.

She never thought it would be a problem, that she would have the need for the assurance, for that three words. She thought she didn’t have to hear him say it to her to know, since they have everything in the world they wanted.

She never knew she would have a day, when she was unsure about his feelings. At all.

“Kyukyu ah!”

“Umma! Umma Umma Umma!”

She was at the airport awaiting for their arrival. The little fellow came barging into her arms, his little limbs clinging on her neck and pulling her down for a hug.

She smiles, planting a kiss on his chubby little cheeks and ruffles his tousled chestnut brown hair.

“Did you miss Umma, Kyukyu ah?”

“Yes! Umma Kyukyu miss you a lot! Kyukyu was a good boy with Auntie Taeyeon, right Taeyeon Auntie?”

“Of course, our Kyujae is the best!”

Taeyeon smiles and winks at the little boy that have been dragging her to MacDonalds and Baskin Robbins every day for the past week. It wasn’t every day that he can indulge in his favorite hamburgers and ice cream when his mother is around.

“Seohyun ah… I heard about it from Hyoyeon. I have scolded Teukie for not telling me about it. How was the shoot, was everything alright? Hyukkie Oppa must be furious at us.”

“Yes Unnie, everything was alright don’t worry about it. Both Hyoyeon Unnie and me thinks it’s better to keep Hyukkie Oppa in the dark. Everything was fine, and there are some just follow up shoots before everything is wrapped up. It will be soon over, and I am perfectly fine with it. Kyukyu ah, shall we go and have some pasta?”

“Yay pasta! Umma let’s go have pasta!”

The little boy clasp the hands of his mother and dragged her towards the door while Taeyeon stares at their back, worried if her little sister that they held so dear was hiding anything from them.

“… so they live happily ever after.”

They were tucked in the bed reading bedtime stories in the apartment that Eunhyuk had rented for them for their stay. A street away from his own. They met Eunhyuk and Hyoyeon at a pasta place from the airport and brought Kyujae to walk around before bringing him home.

“Umma, what’s happily ever after?”

“Happily ever after means… living happily forever.”

“Will everybody live happily ever after? Why does it always ends with happily ever after?”

“Because everyone wants to live happily ever after. No one wants to be upset and be troubled. And all the Hyungs and Noonas who wrote these books wanted Kyukyu to live happily ever after so they always end with it.”

His eyes met his mother’s and smile.

“So I can find my princess and live happily ever after too?”

“Of course! Our Cho Kyujae is going to find his pretty princess and they are going to live happily ever after.”

“So I will be the prince! Umma you can be the queen! But what about the King? Appa is away in one of the stars now, so Umma must wait for Appa to be back to live happily ever after?”

“Remember what Umma says? Appa may not come back in time to see us because Appa wants to find something to save the world. So Umma cannot be always waiting for Appa, Kyukyu too right?”

“Yes Umma Kyukyu knows. Umma, you can be my princess too! We can be together happily ever after!”

She laughs and look at the little boy in his arms.

“Are you sure you want Umma to be your princess? What about Yuki waiting for you in Japan?”

His ears instantly turned hot red. Just like his father, when they were embarrassed.

“Umma!!!”

She laughs at the shyness her little boy portrayed at the mentioning of his little girlfriend, his playmate since young in Japan. Soo Young Unnie comes over every weekend with Yuki, and they have been best friends ever since.

She tickles his little boy as both of them squeals and laugh while chasing each other around the bed.

He stops in front of the window and pointed to his mother.

“Umma, let’s say hello to Appa!”

A star shone brightly in the night sky.

She cradles him on the armchair next to the floor windows, rocking her baby in her arms.

“Appa! How are you? Umma and Kyukyu misses you. Appa have you found the thing in the star? You have to come back so we can live happily ever after. With Appa Umma Kyukyu and Yuki… Appa…”

His eyes were shutting off as she stares at his sleeping face, kissing his forehead.

For the past two years, Kyukyu had started asking for his father. Ever since she was pregnant, she had been waiting for the day when her little boy realized that he is different from the other toddlers. That he didn’t have a father.

She was taken aback when her little boy finally asked, but she had the answer programmed in his mind. He didn’t want him to know that his father didn’t know about his presence, nor knowing that he will never come back for him. She wanted everything for her little boy, and nothing could stop her protecting his heart.

So she told him that his father was the best person on earth, that she fell in love with. After they had Kyukyu, his father had to go to one of the stars in the galaxy to find something to save the world. Her little boy was amazed by the superhero image that she had given to his father.

He never needs to know the truth, though she don’t know how long can this story go on.

Her little boy misses his Appa.

And deep inside her heart where she had concealed her past, she knows she misses him too.