Partners

***

Emerging from a profound sleep, Tiffany suddenly became aware that she and her friends had dozed off in the treehouse after indulging in last night's festivities. Hastily sitting up, she extended her arm to retrieve her phone from the adjacent coffee table and anxiously checked the time—9:00 AM. Her eyes widened in a moment of panic.

"Hey, wake up, girls! It's almost lunchtime." She briskly shook Jessica and Seohyun, then descended the tree. "Da-On must be worried sick by now," she added with concern, jogging back to the house. Her foot caught on the picnic table outside, nearly causing her to trip.

Stepping into the house, a distinct aroma enveloped her senses. Approaching the kitchen, she was taken aback to find an array of Korean dishes neatly covered with transparent plastic.

"Who on earth took the time to prepare all of this?" she pondered, curiosity leading her to inspect the spread. As she examined it, a small note on the table caught her attention.

I apologize if I ventured into your fridge without asking, but Da-On asked me to whip up breakfast.

As a gesture of goodwill, I've prepared a morning feast for you all, hoping your taste buds still savor Korean cuisine.

By the way, I'm giving Da-On a ride to school. Will be back shortly.

- Kim Taeyeon

"What? He was here?!" She exclaimed in disbelief.

Flashback...

At seven in the morning, Da-On found himself waking up, only to realize that his mother was not beside him unexpectedly. Nonchalantly, he swung his legs out of bed and descended the stairs, anticipating the usual morning bustle. To his surprise, an eerie silence enveloped the house; not a single noise, not even the sizzle of a frying pan, disrupted the stillness. Perplexed, he scanned his surroundings, discovering an emptiness that left him bewildered.

"Did they head to work without me?" he wondered, growing increasingly concerned. Tears welled up and streamed down his face as he stepped out of the house and sprinted towards the tree house. His anguish abruptly halted when he heard the unmistakable sound of loud snores. "They left Da-On alone last night, didn't they?" he pouted sadly, ascending the ladder to the tree house. There, he discovered his mother, Jessica Noona, and Seohyun Noona, all peacefully asleep, with an abandoned bottle of alcohol resting on the floor.

He scrutinized them, stifling a chuckle upon noticing his mother's serene expression, accompanied by a small trail of drool escaping from the corner of . 

Delicately, he fetched a nearby blanket and gently covered his sleeping mother. Observing that his other Noona seemed chilly, he gathered additional blankets, ensuring to tuck them in snugly. With a silent descent from the tree, a content smile adorned his face as he skipped joyfully back home.

As he neared the house, he noticed a man's figure, trying to peek inside without knocking on the door.

"Who... Taeyeon Appa?" His face lit up the moment he recognized the person. "What are you doing here, early?" 

"Oh, Da-On ah." Taeyeon smiled back at the young boy. "Did you just come somewhere?" 

"Yes, to the tree house." Da-On replied as he walked into the house. "Come in." he offered excitedly. 

"Is no one around?" 

"No, they're at the tree house."

"There's another house besides this?" Taeyeon asked back as he walked into the house, quietly observing the living room. The ambiance felt comfortable immediately and the photo walls of the girls were warm. He smiled as he approached the photos and checked every frame of it on the wall. Each of them just shows how happy they are, especially in their photos together at a picnic together with Da-On.

"You mentioned yesterday you are my Omma's friend?" Da-On inquired, grinning mischievously.

"Omma you mean, Seohyun?"

"Nope, my mother, Tiffany Omma." 

Taeyeon creases his brows in confusion. "So Tiffany is your mother too, right?" 

"Yes." Da-On replied with a gleeful smile. "You are friends in Korea?"

"Yup. What are you curious about it?" Taeyeon lowered himself to have eye level with the young boy. He figured the boy must be an orphan and the girls have adopted him by the way he is calling them all his mother.

"I think you could be my father."

"I am?"

"Yes, they said my father is from there."

Taeyeon gently rubbed the young boy's head and smiled in amusement. "Yeah, sure, I can be your father too, just like Yoona Appa, right?"

Da-On nodded and giggled at the same time. But his stomach suddenly grumbled, indicating he's hungry.

"You haven't eaten?" 

"Yes. I should prepare for school too." 

Taeyeon got up and scanned the surroundings. "Do you mind me going to the kitchen and preparing breakfast for you?" 

"Can you, Appa?" Da-On immediately agreed. 

"But, can you shower on your own now?"

"Yes. I will be back later." He hastily runs upstairs causing Taeyeon to be slightly concerned. But he managed to reach the second floor successfully so he decided to head to their kitchen and look through their fridge. 

After a brief moment of contemplation about what to prepare, he set about gathering ingredients and commenced cooking breakfast for the young boy who had warmly embraced him and his friends. It was an earnest effort to reciprocate the kindness and make him as happy as he had made them feel.

A short while later, Da-On emerged, clad in his uniform and shouldering a backpack. As he neared the dining table, the aroma wafting from it signaled a departure from the familiar scents of his usual mornings.

"What are these?" he inquired, gesturing toward the foods presented to him. They were unfamiliar to him, yet their enticing appearance hinted at delicious possibilities.

"Haven't you tried these?" inquired Taeyeon, placing the bowl of rice beside the plate before taking a seat across from the young boy.

"Nope. I stick to banana cereal every morning; it's good for my health," Da-On shared, accompanied by an adorable smile.

"These are traditional Korean breakfast items: egg rolls, soybean paste stew, and here's some rice," explained Taeyeon, pointing to each dish.

"I know rice."

"Of course, who wouldn't know that," Taeyeon chuckled softly. "Help yourself," he added, offering the chopsticks as a gesture.

"I don't use chopsticks," Da-On informed, opting for a spoon instead. "Thank you for the food, Taeyeon Appa," he expressed gratefully as he delved into his bowl of rice, taking a satisfying bite. He then selected one of the egg rolls, nibbling on it while carefully evaluating the taste.

"Does it taste good?"

"It's... weird... but it's good."

Taeyeon smiled in relief. "Do you bring a lunch box?" then he got curious.

"Yes. I eat in school." Da-On replied in between bites.

"I'll prepare you a lunch box then." Getting up, Taeyeon headed to the cabinets to look for the lunch box.

"It's on the right corner, the spiderman lunch box, Taeyeon Appa." Da-On informs casually. 

"Ah, got it," Taeyeon smiled, setting the lunch box on the counter before carefully arranging egg rolls and kimbap into the lunchbox. He couldn't help but steal glances at Da-On, finding him adorable while savoring his meal. There was a sense of comfort as if he were the boy's genuine father.

End of Flashback...

"Whoa, Taeyeon showed up without us knowing? That's thoughtful of him," Jessica remarked as she read the note from Tiffany's hand. Settling into her seat, she began to uncover the food when Tiffany suddenly grasped her hand, halting her motion. "Wae?"

"Be cautious, there could be poison. Don't consume it," Tiffany cautioned.

Seohyun chuckled as she took her seat, grabbed the spoon, and swiftly indulged in a bite of the stew. "Hmm, it tastes delicious, Unnie. I highly doubt he would taint this," she confidently affirmed.

"I totally agree! Let's appreciate this for once since he made an effort to help with our hangover. It's been ages since we've had Korean food—I've missed it," Jessica concurred with the younger girl, earning a scoff from Tiffany. "Come on, take your seat," she offered, pulling the chair beside her friend.

"No, wait a second." Concerned about her son, Tiffany searched for the trash bin and hurriedly sifted through it, looking for the business card she had tossed away the previous night.

"What are you up to, Unnie?" Seohyun inquired with curiosity, savoring each bite of her meal as it worked its magic in alleviating her hangover. 

Tiffany's face lit up with relief as she located Taeyeon's card, swiftly typing the number from it.

"She tossed Taeyeon's business card, Hyun," Jessica informed, recollecting the events from the previous night.

"I see. I'm sure he regretted it?"

"Yeah, kinda. Now that her son is with his father." She teasingly said.

Tiffany shot them a stern glare before ascending the stairs. Pressing the call button, she suddenly felt a surge of nervousness, prompting her to change her mind and cancel the call. Letting out a sigh, she took a seat on the edge of the bed and began to type her message.

Please tell me you are indeed with him.

Send me a photo of him.

It's Tiffany. 

It took a considerable amount of time before Taeyeon responded, sending a photo of Da-On standing in front of the kindergarten building.

He's happy he made it on time.

She sighed in relief and hesitantly replied to Taeyeon's response.

Thank you.

My pleasure, fany. ♥

I'll see you later.

She scoffed at the heart emoji in his message. Rather than responding, she contemplated what name to assign the number. "Ah, this one's fitting." She grinned mischievously while entering the name 'Ahjussi' in the contact ID.

"Yah, Tiffany! Get down here and grab some food. We're running late for work, you know," Jessica reminded her, bringing her back to reality. She hurriedly descended the stairs and joined her friends.

"You see, we're meeting our partners later after work, so make sure to get ready for it," Jessica added, earning a quiet nod from Tiffany.

"Whoa, good luck, Unnies. I'm sure you can handle it for a week," Seohyun expressed, hoping for a smooth week so that the boys would depart peacefully afterward.

"You're fortunate you weren't involved in this," Tiffany remarked, playfully knocking Seohyun's head.

"Nah, luck isn't on my side. Yoona promised to keep dropping by, so yeah, we're all in for a week of chaos," she remarked, eliciting laughter from the older girls.

***

"Better late than never," Yuri murmured to himself, determined to locate the farm mentioned by the head of the orphanage. Although his initial intention was to meet Jessica, he found himself redirected to the farm. Opting for a cab instead of his car, which Taeyeon had driven earlier than anticipated, Yuri pressed on with the hope of reaching his destination.

After a while, he eventually spotted the farm and approached one of the workers. "Good afternoon, sir. I'm in search of someone; could you possibly assist me? Her name is Jessica."

"Oh, Ms. Jung. She's not working here."

"Really? I thought I heard she's working here," he admitted, a hint of confusion coloring his expression.

"He meant Ms. Jung is working at the first station. This here is the second station, where we inspect and pack the flowers before dispatching them to clients in nearby towns," clarified the other worker.

"Oh, there are two stations. How do I get to the first one?" Yuri asked nonchalantly.

"That's about 3 kilometers from here. It might take a while for you to reach on your own. How about you join us? We'll be heading there shortly," suggested the other worker who was ready to go to the truck.

Yuri's face lit up with a smile as soon as the offer was extended. "Great, I don't mind at all," he responded. Within moments, he found himself comfortably settled at the back of the truck, surrounded by empty baskets awaiting the arrival of flowers. The exhilarating rush of the wind against his face brought immense joy, and he relished every moment of the high-speed ride that unfolded over the next 40 minutes.

Upon arriving at the first station, he was greeted with curious stares from the workers. Undeterred, he maintained a warm smile, scanning the vibrant sea of flowers in search of Jessica.

"Hello there, sir. How may I assist you?" Donghae inquired as he noticed a guest and approached.

"I was searching for Jessica. Is she around?" Yuri furrowed his eyebrows, directing his gaze at the young farmer.

Donghae scrutinized him from head to toe, taking note of his attire that exuded a sense of affluence through branded clothing. "She's out there, watering the roses," he conveyed, his tone tinged with a hint of insecurity.

Yuri's attention shifted to his left, where he spotted Jessica engrossed in her work. "Thanks," he uttered, not bothering to look at Donghae again as he eagerly jogged toward the industrious young woman. Along the way, he skillfully navigated past bees, avoided thorns from the roses, and sidestepped wet spots on the ground before finally reaching her.

"Took you two hours to get here," Jessica remarked, glancing at him. Having been informed by Ms. Park earlier, she wasn't surprised to see Yuri in her workplace at all.

"I didn't expect you to be working here before diving into the project," Yuri commented as he gradually approached her.

"It's a week; relax, Mr. Kwon." A giggle escaped Jessica's lips. "Want to join the work too?" And, daringly, she extended the water hose toward her guest.

"Yeah, I don't mind." Without hesitation, Yuri seized the hose, but to his surprise, the water burst out aggressively, prompting him to quickly release it. "What the—" He was startled, caught off guard by the unexpected spray.

Jessica chuckled softly as she picked up the hose. "You won't make it as a farmer if you react like that," she declared, lowering the water spray by releasing the hose's button.

"You planned that, didn't you?" Yuri scoffed.

"It's just a welcoming gesture to the place I've fallen in love with." A proud smile graced Jessica's lips. After two years as a flower farmer, she could foresee retiring as one. Her love for flowers ran deep, and she had no intention of trading it for anything or anyone.

Yuri was left speechless, especially when he observed the proud expression on Jessica's face. It was a side of her he hadn't seen before, and he found himself strangely drawn to it.

"Anyway, have you considered where to kick off the project?" Jessica continued the conversation as she watered the roses.

"You didn't work on it last night, didn't you?"

"I drink with my friends, so you should be the one responsible for today."

Yuri scoffed once again. "Seriously?"

"I mean, since you and your friend came up with the idea of volunteering, why not take the lead on the project?" Jessica slyly smiled, enjoying the opportunity to assert herself over Yuri. They were no longer in his domain, giving her the chance to take charge. "I'll support and help with whatever ideas you have," she added, casting a glance in his direction.

"I... haven't thought of it. I was expecting you to lead me instead." Yuri admitted.

"Tsk, likewise?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. You should head back out there; otherwise, this place might get the better of you," Jessica suggested as she walked towards Yuri. However, he remained motionless, and with an unintended gesture, she ended up accidentally soaking him with water.

"Yah, yah, yah, I'm here." Yuri grumbled, attempting to dodge the water, yet inevitably getting hit.

"I already gave you a heads up, come on." She chuckled softly, relishing the sight of his predicament. Without hesitation, she aimed the water hose at him, prompting him to hastily retreat. "Back off from my turf, or I might just water you as well as these flowers," she warned with a playful yet serious tone.

"Whatever," Yuri muttered, briskly jogging back to the tree, audibly grumbling about his damp state. He scoffed when he noticed Jessica's amused smile. "This is her idea of fun." However, a sudden realization made him smile too—it had been a while since he'd seen such a beautiful smile from her. He missed it, and he was genuinely glad to witness those radiant smiles again.

"Why don't you bring an extra shirt with you?" Donghae asked as he once again approached, extending a towel to Yuri. "Almost everyone around here does it that way, you know."

"I'm sorry; I genuinely had no clue she was armed with a water hose," Yuri admitted honestly. "Thanks for the towel, though. I had no inkling she'd unleash it on me like that."

"That means you're a close friend."

Yuri paused, casting a glance at Donghae. "I... yeah, I guess I am," he admitted with a giddy smile, running his fingers through his wet hair.

"Do you mind if I ask for your name?" Donghae took the opportunity to inquire.

"Kwon Yuri," he responded promptly. "And you?"

"Donghae. I manage the first station." 

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said, quickly rising and extending his hand. "I'm Jessica's friend. Thanks for looking out for her," he added, though he wished he could mention that he was her boyfriend.

Donghae smiled as they exchanged a gentle handshake. "You're not just here because of her, are you? I mean, aren't you captivated by the flowers too?"

"I do want to buy... wait, how about I order some flowers for the dog shelter we're planning to build at the orphanage?" Yuri suddenly had an idea and promptly suggested it to Donghae.

"A dog shelter?"

"You see, we have this project, and the flowers could enhance it, making the environment more comfortable for the dogs in their new home," he explained further.

Donghae glanced at Jessica. "Well, you have your friend to help you with that. She knows how to arrange flowers," he said, confident that the young woman would enjoy the idea.

"Really? That's actually a great idea!" Yuri exclaimed, his excitement evident at the thought of seeing it come to life in their dog shelter. Turning to Jessica, he noticed her looking their way, and he enthusiastically waved his hand in the air.

Jessica rolled her eyes, set the hose down, and was about to approach them when she caught murmurs from other female workers.

"Look at his muscles, oh my god, he's hot."

"The wet shirt was such a good