After breakfast, Zachary and Stephanie spent their morning watching Zachary's favourite channel.

"Mummy, where did you go last night?" Zachary asked, out of the blue.

"Er...I went out to buy food of course" Stephanie chuckled nervously.

Zachary looked at her suspiciously before concentrating back on the TV.

"But why did you come home late? I was starving last night waiting for you mummy" Zachary pouted.

Stephanie sighed silently before pulling her son into her embrace.

"Mian...." Stephanie didn't know why she couldn't continue her sentence. She badly wanted Zachary to know that she met up with his father last night.

'Why am I such a coward?'

"Mummy, you can let go now. I need to use the toilet" Zachary's voice managed to bring her back to reality.

Stephanie broke the hug. Zachary got up and ran to the nearest toilet in the mansion.

"Don't forget to call harabeoji~" Zachary hollered from the hallway.

'Right...I almost forgot'

Stephanie took her phone from the table and dialled her father's number. After a few rings, someone finally answered.

"Hello, this is Leo speaking" a boy's voice was heard.

"Hi Leo. This is Steph Noona"

"Noona!! How have you been? Why did you call?" He sounds so energetic.

"Erm...I'm fine. May I speak to Appa please?" Stephanie tried to sound as normal as possible. She didn't want to show any emotions to people that she doesn't really know although that someone is family.

"Appa left a few minutes ago and he forgot his phone"

"Oh....Could you let him know that I called?"

"Sure, I'll tell him that"

"Thanks Leo"

"Okay Noona. I gotta go now"

"Bye"

"Bye Noona"

Stephanie breathed out a relief sigh and placed her phone on the table. She leaned on the sofa and shut her eyes.

She drowned herself into the past again.

"Steph, do you have a minute?" Mr Hwang asked his 12 years old daughter, who was busy reading a book on her study table.

"Hmm" Stephanie nodded her head and closed her book.

Mr Hwang took a chair and placed it in front of Stephanie. He's now sitting in front of her.

"Steph, I have something important to tell you and I hope you'll listen with an open heart" Mr Hwang took a deep breath.

"O-okay Appa" Stephanie stuttered. She didn't know why but her heart was beating like crazy. 

"I - I'm getting married next month and you'll have a new mother and younger sister" Mr Hwang braced himself for what's coming from his daughter's mouth but all he heard was sobs.

"Steph, why are you crying?" Mr Hwang asked worriedly and placed a hand on her shoulder. 

Stephanie couldn't stop crying. She just shook her head at her father's question.

"I know this is too sudden but please try to accept this. I'll bring you to meet them soon okay? And I know you'll love them" Mr Hwang said softly and stood up. 

He was about to leave but stopped when he heard the next sentence that came out from his daughter's mouth.

"Is it because of me? I promise I'll be a good girl and I won't cry in front of Appa any-"

"ENOUGH!" 

Stephanie was surprised. Her father never raised his voice at her before. Mr Hwang turned around and stared at his daughter intensely.

"You will obey me even if you dislike them. I want you to act politely whenever they are around, you understand?" Mr Hwang said firmly.

Stephanie had no choice but to nod her head, accepting whatever her father said.

When her father left her room, she immediately let her tears fall from her beautiful eyes. She doesn't want her father to replace her mother who left the world 3 years ago. It's too sudden.
-----------
The day has come when Mr Hwang brought Stephanie to meet her future stepmother and stepsister.

Stephanie's first impression of her stepmother was cold. Her eyes stared intensely into Stephanie's eyes when her father introduced them. It's like she has a hidden agenda of her own to marry her father and Stephanie did not like it one bit.

"It's nice to meet you Ma'am" Stephanie bowed politely. 

The woman just looked at her with a disgusted expression before paying full attention to the little girl sleeping on her arms. 

Stephanie looked down on her feet. She felt awful and rejected.

"I'm sorry for being late Amanda..."

"It's okay dear, I understand. Let's find a table and start dinner. I'm starving" 

"Alright"

Both adult walked away from Stephanie, who didn't even want to move from her spot. How could they act as if she wasn't there in the first place?

Stephanie just wanted to disappear that very moment.

"Mummy, open your eyes" a small voice woke her up from her daydream. She opened her eyes and came face to face with that of her son's.

"Baby! You scared me" Stephanie placed her hand against her chest and rub it. Her son's face was so close with hers that she could feel his breath.

"Sorry" Zachary chuckled shyly and scratched his not so itchy head. Stephanie could only smile.

"Mummy, can we go for a walk today? I don't want to stay in the house all day" Zachary asked after a few moments of silence between them. 

"Hmm....I don't know..."

"Pweaseee~" Zachary made a puppy face and clasped his hands together.

"Aigoo~ you're so spoiled" Stephanie shook her head and chuckled.

"It's because I'm your son" he answered confidently.

"So you're saying I'm the one spoiling you?" Stephanie raised an eyebrow at him.

"No, you just can't resist my cuteness"

"Seriously Zachary?" Stephanie started to laugh out loud at her son's answer.

"Yes seriously. I have the charm to capture the hearts of every girl" he grinned from ear to ear.

"Zachary! Where did you learn that from?" Stephanie was surprised. It reminded her of someone she used to love; someone she can't live without.

"Don't worry mummy. You're the only girl in my heart" he added with that sparkle in his eyes.

Yeap, he's definitely the mini of that guy. He looks so much like him and he even talks like him. Oh, how much she misses him.

Tiffany yawned and arched her back before getting up from the bed. She looked around the dark room and saw a figure standing by the closet.

"Oppa, what time is it?" She asked sleepily.

"Good morning sleepyhead. Did you sleep well?" He asked, instead of answering her question.

"Yes I did but my back hurts a lot" she pouted while rubbing her eyes to remove the sleepiness.

"Hmm....shall we skip school today and take a trip to the countryside?" He suggested as he took a seat beside the girl.

"But I've been absent for three days. Don't you think the school will start to suspect something is wrong?" Tiffany felt worried.

"You're sick so I'm sure that's a very reasonable reason to be absent" Nichkhun said and pulled the girl into his embrace.

"Maybe you're right. If I were to attend school, I might just faint in class" Tiffany smiled a little and wrapped her arms around his body.

"So, what do you say?" He asked, after a few moments of silence. 

"Okay" Tiffany grinned from ear to ear.

Both of them got up from the bed and did their daily routine. After breakfast, they went to the nearest bus stop to wait for a bus. Since Nichkhun's car has been sent to the workshop, they preferred the bus than a taxi.

"Oppa did you pack our lunch?" Tiffany asked.

"Of course, don't worry too much" Nichkhun smiled and patted her head.

"Hmm..." Tiffany pouted and looked at Nichkhun. He's carrying all of their bags, making her guilty.

"Oppa, let me help you" Tiffany suggested and tried to snatch the pink bag from him but he was fast to move away.

"No, I can't let you carry anything when you're in this condition" Nichkhun shook his head and gave her a serious look.

"B-but..."

"Don't be stubborn Fany ah~. I'm a strong man so relax and pay more attention to yourself"

Tiffany sighed loudly and gave up. A minute later, a big bus stopped in front of them. Tiffany got in first followed by Nichkhun.

"Oppa, the bus is full" Tiffany whispered. Nichkhun looked around and saw two high school girls sitting at the seat which was situated on the 5th row.

"You wait here" Nichkhun said and walked to the back. Tiffany stared at him while holding tightly onto the metal pole as the bus started to move.

A few minutes later, Nichkhun came back and pulled Tiffany to sit on one of the empty seat beside a high school girl.

"Oppa, what did you do?" Tiffany asked softly while tilting her head up to look at Nichkhun.

"Well, I managed to persuade the girl to stand so that you could sit" Nichkhun stated while pointing to the high school girl standing behind him.

"B-but Oppa, you can't just do that. I don't mind standing" Tiffany frowned, not liking what Nichkhun did.

She stood up but Nichkhun pushed her back down.

"Stop being stubborn" Nichkhun said firmly. 

"Op-pa..." Tiffany felt speechless. She looked at the girl behind Nichkhun and smiled at her. The girl smiled back.

"I'm sorry for sitting on your seat" Tiffany apologised.

"No biggies. Your