As I travel along the road of the village, where the Son’s live…the excitement in me is swelling. For six years, I wasn’t able to see him…be with him…read stories to him before going to bed. For six years, I was living a life with someone, who doesn’t know what love really means and those times have been totally wasted…

As I pulled over and parked my car, the first thing that caught my eye is the lovely line of blooms, adorning their garden. I even saw the black-colored bike, which could have been formerly Naeun’s, but what signaled the existence of a child in this premises, are the scattered toys littering their garden.

I approached the gate and instantly, I was greeted by the house help. She asked me to go inside and as I enter their living room….there I saw this handsome boy, sitting in one of the stair’s steps, trying to put on a pair of socks. I can’t help but smile for I do see myself in him…he is mine, after all.

I was star-strucked.

I was seriously in awe.

That little boy had my entire heart. I was in love with him the second I saw him, seeing him for the first time, looking into those beautiful eyes of his for the first time, was more than I could handle.

It was overwhelming.

He looked up and upon seeing me…his gaze seemed to be partly surprised and partly curious. The look in his eyes, as he sees me, as if inspecting this new stranger before him, is quite cute. He then smiled and stood up…he took those small steps towards me and when he reached me,

“Annyeonghaseyo! ”

Then he tugged at my shirt and motioned for me to sit in the couch.

 “Annyeonghaseyo…what’s your name?”

I asked, as much as I want to readily say that I’m his father…I have to do things slowly for he is simply a toddler…

“Tae-Eun imnida… But my Mommy calls me Francesco. Don’t like it.”

Then as he says it, he looked down as if he does not really like his name. I find it equally cute and amusing…not to mention, his varied accent…

“Wait, I will call Mommy…don’t leave.” And as he dashed off to see Naeun… I swear…my eyes are beginning to swell up as well.

Happiness in a bundle…seeing him, for the first time, is like finding hope despite what I just recently discovered. The Son home has always been cheerful, simple and carefree. Naeun, without a doubt, has been raised very well and so is her sister, Saeun. And that clearly explains the smart, cutesy boy earlier… the Son’s….Naeun’s parents, Saeun…especially Naeun… they raised my son and gratitude proves limited…I could not find the perfect way to thank them…repay them for what they did.

“You’re here………”

It was Naeun’s father. I know, if there is one person apart from Naeun, who deserves my explanation…that would be him. He approached me and offered his hand…I took it and then he motioned me to sit again…he sat across me…

“How are you, Taemin?”

I almost didn’t know what I was feeling. There was a mixture of shame and sadness and shame again. That was how I felt.

“I’m good, abuji…ah…uhmmm…I..I'm here because….ahmm…”

“Taemin-ah, up to now, you’re still stuttering?” and that broke the tension between us…I smiled…maybe, they spoke with Naeun…maybe, somehow… they have forgiven me…

“Appa! Don’t torture Taemin, please!” I then saw her descend from the stairs…with our little Francesco…

“I have not done anything. Ahh My goodness let me call your mom. I’ll just say that the visitor you’ve been waiting for so long has already arrived, haha!”

As soon as I got my baby girl and little Francesco alone….I immediately hugged Naeun…the boy kept gazing…so I knelt down and looked at him,

“Tae-Eun-ah~, daddy’s here.” I then saw that flicker of light of in his eyes, as if he just received a very good gift for Christmas…as soon as his eyes widened…he hugged me back,

“Daddy!!! Daddy!!!!”

I couldn’t believe I was holding my boy.

My own flesh and blood.

It was overwhelming.

I felt the child’s happiness upon seeing Taemin. That day…I seemed to have reached my dream, to see the two most important guys in my life together.

******

I learned that Taemin rented a new condominium unit. It also came to my attention that he is momentarily not communicating with his noona. Cannot blame him, he felt betrayed…hurt. After his first encounter with Francesco, he can now freely visit us at home…though we can’t really go out to do some family stuff.

I went shopping with Tae-Eun today, for Taemin and I, we have plans of taking a weekend off to visit his family in Dongbong-gu, Seoul and properly introduce my little Francesco. Afterwards, we plan to go swimming for it is Tae-Eun’s first Korean beach trip. The kid is fairly adjusting to the weather and all…it seems that his long stay in London has its not-so-good perks…he needs more time to adapt when it comes to other things like food and language. He can understand a number of Korean words but that’s it….oh well, teaching him more Korean words, is more than required while he is here.

I was looking at a couple of shirts for my lil Francesco when…

“Naeun?” I looked back and saw BoA, Taemin-oppa’s sister... I don’t really know what to do or react…as you know, the past taught me to not really trust. I remained in my position and when the sales lady asked me if I’ll get the shirts that I previously chose, I readily said yes, I don’t want to take it longer.

It was BoA-unnie who spoke, “Naeun, can we talk?”

“Give me a good reason why.” I reacted.

“I don’t know what Taemin told you but you must know that Minah is not backing out.”

I felt my eyes squint, this is getting really crazy, I thought.

“Unnie, just to be clear, it’s not my fault why Taemin’s not coming home to her. So do not talk to me.” I told her firmly.

“Naeun, what I am trying to say here is- you should be the one to stay away again.” That remark is enough to make my eyes squint again if not glare.

“I do not know where you got the confidence to show your shameless face to me but just to remind you again, it was you who seem to have this habit to approach me. If my memory serves me right, it was Taemin who came back and needed me to regain his career. If I am not mistaken, I was just doing my job when Minah approached me in the restaurant and as I remembered, you are also coming to me now. I believe you’re smart and all, unnie, it wouldn’t be hard for you to understand unless being dumb is infectious right?”

“And what do you mean by that?”

“Simple. Birds of the same feather flock together, look at who your companions are? You are killing me but to be honest, what you do each time you come near me is beyond stupidity. It is rude, and outright tactless. But, what can I do, if you are one hell of a “fake”.”

She couldn’t believe what I said, I know. I can see it in her eyes and reaction. The look in her face only revealed nothing but defeat…yes, even in her dreams she wouldn’t thought that I would be talking like this...

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you.” BoA said. I, again, looked at her…

“Really? For someone who can easily face me and lie to my face that Taemin wasn’t there in your home, the night that I went there…quite easy for you to say.”

She approached me, grabbed my arm but before she could utter a word, I met up her gaze and responded,