-Flashback-

It's the eighteenth day of April 1998 in the beautiful state of New York. Among the private rooms of the state of the art hospital in Brooklyn, there was a room occupied by two families from the capital city of South Korea. They were there to wait for the delivery of the new member of their family. But, unlike the usual set of an in-patient's significant others, none of the members of these two Kim families were biologically related to the woman who's already transferred to the delivery room. She's a surrogate mother - a woman who took the responsibility of bearing someone else's baby for the sake of extending the life of her husband who needs a long term treatment.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" the anxious father of the unborn child asked his girlfriend. He wanted to do the honor of cutting the umbilical cord of his baby. But because of his illness, Jaejoong needed to stay in his hospital bed. For this reason, the couple decided to let the paternal grandfather do the honor of cutting the cord. "It's been almost an hour since Mrs. Jung was transferred to the delivery room. Why is it that until now, father and Mr. Jung haven't come back to give us news about our baby? Could it be that something bad happened?"

Although he's been informed that the labor of a gravida one mother is normally longer than women in their second or succeeding pregnancy, Jaejoong can't help but to worry about the welfare of his unborn child and her surrogate mother. His girlfriend, Kim Tae Hee, was also nervous about the result. But she tried to stay calm because she's the support person her boyfriend needs the most. "They're both going to be fine," she assured him. "Our baby is very healthy at the ultrasound scan, isn't it? The cord wasn't coiled around her neck and she was kicking strongly. Besides, the team who are handling them are experts Jae. Hence, I'm sure that with their help, Mrs. Jung will be able to safely deliver our baby."

"Believe in Mrs. Jung, hyung," Taeyeon advised. He is Jaejoong's younger brother who has so much likeness to their deceased mother. "She took care of my niece for nine months. It's a huge sacrifice, hyung. She's not going to put such effort into waste."

A few minutes later, the door opened to reveal the husband of the surrogate mother. Beside him was the businessman who took care of the expenses for the treatment of his renal failure. Kim Jong Shin was wearing a smile when he entered the room. It told better than words ever could what he was about to announce - She's born. At last! The seventeen year-old Kim Tae Hee and Kim Jaejoong's baby was finally born.

"She's beautiful," the relatives of the baby said while they were watching her sleeping soundly at the nursery. She's a healthy six pounds baby according to the doctors. Just like her, her surrogate mother is also in a stable condition and is now resting at the private room adjacent to where Jaejoong is confined.

"She looks like you," Tae Hee said to her boyfriend who is sitting on a wheelchair and watching his own daughter with teary eyes.

"She is," Jaejoong replied. He looked up to his girlfriend and saw that her eyes were also covered in tears. He held her hand and placed a lingering kiss on it's palm. At that moment that he officially became a father, Jaejoong forgot his fear of dying because he's assured that the woman he dearly loves will not grow old alone.

When the baby was finally roomed in, everybody was so excited to take a picture with her. They were all wearing a huge smile while craddling the beautiful angel. Even Mrs. Jung cannot contain her happiness while holding the newborn child.

"What are we going to name her?" Taeyeon asked. Each of them has a suggestion for the baby's name but Jaejoong gave the right to decide to his girlfriend. "You should give her an American name, unnie. I have a Korean classmate in L.A. whose birthname is American. She's really beautiful just like my niece."

"Sounds like you're crushing on her," Jaejoong teased his brother. The latter didn't even feel embarrassed to admit that he likes his South Korean classmate named Tiffany Hwang.

"Once I go back to L.A., I'm going to ask her to go out with me. Hopefully she'll say yes," Taeyeon added.

"I'm positive that she will, bro. No one can resist the charm of the Kim siblings." The rest erupted into a hearty laugh because of the brothers' conversation.

Kim Tae Hee took into consideration Taeyeon's suggestion. She named her daughter Jessica not only because it sounds beautiful, but also because it starts with the same letter as her boyfriend.

Tae Hee and Jaejoong didn't move back to Seoul after their baby was born. They stayed in New York together with the Jung couple who helped them in taking care of Jessica. Taeyeon continued his studies in L.A., while Kim Jong Shin returned to South Korea to manage his company which was just starting to become a big name in the car manufacturing industry. He forbid everyone from spreading a word about Jessica's birth. He did this not because he is ashamed that his eldest son is already a father, but because he's protecting his precious grandchild from whoever might try to harm her. Due to this, the neighbors of the Jungs and the Kim couple thought that Jessica was Mrs. Jung's daughter. Among the people who were oblivious of who Jessica really is was Tiffany Hwang who, after months of pursuing her, became Taeyeon's girlfriend.

For many months, the Kim couple was very happy of their life in New York. Even if Jaejoong's illness and chemotherapy were making him weak, he still managed to cheer up because of his daughter's smile and her coos. Extreme was his happiness when Jessica said 'dada' for the first time.

"How about mama, Jessi?" Tae Hee said to the baby resting on her lap. "Can you say mama as well? Say ma-ma."

The baby Jessica wiggled her arms and smiled. "Da-da," she said instead of mama. Hence, Jaejoong and the Jung couple laughed at her pouting mother.

"You're her favorite," Tae Hee sulked. "It's not fair."

Jaejoong wrapped his arm to his girlfriend and boasted: "It's because she's the female Kim Jaejoong." He followed this with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah. She really is so much like you. I'm afraid that when she grows up, her fans will have a hard time winning her heart, just like how hard it has been for me."

Jaejoong smiled, guilty of his girlfriend's remark. "It worked well, didn't it? If I didn't play hard to get, I won't be able to have someone who is worth it." When he kissed Tae Hee on her lips, Mr. and Mrs. Jung cleared their throats to remind the sweet couple of their presence. As if she could understand the situation clearly, the baby Jessica giggled while looking at her parents who were blushing in embarrassment.

"Ma," Jessica said suddenly before continuing her cute laugh. That day became one of the happiest days in that simple home because during that day, the beautiful angel said 'dada' and 'ma' for the first time.

"You should go back to school Tae," Jaejoong said one night while Jessica was sleeping soundly. It's been a year since he and Tae Hee stopped attending school because of his serious illness. "I'll be fine. Mr. Lim or Mrs. Ahn can accompany me to the hospital. Taeyeon can also do that when he's on vacation. You don't have to sacrifice your dream because of me."

Tae Hee shushed her boyfriend and cupped his face. "My dream can wait. It's you and Jessica who matters to me right now," she said sincerely.

Jaejoong smiled at Tae Hee and held the hand cupping his face. "I love you," he said in a voice that cracked in the middle. "I love you so much, Kim Tae Hee. No matter what happens, remember that I will always be with you forever. I will watch over you and Jessica. I will never leave your side for I will continue guiding and protecting you."

Hearing those words from the man that she loves urged Tae Hee's tears to fall like rain. She loves him so much that she is not ready to lose him for all eternity. "Please don't say something like that," she begged him. "You'll be able to make it Jae. You'll still be able to witness Jessica grow and run into your arms. You'll still be able to hear her say a thousand words. She will call you daddy and she will tell you stories about school. You're still going to witness a lot of people falling for her. You'll still be able to read her stories and walk with her in the aisle. I believe you will witness all of it so please don't say something like that. Don't leave us too soon please. We love you so much."

It didn't take long since that night that Kim Jaejoong breathed his last. It was a moment so painful that it crushed Tae Hee's heart. She couldn't take care of Jessica. She couldn't look at her in the eyes either because the poor angel remi