Sophie closed the door behind her carefully to not wake up the owner of the looming mansion she calls home. Hoping to be home before anyone was awake, Seunghyun dropped her by early morning. Creeping stealthy like a panther, she was caught off guard when her sister who had her nose buried in her tablet looked up at her from the living room. Sara smiled cheekily at her asking

“Were you out all night with Minwoo? Spill the details!”

Sophie shook her head and answered “Seunghyun.”

Sara smiled mischievously at her sister when suddenly Sophie broke down crying silently into her palms. Sara ran up to Sophie, shocked of her response.

“What happened? Did he hurt you? I’ve never seen you cry. Is this the new Sophie response?”

Sophie shook her head continuously sobbing even harder in her sister’s shoulders.

“I like him but I’m confused and things don’t seem to make sense to me. I have a kid! I don’t know who I am anymore.” Sophie confessed in between her sobs. Sara stayed silent as she simply let Sophie cry her heart out on her shoulders.

A new season rolled in, the leaves turned brown, falling off the trees as the wind blew towards the south, bringing with it a chilly breeze. The new semester has begun and Sophie was accepted into medical school. This made her extra busy and she spent less time trying to piece her memories together. Seunghyun was still hopeful; he came by everyday during lunch. Sending her food and drinks, simply making sure she ate properly. She was beginning to enjoy his company yet she was still not fully trusting Seunghyun. Sophie was still struggling to approach Seohyun. The little girl was just not adapting to the Sophie that was trying to know her.

I was sitting on the bench under a huge oak tree in the middle of campus. Students in white lab coats were staring at me as they passed by. I didn’t care but simply waited patiently for Sophie to finish her morning lectures.

“Hey hot shot! You seem really popular with the students here. Everybody is stealing glances at you. Now I’m embarrassed to talk to you.” Sophie said as she covered her face with her thick books.

“Of course they are, architects are way better looking than doctors.” I as she sat in front of me. She stuck her tongue out at me playfully.

I opened the lunch box I prepared for her, handing her a pair of chopsticks.

“You know you don’t have to do this. I’m sure you have crapload of work to do.”

“It’s my lunch hour. It’s my right to get out of the office. Plus if I don’t do this you would be planting yourself in the library and skipping your meals.” I looked sternly at her.

“Alright appa. I’ll eat.” Sophie said as she began putting food in .

We remained silent as I rested my chin on my knuckles, staring at her eat. Her cheeks puffed every once in a while as she chewed her food. She was so focused on her food; she didn’t even bother to look up at me. I kept staring at her eat, her cute face and in her I saw Seohyun.

“Stop staring Choi Seunghyun.” She smiled naughtily at me.

“No I wasn’t.” I said blushing furiously for getting caught.

“Hey, just now in psych class, my professor told us that he lives every day like his last and he has a list of things that he wants to do before he dies. But he didn’t tell us what was on the list though. Cool right?”

“Well, do you have such a list?” I asked her.

“I do have a bucket list.”

“What are they? Give me your top 3.”

She observed me carefully before she answered.

“No, I can’t tell. It’s embarrassing.”

“Oh come on, I won’t judge. Pinky promise.” I said, extending my pinky finger at her.

She looked at my hand and to my face before accepting my pinky finger.

“I’ve always wanted to dance under the rain but I’m not good at dancing. I want to be in two places at once but I would need to build some kind of molecule separator to be able to do that. And ride a motorbike but I can’t even ride a bicycle.”

I smiled as I covered my mouth with my hands, trying to conceal my laughter.

“Yah! You said you won’t judge.” She pouted cutely at me.

“I wasn’t judging!”

“Liar Seunghyun! What bout you do you have any?”

I stopped and thought for a while. My hand scratching my head, thinking.

“I’ve always wanted to stargaze and ride a roller coaster. And I’ve always wanted to be a rapper, singer kinda thing.” I said confidently, thinking how cool it must sound to her. She smiled cunningly at me.

“But?”

“No buts.” I said nonchalantly.

“Oh, come on. Just tell me.” She pouted even more. I reached over the table to pinch her cheeks. She avoided me but I got her at her other cheek. She shrieked as she giggled.

“When I was 7, I had a school performance but before I even opened my mouth I peed in my pants.”

She laughed so hard that her cheeks turned red, the veins in her neck could actually pop out as she laughed. Tears brimmed her eyes, she gasped for air to laugh even more.

“You peed in your pants on stage in front of an audience? You? The mighty confident cocky Choi Seunghyun?” she asked in disbelieve yet she laughed her head off at me.

“Yah! Don’t you have an afternoon lecture to attend?” I said changing the topic. She suddenly became aware of the time, jumping off her seat and gathering her belongings. She pecked me on my cheeks before sprinting off to class.

“Thank you for lunch Rapper ssi.” She said mockingly at me.

“That’s Tempo for you!” I shouted at her, smiling at myself. We were getting closer, not intimate yet but she was willingly trying to get to know me. We had a little slip after our first date, sleeping with each other but we both let it go since she refused to talk about it.

In the chilly September wind, as the brown leaves rustled beneath his feet. Seunghyun held the bicycle straight as his little princess cycled with all her might. Sophie sat on the grass under a huge oak tree. She held her knees close to her chest as she watched the little girl happily giggling. She smiled watching Seunghyun teach the little girl. The little girl was slowly getting a hang of riding until she rode over a pebble and lost her balance, crashing to the sidewalk. Sophie stood up immediately running towards the little girl who was already crying her eyes out. Seunghyun was already bending over at the little girl. Picking her up and kissing her scratched knees. Sophie just stood rooted in her spot. The father daughter looked perfect even without her. She started to feel out of place, doubting herself as the girl’s mother. Seunghyun turned to look at Sophie who was staring at the ground seemingly in deep thought. With his daughter in one arm, he walked over to Sophie.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

He swings his muscular arms over her petite frame, pulling her closer.

“Nothing is always something.”

Sophie pushed his arms away, releasing his hold on her to walk a few feet away from him. Seunghyun, taken aback by her respond simply stood rooted. The little girl sensing the tense between them slipped down her father’s arm and ran to Sophie. She pulled on the hem of Sophie’s dress, looking up to the woman’s face. Sophie stared at her. The little girl took Sophie’s hand and pulled her towards Seunghyun. She then took Seunghyun’s hand and wrapped her father’s hand in her mother’s.

“I miss seeing you hold appa’s hand. Please?” she whispered to Sophie, pulling her puppy eyes at Sophie. Her puppy eyes were so believable it was hard to say no to her. Sophie simply smiled and nod at the little girl. Seeing that she agreed the little girl gladly hugged Sophie’s legs. Seunghyun was holding back his tears as he watched his little princess’s setup. He picked her up in his other arm and they walked the park, looking like a happy family.

Sophie’s POV

We were enjoying our ice cream as Seohyun happily skipped in front of us. Walking the park, Seunghyun intertwined his fingers in mine. Why is it I’m feeling a little breathless by his gesture? We’re just doing this because Seohyun asked for it. And why is it I’m so comfortable agreeing to the little kid’s request? My thoughts were interrupted when Seunghyun’s deep low voice called out to me.

“Are you even listening?” Seunghyun asked.

“Sorry. I zoned out. What is it?”

“I said I have an idea.”

“What idea?”

“Just follow.” He said pulling my arms to follow him as he began to run. Seohyun who saw us running followed through thinking we were playing around. I didn’t know where Seunghyun was running to but simply allowed him to pull me. After running quite a distance, we stopped. Bending over to catch our breaths. He le