A/N: Hi! I’m back!!! Sorry for super delayed update! I just got busy with a translation project I had for my part-time job and I also had to do my home tutor work…so… anyway, at last, I can update and I’m quite happy for that… :D Thz all of u for reading, subscribing, voting and commenting! Wish I could see lovely comments from you in this chap, too! <3

Eric's POV

I lie down on the bed making the mattress sink down and turn my head towards the figure lying beside me. I feel relieved to see his

sleeping form. At least he can still sleep well after today’s incident. I remove strands of his hair covering one of his eyes and

his cheek gently while the incident is coming back to my head.

Flashback

I nearly flew out from my office to get back to my apartment. While driving, I cursed at the red traffic lights for the first time in my

life. My mom came into the scene at the unexpected time and I felt quite regretful for letting her know the password of my

apartment. But, why was she coming to my apartment at such time?

When I entered the apartment, I felt a cold and an awkward atmosphere around the two sitting in the living room face to face, with

a cup of coffee in front of mom. Pilkyo’s face literally beamed up when he saw me and flashed a weak smile although a nervous look

was still lingering in his eyes. He was even sitting in the stiffest position I had ever seen. On the other hand, my mom was in a rather

relaxed position reading a magazine and only looked up for a second acknowledging my presence.

“Mom?”

“Pilkyo-shi, can you give us some time?”

Both of us got startled with the calm yet firm voice of my mom and unintentionally looked at each other. Pilkyo gave me an

encouraging look before he turned back to the direction of my mom.

“Of course…Mrs. Mun…. So, if you let me leave….”

Then, he got up and walked towards the front door passing me on the way. He touched my back gently for a second, like a sign of

telling me to stay strong and disappeared behind the door with the click sound of the door.

“Mom?”

“Can’t you sit down first, Eric-ah?”

I let out a deep sigh before sitting in front of my mom and waiting for her to give some attention to me.

“So, I already knew his name….. Jung Pilkyo, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Mom…”

“He introduced himself… but he couldn’t answer when I asked his relationship with you…. and I realized somehow that he’s not

surely just your housekeeper… So…my son, I think you may have something to tell me….”

Mom looked at me only when she finished talking and gave me a kind of interrogative look. Well, that was why people usually say I

got my charisma from my mom. Her surprisingly calm expression made me freaked out more than the angry and yelling image I had

expected. But, I should have known better than this. Mom had never shown her anger openly with yelling like many other women.

At the present situation, I could not even guess if she was being angry or not.

“Well… I met him when I went to the island and… now he’s become alone so… I just took him in to… to stay with me…”

“So?”

“What, Mom?”

“That’s all? I don’t think you understand my question…Eric…”

“….”

“I want to know what he is for you…. Just an acquaintance? A friend? Or?”

 I looked down at the floor for a few seconds and breathed in deeply before lifting my eyes again.

“He’s someone I love… Mom…”

I catch a glimpse of surprise in her eyes for a millisecond but she controlled her feeling again before letting her voice out.

“What do you mean? Like you’re involving in some romantic relationship?”

“Yes… He’s my boyfriend and… he’s living with me at the moment…”

Even I got surprised with my confident and bold tone that I had not expected to get in front of my mom. Mom also looked flustered

with my words and stared at me for a few minutes. For me, those few minutes seemed like forever and I subconsciously let out a

breath when she started talking again.

“You know… You don’t have to be like this…”

“I don’t understand…”

“Ok… We know you had a hard time… but you don’t need to feel afraid of relationships with girls… just because a girl has left you

once…”

I looked at mom with bewilderment. How does a thought like this come into her mind? Because I got dumped by a girl, I became

afraid to deal with women and then I changed my direction to guys? That’s what she’s saying? What a ridiculous logic!

“No…Mom… I’ll say again… No… It’s not like that… I really love him… for no reason… It’s not an experiment and… it’s not just

comforting myself…”

She went silent after my words and just kept on giving me a look that was difficult to comprehend. Then, she stood up suddenly

while picking up her bag.

“I think we can’t go on this conversation more…”

“Mom?”

“We both are not ready to face this…. So just take your time…and think about it again… if you’re sure or not… and contact me only

when you’re ready to answer it again…”

“Mom, I can’t be more sure and serious than now…”

“Eric-ah, listen to me and just think about it again…You’re an adult and we gave you good knowledge and sense to survive… So, I

believe you’ll know what is the best for you… and I also need some time myself…”

She walked to the door and I followed her before she turned back to me.

“For now, let’s keep this away from your Dad, ok?”

I nodded slowly and she gave a faint smile while opening the door. As the door opened, we saw Pilkyo standing still in front of the

opposite side of my apartment, leaning to the wall. He lifted his lowering head when he heard the sound of door opening and bowed

immediately with the sight of my mom leaving.

“I’m leaving, Pilkyo-shi…”

“Please take care, Mrs.Mun…”

My mom just kept a poker face but she checked Pilkyo from head to toe for a few seconds and then left telling me not to send her

off till the parking lot and go back to the apartment. With the sight of her disappearing inside the elevator, I approached Pilkyo and

pulled him into my embrace.

“Got shocked, huh? Cause it’s so sudden…”

“No… Actually Eomonie is nicer than I thought…”

“Eomonie? Why didn’t you call her like that then?”

“Because I don’t know if she likes it or not… and I don’t know what you would told her about us…”

I pulled him away from me and looked straight to his eyes.

“You think I would tell some lies about us?”

“No… Eric-ah… but as you said, it’s so sudden…so…”

“I told her you’re someone I love…”

His eyes got wider after my outburst and I even chuckled at the sight of his adorably confused expression.

“You really told her like that? And… she didn’t say anything?... She even greeted me when she left… How come? How cannot she get

angry or….or at least annoyed? She accepted this that easily? She….”

“Oh my… Kyo-ah… You’ve got so many questions…Just go into the apartment first, shall we?”

I grabbed his hand and entered our apartment leading him to the dining table and making him sit before I poured some water for

both of us.

“Drink this and listen to what I’m saying, ok?”

He nodded and took the water glass obediently and sipped a little bit.

“I told her you’re my boyfriend and you’re living with me now... She may look calmer than you thought but it’s her style… She never

make a decision when she’s confused or angry with something… and well, she can control her feeling well, too… She told me to think

about it again and contact her after making my final decision because she also needs some time to think…That’s all…”

Pilkyo got mute for a few minutes and at last, he started to talk in a soft voice.

“She saw me when I was cooking for dinner in the kitchen and… of course, both of us got shocked to see each other… At first, she

thought of me as a housekeeper because I’m wearing an apron and cooking…That’s why she told you like that when she called you…

She asked me who I was… but I didn’t know what to answer… but thank God that you got here faster than I expected…”

He let out a sigh and lowered his head looking at his laps. I stood up before approaching him and pulling his head to lean on my

abdomen while I was his hair. Then, I felt his arms circling my waist and his head leaning more towards my body.

“So…Eric-ah…. What would be your final decision?”

“I have to answer this?”

“Why? You don’t want to answer?”

I pulled his head away from my body and sat down to make myself be able to look at his face.

“Yeah…. I don’t want to answer… cause it’s so obvious…. Of course… I’ll choose you no matter what… Actually, I already gave my

answer to my mom… I told her I’m sure about you and… my love for you… The fact that she didn’t take my words is beyond my

ability…”

He looked at me and cupped my face with his hands without saying anything. I knew that many thoughts were running in his head

and he was being worried and nervous like hell although he was not showing it. I put my hand over his and it gently while

giving him the most cheerful smile I could make at the moment.

“Don’t worry, Kyo-ah… I’ll make sure you won’t get hurt…”

He sighed and leaned his head towards mine before landing a soft peck to my lips.

“No… Eric-ah… Please make sure you’ll let me know when you get hurt…”

Although I promised him, even myself still do not know what we are heading to. I do not know my mom’s opinion, let alone my

father’s and when they know all about this, will they accept it or not? Maybe I will get disowned by my parents and have to let go all

of my properties. I feel a little uncomfortable thinking about this but it becomes worth when I catch a glimpse of the sleeping boy

beside me.

Oh…How I miss Pilkyo’s island! We did not have to care about this and that back there. There are only waves and us. Nothing more…