Da-On

***

"In five years, we've moved through four different countries since leaving Seoul. We aimed to leave behind the past and carve out a new beginning in a place where we could find peace and acceptance. But no matter how far we go, it appears that fate will inevitably catch up with us, persistently trailing our steps." 

"Hey," he greeted with that familiar sheepish smile. It was as if my heart recognized an old flame, but my mind was lost for words. "It's been a while, Im Yoona," I managed to say, despite the whirlwind of emotions stirring within me.

"Mom, do you know him?" Da-On gazed up at me with wide, innocent eyes filled with curiosity. "Is he my dad?" he inquired, almost as if I were his mother, seeking answers about his father.

"Omma?" I don't know what comes to Da-On's mind but I decided to play along. 

"Wait, you're his mom?" Yoona's gaze fixed on me, questioning. "You've got a family now?" he asked, puzzled by the unexpected revelation.

"The question caught me off guard, and my clients nearby seemed equally surprised. "Da-On, stay right here," I instructed, then promptly seized Yoona's wrist and hurriedly ushered him back into the art shop.

"How do you know about this place?" I inquired, my voice tinged with surprise. I had believed this town to be isolated from the world, but evidently, I was mistaken.

Yoona smiled briefly. "I had my ways."

"You had—Were you been searching us?"

"Yup, for the last five years." He looked proud.

I felt a gasp escape me. "Why... would you do that?" I clenched my fists, feeling a tightness in my chest. There was no way he didn't know the truth about me and my sisters. That information alone had been enough for others to release us from their grasp.

"Because you ran away and..." He took a step closer. "I've been searching for you and your friends. And now, here I am, finding you again after five years. Quite the game you and your friends played, huh?" There was a hint of mockery in his tone as he spoke.

I scoffed. He knows everything about us and pretends he doesn't. "Don't kid around," I said as I lightly pushed him on his chest. "Are you here to-"

"You disappeared without explaining everything... you vanished before giving me a chance to hear you out. So, I decided to find you and offer you that chance to be honest with me. Five years, it's been insane... but I'm still willing to hear your side of the story directly from you," he expressed, a mix of frustration and yearning in his voice.

I was taken aback, but before I could react, the door swung open, and a customer entered. Swiftly, I shifted my attention and went to welcome the newcomer. As I tended to the customer, Yoona returned to the flower garden outside. Gazing at him, I couldn't help but sigh. Who would've guessed he had it in him? Earlier, his tone seemed irate, but now it carried an air of longing. He seems erratic, almost as if influenced by his Hyungs. It's unlikely this was solely his doing.

"Ms. Can I get this?" 

I snapped out of reality when the customer called me which I hastily attended.

***

No One's POV

"I'm Kim Da-On," Da-On introduced himself, extending his right hand. "And you are?"

"Im Yoona, your mother's friend. How old are you?" Yoona also introduced himself as they gently shook their hands.

"Really? So you might be my dad?" Da-On's eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement.

"What? Why would I be?"

"I'm five years old. You're Omma's only friend, right?" Da-On inquired, his smile bright and curious.

"Wait, so if you're her son, doesn't that mean she got married? And she has a family now."

"No. I don't have a father." He pouted cutely as he shook his head gently. "Omma said I don't have a father. My friends in kindergarten told me I'm like an orphan too."

Yoona scoffed and gently ruffled the little boy's hair. "There's no kid that has no father." 

"So Omma is lying, right? I know it since then." Da-On replied with a wide grin.

"She's just keeping it, I'm sure. But don't get mad at her."

"I'm not mad, I'm just curious about what my father looks like. You look young, so I guess you are not my father."

"I... Uh..." Yoona paused and suddenly pondered if he had done it with Seohyun before or not. 'I'm sure I did it with her once, so I can be the father?' He raised his brows looking at Da-On's innocent eyes. "Who knows, right?" He sheepishly smiles. 

"You are from Korea?"

"Yes."

"So, you really can be my father." Da-On didn't think twice as he got up from his seat and hugged the doe-eyed.

"Oh, Uh..." Yoona rubs his back gently.  'We probably did it?' he thought at the back of his head. 

Da-On pulled back and then took his hand. "Let's go to the orphanage. I'll introduce you to my friends." He announced as he dragged him back inside and they passed through the owner of the shop.

"Where are you taking him?" Seohyun wants to stop Da-On but the latter isn't stopping while Yoona is trying to tell her to trust him. "Aigoo, Da-On is on it again."

***

While Taeyeon is busy packing his clothes for the two luggage, he comes across to box where he stores Tiffany's stuff and so as her last gift for him. He picked it up and gently opened the box. One of them is a binder that he received from her a few days after they ran away and it reminds him of how he and his friends came up with the idea of saving the fugitives.

Flashback...

"If we're going to search for them, we need to ensure that neither the police nor anyone from the U.S. learns about it. I understand they have the authority to find them, but we also have the right to locate them first... I know this might sound drastic, but I'm considering clearing their names. I want to assist them in securing a fresh start in life."

Taeyeon nodded in agreement with Yuri's observation. Without speaking, Taeyeon retrieved his messenger bag from the side and extracted a binder from within.

"I'm not sure if this was part of their plan or solely Tiffany's doing, but I found this binder in my mailbox. It contains all their photos from New York, including pictures taken during their time in their hideout," he explained

"Seriously?" Yuri exclaimed, swiftly opening the binder and flipping through the pages. His breath caught at the sight of the girls' old photos alongside those of the other thieves. "Wow." It was an astonishing sight, yet it stirred empathy within him. Clearly, they had been coerced into these actions.

"It's got pictures of their boss and details about him too. From what my prosecutor friend mentioned, this individual is involved in human trafficking and robbery, and is currently evading the law," Taeyeon added, sharing the troubling information he'd gathered.

"We can use this information to get them acquitted, right?" asked Yuri in concern.

"This is a start, but we'll need additional evidence to support their case—proof that they're no longer the same as before and that they're no longer in contact with him, that they've truly changed. If we can demonstrate that to the judge, I believe they might grant us a chance," Taeyeon suggested, emphasizing the importance of showcasing their transformation.

"How are we going to do that?" 

Yoona abruptly sat up from his reclined position and wedged himself between his older brothers on the couch. "I watched a movie once where a person got a reduced sentence—from 10 years to 5—because his wife gathered positive statements from his colleagues. What if we reach out to everyone they befriended, especially those they worked with? For instance, people at Tiffany's office," he suggested, inspired by the movie's storyline. 

"That's a good idea." Taeyeon cheerfully responded.

"How about Jessica? She pretty much works with me." Yuri however is quite not sure of it.

"Yul, she works with the maids in your villa too." Taeyeon corrected.

"Right." And Yuri's face changed to bright. "What else should we do?"

"CCTV cameras? Where they were captured doing something good?" Yoona suggested and his hyungs immediately attacked him with a knock on his head. "Y-Yah! Is it wrong to suggest it?"

"Your mind's working great. Let's jot these down before they slip away," Yuri urged, quickly opening his laptop as his friends began sharing their ideas.

End of flashback...

"Thank you for your help, Fany," Taeyeon expressed his gratitude, placing the item back in its box and stowing it in his luggage. "I can't wait to have you back, my love." Rising from his seat, he exited the room and swiftly conversed with the maid about his upcoming week-long trip abroad. As he made his way to the car, he reminded the staff, "Make sure to lock all the doors in the mansion before bedtime." The maids nodded in agreement. "I'll be back in a week," he assured them before stepping into the car, and the driver began the journey carefully.

As his phone vibrated in the coat pocket, Taeyeon retrieved it and noticed Yuri's name flashing on the screen. "Hey, what's going on, bro?" he answered, curious about the call.

[Where are you? I'm here now.] Yuri replied, sounding impatient.

"I'm on my way. Don't stress, we've got five hours until the flight. Take it easy," he reassured with a soft chuckle, aiming to ease any worries.

[Ugh, I hate to wait, you know that.]

"But you manage to wait to see Jessica?" He teases playfully.

Yuri laughs on the next line. [She's worth to wait. Anyway, don't take too long, I'm just right here at a cafe, so I won't get easily sleepy on the plane.]

"Be there before you know it." He replied and hung up. Letting out an exhale, he looked out of the window and smiled at the City of Seoul's night lights. "I'll return with her, I promise." he said in determination.

***

The commotion caused by the children unsettled one of the orphanage staff members, prompting her to reprimand them and urge them back to their seats. Despite her instructions, they remained heedless until Tiffany entered the classroom. Instantly, they hurriedly settled into their seats, warmly greeting her as she took her place at the front.

"These children seem to only respond to you," the staff remarked before leaving the room, making space for Tiffany to take over the teaching.

"Is everyone present?" she called out, and in unison, they responded with a resounding "Yes!"

"Let's gather your coloring books and pick up where we left off yesterday," she directed, prompting the excited kids to retrieve their coloring books and return to their desks. Taking her place, Tiffany quietly began marking attendance for the children present. Occasionally, some weren't able to attend due to illness or oversleeping. "It's lovely that everyone made it today," she whispered to herself while reviewing the attendance sheet. Rising from her seat, she strolled down the aisles, checking on each child's progress as she went.

Suddenly a female kid raises her hand as she gets up to catch her attention.

"Kate, dear, is something bothering you?" she asked in a gentle, caring tone as she walked over to her.

"Can I go out? I need to pee, Ms. Young." She said with a cute pout.

"Absolutely! But remember, don't rush," Tiffany cautioned, mindful of the numerous instances where children had slipped in the hallway. Kate nodded in understanding before promptly exiting the classroom.

"Teacher Young, did I do it correctly?" asked the young boy. Tiffany went over to inspect his work and couldn't help but smile in amusement; the colors he'd chosen differed from what the book suggested.

"Dave, your approach is close, but a bit off. No worries," she reassured him before retrieving the color guide from her desk. Returning to him, she took a moment to explain, "Look, this crayon represents red." She pointed at it, continuing, "Then, we have yellow, purple, and green. The letters at the center of each shape stand for the first letters of their respective colors. Follow that?"

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Teacher." He smiled cutely.

"No problem. Why don't you use the guide for now, Hmm?"

"Yes, thank you again." 

With a warm smile, she gently his head before moving on to check on the rest of the children. Once finished, she settled back into her seat, glancing at the time. Only 30 minutes remained before the class concluded, and the children would transition to their P.E. session with their teacher.

"Remember, everyone, let's be on time tomorrow. And don't forget your pencils; we have some writing exercises planned," she reminded the class after the bell rang, receiving thanks from the kids as they prepared to depart. Her smile remained warm as children approached her, offering snacks from the orphanage's provisions. Despite being orphans, they always made a point to share what they had, a touching gesture that she cherished deeply.

Navigating the bustling hallway, filled with children darting around, she suddenly caught sight of Da-On in the distance. However, the sight of the man beside her son made her freeze in alarm. "Yoo... what's he doing here, and why is my son holding his hand?" Her panic rising, rather than calling out to her son, she hurriedly sought refuge, ducking into the library to conceal herself.

Da-On excitedly led Yoona around, introducing him to his friends in the orphanage, completely unaware that Tiffany had slipped into the library and wasn't following them to the classroom. "Huh? Where's Mom?" he wondered aloud, noticing her absence.

"Eh? Your mother is in the art shop, remember?" Yoona got confused.

Da-On grinned mischievously. "Just kidding! Let's go play on the football field. They're having a game today," he exclaimed, pulling the reluctant Yoona out of the room once more.

Yoona found himself uncertain whether it was a prank or a genuine misunderstanding. He couldn't inquire further as Da-On promptly introduced him to yet another child, exchanging greetings. The cycle repeated until they finally arrived at the small football field. The joyous sounds of kids playing filled the air as Yoona stood by, observing Da-On enthusiastically joining in the game with the other children and their teacher.

"Ah, what an intelligent kid," he muttered, although what truly caught his attention was the diverse mix of nationalities among the children in the orphanage. Curiosity piqued, he pulled out his phone, searching for the orphanage's name online. To his surprise, he discovered an intriguing detail: the Sunshine Orphanage housed children rescued from violence and war across various countries.

"Now it all makes sense, why they've ended up here... This isn't just a shelter; it's become their home," he realized, understanding that it wasn't merely a refuge for the girls but a place they could genuinely call their own.

Suddenly the ball was kicked toward him, but he dodged it instead of kicking it to the kids' disappointment. He got embarrassed and so, he tried to kick it back but he missed it, prompting the kids to laugh.

"What did I say when someone slips?" The teacher reminded his class.

"Help." Da-On replied and rushed to Yoona's side right away. "Are you alright, Appa?" asked him in concern.

"Whoa, Da-On, you found your father?" One of the kids asked him.

"Yup. He's from Korea." Da-On said as he helped Yoona on his feet.

"Thanks, Da-On, but I'm not entirely certain," Yoona replied, his uncertainty evident. Without further hesitation, he communicated his decision to the kids. As the ball rolled towards him, he swiftly kicked it back to the group. Da-On persisted in pulling him along, eventually resulting in Yoona joining the children in playing football for the first time.  

Meanwhile, Tiffany observed from the library, still in disbelief that Yoona had discovered the location. "Is he here alone? Do the others know about this?" Her concern mounting, she swiftly grabbed her bag and reached for her phone. Before she could make a call, a young African-American girl entered the library.

"Hello, Jasmine! Are you here for some reading?" Tiffany greeted cheerfully, setting her immediate worries aside to welcome the girl.

"Nope, I'm here to sleep, teacher young." Jasmine didn't even hesitate as she lay down on the library's small couch. 

"Don't you have class today?"

"No. I wasn't able to have a good sleep last night, I want to take a nap." 

"Understood. Make sure to rest well, Jasmine. And when the bell rings for lunch, don't forget to grab something to eat, alright?"