Dr Ji JinHee is busy in his study room. He is the chief of cardiothorasic surgeon at Seoul Specialist Hospital and also the chairman of the hospital which is own by their family. Normally he will be busy study on a case or a new method of surgery or about the hospital business operation but not today. He is looking at an old photo album of his second son. There are photos of him since the day he is born until the recent photos of him. There are also many paper cuttings of his son’s achievements that he collect as a safekeep. Today is his son’s birthday and as every year he will spent few hours inside there to look at the old pictures and reminiscing the good old time he had with him. His relationship with his second son is very very distant now and he doesn’t think it can be go back to how they used to be before. He knew that his son has been disappointed in him for few things that he had done which he isn’t proud of. Nevertheless he is missing him badly especially on his birthday.

While he is browsing the photos, he come across to on of the latest photo of his son. The photo was taken by his ‘informer’. In the photo ChangWook is captured with a pretty young woman. They were walking together in a mall. Is not seeing him with a woman that surprising him but in the photo, his son is smiling and he hasn’t seen him smiling for years eversince he lost his girlfriend. If finally, he has found someone who can make him smile again, Dr Ji JinHee is relieved, at least his son is happy. Based on his investigation, the young woman currently staying with his son in Busan. He help her from committing suicide few months back and took her in eversince. He still couldn’t figure out what is their relationship but according to what is reported to him, they share a special relationship.

The knocking sound of the door interrupts his silent moment. He quickly hide the photo of ChangWook and the girl in the desk.

“Come in.” the door of his studies open and his wife came in with a tray on her hand.

“I know it, you must be here. Why don’t you had your breakfast first, yeobo?” Kim SungRyung asked her husband as she come inside the room. She knows him well, he will spent time in his study on this day. Their second son’s birthday.

“You were still asleep when I woke up, I don’t want to disturb your beauty sleep just to ask you to make breakfast for me. That’s why I come here instead.” he smile looking at the dish his wife prepared. It’s japchae, his favourite and also ChangWook’s. She always cooks that for them especially if they are celebrating any special days. There are seaweed soup too. She never forgets to make it on each of their family members’s birthday even if the one celebrating is not with them.

He reached for his wife hands and kiss at the back of it, “Gomawo, jagiya.”

“For what? Making breakfast for you?”

“For giving birth to our son, 31 years ago. He’s here today thanks to you who carried him for 9 months and brought him to this world. Gomawo.” he kiss the back of her hand again.

“You played a part too. I won’t be able to experienced that if not because of you. You are his dad after all.” her eyes than travelled to the opened photo album. Her husband though he looks very cold on the outside but he is a soft man inside. He will collect all the photos of their kids and arrange it nicely in a photo albums. Being an organized and meticulous person he is, each child has their own respective photo albums. She flipped through the albums and came to the first page of it. There are all photos the day ChangWook is born. He looks so tiny as a baby. “Out of 4 of our children, giving birth to him is the easiest. You remember that day, we arrived at the hospital just in time. I was straight away taken to the labor room as we arrived.”

“How can I forget it? You almost made me help you to deliver the baby by the road side. Luckily I didn’t stop the car and continue driving to the hospital.” both of them laugh as they remembered that day. They are still a clumsy young parents that time.

“At that time, I seriously can feel the baby’s head almost out and I wasn’t wrong. It only took me 3 pushes to bring him out. He is such an easy baby. Carrying him was easy, giving birth to him was easy and taking care of him was easy too.”

“It is indeed easy to take care of him. I don’t think he ever caused any problems growing up. I miss those old times.”

“If you miss him, why don’t you called him and try to mend back your relationship. You know ChangWook is always close to you. I think it is not hard for him to forgive you. Sometime, we parents need to put down our ego to get close to our kids.” Kim SungRyung try to perusuade her husband. It has been 7 years the ralationship between him and their son become sour. Since then also, ChangWook choose to be independent and left the house.

“You know it is not about ego. It’s about guilt. I feel guilty. If only I didn’t meet the girl. JiHyun. Our son must be happily married with her now and things would not turn out like this. I am the one who is driving our son away. I can’t even forgive myself and how do I expect him to forgive me? I should have not met her and told her I will pay for her to further studies.”

“You wanted her to have a better future, but probably she misinterpret your intention. It’s a tragedy not anyone fault.” Kim Sung Ryung knew that her husband never ever forgive himself from what happened 7 years ago. Because of that also, his relationship with their son is exile.

Ji JinHee takes her hand and kiss at the back of it. He is always thankful to have an understanding wife by his side. Even she had told him countless times that what happen to ChangWook’s then girlfriend is an accident but he still believe he is one of the reason it happened.

(flashback)

Nam JiHyun is waiting at a cafe in Seoul with her best friend. She is supposed to meet her boyfriend’s father. She got a call from his secretary that Dr Ji JinHee wants to meet her today. She didn’t know what is the reason he wants to meet her but she is feeling nervous. Did he know about the baby she is carrying? She pushed away the thoughts. No one knows she is pregnant, not even ChangWook. The only one who knew is YeWon as she is the one who take her to the clinic. She got to know she was pregnant after ChangWook left for Ireland. She wanted to tell him but she still contemplating about it. She touched on her still flat tummy. It has been 3 months now and sooner or later, she can no longer hide her pregnancy. While she is in deep thoughts, a voice greeted her.

“Which one of you is Miss Nam JiHyun?” a man in late 40’s asking.

“I am. Who are you?” Nam JiHyun asked.

“I am Dr Ji’s driver. He is waiting for you inside that car. He wants to talk to you in private. Let me bring you there.”

“Where are you taking her?” Kang Ye Won holding Ji Hyun from getting up and give a deadly stare at the driver.

“I am only taking her to the car, Dr Ji wants to talk to her in private.” The driver release YeWon’s hand from the chair so that Ji Hyun can gets off from it.

“Gwenchana YeWon ya, I will be fine.” JiHyun said before moving on escorted by the driver to the car. She gets into the back passenger seat and the driver close the door and wait outside.

JiHyun bows as she enter the car and see a man in his 50’s next to her.

“Nam Ji Hyun-ssi?”

“Nae.”

“I think you already know who I am right? I am ChangWook’s abeoji. Dr Ji Jin Hee. Do you know why I want to meet you?”

She shook her head and her face is getting more restless.

“Relax, I’m not going to hurt you. You are taking Korean Literature right?”

“Nnnn…nae.” she stuttered. Then Dr Ji passed her an envelope.

“There are list of top universities inside the country and overseas that offers Korean and Asian Literature. You can choose whichever you like and don’t worry about the fee, I will pay for it.”

“But sir, why are you giving this offer to me?”

“Nothing, I just feel like giving you a chance to further studies in top university. That’s all.”

“This is such a good offer. It feels surreal. Is there anything you want in return for me?”

“Nothing. Just get good grades. If you want to date my son, this is the very least you can do. Be on a same level as him in education the very least.” Ji JinHee already knew the relationship between the young lady next to him and his son. He doesn’t mind who he is dating but he still wants who ever dated his children to be at the same education level as them so that they won’t feel like outcast when in his family. That is why he is giving her the chance to go to top university to further her study cause he knew her family can’t afford her.

“I need to think about it first. It is not an easy decision to make.” she answered him politely.

“And one more thing Nam Ji Hyun-ssi. Don’t tell ChangWook about this offer. It is just between us.”

“Arasso. When should I give you an answer?”

“The earlier the better.”

And the young lady leaving his car with the envelope. That was the last time he met or heard from her. Not long after that, he got the news of her passing during abortion. If only he didn’t made that offer she could still be alive now.

(flashback ends)

As they were carried away with old memories, Sung Ryung phone rings and she is excited to see the name on the screen. She pick up the phone and put it on the loud speaker.

“Adeul…I was about to call you but you are faster. How are you, son?”

“I am fine, Eomma. How are you? Appa?”

“I am fine. Your abeoji is fine too. Adeul, saeng il chukahae. Can’t believe you are already 31.”

“Gomawo eomma, for given birth to me. I won’t be here if not because of you. Today is actually your day not mine.”

“You always know how to makes eomma happy. Have you eat your seaweed soup?”

“Yes. I just had it. Eomma, I am coming to Seoul for the weekend. I have something to talk to you and abeoji. Can you please tell him and ask him to spare sometime for me?”

“Of course, of course. Don’t worry your abeoji always have time for you. What time will you arrive?” Sung Ryung already excited knowing that his son is coming home after so long.

“I probably arrived around 3. I was about to leave my house now. See you later, mom.”

“Drive carefully, adeul.”

As soon as she hang up the phone, she is already excited. She look at her husband who all this while listening to their conversation quietly. Though he hasn’t said anything but she knew he is excited as well.

“Oppa, ChangWook is coming home. Finally, he is celebrating his birthday with us. I need to get ready and cook for him.”

“Is everything available? If not, let’s go and buy all the stuffs. He must be missing your cooking.”

“Let me check first, meanwhile can you call up the other children and tell them to have dinner at home today.

The drive to Seoul seems so long today and every person in the car seems very quiet today. Halmeoni is already sleeping at the back of passenger seat and ShinHye seems very nervous that she didn’t utter a single word after they left the house almost 2 hours ago. While ChangWook, he seems to have a lot of things in his mind that he only focus on driving. Once in a while, he glance at ShinHye who sits next to him. She puts on a very baggy and oversized shirt today like she purposedly wants to hide her pregnancy bump. She also has been biting her fingernails eversince, a bad habit she does when she is nervous or anxiety.

“Don’t bite your nails, it’s not good.”

“I am nervous. I can’t stop thinking how will your parents think about me.”

“I think they will like you. You are kind, soft spoken, and respectful person. It’s not hard for them to like you.” ChangWook reassures her that there is nothing she should be worry about.

“ChangWook-ssi.”

“Hmmm”

“Will they notice that I am pregnant? I think I already tried my best to cover my baby bump by wearing this shirt.” she sounds so worried that ChangWook parents will notice that she is already pregnant. She doesn’t want to make a bad first impression to them eventhough it is kind of normal for people to get pregnant before marriage nowadays.

“I don’t think they will notice. Even for me who see you everyday, I also didn’t see your baby bump.”

“Really?”

He nods. “Don’t worry to much. Let me handle my parents. You just have to follow my lead. Ok?” she just nods to him as an answer.

“If you are tired, you can sleep. We still have 3-4 hours to reach Seoul.”

“It’s ok, I am not that tired, I will stay awake to keep you accompany while driving.

Finally, after more than 5 hours drive from Busan, they arrived at ChangWook’s family house.

“Ready?” he asked ShinHye as they arrived. The nervous ShinHye can only nods.

“Don’t worry, I am here. I will talk to your parents like an elder if something came up.” halmeoni assures both ShinHye and ChangWook. Since she asked to meet his parents, she will make sure things will go on smoothly.

ChangWook open the car door for both halmeoni and ShinHye and guided them to his house. He press the door bell to be polite.

“Nugu-ji?” he heard his mom asking through the intercom.

“Eomma, it’s me. I’m here.”