"Appa."

Minho's lips curled up with a soft smile when Sowon came to him from the school building, almost running. She looked very happy. Of course, she was. She said the maid usually picked her up from school. But today, her father is picking her up. This feels great.

Minho smiled again. Even three days ago when they chatted with each other here, he didn't know she is his daughter. Own daughter.

After coming back home Minho helped her to get freshen up and then came to the dining room to feed her the food.

"Appa. I have a question." Sowon said when the maid gave Minho the plate.

Minho put it down on the table and looked at her. "What now, madam?" She was asking many questions in the car. About the traffic lights, cars, police, etc. She was really talkative and cute just like the previous version of her mother.

Sowon grinned seeing her father's patience. She thought only Jongsuk ajhussi listen to every question and answer all the questions patiently. "Appa, when did you meet my eomma first?"

Minho smiled and took some rice in the spoon. "10 years ago." He said as he held the spoon inside .

Sowon put the spoon inside . "How was my eomma back then?" She asked while eating.

Minho let out a soft laugh hearing her voice while eating. "She was the prettiest and smartest girl in our school. She was crazy, talkative like you're now." Minho held the spoon in front of .

"Really? She was so beautiful?" Sowon asked as she took the food inside from the spoon.

Minho nodded. "She was beautiful. but not like those girls in the magazines. She was beautiful for the way she thought. She was beautiful for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She was beautiful for her ability to make people smile even she was sad. No, she wasn't beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful deep down to her soul."

But. Everything changed when I entered her life. Because of me, she lost her happiness, her house, her parents. When she was pregnant, her father told her to abort the baby. Or he'll fixed her marriage with someone. But she didn't want to do any of it. So she ran away from the house and never came back. Her mother came to her often but not her father.

"Appa. You love my eomma so much?" Sowon pouted her lips cutely.

Minho inhaled a deep breath. "I love her so desperately that I get afraid sometimes."

Minho was about to feed her, but she suddenly stood up as something crossed her mind and her face litten up with a sudden thought. "Appa. I have something to show you."

Minho narrowed his gaze at his silly daughter. "First finish this. Sit down."

Sowon pouted her lips and sat on the chair obediently.

After finishing eating, Sowon pulled Minho to Shinhye's bedroom. Minho clenched his jaw when she opened the drawer of a table. "What are you..."

He stopped when she took a locket in her hand. The love shape locket. He remembered this locket. His heart skipped a beat. She is keeping this until now.

Sowon took a glance at the locket before giving it to her father. "Eomma stares at it every day and cries every morning. It was given by you, right?" She asked Minho who was looking surprised.

Minho took it from her and glance at the words written on it. 'I'm taken'. Yes, this was given by him. Does she cry while staring at it? She missed me every day. Just like me. That means I'm still there inside her heart. I just need to melt the froze space in her heart.

"Appa."

Minho came back to from his deep thoughts hearing Sowon's voice. He gazed blankly at her. "Sowon. It's your eomma's off-day tomorrow, right? Do you want to meet your grandparents tomorrow?"

Sowon didn't understand why he suddenly said that. Meeting grandparents. That means his parents. "Will they be happy to see me?" Sowon looked at him expectantly.

Minho nodded and squatted down in front of her. "They'll. They'll be very happy. Let's go tomorrow, okay?" As Sowon nodded, Minho kissed her cheek. "Okay, princess. I have a meeting. Will you be okay with ajhumma?" Minho asked as he stood up.

"I'll be okay. Go appa. Don't be late. I hate unpunctual people." Sowon pushed him towards the door. Though she hasn't that strength to push him, she was still trying.

Minho let out a soft and her hair. "Arosso. Appa should go. Bye Princess."

----

A little boy grinned when he saw Shinhye walking towards his bed. "Hi pretty." He waved at her. "You're looking extra pretty today." He liked this doctor, she was always friendly and don't hurt him.

Shinhye narrowed her eyes at her little patient. "Silly boy. You have to protect this burn area from the sun. Okay?" As the boy nodded, She pulled his nose and turned to his parents. "He is alright. If you notice any infection in the burn areas, see a doctor immediately."

"Pretty. I'll miss you when I'll go back home." The boy pouted his lips cutely, trying to look sad, making their parents laugh.

Shinhye took a glance at their parents and let out a soft chuckle. "Silly boy. Call me aunt. I have a daughter. She is just four years younger than you." Kids are really so silly these days.

The boy shook his head fiercely. "You're married? You have a husband?" His face downed.

The smiled on Shinhye's face faded slowly. Husband? She doesn't have a husband. She isn't married. Though he is now with her, he isn't her husband. He can't be her husband. What should she say? How is she supposed to answer this question?

"Doctor."

Shinhye's concentration on her thoughts broke as Miseok called her from behind. "Wait a minute." She said to the little boy before came to Miseok. "Yes."

"Our CEO wants to meet you," Miseok said to her.

Shinhye raised her brows. "Who? Our CEO? You mean Kim Hee-Soo?" As Miseok nodded, Shinhye brows furrowed. Minho oppa's mother. Why does she want to meet me? She never called her by someone before like this. What's wrong? Did she find out he was with me last night?

Shinhye stopped herself to think further. It can be just a meeting too. About work. After coming in front of the CEO's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Shinhye clenched her jaw and entered the room. Seeing Heesoo sitting on her chair, she bowed. "I'm Park Shinhye. From Orthopedic.."

"I know. Sit, please." Heesoo pointed out the chair, smiling at her.

Shinhye got more confused now. From her first day, she used to know their CEO usually doesn't smile. "Ah. Ne. I heard you want to meet me." She didn't waste time, she sat on the chair in front of her. She was really curious about why she called her.

Shinhye shifted on her chair as Heesoo stared at her. She was staring at her as if she was trying to find out something just by staring at her eyes. "You're that girl whom he loves like a crazy, right?" She smiled.

Shinhye blinked her eyes. She was sure she was talking about Minho. She felt uneasy. So she called her here to talk about him. She found out that he stayed at her place.

When Shinhye didn't reply, Heesoo stood up and came in front of her, putting her hand on her hair. Shinhye widened her eyes when she her hair. "Anyone can get crazy about you. Everyone in this hospital likes you. They said you're so friendly, kind. I don't like Jung Somin. She is rude."

Shinhye tilted her head slightly, still didn't look at her. Jung Somin! Minho's fiancee. Why is she comparing Somin with her? And did she ask everyone about me? Why?

"You know I'm Minho's stepmother, right?" Heesoo paused and let out a soft laugh. "I know Minho has never talked about me with you. Even if he did, he didn't say anything good about me. Because I'm not good to him. I'm a bad stepmother. Actually, my husband always wants that." Her face darkened.

Shinhye felt pain in her voice, she looked at her. Yes, she looked hurt. So she pretended not to be good to him! Because of his father. But why does he want that? And What? She is his stepmother? No, he never told her that. What about his biological mother then? Where is she? What happened to her? Many questions started playing in her mind. But she didn't ask any.

Heesoo put her hand down from her hair and smiled. "I'm sorry for talking about unnecessary things. I wanted to meet you personally to tell you that he really needs someone in his life.

"He is lonely, he is alone. I know that. He is rude outside but he is so soft inside. I know you know it. I don't know what happened between you 7 years ago. But I remember back then how sad he was. Mr. Joon told me everything. Do you think you can stay by his side?" She asked softly.

Shinhye nodded. But it happened unwillingly. Why did she nod her head? Stay by his side? Is it even possible?

---

"Sowon... Help me with this."

Sowon ran to her mother, who was trying to move a big ficus plant pot from the garden. She wanted to shift this beside the Jade