Ah Ra’s soft breathing soon becomes steady. Her eyelids have long rested shut for the night, but Jong Kook can’t stop reading the story with the same heartfelt tone. It isn’t until the last few pages that he allows himself to stop.

“I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living, my baby, you’ll be.” Jong Kook concludes, before closing the book and stares at his daughter. So beautiful.

He brushes a hand softly through her dark hair and leans closer. Plants a tender kiss on her forehead and sighs, before lying down next to his little angel and wraps one arm carefully around her.

That Friday night comes too soon. But when Jong Kook thinks about everything that has happened in the last couple of days, it seems like a century since they have arrived. But clearly, even a century isn’t enough.

This is it. He has to confront Ji Hyo now.

Or should he? They still have Saturday…

He kisses Ah Ra’s forehead one more time and prays she’ll still be here for the many nights to come.

“What took you so long?” Ji Hyo asks as soon as he steps into his room. Ji Hyo is already waiting, laying down in his bed with the TV on. She gives him a broad smile. “Did the children give you a hard time?”

“Ani. I just couldn’t get myself out there.” His voice is so emotional, it weighs on Ji Hyo’s conscience.

Ji Hyo crawls across the bed and hugs him from behind. “I know, they’re wonderful kids.” She kisses his neck and rests her chin on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him.

He caresses them gently while his gaze falls on the TV. His mind, however, is focused anywhere but there. “Ji Hyo-yah.”

“Eo?”

He kisses her left forearm. “Can I ask you something?”

With that question, she freezes. There’s so much to ask, what kind of question will he be asking?

“Sure.”

He can sense the fear in her voice and looks down. Gently, he makes her let go of him and turns around to face her. “How come you don’t see our friends anymore?”

Ji Hyo quickly looks down and keeps her sight low. How can she explain something that she doesn’t quite understand herself? “I-” Ji Hyo feels her voice is too weak. “I don’t know.”

He looks down as well. The floor seems to be so interesting now.

“I just- I know I let them down.”

Jong Kook quickly looks at her, confused. Ji Hyo is too uncomfortable. She can’t figure out a way of saying exactly what she’s thinking because it will bring up matters she doesn’t want to discuss with him just yet.

Not when it can be the last time they share such intimate moments.

He deserves an answer, but they need a proper goodbye.

She holds his hand instead. “Can we talk about this tomorrow?”

Jong Kook sighs and looks down, but she picks up his chin and kisses his cheek provocatively, keeping her face close to his.

“I can think of other things we can do while the children are sleeping.” She whispers into his ear and nibbles on his earlobe.

Not fair, Jong Kook thinks. She knows too well how to seduce him yet again. And so she does.

Jong Kook once again lets himself be carried by the moment. Once, twice, the millionth time – what difference would it make now?

Even though they have done this many times, it always seems different. But it’s the familiar feeling Ji Hyo wants to capture and keeps safe in her memory. The way their skin feels on each other’s, his lips, his tongue, his soft voice in her ears. Everything.

Saturday morning comes by and it’s sunny, making almost all of the beaches full. Walking along the coast, Jong Kook and Ji Hyo have one eye trying to spot a nice place to settle and another watching the children, which are running a few steps ahead.

Ah Ra tugs hard to Ah In’s little hand and he doesn’t seem to mind. The little girl, however, is having trouble keeping up with her Oppa’s speed.

“Ah In-ah, there’s no need to run!” Ji Hyo shouts.

Ah In merely turns his head around to look at his mother. His steps maintain a quick pace.

Ji Hyo sighs. “I don’t know what to do with him anymore.”

“Ah In-ah, slow down!” Jong Kook takes a shot this time.

Again, the little boy turns his head around. This time, however, he slows down. Ji Hyo sighs once again, feeling frustrated. It’s like both Jong Kook and Ah In have a point and this is their way of showing it.

Jong Kook’s stare is fixated on his children’s linked hands. Immediately, he brushes the back of his hand to Ji Hyo’s. They rub gently a few times, softly and playfully. But when he reaches out to hold it, she pulls away.

“There’s a nice spot right there.” Ji Hyo’s voice sounds urgent.

“But those guys are playing foot volley right there,” Jong Kook points at the men. “The children might get hit.”

And that’s why they keep walking again.

Uncertain and bothered by Ji Hyo’s response to his gesture, Jong Kook looks around. Everywhere he looks – families, couples, flirty ones…

Jong Kook-ah, if you don’t do anything, she will leave tomorrow.

Jong Kook walks closer to her and wraps one arm around her waist. Ji Hyo widens her eyes and immediately yanks it off.

“Not here.” Ji Hyo eyes him with annoyance in her eyes and motions to the children.

Her answer is so short and cold. Jong Kook just stares at her sadly, not wanting to believe that his dream is really coming to an end.

“There’s- there’s a nice place there.” Jong Kook informs awkwardly.

He starts walking down his way to the place he has spotted. On the way there, he carries both children in his arms, through squeals and giggles. Ji Hyo has to brush away the tears from her eyes, which are mixed with her sweat and the saltiness of the air. Her eyes sting even more, which causes them to water up again.

So, she just allows herself to stand by and watch them from a good distance. She doesn’t want him to think she’s doing this for herself. She’s doing this for him. Is he ever going to see that?

She sits down on a concrete bench from the sidewalk and watches them. Even though Jong Kook is smiling, playing with Ah In and Ah Ra, she knows just how much she has hurt him. She has just told him that she’s leaving again without having to use words.

Ji Hyo opens Ah In’s wardrobe and pulls his suitcase outside. Having just finished packing her own bags and Ah Ra’s, Ah In’s is the only one left. She sets it on the bed and opens it. Back and forth going from the wardrobe to the bed, she has all of his clothes neatly folded inside. Later, she will have him pick a few things to bring back to Seoul.

Not too many though. Most of it has to stay behind.

It aches Ji Hyo to realize that Ah In is not just leaving a fancy life and expensive toys, but he’s also leaving possibly the most important person in his life.

And to her great misfortune, her son enters the bedroom the exact moment she collapses on the bed, both physically and emotionally exhausted. Jong Kook closely follows behind. The latter quickly freezes and stands by the door, unmoving, when he notices what’s happening. Ah In also freezes, but wears an angry expression.

“Eomma?”

“Ah In-ah,” Ji Hyo gives him the widest smile that she can. “Guess what? You can bring a few things with you. Maybe a soccer ball and that puzzle you and Ah Ra made the other day?”

“Aniya, I don’t want to go.”

Ji Hyo exhales deeply before she gives him a smile again. “Mianhae, aegi-yah, but we’ve all agreed that we’re leaving after two weeks, haven’t we? And that’s tomorrow.”

Ah In doesn’t let go of his angry face. “I don’t care. I’m staying here with Appa.”

Ji Hyo quickly glances at Jong Kook but can’t handle the guilt and pain and she shifts her gaze towards her son again. “Ah In-ah, mianhae, but you don’t have much choice.”

“I do because Appa is my dad. He’ll take me in, won’t you, Appa?” Ah In tugs on Jong Kook’s hand.

Jong Kook is cornered. “Ah In-ah, I-”

“Aniya, Ah In-ah. We have to go back to Seoul.” Ji Hyo cuts Jong Kook before he gets the chance to take her son away. For some reason, she is now filled with building rage.

“Wae? Why should we go back to Seoul?” Ah In is half yelling now.

Ji Hyo also doesn’t know the answer, but no, she won’t lose her son. Not now. “Because we have to. I have to.”

“No, we don’t. We can live with Appa here.” For a six-year-old, Ah In surely argues well. “We just have to stay here, Eomma. Don’t you want to stay here?”

“I don’t. That’s why we have to go back to Seoul.”

“You’re selfish!” Ah In is full on yelling now.

Ji Hyo is hurting hearing her son screams at her like that. Her six-year-old son. “What did you say?”

“Eomma, go back to Seoul by yourself! You don’t love me, I’m staying here!”

One tear drops from her eye and she almost chokes on herself.

“I do love you.” She can only whisper now. She has never seen her son throws tantrum and yells at her like that. “I’m doing this because this is what’s best for everyone.”

“Aniya, Eomma. This is not good for me!” Ah In still yells.