Feeling mixed with paranoia, “Emma!” I called out.

“Kitchen, Mom!” I heard her little voice and I sighed in relief. Not that I suspected Jiyong of kidnapping our daughter. I guess my overthinking just went too far.

With Ethan leading me, we headed to the kitchen where I saw Jiyong cutting meat, while our daughter is seated beside him at the dining table.

“What’s going on?” I asked awkwardly.

Emma perked up, kneeling on the chair. “Daddy’s cooking dinner” she answered, and I can’t help but stare at him who is now joined by Ethan.

I can still remember the many times Jiyong cooked for me. Whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. His happiness is seeing me eat well and totally goes crazy whenever he notices I’m losing weight.

“Do you need something?” I asked awkwardly. I still don’t know how to converse with him.

Without looking at me. “I’m making stew. Do you have rice to go with it?” he asked, plainly.

The kids looked at me, alarmed. In this house, there’s no rice. “We have a lot of bread” I told him.

He nodded. “Okay”.

I don’t know, but I can strongly feel his hate for me even when he’s trying to be civil and casual. I, on the other hand, is so ashamed of what I did to him, to the point that I’m itching to apologize but just don’t know how to approach him.

The kids has never been so hands on in the kitchen until now. Usually, they’ll just watch me do everything, but this time, they want to peel and cut potatoes that Jiyong made them try, but he got scared when Emma nearly cut her finger with the peeler.

“Maddy and Caden’s Daddy doesn’t cook. It’s always Mrs. Thompson who does it” Emma is once again talking non-stop.

“Mr. Thompson just watches TV while waiting for the food” Ethan added. Jiyong gave him a raw carrot and he’s munching it like a rabbit.

Jiyong looked at me, clueless. I chuckled. “They’re our neighbors. Their kids are our kids’ playmates. They basically grew up together”

For some reason, he stared at me, eyes without any trace of anger. Maybe he doesn’t really hate me that much. Maybe he’s just mad. Well, I’ll take the latter.

The four of us are all silent in the kitchen. I even found myself in my head for a while. I still cannot believe that this is happening. That Jiyong and the kids have already met. This was just a distant dream before. Now, it’s real, and I can’t help but be emotional.

Blood is surely thicker than water. The three of them are bonding way more than I expected. It’s the first time they met, but it’s like they’ve known each other forever. I’m genuinely happy for my children and sorry at the same time, for they would’ve been with their Father all throughout these years if it wasn’t for me and my bad decisions.

“Mom!”

I flinched, they giggled. Emma threw herself at me, laughing. “You’re so funny!” she said, making me look at her curiously. “We’ve been calling you for a million times already but it seems like you turned deaf”

I tickled her. “I zoned out” I said.

While pointing at me, “You’re just staring at Daddy!” she countered, and I felt my cheeks burn. The least I want is to embarrass myself in front of him, and things are not going my way.

“Table’s ready” Jiyong said in a monotone and served the stew he made. The kids took their seats in anticipation. It’s their first time to eat Korean beef stew. I hope they like it.

“Tell me what you think of it, all right?” he tucked Emma’s hair behind her ears with a sweet smile on his face.

It’s been a good hour and a half and he’s still in awe of our little girl. He cannot help but stare at her with sparkling eyes. And he cannot stop hugging Ethan.

We both watched our kids eat. His nerves are obviously pent up, while I just sit there and appreciate this precious moment.

“Yummy!” Ethan is enjoying it. He’s already on his second piece of bread and almost empty bowl.

It made their Father smile proudly. I must say, his cooking improved. “Really Little Man?” he asked him.

He nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, Daddy! I want more, please” he gave Jiyong his bowl and he poured a good amount happily.

All throughout dinner I was silent. I only talk whenever the kids are asking something. Emma and Ethan take turns in telling Jiyong about their everyday lives. Of course, they told them about our weekend activities, their school, and the park. They also didn’t forget to tell him how I take care of them. If there’s one thing that I’m very much proud of, it’s I raised our children well. I may have given them only half of what he can give, but I was able to provide for them.

“Mom and Uncle A always bring us to fun places” Emma is still unstoppable even with food in . She knows that I don’t like it, but I’m going to let it pass just this once.  “Aside from the activity center, we also always go to the water park”. Then she sighed heavily, “But that was a long time ago, before Uncle A got sick, again”

I wonder if Jiyong is curious of Aden and I. Once I tell him that Aden is the one who helped me get away and brought me here, he might go ballistic. I definitely have to clean Aden’s name to him, for he didn’t do anything bad.

After dinner, the kids helped me clear the table, like they always do. Ethan wiped the table, while Emma carefully bring each glass to the sink.

Jiyong rushed to her, “Let me do it” he got the glass but our daughter snatched it away.

She looked at him with a bright smile on her face. “I can do this Daddy” she told her, her sweet voice is really good in the ears. “Just help Mom wash the dishes”

Seriously, Emma seems like she matured a notch in just a couple of hours. Her being straightforward is not new, but it’s a bit intense.

I sighed, “I can do the dishes myself. Just bring your Daddy to the living room and you guys can play there”

Honestly, I’m in need of some space, for my whole being is beyond overwhelmed as of the moment.

“I’ll help you” his voice alone can make my heart skip a beat (as usual). Good thing, I’m not holding the plates anymore or else I might’ve dropped them.

“Go! Play now!” he told the kids who are already done with their simple chores. They run out of the dining room in a flash.

This is not good. I swear! I’m not prepared to be alone with him yet. I don’t even know how he can last being with me.

“You don’t have to do this. I can manage” my voice is shaking. I feel different emotions at once.

Not minding me, he moved beside me, grabbed the dry cloth that is hanging in one of the counter hooks and waited silently until I’m done rinsing the plates.

“Yong has grown so much” he speaks all of a sudden, making me flinch.

Still doing my thing while trying hard to act normal, “Yeah. He’s turning out to be the boy you wanted him to be” I said and glanced at him. “He’s smart, polite, and very kind”

He sighed. “The last time I saw him he was just starting to walk. His words are so few. But now, he can even take care of another person”

His heart is right on his sleeves. I can see so much emotions in his eyes while reminiscing. “The kids go so well together”

I nodded in agreement. “I always tell them to take care and love each other, for all they have is each other, forever”

“And Emma…” he finally looked at me. “She still feels surreal to me”

Ever since Jiyong and I are old enough to dream about marriage and children, he always say that he wants to have daughters more than sons. According to him, he feels like girls are more expressive and loving, when boys are just tough and rough. I cannot imagine how elated he is now that he got both.

“You’ve always wanted a daughter” I told him and he nodded, smiling. “Her Korean name is Ji an, by the way” I followed.

His eyes are just fixed on the plate he’s wiping. He hasn’t looked at me longer than a second.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’re pregnant?”

This question made the air around us, tight. Is this the start of a confrontation I’ve always imagined all these years? If so, how will it go? I hope it won’t be that intense, given that our children are just in another room.

Nervous, “During that time I don’t want to mess things more” I replied with all sincerity, earning a smirk from him.

“All right” is his surprising response.

Jiyong is nothing but weird to me now. He’s not making a big fuss about what I did. It’s like, he’s just absorbing the moment.

“You’ve lived here ever since?” he asked, casually.

I nodded. “Aden brought us here”

“He called me yesterday and told me where you are”

Wow! Given Aden’s condition, he still was able to do this?

Oh! Jiyong is the one he talked to before he lost his consciousness!

“He got my number from Mr. Im. He told me that Aden contacted him yesterday morning, pleading for my number. He was desperate” Jiyong looked sad all of a sudden. “I don’t know what’s going on with him, but I can feel it’s something serious”

So, he knows nothing about Aden’s sickness. Typical Aden, he doesn’t tell anyone his suffering.

“He got Cancer, and it’s spreading fast. He was diagnosed two years ago. Was on remission for nine months, until he got it again months ago”. Hearing this, Jiyong froze. I knew it would be big news to him.

“Now I get why he sounded so weak on the phone” he said.

I sighed. “I guess you’re the person he talked last before he was rushed to the hospital”. All he can do is gasp.

Oh Aden, why do you always have to think of others before you?

“I asked him why he’s giving you out, his answer messed my mind but now I get it” he take a breath and exhaled heavily. “He said, he’s fulfilling a wish before things end for him”

Controlling my emotions, I stay silent for a while. “He wants us to reunite. He wants you to see the kids, and he wants me to get my family back”, and I finally let loose. My chest is bursting out. “All these years, he’s been my shoulder to lean on. He helped me with so much even though he’s going through a lot himself”

“He’s really a kind heart” he said and I can’t agree more.

“Actually…” I faced him. “He wanted to apologize to you”. I’m talking in behalf of Aden.

“For what?” he asked, facing me but not really looking straight at me.

I bit my lower lip and take a deep breath. “For helping me runaway”

Argh! I seriously cannot read him anymore. Or maybe, he already mastered how to keep his emotions to himself only. As much as I want to know what’s in his head, it’s too hard now.

He shook his head. “There’s no need to apologize. I’m sure he was just caught up”

Yeah. Caught up by me.

Well, maybe this is my time to apologize too.

“Jiyong…about my disappearance…”

Cutting me off. “I don’t care about your reasons” he now looked at me in the eye. “I’m only here for my children. That’s it! What happened between us doesn’t matter anymore”

“But….”

“Look…” he moved closer to me and stared. “I don’t know how our set up will be, but I want you to know that I’m going nowhere. I want to be a Father to my children, and I hope this time, you’ll let me”

                                                                                                                                                      ****