“That was one intense meeting. Every decision caught me by surprise, Donghae. No wonder they had to include us there too," Yuri said with an awestruck look on her face. There were new things she had learned about this YGE in the meeting that was supposed to only be for the squad, but the two were included and allowed to decide things by themselves, especially Donghae. 

“I suppose so," he answered tritely.

Yuri rolled her eyes. Donghae seemed so nonchalant even though his decision resulted in an entirely different plan from what YG had first devised. He continued to read Dara's book in tranquility, putting his glasses on, repeating what he had done, minus the little laughs that Yuri hated.

“Donghae Oppa, you do realize you have to be responsible for the ideas that you have shared, right? They were really essential to my Uncle's decision...I hope you're right or—“

“Or I might spoil the whole operation? I was, and still am,  well aware of that, Yul. That's why I told them not to have such high expectations of me. I may have worked in the old organization for years, but that doesn't mean I understand how they work from A to Z," Donghae rebutted, a little upset that Yuri seemed to share the same opinion to the rest of the team. Yuri lowered her head, recognizing the undertone in his words. 

"What are you trying to prove, anyway? We're just minor characters back then, an addition. Things would still go on without us. Usually, you're the one who was always getting involved with something that could kill us. What's gotten into you?" His tone raised unexpectedly. Yuri lapsed into a silent pondering. Donghae was right, she was like that before she got here, then why?"

“Trying to prove that I'm worthy to your Uncle?” Donghae suggested, raising a brow. Yuri jumped in surprise, she hadn't realized it before, but Dara had once said that the reason Donghae was signed into the team was to earn his loyalty. She knew he wouldn't commit treason, but despite his carefree attitude, her Uncle placed his trust very sparingly. 

Donghae noticed the shift in her expression and let out a small, disappointed sigh. “I knew it, that's why I'm a little off with this plan of including me in the YGE. The process was too rushed and too quick to be believed in, suddenly putting me in charge of defending the country. Not to mention the background checks that must have been done; they must have known who I was before. Ara, so that's what everybody got in mind, huh? I don't find it suprising.” Donghae turned his attention back to the book, choosing not to argue any longer.

Yet the sarcasm bothered Yuri more than he thought. She had now blamed herself for not sticking in what she believed in. All along, she had been defending Donghae but she had turned so easily. Yuri frowned at the thought of it, perturbed.  

“But you know I trust you, right?” Donghae tilted his head, looking straight at her. Yuri smiled brightly, hoping the question would help to cheer him up.

He smiled back. “Of course I do, Yul.” His hands reached out to caress her long silken hair.

Yuri noticed there was something different on his face as she looked at it, and she couldn't help but to inquire, “Donghae, when did you start wearing glasses? Especially a pink one. Not such a manly color, you know?”

Too girlish even for her tastes, she thought.

Donghae removed his eyeglasses and gazed upon it in wonder. It had been years since he borrowed the iteam that was actually his to begin with. But after that day, he knew he couldn't return the glasses back to its rightful owner. She had no more use for it, now that her eyesight was gone. 

“It's not mine. It was mine, but now it isn't," he stated. Yuri, who was usually sensitive about the topic of somebody else's on Donghae's hands, heard the hint of grief and pain in his voice. She hesitated, but she was too curious abut what he was thinking about. 

“Care to tell me?” she questioned softly, telling herself that if his answer was a no, than that's it, no more interview.

“I knew you would ask me that.” he chuckled, followed with a long, harrowing expression on his face. “If I were to talk about this.. then we'll have to start by talking about me and Siwon first, okay?” Yuri nodded, relieved that he didn't reject her but worried as well, because her instinct told her this was somehow deeper than she expected it would be. Though whatever it is, she was ready to listen to another story of Donghae's life that she did not know yet.

“It all began—“

-FLASHBACK-

A television was that night.

“Now let's hear it from Chef Lee!” the emcee presented energetically. The audience gave a round of applause, welcoming a woman who looks younger than her age onto the stage. She was dressed like a real professional chef should be, wearing a long-sleeved white coat and black pants, an apron to cover her, and to top it off, a chef's hat on her head. No one could expect such a beautiful, talented woman to be single. Well, although she was no longer with anyone romantically, she still had the most important people in her life. Her lovely little boy. 

She was Lee Donghae's mother.

The two of them, Donghae and his mother, were sitting cozily on the sofa in front of the TV. She held Donghae in her arms, the boy sitting on her lap, enjoying his mother's warmth. They were watching a special broadcast featuring Donghae's mother, Lee Min Jung, who was a well-known chef in South Korea. She was buoyant, affluent, and a big dreamer, at least for a single mother with one child. It only goes to show how hardworking she was that she had reached her success in the culinary industry already. 

“Look Mommy! There's you on TV!” he cheered on the appearance of his mother. She gave him a warm smile in return, the smile was something he found really tender. He loved that smile, and as a child, all he wanted to do is to keep her smiling. The last time he caught her crying was when the single mother decided to become single, separating their lives from their father.

He was too little too understand, that's her answer whenever he asked her the reason for their separation.

“Yes, Hae dear. Doesn't Mommy look prettier on TV?” she pointed her forefinger to the TV, where she was performing her cooking techniques elegantly, giving the whole audience a chance to be awed at her skills. Her make-up really made her look younger than she usually looked, but despite all that, he shook his head in disagreement.

“No, Mommy, you look better right now, with this, you're even prettier.” His chubby, little fingers brushed against her pink spectacles.

“Oh, this? I thought I'm better without this thing. That's why I decide to take it off.”

He did another head-shake of disagreement.

“Okay, next time, Mommy won't take off the glasses. How about it?” it was a simple thing but it still made the tiny boy grin childishly. He loved the way she worked, asking his opinion about all the what-to-do's. She always tried to involve him, even in the trivial little details. He thought that they were great as a two-piece team, a team called family. 

All of a sudden, the young boy's stomach growled.

“You're hungry, Hae?” He nodded vigorously at her question, being a little kid spoiled by excellent dishes cooked by South Korea's top chef made his appetite just as large. “If you want, we could make what I had shown on TV just then. Do you remember the ingredients?”

Gifted with a good memory, he recalled one by one, “Salt Pepper, Sesame Oil, Pa Muchim, Red Pepper Flakes, Sesame Seeds, Meat." His nose scrunched as he tried to think. "Is there something I miss, Mommy?”

“Perfect, samgyupsal it is," she said with a touch of pride in her voice as she gave him a thumbs up.

That's how Chef Donghae was born.

Despite the small number of their family member, they worked perfectly synchronized, Donghae never bothered to question his father's presence as he knew it would only put his mother in sorrow, nor he asked to have another sibling (which is impossible without his father's presence) he enjoyed being the only son just fine, the overwhelming attention that's given from his mother made him crave it so much.

On the other hand, she's quite protective of every Donghae's movement, he is her world, and so is her to Donghae.

One day, she found him drenched from the top of his head until the end of his legs in front of his house's door. Before, he told Min Jung he was going to play, and then, he ended up that way. She was aghast, truly aghast to found her only son filled with water. The first impression that was on her mind was she knew one fact,

It wasn't caused by rain.

“Mommy, I—“

She didn't took the boy's mischief lightly, she slapped him, without waiting the sentence of his reason. She didn't do it because she despised him, she wouldn't, she's his mother, after all. On the contrary, she did it out of love, her undivided love to him, made him her only precious treasure, the treasure she couldn't afford to lose.

“What did you do, Lee Donghae?!” she yelled, Donghae cringed to hear the loud voice of his mother.

The boy paused, he couldn't answer it, the answer was too much of an embarassement.

He was beaten up by group of boys who sought weaklings like him to play with.

“I was drifted by the river near the field I was playing at.” he chose to lie, for he couldn't spill out the word 'beaten up' unless he wanted those boys who bullied him to get bruises from his mother's wrath, any child would want that, to get their revenge done, but no, Donghae knew the cycle if he told his mother to get him avenged.

Her mother would unleash her resentment to those small thughs.

Then their parents would retaliate her by accusing her that she's using violence to their children.

And so, another enemies appeared to their family, not to mention, he will get enemies on his own.

Therefore, he chose to distort the truth, not that the story of him being drifted in the river was completely wrong, anyway. He knew he wasn't responsible for the accident, but no matter, as long as his mother wouldn't do things that's out's of his reach.

He was that calculating.

This ability grew up with him as he grow into a man afterwards, unfortunately, his future affiliations used this ability of his in a foul way.

Lee Min Jung took a deep breath, what could she do upon her own son's carelessness, he was still a child, as far as she wanted to keep him from harm, she couldn't isolate him in his house where there's only her to play with, and she's busy with her own bussiness, she couldn't keep him company for 24/7, so the only way to make his childhood fair, she has to let him go, literally.

She kneeled so she could match his height, her expressions softened, “Are you injured, in anyway, Donghae?”

Donghae beamed, showing off his trademark smile to his mother, he knew he calculated correctly, the most peaceful result, as he always wanted.

“I'm okay, see?” he streched his hands to his mother, trying to imply that he's not hurt at all. Lee Min Jung did a detailed check-up, luckily, Seungri and his gang didn't manage to hurt him that much until they leave marks on his body.

She slowly pulled him into her embrace, giving him a warm hug, a sign that telling everything's fine.

“Please, be careful next time, son. I...don't want to lose you, I've said that before right? You're the only I've got.” she was desperate to warn him, she wanted to keep him by her watch, but she couldn't do it, that's not righteous to her favor, that's not love as she always see it.

His grip upon his mother tightened. “...Alright, Mommy. I'm really sorry to make you worried.”

Rather than feeling sad after being bullied by Seungri and his group, he was sadder that he made his mother unhappy. He learned that outer wounds can be healed by medicine or time, but inner wounds were exceptional, he knew the fact that it could leave a mark forever in one's heart, and he has pledged not to let his beloved mother to experience another inner wound, not after the scar his father has left within her.

To little Donghae, her smile worths everything.

“Mommy, do heroes, exists?” he asked sheepishly to his mother whilst his mother changed his damp clothes. That question, was a question that every boy would ask to their parents at least once, Lee Min Jung was aware of this, of course, the answer is always the same. One must not break a child's dream.

“Of course, dear. You are, by one example, is my hero.” she smiled as she gave her answer.

Donghae smiled in return, but it wasn't exactly the answer he was expecting.

Min Jung raised one of her eyebrows, “Why do you ask, son?”

“Do they always wear costumes?” the question that Min Jung just threw was complety ignored by her only son, but there's no benefit to be that curious to his son's question.

“I suppose they don't have to, I mean, you wear no costumes.”

“What do they have to do to be called a hero?” another question popped, maybe, it's alright to be curious, Min Jung thought.

“Heroes do good deeds to others, they put the others before themselves, and they tend to sacrifice themselves for others' sake. I believe this is what I call a hero, and no, they don't have to wear costumes or be a symbol.” Min Jung explained in a soft manner, truthfully, this is what Donghae's father should have explained, but he himself is not a hero type, she has to be the one who explains.

“There, done.” Min Jung patted Donghae's chest lightly, she has done putting his clothes on, she wanted to go back to her loaded assignments, but she was anticipating if Donghae would question another 'hero-thing', she found this topic very important for Donghae's growth.

“Anything else?”

“No, Mommy. I think that's it.” his face showed satisfaction, a bright smile was given to his mother.

“Now it's Mommy's turn to ask, why do you suddenly put an interest in this?” she repeated the question that was ignored back then, she's sure to have an answer this time, she waited for her turn.

“Ani, I just want to know.” he couldn't tell that he's saved by a boy of his age from the river after he's pushed by the group of bully. He couldn't even get his name or his face, and getting strangled with strangers was not something Min Jung could tolerate.

Min Jung was unsure whether he was answering the truth or not, the topic was too sudden to be brought up, but the smile he gave was reassuring enough.

“Hm, okay then. I'll be in my room, working, just in case you're looking for me. Don't be naughty, alright?” Donghae nodded to her command, the mother left him afterwards.

Donghae found himself smiling, he had found his hero, and he exactly has the same traits that Min Jung just explained.

For other kids, their heroes might be Batman or Superman, for Lee Donghae, that person is Choi Siwon

In the midst of their joyous days together, Min Jung received a phone call from an unknown caller, Donghae was busy playing with his toys, but he happen to to overheard the conversation between her mother and the unknown caller.

“Yoboseo?”

“It's been a while, Min Jung.”

That voice widened's Min Jung's eyes, she gulped her saliva in fear, her sweat ran through her forehead, she glimpsed at Donghae before she could response, Donghae was a little bit scared see her mother that shocked, as if she was sentenced death by the caller.

Indeed, it's worse than that.

“What do you want?” she didn't want to sound friendly, not one bit.

“How's Donghae?”

“How he is, I believe, is no longer your concern. Spit out your bussiness or I'll hang up.” her comment was awfully cold, and she sounded so angry to Donghae's earshot. He was terrified, but refused to step out from the scene, he was curious.

“I have the authority to know, Min Jung. I am his father.” he stated.

“You were, I hope you remember that.”

“There's no such thing as ex-father.” he denied casually.

Min Jung was close to vomit.

Receiving a single phone call from him was bad enough to her, and now, he's bragging about his authority? Min Jung wanted nothing more but to turn off her cellphone once for all to cut off this, and that's exactly what she's going to do.

Min Jung hung up without continuing their bickerings, she knew she had the disadvantage, after all, that man was no ordinary man, and she had once fallen for him upon his specialty, but no longer, she told herself.

Not a minute has passed, Min Jung's landline already rang, it was unfortunate that Donghae was closer to the phone, he reached the phone, without Min Jung's knowing that the caller was the same person which she despised most.

“Yoboseo?” Min Jung finally realized that it was her son who took the phone, she was too absorbed with the theraphy shock that man just gave, she quickly paced to her son, but it was too late.

“It's from Daddy, Mommy.” Min Jung flinched before she could steal the phone from Donghae's hand, there was a slice of guilt she felt inside her chest, she should have taken the phone faster than her son, she didn't like any interactions between these two males, the connection between them were killing her, literally.

She reluctantly snatched the phone from Donghae, her sinister face made Donghae looked to the ground to avoid her deathly stare, even though he's clueless what he has done wrong. Not that she wanted to speak with that man, but she would spend an hour talking to him rather than seeing that man trying to get close with Donghae for even bloody five minutes.

“Don't you dare use that 'Daddy' word to my son, you've left that role as a father since god knows when. Stop trying to sound nice when you don't mean it.” she furiously ticked off the man on the phone.

“Our son, stop referring him as if he's your belongings, Lee Min Jung. He's part of me too.” the man was unexpectedly calm towards her anger, as if he was expecting it.

“Cut the rubbish pep talk and get on with it. What is it? I know this isn't about Donghae.” she wanted to talk about Donghae no more, she was a proud mother, at least she's proud of Donghae's existence, but definitely not with that man, even though Donghae was part of him.

“I have a mission for you.” The sentence brought Min Jung in a surprise, it has been years since she heard such sentence, that she once heard repeatedly in her youth.

“You son of a gun, you just wouldnt't stop chasing me around, huh? I'm mother of a child, and I hope you know what that means. If you're trying to get me back to the field, don't you dare, I'm hanging up.” she threatened, the man on the phone heaved a sigh, the next sentence was not to be spoken, but he had to convince her, it was an order.

“It's Supreme Leader's order.” hearing the title gave Min Jung's heart a goosebumps.

“So? I don't have anything related to the North any longer. I'm a true citizen of South Korea now, and if you would be so kind to deliver this message to him, please tell him; I'm not his property anymore.” she scowled, she was too frustrated that she didn't even took no notice upon her son who is standing right beside her, both afraid and clueless, of his mother that's currently so emotional.

“Lee Min Jung, I suggest you listen to me, just this once, he had every gist of your life and you know it, please, you were a Nothern resident once, and you living in South doesn't change the fact that he has control of your life.”

She chuckled, “Is this an order too? To threat me softly through you? Nice try.”

“Min Jung-ah, please, I'm not kidding around, my order was to convince you to accept his request, no matter what you say. He said if diplomacy fails, then force must take an action, you know how he works, and you are fully aware what that sentence meant.” the man was sincere of informing the threat, he had never hated Min Jung, despite it was his decision to their separation.

Min Jung took a dreep breath and became more collected, she knew the man was warning her out of Supreme Leader's favor, she didn't trust that man, but she herself has experienced the atrocity of her former superior, he wasn't lying, at least she knew that.

“Why are you telling me this?” She knew the answer already, but she just had to make sure.

“I'm not doing this for my position nor you, I did it for our son's safety.” exactly what she had in mind, if that matter didn't concern Donghae's safety, she wouldn't even give a damn about it. Finally, she glanced at Donghae who was looking her with fearful eyes, she bit her lower lip.

“Alright, where's the meeting point? We'll discuss it once we're there, our son is here, I don't want to talk about this in front of him.” she rewarded his kindness towards their son by calling Donghae 'their son', the man was, on the other hand, very grateful.

He heaved a sigh of relieve, “I thought convincing you will be much harder than this. I'm glad—”

She stomped her foot in upsetly, loud enough for him to hear it. “Please, spare me your fake kindness.” she was sick enough wasting time talking to her ex-husand, not to mention she has Donghae to handle once the call's over

He knew her fondness wouldn't last long, “Pyongyang, Thursday, five in the noon, weaponry provided, my people will pick you up at three, they'll recognize you right away. Don't let anyone, not even Donghae know, that you're heading North.”

“Arasso. That would be all?”

“That would be all, see you on Thursday, I'll be waiting, Min Jung.” the man soon hung up as he finished to deliver the message. Min Jung paused with phone still attached to her hot ear, the long chat between her and her ex-husband was definitely not the most convenient call, but in the corner of her heart, she was glad, he's still there watching over him and Donghae, she wanted to talk to him, outside work affairs, of how he's been doing, but she wanted to be unruly, she was determined to perish their relation forever.

The desire to communicate longer with him, was a woman's instinct.

Meanwhile, the hatred towards him, was basically, a mother's instinct.

She finally dropped her phone, tears sprung from her eyes as she latched her eyes to her son. Donghae was by all means, confused, of what's happening to his mother, first she was angry, and now she's releasing tears in all of sudden, he was only sure of one thing;

She was unhappy.

“Mommy...are you okay? Don't cry, Mommy...” Little Donghae ran towards his mother and hugged her tightly, something that he believed to be her mood booster.

Min Jung couldn't be even more grateful to have Donghae by her side, but at the same time, she regretted to have Donghae as her son and not somebody else's, she has to pay the price by having a past revolving around North Korea and its leaders, putting Donghae's life on the line. She has no choice but to follow orders that's given to her unless she wants to endanger Donghae's life.

“Donghae-ah, child, I want you to listen carefully to Mommy, alright?” her son nodded, anything to make Mommy happy, he promised inside himself.

“Mommy will be away two days from now, and I won't go home on the same day I leave, my dear. I will ask someone to look after you, so don't you worry, alright?”

Doubt filled Donghae's innocent heart, probably keeping his promise to make Min Jung happy was not something that he could stick with.

“Where are you going, Mommy?”

“I couldn't tell myself, but I won't be long, as soon as my duty's over, I'll be back as soon as I can.” she said it for the sake of reassuring her son, whether she's telling truth or not, she was clueless herself.

“Will you be away for, long?” Donghae rested his head on Min Jung's knee, the mother kneeled and pulled her son in a tight, warm embrace. “I won't.”

They stayed in that position for long, both Min Jung and Donghae refused to let go of each other. Only after ten minutes has passed, Min Jung released the little boy.

“Since I've only got two more days left, let's cook something appetizing together!” Min Jung tried to brighten up the mood, she wanted to cheer Donghae and herself, telling that the world didn't end if they'll be separated for a certain amount of time.

Donghae somehow smiled. It was the best he could do to make her mother happy.

Her smile still worths everything.

Author's Note :

Alright, this wraps up Chapter 35. First and foremost, I want to apologize for the lack of YulHae in this chapter, after I read back my previous chapter, I've got to say I was about to vomit, I was freaking cheesy if you know what I mean. So, actually, I want to put actione before romance in this story because I see that's the point I made this story. Of course, a little romance wouldn't hurt.

Now, I want to say that I'm quite hyped in this chapter because it reveals a lot of Donghae's past (yeah I know you all are tired of flashbacks, but they are necessary) Min Jung was chosen to be Donghae's mother? Why? Simply because she has a Lee in her family name, as simple as that, and yes, I'm not joking.

Actually, this chapter is linked with Chapter 2, where our Donghae met Siwon and Seungri for the first time (back then he was called Seung Lee) and get his life tangled with them. I also want to emphasize that this story includes a part of Korean War and North-South Reunification, so basically, Lee Hyori was an agent from North Korea who moved to South for whatever the reason (I can't tell myself either why, maybe I'll come up with a reason) and she was Supreme Leader's (North Korea's highest rank in political field) subordinates, so you guys could sum up where Donghae got that skills on the field, he inherited it from his mother.

His ex-father's name is not to be spoken, not yet, I wanted to make it a surprise, because I think he might get the chance of a bigger spotlight for the story than Lee Min Jung herself.

I hope this chapter is enjoyable, more actions are coming in chapter 36 and so on, kamshahamnida :)