“Kim Taeyeon! What the hell is this?!” Sunny barged into Taeyeon’s office roughly. “Explain!” The plastic surgeon slammed a folder to Taeyeon’s desk with a furious expression all over her face.

Taeyeon knew exactly what was in that file. Calmly, she asked Sunny to take a seat.

“Oh I’m not going to sit down before you give the clearest reason why you did this.” She spoke sternly.

“I resign from the research.” Taeyeon stated lowly. “The board had approved.”

“I’ve noticed.” Sunny greeted her teeth angrily. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Taeyeon let out a deep breath. She reached for her phone in the drawer, scrolling the gallery application. She stopped at the certain video then showed it to Sunny.

“Don’t distract me, Taeyeon.”

“They are the reason.” Taeyeon stayed put. She stared at the device longingly, feeling her heart broke all over again. “I can’t do this anymore,” she spoke absentmindedly.

“Taeyeon, I begged my uncle to find you those funds not to get you give up halfway.” Sunny closed her eyes, pressing the urge to yell at her friend. 

“What will I get from this project, Sunny?”

“What will you get?!” She finally shouted. “What will you get, you ask?! People’s lives, Taeyeon! Those freaking human being’s lives!”

“By scarifying mine?” Taeyeon sighed heavily. “I thought I was going to spend the rest of my live alone, Sunny. I thought I’d never have a family to come home to. I thought no one would look out me, no one will ask for my presence. So I thought, why didn’t I do something useful?”

“Tae–”

“Then I met my wife. Then we had the triplets. I was selfish, I was greedy, I wanted to have everything. So I pushed through. I’ve avoided my heart’s warning over and over.” Taeyeon locked her eyes with Sunny’s. “Name, Sunny. People will know my name. They’d worship me for my creation. What I’d get for myself is fame. Would it be worthy enough, if I choose this over my family?” Taeyeon shook her head regretfully. “No, Sunny, it would not. And I’m losing them now.”

She looked at Taeyeon intensely. Her best friend was drowning in guilt. Sunny’s anger subsided. She then sat on the leather chair, words stuck in .

“As a colleague, I deeply apologize. After all you’ve done for me, I should’ve talked to you first. Be mad at me, punish me, it’s fine. But as your friend, I ask you to understand. I bet on something I couldn’t afford to lose.”

For a while, no one said anything. Sunny clenched her jaw. She was obviously disappointed at Taeyeon. She had thrown her pride to step on something that had nothing to do with her in the first place. To think she had those funders’ to pour money to Taeyeon’s project extremely troubled her.

“You choose Do over SeoHyun?”

“I’ve talked to SeoHyun. She didn’t want it. So Do is all I have. I’d still give my contribution in this project, just not directly involved. I’d help him should he need anything from me.”   

Sunny stood up. She scratched the side of her face, sighing, then made her way out. At the doorway, Sunny stopped. She turned to Taeyeon, opening and closing , she finally said, “As a colleague, I am disappointed in you. I sternly state this is a very dumb, incredibly irresponsible move.” Sunny pointed her index finger to Taeyeon irritatingly, “just make sure Do is doing his job right. And be thankful I love Tiffany, Aorta, Artery and Venous.”

Taeyeon smiled in relieved. Sunny was indeed her best friend.

-----

Taeyeon came home that afternoon to the stillness. Tiffany wasn’t home and so were the triplets. Tiffany had informed Taeyeon that she’d run a bit late today since she had two meetings after lunch. The triplets should be having fun at the day care right now. Taeyeon would go and pick them but she was scared of the resentment.

“What a coward,” Taeyeon said to herself as she tossed her body to the couch. “You’re a freaking coward who can do nothing but cowardice action and cowardly hiding from your family.” Shame pined her alive. The idea of neglecting her family had torn her apart.

Taeyeon just fell asleep when a loud chant woke her up. She groaned but moved off the couch anyway. She rubbed her eye tiredly as she marched her way to the front door. With arms folded, she leaned by the wall, watching her wife taking off Artery’s socks.

“Momma!” Venous gasped.  She was surprised finding her other mother home at time like this.

Aorta stood behind his sister. He wasn’t sure what to do. Both of them wanted to run and hug her but they didn’t want to get scold again. Suddenly, the second born sprinted off with his arms wide open to his momma. Taeyeon squatted down, gladly received her son’s flying hug.

“Go on, give momma a hug.” Tiffany nudged the other two. She smiled encouragingly, “she’d love Ve’s and Aorta’s hugs.”

“Come here, sweet hearts.” Taeyeon extended an arm while the other one holding Artery. A second later, all three had buried their heads into Taeyeon’s chest. The smell of their shampoo was intoxicating. Their skin beamed warmth through her soul. Tiffany joined the group hug. She caressed Taeyeon’s cheek gently. She tilted her head, aiming for Taeyeon’s lips. They kissed softly.

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

“You’re forgiven, love.”

This must be how heaven felt like.

-----

Heavy-heartedly, Taeyeon put all the journals, research paper, her writings – basically everything that related to the project into a box. She would be lying if she said she had given her dream up sincerely. There was a small piece of her, deep in her heart that opposed the decision. But she couldn’t defeat to those voices. She was sure this was the r