Chanmi reached over to the opposite side of the bed trying to bring Minchan closer to her. Her eyes immediately opened as she felt nothing. She saw his side of the small bed was empty. Without worry she opened the door of the room and heard noises coming from downstairs.

She quickly went downstairs and found both Minchan and Kimi watching cartoons in the living room. It was the same every weekend. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Kimi wouldn’t wake up for school but it seemed she never stayed asleep past seven on weekends.

Minchan was the first to notice her presence. “Umma you’re awake.”

Chanmi nodded as she made her way over to the couch and sat between the two of them. “Kimi why can’t you wake up like this for school?”

Kimi giggled, “That’s what Appa says.”

It seemed Kimi and Minchan were beginning to get along little by little. After two weeks of living together they were talking to each other like friends and now after almost a month they were acting like siblings. The two would wake up early and watch cartoons before breakfast. After breakfast they would ask to go to the park or follow Chanmi around while she ran some errands.

“Umma when is Appa coming back” Minchan asked.

Kimi held out three fingers. “After three more sleeps.”

Chanmi smiled, “That’s right Kimi.” Jaejoong had gone on one of his business trips and left Kimi in her full care for the first time. Chanmi was glad it wasn’t sooner. She had just gotten Kimi and Minchan to get along.

Minchan looked at Kimi a bit surprised. “How did you know that?”

“When Appa left he said he would be back after ten sleeps.” She held out both hands opened showing her ten fingers.  “This man passed.” She put down seven fingers leaving the three from before. “So, only three are left.”

Minchan nodded understanding the simple math. “Ahhh…”

“Why do you ask baby?”

He looked down at his hands as he started playing with his fingers. “I miss him” he admitted in a low whisper. Even if Minchan was stubborn at first. He was slowly beginning to open his heart up to Jaejoong.

Jaejoong had also been patient as he slowly made progress with him.

Even if he whispered his confession both Chanmi and Kimi were able to hear it. Chanmi quickly enveloped him in her arms. “Oh Minchan…”

“Because he is Appa. You miss Appa like you miss Umma if she leaves.”

“Umma never leaves me” Minchan said now making Kimi become sullen.  Kimi hadn’t seen her mother in a year but she was still waiting for the day she would come back.

Chanmi noticed the look on Kimi’s face and felt bad for the little girl. She unwrapped one arm from around Minchan and put it around her bringing her closer. “I won’t leave you alone okay Kimi.”

Kimi looked up at Chanmi with watery eyes and smiled. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

***

Chanmi sat in the living room talking on the phone with a photographer. She was scheduled to do an advertisement in a few weeks but now she was being called to inform her that they date had been moved up.

As she discussed the details she didn’t notice the noises coming from the door.

As soon as Jaejoong entered the house he heard Chanmi’s voice coming from the living room. He quietly entered and went towards her curious about who she might be talking with. When he approached her he noticed she was talking on the phone and patiently waited until she was finished to let him know he was there.

With her back towards him she continued her call casually. “Yes…Yes…I understand…Who is he... Oh…Yes…No I haven’t...Five days? Why so long?”

At this point Jaejoong was very curious about what the person on the other side was telling her but most importantly who the caller was. He got closer as he tried to get some answers.

“Okay I understand…Then I will go alone this time…No it’s ok