“Oppa!” squealed Sohyun in delight, as she ran over to hug him, oblivious of the shock and surprise on his face.

“Sohyun, what are you doing here?” asked Sungjae.

“Dad needs to come back to Korea for half a year for business, so I’m starting my third year of high school here before I go back to the US to continue,” replied Sohyun.

“You two know each other?” asked Sooyoung.

“Of course! Sungjae oppa’s my ex-boyfriend! We broke up because my family had to move to the US,” replied Sohyun brightly. “But it’s so nice to be able to see him again. I had no idea my parents bought the house next to his!”

“Oh I see,” replied Sooyoung flatly. “I’m sorry I can’t keep the kids waiting. You guys must have a lot to catch up on. I’ll get going first.”

Sooyoung turned to the kids and said, “Come on guys, we shouldn’t keep Mrs. Yang waiting. Let’s go.”

“Baby girl, wait!” shouted Sungjae, as he ran forward and grabbed her wrist. “Let me explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain, oppa,” said Sooyoung, as she shook off his hand. “She’s an old friend of yours and you guys must have a lot to catch up on. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Baby girl, please don’t talk like that. You know it’s only going to make me feel worse,” replied Sungjae.

“Then stop reacting this way. The more you react this way, the more I will think you have something to hide. Now please, oppa. I have kids to send back to the orphanage, you have an old friend to catch up with. You can say whatever you want later,” said Sooyoung curtly, as she looked Sungjae in the eye.

Sungjae knew he could say no more, as he watched Sooyoung shepherd the kids down the road, towards the orphanage. Sohyun walked towards Sungjae and asked, “Oppa, who is she? Is she someone close? I’ve never heard you call a girl ‘baby girl’ before.”

Sungjae looked at Sohyun and replied, “She’s…”

…

Sooyoung walked in silence down the road with the four kids in tow. She didn’t know what had made her respond to Sungjae so coldly. After all, Sungjae had no idea that his old flame would suddenly pop out of nowhere. That girl Sohyun also hadn’t said that she wanted Sungjae back. Why was she overreacting? Surely she had been clear enough to Sungjae that he had no need to explain himself.

“Eomma, kwenchana?” asked Minjae timidly.

“Kwenchana, Minjae-ah,” replied Sooyoung.

“Sooyoung-noona, who was that?” asked Yoondo.

“That was an old friend of Sungjae-hyung, Yoondo,” replied Sooyoung.

“You look sad, Sooyoung-unnie,” said Eunbi concernedly.

“I’m really okay, Eunbi-ah. Don’t worry about me,” replied Sooyoung, as she tried to smile to reassure Eunbi.

The five of them continued their walk, though they didn’t say much, as the kids sensed that Sooyoung was not feeling in the best of moods. After Sooyoung left the kids at the orphanage, she texted Seulgi.

Hey unnie, you free to meet?

Hey Sooyoung, didn’t we just finish the party? Did something happen?

Sort of.

Okay, okay. Where do you want to meet?

Can I go over to your house?

Sure, my parents are away for the night.

Sooyoung arrived at Seulgi’s place 10 minutes later. Seulgi was waiting in the living room when the doorbell rang.

“Hey Sooyoung, what happened?” asked Seulgi.

“After you all left, I was getting the kids ready to go back to the orphanage. Just as we stepped out of Sungjae’s house, I saw this girl moving into the house next to Sungjae’s,” ranted Sooyoung. “Turns out she’s Sungjae’s ex-girlfriend, Sohyun.”

“Omo! Then what happened?” asked Seulgi.

“Sungjae oppa looked genuinely shocked to see her,” replied Sooyoung. “I didn’t introduce myself as Sungjae’s girlfriend. Oppa tried to explain but I felt I wasn't in the state of mind to listen. I’m quite certain he didn’t know about her moving in, so it can’t possibly be his fault. I’ve also never asked him about his past loves and he’s never probed me about mine. But I just felt so uneasy at that point. I just pushed Sungjae oppa away and brought the kids back to the orphanage. I’m just overreacting, aren’t I, unnie?”

Seulgi thought about what Sooyoung said for a while, before replying, “I think you should give Sungjae a chance to explain, Sooyoung. And yes, I think that you’re overreacting. Have some confidence in Sungjae and have some confidence in yourself. You and Sungjae fought tooth and nail to be with each other. You’ve been through things that other couples couldn’t possibly think about in their lives. For heaven’s sake, don’t let some old ex of Sungjae’s ruin that. If you’re really concerned about this, go talk to Sungjae.”

“I don't know why I’m so shaken by this, unnie,” said Sooyoung wistfully. “I guess I’m just really scared I’ll lose Sungjae again.”

“I know, Sooyoung,” said Seulgi, as she pulled Sooyoung into a hug. “Now make sure Sungjae knows that as well. I’m sure he already does and he probably is more scared of losing you than you are of him because you didn’t let him explain Sohyun’s sudden appearance. Unless I’m mistaken, there must be like 50 messages in your phone from Sungjae now.”

“I turned my phone off after I asked to meet you. I really wasn’t ready to talk to Sungjae yet,” said Sooyoung guiltily.

“Well, are you now?” asked Seulgi, as she pulled away from the hug to look at Sooyoung in the eye.

Sooyoung hesitated, before heaving a sigh and replying, “I guess.”

Sooyoung reached for her phone and switched it on. As soon as the connection was re-established, her phone beeped as it loaded 38 unread messages from Sungjae.

From: Sungjae

Hey baby girl, can we talk?

I really didn’t know that she was going to move in next door.

And it went on. Sooyoung could almost picture Sungjae’s expression as she read the messages.

He must have been so worried.

Sooyoung scrolled through the messages and started typing a reply.

SY: I’m fine, silly. Don’t worry, I’m not blaming you for anything. It just came out of the blue for me, that’s all.

SJ: Where are you now, baby girl?

SY: I’m at Seulgi-unnie’s house. I’m going home soon, though.

SJ: I’ll meet you there.

SY: It’s okay, oppa. I can go home by myself.

But Sooyoung knew there was no stopping Sungjae once he decided on something. So it was no surprise to her when she saw Sungjae standing at Seulgi’s doorstep when she left Seulgi’s house 15 minutes later.

“Hey baby girl,” began Sungjae