The days slipped slowly into weeks, the weeks evolving into months as winter turned into spring and spring into summer. The cherry blossoms had long sense bloomed and fallen, the sky had cried tears of rain upon the opening of summer and the air was humid and thick with leftover moisture. The city of Seoul was ripe with noise; cars and people, children and dogs. Three people specifically were full of laughter as they chased each other around the playground. The little girl’s giggles mingled with the louder chuckles of the two adults as they raced after her, the girl barely escaping behind a slide.

“Mommy catch me!” Soo Jin raced away again. “You can’t get me Joonie!”

Yoon Hee and Joon took off after the little girl, their breaths puffing out in the humid heat, the chuckles still rich and full in the summer air. Joon reached over and took Yoon Hee’s hand and together they drew nearer to the giggling child.

Letting go of Yoon Hee’s hand Joon put on a burst of speed and scooped Soo Jin up, her peals of delighted laughter music to his ears. He swung her around once, then again before he set her down on her feet and took her hand. Soo Jin, however, tugged on his hand when he made to move back to Yoon Hee who was standing a ways away watching them.

“What is it Soo Jin?”

“Mommy’s birthday is in three days.”

Joon was startled. He hadn’t even thought to ask when Yoon Hee’s birthday was and now that he knew a little ball of guilt bounced around inside him. Her birthday fell on the same day he had left for training the year before. Why hadn’t she told him? If he had known he would have found a way to celebrate with her before he left.

“Soo Jin?”

“Yeah?”

“Was your mommy sad when I missed her birthday last year?”

Soo Jin nodded, her eyes saddening as she remembered her mother crying on her birthday instead of being happy. “She was very sad. Mommy didn’t even make herself a cake.” She squeezed his hand and Joon turned his gaze from Yoon Hee to her daughter. “I was sad too when you weren’t here on my birthday and Christmas. I turned a whole year older while you were gone.”

His heart broke at the wispy sadness in her voice. He knew that his leaving couldn’t have been helped, but it was still no reason to have forgotten to at least send something for Soo Jin on her birthday and Christmas. His feelings of guilt double and he knew he needed to make it up to the both of them.

He let Soo Jin lead the way back to Yoon Hee and together they left the park as the sky began to turn into the hues of sunset. A plan began formulating in his mind and he wanted to get home to talk to the others. He knew he could count on his friends to help him, plus it was now time to come full circle with his relationship with Yoon Hee and this plan of his was the perfect chance to do so. His heart beat a little bit faster at the thought.

“Leave everything to us Joon.” Seung Ho was more than willing to help him with his little plan. “You just go and do whatever shopping you need to do and the others and I will do the rest.”

Even though he knew that he could count on the others to help him a sense of relief washed through him. He had told his leader his entire plan and Seung Ho had listened and agreed. Joon had felt a moments dread when he had told him about the one special part of the plan thinking that his leader would advise against it, but when his friend had only smiled he had felt a weight lift from his heart.

Joon knew that if things went as he hoped then there might be some controversy, but he believed in his fans, in their love and support and he hoped that they’d understand and not cause a big riot over it. The memory of his friend Onew telling him about Minho’s relationship flashed through his mind and it was enough to make him shudder in dread, but so far his fans had been totally understanding and supportive of his relationship with Yoon Hee and he could only hope that they continued to be that way.

Pushing those thoughts away he left Seung Ho and the others to plan their part of the event and he left, his steps a little bouncy and a silly grin on his face as he pulled out the list he had made when he had first arrived back home. Outside he looked up at the sky and noted that it wasn’t quite that late and that he had plenty of time to get what he needed before the shops began closing for the evening.

He rushed to the bus stop just as the bus pulled in and once inside he settled himself in his seat and glanced over the list once again, his eyes straying to one particular item he knew he would pick with special care.

Yoon Hee woke and glanced at the clock. It was barely nine in the morning and it seemed that her Saturday morning was going to begin early. Soo Jin stirred as she shift to stand and her sleepy eyes opened. Yoon Hee smiled down at her. “Why don’t you get a little more sleep? I’ll make breakfast.”

“No that’s okay Mommy. It’s your birthday and I want to spend the entire day with you.”

Her heart swelled with love for her sweet little girl. Although her life had been riddled with misfortune she knew she could always count on Soo Jin to brighten her day and make her feel better.

With Soo Jin’s help they made a quick breakfast and once it was consumed and the dishes cleared away they changed their clothes. Just as Yoon Hee was running a brush through her daughter’s hair there came a knock on the door. Setting the brush aside she rose from her place and opened the door only to see a large bouquet of flowers blocking the face of whoever stood there.

She took the flowers that were into her hands and she felt a smile break out as she caught sight of Joon. “Thank you. They’re very pretty.”

“Happy Birthday.”

Yoon Hee was startled that he even knew it was her birthday, but a glance at her daughter as se closed the door told her just how Joon knew. She shook her head at Soo Jin’s mischievous smile then turned to find the large vase she kept for the wildflowers that Soo Jin often picked her.

Settling the flowers on the table she finally turned to Joon and when he opened his arms she went into them willingly and felt a rush of love as his arms came around her and held her close. She felt Soo Jin’s arms wrap around her from behind and she stood there sandwiched between the two people she cherished the most in the world.

Joon pulled away first and smiled down at her. “I have the entire day planned out. Say you’ll come with me. You and Soo Jin.”

Soo Jin began bouncing up and down, her arms still around Yoon Hee and it caused Yoon Hee to giggle at the girls antics.

“Can we Mommy? Please? Please!”

“I don’t see why we can’t. We don’t have any other plans for the day.”

Joon and Soo Jin let out identical sounds of delight that had Yoon Hee shaking her head at the pair of them. She told Soo Jin to put on her shoes and Joon waited patiently while she and her daughter slipped on sandals. “Alright Joon, we’re ready when you are.”

“Then let’s go.”

Soo Jin skipped ahead of them as they headed towards the giant fountain in the center of the park. It seemed to Yoon Hee that Joon was determined to stop at the beautiful fountain, but she didn’t question him. She was quite content with how the day had been going and was even more curious on what he still had planned for the rest of the day, but for now she quietly followed along beside him, hand in hand.

At the fountain Joon took out a handful on coins and handed one to both Soo Jin and Yoon Hee, keeping several for himself thinking that he needed more than one to make his wish more powerful. “Alright let’s all make a wish before we head to the last part I have planned.”

Joon watched as both Soo Jin and Yoon Hee closed their eyes and after a moment or two of thought tossed the coins into the fountain. He closed his eyes then and thought of his own wish and then he tossed all the coins in at once.

Yoon Hee watched with interest as he tossed in the coins. “Why did you toss in so many?”

“I need all the help I can get for my wish.”

“Are you going to tell me what you wished for?”

“Mommy you know wishes don’t come true if you tell someone.”

Joon nodded his head in agreement. “Soo Jin is right. My wish won’t come true if I tell you and I want this particular wish to definitely come true.”

Curiosity eating away at her Yoon Hee pouted, but let the subject go. She figured she’d find out sooner or later what he wish was if it came true. For now, however, he was leading them away from the fountain and back towards the company van and the driver that waited for them patiently.

When they pulled up in front of the building that housed the dance studio where they had spent Christmas the year before last Yoon Hee was growing frustrated with curiosity. Just what could Joon have planned now?

She let him lead her and Soo Jin inside, but for some reason he didn’t turn on any lights as they made their way through the evening darkened building. Yoon Hee followed behind him blindly, Soo Jin holding her hand tightly as they moved through the dark.

Finally Joon came to a stop and Yoon Hee bumped into him. “Sorry.”

“This last part is a bit of a mix of things, but I had a lot to make up for.”

Yoon Hee didn’t understand what he meant, but the moment he opened the door and she saw what lay beyond inside the room she understood just how much effort and thought he put into it. Pulling her daughter along with her, she took a deep breath to hold back the tears and stepped into the room.