Chapter V: Small World

Jiyong's POV:

After the meeting with Dara, Jiyong spent the rest of the day in his office getting the usual paper work done. He would have to leave soon to pick up Hayi from her ballet practice. Normally, his mother would do that but since she was out of town, he would have to get her himself. He was just finishing of an employee review when his intercom went off.

"Mr. Kwon, Dr. Seungri is here." His secretary announced.

Jiyong pushed the button and told her to send him in before Seungri came bursting in through the door.

"Hey hyung, what's up?" asked Seungri as he flopped down on one of the armchairs in front of Jiyong's desk. Even though Jiyong was his boss, Seungri still opted to treat him the same way he always has since they first met in middle school.

"I heard some of the nurses went ahead and nagged about me not getting the paperwork done on time. I'm a physical therapist. My time is spent with the patient and getting them back on their feet, not sitting in front of a computer and inputting their history."

"None-the-less, that paper work has to be done and until we can find someone else to fill in the secretary position at the billing center, you're the only one that can do it. The nurses have their own patients to deal with and a little down time wouldn't kill you." Jiyong explained as he placed the remaining paper work into their proper files.

Seungri waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah yeah. Anyway, it's not like the patient history analysis is of any importance once the patient has been discharged. I just wish they would lay off me. Seriously, it's like they've got nothing better to do than nag all freaking day."

Jiyong stared at him in a questioning manner. "You do know that you're married to a nurse right?"

Seungri smiled thoughtfully. "I know. But Chaerin's different. She doesn't harass the hell out of me for useless junk. You know how nice and soft-spoken she is. Her voice is like music to my ears after listening to the nonstop nagging from most of the nurses here. They could learn a thing or two about patient care from my wife." He said with pride in his voice.

"She's a competent nurse. By the way, are you and Chaerin busy this weekend?" Jiyong asked.

"We're pretty much free. Why?"

"Hayi wants the two of you to come to her ballet recital." Jiyong responded as he leaned back in his chair. "My parents won't be able to make it so she's got two extra tickets. Plus, she hasn't seen you in a while. This place has been busier than usual."

"Tell me about it. I've been cramming sessions with two patients at a time with all the work I've got. Chaerin and I will definitely be there. After all, she is our goddaughter," he said grinning. "Hey, speaking of Hayi, aren't you supposed to be getting her by now?"

Jiyong looked at the clock and cursed.

"I have to go." He muttered as he quickly gathered his things and walked out of his office.

"Don't even bother rushing it. Traffic is a nightmare at this time of the day." Seungri pointed out as he gunned it toward the elevator with Jiyong.

Jiyong pushed the button to go down. After the doors opened, they walked in and pushed for the first floor. Seungri got off on the 7th floor, claiming that he wanted to see Chaerin, who should have been working in the neonatal ICU.

After Jiyong got into his car, it was already past 5:00 pm. He cursed again before deciding to call Hayi to tell her he'll be late.

Choi Dance Studio: Hayi's POV

"That was fun. I'm glad I got to make my own wings." Hayi said happily. She held up her wings and couldn't stop giggling over how pretty they were. Since she couldn't wait until the glitter dried, some of it kept chipping off and falling in her hair.

"Hayi, you have to let your wings dry properly if you want all that glitter to stick." Bom commented.

Choi Bom was her ballet teacher as well as Taehyun and Seohyun's omma. She was a beautiful woman with long curly hair dyed in red. She was pretty tall and very fit. She was wearing a black leotard with black drawstring pants over it and white ballet shoes. At first glance, you would never guess that she was a mother of twins.

Bom took the wings away from Hayi. "Let's just put them here for the time being alright?" She placed them on the counter near the entrance where it was out of Hayi's reach.

"This way, the glitter will stay on your wings instead of getting in your hair." She said as she dusted some of it out of Hayi's hair. Seohyun came up to the two of them while holding her wings as well.

"Omma, what do you think of my wings?" She asked as she held them up for her mother to see. Bom and Hayi looked over at Seohyun and observed the wings.

"Nice work honey. Here, let me put them by Hayi's wings. Yours doesn't look quite dry either." She noted while taking Seohyun's wings and walking over towards the counter.

"I can't wait until the recital. We're going to look so cool!" Seohyun squealed.

"I know. I want my appa to see the wings I made. That's why I put extra glitter on mine." Hayi explained.

"Yeah, you got it all over your hair too. It looks all gold and sparkly." Seohyun said as she tried to help Hayi brush off the remaining glitter.

It was almost time for class to be over. One by one, girls were getting picked up by their moms. Everyone was showing their mom the wings that they made that day and relaying all that had happened during practice. Bom was also talking to some of the moms that she had gotten to know while teaching their daughters.

Hayi watched from afar. Normally she would have her halmeoni pick her up after practice and she would tell her all that had happened today. But she wasn't in town this week and her appa was supposed to pick her up.

After watching all her friends with their moms, Hayi couldn't help but feel a little sad and jealous. She never knew the feeling of having an omma, but she could feel that it was definitely missing. There was a space in her heart for a special lady that supposed to make her feel like a princess; the person that's there to help you get dressed in the morning and makes breakfast, lunch and dinner for you. She was the lady that helps you with your homework and kisses your scrapes after you fall down. She was the lady that your appa was supposed to be in love with.

Hayi loved her appa with all her heart. He was the only parent she ever knew. But he just wasn't a mommy. To a girl, a mommy is a very special lady and her daddy just couldn't do some of the stuff a mommy could. Hayi was even a little envious of Seohyun and her omma. They could dance together and even go home with each other after. And Seohyun had a brother too. It was times like these when Hayi felt extremely alone. Although she would never show it and try to hide behind smiles and laughter, she couldn't hide the fact that she didn't have a mommy or a brother or sister and sometimes she even felt like she didn't have a daddy because she didn't get to see him as much when he works late.

Her cell phone ringing snapped Hayi out of her thoughts. She took out her phone from her backpack and answered it.

"Yoboseyo?" she said into the little pink phone. Jiyong insisted that she have one for security.

"Hi baby. It's appa," Jiyong said through the phone.

"Hi appa! Are you coming to pick me up? Everyone is leaving now and I want to show you my wings." She said into the small phone.

"I know baby, but I'm going to be a little late. I'll be there in fifteen minutes I promise. Stay with your teacher until I get there alright?"

"Okay appa."

"Bye baby, I'll be there soon. Hang on." He said before hanging up.

Hayi sighed. She went up to her Bom-imo and told her what her dad said. Bom agreed to hang out a little more until Hayi's father picked her up. Taehyun, who was sitting by the window to watch the clouds disappear, came over and started to complain about staying here longer.

"You mean we have stay here even longer? This is such a pain." He said unhappily.

"Put a sock in it Taehyun!" said Seohyun. "If you don't want to be here then find somewhere else to go after school.