... about 10 years later.

The snow kept falling slowly outside the window, some came resting against the glass and melt away as soon. The light from the still silent street reflected on the white carpet and back in the dark room. The curtains were pulled back for the view. Jaejoong rested his aching back against the piles of fluffy pillows on the narrow bed. His head leaned against the board behind him as his eyes continued to trail the dying snowflakes while his hands absently his son’s soft hair.

Nearly a decade ago, the thought of being a single parent frightened him to the bone. So many times during his pregnancy, he wanted to give his baby up for adoption. He dropped out of college and he was jobless. He was everything but ready to be a mother and yet he had too much pride to let his ex-boyfriend know about it.

Now, looking back, Jaejoong could only laugh at his silliness. Having this baby was what he needed to mend his broken heart and start anew. Jung Yunhwa became his only source of joy. However, his son looked more and more like his father as years passed by. It would be a lie if he said that it didn’t hurt watching the same beautiful eyes every day. The shadow of the man who cruelly stomped on his heart lingered around them.

He didn’t sleep much last night as he spent most of his time listening to the incising beeping sound from the little machine that was watching over his precious little one's fragile heart. It hurt him more than anything to know that his son inherited his weak heart and yet his father’s active nature. Jaejoong diverted his eyes back upon his son when he felt Yunhwa tightening his hold around his waist, snuggling his head on his chest.

“Good morning baby,” Jaejoong whispered, meeting a pair of soft chocolate eyescasted on him. He kissed tenderly the top of Yunhwa’s head and the boy grunted in response. “Yun-ah, baby... Why so grumpy this early in the morning?”

“I hate Mondays, mom. I don’t want you to leave.” His son pouted, his mouth turning upside down. “Don’t leave me alone with the nurse lady, I don’t like her...”

“And what about JiEun?”

“Aunt J is awesome, but nurse lady always comes when she’s not around.”

“Then I promise you I’ll be back as soon as possible, baby.” Jaejoong smiled, dropping another kiss on his head. “Sleep some more, JiEun will be here when you wake up with a delicious chocolate dipped waffle.”

Yunhwa hummed in delight just thinking about his breakfast before falling fast asleep in his mother’s arms again. Just having this little conversation drained all his energy and his faint heart beat faster than usual.

Jaejoong sighed deeply, and carefully he unwrapped the arms around him, slipping out of the bed. He needed to go home, take a shower and prepare for work. If he could, he would just quit his job and stay by his son’s side, or at least during the time when he’s in the hospital.

He silently made his way out of the room, grabbing his coat from the hanger. He closed the door behind him, looking one last time at the sleeping boy on the bed who was hugging the pillow close to his chest. The clock in the hall indicated 6:05, urging him to leave now. He reclusively strode away to his second-handed car.

Seoul. A city that he hated withpassion but still he couldn’t escape. He needed money, and that’s why he started to work at one of the most well-known law firms. Wanting to give his son a good education, he moved out from Jeju Island into a more child-friendly district in Seoul when Yunhwa was about to start elementary school. His whole life depended on what this city had to offer.

When he first moved in this mangled apartment, the floor covered by carpet that looked more like mildew. The walls are painted in neon yellow. Now after nearly four years, this place looked nothing like what it used to be. The walls were covered by light gray wallpaper with white circle patterns. Black and white pictures of his son hung neatly in the living room. The carpet was replaced by hardwood. This place looked much more habitable.

Jaejoong walked down the corridor, passing by Yunhwa’s room. He lingered in front of it for some minutes, recalling the countless nights he spent watching the boy sleep, playing around with his toys or just doing his homework calmly by his desk before going around the apartment with his soccer ball.

‘Mom, look! I just score a goal!’ He could still see Yunhwa jumping up and down with that satisfying grin on his face while pointing at the ball under his desk.

Jaejoong pushed the door open, looking in the dim room. A sad smile appeared on his face. He wanted his healthy son back, the one who would run around jumping like an excited little monkey, or even the one who always end up playing soccer inside and breaking his favorite vase.

Instead of closing the door as he continued to the bathroom, he decided to leave it open, like a little reminding that he’s not alone here.

After showering and changing into something more appropriate, Jaejoong drove to the huge building of P&C Law firm. He was greeted by the chubby and extremely friendly security guard as he swiped his ID card on the scanner. For some reasons, this man reminded him of a younger version of Santa Claus.

“Morning Mister Kim.” The guard said, tilting his hat upward. “Running a bit late.”

“Yeah, a little. Great to see you and have a nice day.” Jaejoong smiled, waving his hand back and hurried down the hall, his leather shoes clicking on the marble floor.

He tapped his feet impatiently on the floor for the first elevator. His appointment with a senior lawyer was twenty minutes ago. He needed to get there as fast as possible or his ears would bleed from another ‘how important my case is’ speech and how useless a paralegal could be. He might not finish college or get his law diploma, but he's not stupid and he certainly didn't like to feel like one.

When the elevator's doors slid open, Jaejoong’s steps faltered involuntarily. He almost spun around in an attempt to run away, but his pride didn’t want to give the person in front of him the satisfaction of winning again, not now, afterall these years. He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly felt dry. His jaw tightened as he bit back his hatred, he could hear his own teeth clenching together.

Go Ara was still the beautiful woman that he remembered from before. Graceful, elegant, her icy beauty always attracted more attention than needed. When she walked on the campus, people would always stop whatever they were doing to watch her pass by, drooling over her pretty face and slender figure. Being a daughter of a soccer coach, she had spent most of her life around men. She knew for sure how to use them to her advantage, and Jaejoong wasn’t an exception.

“Aren’t you going up?” She asked, holding the door open for him. She gave him one of her polite smile, the one that gave off a false feeling of security. Jaejoong wondered if she would be able to recognize him after a decade, but he was sure one of those who would never forget their love rival.

“I am. For one second I thought I might step into the wrong building, considering the fact that you know nothing about laws or whatsoever.” Jaejoong was surprised that his voice actually came out so calm. He stood beside her, keeping a good distance between them so she wouldn’t feel the uneasiness or the nervousness radiating for him. He was about to raise a hand to press the number 38 when he saw the button was already lightened. “Oh, I see. Here to meet your husband?”

Until now, he only saw her in distance, perched on the famous lawyer Jung Yunho’s arms as a trophy. He knew that one day or another, he would