Chapter 5. Father & Mother.

Stephanie had been moving in into our house for four months when our adoption application finally approved by the adoption board.

One more giant step ahead was to apply for an adoption court order that would legalize us as Stephanie's parents. After a long and tiring meeting with our lawyer, me and my wife decided that it was about time for us to have an alone time, a good date at our favorite junction of the town.

“You know, after we got the court order,” Taeyeon talked while munching the tteobokki, “I think we should consider going on vacation abroad, the three of us.”

I raised an eyebrow at her, waving at the young waitress standing behind the gas stove for soju refill. “I think it will be wiser for us to keep the money instead. Stephanie is twelve, it won't be long before we need to fund her college tuition.”

My wife coughed, snorted, and coughed again. The little commotion made the visitors of this small food stand started to stare at us at us.

I brought a glass of water to , watching as she sipped hastily. “Slow down, Kim Taeyeon.”

She coughed again before laughing at me.

“What?”

“You slow down, Kwon Jiyong. We barely finalized the adoption papers a few minutes ago and you already think of college tuition.”

“I'm her father. I have to think of what best for Stephanie's future.”

My wife fell into a laughing fit and I had to wait for a full minute before she calmed down.

“I love you, you know?” She confessed, batting her lashes at me. “You are so adorable.” Her lips, forever my weakness, inched closer to mine.

Who was I to decline such a sweet treat?

Her lips tasted like tteobokki while I could feel the remnant of soju on my palate as she assaulted my tongue.

“I love you, very-very much, Daddy Ji.”

“I love you too, Mommy Tae.” I whispered, looking down to dodge people's disapproval stare.

“I can easily picture you as a great father for our Stephanie.” She sighed, hand already moved the chopstick to get more food. “Just promise me you won't be too overprotected. No emasculating every boy who comes to court our daughter.”

“No castration. I promise. Just a quick jab to the eyes with my sharpest 2B pencils.”

She snorted the tteobokki in a laughing fit again.

We held a small costume party to celebrate the ruling of the court and Stephanie's 13th birthday some two months later. With balloons, streamers, and giant banner I designed myself.

Stephanie smiled and talked a little, just like she always did. But I merrily observed the wall of coldness and distrust vanishes almost entirely. The more comfortable she was with us, the more I knew how Stephanie was actually an extrovert. She loved to talk and was actually so active. Her eye-smile often colored our life these days.

She welcomed our family and friends as hers at the party, dressing as a cute Snow White. She shook hands, awkwardly receiving hugs and congratulations from people she barely knew and I never felt more proud in my life.

Once the bright evening turned into dark night and only the three of us left, we laid on the porch of our house, enjoying each other's presence. Stephanie was drawing something on her sketchbook, lying on her stomach by my left side. Taeyeon was on my right side, propping her head with a hand, while fingers idly tracing the print of my shirt.

“Look.” Stephanie sat up, holding out her sketchbook. “Us.”

I turned my head to see. My eyes met pencil sketches of three people each in Snow White, Jack Skellington, and Mad Hatter costumes.

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