Since Norma dialed 911 before, the backups arrived anyway. Right now Junsu’s hand was being wrapped with a bandage by a nurse and Norma was sitting aside. A band aid was already put on her cheek. She was sitting on the bench watching Junsu’s hand observantly.

“Why are you looking at my hand like this?”       Junsu asked without looking at her with a chuckle. The nurse smiled and left the room.

“Your wound seems very serious; otherwise so many wraps wouldn’t have been needed.”           She stated looking at him.

“It’s nothing. As a police officer, wounds like this would be expected. You should call your son.”

Norma nodded; standing up and left the room. Junsu saw her dialing her phone outside in the corridor near the window. Junsu wondered so many things about her which particularly relates to her domestic life. Of course her professional life too; he recalled the information that she suddenly left the hotel she used to work at.

You are very confusing Norma Jin…

Junsu saw her hanging up; he got off the bed and walked outside himself to her; she saw him coming but did nothing as expected by everyone. She was supposed to lecture of not coming out of the room or rush to help him. But to Norma it was only a mere thing.

It’s just a scratch….

“Is your son worried?”     he asked looking outside the window.

“He was at first but he said not to be too late.”

“You should probably go home now; you are looking blue already. Your car is outside right?”

“Yes; what about you? Did you tell your relatives?”

“Not yet but soon will.”

“Then I will be going. Thank you for your help officer.”

“Not again…”    he whined with a forced smile.

“What?”    she got nervous with that reaction.

“I think we have known each other long enough to address informally. Call me Junsu from now on and I insist.”     He pressured.

“Then its only polite to let you address me similarly.”

“Oh so that’s why you don’t want to call me by my name.”    he laughed.

“What?”

“You don’t want me to call you Norma.”    He joked.

“Oh of course not! I mean…that’s not the issue here. You can call me Norma if you want.”     Norma reacted with panick. She clearly didn’t get his joke.

“You’re funny…”      he ended with a giggle and a light smile.      “Its getting late. You have to go home.” 

“Of course. Thank you again.”    She stopped but then Junsu gave a questioning look to her. She looked back with the same face not getting what this look meant.         “Is there something wrong?”         she asked.

“My name…”

“Oh right. Thank you Junsu.”

“You’re welcome Norma.”     He laughed again.

She nervously laughed back and turned to leave.

Funny man…too funny…but he’s the only one who hasn’t gotten my name wrong.

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Jihoon was in his school writing randomly on his notebook during free time. Jumi, the curious kid, peeked into what he was doing without his notice. Jihoon kept writing until Jumi suddenly sneezed shocking him.

“Jumi! Cover your mouth; you scared me!”     he stated being  annoyed.

“Sorry. What are you doing?”     she sweetly asked.

“Just drawing.”    He went back to his drawing again.

“So when are you moving out?”    she asked.

“Soon. By tomorrow I guess.”

“Hmm. How is Aunt Norma doing?”  

“She got into an accident last night. Fortunately a police man arrived in time to save her.”

“Is she hurt?”

“A little. She has a cut on her face and she looks a little blue.”

“Hope she is feeling well.”    Jumi stated sincerely.

“Yeah, me too.”

Jihoon concentrated on his drawing again. He sketched a bird with not so much detail but tried to put real looking feathers on the wings with the darkest shades.

Mimi is a better artist than I am…

He stopped drawing…him remembering Mimi was isolating his mind. He wanted to see her again; he missed her.

“Is something wrong Jihoon?”

“Huh? No, nothings wrong.”   He smiled sweetly at her and went back to his drawing. But then he recalled something about Jumi.     “Jumi?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for listening to me and helping me.”

“You are welcome.”

“Ok class settle down!”    the teacher entered and the students got back to their seats. Jihoon put his notebook in his bag while Jumi went back to her seat.      “Ok class more than half a month is over and you know we will provide an attendance to your parents or guardians. Make sure they’re here because this will allow you to sit for your exams for grade three. Hope you bring your parents or else you’ll be stuck in grade 2.”

“Yes Miss!”    all the children chorused along with Jihoon. He had exams after a few days. He should be prepared for this.

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Ga-in kicked her wheels angrily. Norma wasn’t living here anymore and the employees said she left work. Of course she had been lied to but she didn’t realize that. Ga-in dialed Narsha.

“Yes Ga-in.”   Narsha immediately received it.

“Norma isn’t here! The landlady said she left! The hotel says she left work! Why would she leave home and quit work?! Doeant make sense at all!! Something’s wrong! I think they’re lying and something is threatening them not to speak the truth…”    Ga-in muttered.

“I can sense that but we cant simply make an appointment with the Kims and accuse him of this. This is clearly personal matter…also…even if we could…we wont be able to and you very well know why.”    Narsha mumbled.

“Of course…” 

 I’m an heir to the Sons and I cant do anything to put my family in shame…afterall they were kind enough to adopt me.

“I cant do it as well. I have to think about my family too. It would have been fine if they were my real parents.”     Narsha pointed out.

Ga-in wiped in frustration and sighed        “So….what do we do? We cant just leave her.”

“We find her through other means. Search the name Jin anywhere. It would have been easier if we knew where Jihoon studied.”

“Yeah…I gotta go. I’ll let you know.”

“Got it. Bye.”

“Bye….”

Ga-in hung up; stepping in her car and drove off.

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Today was the first day and it was already busy. Norma couldn’t take a break from cooking at all. Orders kept coming in and they were in a hurry to finish it. None of the cook actually expected so many customers and it wasn’t even lunch time yet.

“This is our rush hour.”    The woman next to her huffed tiringly.

Norma chuckled seeing her annoyed side.

“Oh don’t laugh. I know you’re tired too, you just aren’t complaining about it.”

“I cant even if I want to. I got a son to feed.”     She stated casually

“How old is that kid of yours?”

“Just turned 7 and he’s in grade 2.”

“I have a daughter but she’s 15 and she’s a brat.”    The woman chuckled.

“Well I was a brat too when I was 15; I’m sure you were too.”

“Yeah yeah; by the way who’s the father?”

“His father died when he was about months in a car accident.”  

“Oh I’m so sorry. It must have been tough for you to raise him alone since your husband died so early.”

Norma stopped for a moment hoping not to choke. But then she laughed out loud catching much attention of her fellow waiters and waitresses who were coming in with empty trays.

“It has been tough…”    she avoided the husband part.

“Were you two married that early?”

She seriously didn’t know what to answer. Mrs. Lee knew her son was a foster one but she didn’t know whether her fellow mates knew even some of it as in her son is a foster one.

“Didn’t boss tell you?”    Norma asked instead.

“Tell me what?”

“I’m not married and Jihoon is my foster son.”

“Oh! My bad…sorry! I uh…shouldn’t have assumed.”

“Ah that’s fine. I feel good when somebody says Jihoon is my blood son.”

“So his name’s Jihoon.”

“Yep, Jin Jihoon.”

“JJ…sounds catchy.”

Norma smiled getting back to her work.

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Jaejoong was standing near the apartment building leaning on his car not sure whether he should enter it. He tapped his fingers on the glass few seconds then he mustered up the courage. He heaved in and entered the building.

He used the elevator to go to his floor and stepped out once it reached there. He walked towards the number 13 on the door and just stood there.

His hand reached the bell switch but then he seized it. He gulped once and reached for it again; he took it back again gulping the second time.

“Alright Kim Jaejoong, ring the bell already.”    He mumbled and reached for the bell but the door was already opened by a man in his 50s. he stood there dumbstruck looking at the older man before him. He older man smiled lightly seeing the younger one with so much confusion.

“Come in Jaejoong.”      He softly spoke. His voice was unlike his son’s, soft and deep, not squeaky.    

Jaejoong entered the house looking everywhere. It has been a long time since he last came here. The house had changed; few decorations had been removed and some furniture had been replaced. The apartment looked simpler and whiter.

But then the pictures were still there.

“How is your mother?”     the older one asked.

“Healthy.”    Jaejoong mumbled.

“Good, want something?”    

“Huh? No nothing, thanks anyway.”      Jaejoong mumbled looking at the pictures.

“You come to your uncle’s house and you say you want nothing? That’s not right. I’ll make you pineapple pie.”     His uncle shook his shoulder like a Hawaiian with a glee on his face.

Jaejoong looked at his uncle poker faced seeing such change in the mood. His uncle was always the silent and wise type not the clown type.

“No uncle its fine.”    Jaejoong mumbled again nervously but before he said that his uncle already scurried in the kitchen like a woman. Jaejoong face palmed himself for even visiting. Nevertheless he smiled to himself and went to the kitchen seeing his uncle wearing the apron and getting ready to bake.

“Shall I help you uncle?”     Jaejoong asked.

“Oh no, if you do, I wont be doing anything besides lazing off. You helped out a lot when you were younger but now you’re a grown up man and making you cook s will ruin my imagination of you as a business man hehe.”

Jaejoong chuckled at his funny laugh which was similar to Junsu’s. It would have been better if he were here now.

“So I heard you found your nephew. How did it go?”     he asked while preparing the hot water.

“Quite fine actually.”      He leaned on the wall looking at his uncle.

“Who does he look like more?”    his uncle turned to look at him.

“His father of course.”      Jaejoong snapped.

“ He he, how old is he?”      His uncle turned back to resume his work.

“He’s 7 and in grade 2.”

“Who’s he been with all this time?”

“A friend of his birth mother.”

“Do you plan on getting him home?”     he was asking too many questions.

“Yes and very soon.”      Jaejoong answered additionally before he could ask another one.

“Whats his name?”     he asked another one nevertheless.

“Jihoon.”

“JIhoon…Nice name and adds in the family word too; you know Your father Jaeil, your name Jaejoong, my name Jaesin and Junsu.”

It would have been better if Junsu was here; at least he could shut his father up.

“When is Junsu coming home?”

“At night. He always comes home late. Last night he wounded his hand saving a woman; I told him not to go to work today. You should have told me you were coming otherwise I could have told him about it; then he wouldn’t have left for work.”

“He injured his hand? Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Who knows? I thought he did but I just knew this morning and I couldn’t tell you during your office time. You’re always so busy.”     his uncle stated while making the dough.

Jaejoong observed his uncle making the pie. He had so many things to say to the man but something was stopping him; his cousin Junsu.

“Uncle?”

“Hmm.”

“You could have just visited me in the office. Why didn’t you?”      Jaejoong softly asked.

“Well its obvious isn’t it? You’re busy and I cant bother you while you work. After all, it’s all for your company.”     His uncle stated while putting the raw pie in the oven.

“Then you could have visited mother at home. Or at least just…come home.”

His uncle wiped his hands after washing them and looked at him leaning on the counter.

“I cant just drop by your home whenever I want. Its inappropriate.”      He smiled at Jaejoong.

“Did you even listen to yourself?”    Jaejoong asked his face turning grim.

“Listen to what?”

“Your company; your home…its all just mine. Nothing is yours; all mine. Am I right?”      His tone turned firm and cold.

“Jaejoong I didn’t mean like that…”     his uncle straightened up his face softened.

“No I get it. The company isn’t yours and the house was Never yours! You’re just a stranger to us! You need appointments to see me at my office and inform mother to visit at home! Home, which was yours and always yours! It was never ours uncle!”     he loudly stated angrily.

“Jaejoong calm down dear…”

“You were supposed to be the heir to the company; not my father! You were the first born! Junsu was supposed to be in my place!”

“Junsu is happy as he is son…”

“DON’T CALL ME SON! IF YOU THOUGHT OF ME AS YOUR SON YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE LEFT!”

His uncle, Jaesin, astoundingly goggled at his sudden outburst. He left his apron unopened and tried to approach his nephew but Jaejoong backed away.

“You! You left us! You left me when I needed you the most! You left my mother when she needed you to share the burden when my father died! If you haven’t left with that…”    Jaejoong shut his eyes tight not trying to spill the most hurtful thing. He heaved in and looked at Jaesin.      “I am alone because you left…you were the coward one. I could have been free like Junsu, I could have done something much worthwhile….only if you hadnt left…”

Jaesin looked away as if he had been unaware of this for a long time. He stared back at Jaejoong, his eyes glistening warning to pour out any time.

He only had one thing to say…

“I’m sorry Jaejoong. I didn’t know my decision would change so much…”

“Well it did…and I am now stuck in this wretched company with pressures coming in all around me!”

“Then quit…if you don’t like it…quit like I did.”

Jaejoong’s eyes got narrower in anger and in disgust. He was never expecting his uncle to say that. He was expecting something else.

“As always, a coward, a quitter. I WAS EXPECTING YOU TO COME BACK AND TAKE OVER BUT YOU STILL PERSIST ON GOING ON WITH YOUR MISERABLE LIFE!!!”

Jaejoong rushed out of the kitchen and opened the door.

“Jaejoong! Don’t leave please!”    he held Jaejoong’s shoulder but Jaejoong shrugged it off harshly and slammed the door behind him.

Jaesin stood there his heart broke for his nephew’s sadness. Never before he knew about this; if he did he would have gotten him out sooner. But he thought they would need the company to provide finance.

He fell on the floor forgetting the pineapple pie in the oven.

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Son Ga-in, an orphan mate of Norma Jin and a straight forward woman. she never liked men like Yoochun and always despised snobs. She hated Jessica once in her lifetime and still wonders why Norma always loved her. Narsha is the closest to her out of the entire friend circle.