Mark woke up with a hazy vision. He grimaced at the dryness in his throat. Beeping sounds pulsed and bright lights seeped through his eyelids. His vision adjusted and he moved to find his muscles tensed. Just what happened? He stretched lightly to feel something warm wrapped around his left hand.

Soomin? Soomin! A sense of panic overtook his body as he adjusted his body to face her without moving his hand. They were in the hospital. But how? He stormed them out of Fantasi into the alleys and then his mind drowsed, and his breath shortened. Then, he don’t remember anything. That bastard meant to drug Soomin. She’d always been carefree and easy-going with anyone. This situation was exactly what he feared.

He curled inward and adjusted his head to rest on his shoulder. His heartbeat calmed as he watched her slowly breathing, her shoulders went up and down. The corner of his lips curled into a smile. She didn’t take off his hoodie. Hopefully that meant she didn’t dislike him as much as he thought.

Soomin stretched her stiff neck and snuggled closer to the blanket. The unfamiliar scent of the blanket forced her awake. Cushion? Terrified at the sudden comfort, she jumped to find herself lying on top of the hospital bed, alone. Where was Mark?

“He’s discharged. He must be changing.”

Soomin slid off the bed and folded the blanket used to warm her. As she set the neatly folded blanket down, a pair of hand s around her waist and drew her against a warm chest.

Mark.

Only Mark gave her that sense of intimacy. He snuggled into the crook of her neck and showered kisses onto her neck. “I’m sorry.”

She crouched inward at the familiar yet strange sensation of his hold, his lips.

Running wasn’t an easy task. She met many people and tried to date, but her mind always returned to their memories. She searched for someone who’d love her, yet she didn’t allow anyone to love her.

Since they left the hospital, she did not say a word to him. He held her hand tight. He squeezed her hand a little more, afraid she’d slip if he accidentally loosened. He squeezed once more. Today his determination filled with spirit. He’d tell her everything. Whether she’d find his reasoning a coward, an excuse, anything she could possibly feel, he’d take it as it come.

He stopped outside a daycare center and nervously turned to Soomin. The weary look on her face, he couldn’t tell if she lacked sleep or something deeply troubled her. Either way, he wouldn’t prolong this matter any longer. His mouth opened—

“Uncle!” A small child ran toward them with his big backpack jumping side to side.

Mark kneeled with one opened arm, unwilling to let go of Soomin’s. “Oh…it’s little Allen.”

He showered the little boy with kisses on his cheeks before picking him up to level them with Soomin.

Allen? Ally? Was the kid related to Ally? Soomin’s pair of hawk eyes zoomed in on Allen. Was this how Mark’s and Ally’s child look like? Though Soomin never saw Ally, she must look like this little kid. Small yet wide eyes, defined nose, and small lips. His hair was thick in light waves, bouncy like him.

Soomin fought her hand out of Mark’s grip as the memories of Ally’s back flashed before her. Allen wrapped his arms around Mark’s neck as Soomin’s frown deepened. “Uncle is this scary auntie your girlfriend?”

Mark looked at Soomin and her face softened as if she didn’t want to scare the child.

“How did you know?” Mark asked with a wide grin.

“Mommy said you are seeing a girl,” Allen giggled.

Soomin frowned again. Had she always been a topic for them to freely gossiped about?

“Come on, let’s go home,” Mark pulled them toward the residence of Namu City.

A week after Soomin found Mark and Ally together, a week after their argument, he disappeared. Since then, she never saw him again until recently. He wasn’t there for her graduation as he promised.

Ally’s back, that was all Soomin saw of this woman that day. Afterward, Mark tried to explain the situation using her name. That was how she knew who this person was. The person his parents approved of and the person he left her to care for.

Little Namu. The name of the place Mark brought her for porridge. She once again stood outside the entrance to the c