Jong Kook has been in Seoul for three days and this afternoon is going to be his last lunch with his children. He can’t leave his work for too long. After a long drive by many restaurants, Jong Kook finally ends up taking the kids to Goobne, a roasted chicken restaurant. Ah Ra remains quiet, only on her straw. Ah In, on the other hand, is fussing around the chicken while rambling on about something he has seen on TV.

“But it’s not as good as it used to be. They killed off my favorite character!” Ah In concludes his story with a complain. “Ah Ra-yah, tell Appa about Tayo your favorite cartoon!”

Ah Ra again just shrugs, before showing him her innocent smile and keeps drinking her beverage. Ah In rolls his eyes and Jong Kook can’t help but chuckle.

“Gwaenchana.” Jong Kook pats the top of his head. He then tries to change the topic. “So, have you seen Dong Hoon Samchon and Go Eun Imo recently?”

Ah In is caught off guard by the question. “What?”

Jong Kook notices his nervousness. “Dong Hoon Samchon and Go Eun Imo. Have you seen them recently?”

Ah In looks down with his fingers fidgeting. If he tells him the truth, he knows that will make his Appa gets upset with his Eomma. So, he just falls silent and very slowly shakes his head.

This does make Jong Kook taken aback. “You haven’t? Why?”

Ah In doesn’t want to speak and make things harder but lying to his Appa doesn’t seem like a good thing to do either. He simply settles with a shrug.

Jong Kook realizes the position he is putting his son in and sighs. He has to have a talk with Ji Hyo about this. He never talked about this because the thought never crossed his mind, he didn’t think it would be necessary.

He has to know one thing though. “When was the last time you saw them?” His voice is calm this time.

Ah In looks more relaxed by the question. He tilts his head, thinking. “I don’t remember, Appa. It’s been quite some time.”

Jong Kook looks at his son with a forced smile and ruffles his son’s hair. He remembers the last time he went to their apartment and told them the news.

“What?” Ha Dong Hoon or people usually called him Ha Ha, accidentally dropped the hammer he was holding, causing a loud noise to rise. The noise even made himself jump up in a startle, a reaction that would usually be funny to watch. This time though, Jong Kook was little to not amused by the scene. Snapping out of it, Ha Ha looked back at Jong Kook. “You guys are moving to Indonesia?”

“No, no, we haven’t made up our minds about that yet.” Jong Kook corrected him.

“Wow, this is crazy.” Ha Ha’s mind raced. “Indonesia?”

Jong Kook looked down and sighed. “I know.”

Ha Ha noticed this behavior. This must have been a hard decision for both of them. Moving to another country was going to be hard, and making it happen would take so much more than just wanting it. He knew Jong Kook couldn’t let himself be selfish, and he’s sure that was the last thing his friend would do. He thought of what he would do if he was in the older man’s shoes. How would his wife handle it?

“When do you have to make up your mind?” Ha Ha asked.

“I was given a month, so…” Jong Kook tried to calculate in his mind. “Anytime until the next two weeks.”

Ha Ha nodded. “Well, that’s a reasonable deadline.” He shrugged, not really knowing of what else to say.

Jong Kook nodded his head, even though he didn’t think so. Not so much time if compared to the life that would come after it. So many things would be affected by his decision.

He sighed and sat down on the couch in Go Eun, or people sometimes call her Byul and Ha Ha’s living room. For some reason, Ha Ha had bought a bunch of tools and seemed to be wanting to build something for his children instead of buying it. Even though Jong Kook was confused, he didn’t ask. He already had too much to worry about than his best friend’s new hobby. Ha Ha sighed and sat down beside him.

“Any ideas on what you’re going to do?”

Jong Kook closed his eyes, before shaking his head. “What kills me is that I really, really want this. But I don’t want her to do this unless she wants to too.”

Ha Ha nodded, understanding. “Yeah, I guess the decision is pretty much in her hands now.” He concluded.

Jong Kook couldn’t help but wonder. “But what if she says no?”

Ha Ha stared at him dead in the eyes. “She’ll know what’s best, Hyung. If she says no, then this is something you’ll have to do for her. But if she says yes, it’s something she will do for you.”

Jong Kook let that thought sink in. “And she’s the one who decides who should sacrifice?”

“Well, yes. Fate will interfere, though.” Ha Ha looks thoughtful for a while. Had he just said fate would interfere? He needed a joke to steal focus off of that. “Either that or, I don’t know, a dime should do it.” He pulled out a coin from his pocket and Jong Kook shot him a look.

“What do you say we go over to their apartment so you can play with their children? I bet Soul misses you.” Jong Kook suggests an idea to Ah In before turning his attention to his daughter. “Ah Ra can play with Song too, you’re only one year apart.”

Ah In nods his head, pleased by the idea. “Yes! But do you know where they live now?”

“Aren’t they still living in their old apartment?”

Ah In shrugs. “I’m not sure.”

“Let’s just call Dong Hoon Samchon.” Jong Kook takes his phone out and quickly calls him. Thank God he’s still in contact with his close friends. He looks at his son who’s watching him with excitement in his eyes and his daughter who’s still quietly focusing on her drink.

How he misses these simple things.

Ah In’s eyelids are falling softly as Jong Kook watches. Each time they take longer to open, but the little boy seems eager to stay awake. His father is leaving in the morning, so this is going to be the last time he sees him in God knows how long. He has to stay awake, to savor this, to have an Appa.

Jong Kook keeps watching him for a little longer, in case he’s suddenly awake. However, they don’t open again for that night. Having already put Ah Ra down as well, this leaves him nothing else to do at that house. But he can’t move, he can’t leave just now.

After what seems like a whole hour, he finally gets up and closes the door after himself.

Outside, Ji Hyo is picking up toys from the floor. Jong Kook stands by the doorway of his son’s room, not wanting to interrupt her or bother her. He really should just leave. But no. He has to ask her.

He clears his throat to draw her attention. Sure enough, she looks up.

“Well, both of them are down.” Jong Kook opens up the conversation.

“Good.” Is all she answers before she starts organizing the living room again.

Jong Kook’s mind races. How should he begin?

“Ji Hyo-yah, listen,” He starts off again, this time he doesn’t bother with using formality. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

Ji Hyo’s entire body freezes. What can this be about? Oh, so much.

“Can I…” He trails off, before motioning to the couch.

“Sure, sure, sit down.”

He sits down on the black leather L-shaped couch and she follows his steps, sitting on the other end.

“What is it?” She asks in a small voice, all of a sudden feeling fragile.

There is so much he wants to ask her, to say to her, but there’s this particular thing that he really wants to talk about. Should he get straight to the point or talk about something else first?

He knows exactly what to ask her. “Why haven’t you been seeing Dong Hoon and Go Eun?”

“What?” From so many things he can ask her, this question never crosses her mind.

“I asked Ah In earlier.” Jong Kook elaborates because Ji Hyo seems lost.

Ji Hyo sighs. “I’m not sure. They’re your friends and it doesn’t seem right to hang out with your friends so much.”

Ji Hyo’s mind goes back to the last time she visited their apartment with her former husband. Before everything got messed up.

“Eonnie, that’s like, a whole new country!” Byul was swinging her cooking chopsticks up in the air madly, making Ji Hyo rather frightened.

“No kidding.” Ji Hyo scoffed, before seating herself in the kitchen stool and buried her face with her hands.

Byul looked down and approached Ji Hyo, her back. That was so surreal. Could Ji Hyo really be leaving her after all these years? They had been neighbors ever since she got married to Ha Ha and they saw each other more than they saw their families. What would she do if they didn’t see each other practically every day? She didn’t know