"Eomma, can't we just stay?" Yohan asked his mom while he watched her.

They were in her room and even though they still had a week left before they had to go back to the US, she was already starting to organize some of their stuff. When she was younger, she'd leave packing up until the night before she had to go somewhere but ever since she became a mom, she just somehow needs to start everything a week early or she gets anxiety over things not going well when it was time for travel.

"Eomma, I don't wanna leave Halbi," Yohan said quietly.

She stopped putting stuff in the bag and looked up at him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, wringing his hands. "Aegi, you know we have to go back," she said softly.

"Why?"

Naeun breathed in quietly. They've had this conversation about five times since they've arrived in Seoul. Yohan was absolutely adored by her family and she knew just how much he enjoyed being near them too. "Because our house is there. Eomma's shop is there. And Yohan's school and Yohan's friends. They're all there," she tried to explain softly.

"But, Eomma, Halbi is here! And Halmi and Imo!" he insisted.

His mother didn't reply, and instead went back to putting some clothes into her luggage. Through her peripheral vision, she could see Yohan move towards her, knelt down beside her and planted his chin on her arm.

"Please, can we stay?" Yohan asked, busting out his puppy dog eyes.

Those eyes always worked on her, whether it was 5 more minutes of playing his game or getting out of eating the last of the broccoli on his plate. But not this time. She reached a hand to touch his face softly. "I'm sorry, aegi-ah. You know we can't stay."

The disappointment on her son's face was visible but he nodded. "Arasso, Eomma," he replied quietly before standing up and walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To Halbi. Gotta tell him I love him lots before we leave."

A smile formed on Naeun's lips. Her son was cute but also sometimes dramatic. Too dramatic.

"Appa, we're leaving soon," she informed her father after giving him his medicine for the night. She had already booked their flight and they were set to leave in 5 days.

Her father looked up at her. "So two weeks is all I get?" he asked, teasing. But Naeun knew that behind his tone was something more serious.

She sat down on the bed next to her father and leaned on his shoulder, linking her arms on his. "You know I'd stay if I can, Appa," she said softly. "But our life is there."

They were quiet for a few moments and Naeun closed her eyes, and she could hear her father's deep breathing.

He squeezed her hand. "Your family is here, Naeun-ah."

It has never been her intention to hurt anyone, especially not her father but she knew how much she has already hurt and disappointed him. The first was when she decided she wanted to become an idol. Her father expected her to study abroad so that she could one day be the one to run the family businesses but instead, she trained to become an idol. The second instance was when she got pregnant and decided to run away. "I'm sorry, Appa. For being such a disappointment."

Her Appa cupped her face softly and made her look at him. "You're not a disappointment, my sweet girl."

Tears began to sting her eyes. "How can you say that? I'm an unmarried single mom who had brought nothing but pain to you and Eomma."

"Naeun-ah," he called her name softly. "I may not have agreed with decisions that you've made in the past but that's what they are: in the past. And it's not true that you only brought us pain, my love. You gave us so much happiness."

"Appa…" she tried to keep it in but a sob escaped .

He wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. "You're raising an amazing little boy and Appa can be nothing but proud."

Her pain always included the pain of knowing how much she had disappointed her parents and as her father held her in his arms, it was as if some of that pain had faded away.

“Your Eomma and I, we know it’s your life, darling, and we know you’re doing so well. I don’t want to interfere with your life, but what Appa wants is for you to think about you and Yohan being closer to us. You can set up a business here and if you want your own place, Appa will buy you a house, too.”

“Appa…”

“I’m not pressuring you, Naeun-ah. I just want you to think about it. Promise Appa you’ll think about it?”

Naeun took a deep breath. “I promise Appa.”

This might be the third time she’ll disappoint him.

"Eonnie, why can't you just stay?" Saeeun asked her suddenly. It was four days until they had to go back to the States and she and her sister did some last minute shopping and were now having lunch at a restaurant owned by one of her sister's friends.

Naeun clicked her tongue, shaking her head at her sister. Next to Yohan, she was the one who keeps bringing up them staying in Seoul. At this point, she was about 80% sure they talk about it when it was just the two of them hanging out.

"It'll be easier for you to set up a boutique here. This is also a good school district," she began her list. "If you wa