Junhee is a single mother of one very beautiful daughter whom she raises with much pride. And lots of protectiveness which Junhee blames her childhood of being belittled and looked down just because of her determination to up all the boys in her school.

And now, that's why she's stuffing all her paperwork and folders of her current project into her briefcase and rushing out of her office. She hurries to the stairs, she has no time to waste. Kim Junhee's hair is in a disarray and all the crooks of the fabric of her suit are crinkled.

Junhee flies to her modest Accord, throwing her briefcase to somewhere she couldn't care less in the back seat and starts the car and driving off as fast as she could.

 

                                                                                                                                    

 

Junhee is reviewing some records of recent data about the company's sales in the past month; glasses perched on her nose and small amounts of coffee steam ascending. It's 7:00 PM and Junhee takes off her glasses, she slides her hands down her face, rubbing at her eyes.

Right now, Kim Junhee couldn't be any more proud of where she is.

She works 7-8 everyday at a large snack company as the manager of the sales department, owns a healthy Honda Accord which she's been with for good amount of years, and lives in a modest home with her lovely sometimes pain in the  13-year old daughter, Baekhee.

It's been 3 years since her ex-husband left her for another woman without casting another look back at his already 'perfect' family.

Her ex-husband made it brief, stating he didn't want to stay in the relationship anymore, he had no feelings for her anymore, and that Baekhee was a mistake.

That was all Junhee needed to hear to slap him and gratefully sign the divorce papers.

 

Since then, she doesn't allow anyone to disrespect her daughter under her watch, the most she could afford. Albeit Baekhee's continuous protest, Kim Junhee is a woman with a hard head and a strong heart (if she can say so herself).

Aside that, as Junhee stands up to stretch, coffee in hand, a  familiar ringtone interupts her thought.

Cocking an eyebrow since not anyone really calls her at this time, even her own daughter, she stalks over to her desk and presses the mobile device to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Mrs. Kim that I am speaking to? You-"

"Ms. Kim for you, and who are you?? And why are you calling from my daughter's phone?? What have you done to her-"

"Please do not panic Ms. Kim. My name is Zhang Yixing, I am just a pedestrian that saved your daughter from a gang of girls at the football field near Seoul High School. She is alright, but I have called the police and the other girls have been taken into questioning. I am with your daughter at the Seoul Po-"

 

                                                                                                                                    

 

Junhee makes it to the police station in no time, and steps into the law enforcement building frazzled and worried to death. She looks around, desperately trying to locate her daughter, head pounding and chest heaving.

It's when a police officer stops stops her and rests a hand on her shoulder and asks, "Are you Ms. Kim? Byun Baekhee's mother?"

Junhee swallows the lump in and nods. She glances at the officer's name badge, Oh Sehun.

"I am the mother, now do you know where she is? Is she safe? Is she-"

"She is okay, she has some bruises and injuries which are being treated by our nurse, this way please."

Officer Oh leads her to another area of the hectic sprawl of desks and other officers, investigators, and staff to a room with translucent windows printed with the words SEOUL POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT and in the room; her daughter accompanied with who she supposes is the man on the phone.

Junhee rushes inside and hugs Baekhee tightly, holding her in her arms and pressing kisses on her head as tears threaten to spill.

"Are you okay baby? What happened? Mommy's here, don't worry"

"Mmff- Mom- I'm okay. I promise, I-"

Junhee presses her face more into the side of Baekhee's head but hears the sound of a chair scrape against the floor.

She pulls away slowly after caressing her daughter's slightly swollen face and faces the stranger.

Now if this scene was in a different location, like the school play Romeo & Juliet, then she would love to say that he was quite a handsome stranger.

"Mom. Oh god, please no. He-" Baekhee groans from beside her at her mom's failure to contain her thoughts.

"Oh my gosh- I'm sorry- I'm-"

"Ms. Kim, yes, Baekhee's mother. I'm Zhang Yixing, the one you conversed with on the phone. Pleased to meet you, though I do rather agree, I'd rather meet your pretty face at a play then at a police station."

Junhee blushes when she reaches out to shake the handsome man's hand firmly.

If there's one thing Junhee still has composed of herself, it is her firm handshake with strangers. It's something she learned that lets people know she's not one to back down.

After what seems like an eternity, they let go of each other and bow briefly before sitting down respectively.

Officer Oh coughs a bit before clasping his hands together and rerunning the situation over to Junhee.

It seems that Baekhee had stayed late after school for a project and was crossing the football field when a group of girls approached her, taunting her for-

"My mom. They made fun of me saying why I had only one parent and sneered and said that dad left us because we were burdens that should've never been born. And I couldn't stand the disrespect against you so I lunged at the leader of the pack or whatever." Baekhee recited in a low tone.

The look on Junhee's face fell and she reached over to hold her daughter's hand, rubbing circles on the back of it.

"I..I'm thankful sweetie, thankful that you stood up for me. But you didnt-"

"I did have to. I'm not going to walk away and let them talk -!"

"Language!"

"-talk crap about my very hardworking and loving mother."

Baekhee uttered before wiping away at her tears.

Junhee's eyes welled up as well but she held back. She could cry later.

"Honey.. I'm.. sorry, I love you. I love you so much you know that?"

"I know." Baekhee whispered as she accepted a tissue from the kind stranger.

Officer Oh nodded, and spoke up again, "That is the case before Mr. Zhang came along and separated the fight and called us. The girls will be suspended and the school officials will take care of this. Meanwhile, no charges are being pressed-" he looked towards Junhee.

"-unless you decide to."

Junhee inhaled and exhaled calmly, "No Officer, I will not press any charges. thank you."

He nodded and stood up, "Very well, you are dismissed, and the hospital, which I assume you know where it is, is open if your daughter has any other injury issues. Though I assure you, your daughter is very brave, and strong. You are a lucky mother."

He turned around to leave and said, "Good day, and take care young lady, ma'am, and sir."

 

Silence ensued the trio for a while before Baekhee's sniffles calmed down.

Junhee, remembering the situation, stood up abruptly and went over to Yixing(?) was it-? And bowed deeply.

"Thank you-"

Before she could finish the man held her straight up and adamantly insisted that she need not do that.

"It's alright, really. I saw something and I just couldn't let that happen. I know."

Junhee blanked out for a second, caught in the stranger's sincere deep brown eyes.

"I- yes. Ah, no- but thank you. I really appreciate it. I really do. I'm sorry you're here instead of wherever you should be."

"Here. I should be here." Yixing smiled.

"I- what?" Junhee mumbled confusedly.

"Mom, you're making that marshmallow face again. Stop it. Mr. Zhang is taken." Baekhee deadpanned from behind her.

"Baekhee!" Junhee whipped around and glared before turning back to Yixing, who was chuckling.

"Ah well, anyways, I am glad I was able to save your daughter. She's a lovely person and has a wonderful personality." Yixing smiled more, a dimple, which Junhee never noticed (why would she) appeared.

The dimple disappeared in a moment and Yixing's face went stoic as he continued, "It was a pleasure meeting you anyhow, under these circumstances or not, I am very enamoured by your hard work as a mother and as a woman."

Taken aback a bit by his sudden change in expression, she carried on and nodded.

"Thank you for the compliments Mr. Zhang-"

"Please, call me Yixing."

"-Yixing, I am forever grateful. If there is anything I can do-"

"No, nothing Ms. Kim, Junhee, rather, maybe- getting to know you and your daughter better?"

"Of course I- I what? Mr.- I mean Yixing? Get to know me? And my daughter? But Baekhee said-"

"What Baekhee said wasn't true, though I do admit, I am a little iressistable to the ladies," Yixing smirked, dimple in action, but this time more... alluring. Baekhee crossed her arms at this statement.

"I.." Junhee hesitated at first, unsure of everything at the moment. She hadn't even properly met him.. but then again, that was his offer...

"First, explain who you are again?" Junhee inquired, stepping back to sit down again.

Reciprocating her actions, Yixing sat down and smiled warmly, "I am Zhang Yixing and I am 26 years old. I am currently a dance trainer at SM Entertainment and my own studio. I live on my own in an apartment near the school where Baekhee attends. And I own a bunny named Cinnamon. It's nice to meet you-"

Junhee extended her hand across the table again, maintaining eye contact with the man two years her junior, replying, "Junhee. And I am a lucky mother of one beautiful daughter."

Entranced by his gaze, Junhee didn't know if what was to come after this was fate, or destiny.