“Oh, look who’s here,” the president intruded, greeting Sana. “With Yanan’s god given talent, I think you should personally speak with his teacher. This is the new art instructor,” the president laughed and looked to Chaeyoung. “Jason, this is Sana, Yanan’s mother.” 

Chaeyoung awkwardly extended his arm out for a handshake. “Nice to meet you, Sana.” 

Sana looked at his hand for a few seconds before she finally decided to give in. Chaeyoung held Sana’s hand tightly, not wanting to let go because the last time he did... Well, you know what happened. Either way, Sana broke contact and kneeled in front of Yanan. “Sweetie, where is your math teacher?” 

“There,” Yanan pointed to his least favorite teacher. Sana walked passed Chaeyoung who was in awe after catching a whiff of Sana’s scent. He watched her retreating back, loving how she still smells the same way she did years ago.  

“Sana,” Chaeyoung called under his breath and smiled bitterly. Even if he tried to deny it, his heart and mind didn’t forget her, sending waves of regret throughout his body.
~~

He tried to focus on his conversations with his other students’ parents but his eyes kept following Sana like a magnet. He noticed some changes regarding her physical appearance. She was wearing jeans with sneakers and a simple white sweater which is way different from all those luxurious brands she used to wear with ankle-twisting high heels. Also, her hair is now blonde, giving off a totally different vibe from the Sana he once knew. The said girl was talking to Yanan’s friends and their parents. Chaeyoung noticed how she was staring at Yanan lovingly, the same way she looked at him five years ago.

When she stood alone, watching Yanan play with his best friend, Seoun, Chaeyoung quickly took this opportunity to strike a conversation up. 

“It’s been a long time,” said Chaeyoung. He gathered all his strength to not look her in the eyes when he spoke because he knows he’ll drown in self-hate if he does so. 

“Yeah, you look different. And you even changed your name,” Sana smiled at him. 

“I am no longer the poor Chaeyoung you once knew. I am now Jason Love, the artist,” he forcefully smirked. “I make billions off of my paintings.” 

Sana squinted her eyes as he bragged about his successful career. “And I am happy for you,” she smiled nonetheless. “You also achieved your dream of becoming a teacher.” 

The two’s eyes met and Chaeyoung clenched his jaw. He expected Sana to fire back at him or also brag about what she achieved in the last five years but all Sana did was walk away to Yanan. The little kid ran back to Chaeyoung and gave him a tight hug before running back to Sana’s car. 

Sana took one last look at Chaeyoung and started the car. She blew air from and wiped her sweaty palms on her sweater. It was a work out trying not to lash out at Chaeyoung, but even with this feeling of hatred and abandonment, Sana still wanted to hug and kiss him. Meeting the love of her life after five years isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. What she hated the most was how her heart shook in every direction whenever she’d catch herself staring at him. 

“Mom?” Yanan cut Sana’s thoughts off. “Did you hear me?”

“What was that, sweetie?”

“I said that I am hungry.” 

“What do you want to eat?” 

“Burgers,” he said cheerfully. 

Sana nodded. She was so distracted to refuse his request. Deep down, Sana knows her life will turn upside down now that Yanan’s real father is back. 
~~

Chaeyoung, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling any better. He arrived back to his hotel room and Momo was there, greeting him with a kiss. She noticed he wasn’t reacting or replying with his own kiss, so she questioned him.

“Are you okay?” Momo cupped his face. “You look a little pale.”

“I’m just tired. I’m gonna sleep for a bit.”

“We’re not going out?” Momo pouted.

Chaeyoung forced a meaningless smile. “I am so tired, Momo. You can go if you want, don’t let me stop you.” 

Momo nodded and watched Chaeyoung take his outfit off and hop into bed. She’s known Chaeyoung for more than seven years now, so she knows what his facial expressions and body movement mean. Momo knows something is bothering Chaeyoung and she knows for a fact he won’t tell her anything about it. 
~~

Momo was bored. Since she came to Seoul, all she did was stay in the hotel room, so she decided to grab her camera and roam around the city. She left a kiss on Chayeoung’s cheek before making her way out of the room. Living with Chaeyoung has piqued Momo’s interest in photography. She would capture candid pics of buildings, people, nature, this, that, and whatever looks aesthetically pleasing to her eyes. 

“The delicious,” she read the big sign above the entrance doors of a particular restaurant on the first floor of a five-story building. It wasn’t crowded but she could sense that the food is tasty there. Momo was about to step inside when she caught sight of a familiar figure through the glass doors. She squinted her eyes at the guy sitting alone at one of the tables. 

“Jeongyeon?” She uttered to herself as she barged through the restaurant doors. The man somehow caught it and started choking on his sandwich. He turned his head, eyes widening at the sight that greeted him.

“Mo… Mo?” 

Momo nodded with a smile and observed him from head to toe, loving the white shirt, black pants and coat with his brownish short hair. He looked wealthy and handsome. In the past, Jeongyeon didn’t have much money and he never cared to make himself look presentable. That’s why she liked Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung was poor, but at least he cleaned himself up pretty well.

“You’re eating alone?” 

He nodded and pulled the chair beside him. “Please join me.” Jeongyeon’s eyes were pleading, realizing he’s still very much into this girl. Momo saw the genuineness in his eyes and actually felt wanted. Something she hasn’t felt with her actual boyfriend, Chaeyoung.

Jeongyeon called the waiter who rushed right over to him. “Yes, sir?” 

“Uhm... You still love Jokbal, right?” 

Momo nodded, still shocked about Jeongyeon’s new appearance. He smiled at her and said, “Welcome back.”

Momo chuckled and placed her camera on the table. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t see Chaeyoung at his house and I pass by there every day.” 

“We’re staying at a hotel for now. He doesn’t want to stay at his house.” 

“Yeah, it reminds him of his mother,” he said sadly before some guy approached him. 

“The food here is awesome. I will write a blog about it! It deserves all the fame, Jeongyeon!” 

The latter smiled humbly and watched the guy leave. Momo was staring at him confusingly, making him laugh.

“This is my restaurant.”

“Ehhh?”

“Not only the restaurant but the whole building too.” Momo’s jaw almost hit the floor, making Jeongyeon chuckle more. “In the last five years, all I did was work hard and now I am here,” he said looking around the dining room of his warm and cozy restaurant. “I have a real estate office,” he muted a bit before he proudly continued. “A licensed one.” 

“I am so happy for you, Jeongyeon. Truly, I am. So you live in a mansion now?”

Jeongyeon frowned. “No, I am still in our old hometown. I did some renovations on my house and I let my parents quit their jobs. Now, they don’t need to exhaust themselves for money because I can provide for them.” 

Momo’s jaw fell. Jeongyeon has gained wealth but he still remains humble while Chaeyoung has become a narcissistic once he became a billionaire.

Jeongyeon shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her. “How about you, Momo?”

“Well, as you know, Chaeyoung is now a famous artist and I am his assistant, manager and-“

“His girlfriend, I know,” Jeongyeon smiled. He leaned in and stared into her eyes deeply. “But your eyes don’t shine like they once did before, Momo.”
 
“What do you mean?” 

“I was able to drown in your eyes before. Now, it seems like I could only stay afloat in your eyes and I don’t think that’s a good thing.” 

Momo bit her tongue and started playing with her fingers. Her plate now abandoned, she stood up. “I- I need to go. Chaeyoung might be worried.”
 
“Let me drive you, please,” Jeongyeon insisted. Momo nodded and followed him to the g