*

Everyone was already sitting around the blazing fire by the time the three of them arrived at the bonfire. They made room for Sung gyu and Eunji to sit side by side upon their arrival, and the three fit into the circle of people and breathed in the balmy spring air scented of burning wood and smoke. The homeroom teacher and Ahn Min Guk were sitting among the shadows, speaking to each other, yet, upon realizing that the last of the crowd had finally arrived, the two of them stood up and the teacher clapped her hands, garnering everyone’s attention.

“Okay, everyone!” The teacher said, her voice echoing over the gentle crackle of the fire. “We’re now about to start the last game of our camping trip, which is to present the dare the ten winners of the first game have to perform. Who are the ten lucky kids now?”

The ten children, including Sung Jae, obediently raised their hands.

“Great, now who volunteers to go as the first?”

The first one to go was no surprise as young Mirae confidently stood up and proudly looked around the seated crowd. Her mother, an elegant young woman with an assertive posture and a sharp gaze was sitting right next to her, encouraging the child to speak louder, and Mirae followed with a smile. “Hello everyone, my dare is to talk about my family to all of you”

Sung Jae pouted grumpily and folded his hands onto his chest. “That’s too easy”

Mirae spoke of her family which consisted of her parents, herself and three dogs with English names and everyone clapped for her brave and confident gesture. Afterwards a boy named Seo Jin spoke about his favorite book and a pair of girls who were identical twins sang a song. Nobody volunteered after that, but little Sung Jae, whose confidence level raised up after seeing all these students performing meekly raised his hand when the teacher wondered aloud who wanted to go next.

“It’s our little Sung Jae!” The teacher exclaimed as if it was the most exciting news ever, and Sung gyu looked proudly at his son, also stunned that he was so brave to volunteer himself despite what he said just a moment ago. Sung Jae seemed poised, nonetheless, as if he had planned out everything he wanted to say, and this came to Eunji as no surprise. She had always thought Sung Jae was one greatly capable child.

The parents and student who were gathered around clapped cheerfully as Sung Jae stood up, and he looked at his father, his brown eyes glistening like stars, and Sung Gyu gave him an encouraging nod.

“Hello, everybody” Sung Jae said, his soft voice sweeping along the warm breeze. “I’m Sung Jae. Kim Sung Jae”

“Hello Sung jae!” Yelled Eunji and a few parents in unison encouragingly.

“I’m here to talk about the most unforgettable experience of my life” Sung Jae said. Everyone remained silent, urging for Sung Jae to continue, and the eagerness that everyone showed beckoned him to continue more freely without feeling a single bit of fear.

“The most unforgettable experience of my life is the day that I went to see the beach for the first time”

A few people nodded, smiling, but Sung Gyu just stared at his young boy, recalling that moment himself.

“We went to Jeju Island when I was five” Sung Jae continued. “It was my first time to see the sea. We went there with appa, Halmeoni and Harabeoji. The most unforgettable experience is standing on the beach with appa. I was very happy that day. We played in the sand and in the sea. I liked the waves the most. I liked the sea shells too. Appa was very happy too. After we played a lot in the sand, appa held me and said that he loved me a lot. When appa is busy with work, I miss appa a lot. And when I do, I always think of that day.” Sung Jae smiled and looked around him, around at all the people watching him in awe. “That was the most unforgettable moment of my life. Thank you” He ended at that note and sat back, feeling happy about himself.

Sung Gyu didn’t even realize that he had tears in his eyes. It’s been years now since that day that they went to the beach together, and it wasn’t a lie that Sung gyu himself thought of that day often when he missed his old days. He didn’t expect for Sung Jae to recall that moment because Sung gyu didn’t think he had memories dating back to when he was very young; but Sung Jae just proved him wrong. Sung Jae wasn’t only the entire world for Kim Sung Gyu. He just proved him that. He was everything that Sung gyu could ask for. Sung Jae was a brilliant little boy indeed. And Sung gyu was a proud father. He had grown up very well.

When Sung Jae looked up and smiled at his father, his eyes lightened up by the shine of the blazing fire, Sung gyu couldn’t help but knead the boy’s hair affectionately. He was blessed to have a son like him.

“You did well” Eunji said, giving Sung Jae a thumbs up and a huge smile. Then she reached over and patted Sung Gyu warmly on his arm. Sung gyu realized that Eunji’s remark just now wasn’t only directed to his little boy.

*

After a supper of army base soup and steamed rice, the children sat around and sang along with their teacher the songs that they had learned in school. The parents watched them while encouraging them with their claps and coos, and as the night fell, the children began to laze around, claiming that they were sleepy that the parents prepared to send them to bed. Sung Gyu himself carried Sung Jae into their tent as Eunji followed, creeped in through the flap, sat the boy down on a sleeping bag and pulled out his night clothes from his bag.

“Appa” Sung Jae’s voice came from behind him and Sung gyu turned around, holding the neatly folded pajama set.

“Yeah?” he sat next to Sung Jae and began to strip him off his jacket.

“Did I do okay?”

Sung gyu dropped his hands, sighed and allowed the emotions to take over him.

“You did brilliant” Sung Gyu said, smiling and leaned over to hold his son in his arms. Sung Jae still smelled like the baby Sung gyu held in his arms eight years ago, the memory still raw and vivid in his mind. It was hard to believe that the child was growing up so soon. But what he was certain was that, day by day, his love for his son only became greater than before.

“Appa is proud of you, Jae” he said, swaying back and forth while holding him in his arms. “And appa loves you a lot”

Eunji was waiting outside, staring up at the clear sky when Sung gyu emerged out of his tent. It’s been a while since Sung gyu left to put his son to bed, and while the parents were gathering by the fire again, Eunji couldn’t join them without him. Sung gyu came behind her and stared at the sky himself. Eunji smiled and patted on his arm. “Everyone’s gathered by the fire, boss”

“I guessed as much” Sung Gyu sighed. “Come along then”

By the time they arrived at the campfire, the parents were huddled around sipping beer and engaged in their own conversations. Sung Gyu and Eunji squeezed into an empty space next to a pair of rather cheerful parents, and the moment they noticed the two, the man greeted Sung gyu and shook his hand.

“A great speech your son did” Said the lady with a warm smile. “He seems to be brought up so well”

Sung Gyu gave both of them a gleeful smile. “A brilliant little boy he is”

The lady then leaned forward to glance at Eunji who sat on the far end. “Hello there!”

“Hi” Eunji greeted, waving her hand. The lady waved back, turned to Sung gyu, leaned over a bit and spoke in a low voice. “You were popular to be the only single parent in the class…are we hearing wedding bells soon?”

“Ah no, no” Sung gyu quickly shook his head. “Eunji here is Sung Jae’s baby sitter” he explained. “She joined us here on the trip because she was all very keen on finding her inner child!” Sung Gyu turned to give Eunji a look. “Aren’t you Miss Jung?”

Eunji gave his boss a look of distaste and smiled at the two parents with a quick nod.

“So, have you found your inner child yet?” The father asked jokingly, to which the rest of them laughed. Eunji could only sigh in response. The things that she did for Kim Sung Gyu. She couldn’t even begin to fathom why she was taking the knife for him. The only thing that she knew was that she just had to live with the lie.

After a while, the homeroom teacher, together with Ahn Min Guk joined the crowd. The teacher was carrying a guitar with her and the Supervisor held a few bottles of beer and Makgeolli, and upon their arrival, all the parents began to cheer.

“Okay, okay!” The teacher yelled through her laughter and sat down among the rest. “But you can’t expect me to sing, I’m a terrible singer”

Some of the parents laughed, and another suggested that somebody should volunteer to sing. Silence ensued, following the suggestion, everyone looking at one another, waiting for someone to step in; and then, all of a sudden, Eunji stood up with a shy smile. All the parents began to cheer as she made herself towards the teacher.

“What’s your name my dear?” The homeroom teacher asked, handing over the guitar to her. Eunji bowed and introduced herself as Sung Jae’s baby sitter. Then Eunji returned to the spot where she sat beside Sung gyu, and waited until everyone quieted down.

“Are you sure about this?” Sung Gyu hissed from her right, wearing a face so straight that she could have doubted if he even said a word. Eunji gave him a stern look which basically implied that she knew what she was doing and nestled the guitar in her lap. Sung gyu could only roll his eyes at her complacency. She had already embarrassed herself enough already, what with the incident from that morning and her trying to perform her majestic guitar skills and drowning in self loath was the last of Sung Gyu’s concern. He had long given up trying. Rather, he would only save his skin and not her.

However, when the first guitar key strung, all the heads turned, even Sung Gyu’s; not by the sound of the impending musical performance but by the sound of her voice, belting a chord so immaculately, sending everyone’s doubts down the gutter. Sung gyu was in disbelief. Throughout the few months he had spent with the baby sitter, he had seen many sides of her already. But not once did he guess her to have a single musical cell in her life. But she surely was proving him wrong.

Eunji strummed the guitar in a seamless beat, performing an elegant cover of Pink’s ‘Just give me a reason’, enthralling everyone with her impeccable performance. Eunji was a music lover from birth. Everyone had told her that she had the tunes engraved inside her, and as the daughter of a former music teacher, she had grown up surrounded by music, enabling her to learn performance by heart. She was confident whenever it comes down to singing in a crowd. Her voice was her pride, singing was her jewel which she wore whenever possible, and now was her chance.

Sung Gyu was mesmerized. He wasn’t sure, even, whether such a thing was possible. Eunji was a musician. Her singing sank into the roots of his past where he spent his young days dreaming to shine on the stage as a singer himself; his long lived passion which still remained hidden in the traces of his life. Tonight, with a song he had done a cover himself, Eunji was pulling gently onto the strings of his heart. Eunji had a beautiful voice. Strong belts and smooth slopes, every piece well executed, sung from deep within her heart. It was a masterpiece.

It didn’t take long for the passion roaming inside him to take over. Sung gyu had his eyes closed, listening closely to Eunji as she sang, and then, without a warning, his voice began to flow along.

Eunji stopped singing mid sentenced; stunned. She had known Sung Gyu to be many, many things. He was a lazy investigator, a bossy employer, an affectionate father, a son who wasn’t exactly doing much as all the sons go. But never in her life had she expected him to be such a splendid singer. He had a brilliant voice; she could say even in the manner that he spoke. He had the kind of a voice all these movie stars had. Smooth, not too deep but resonant. Eunji thought he was well suited for an actor if he weren’t so lazy and proud for absolutely no reason. But him, singing like this, with so much of confidence at that, it was hard to believe.

Eunji played the guitar along, nonetheless, although she was finding it difficult to join him yet. She didn’t want to; in fact, all she wanted was to sit and listen to him. But then, this was her opportunity; she couldn’t possibly let him to merely grab the limelight. She joined in on the chorus, which earned a streak of ‘Oohs’ and ‘Aahs’ from the gathered crowd. Sung Gyu turned to her and gave a brilliant smile; the shine coming from the crackling fire casted gorgeous beams in his crescent moon eyes, and his skin, smooth and porcelain glimmered softly as though he were the moon in the dark. Eunji turned away from him, still singing; still strumming the guitar, her heart losing a beat. Sung Gyu’s very existent has begun to bother her so much.

But it was a pride to be singing with him. Their voices melded together, complementing each other in all the perfect ways, and she felt happy, she wouldn’t lie. A duet with a voice like his? It was to die for.

As the song ended, everyone began to clap loudly, cheering them on as though it was a real performance. Maybe it was; indeed it was. Sung Gyu felt quite proud to have joined in with her to the ambiguous performance. Despite himself, he felt happy.

“One more!” Someone shouted from the crowd, and everyone laughed. The father out of the two parents who spoke to them earlier followed on. “Encore!” He yelled, and soon everyone was exclaiming in unison. “Encore! Encore!”

Eunji smiled and loudly strummed the guitar, earning everyone’s cheers. Then she turned to her boss with a smile. “That was impressive”

“Lucky” Sung Gyu said, turning away, although his cheeks were turning red in embarrassment. “Let’s sing lucky”

“You’re on boss!” Eunji said, and then they began to sing.

*

In the end they concluded the performance after having sung about a dozen of songs to the gathered crowd. The night was splendid, so to speak, and both Eunji and Sung gyu were beginning to see each other in a different light. It was surprising yet enjoyable, the moment that they had together, and it wasn’t a lie to say that it actually brought them together, so much so that the other parents began to come into false speculations.

As Sung Gyu helped the others to clean up the place after everyone had begun to disperse, one of the parents commented; “Sung Gyu Ssi and the baby sitter seem close”

“Ah, no” Sung Gyu quickly shook his head. “It was just momentary, actually”

“Oh! But you two have pretty good chemistry!” cooed another parent with a fond smile as though the very fact made her immensely happy. “You should see for yourself!”

Sung gyu simply waved it off as humbly as possible and looked over to the baby sitter in question who was busy chatting with the homeroom teacher while packing the guitar. The truth was, Eunji seemed suddenly so different in Sung Gyu’s eyes. It was a good difference, the kind of a difference which polished the impression that he already had on her. She was difficult, it was without question. But with a pang Sung Gyu realized, her being difficult was just what he needed in his life.

“Good night then, teacher!” Eunji greeted, bowing her head several times. The teacher bowed back, wearing a huge smile on her face, and Eunji stared after her as she made her way through the crowd. After a long time, Eunji was actually in her good spirits. A number of things have been bothering her quite lately; her despondent single status, the difficulties she faced in her day to day life; and life, generally was giving her a hard time. Sometimes, she wasn’t even certain if she was doing the right thing. Recently, her mother had phoned her and questioned her off her apparently failing social life. Eunji hardly had one, all for the fact that she hadn’t many people interacting with her. She also knew that, by social life she actually meant the love life, and she could barely respond, and almost ended up telling her about the stalking case with Moon Soo. She would have caused a forest fire if she had done so. In fact, all of these things were giving her severe headaches and it was actually nice, for a change, to let herself be free.

With a sigh, Eunji stuck her hands into her pockets and watched as the people around her meddled with their own things. Among them was Sung Gyu, who caught her eyes and gave her a smile. He looked really nice when he smiled, there was no question. That smile made Eunji’s heart flip a bit for a reason that she couldn’t fathom.

After a while, however, her hands still stuck inside her pockets, Eunji turned away from the crowd and walked out into the night. The bordering forestry stood still as though it was a thick membrane of dark clouds surrounding them, and through the sound of the gently rustling trees she could hear the shrill sound of the cicadas. The dense obscurity didn’t scare her one bit as she reached the end of the camping site, edging the tall standing trees. She sat down on the grass, not even worrying about the insects which could be haunting down there. She merely sat there, quietly looking up at the glimmering stars in the clear night sky.

A faint rustle came from the direction of the campsite, and Eunji looked up, only to see a silhouette emerging through the dark. She didn’t need much to recognize the intruder right off the first page. Eunji gave him an evasive smile.

“Not sleepy?” Sung Gyu asked as he approached her and sat on the grass beside her. The place was quiet except for the shrill cry of the cicadas. Eunji merely stared ahead, over the darkened edges of the tents out at the night sky. The stars glimmered vigorously up above and the leaves of the trees, faintly lit by the moonlight were beautiful.  Eunji in took a long breath of the gentle spring breeze and closed her eyes. “Not really” She then said in response to her boss. “Aren’t you?”

“Not at all” Sung Gyu replied. They stayed quiet for a moment, staring ahead at the lights shining inside the tents and at the shadows casted upon them, and after a while, Sung Gyu let out a smile to himself. “I can’t believe I did it” He said.

“Hm?” Eunji averted her gaze, and nodded in understanding. “Ah…well, it’s done already”

“It’s been a while” Sung Gyu replied thoughtfully. “I’m amazed that I still have that confidence left”

“It never wears off” Eunji said with a smile. “I was surprised though. I mean, boss, you just don’t look like it”

“Look like what? Asked Sung Gyu intently. “Like someone who would sing?”

“Like someone who would have that kind of confidence. I have seen you with many faces, but this…” Eunji smiled. “I could hardly have guessed”

“Me too” Sung gyu said. “In fact, I was expecting you to humiliate yourself at that time”

“I could have guessed as much” Was Eunji’s response. “Nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise”

“A pleasant surprise indeed”

 Silence ensued, afterwards, both of them trapped in their own thoughts. The wind coming from the direction of the woods brought their hair onto their faces, carrying the scent of trees, moss and damp earth; and for a moment, the two of them watched the sight of the others seeping into their dreamlands in the dimly lit tents unfolding before them.

Eunji slid her hand through her hair, and caught the sight of Sung Gyu, deep in his thoughts, his dark silhouette awash in the moonlight. It seemed suddenly so beautiful, so surreal; him, the shine of the moon casted upon him, his eyes reflecting the light of the stars. Unbeknownst to her, Eunji caught herself watching him, her eyes in wonderment and mind realizing thigs and shaking things away. She felt the skip of her heart, the warm feeling seeping up her cheeks and her mind whizzing around, doing funny things. Sung Gyu was something. And moments like these set her thinking; what?

It was finally when Sung Gyu’s voice sounded that Eunji turned away from him, feeling heat rushing up to her head. It was as if she was almost caught doing something which she shouldn’t be doing. She pressed a cold hand against her cheek, shaking her thoughts away.

“I hope Sung Jae had a good time today” He was saying, his eyes still casted beyond him, and a soft smile was playing on his lips. “It’s been long since we went out like this”

Eunji willed her mind to come to senses and forced out a nod. “His speech made me feel emotional” She replied.

“It did, right” Sung gyu turned to her and quickly stared ahead. “I was this close to tears. Damn, I wonder where he got that from”

“His dad, probably” Eunji supplied, but Sung gyu shook his head. “It’s from his mum” he said. “Yoora is an artist. She has always been the creative kind…but more than that, there’s this thing about her…she has a way with her words, sometimes. She just hits you on your heart before you realize what’s happening”

“Wow” Eunji said, regardless of not believing a single word he said. Rather, she was quite confused if they were speaking of the same person. “She must have been special”

“She was” Sung Gyu nodded, and Eunji almost rolled her eyes. Special, my .

There was silence for a moment, and Eunji realized, during this time that the subject in question was somewhere around there in one of the tents among all, and probably wondering what her ex-boyfriend’s was up to and not getting a minimal of sleep. She almost scoffed at her thoughts. It was greatly unconvincing that a guy like Sung Gyu was ever in love with a girl like her. This brought Eunji the question. Did he actually ever love her? Did he miss her?

“Do you miss her?” Eunji asked without much thought and almost hit herself on her forehead at how eager she sounded just now.

“Who, Yoora?” Asked Sung Gyu, tilting his head. He kept to silence for a moment, and drew in a long breath. “Well, I did, immensely, just after she left me without a trace. I was desperate. You could say I didn’t have the best time of my life at that time. But then Sung Jae appeared. It was like being hit by a fire truck. Then thoughts of Yoora pretty much disappeared”

“Just like that?” Eunji pushed on, and that made Sung Gyu laugh.

“Not just like that” He said. “It was unexpected. I was waiting for Yoora to come back to me, but instead there comes a baby with a letter addressed to me from her along with Sung Jae’s birth certificates and everything. I was enraged, then, honestly; I was at a loss of what to do”

“So what did you do?”

“I crashed to her house” Sung Gyu said, nodding to himself. “But she had apparently moved out. There was no trace of her or her parents. I looked high and low, did everything I could. I couldn’t raise a child whom I didn’t even know was mine…”

Eunji was enthralled by the story at this point, so she folded her knees up to her chin and hugged them with both her hands. “You could have run a test” she said.

Sung Gyu turned to Eunji and smiled. “Well, of course I did” He said and turned away. “It was after I tried everything that I realized that I was stuck with this; but all before I accept the responsibility, I needed a fair reason to. So I ran a DNA test, and of course, it came out positive”

“You must have been over the moon” Eunji supplied. And Sung Gyu laughed at this, throwing his head back.

“You bet” He exclaimed. “Imagine, me, fresh out of college and this whole new life is just ahead of me with millions of plans and possibilities; and a baby comes out from nowhere, claiming you to be his father. My whole life crashed down, you know. I had to leave everything behind for him. My life completely changed…”

“But it was all worth it” Eunji said, and Sung gyu turned to face her, a glint prominent in his eyes. “It was all worth it” he said.

*

Sung gyu and Eunji spent long hours under the moon and the stars, speaking among themselves of things they never imagined themselves to be enthralled by. Sung Gyu told her about his work and his college days, and how he was in a band and how they almost got arrested for trespassing when they sneaked into someone’s basement for practices. Eunji told him about herself too. In fact, Sung gyu was eager to learn more about her, as her employer; and also for the fact that he was beginning to see her more as a close friend. She told him about her mother and all her cats, then about Eunmi, and for a long moment she just stared up at the cloudless sky, taken by her thoughts while Sung Gyu stared at her side profile rather expectantly.

“You know” She began after letting out a heavy sigh. “You just can’t ever imagine what comes to you in your life…” She turned to glance at Sung Gyu then, and caught him watching her. Eunji stared back at him, unable to understand what his eyes meant. But at that moment, Sung gyu was noticing the slightest, simplest but the most significant detail about her. That look in her eyes. They meant something. And that something was greatly related to what she was about to tell him. Within her exultant, cheerful self, she has always hidden it away. Her pain.

She turned away then, pursed her lips and looked down at her hand.

“My dad died, last year…it changed loads of things for me…in my life”

Sung Gyu watched Eunji quietly, and realized that she’d been hiding it so well. Sung Gyu had both his parents, and he couldn’t even imagine himself without even one of them. He depended on them, almost completely, and he knew he couldn’t ever begin to understand how painful it must be for her.

“Oh, I’m sorry…Miss Jung”

“No it’s fine” Eunji shook her head almost too quickly, but he could see her eyes glistening. It was painful, how well she was keeping so much to herself. “I’m alright now…but it’s fair to admit that he did take a massive part of me with him…”

Sung Gyu nodded silently and Eunji wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

“My dad, he’s my hero…he’d always be…” she carried on, her voice thick but serene. “He’s the reason why I still can go on, you know. He’s not like my mum. My mum, she’s…different. Life for her was easy as long as she had herself and the cats. But dad was always there for Eunmi and me…” She let out a sob then, and looked towards Sung Gyu’s direction. “I think that’s why we call him dad, after all…dads are always there for you”

Sung Gyu agreed with a quiet nod. Even for him, his father was the one person he always looked up for. He had always cheered him on and helped him through every difficulty he faced in life. And he also never judged Sung Gyu for the wrong decisions he had made in life. His father had always taught him that people grew with their mistakes. And looking back now, a father of a perfect son at such an early age, he sure has gone a long way.

“And you’re a dad too, you know, Boss” Eunji said, followed by a sniff and a lowly laughter. “Though you’re lazy and stupid and sometimes a jerk-,”

“Yah-,”

Eunji laughed even more and gave him a little smile. “-You still make a great dad…” she looked down at her hand then, that same little smile gracing on her lips. “And though I say this myself...I…sometimes see you as a fatherly figure myself…”

She raised her head then, only to see him watching her, a slightly dubious look on his face. Eunji smiled at him then and shook her hand dismissively. “Ah, you know…you sometimes remind me of my dad…and stuff”

“I do?” Sung Gyu asked rather mildly, and Eunji nodded her head. “You do…”

A moment later, the two of them were laughing about the most random things which had happened in their lives. Eunji enthralled him with her tales from university, how she was the geeky studious kid in the beginning of her years, only to turn into the lazy dumb one who’d turn in her assignments at the last minute and studied for her exams exactly one day before the actual exam. Then Sung Gyu joined in, telling him about him and Woohyun and their college days. The conversation flowed on for a while with smiles, whines and laughter. It was all good and well.

“You know” Eunji said at some point, her legs folded against her chest and eyes focused out on the silent tents before them. “Life just hit you like a ing bullet train…like Boom! You just never know what the is going to happen next”

Sung Gyu laughed. “You couldn’t be more correct” he chimed. “But that’s what makes it beautiful, isn’t it? I don’t think life would have been remotely exciting if we ever knew what happens next”

Eunji pondered this for a while then, and smiled. “Yeah…like when I first came to your place for work, I was expecting to see a strict, uptight responsible father…but when I saw you in a bath robe and water dripping down your feet-!” Eunji was laughing at that point, and Sung Gyu nudged her miserably and eyes glaring fire bolts. Eunji’s smile became milder then, and gave her boss a cheeky smile. “You’re a lot better than I expected, actually. You make it all fun”

At this, Sung gyu rolled his eyes and looked away, although a faint smile was threatening to form on his lips. In the end then, he sighed and gave her a long look. “All that talking made me all sleepy” he said, and Eunji scoffed, looking away. “It’s so hard to take a complement, eh?”

Sung Gyu glared and climbed up on his feet. “It’s because I’m sleepy!”

“Boss!” Eunji whined and got up to her feet herself. “Come on, don’t be so coy, all you have to do is say thank you! Oh and say something nice about me too!”

Sung Gyu wasn’t listening though. In fact, he had already begun making his way through the grass and twigs, hands buried deep in his pockets. Eunji stared after his retreating back then, tilted her head and smiled. Sung Gyu was a fatherly figure, alright, but sometimes his pettiness was worse than of a ten-year-old.

Sung Gyu made it to the edge of the greenery and turned back, calling her name. “Are you coming or what?”

“Oh!” Eunji broke her stance and quickly made her way through towards the other.

“For a while I thought you were going to nap in the woods” Sung Gyu said.

“No I-,” Eunji began, but then they were already by their respective tents. Sung Gyu pulled his hands out of his pocket. “Well, then…”

“Good night?” Eunji supplied with a shrug, and Sung Gyu nodded in response. “Good night, Miss Jung”

“Good night, boss”

Sung Gyu turned to leave, but as if he suddenly remembered, he pointed a hand at her single tent and gave her a grave look. “Make sure you lock from inside, and don’t sleep like a log, keep aware of your surrounding”

Eunji rolled her eyes. “Okay…dad”

She expected for the other to retort with a snarky comeback, but for her amazement then, he reached out, patted on her lazy bangs and smiled before he quietly disappeared into his dimly lit tent. Eunji just stared after him, stunned, and felt her heart threatening to rip out of her ribcage.

It was bad. It was definitely the worst thing possible.

Sung Gyu couldn’t possibly have that kind of effect on her poor heart.

But there was no lying. He apparently did.

*

Eunji couldn’t sleep. She’d been tossing and turning in her sleeping bag for hours now, and was certain that it was late into midnight by now, but not even the exhaustion of the long day did bring her sleep. Instead, the conversations she had with her employer were running in her mind, endlessly. And it was keeping her heart on the edge, beating relentlessly and making her head hurt. It was as if she had crossed an invisible boundary she had put before her, herself. It’s been a while since Eunji realized that she has started seeing her employer differently. In the beginning, it was only that she was captivated by his appearance and how he carried himself as a single father. But then things began to seem all the more different about him, about his surrounding and definitely about how she was seeing him. Suddenly he wasn’t just her employer, the single father who was bound by all his responsibilities but a man, submerged in his solidarity and desperate for attention and somehow, looking for a heart to latch onto, and she felt, also so strongly, that she might be willing to give in.

And that wasn’t making her feel any better. For one, she swore to herself that she wasn’t going to let her heart on loose again. The experience she had with Yeosob was bad enough, and was definitely going to remain a scar in her love life. Developing a crush on her employer on the other hand, who was the father to an eight-year-old whose ex-girlfriend is also looming around was a terrible, terrible move. Eunji wished she could knock some sense into her heart. Couldn’t it just think?

‘No’ She mumbled to herself and sat up in her sleeping bag. She was shaking her head frantically, fingers cold and sweaty, grabbing onto her messy hair. It was probably that she was suddenly seeing him as a fatherly figure. Yes. That’s right. Her dad had always been her role model, her biggest hope and her biggest fan for as long as she remembered. And when he left with her left behind, lost and confused, a little scared of what might be waiting for in her future, she was certainly looking for someone to fill that space for her. And Kim Sung Gyu had effortlessly slipped in and filled that void. He had become a part of her life. That’s what it is about. That’s why she was seeing him as significant. She’s seeing him as a good father.

Nonetheless, this thought wasn’t doing any better. It wasn’t putting her to sleep. It was as if sleep had completely abandoned her, leaving her strongly aware of her innermost thoughts, and it was making her run insane. In the end, when she couldn’t take it any longer, Eunji parted the flap of her tent and wriggled her way out of the sleeping bag. The night sky wasn’t as dark as she expected. The wind was mild and carried the slight scent of earth and wood. The lights dimmed in the tents illuminated the entire expanse, which helped her find her way. First, she sneakily parted the flap of Sung Gyu and Sung Jae’s tent and stole a quick look. She regretted it, immensely. She felt her heart falling through her stomach, destroying all vital organs and then shatter onto the floor. Sung Gyu and Sung jae were sleeping in one sleeping bag, abandoning the other, and his hand, pale and graceful, was tangled in the child’s hair, gently massaging his scalp in his dreams, and he was smiling, even though his mild and steady breathing definitely said he was asleep. It was so beautiful that she almost lost all her good sense of responsibility. She immediately closed the flap and reached for her wildly beating heart. Any minute, it would be dripping with blood, beating on her hand.

Afterwards, she decided she’d just walk around until she’d feel sleepy again, which was a good idea in itself, but it didn’t last for too long. In fact, it lasted only until she was passing by slowly dying bonfire and noticed the familiar bronze hair dancing in the wind. It was her.

Eunji reconsidered her actions and backtracked for a second, deciding that it is for the best that she avoid her at all costs. But then she saw something she would never expect. She saw Yoora crying.

It was subtle at first, like a lost little girl crying for help in the distance. But then it grew a little louder, and the sobs were hard to miss. Eunji stopped on her tracks and listened for a while, wondering if she should just back away and leave her to herself. But when she looked at Yoora’s lonely back, hunched to the front with her hands on her face, Eunji couldn’t help but let her womanly instincts take over. From a woman for a woman. She simply gave in.

“Hey” She called softly once she had approached the other in slow strides. Yoora didn’t notice her arrival at first, so Eunji had to nudge her a little, and when Yoora finally looked up, her glassy big eyes stunned and in wonderment, Eunji simply gulped hard and handed her a folded paper napkin produced from her pocket. It was truly a sorcery. Yoora looked absolutely stunning, even when she’s crying along in the dark.

Eunji ignored this and sat on the log bench beside her. “What’s with the water works?” She asked.

Yoora dabbed at her eyes, and her eye make-up was smudged all over her face. “None of your business” she said in a teary voice. “Why are you here anyway?”

“I was just passing by” Eunji replied, sounding nonchalant as possible. “And I heard you crying. I thought I could…I don’t know, help you…”

Silence ensued for a moment, and a soft sob came from her side. “That’s…very sweet of you”

“Woman for woman” Eunji said with a smile. “And if anything, I know you’re saddened by this whole…son…issue” She gulped hard, realizing that she’s willingly stepping into the dangerous waters. But then, she was already submerged in it, and was far too gone. Going even deeper couldn’t hurt much. “But you shouldn’t suffer alone”

“Do I have a choice?” Yoora snapped. “I’m alone in this. And I know how he could get. He’s stubborn to the very end, and would never change his mind for anything”

“I know” Eunji nodded as if she had any idea about all of that. “But maybe you can try talking to him…properly….” She took a deep breath and added; “He isn’t that heartless, you know”

Yoora smiled almost accusingly. “You sound like you know him more”

Eunji reacted quickly, on her own intuition. She cleared , sat straight and met her eyes almost too confidently. “Of course, I am his wife”

Telling her that they’re married was bad enough, admitting she was his wife was even worse. The matter couldn’t get any worse as of now. She was in a deep, deep mess.

This made Yoora laugh condescendingly. “You sound very unconvincing to me”

“I am not trying to convince you” Eunji responded with a smirk. “I’m only stating the fact”

Then she began to slowly slide off the bench, deciding that it’s the best moment to slip out of the situation and hide away, possibly forever. She would have succeeded. She almost did, her shadow dissipating into the darkness. But then, Yoora acknowledged her still being there and decided to ask (As if it’s the most appropriate at that moment)

“How is it like…? Living with him?”

Eunji stopped, convinced that she was asking about Sung Gyu. But then, to be on the safe side she asked; “Who?”

“Sung Jae”

Eunji let out a sigh in relief at the quest which sounded rather easy, and returned to her seat on the log.

“It’s crazy” She began and pulled at the two strings of her hoodie. “It’s annoying at times, and then it’s absolutely terrific. It’s perfect in every sense of the way…” a fond smile appeared on her lips before even she could stop herself. “Every single day with him is an adventure”

In response, Yoora smiled to, a tender smile coming from his true mother which made Eunji feel a little guilty. “He sounds like an incredible child”

“He is” Eunji agreed. “He is brought up very well”

Eunji regretted it the moment she said that out loud, and mostly because of the way the smile left Yoora’s face, leaving behind a sad, darkened cloud. It was remorse.

“Sung Gyu must be a great dad then” she said in a tiny voice, and Eunji swore she could hear it cracking.

“He is a great dad” replied Eunji with a slight frown, hating herself for all she was doing. “And Sung Jae takes up after him”

“He does” Yoora said in agreement, and again chuckled darkly. “You must be glad that he is nothing like me. He doesn’t even look like me. The kid is the splitting image of his father”

“He’s got your nose though” Eunji blabbered, and slapped herself in her mind.

“He does?” Yoora asked, turning to face her and almost in surprise. Eunji took this as a good sign and nodded in response. “I figured myself. And it’s alright…you have a pretty nose”

Yoora laughed, throwing her head back and her bronze hair tangled in her lean, long fingers. It was a rather beautiful sight. She was beautiful when she wasn’t scowling, and when she wasn’t planning to murder anyone. “You’re very funny sometimes” She said through her cackles, and Eunji found this quite endearing, so much so that she added in her cheery voice herself “I’m kind of glad he didn’t get his dad’s nose. It’s kind of crooked on the left nostril”

This made Yoora laugh even more, and Eunji liked it. At least she wasn’t crying, and it was a good thing. Yoora was nice when she was being her true self, and Eunji decided that it was all well. Even more so, because she made her this way.

And so, for at least two hours or so, they talked about Sung Jae and Sung Gyu and Eunji enthralled Yoora with everything she did with Sung Jae, being careful enough to sound convincing while still playing the role as Sung Gyu’s wife. Yura was still unconvinced, at which point Eunji had to make up a story where she began as the baby sitter and later fell in love with each other and decided to get married, very secretly with only their parents and closest friends being there at the wedding and that Sometimes Sung Gyu liked to play it a secret and say that she was his kid’s baby-sitter, just to play it safe. Eunji must have been so convincing that Yoora seemed to have bought it in the end. The two of them talked even more about Sung Gyu then, and Yoora continued to tell her about their days together, where Sung Gyu was the leader and the vocalist of their small band from college called ‘Beat’, of which Yoora played the Key-board and the background vocals.

“Those were the beautiful days” she went on, almost dreamily. “He was the boy of every girl’s dreams. Perfect in every way. You probably know why I fell for him”

Eunji smiled and nodded. She still refused to admit that she might have, admittedly, fallen for him, profusely as well. But still she knew the reason why anyone would. He was ideal. He was beautiful. Sometimes, he was just out of this world. But it would hurt her, in every way possible, if she would admit anything of the sort herself. She only stuck to her smiles and nods when Yoora went on telling her tales from their younger days, and then when they felt the night needed to end, and when the bonfire had completely died out in the cold winter spring night, Eunji spread both her hands and feet and climbed up on her feet.

“It was nice talking to you, Yoora-ssi” She said, giving her the best of her smiles, despite her teary eyes, deprived of a good night sleep.

“It was, indeed” Yoora replied, smiling herself. “And thank you…I feel much better now”

“Talk to him” Eunji added for good measure. “He will come around”

Yoora didn’t say anything, her smile slowly returning to a frown. She nodded anyway, which wasn’t too bad for now. Nonetheless Eunji realized that it was the high time she takes her leave. She pulled up the hood of her jacket and waved her hand in farewell before she disappeared into the night.

Afterwards she could actually sleep well, although her heart still felt a little heavy. It was as if she could actually carry it along herself for a while. The moment she hit he bed, she stared long at where Sung Gyu and Sung Jae’s tent should be, and a fond smile appeared on her lips. After hearing Yoora’s stories, Eunji couldn’t help but wonder how her boss would be like, not as an employer, nor as a father, but as a man. He sounded like he’d make a wonderful boyfriend. Kind, caring, passionate. The thought made her cheeks burn, but it didn’t feel like a burden anymore. A crush, a fatherly figure, whatever Eunji was beginning to see him as, she would come around to accept it, one day. She sure hoped it would be soon.

*

The next morning, Sung gyu was startled awake upon hearing the sound of crunching twigs and someone crossing their path, also followed by opening zippers, and closing back, one after the other. For a moment he thought it must the teachers checking up on the parents and their students, but then he figured that there was only one person out there, based on the sole shadow casted upon the taffeta tent by the morning light. He couldn’t find any other reason why one person would go around zipping up and down the tents, unless it was someone looking for something. And also if not for a kid who had gone missing so early in the morning, or an important belonging, nobody would be doing this. And of course, if that was the case, they’d rather make announcements than looking through the tents. So he easily figured out what the case was, based on his investigator intelligence. He hadn’t brought his gun along, but he had exceptionally good fighting skills (Though they brought back and limb pains in the end) and sometimes they came in for good use.

So he quietly reached for his jacket, not even making a slightest rustle, and wriggled out of the sleeping bag which he shared with his son. After shrugging into the jacket, maintaining the silence, he slowly ped the tent and crawled out onto the damped grass, only to catch the sight of a petite figure ping the tent Eunji was sleeping in. The figure was in a bright pink winter jacket and jeans, their hood pulled up. But by the posture and the size, he could easily figure it was a woman.

Yet, his employer-slash-fatherly instincts immediately kicked in. man, woman or a ing potato, he had to save his employee.

So in a haste, Sung Gyu climbed up on his feet and reached for the woman by the tent. He’d been taught how to trap a woman in his guard. His pulled both her arms behind her and held her against his chest. He could feel her struggle against him, but Sung gyu on the other hand was stunned by the striking familiarity of…everything. The proportions, the scent the hair…and the feel of her arms. And then, and then came the sound of her voice, hitting him like a snow-storm.

“Let me go!”

And he did, almost too immediately, and stumbled backwards, his hands clenched on his sides.

“Y-Yoora?”

Yoora whipped around, her bronze hair flying in every possible direction, and pointed an angry figure at his direction.

“You! Why the are you sleeping in a separate tent if you two are married?”

Sung Gyu almost fell off his feet, and got livid at the completely baseless accusation.

“W-what? I ain’t married to anybody!”

“Yes you are” Yoora said, fire burning in her eyes. “You’re married to your so-called baby-sitter, Jung Eunji”

*

“Give me a sausage”

“Geez, here”

“No, this is not good. I want a better one!”

Of all the things which concerned her right at that moment, she had to look through a bunch of burnt sausages, all because she so stupidly decided she could play the part of the wife of a lone single father and easily get away with it. She was an idiot. She was most possibly the worst kind of idiot there has ever been. No, she was the worse at being an idiot herself. She was much worse than that, and so she deserved this punishment, to be left alone with an eight-year-old and a couple of nosy mums, through some oily sausages.

It all started with her crawling out of her tent after having her comfortable sleep interrupted by a series of unrecognized yelling. She couldn’t work out whom the voices belonged to. Nor what they were talking about. She felt as if she had a drunkard party night yesterday, what with how her head was ringing. And then, upon slipping her head out of the flap, she immediately regretted it, because she was greeted by Yoora and her accusing finger pointed at her face and her whispering almost too dangerously “You ing lied to me”

And in the back she could see Sung Gyu standing there, hands crossed on his chest, looking terrifyingly calm, and that was the moment she realized she was done for good.

The rest of it was a hazy memory in her mind. She could vaguely remember the deep, threatening tone Sung Gyu used when he questioned her, but she couldn’t remember what he even asked. She was just too sleepy to even form a plausible response. And then there was Yoora, throwing a bloody tantrum about who lied and who didn’t, putting too much trust on the women’s side and calling Sung gyu names of all sorts. Eunji could understand Sung Gyu’s wrath, kind of, if she wasn’t way too sleepy to recognize things. But she couldn’t really do anything at that time, except for blurting out that, well, that she never lied. Yoora exploded at that point, and at that very moment a rustle came from Sung Gyu’s tent, followed by Sung Jae’s sleepy voice. Sung gyu panicked, with hurried movements and wide eyes and all while Yoora seemed like she was contemplating ways to distract the other and possibly kidnap her child. And then Sung gyu caught Yoora by her arm and disappeared into the drizzling morning. That was the last of what she saw of him for that morning.

Well, except for now when she had a glimpse of him and Yoora in a heated argument at the lake bank, and Eunji was running out of her mind.

And having to feed Sung Jae his breakfast together with all the sleepy and complaining parents wasn’t making the situation any better. She knew Sung Gyu would come back to her any moment, and she knew he’d be livid for intervening in his personal life. He would not only fire her and complain to his best friend about what she did but also there was the possibility that he would tie her to a tree and leave her there to rot. The very thought gave her the shivers, and while she buttered toast for the kid, she tried to accidentally wonder off to the edge where she could catch a good glimpse of the arguing pair.

She, in fact, tried to accidentally walk off to their direction a several times. Once, looking for Sung Jae, imagining he had walked off, but then he was following her. The next time, she pretended she was looking for a tap to wash her hands, but then they have apparently installed a ing sink. The third time when she tried to walk off with a sandwich made of toast, sausage and a breakfast egg, Sung Jae straight out followed after her and happened to see both Sung gyu and Yoora yelling at each other at the top of their lungs.

“Is that Appa?” Sung Jae asked before even Eunji could think of dragging the child off the edge. Then he noticed the second figure and pointed a finger at her direction. “And is that the lady from the art exhibition?”

And then while Eunji stared at him, mouth agape and at a loss of what to do, Sung jae simply turned to face Eunji with a curious expression and added in the most natural way he could ever pull off, “Is she Appa’s girlfriend?”

Eunji could only slap her hand on her forehead and laugh anxiously while shaking her head. “O-of course not!” She stammered through her chuckles. “I think he just got into trouble with some random lady…” she replied and quickly grabbed the kid by his arm. “Come on, let’s get you some chocolate milk”

And much for her relief, the boy simply shrugged it off and followed after her, taking no note of her peeking over her shoulder every ten seconds as they passed. Afterwards, Eunji found herself sitting on a log bench, sipping on a carton of chocolate milk and repenting all the rash decisions she had made in life, simultaneously flipping omelets on a pan for those who haven’t had breakfast. And it was all good for a while, because for that moment, it was only her and her thoughts alone with the stench of the burning eggs and the smoke. Sung Jae had wandered off and now was playing with his friends, and all the mothers who were all smug about being married weren’t bothering her anymore. Also for some unfortunate reason, Sung Gyu and Yoora were nowhere in sight. For a moment Eunji thought he had eloped with her and were probably having Post-argument- in the public bathroom or something, but then she shook the thought off, not only because it was quite grossing her out, but also because it was making her feel all guilty and upset. Eunji caused the whole mess herself, and Sung Gyu obviously didn’t seem like he was enjoying it. She remembered what Woohyun said last Christmas, how Sung Gyu really felt about Yoora’s return. And now that she thought about it, she could actually understand why, and it made her feel even worse.

After a while, however, she caught the glimpse of Sung Gyu appearing through the crowd. She had no idea where he could have wandered off to (nor did she think she should ask) but he sure did look weary and tired, like he had actually given up on dealing with all the his life was giving him. Eunji quietly watched him as he checked on his child, who was sitting around with the other kids, playing a game of some sort, and then it seemed like he was asking him where the baby sitter was. She was right, because Sung Jae was soon pointing a finger at her direction. Eunji flipped a half burnt omelet and put away the burning hot pan. She had to brace herself for the war of the century.

Nonetheless, despite how Eunji expected him to react, all that Sung gyu did upon approaching her was sitting next to her on the log bench ever so quietly, and also not once acknowledging her presence and lowering his head into his hands, his thumb and index finger tightly pinching the bridge of his nose, an action which, as how Eunji had figured, he performed when he was deeply disturbed. She decided to respect his quietness and remain silent herself. She caused the entire havoc after all, and she knew for a fact that Yoora wasn’t kind when it came down to anything related to Sung Gyu and their son. Eunji wasn’t sure how complicated it all was. And she had no intention of knowing either. Yet, there was one thing she was certain about. That one thing, if she had the chance, she would clarify herself.

After waiting in silence for longer than necessary, Eunji couldn’t take it anymore. It was eating her from inside. So she merely blurted out, without thinking much, “Would you like some egg, Boss?”

A sigh came from him, yet he didn’t move a muscle as he responded rather tiredly, “No”

“H-how about some…sausage then?” Eunji continued in a meek voice.

“No, thanks”

“Then…some chocolate milk?”

“No, goddamnit!” Sung Gyu erupted this time, sitting up and shooting fire with his eyes. He seemed so enraged that it almost threw her off her feet. She hadn’t seen so much of anger coming from him ever before, and it made her feel even worse to think that all of this had to happen in Sung Jae’s trip which she put so much effort to bring Sung Gyu along with them and also which was an apparent break for Sung gyu from all his tiring work. It was all her fault. She and her stupid impulsiveness. Eunji was almost certain that it would be what kills her in the near future.

Awash in guilt, she brought her cold hands, fists clenched, into her lap and dragged them against her jeans, her head lowered in guilt. And then, glancing at her employer from the corner of her eyes, she mumbled in an unnaturally tiny voice “I’m sorry….”

Sung Gyu was quiet for a moment, but then he let out a long, exhausted sigh. “Why would you do something like that anyway? Did you think it would make things any better?”

“No” Eunji sighed and finally looked up. “But in my defense, it was the only possible thing I could do at that time”

“At what time?” Sung Gyu snapped in return. “Eunji, if you’re hiding anything-,”

“Yoora keeps coming to the school, okay?” Eunji yelled back in response, silencing Sung Gyu, leaving him perplexed. “And I’m worried that she would go and tell Sung Jae something misleading. It was the only way”

Sung Gyu was scowling. His anger had just doubled in size and it didn’t seem like a good sign.

“What?” he whispered, and fixed his eyes onto her. “It didn’t stop after the exhibition incident? Eunji, why didn’t you tell me?”

She bit her lip and looked down at her paled hands guiltily. She had no reason to feel guilty though. Because she had her own fair reasons.

“Because I didn’t want to worry you” She said in a small voice and finally raised her head. “I know…how sensitive you get when it comes down to this issue of Yoora coming back for Sung Jae. I was just worried about you; you know”

And at this point, though completely unexpected from her part, Sung Gyu just snapped.

“How on earth is worrying about me a part of your job?!? You’re hired to take care of my son! And if anything, you’re supposed to report to me! Why would you even think of worrying about me when you very well know that all of my personal issues are none of your business, huh!?!”

Yet, in return, Eunji snapped as well. She couldn’t understand why Sung Gyu was suddenly acting this way. He clearly could see what the issue was there, and he was simply overlooking it all, only to put the complete blame on her. He just wasn’t being fair enough.

“Because sometimes you’re worse than a child!” Eunji yelled, her eyes widened in anger. “Why are you being so petty about this anyway? There’s nothing for you to get so defensive about!  What right does she have to comment on whether you’re married or not? She’s the woman who abandoned you with a child for heaven’s sake!”

Sung Gyu groaned, kicked his foot and buried his face in his hands once more. Eunji let this moment of quietness to drag on, finding a chance to catch her breath. At this point, she was as livid as he was. She had a fair reason for what she did. Her sole intention was to protect him, and protect his wish of not letting Yoora see the boy for whatever the reason he had. Eunji couldn’t understand why he would get so angry about it. It wasn’t like Yoora held any relation to him now, not even as much as Eunji herself did. And what was so bad about being said that he was married to her? Was she so terrible that he couldn’t hold his anger about it?

After a while, however, Sung gyu raised head the slightest, so that his voice was directed to her.

“You should have just told me without going to that extent”

“I know” Eunji huffed and looked to her side. “Yet I don’t regret anything”

“Why not?” Asked, Sung Gyu, catching her off guard. Eunji was speechless, suddenly, because she herself had no idea why she even said that. Why did she not regret pretending to be his wife even for a moment? Why did she feel it was actually a part of her responsibilities? Why did she feel that he was her responsibility?

“Because I just don’t” Eunji merely said, in the end, showing no care at all, and reached over for the pan to prepare breakfast for her employer, who clearly hadn’t had a bite of breakfast yet. But then. Sung Gyu caught the hem of her sleeve, and when she looked up, their eyes met for a split second, and she saw him soften under her gaze.

“Eunji, do you…like me or something by any chance?” he asked.

Eunji turned away and started to cough loudly after she chocked on her own thoughts. Her heart skipped, her mind ran hazy, and the spot where their skin touched suddenly felt so warm.

“O-of course not!” She said then in over exaggeration, and began to laugh which, despite sounding so phony, she believed to have passed the message. “Are you kidding me boss? I don’t like you! In fact, I hate you. A lot. And you can’t possibly think that my standards are so low! Besides, I’m very expensive”

Sung gyu raised his brows. “Why are you blabbering so much?”

“I-I’m not!” Eunji yelled in denial and reached for the bowl of whisked egg. But her hand was shaking uncontrollably for a reason she couldn’t explain. She didn’t want to just stick to her denial. She wanted to explain herself (and maybe convince herself as well) as to the reasons why Sung Gyu would never fall into the category of the men she liked.

“Look, I don’t like you because you are old, lazy, ugly and probably even a terrible kisser. I bet the only thing you do on bed is sleep” She explained in a haste voice. Sung Gyu only watched her with amusement stretched across his previously stressed out face, and when she mentioned kissing, he immediately took offence.

“How would you even know is I was a terrible kisser?”

“I-I don’t know!” Eunji lied, but deep down, she was recalling that time from last Christmas when Sung Gyu was stinking drunk yet Eunji had the best kiss she had ever experienced in her life. She shook her thoughts off as soon as they appeared and pulled off a scowl. “Anyway, you shouldn’t be too delusional” She said in the end.

“But of course” Sung Gyu said, clasping his hands together. “I’m expensive myself”

Then there was that quietness again, and this time, it was the kind of a quietness that Eunji wanted to wipe away. Somehow she had managed to make his mood better, but the guilt and confusion was still ghosting around her. She tried to thereby busy herself by pouring more egg batter onto the pan and allowing the sizzle and the stench surround them. Sung Gyu was deep in his thoughts, his chin resting on his hands and his boots digging onto the soil as if he was carrying a heavy weight. His ex coming back to claim her child could be a weight he couldn’t carry himself on his own. And also being taken by his own thoughts, unable to comprise with himself could be hard enough. Eunji wished she if she could be of any support, to be a friend rather than being a mere baby sitter for him. He might not really like it as it happened now, but she felt that emotional support would be something he’d appreciate in later days.

“Boss, why Don’t you just let her see him once?” Eunji awakened her voice when she couldn’t hold her thoughts anymore.

“Hm?” Sung gyu looked up, finally being pulled out of his reverie.

“Sung Jae” Eunji said, her eyes fixed only on the pan. “Why don’t you just let her meet him? She’d stop then”

There was silence, and Eunji realized that she had yet again put herself in the dangerous waters.

“Sung jae doesn’t need to know she’s here” Sung gyu said, almost in deep wrath.

“But why?” Eunji carried on. “I’m sure seeing his mother once would really hurt him-,”

“Look, Miss Jung” Sung Gyu said, suddenly, and when she turned, he was fully upright in his seated position, and his expression was grave, and calm. It was terrifying. “I’d appreciate it if you don’t interfere in my personal life again”

Eunji was speechless, and scared. She just didn’t form a respond and only nodded in response.

“Thank you” Sung Gyu said, and son his mood changed, in what sorcery, Eunji couldn’t tell. He closed his eyes and let out a loud yawn before stretching his arms and legs, and soon he was up on his feet.

“I’m hungry. Where could I fetch breakfast?”

“I’d-I’d make for you myself, boss” Eunji mumbled, still intimidated by his stern tone, and was duly surprised when he smiled and patted lightly on her bangs, making her heart stop beating.

“You’re too good. Meanwhile I’ll just go and check on Jae”

“O-okay” Eunji whispered, almost to herself, and once he had gone off the radar she just clutched onto her hair and pulled at every bit of it in frustration. Just what did happen?

*

Sung Jae was hopping on his feet in happiness and pure excitement when they gathered around at the campsite for one last time. The day had finally come to an end after the parents, students and teachers had gotten together and completed all the games which were organized, and Sung Jae, with his father and the baby sitter, had had the time of their lives. They ran around, played in the maze and even had a bath in the cold lake, and Sung Jae terribly felt that this memory might replace the current favorite moment in his life. He had spent the afternoon at the lake bank with his father, their bare feet dipped in the cold water and he was telling him stories from his days as a boy scout, then the baby sitter joined in to tell him more stories from when she was still a school girl back in Busan. Then they hit each other with the water from the lake and watched as the sun set from the vest, Sung Jae huddled between his father and the baby sitter, enjoying the quiet moment, and all was good.

Now he couldn’t wait to go back home and relay everything that happened to his grandparents. He was so sure they would love it all and maybe even plan another camping trip together. He was certain they’d be the happiest.

The home-room teacher and the Ahjussie from the camping site was talking up front but he heeded no attention. He couldn’t care less. His baby sitter was on his side, wearing a crown made out of oak leaves and looking a little silly. His father has gone off to somewhere after having promised that he’d be back in a minute. Sung Jae was a little upset that he got caught in some problem with some lady and hoped he would resolve it soon so his appa would be happy again.

When a rustle came from behind him, Sung Jae immediately knew it was his father. He turned around and saw him making his way through, a huge smile on his face. Sung Jae smiled back and ran towards his father.

“Where did you go?”

“I had to pee” Sung gyu said with no shame, and Eunji scoffed from the side, which earned a frown from the other.

“Anyway, Jae” Sung gyu said and crouched down before his son. “How did you like the trip?”

“It was awesome!” He exclaimed, a little hop on his stubby feet.

“The best day of your life?”

“Hmm, no” Sung Jae said after much thought. “The second best”

“And the day at the beach is still the first?”

“Yup” Sung Jae responded and put his hands around his neck. “Appa, carry me on your back”

Sung Gyu rolled his eyes, but still climbed up on his feet with a groan, and caught Eunji sitting there with a weird leave concoction on her head and trying not to laugh”

“Miss Jung” He addressed with authority in his voice and securely held the boy’s legs in his hands.

“Hm, yeah?”

“Found your inner child yet?”

“No” Eunji replied nonchalantly and climbed up on her feet herself. “I was just about to go and find her”

“We can join you” Sung gyu suggested, and Sung jae, who clearly had no idea, still loudly agreed.

“Yeah you go boy” Cheered Sung Gyu, and Eunji couldn’t help but warm up to them. “Okay fine” she said and waked ahead with a smug smile. “But don’t be too surprised. She’s probably a lot smarter than you”

“Yeah, and so full of herself” Sung gyu said, but still followed.

Together, they didn’t really find any inner child, but they did indeed find something.

They found what happiness was all about.

*

“Miss Jung” Sung gyu called while they were on their way back home. Sung Jae was sleeping on Sung Gyu’s chest and Eunji was looking at her phone, giggling at someone’s cat posted on Instagram.

“Yeah, boss?”

“Do you really think my nose is crooked? On the right nostril?”

Eunji immediately began to make a fake laughter and shoved the screen of her phone to his face. “Look at this girl’s cat! Isn’t she funny?”

Sung gyu frowned. “Miss Jung”

Eunji pretended not to hear him and continued to laugh on about the cat who wasn’t even remotely funny.

“Miss Jung”

Because some things are worth not acknowledging.

Things like Kim Sung Gyu, his crooked nose.

And her heart.