Youngni didn’t exactly know how long Jungkook was going stick around. And that worried her, on top of all the things she already worried about. She knew, though, he was going to go one day. Hopefully, later than sooner.      Unless…she bewitched him.      She enjoyed his company. In fact, a little too much that she was side-tracked. She didn’t want to imagine how life would be without him. Just her and Taeguk didn’t seem to be a good mixture, he must be present for it to be smooth.      Her second year in college was just around the corner. With the whole Jungkook distraction, she meant Chaeyeon and Taeguk’s distraction, she’d forgotten she was a college work in progress. Her focus must need to be on that paper for a better life. It was dejecting to think about no Jungkook and caring for a four-year-old alone. Was she now a mother that needed to quit college and work full time? But Taeguk was only staying with her until her father return? But when will her father return? What if he never really returned? Taeguk was entrusted to her. She is the legal guardian to the child. Why was Jungkook not it? Or the other Uncles? They seemed better off than her. Better brain that could support a smart kid like Taeguk. Maybe, Taeguk was blood-related to her? But not that, that mattered to Chaeyeon.          One thing Youngni never liked about herself was the fact that her mind calculated like a crazy roller coaster. For no reason. She over thinks about things that she didn’t bother to ask. She worried for things that could have been solved just by asking. But, that was the point.      There was no one to ask, too.      Before, Chaeyeon was a phone call away. But now, who? She was really alone. Based on how her parents treated her during the funeral, if she was to call them, she would probably get a “go figure” as a response. Well, that was her assumption. Again.        But all those worries were nothing, when Taeguk ran so dearly happy asking to be held before she announced the time, the moment she’d been waiting for. “Auntie, Daddy is coming back tomorrow.”      That crushed her life even further. It killed her soul. Even though she worried how to raise Taeguk, she was determined to raise Taeguk if no one ever return for her. Taeguk was a smart kid. They both will figure life out somehow. Seeing how Jungkook was, he wouldn’t possibly leave his adored niece behind. So, she was pretty much covered.      But hearing that her father was returning, it gave her mixed emotions. Bittersweet ones. Everything seemed pre-planned to her. Taeguk was given to her when school ended and they’re taking her back when school was starting. School was just next week. Time flew, she already spent a month with Taeguk and Jungkook. She wondered if Jungkook had nothing better to do than to stay with them. But she kept it to herself, she didn’t want to trigger anything that would make him leave.        “Oh…” Youngni felt Taeguk’s warm palms on her cheeks. “That’s great news. Aren’t you excited?”      She nodded, nonstop. Youngni saw Jungkook’s shadow at the corner of her eyes, what were his thoughts? Their company made her days more colorful. It was bitter to think she’d be by herself again. Life would be dull.        “You heard?” he asked. She nodded once. There were no other words to say. Her day was ruined. She had no hope for better days.      If anyone asked, she was ridiculous for worrying how she would support Taeguk, yet now she was sulking making a big deal now that she was leaving. Served her just right. She knew.      “Come here, Taeguk,” Jungkook pulled Taeguk out of Youngni’s arm. “Go pick a pretty outfit. We’ll hang out with your Auntie all day today before we leave tomorrow.” Youngni turned sour at the word, we. Happiness was too close to be true.        Taeguk jumped out of his arms with enthusiasm skipping off to get change. Once Taeguk disappeared from their sight, he turned to her. Dark gloomy clouds surrounded her. Her eyes darkened and tightly sealed.      “How are you?” he asked, his voice came like a whisper.        Youngni fisted her hands and muttered, “ok.”      It was then he knew she wasn’t okay.        Irritation followed her all morning. She blankly stared at Jungkook holding Taeguk’s hand, who was skipping, jumping, and hopping. She closed her eyes drawing in a deep breath, in need for a deep cleanse in her lungs. When she opened her eyes, Jungkook was in the process of swinging Taeguk after holding her hands and pulling her upward. A loud laughter escaped Taeguk when she felt the excitement of swinging halfway in the air.      “Guys go on first! I’m going to buy us some drinks!” Youngni screamed.      Before Jungkook could refused her offer, she took off. Jungkook stopped looking at the direction she disappeared when Taeguk tugged his shirt. “What’s wrong?”      “Is there something wrong with Auntie?” Taeguk asked carefully as if she knew she wasn’t to meddle in the adult matters.      “Oh…uh…Auntie is sad to see Taeguk leaving tomorrow.”      “I can always come see Auntie.”      Jungkook picked her up, “let’s have a good time with Auntie today, ok?”      She nodded in agreement before they searched for Youngni having the perfect idea to spend the day.          When she turned the corner, her pace slowed before she came to a complete stop. What drinks? She was being silly. She looked up at the tall buildings and unfamiliar roads. She recalled a convenience store they passed earlier in the neighborhood. She’d buy a few drinks from the store and go back to meet them as if nothing happened. She’d be happy. It was her last day with them. She walked a few blocks but the store she thought she saw never appeared. Why does everything look the same now? She bent down resting her hands on her knees. She was tired for no reason. Mentally stressed, perhaps.        Her eyes glistened with tears when she finally saw the huge sign above her head “7 Eleven.”      “I knew it was here somewhere,” she celebrated with a fist.      “Auntie!” Taeguk waved from the side of the entrance.      She glanced over and they were standing there. What? How were they there? When did they get there? What were they doing there? Waiting for her? Way to make a fool of herself again.      Taeguk ran toward her screaming Auntie in great joy. “Don’t run.”      Taeguk tried to catch her breath, “Auntie, we are going somewhere.”      “Somewhere? Where?” Youngni searched for an answer from Jungkook, who was approaching them.      “Secret,” Jungkook placed his index finger to his lips and laughed with Taeguk. She glared at him, was this revenge?        Jungkook and Taeguk joked with each other throughout the bus ride. They really kept their secret to themselves. She was purely in the dark. They had no intention of telling her whatsoever.      She should have known, by now.      The duo laughed their head off and attempted to tickle each other. When that game started, she had zero interest to join them. She wasn’t going to let the whole bus glare at her for not being able to control her laughter.        Seoul was big compared to her tiny hometown. She been there for over a year, yet a simple street down her old neighborhood she had not been to. Her lifestyle was routine. Boring in many ways.      Jungkook tapped her shoulders, she realized the bus came to a stop and people were getting off. She followed the duo out. Regardless whether they were telling her or not, wasn’t she was going to find out anyways?      Taeguk never failed to make use of her time. She placed herself in the middle, holding each of their hand. Youngni noticed Taeguk was getting antsy. She started jumping and walking faster. It must be somewhere she’d been before.      “Here we are,” Taeguk screamed, “Teddy Bear Land!”      Youngni looked at the large rainbow sign in front of her “Teseum.”  A very much kid world. She could tell by the playfulness of the font and color choice. Excitement filled her as well because she was a kid herself.        Jungkook told them to stay put while he waited in line to purchase the tickets. Youngni listened to the story Taeguk started telling when she came with her parents previously. There were so many bears that were bigger than her. She was passionate about the bears. Her whole body was explaining. Youngni caught a few details: they spent almost the whole day there, she took a lot of pictures, brought a new friend home, and ate yummy bear-like food.      Jungkook returned in the middle of her story time, but she immediately forgot about it when Jungkook waved the tickets in the air.        In Bear Land, Youngni couldn’t contain the overflowing joy that swept her over. Taeguk was not lying when she blissfully raved about the bears.      “Can you take a picture?” Youngni unlocked her phone and handed to Jungkook. He smiled in return then took the phone from her possession.      “Taeguk, let’s take a picture,” Youngni grabbed her tiny hand and walked next to the gigantic bear. Youngni called him the Protector. There were two of them standing tall at each side of the gate before entering to somewhere like the Palace. A spear in his hand and he was wearing a silky dark navy blue hanbok. He looked like he could shield her from anything. Jungkook snapped a photo when he saw both of their smile. He was glad she was enjoying herself. Her sulky character from this morning disappeared. He hoped it wouldn’t ever returned. Anytime. Anywhere.        It was hours of walking around with various colors, shapes, sizes, and styles of bears. They browsed, snapped photos, ate, and repeat what the place had to offer. Taeguk’s energy was dissipating as the evening neared. She called for Jungkook’s attention. His strong arms swept her feet off the ground and she wrapped her exhausted self around his body. She half-asleep watched her Auntie amusing over the last few stalls.        Youngni was still full of e