Jaemi looked at her for a long time, “Eomma?” she scoffed and walked over to a table full of papers to organize, “Please leave.”

 

“Jaemi-ah… Eomma mian—”

 

She lightly threw the papers back on the table, “You’re not my mom, okay? She’s dead. My mother is dead.”

 

She quickly stormed out of the gallery, passing L.Joe without realizing. He looked inside to see Jaekyung crying on the floor and sighed.

 

He walked out to find Jaemi, but she was nowhere in sight. He began running around the neighborhood to look for her. After a while, he stood there with his hands on his hips, “Where in the world is she?”

 

He stood there thinking for a bit longer, but he suddenly remembered something.

 

 

L.Joe arrived at the park to see Jaemi sitting on the bench crying.

 

He walked over to her as she looked up at him. She quickly looked back down and continued to cry.

 

He sat down beside her and looked at her for a moment. He let out a soft sigh and pulled her into his shoulders as he her hair.

 

 

The two walked in silence until they reached Jaemi’s house.

 

“I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

 

Jaemi nodded her head and went to unlock her door, “Thanks,” she said before walking in.

 

 

Jaemi walked up to her bedroom and laid on her bed. Jaesung came in soon after, “Are you feeling okay?”

 

She sat up and nodded her head in silence.

 

“It’s okay, it’s normal to be in shock at first.”

 

She paused to think for a moment, “What are you talking about?”

 

He looked at her, “Didn’t you see… her?”

 

“You knew she was alive this whole time?”

 

Jaesung stood there with his eyes wandering, trying to find a way to answer.

 

“That means appa knew about this too?”

 

She looked at him, waiting for a response. But with no words coming out of him, Jaemi quickly got up and stormed out of her room with her jacket and bag.

 

“Jaemi!” he called.

 

She quickly ran downstairs and passed her father.

 

“Jaemi, where are you going?” Kijoon asked.

 

“Out,” she answered angrily before slamming the door shut.

 

Kijoon looked up at his son upstairs, “What happened?”

 

He looked at his father then at the front door and sighed.

 

 

The doorbell rang and L.Joe slowly walked over languidly.

 

“Ashley, I told you—”

 

He suddenly stopped midway from his sentence.

 

“Hi,” Jaemi greeted awkwardly, “Is it okay if I stay here tonight?”

 

 

Jaemi sat on his bed as L.Joe began to set up the couch in his room with blankets and pillows.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to sleep on your bed? I’m fine with sleeping on the couch—”

 

“It’s fine, just go to sleep.”

 

She laid down on his bed and began to think for a bit.

 

“L.Joe?”

 

“Hm?” he answered half asleep.

 

“Thanks for letting me stay over.”

 

“Mhm.”

 

“Now that I think about it, you have done a lot for me… and I’m really grateful for that. I sincerely want to thank you for everything. And…” she paused, “I… I think I’m—”

 

L.Joe slightly snored.

 

She smiled and paused again, “I think I’m starting to fall for you.”

 

He snored again and Jaemi giggled, “Good night.”

 

 

She woke up early in the morning to find L.Joe missing from his couch. She walked out of his room and the first thing she noticed was a delicious scent. She followed the smell all the way down to the kitchen with her eyes closed, “Mmm… it smells so good.”

 

“Morning Jamie!”

 

Jaemi opened her eyes, “Ashley! I haven’t seen you in so— Wait… you’re not surprised to see me here?”

 

She shook her head in laughter, “Young Master called me early in the morning and told me you were sleeping over. He also requested this to be prepared for you.”

 

Ashley lifted the lid to reveal a whole pot of yukgaejang (beef stew).

 

Jaemi jumped up and down, “You’re the best!” she said with two thumbs up.

 

L.Joe walked into the kitchen and sat down, “You mean I’m the best.”

 

Jaemi jokingly scoffed, “As if.”

 

“Heol, you wouldn’t be eating this if it weren’t for my request.”

 

“You mean I wouldn’t be eating this if it weren’t for Ashley’s existence, so thank you Ashley!”

 

L.Joe lightly scoffed, but smiled.

 

 

The car ride was quiet until L.Joe spoke up.

 

“Are you going to talk to her?”

 

She looked at him, “Who?”

 

He paused, “Your mother.”

 

She looked away and sighed, “I don’t know.”

 

“I know it’s not any of my business nor do I know what’s going on, but I do want to say this: hear her out. I know it’s not going to be easy — to understand and to accept what happened — but there’s never really an easy way to approach any situation,” he paused, “I never told anyone this before, but I was also in a similar situation where I didn’t want to hear or listen to my mother’s explanations or reasons either. Now, more than ten years have passed and my mother and I still haven’t spoken since then. I don’t want you regretting it later. It may be too late for me, but… it isn’t for you.”

 

The car was silence again for a couple of seconds, “Then can you tell Chairman Lee why I can’t make it to work today?”

 

L.Joe smiled and nodded his head.

 

 

Jaemi took a deep breathe before walking into the gallery to see Hyomin teaching a few kids. She stood by the door until she noticed her. Hyomin looked at her and smiled. Jaemi did the same.

 

 

Jaemi stood outside the house nervously as she took a deep breathe.

 

Jaekyung came out of the house with a few bags of trash in her hands. She dumped them out and walked back to her door, but she suddenly stopped. She turned to face Jaemi standing across the street. Jaemi looked at her as her eyes began to wander around in nervousness.

 

 

Jaemi sat down in the living room couch with her eyes roaming around. Jaekyung came back with a cup of water and handed it to her.

 

They both sat in silence.

 

“I’m glad you came.”

 

“I just came to hear your explanation,” she said bluntly, “What happened? I thought you were dead.”

 

“I thought so too, but I somehow managed to find myself waking up in the same cave years later. I couldn’t remember anything, but as years went by, old memories slowly started to come back to me. I still didn’t understand what happened, but that wasn’t the biggest concern for me. I felt different. Not about who I was, but physically, I felt different. I didn’t understand why, but I knew what I was feeling was the reason why I was alive again. For years, I couldn’t find any answers, so I just decided to start my life all over again, but as a normal person—as human. I got a job, bought a house, got a car, and that was pretty much it for the first 10 years… until I met someone. She was in her 80s, but I felt like I knew her, and she somehow also knew what I was. I learned a lot from her. In fact, I found out she’s was the only other living gumiho who actually gave birth before.”

 

“So gumihos don’t actually die when they give birth?”

 

“We don’t die, we just disappear for awhile. And as a reward, we are gifted with life.”

 

“Then what’s the point of other gumihos killing their child before—”

 

“A reward that comes with a price. A price where we no longer get to keep our youth. As you already know, gumihos age very slowly, but when you start to age normally, you’re no longer one.”

 

Jaemi paused for a bit to think and scanned her mother’s face and noticed that she did indeed age, “So you’re saying…”

 

“I’m human, but a human with gumiho instincts.”

 

Jaemi looked at her speechless, “How is that possible?”

 

“When a child is born, the mother loses her tails so that it can be passed on to her child. Once the transfer is finished, the mother is left with nothing and becomes nothing more than just a human.”

 

“So there was only two options. Either I die and you remain a gumiho or I live and you become human.”

 

Jaekyung nodded her head.

 

Jaemi sat there in silence, trying to process everything into her head.

 

“The halmeonim, what happened to her child?” she asked.

 

Jaekyung smiled, “She followed her steps.”

 

Jaemi looked straight into her eyes, “She’s…  your mother? Then that means she’s… my halmeoni?”

 

Jaekyung smiled and nodded her head as Jaemi’s eyes slowly started to water. Jaekyung came close to wipe her tears, but she dodged her, “That doesn’t explain why you never tried to find me. All these years, you were alive this whole time yet you didn’t even bother to come find me. Why? Why didn’t you?” Jaemi said in tears.

 

Jaekyung shrugged her shoulders, “I couldn’t. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I just couldn’t remember anything. It was only a few years ago that I actually started to remember that I gave birth to a daughter, but even with that, I couldn’t remember your name or anything else. But when you came back to Korea, a suddenly memory hit me. I had a feeling where you were so I came to find you, but you were already in the car driving away. I tried finding ways to approach you, but once I saw you, I didn’t know where I was suppose to begin. I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t want to because… I know that if I did, I wouldn’t be able to face you.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I left you without realizing and I came back not knowing you who or where you were until recently. I became human… while I left you to be a creature by yourself. I just didn’t know what to do, so I reached out to Seon and Hyomin for help,” she said as tears rolled down her face, “I’m sorry, Jaemi. I really am.”

 

Jaemi stood up and wiped her own tears, “I think I should go.”

 

Jaekyung stood up after, “Jaemi,” but she was already out the door.

 

She sat back down and silently cried to herself.

 

 

The next day at work, L.Joe and Jaemi greeted each other with a smile as they passed by one another in the halls.

 

“L.Joe?” Jaemi turned around and called.

 

He stopped and turned to face her.

 

“Do you think you can do me a favor?” she asked with a smile.

 

 

L.Joe and Jaemi started to walk around the grocery store as Jaemi began adding things to the cart.

 

“Freshly grilled eels! Try our free samples! Get it today before it’s sold out!”

 

Jaemi looked at L.Joe in excitement, “Come on!” she said before running towards the samples. He followed behind her with the cart.

 

She turned around and brought a piece of eel to his mouth.

 

“No, it’s okay,” he said turning away.

 

“Oh, come on,” she whined, “Hm? Try it!”

 

He looked at her and scoffed as he took a bite. She smiled and grabbed another one for herself, “Mmm, it’s so good!”

 

“Premium steaks! Try it today!”

 

“Ooo,” she said running over.

 

He chuckled and followed behind her. When he came, she lifted a piece for him to try. He lightly scoffed again and took a bite.

 

She took another piece, “Mmmm! Ajumma, you seriously cooked this to perfection!” she said giving her a thumbs up.

 

The ajumma laughed, “Your girlfriend is so cute. You should buy one for her,” she said to L.Joe.

 

Jaemi looked at him and quickly back at her, “Ani, I’m not—”

 

L.Joe placed his arm around her shoulder, “She is, isn’t she?”

 

Jaemi turned to face him without realizing how close his face was. She blushed and quickly turned away.

 

He smiled, “Gaja!”

 

The ajumma smiled, “What a cute couple.”

 

Once they got far enough, Jaemi coughed and shook his arm off of her. She looked at him and walked away.

 

“Wae?” he said laughing.

 

 

Once they finished, L.Joe and Jaemi unloaded the items onto the conveyor belt. L.Joe held a bag of raw chicken pieces, “Why do you need these?”

 

“To make dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken).”

 

“You’re going to cook? Why?”

 

“I’m listening to you.”

 

He looked at her confused.

 

“You said it wasn’t going to be easy, and it isn’t. But, I still want to try and get to know my mother better.”

 

He smiled at her sincerely. She looked at him and did the same.

 

 

L.Joe was about to turn off his engine until Jaemi stopped him, “It’s okay, it’s only two bags. I can bring them in myself. Thank you, again. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

She got out of his car and went over to ring the doorbell as he drove off.

 

The door opened.

 

“Jaemi?” Jaekyung looked at her in shock.

 

She lifted the two grocery bags up, “Did you eat dinner yet?” she asked shyly.

 

Jaekyung smiled and made way for Jaemi to enter. She closed the door, but L.Joe’s car suddenly drove by. She opened the door again and ran out as she watched the car drove away, “Byungho?” she whispered to herself.

 

Jaekyung went back into her house and entered the kitchen to see Jaemi looking around.

 

“Do you need help?” she asked while rolling her sleeves up.

 

“No, it’s okay. I want to cook this for you.”

 

Jaekyung stopped and smiled.

 

Jaemi looked at her and returned the smile, “I wasn’t sure what you liked to eat, but since you were a gumiho before, I thought I would just play it safe and make dakbokkeumtang.”

 

“I love it.”

 

They looked at each other again and smiled.

 

 

Once Jaemi was done cooking, she brought the pot over to the dining table. She served a bowl to Jaekyung and waited for her to take the first bite. She took a piece and blew on it. Jaemi looked at her anxiously, waiting for a reaction, but Jaekyung suddenly stop and looked at her bowl.

 

Jaemi looked at her, “Is it bad? I followed the recipe online unless I made a mistake somewhere.”

 

“Did you buy this?” she asked.

 

“Huh?”

 

“It’s really good,” she praised before taking another bite.

 

“Really? You’re not lying to be nice, are you?”

 

She laughed and scooped a bowl for Jaemi, “I’m serious. Here, eat some.”

 

Jaekyung continued to eat, but before Jaemi took a bite, she paused for a second, “You’re not going to ask me why I’m here?”

 

Jaekyung stopped and looked up at Jaemi. She shook her head and smiled, “I’m just happy you’re here. And when you’re ready to tell me, you can tell me then.”

 

“I want to get to know you better. I never had a mother figure in my life before where we can shop or cook together and… I want to experience that with you,” she said awkwardly before she started to eat.

Jaekyung looked at her in shock, but a smile quickly grew on her face.

 

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Hope you all have a great New Year's Eve tomorrow!