She was on the way back to her hotel room. The weather was getting colder by the second as she pulled her parka closer to her; hugging tightly around her small frame. She dragged her feet across the forest and somehow made it back safely back to her hotel.

Her mood changed as the temperature was a little warmer at the hotel lobby. She managed a smile at the bellboy who pressed the lift for her.

“Good evening, Madam!”

“Good evening, good sir.”

“Have a pleasant night and sleep tight!”

His politeness comforted her lonely heart. She nodded and thanked him before the lift doors closed shut. After getting back to her cosy hotel room, she threw her shoes off and laid on the bed. She closed her eyes as the warmth of the room engulfed her. Gosh, this was so much better.

The temperature suddenly dropped when the evening came, and she wasn’t ready for it. Thank goodness, she wasn’t far off from her accommodation and she welcomed the silence once again.

She stared at the ceiling as memories came flooding back into her mind. It was always a wonder how her life turned out to be after long decades of heartache and painful memories. They still linger but she kept a positive mind. She needed that; because if she didn’t, she would lose her mind.

And she couldn’t help it when those painful memories haunted her every now and then.

-

“Dead on arrival?”

Wheein stammered nervously. They didn’t have to be medical students to understand the underlying meaning of that abbreviation. Jessica dreaded this moment. She had just reunited with Taeyeon but God had other plans for them. She couldn’t understand.

“The paramedics fought hard to keep her alive. I held her hand but Omma didn’t grip it. I screamed for her name, but she had no reaction.”

Yongsun was sobbing in between her words. It was too difficult for her to be calm when all she could think of was her mother. She was desperate to turn back the hands of time; she would open that damn door and let her mother explain to her.

Why? What was she thinking of? This woman had raised her up with all she got but this was how her daughter treated her because of love. How selfish she could get?

“Baby, Auntie Kim will never leave you. You mean the world to her.”

Yongsun sobbed harder. Words couldn’t console her anymore. All she wanted was her mother to hold her in her arms and assuring her that she would never leave her side. She needed to feel her mother’s warmth.

Just then, the doctor came out and the 3 women swarmed around him. Taecyeon was there too; he looked on nervously. He couldn’t come in between the women because technically, he was an outsider. But he was genuinely worried for Taeyeon.

“How is my Omma?”

“We managed to stabilize her condition but she’s still in a critical state. Her heart is weak, and she has fallen into a coma.”

Yongsun broke down once again and Wheein held her tightly.

“She’s still alive. But her body is too weak now. We will monitor her carefully and, in the meantime, we will put her up at the ICU. You can visit her in a while.”

“Put her in a private suite. I’ll pay for it. And please, please look after her.”

“I will.”

The doctor excused himself and Jessica pulled both girls towards her. She embraced both girls in her arms before tenderly kissing their foreheads. Yongsun was taken aback at first but she felt comforted.

“Don’t worry, Yongsun ah. I’ll take care of you and your Omma. I promise you. She will survive this.”

-

Few days passed by. Taeyeon was still comatose. But at least she was breathing which consoled Jessica a little. Wheein took Yongsun home; her girlfriend was exhausted. Jessica volunteered to stay this time. And Taecyeon was with her.

Jessica sat close to Taeyeon; next to her bed. She held Taeyeon’s palm and squeezed it gently. She smiled as she watched Taeyeon breathing in and out steadily.

Taeyeon must be tired. She must have been struggled so much that her body couldn’t take it anymore. And Jessica wished she was the one lying on the bed instead. She gently swept Taeyeon’s fringe upwards and then caressed the latter’s cheeks with the back of her hand.

“Are you alright, Jessica?”

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“You must have struggled inside.”

“I am but Taeyeon had it worse. At least, I was cured but Taeyeon never did. No matter how you look at it, Taeyeon suffered more than me.”

“You went through tough times too.”

“Yes, I did but Taeyeon went through it on her own while I have you.”

Taecyeon nodded. He understood where Jessica was coming from. He went over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He then gently massaged them while Jessica’s gaze was focused on Taeyeon.

Taecyeon looked on; staring hard on Taeyeon’s face. He smiled widely when he noticed the similar resemblance of Wheein with her biological mother.

“God, Wheein is like a remake of Taeyeon.”

“Right? Tell me about it. Even now, I could see Wheein here; in Taeyeon’s stead.”

“That mini-me of Taeyeon has her mother’s porcelain skin. I’m so jealous.”

Jessica laughed and nodded. Taeyeon has fair, snowy skin. A light touch of the sun would turn Taeyeon’s skin red. Wheein had the same effect.

“She has Taeyeon’s dimples.”

Taecyeon added on as he noticed more similarities between his favourite daughter and Taeyeon.

“You want to know a secret? I fell in love with Taeyeon because of her dimple.”

“Gee. You’re such a er.”

“Shut up, Oppa.”

Taecyeon laughed before tapping on her shoulders lightly. He decided to leave her alone with Taeyeon.

“I’ll grab something for you to eat. I’ll be back later. Spend more time with Taeyeon.”

He left the room; Jessica focused solely on Taeyeon. The wires hooked up to Taeyeon were eerily scary. Taeyeon’s small and fragile frame was too painful to look at. Those equipment around her were twice larger than her.

“Taeyeon ah.”

Jessica whispered softly.

“I know you can hear me. I’m sorry. I feel like now. I should have looked for you when you disappeared back then. I should have done something to prove to you that I love you. I love you so much and I regretted for many things that I never did for you; for us. But I can’t turn back the hands of time anymore, baby. I couldn’t repeat the past because that was my punishment.”

Tears brimmed in Jessica’s eyes. She swallowed hard; trying to fight those tears; the pain in her heart.

“But Taeyeon ah, I’ve never stopped loving you. I couldn’t do it. I love you so much that I’m not willing to let you go for the second time. So, please hang on. Just hang in there. I’m not letting go of this hand anymore. Not anymore.”

Jessica held Taeyeon’s hand tightly.

“I’ll be stronger than you this time. I’ll look after our daughters for you; for us. So, wake up soon so that we can look after them like how we had planned. I’ll ask Wheein to spend more time with you while I look after Yongsun. She’s dying inside, Taeyeon ah. She thinks that you’re in this state because of her.”

She grabbed a warm towel which the nurse had placed next to Taeyeon’s bed. She started wiping Taeyeon’s arms; face and legs. She smiled as she gently ran the towel against Taeyeon’s skin.

“I promise you, Taeyeon. I’ll do everything for us this time. You have suffered too much.”

-

The younger women finally reached Wheein’s place. She dropped by at Yongsun’s place to grab some change of clothes and all other necessities that Yongsun may need. Ahjussi drove them back.

“Ahjussi, can you ask Ahjumma to cook something? Something light will do.”

“Sure, Missy. Just take care of Yongsun. I’ll get Ahjumma to prepare something.”

Wheein nodded before she helped her exhausted girlfriend to her room. Wheein placed Yongsun on her bed before she grabbed her bolster for her girlfriend to hold. Yongsun hugged it tightly. Wheein pulled out Yongsun’s favourite blanket.

“Do you want this?”

Yongsun nodded like a child. She took it from Wheein and cuddled the blanket underneath her. The blanket smells like her mother. She teared up once again.

“No, stop crying. Your eyes are swollen now.”

“I miss Omma.”

“I know. But you need to be stronger than this. Auntie Kim needs you to take care of her. Can you do it for her?”

Yongsun didn’t answer. She just stared at Wheein blankly. Wheein had never seen this side of Yongsun; despair and detached. She knew how Auntie Kim meant to Yongsun.

“Wheein ah, did your mother tell you everything?”

“Yeah, she did.”

“How did you react?”

“I just listened to her explanation and her story. How they met and how they got together and why they broke up.”

“So, you didn’t flare up?”

Wheein shook her head. And she finally knew why Yongsun was reacting this way. Yongsun was more of the hot-headed side. She must have blown up at Auntie Kim earlier on.

“I didn’t. My mother suffered as much as Auntie Kim did. They suffered so much yet they gave up everything for us to be together.”

“I didn’t listen to Omma. I blamed her.”

“Why?”

“I thought I’ll lose you.”

“Yongsun ah, I told you before.  I needed to know their story so that we could think of the best ways possible to overcome this obstacle.”

“I know, I was just blinded by love. And I’m a horrible daughter. I don’t know my mother is ill.”

“Auntie Kim hides it from you because she wants to protect you.”

“Yet I did this to her.”

Yongsun broke down once again and Wheein’s heart ached so badly. She pushed her girlfriend down to her bed gently; she hovered above Yongsun, staring deeply into Yongsun’s eyes.

Yongsun looked up and saw Wheein’s concerned eyes; she smiled softly as Wheein wiped her fallen tears away. They stared at each other for the longest time before Wheein closed the distance between them. Her lips lingered on Yongsun’s forehead before she kissed her girlfriend’s swollen red eyes; one at a time.

“Wheeinie, my heart hurt so bad.”

“I know. I’m here to ease that pain. Well, at least.”

“Your presence here is good enough to calm me down. But what if Omma leaves me?”

“Then I’ll take good care of you for the rest of my life. I’ll never leave you. I’ll promise Auntie Kim that I’ll be the only you that you’ll ever need in your entire life. We will build our lives together and I will brave the storms that will arrive at our bay.”

“Then your Mommy? I’m not the only one who’s going to get hurt and be in a pain. Your Mommy is also losing someone precious to her.”

Wheein bit her lower lip. She knew she has two people to protect for the rest of her lives. Wheein thought she could never get close to her mother, but she was wrong. She loves the relationship she shares with her mother now.

“I’m not going to abandon my mom either. She will live with me; with us. You don’t mind, right?”

Yongsun shook her head.

“I’ll probably need her too.”

“Trust me, baby. My mother loves you too. She’s more determined to take care of you now. But for now, don’t think too much. Auntie Kim will never leave us. I’m sure she’s hanging on with her very dear life right now. So, you better not give up on yourself either.”

“Wheein ah, hug me please.”

“I will. I will hug until you have that tiny strength to face this world tomorrow.”

Yongsun pulled Wheein closer and cuddled her girlfriend tightly. Wheein tucked her beloved under her chin and then whispered softly in her ears.

“I love you, Kim Yongsun. I’m not going to leave your side; never ever in my life.”

-

“HAELMONI!”

She woke up from her reverie. She looked over her shoulders. She smiled widely as she spread her arms open.

2 children and 1 toddler were running towards her. They jumped on her almost immediately; she almost lost her foot but held on tightly to her precious grandchildren.

“Aigoo, my babies!”

“Haelmoni! We miss you!”

“Yeah!”

“Nyeh!”

She laughed heartily; the youngest of the 3 was the cutest of all. She cuddled them closely and gave them kisses on their foreheads.

“Where are your Mommies?”

“There!”

The eldest child was pointing to two women who were apparently arguing with one another. She shook her head as she watched her two daughters didn’t even realize they had walked past her.

“Ya, you can’t even see your mother?”

They stopped and then turned.

“Omma!”

“Mommy!”

“What were the two of you arguing about?”

“Wheein was late! I had to rush all the way to the kindergarten to pick up the kids and rushed here.”

“I told you! I couldn’t get away on time. My boss had a meeting with me at the last minute.”

“I hate your boss, by the way.”

“My boss is your best friend, baby.”

“I will kick Moonbyul in her later.”

Yes, Wheein and Yongsun got married legally in Canada. Then they decided to have a family together and had a chance to adopt a pair of twins. Irene works as an administrator at the orphanage when she related a story of twins who lost their parents in a fire. They were just 4 months old.

Yongsun fell in love with the twins – a girl and a boy. Both decided to adopt the twins and the children officially changed their names; taking Yongsun’s surname. Yongsun officially adopted the kids.  

Kim Yong Eun and Kim Yong Woo. Of course, their marriage was not recognized in Korea, but the couple couldn’t care less. They just wanted to complete their lives and the twin’s arrival was a blessing after all.

Shortly after, when the twins were about 2 years of age, Wheein wanted to have a feel to be pregnant. She wanted to be a mom. So, the couple decided to go for IVF. It took her three tries before she got hooked.

She got a boy. And the child was born a year ago. Wheein asked her step-father to name her son.

“Me? You want me to name your baby boy?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Heh?”

“You’re the most important man in my life. You’re my Daddy. I’ll give you the privilege to name your grandson.”

“Ooh, okay! I’ll name him!”

So, the grandfather named him Leroy. Leroy Jung. Now, with arrival of Leroy, the family was completed. They raised the 3 children together and Yongsun worked hard to give all her best just like how her mother did for her.

And Wheein was initially a stay-home mom but when she was given an opportunity to have her paintings on an exhibition, Yongsun relented. And Moonbyul was working as a curator and she revealed Wheein’s paintings on an international level.

“Omma, did you wait long?”

“Nah, the train just arrived like 5 minutes ago.”

“I’ll carry your luggage. We will eat something before heading home. Is that okay?”

Yongsun turned to her wife; Wheein was smiling away. She nodded. And she was certain that her two daughters were bipolars. But she was glad that the secret was still hidden from them. She found it unnecessary to tell them the truth.

“Haelmoni, let’s go!”

Yong Woo held her hand and pulled her along. Yong Eun took her other hand while the little one was wobbling behind her; he had short legs. He was struggling to catch up with his older siblings.

“Leroy has Wheein’s legs.”

“Shut up, baby. Stop bullying my son.”

Yongsun stuck her tongue out but nevertheless lifted Leroy up. The boy fidgeted a bit but gave up when Yongsun trapped him tightly in her embrace.

“Leroy, let Mama carry you. You’ll take forever.”

He gave Yongsun a toothy smile and ended up getting kisses all over his face. He was too cute and Yongsun adores her youngest baby. Wheein smiled as she looked on. She then held Yongsun’s hand as she pulled her Mommy’s luggage behind her.

-

They settled down at restaurant. Yongsun reserved a table since her Omma loves the food here. Yongsun settled her children first. Wheein was smiling away as Yongsun did her duties as a mother.

“Yongsun’s a wonderful mother, huh?

Wheein turned to look at the owner’s voice. She nodded shyly.

“It has been great living with her. She has been a great mom to the kids. A great wife to me. I’m really happy, Mommy.”

“I’m so glad that you are.”

“Are you happy, Mommy?”

“Of course, I have you, Yongsun and the children. What else more can I ask for?”

“I’m just glad that you have decided to come and live with us.”

“Aren’t you just using me as your free baby sitter?”

“Mommy! Are we that bad to you?!”

She laughed heartily. Her baby daughter was still the cutest girl she raised. Yongsun finally joined them.

“Omma, do you want tea or apple juice?”

“Tea will do.”

“Okay~”

The food came along; Yongsun had ordered beforehand. There were plenty of dishes with meat since the older woman loves meat. Well, Yongsun loves them too and her palate was like the older woman.

Wheein took the initiative to cut the steak into bite-size and Yongsun was distributing the twins’ food equally. Two pizzas, two fishcakes and some tteobokki on the two plates; and Little Leroy was having a bowl of whipped potato all by himself.

“Soo Yeon Omma, you can start eating first.”

Yongsun was attentive as usual. Ever since she got married to Wheein, Yongsun treated Soo Yeon just like her own mother. During the initial years of her marriage with Wheein, Yongsun offered to bring Soo Yeon to the market; visit her grandparents in law and Yongsun found a new family on Wheein’s side.

However, she found it weird that Wheein’s grandfather was especially fond of her. He would go out of his way to cook Yongsun’s favourite food; Wheein was jealous. Well, Soo Yeon’s family found out about Yongsun’s true parentage. Soo Yeon was being honest with them and they were extremely happy to learn that Soo Yeon has a biological daughter and that Taeyeon had raised the child well. Similarly, with Wheein, Taeyeon’s mother would often hug Wheein and praise her for her beauty. Yongsun was seen pouting most of the time; whenever her grandmother came over.

Both families knew the girls’ true parentage but not the girls. Everybody was keen to keep it a secret and that included Heechul. And the girls didn’t ask much. They assumed that their families really adore their other half and they were happy with that.

And both families love the two girls. They were so glad that peace found them and everything was going well. Now, with the addition of the 3 children, Soo Yeon’s grandparents were thrilled. Whenever the children came over, Soo Yeon’s father would refuse to let them go home. The kids would stay for a day or two before their great-grandfather would personally send them home. It goes the same with Taeyeon’s parents. They would do the same.

But Soo Yeon was still alone. She was still lonely as ever. No doubt, she has her two daughters and her 3 precious grandchildren. However, it would be better if Taeyeon was around with them.

Taeyeon ah, I wish you were here with me.

-