The day of Jiyong's flight to New York came in just a snap. Dara and even the kids were sad that he'll be away for a month.

"Don't forget to call us when you get there... And video chat with us whenever you have time." Dara reminded him while helping him fix his hair.

"I won't... I'll call you everyday. I promise." Jiyong replied.

"The twins doesn't want to see you go... They're in their playroom."

"Let me say goodbye to them first."

Dara nodded and followed behind him while he goes toward the playroom.

He peeped through the door before opening it wide to come in.

"Aren't you going to give Papa a hug before I leave?" He asked.

"We don't want you to go Papa... We want you to stay." Kim said after seeing him, almost on the verge of crying.

"Can't we go with you?" Tim asked, looking sad.

"I want to bring you with me but I'll be away for quite a long time... You need to attend school."

Kim frowned, wiping the tears that escaped her eyes.

"Papa will give us a call and we'll see him during our video chat so it's as if he's just here... Don't cry baby." Dara told Kim to pacify her.

Jiyong scooped her and placed her on his lap while seated on the couch.

"I'll bring a lot of toys when I come back... I promise."

"But we already have a lot of toys... We just want you here." Tim hugged him tightly.

Jiyong looked at Dara, as if asking for help.

She then pulled Tim for him to face her.

"You said you need to study hard so you can be as good as Papa, right?" She asked him.

Tim nodded, bowing his head in front of her, not wanting his tears to be visible.

"We'll study hard while Papa is away and you'll help me take care of Kim... Is that okay?"

Tim raised his head and nodded.

Jiyong ruffled Tim's hair and said, "You'll stay here in replacement of Papa so you can make Ajhumma and Kim safe... Can you promise me that?"

"I'll be as strong as you Papa so I can guard them."

"Very good." Jiyong praised him.

"And you, young girl... Can you promise to be a good girl and never give Mama a hard time while I'm away?" He cupped Kim's chin on his palm and made her look at him.

"I will be a good girl." She said with her small voice.

"Papa's proud of both of you... Now give me a kiss and a tight hug before I leave."

Kim clung her arms on Jiyong's neck and kissed him on his cheek while Tim hugged him on his waist before giving him a kiss, too.

"I'll be back soon... I promise to call you everyday, okay?" He told the twins and both nodded as a reply.

The twins stayed in the room and didn't follow them out.

Dara and Jiyong both agreed for the twins not to see him leave since they might end up crying a river. They just let them watch cartoons to divert their attention.

After making sure everything's set, Jiyong called one of their drivers and asked him to bring his things in the car.

Dara went down and walked with him towards the car, outside the entrance of the mansion.

"Take care... Don't over work and miss a meal... Call us, okay?"

"I will." He smiled.

"The kids and I will miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you, too. Tell me if the kids are being hardheaded, okay?"

"I can handle them." She said proudly.

"I know." He said then he slid his hand on her waist to pull her closer for a hug. "I'll miss this." He whispered.

She wrapped her arm on his waist to hug him back.

After a few seconds, she rubbed his back and pulled out of the hug.

"You might be late for your flight." She reminded.

"I'll go now." He gave her a light peck on her lips and entered the car.

He waved at her and she did the same.

***********

"Man, you didn't tell me you'll be out of the country. I went to your office to surprise you but you weren't there... How's your plan going?" SeungHyun asked while on the phone with Jiyong.

"I didn't proceed with the plan... It backfired on me." Jiyong told his bestfriend.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I like Dara, Bro. I realized I can't use her just to have Kiko back... I think I'm starting to fall out of love with Kiko."

"You just think?... You're not sure about it?"

"Well... All I know is that I feel happy with Dara... There's this different feeling I feel whenever I'm with her."

"And she knows you like her?"

"I already told her... She knows that I haven't totally moved on from Kiko yet... but I told her this feeling I have for her... that I like her." Jiyong said with much enthusiasm.

"I can tell from the way you say it that you're happy with what you have now."

"I am... It might be that Dara's the person who can make me forget the feelings I have for Kiko."

"I hope she's really the one... Bom will be happy to know about it."

"I'm not sure about my feelings yet, Bro... I'm not sure if this is love I'm feeling for her... I just want to take it slow and be with her and the kids... Let it happen if it will happen."

"I'm hoping she's really the one bro... It's the right time for you to be happy and settle down."

"Settle down?... I think I should say that to you. You've been with Bom for years now... I think she's just waiting for you to propose."

"We'll get there Bro... I'm actually planning to do it soon."

"Really?!"

"Yes... I don't think there's a woman I would like to settle with other than Bom. I know she's the one."

"Good for both of you... Tell me about your plans... I would like to be a part of that surprise."

"I'll tell you when the plan is set... Now, going back to you... You need to be certain of that feeling soon or else you might hurt Dara in the end."

"I know... Stop nagging. You're not Bom." Jiyong said.

"I'm not nagging... I'm just saying."

"Okay... If you say so... Got to go. I need to call the twins."

"The twins or Dara?" SeungHyun teased.

"Both." He admitted.

"I think that's love, man... She's becoming more important than your bestfriend."

"Yah, SeungHyun... You're being funny."

"Am I? I think you just want to end this call now and talk to your Dara." He continued to tease Jiyong.

"Say what you want to say."

"Hahaha... Fine... I'll give you your time for Dara now. Take care... Bye Bro." He was still teasing until the end.

"You always have no one to bully but me." Jiyong said, talking to his phone after SeungHyun hang up on him.

***********

"Bom! I didn't expect to see you here at the set of my show. Is there something I can help you out with?" Kiko asked, all smile at the person who just arrived.

"No... I don't need any help. But I want to ask you a favor Kiko... Can we talk in private?" Bom asked back.

Kiko stood up and guided her to her dressing room. "What is it?" She locked the door.

"Do you still love Jiyong?" Bom was direct to her point.

Kiko gave a confused look over Bom. "What do you mean?"

"It's a question that needs to be answered by yes or no." Bom gave her a straight face.

"I don't know Bom... He's mad at me and I don't want to...."

Bom interrupted her and spoke, "He still loves you for Christ's sake Kiko... He's acting like that because he wanted your attention. He wants you to notice him. Now, I want to know how you feel about him... If you no longer love him, please let him know... Talk to him and clear things with him." She stopped and covered her eyes realizing what she just blurted out.

"I know I'm not making any sense right now... I know I shouldn't give you the burden of explaining yourself to Jiyong... I just can't find a way to just make things okay, I guess... I just want both of you to be okay... Together or not..." She sighed. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have ran here in the first place."

Kiko rubbed her back to calm her. "It's fine Bom... I understand... You're being tied in the middle and I know it's hard for you."

Bom felt guilty she reacted impulsively after hearing the news from her boyfriend about Jiyong's plan of using Dara to get Kiko's attention.

She felt like she's being a useless friend for Jiyong to resort to that kind of plan.

"Kiko, I know it's too much for me to ask... But please talk to Jiyong... If you're already serious with your relationship with that Teacyeon, let Jiyong know... You're probably thinking you're not obliged to do that... I understand... But as a very close friend... I hope you can grant my request."

"I'll try Bom... I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you... And sorry for bothering you during your shoot."

"It's fine... We haven't started yet anyway."

"I think I'm a little calmer now... I'm really sorry for barging in... I'll take my leave."

"Let me walk you to the elevator."

"No... I've already caused too much hassle."

"Take care Bom."

"Babe, did you hear what I said?"

"Huh?... Are you talking to me?" Bom asked absent-mindedly.

SeungHyun sighed.

'I just can't forget that stupid thing I did out of impulse. I shouldn't have rushed to Kiko's shooting that day.' Bom regretted.

"I said I talked to Jiyong earlier and he said he's in New York right now... And I got a good news for you."

Bom sat on her boyfriend's lap and placed her arm on his shoulder. "What is it?"

"Jiyong didn't proceed with his plan... He said it backfired on him."

"Backfired?... Like how?"

"He said he likes Dara... It's not yet love but it should get there eventually... If you just heard how perky Jiyong sounded while saying it, I'm sure you'll be excited for him."

"He likes Dara?... How about Kiko?" Bom's eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, he didn't tell me much about it... But he's hoping Dara's the person who can help him to completely move on from his past with Kiko."

SeungHyun assessed his girlfriend's reaction. "Aren't you happy about the update I've given you?"

Bom forced a smile. "Of course I'm happy... We need to celebrate."

She pretended to be excited about it but the truth is that she was worried that the conversation she had with Kiko may have an impact on the good thing that's currently happening to their friend.