FIFTY NINE

She woke up with a pair of soft lips brushing on her cheek. Seohyun stretched smiling almost to herself when those lips traveled down her neck. She grunted however, pushing him away and he chuckled, “I wanna sleep some more, Oppa. What time is it?”

“Past six…” Yonghwa ran his hand along the cool lengths of her leg and groaned when she shifted away, “What happened, tiger? You have always been a morning person.”

“I am not today,” she quipped with a bit of a smile, “You wore me out.”

“Good point right there, tiger,” That earned her another good chuckle from him. He then playfully tapped her bottom making her curl deeper in the tangled sheets, “Okay, sleep some more. I’ll look after Euna.” 

“Don’t forget her vitamins after breakfast,” she called out before he closed the bedroom door behind him.

After her alarm snoozed for the third time, Seohyun willed herself to get up and get ready for work. She went out of the bedroom and found her busy daughter in the middle of her scattered toys in the living room while Yonghwa was trying to coax an answer from her.

“Come on, angel, who do you love more?”

Seohyun slipped on the counter behind Yonghwa and he kissed her cheek as he passed her by after dropping a glass of orange juice in front of her. “What’s the point of that question?” She snickered taking a plate of kimchi and bringing it on the table. “Euna, did you kiss me good morning yet?”

Euna looked over her shoulder for a moment then went back cluttering. Yonghwa sat across Seohyun and pushed a bowl of rice. “She had been up and about before I went out,” he pointed out then turned to Euna again, “Seo Euna, who do you love more? Umma or Appa?”

“Really? You’re asking her that?” Seohyun rolled her eyes looking up to see their little girl walking towards them.

Euna climbed on her lap, kissed her cheek and smiled widely turning to her Appa, “Umma…”

Yonghwa scowled watching her causally pulling her Sofia The First purple plate and started eating. He sighed as Seohyun laughed then  pecked a kiss on Euna’s cheek, “You're right, it's such a pointless question.”

Seohyun ignored his scowling and tied her daughter's hair in ponytail as she spoke softly, “Baby, Appa will stay with you today while Umma goes to work, okay?”

Euna’s face lit up as she turned to her mother, “Appa will go with me to school?”

“No, sweetheart, you will not go to school today,” Yonghwa replied chuckling when Euna clapped. He was hoping she was happy to spend time with him not really for skipping school.

“Call me later if you need me, Oppa…”

“That would mean we would be talking all day,” he winked but Seohyun rolled her eyes.

“You know what I mean, sweet talker.”

Yonghwa nodded brushing the grin off his face and reaching out to touch her hand, “About last night, you will think about it?”

She winced, “I will ask Taeyeon Unnie what she thinks.”

~~~

And that was what Seohyun did over lunch with Taeyeon in a restaurant near their building, “Oppa wants to go public…”

“Really? That’s surprising…” her Unnie replied nonchalantly as she continued slicing her steak, “Something happened?”

She told her how he came into that realization after what happened to Euna in the amusement park. “But I’m not sure, Unnie. I’m scared that this will only hurt Euna. I cannot just imagine what his fans would do and the media. I don’t want my daughter to be in danger because of the truth. We are doing okay now… like this…”

“Are you?”

“Somehow?” Sometimes she couldn’t understand if she liked it when her Unnie just ask her questions about a situation troubling her than offering suggestions. Seohyun sighed, “It’s hard, really… keeping our relationship like this. It would have been better if we don’t have a daughter and we go out there. But Euna will get the same repercussion or even more. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Taeyeon dropped her fork and nodded in deep thought then replied, “You might be right but usually it’s only the initial reaction. It can even take only a few days.”

“What if it takes longer than that and those crazy fans get harsher? I don’t want my daughter to get in the middle of it all. She’s not doing anything wrong.”

“Or maybe they will be kinder. Just look at how sweet Euna is, she will surely melt even the hardest steel of hearts,” Taeyeon quipped and settled comfortably on her seat, “I have an idea… what if we start putting Euna out there?”

That was an option and Seohyun knew that but just the thought of it made her shiver, “What? Are you seriously suggesting that I should start feeding my daughter to the sharks?”

“Just a suggestion,” the older girl shrugged, “The more they see her, the more they will get used to her existence and love her. Euna is adorable, beautiful, quick-witted and the camera just loves her. We all know how the general public loves an innocent beautiful child. They will love her. And if the truth comes out, we will paint you the way you are right now as to why you have been hiding this—only protecting an innocent child. You’ll both eventually be forgiven because of Euna.”

“I just hate the thought that we will be put under the media, especially the paparazzi’s radar. They will dig deeper until they get to the truth.”

“That’s what it’s all about— until you’re ready to come out with all those truth. It’s either you give it to them or let them find out on their own.” Taeyeon gave her an encouraging smile, “Either way, it’s bound to happen sooner or later. Just remember, it’s always easier to float with the current than swim against it.”

~~~

Yonghwa spun her around and she squealed in delight and just the sound of it was enough to make him laugh himself. They spent most of their play date playing and laughing. Yonghwa realized how much Euna needed this time to spend with only him around. It was like he needed to earn her love again after what happened. He knew Seohyun had shortcomings too when it comes to raising Euna but she just knew what to do most of the time. Maybe it was this thing they call maternal instinct and he never wanted to compete with her but sometimes he feels a little jealous whenever Euna and Seohyun get lost inside their little world.

But this was his time with Euna, he tucked some strand of hair behind her ear and smiled while Euna sang to herself about a bird on the window who flew away when she came close. “I love you, Seo Euna,” he found himself saying as he kissed her cheek.

“Hmmm… hmmm…” Euna nodded cupping his cheeks in her small palms, “I know, Appa and Euna loves you too…”

A lump grew in his throat as Euna rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his shoulder. Yonghwa hummed letting her feet drop on the kitchen chair. While preparing her lunch hours ago, he left Euna in the living room watching her favorite cartoon, Sofia The First. To his surprise, she dragged him in the living room and insisted they dance like Sofia and her daddy.

And now, he was dancing with his little princess again.

But their little moment was short lived when the main door unlocked and Euna pulled away from his arms and jumped off the chair shouting “Umma!”

Yonghwa couldn’t help but smile when he heard Seohyun patiently replying to their daughter’s endless chatter until she appeared by the kitchen carrying Euna. A wider smile curled on his lips seeing Seohyun after a long day and she was wearing the same happiness. She didn’t move even a step more as she set Euna on the island counter then dropped her bag beside her.

“What were you and Appa doing?” Seohyun asked while fixing Euna’s ponytail.

“Dancing!” Euna beamed and her mommy’s eyebrow lifted passing her and her Appa a look.

“Dancing? Really?” She nonchalantly asked until Euna grabbed her hands.

“Appa, come’re!” She waved at her Appa who he was already looking at her mommy with his goo-goo eyes again. Euna tried to speak the way her teacher in the kindergarten spoke when she’s teaching them something new, “Umma, you put your hands on Appa’s shoulders and Appa will put his hands on your waist and you dance! Just like that! Easyyyy!”

Seohyun laughed softly at Euna’s to