Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.

ミ★~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~★彡

Jieun’s POV

            About a month passed by since I last got to see Wooyoung publically. JYP insisted that we kept our distance, especially in public for now until our relationship was revealed in the spring, but despite the passing days spring still seemed just as far away. During our extensive time apart, I diligently worked on the finishing touches of each of my songs and even finished doing studio recordings of a few. On the side to pass the time, my manager found a dance instructor for me at Loen with possibly hopeless wishes that they could tone my dancing ‘skills’ by my first full length album release. I on the other-hand was not as optimistic, but my mind stayed willing. Today was Lunar New Years Eve in February, and I decided to pay my parents a surprise visit. I hadn’t visited them since Christmastime but during my short stay, it hadn’t been revealed that Wooyoung and I were together.

            “Are you sure this is the right street?” My manager asked, gripping on the steering wheel as her eyes monitored the house numbers posted above each house’s garage. I didn’t blame her for asking; my neighborhood would evidently appear shady to unfamiliar eyes.

            “Pull over here.” I directed, my finger tracing the house she had just missed by a metre. She backed up and parked along the curb, pulled her keys out of the ignition and the two of us made our way to my house. My steps were slightly ahead of my manager’s my eyes squinting to peek through the tinted windows of our living room. The television was on playing Star King, the usual program my dad watched to pass time. It seemed like they had no intentions of being festive this year. I slowly lifted my arm, my index finger inching closer to the door bell until it made contact and I pushed down. The door bell echoed loud enough to be heard from the outside, and soon after I could hear my mom’s scurrying footsteps growing louder. The moment the door swung open, my mom’s frustrated expression grew overjoyed and she pulled me in for a hug.

            “Aren’t you busy with your mini album? How can you afford time to come here?” My mom asked, ushering my manager and I into our living room where we both bowed politely to my dad. He seemed happy to see me but suppressed his smile. It just wasn’t in his personality to gush over his daughter’s visit, but he did turn off the television.

            “Eomma, did you forget? It’s New Years Eve. We always spend this day together.” I smiled, rushing to the kitchen as I tracked down the scent of freshly baked muffins escaping from the oven.

            “Just in time!” My mom smiled, grabbing an oven mitt from the counter and pulling the door open. My manager’s eyes widened as my mom arranged each muffin delicately on a large tray. I’ve grown accustomed to my manager’s sweet tooth and preference for baked goods.

            “Jieun-ah; why don’t you give your manager a quick tour of the house while I make a phone call? Here, have a muffin while you’re at it.” My mom suggested, sliding the tray towards us. My manager immediately grabbed a large muffin and we headed to the living room first. I could hear buttons dialing as we left, but it seemed all too suspicious. After all, our house was small and there wasn’t much to tour.

            By the time I finished showing my manager around the entire house—twice—my mom had finished her phone call and invited us to the table. The three of us sat down facing each other, ignoring my dad who sat like a couch potato with a classical mystery book glued to his hands.

            “So my lovely daughter, don’t you have something to tell me?” My mom eyed me suspiciously, resting her chin on the back of her palms with her elbows on the table. I thought for a moment; what was I forgetting to tell her? My manager stayed silent watching us as she nibbled hungrily on the muffin.

            “I don’t know what you mean,” I muttered, still trying to figure it out. I was just too happy to be sitting relaxed in the home I grew up in to think of much else.

            “Don’t worry about it. How about you two help me bake a special cake? Some guests will be coming in about two hours.” My mom declared, tying on her apron again. Every time she put on that apron she gave off the aura of a determined baker, almost as if she was bewitched. I didn’t want to question who the guests were; I was just excited to be given the opportunity to bake with my mom again.  It felt as if I was a little girl holding a wooden spoon in my hands for the first time. We were thirty minutes in when the doorbell rang. Curious and excited, I threw the wooden spoon down and dashed towards the door, swinging it open hard enough to make a loud slam against the wooden railing separating the entrance from the living room. The person that stood at the door was someone I missed for so long; the person whose smile always managed to put me at ease and gave me hope when I felt helpless. He had come alone but not empty handed as he handed me a small box, the appropriate size for jewelry.

            “Oppa! I said no presents!” I complained, trying to force the box back. He crossed his arms and shook his head still smiling.

            “It’s a souvenir from Canada. I thought it would suit you the most.” He explained as I eyed the dark blue box in my hands, curious but hesitantly.

            “Are you planning to stare at it until your eyes burn a hole through the box? Open it.” He joked. I listened, lifting the top half of the box open to reveal a beautiful silver chain with an intricately carved guitar in white gold. It was the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen.

            “Gomawo!” I thanked, giving him a quick squeeze. Once the door shut, my manager came rushing out, her fingers coated with flour.

            “Oh? Gomo?” He mumbled, his eyes growing bigger as my manager came closer.

            “Donghae Oppa, my manager is your Gomo?” I asked stupidly, eyeing the two of them. They looked nothing alike, but then again, nephews didn’t usually resemble their aunties. How the heck was this world so connected?

            “Ne. Gomo, when you said you were managing a bright young star I had no idea you meant my little dongsaeng here.” He smiled, patting me on the head like a dog. I was never jealous of the girls who had an older brother because I had Dongahe, and if anything he was probably better than a real older brother because the teasing and bullying isn’t half as severe.

            “Wait, so the nephew ditched me for to pick up at the airport that day was Donghae Oppa?” I asked for confirmation. She nodding, also awestruck at the realization. Right now it really felt like our family was complete, but I felt like something was still missing. I shrugged it off, leading the two back to the kitchen table. My mom insisted she would finish the cake on her own. When it came to baking she was a perfectionist, and even complained that my mixing was too gentle and that my manager’s hands made everything too sloppy. The two of them were just catching up as I listened amused; almost losing track of time when the door bell finally rang again.

            “I’ll get it.” I announced, jumping from my seat to the front door expecting only more relatives. Not bothering to peek through the eye hole, I pulled the door open greeting,

            “Annyeongha—“The sight of the person before me stunned me from head to toe. My mind blanked—it felt as if I were just some misplaced ragdoll.

            “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” He sighed, fiddling with the long sleeves of his jacket. 

A/N: Here comes my next rush of updates. You all know what that means right? Tonight Dare to Desire will be coming to an end! Please keep reading until the end and drop some comments ^^!