“Chaerin!”

Chaerin turns her head when someone called her. And there, she find her boss, Taka is running towards her

“Yes?”

“Uhm.., have you got your lunch yet?” Taka asks

“Oh.., not yet, Sir” Chaerin smiles

“Good. Let’s eat together” Taka cheers. It’s been two weeks since Chaerin becomes her personal assistant. And since the first day he saw Chaerin, he’s been hooked by this woman. And he tries his best to get Chaerin’s attention. Well, not as her boss, but as a friend, as a man…

“I’m sorry, sir. But I have an appointment already….” Chaerin smiles apologetically

“Aah…,” Taka looks a bit disappoint. “Uhm.., looks like I’m late. Well, with your boyfriend?” Taka asks carefully, wish that she would say ‘no’. Chaerin smiles, the smile he loves so much.

“No.., I have an appointment with my friend, Sir” She says, still smiling. Yeah, she has an appointment with Minji today…, and Haru

Taka smiles instantly when he heard the words ‘friend’ from Chaerin. “Ooh.., then, maybe next time?” he asks again

“Sure” Chaerin answers, then she look on her watch. “Then, I’m leaving first” she bows politely and leaves him.

Taka just standing frozen, watching Chaerin until she disappears from his sight, then he’s heading to Lydia’s room

“Don’t you take your lunch break?” Taka asks when he sees Lydia is still busy with her paperwork

“Just take yours, I’m not hungry” Lydia says coldly. Taka notices that her mood is so –oh-no-way- today. He knows Lydia, so he decides to let her calm down.

“Ooh, then I’ll go first, don’t skip your meal!” Taka says and leaves her. In her office, Lydia can’t be focus. Her concentration has distracted by the memory of Chaerin and her cute daughter, Haru.

Tears starts to falling down from her eyes as she covers her face with her palms. And her mind flies back to 5 years ago, when she was still in her collage life, when she got and lost everything at the same time….

She shakes her head to get the memories off of her head and wipes her tears. Then she takes her back, and leaves her office

“I need a break…” Lydia whispers to herself. Then she walks to the parking lot and leaves the office building

“Omma…, I don’t want to eat this…” Haru pushes the sliced paprika from her plate. Chaerin finally has her lunch only with Haru, since Minji has a sudden test on her college

Chaerin looks at her daughter who is pouting and keeps separate the paprika from her food. “Haru, baby… paprika is good for you. It contains many vitamins to help you grow up” Chaerin says softly. But then Haru sighs

“But.., it taste bad…” Haru keeps reasoning. Chaerin sighs softly. Yeah…, kids and their ‘vegetables problem’. And Haru definitely got it from her Appa who hates paprika too….

“Baby…, it tasted good. Look, Omma loves paprika” Chaerin picks a sliced and eat it, showing a yummy expression to her baby girl. But…, she is Haru. She is so stubborn..., again, just like her Appa….  Chaerin smiles and shakes her head. Looking at her girl pouting, remind her of Jiyong. Like father like daughter

“Aigoo…, why do you act like Appa so much….” Chaerin pouts. Haru giggles looking at her pouting Omma

“Because I’m Appa’s daughter, Omma…” She giggles again. And Chaerin is completely lost to her daughter this time. She pinches Haru’s cheek and laughs with her. Haru is about to eat her steak again when she sees a familiar figure entering the restaurant. “Aunty Lydia!!!” she squeals and smiles widely. Chaerin turns her head and sees Lydia too

Lydia was shocked. But then she smiles automatically and walks to the little girl who is now waving her little palms.

“Miss Lydia” Chaerin bows and smiles. Lydia smiles back and bows a little then extends her hand and pulls Haru into her embrace and smile blissfully

“How are you, Haru-yah?” she asks wile keeps hugging Haru tightly. Haru hugs her back then they pulled up

“I’m great, Aunty…,” she gives Lydia her beamy smile, makes Lydia and Chaerin smile wider. “Do you want to take your lunch too aunty? Just eat here with us!!!” Haru bounces on her seat. Lydia looks at Chaerin

“It’s a good idea, baby… Would you mind to join us, Miss?” Chaerin asks Lydia

“Of course.., I’d love it. And Chae, please stop that formal attitude outside the office and works hours. I’m just older than you by a year, don’t make me feels like an ahjumma” Lydia protest, makes Chaerin laughs lightly.  Then she takes a seat beside Haru.Then the three of them have their lunch happily, with Haru who is never stop shares her stories and makes the adults keeps laughing happily

After that, Lydia drives Chaerin and Haru back to Haru’s school, since Chae has to go back to work. After drops Haru at her school, the two are heading back to the office

“That man…, he is very lucky, for having you and Haru…” Lydia smiles, keeps driving. Chaerin smiles too while her mind is imagining Jiyong’s smile face

“Yes…, and we’re lucky to have him too….” Chae says and turns to see Lydia. But then she looks Lydia’s face. Her eyes…, feel so… sad? Chaerin wonders, what’s really happen to Lydia. Truthfully, since she saw Lydia with Haru for the first time, she felt there was something on Lydia. The way she looks at Haru…, just like…, a mother looks at her long lost daughter. Full of love, softness, yearn….. So contrast with her fiercing image.

“Are you ok, Lyd?” Chae asks worriedly. Lydia is snapped from her own thought

“I’m fine…” she forced a smile. Chaerin just nods, but she saw it clearly, Lydia’s eyes show that she’s not ok.

Lydia went home early today. She could feel her energy were evaporates somewhere. After taking a long bubble-bath, she lays on the bed, looking at Haru’s picture with her in her phone. She smiles as she remembers Haru’s cute smiles and how smart that little girl is. Then she looks the next picture she took this day. A picture of Haru hugs and kisses her Mom. She smiles again, until her eyes move to the framed picture on her side table, and she starts to feel that pain again. Her heart feels so ache. She reaches the frame, caresses the newborn’s face on the picture as she cries painfully….

“If only Momma is strong enough…. Momma is really sorry…, Kyra…..” she cries harder and holds the picture tightly

“I’m going to miss you….” Kiko pouts, earning chuckles from her parents, and Jiyong

“Korea is not that far, Kiko….” Jiyong laughs lightly. Today, Ji is coming back home. He can’t wait to fly and see the loves of his life. Being separated from them is the thing he hate the most. He bought a lot of mochi as Chaerin wants. He also bought many things for Haru

“You can visit Jiyong, though….” Mrs. Mizuhara suggests

“Sure” Kiko says, then looking at Jiyong. “Just wait for my visit, Mr. Kwon” She told Jiyong and they laugh

“Fine. I’ll be waiting for your visit, Miss Mizuhara” Jiyong answers. Then, after the farewell hug etc…, Jiyong left to his plane. Kiko is watching him until she can’t see him anymore with such a sad face. And her parents noticed that, as they glance at each other. Seems like the parents shared the same idea….

On the plan, Jiyong is smiling endlessly. He opens the paper bag once again and looks at the kokeshi dolls, wrapped beautifully in a transparent box.

‘Haru would love this…’ he thought. Then he takes her phone and looks at Chaerin’s last message yesterday. A picture message of pouting Haru with a plate of paprika

He chuckles reading the remarks: She got this from you, Oppa….

Yeah, Chaerin is right. Haru got her ‘anti-paprika’ from him.

Without Jiyong realized, a man sitting beside him just looking at him takes a peek on the paper bag and Jiyong’s phone. Then the man smiles

“Your daughter will love it. Cute dolls for cute baby girl” He says, brings Jiyong’s mind back to his head. Jiyong then smiles back to the man. From his appearance, seems like they are at the same age.

“Aah, yeah…” Jiyong smiles proudly. This is the first time he could admitting Haru as his daughter. ‘Well, he’s just a stranger though. It won’t be a problem if I admit it. He doesn’t know me and maybe this will be the first and the last we meet. So, it’s ok’ he thought

“How old is she?” he asks

“She’s turning four this year” Jiyong answers with a beamy smile

“I’m Dong Youngbae, btw” He extends his hand

“Kwon Jiyong” Jiyong shakes his hand. Then they have a little chitchat, talking about little Haru.

“She doesn’t looks like her mom” Bae comments with a smiles as Jiyong shows him another picture. A picture of smiling Haru sitting between him and Chaerin

“Yeah…, she took too much of my features” Jiyong chuckles. He’s so happy. Ooh.., how great if only he could do this to everyone. Tell the world how beautiful and smart his daughter is…. “It’s almost a month I’ve been away from them. I just miss them so much” Jiyong admitting

“Yeah, it’s written all over your face” Bae chuckles, along with Jiyong. They could get along quickly.

“Do you have child too?” Jiyong asks. Bae is still smiling, shakes his head.

“No…, but I’d love to have one. Looking at you, seems like interesting for being a dad” Bae laughs lightly, and Jiyong laughs too

“Yeah, it’s…. amazing” Jiyong smiles ear to ear. Bae is looking at the smiling-like-idiot man and smiles too.

“But I have too looking for the mother first” Bae says, makes Jiyong frown and laughs.

“Don’t you have a partner?” Ji asks. Bae takes a deep breath then releases it

“I have a girlfriend… but she doesn’t want to have one” He says

“Your girlfriend, doesn’t want a child?” Jiyong asks weirdly and scrunches his forehead

“Actually…, both of us never think about having children so far…, but seeing you smiling like an idiot over your daughter picture just now gave me a sudden interest for having a child” Bae admits while scratching his head. Jiyong chuckles

“Aah…, I see” Jiyong smiles

“Now I feel like I want to have one” Bae adds

“You have to. Trust me, it feels amazing to see a part of you becoming a new life…” Jiyong says. And Bae surely can see Jiyong said the truth

They arrived at Gimpo international airport. Jiyong and Bae are walking together while keep talking. They even exchanged business card before. Then they see a thin yet beautiful woman waving her hands to Bae

“That’s my girlfriend” Bae says and Jiyong nods. “I’m leaving first then. Nice to meet you, Jiyong” he said then leaving. Jiyong saw his driver too, and heading straight to him.

Inside the car, he text Chaerin

To: My Hunchae => Baby, I miss you… nega bogo sipeo

Not too long, until he get the replied

From: My Hunchae => then, Come baby baby come come baby…..

He smiles like a fool (again) and replies

To: My Hunchae => Fine. Prepare yourself

He grins naughtily. Then another message comes

From: My Hunchae => Prepare for what? Are we going to war? -_-

He giggles like a little boy, makes his driver even laughs silently. Then Jiyong looks outside, and he smiles widely as the car stopped at the apartment he loves the most. The place where his queen and princess live…

After taking his luggage, he’s heading straight to Chaerin’s unit. And not like usual, he rings the bell instead of punching the code. Inside the unit, Chaerin is walking to the door and her heart is about to explode as she finds Jiyong is standing there….

“Yes, we have a ‘war’, Hunchae…” Jiyong smirks naughtily as Chaerin is still standing frozen and looking at him in disbelief

“Oppa….” she whispers

“Neh, Chae-ah…. Oppa is here. Now give Oppa a welcome kiss” He smiles, loves to see Chaerin’s expression. Without wasting any second, Chae throws herself into Ji’s embrace. They’re embracing each other and share a very passionate kiss…., still at the door. This time, Ji realized it first and pulled out. “Where’s Haru?” Ji asks with a serious tone. Yeah, he doesn’t want to deal with Haru ask him again why do they bite each other lips. Aigoo…

Chaerin realized it too, and then she pulls Jiyong’s body inside. Jiyong takes his luggage and they walk to the living room and put the luggage there.  Jiyong is about to asks ‘where is Haru’ again, but then Chae pulls his body and kisses him deeply. Whoaah…, seems like his queen misses him so much. He feels the same, so he kisses Chaerin back with the same intensity and they have a very hot make out session

“Haru isn’t here…, she’s going out with a friend…” Chaerin said breathlessly. But then Jiyong pulled out abruptly

“A friend?” He asks seriously. Chaerin knows what’s in his mind, she just smiles and back to kisses him lightly

“My work-mate…, you’ll meet her later, when she drops Haru home” Chaerin circles her hands on Ji’s neck. Jiyong smiles instantly.

‘So, it’s a ‘her’…’ he thought

“And, when will she drop our baby home?” He circles his arms on her curvy waist, pulls her closer if it’s possible

“On 5...” Chaerin whispers as their face are so close to each other. Her eyes are locked on his. Jiyong does the same, but then he takes a glance on the clock. It shows 1 p.m. then he locks his lips with Chaerin’s again

“We still have time…” He mumbles on her lips and kisses her deeper

Lydia picks a pair of Chloe shoes then sitting beside Haru

“Try this one, baby…” Lydia speaks softly and Haru does. Day by day, Lydia is getting closer to Haru and Chaerin. And now, on the Sunday afternoon, for the very first time she takes lil Haru to go out. And she feels so damn happy just be with this little girl.

After buy some stuffs, they walks out of the mall and decides to have their lunch at their favorite restaurant. They are eating and chatting happily when suddenly Lydia sees someone. A man with a thin woman is sitting on the other corner of the restaurant with the man’s back face her. Her heart is beating uncontrollably.

‘No way…, it couldn’t be him….’ she thought. Haru senses the sudden change on Lydia’s expression.

“Aunty, are you ok?” She asks innocently. Lydia snapped and looks at the little girl.

“Aunty is fine, baby… have you finish yet?” Lydia asks and Haru nods. “Then, let’s go home…, or Omma will scold aunty for being late” she smiles, but her mind is still distracted by the man across the pillar. Then she holds Haru’s hand and standing about to leave. But she takes a glance on the man once again. And this time, the thin woman noticed it

“Who is that woman?” She asks in annoyance “Do you know her, Bae baby?”

Bae turns around and takes a look to the woman with a little girl who are walking out of the restaurant area. Bae keeps watching the blonde woman but he couldn’t see her face.

“I don’t know…” He said and about to turn back to his girlfriend when the woman suddenly turns her head. And Bae’s heart is about to stop beating that time

‘It’s her….’ Bae thought as his heart beats faster and faster. Then he looks at the little girl who is holding her hand and back-facing him and his breathe is getting hard

‘That girl… is it possibly…’ he starts to sweating

“You could stay in my place though…”the woman clings on Bae

“Dara…, you know it’s too far from my work place, baby….” Bae pecks her lips lightly. His mind is still focusing on Lydia… yeah, he’s sure that the woman on the restaurant before was Lydia…,

“Ok…” she sighs. “Too bad I have a meeting with a client tonight…”she pouts, doesn’t want to leave. But she has to go. Then Bae walks her to the lift and she kisses him before the lift opened

“I love you, my Bae baby…” she said

“I love you too” he pecks her lips again and then she enters the lift and leaves. Bae sighs as Lydia’s face keeps haunting his mind.

Bae walks back through the hallway to his room but right before he open his door, he sees the woman in his head, heading to the lift….

“Lydia…” He calls her almost inaudible when she passes him. But Lydia could hear him and turns her head.

She gasps, and shocked just like Bae

“Lydia….” He mumbles her name again as his body is start to shaking. On the other hand, Lydia is standing frozen. She looks at the man in front of him with teary eyes. the man who gave her happiness and destroyed her life at the same time….

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A.N

Annyeong!!!! I’m back readers….

Sorry for being late…., I had an accident on Thursday and being lazy after that… hehehehehe

I planned to reveal Lydia’s past wholly, but I think the chapter would be too long, so I split it and saved it for the next Chapter… hehehehehe

Thank you for all the readers, 17 Voters!!!! Wow, 94 subbies and my beloved commentators…. Thank you…, and please keep give me your comment about this story

I really need to know ehat are you thinking about this story…

And.., Happy Independence Day for all the Indonesian readers!!!!!!!!

^_^

Aah, today is Winner’s debut stage…, They are just too perfect to be called as 'rookie'….

Then, See you on the next update

I Love You…

-LIA-