To make things easier for Haneun, the tutoring session with Hansol was moved to the weekends. After much persuasion, Hansol finally agreed and here Haneun was, standing in front of the front door, waiting for someone to answer the door. A middle-aged man opened the door and greeted Haneun.

Just then, a woman came down the stairs, prim and properly dressed. She looked at Haneun and smiled softly. "Hello," she greeted. "Who might you be?"

"Ah...I'm Lee Haneun from Seoul Academy. I'm here to tutor your son," Haneun explained.

"Byungjoo? I didn't know Byungjoo needed a tutor," the woman frowned. 

Hansol came out from the living room, holding a textbook in his hand. He frowned immediately when he saw the woman and grabbed Haneun's hand, pulling her up the stairs. "Oh...nice to meet you, Mrs Kim!" Haneun said as she stumbled after Hansol. "Yah Kim Hansol! It hurts...let go of me!"

Hansol ignored Haneun's shouts and pulled her into his room. He slammed the door shut and locked it, glaring at Haneun. "Don't talk to that woman next time."

"Yah, isn't it a little rude to call your mother that woman?"

"Who said she's my mother?!" 

Haneun blinked, feeling a little scared. Sure Hansol had dumped lunch all over her before. And several times in class, he had thrown many things at her head, including nearly throwing a pair of scissors at her once. But never had Haneun seen Hansol so angry like this before. "Oh yeah...she called Byungjoo-sshi her son..." she mumbled. "Is Byungjoo-sshi your brother?"

"You are here to tutor me. Who is my family does not concern you," Hansol said harshly. He sat down on his bean bag and opened his textbook. "Now are we going to start the session or what?"

"Even if you don't tell me, I can guess what's going on," Haneun said. She moved closer to Hansol and grinned at him. "That woman...she's not your mother but Byungjoo-sshi's and you don't like her...she must be your father's second wife! Am I right? That makes Byungjoo-sshi your half-brother but you don't like them because you feel like they've destroyed your happy family. I thought these things only happen in drama but to think that it's true," Haneun giggled.

"Is it funny?" 

Hansol grabbed Haneun's hair and pulled her face close.

"You think my family matters is funny to you? Are you laughing at the fact that my father no longer loves my mother and married that commoner? Are you laughing because I have a sh*t-head half-brother that my father loves more? Are you laughing at me?"

Haneun slapped Hansol's hand away and rubbed her head. "Why would I laugh at you? Don't act like you're the most unfortunate person in the world," Haneun frowned at him. She moved away and laid on her tummy, opening her textbook and started doing her homework. "Rich people always think that they're so unlucky when one bad thing happens to them..."

"What are you talking about?" Hansol asked, throwing a pillow at Haneun. "If you're unhappy with me, just say it to my face."

"Isn't it true? Your father remarried and you think that's the worst thing that's ever happened to you," Haneun mumbled to herself. "Byungjoo-sshi told me that his mother only married your father after your mother passed away. But Byungjoo-sshi is your age...how does that work? Ne, why don't you tell me your story?"

"What do you like to eat?" 

Haneun blinked. "Bulgogi..."

"Bulgogi?" Hansol asked and pulled his phone out. "Yah, get me bulgogi. Now," he said before hanging up. "You'll hate bulgogi when you go home today."

Haneun's eyes widened. "Yah! I'm only trying to get to know you! Why do you like dumping food on people so much? It's very wasteful..."

"What a commoner way of thinking," Hansol rolled his eyes, leaning into his bean bag. "Are all commoners so nosy?"

"We're not nosy. It's our way of caring," Haneun said. "What if I shared my story with you? Will you tell me then?"

"What story would a commoner have that will interest me?" Hansol asked. "Are you going to tell me what a happy family you have and that I should be more like you, spreading love and care?"

Haneun looked at Hansol and let out a huge sigh. "My father died when I was ten," she said softly. "Before he died, he used to beat my mother. He was a drunk and didn't work. My mother had to take care of the family even when she was heavily pregnant. Before my brother was born, my dad was involved in a car accident and died. 

"All he left us was a huge debt. I did little errands for our neighbours to earn a little money and I have at least three part time jobs now to support my family. Before I had part time jobs, we rarely have three full meals a day which is why we don't waste any bit of food by dumping them on people. I haven't celebrated my birthday since I was ten because that would mean that my mother would have to waste money on presents and a cake.

"I'm not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me. I just want you to understand that...just because your father remarried, it doesn't justify you letting your anger out on others, especially Byungjoo-sshi. There are other people out there who have it worse than you do," Haneun said. "And...we've wasted a day today. I'll see you in school," she said, getting up.

Hansol watched her packed her things but said nothing, letting her go. "Stupid commoner...making me feel bad..."

~Few days later~

Haneun walked into the classroom and headed for her desk. As she was walking up to her desk, she saw Hansol and Byungjoo already in their seats. Byungjoo greeted her like always while Hansol had a book opened on his face and was snoring softly. Haneun was used to it already and just sat at her table.

As she took out her books, she realised that there was a mug of coffee on her desk, still steaming hot. She picked the mug up and smiled softly at the Rilakkuma merchandise. 

Byungjoo nudged Hansol gently, waking up his half-brother who reacted by threatening to hit Byungjoo with the book but Byungjoo pointed at Haneun just in time. Hansol looked at Haneun and smirked softly to himself, watching as she admired the mug before going back to sleep.

"Byungjoo-sshi, did you see who put this on my desk?" Haneun asked, holding the Rilakkuma mug in front of Byungjoo's face.

The two were walking together to have lunch. After Haneun began tutoring Hansol, he was more lenient about her having lunch in the cafeteria and Haneun finally found someone to have lunch with her. Byungjoo was the only person who didn't stare at her lunchbox.

"Um...no," Byungjoo lied. He blinked profusely and looked away from Haneun. "I didn't..."

Haneun gave him a look but Byungjoo once again insisted that he didn't see who it was who gave her the coffee mug. Haneun decided to let it go and they went to their usual table in the corner, hidden away from everyone else. Just as Haneun pulled her lunchbox, someone snatched it from her from behind.

A tray was placed in front of her with beef bulgogi on a plate. Haneun looked up and saw Hansol joining them at their corner table instead of sitting at his table in the middle of the cafeteria like always. "Eat up, it's Korean beef," Hansol said flatly.

Haneun looked down at the beef bulgogi before staring at her lunchbox in Hansol's hand. He saw her staring and stared back, raising an eyebrow. "Um...I already have a lunch," she said, pointing at the lunchbox. "It's no Korean beef but it's still very delicious."

"I shall be the judge of that," Hansol stated and opened up the lunchbox, eating it right in front of Haneun. "This is trash. You shouldn't be eating this," he said and pushed the beef bulgogi closer to her. "Eat up."

Haneun was about to argue but Byungjoo stopped her, telling her to just eat the lunch Hansol gave her. Although the Korean beef was delicious, Haneun was still a little upset that Hansol stole her lunch from her. She kept staring at him as he polished off her lunch before dumping the empty lunchbox back to her.

This phenomenon continued on for the next few days until Haneun completely submitted to Hansol and automatically handed her lunchbox over when it was lunch time and just ate whatever Hansol gave her. 

As the days past, it was time for yet another tutor session and Haneun pressed the doorbell, waiting for the butler to answer. She entered and was greeted like always. The butler told her that Hansol was in his room and Haneun went up the stairs, knocking on his bedroom door.

It took Hansol quite a while to open the door but when he did, Haneun noticed right away that something was wrong. His face was red and he looked extremely tired. He could barely keep his eyes open, let alone stand up. Just as Haneun thought he was looking a little weak, Hansol collapsed on her.

"Yah!" 

Haneun caught him but since he was heavier than her, she was having a little difficulty holding him up. She somehow managed to lie him on the floor before getting her hands under his arm and dragged him over to his bed. She placed his arm around her shoulders and lifted him, with a lot of hardship, onto his bed.

Haneun panted softly, touching Hansol's forehead gently. "Aish...you're ill," she muttered. "Yah, are you dead yet?"

"Eomma..."

"Eomma? Yah, get it right, I'm Lee Haneun. I'm not your eomma. You're seriously ill."

While Hansol kept mumbling 'eomma', Haneun put down her things, going into Hansol's en suite bathroom. She got a small towel off the rack and wet it with cold water. She wrung the water out and folded it neatly before going out and placed the towel on Hansol's forehead. She even took his jacket off, leaving him in his t-shirt and pulled the duvet over his body.

"Ah...do I cover you or not?" she asked herself, staring at him. "Cover...eomma always say you need to sweat it out," she nodded and stuck with her decision to cover Hansol with the duvet. "Ah...temperature. Yah, Kim Hansol, where do you keep the thermometer?"

Hansol frowned slightly and smacked Haneun in the head.

"Yah!" Haneun shouted but Hansol only frowned more. "I shall forgive you because you're ill. I'll ask your butler then," she said, getting up and left his room.

While hunting for the butler, she bumped into the woman from before; Byungjoo's mother. "Oh, Haneun-sshi, right? Are you here to tutor our Hansol today?"

"Ah ne...but he's having a fever. Do you know where I can find a thermometer? And preferably some pills and a glass of water as well."

The woman looked genuinely worried and she nodded, going to get everything that Haneun asked for. She even insisted on going with Haneun to see how Hansol was doing. While Haneun took Hansol's temperature, the woman sat there and watched her. "Is he okay?"

"He's having a slight fever," Haneun said, taking the thermometer out of Hansol's mouth. "Yah, stay still," she scolded when Hansol moved and groaned, trying to get the towel off his head. "Open your mouth," she ordered, holding the pills in her hand. She helped Hansol up and put the pills in his mouth before giving him the water to help him swallow.

After he took the medicine, Haneun made him lie down again and covered him once again with the duvet. The woman watched her and smiled softly. "Apart from Hansol's mother, I've never seen him letting another woman see him like this."

Haneun looked at her, blinking with confusion. "You mean...you've never taken care of him when he was ill?"

"Even as a child, Hansol has been very stubborn and he never liked me much...He was ill once and his father was away so I had to take care of him. He insisted he wasn't ill and that he doesn't have time to look weak in front of me. He ended up being hospitalised. He was only six then..."

"If you don't mind me asking...why does he hate you so much? You married his father after his mother died...surely there should be no reason why he hates you."

The woman sighed softly, looking at Hansol. "He has all the reasons to hate me. You're right in saying that I married his father after his mother passed away...but have you not realised that Byungjoo is the same age as Hansol but only a few months apart? The truth is, I was already in an affair with his father while his mother was still alive. Byungjoo and I lived outside of this family for three years and only married in a year after his mother died. 

"We always thought that Hansol would be too young to remember or know anything but it's hard to make the maids keep quiet about me. He found out that I wasn't really his mother and that I destroyed the happiness he was supposed to have. He bullied Byungjoo since and never talked to me. I miss the days when he used to call me eomma."

"Eomma..."

Haneun looked at Hansol and adjusted the towel on his forehead. Hansol took her hand and gripped it tightly, not letting go. "Hansol was a very cute child. I love him like he is my own. I really hope that he'll accept me one day," the woman said, smiling at Haneun. "If there's anyone who will make that happen, it'll be you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You may not think much of yourself but I can tell. Every time, just before you arrive, Hansol will be standing in front of a mirror, making sure that he looks presentable. And the way he looks at you...you're special to him."

Haneun laughed softly. "Sorry...I didn't mean to laugh at you but, I don't know this guy very long. All I know that he is a rich jerk with daddy issues," Haneun said. "There is no way I can be someone special to him."

"Trust me," she smiled. "It's a mother's instinct. Who knows, maybe one day you'll be calling me mother."

Haneun blushed bright red and she quickly pulled her hand away from Hansol's. "Speaking of which...I don't know what to call you..."

"I know for sure that you can't call me Mrs Kim in front of him," she nodded at Hansol. "How about you just call me by my name for now? I'm Song Yoojin so just call me Yoojin-sshi."

"Ne...Yoojin-sshi," Haneun smiled. "Well um...I'll leave Hansol in your care. It doesn't seem like I will be tutoring today so I shall get going."

Haneun picked up her things and took one last look at Hansol, adjusting the towel on his forehead once again. Yoojin smiled, watching Haneun. Haneun looked back and Yoojin laughed. "Sorry...I shouldn't be staring but you and Hansol would look great together."

"I shall get going now," Haneun said, embarrassed with the constant match-making comments Yoojin kept making. "It was nice meeting you, Yoojin-sshi."

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