Sehun finally made it to his room engulfed by a sense of responsibility, none like any other. Today he'd said the few words he would never be able to take back as long as he was alive. He wasn't just bringing with him a blank chip, but his and Namjoo's family. 

They could be his people starting from today. 

Scanning the room he envisioned Namjoo moving around, putting things here and there to her liking. This room that belonged to him alone would be shared with her. The bed, the closet where their clothes would hang together cramped into that tiny space, the bathroom and the shelves. Every little space. Sehun never really liked having his personal space intruded by another, but strangely he didn't feel a sense of discomfort at the thought of having Namjoo there. 

Soo Ae could have the next room and he'd give her anything any father would want his cute, pretty daughter to have. When Sehun thought about that little family a bit of excitement started developing in him. 

With ease of mind he started going through his drawers and began tossing out clothes he never really wore.
 
*****

"Are you crazy?!" Sehun's mother yelled closing the door after her, barely slamming it. 

Their bedroom was simple and plain. The things of fancy nature was the expensive lamp - its shade frilled and laced - she'd won from a giveaway. Flowery sheets covered their bed with some painting her husband had won at a golfing tournament in his younger days hanging above the bed. Two great white sliding doors had been installed into the wall at the foot of their bed and where she kept some of her most treasured items, like the safety box of her jewelries that she didn't plan on handing down to her daughter if she had one or her son's wife - it was all hers.

With resuming patience her husband sat down at the edge of the bed and began to slip his socks off. A dry smell of rotten anchovy slowly drifted through the room.
 
"You cannot let Sehun marry that woman!" She walked around the bed to stand before him. 

"Still going on about it..." he muttered underneath his breath.
 
"You don't even know where they're from or what kind of things they've done! She's just a woman who wants to hang onto Sehun with some excuse that he knocked her up! Who knows what she's really after. Why show up now?!" The woman shook her head deliriously. "No, no. This can't be done like this. I'll have to go back there and talk with her. I bet she's after Sehun's money. Our son is a good person. He won't be dragged down like this." 

Grabbing her hand to stop her from stepping out of the boundary locked behind the door, he stood, "Sehun will take responsibility for what he's done. Can't you see that boy is overwhelmed with guilt? He goes everyday after work to look after his family and you can't see how tired he is without your crazy yapping?"

"Yapping?" She repeated insulted. 

"Just take a look at yourself," he reminded, "no wonder we have to find out this way. Think about how scared your son must have been. When Eun Bi's parents come back tomorrow, send her back immediately and go to the store to buy some quality fruits."

Anger swelled up inside her when he simply walked out. She hated all of this so much she barely wanted to scream. That vicious woman and her conniving girl didn't suit her ideals, the very picture she had in mind for Sehun's future. 

This couldn't be, it just couldn't!

*****

Grabbing onto the bar of the staircase Eun Bi stared up the flight of stairs. Sehun's earlier confession tarnished her hopes and like his mother, she was trying her all to deny it. Sehun always seemed so calm and righteous, upholding the best of society all times. Then just like that, the family she'd imagined days ago went flying out the window. 

A cloud formed inside her chest. She was hurt and knew of nothing but the betrayal she felt. To her, no one else could match up to Sehun. It always had to be him and only him. 

Forcing the pain down she slowly started up the stairs. It shouldn't have turned out like this. She'd only meant to throw that woman off so she would no longer see Sehun, but suddenly she was the mother of his child?!

Eun Bi shook her head refusing the truth. She just couldn't believe it. She had to try again and talk to Sehun, get him to tell his parents the truth. 

Another ball formed in . Her windpipes became sore as she reached out to knock on his door. Today she wanted to show him her best side. If she just waltzed in he wouldn’t look at her happily. She wanted him to look at her with light in his eyes, exactly the way he used to when they were younger. Eun Bi didn't realize it until now that she missed it the most. 

The echo of her knuckles against the wooden door reverberated. Sehun didn't reply, but since she'd announced her presence she opened the door freely and took a small step in. The words she wanted to say disappeared into oblivion when she spotted a pile of his clothes on the ground. Sehun was sitting in front of his drawers busily, like a cat going through its owner's belongings. 

"What are you doing?" Eun Bi questioned. 

"Cleaning." The reply was short as it had always been the past few days. 

"Do you want help?" She tried cheering up. 

"I'm good." Was all he next said, but when she didn't budge from the door he turned. "Do you need something?" 

Partial excitement eluded his eyes and she could tell that he didn't care at all about why she was there. The truth in his eyes shot a score of arrows at her chest. became sorer. 

He was cleaning to make room for that woman. 

"Who is she?" Eun Bi finally began grasping onto what she wanted to say. "One of the girls Chanyeol got you to date?" 

"Eun Bi..." 

"Then who is she? How come all of a sudden, out of the blue, this woman has your kid running around?" Eun Bi felt the indescribable pain beat against her chest. 

She'd even gone as far as rejecting every man's advances just so she could give her innocence to Sehun. She'd wanted to do so much...

"I liked her in high school," Sehun said. "I'm sorry." 

Eun Bi blinked back childish tears. "High school was too long ago for you. You can't still like her the same way. Why can't you just take the kid from her?"

The calm on Sehun's face never disappeared, as if he'd already come to his final conclusion. 

"Namjoo," he began gently as if talking to a child instead of scolding her for her wrong, "isn't a bad person. I'm not going to split them apart. They've been through a lot already, so I should take some responsibility now." 

She hated how righteous he sounded, but denial still grounded her feet. 

"I'm kind of busy, so you should go." Sehun urged. 

Biting back her sorrow she walked out,  pulling the door close behind her. She was going to cry, but Sehun was the last person she wanted to see her crying. 

It was all unfair. She liked Sehun first, it was only right that he was hers. 

Why was it like this?  

*****  

Trying to clear her mind by scrubbing the pot clean was just exactly what Namjoo was doing wrong. That woman's roaring voice still echoed in her head. The powerful sound waves...why hadn't she recognized it at first?

If she knew it had been Sehun's mother she would have been faster to kick them out. The way she accused her and talked about her daughter sent her into the highest level of rage.

How dare she?!

And Sehun...what guts he had! She thought he was still a coward, but what a joke! To even lie that Soo Ae was his own flesh and blood, forcing her into his junk of a mess!

Why, why, why?!

And that brat girl Sehun was probably supposed to marry. Namjoo felt even angrier at the thought of her. How old was she to just waltz in and start pointing fingers at her, warning her, oppressing her?! 

What a lucky man he was to have that kind of wife! 

The urge to laugh out loud panged her. 

Freaking Sehun and his damn family! 

No, Namjoo wouldn't deal with this. She would have no play at all in his life and have him use Soo Ae. 

What a jerk...

"Mommy," she turned when Soo Ae pulled her shirt, "I'm done." 

"Good job, honey," Namjoo praised and took the empty plate from her. "Go and watch some TV now, ok?" 

Soo Ae nodded, but when Namjoo turned back a half minute later she was still standing where she was. 

"What's wrong?" Namjoo worried. 

Soo Ae's eyes wondered over the wall to the ground then to her, "Are you mad at Uncle Sehun? Don't be mad. Please."

This precious little girl who didn't understand anything always melted her heart into a puddle. Namjoo wanted to hug her but not with her soapy hands. 

"Sometimes you get angry at things that aren't supposed to happen," Namjoo explained, "and that's ok too, but what happened today is unacceptable."

"Is it because Uncle Sehun said he was my daddy?" 

Namjoo felt her breath freeze. She wanted to deny it and tell her that it was other matters she wouldn't understand at her age, but Soo Ae had heard. At her age she'd be able to comprehend what went on around her. 

"He's not," Namjoo spoke the utmost truth. 

Soo Ae's innocent eyes remained still, maybe turned a little desolate and Namjoo's heart went out to her. Not once had Soo Ae taken to asking her about where her father was. It was as if she'd just accepted the fact that Namjoo was her only guardian.  

Did she...want a father?

"It's ok, mommy," Soo Ae hugged her tightly, "I just need you." 

A small smile creased Namjoo's lips. 

"Starting tomorrow, we're going to take the bus to the daycare," Namjoo began. "Ok?" 

Burying her face into Namjoo's shirt she nodded her head, understanding that she would no longer allow Sehun near them. 

*****

The first thought that popped up into Sehun's head that morning when he rose was how he was going to approach Namjoo and Soo Ae. Namjoo, for sure, would try to block him from getting near. 

When he started off that morning he hid among the parking lot. From there he watched Namjoo come down with Soo Ae. Like predicted, they started for the bus stop with Soo Ae cheerily skipping while Namjoo remained stiff and orderly. They boarded the bus and disappeared from his sight. He knew he would have to come up with some other plan. 

It was obvious that he couldn't win against Namjoo. 

The only possible option was to get to Soo Ae before Namjoo. Since such things had happened yesterday, would Namjoo find some way to get off work early? 

Sehun was worried. 

Opting out of work early he quickly drove off to the daycare in hopes that Namjoo wouldn't be there before he made it. In his favor, Namjoo was still not yet there. From the back with screaming children at play he ventured in. Along with some other children, Soo Ae sat quietly focused on drawing her famous home with a radiant sun in the corner.
 
"Hey," he greeted slowly getting down on a knee in front of the circular table. 

Soo Ae's eyes got wide upon recognizing him. 

"What are you doing?" 

Instead of answering the girl searched around, "Where's mommy?" 

"She's not here yet." 

Soo Ae glanced at him unsurely and he worried if Namjoo had said something about him to her. He decided to wait for her insecurity to cease.

"You shouldn't be here." Soo Ae told as she returned to coloring. "If mommy sees you she's going to get very angry. I don't want mommy angry." 

"Is she very, very angry?" Sehun asked. 

Soo Ae slowly nodded. 

"Then," he began, "should we go pick up your mother?" 

Her eyes shot up at the suggestion. 

"You have to say sorry even if you have to do it a million times," Soo Ae told. "I always tell mom sorry if I do something she doesn't like and she gets happy again. So you have to tell her you're sorry or else you're worse than me, and I won't help you anymore." 

Smiling at how cute she was he nodded and stood, "Then, should we go?" 

Soo Ae glanced up at him uncertainly again before nodding. 

When he held her hand he asked, "Do you want to go to my house today?" 

"Your house?" She repeated surprised. "Really?" 

"Yes." 

"Can mommy come too?" 

"If we can get her to come," Sehun replied. "You think you can do that?" 

"Of course!" The little girl nodded. "I really want to see your house!" 

"Then lets hurry before your mom finishes work." 

*****

Namjoo's eyes were on the clock again. Just a few more minutes to go. 

In the back she could hear the quiet chatter of her co-workers to the customers. Dead split ends softly landed on the ground. Another second ticked by. Suddenly taking off her apron she shouted her farewell to Rita and was out the door. 

The illuminating rays from the burning sun splashed onto her immediately as she moved down the street. All she thought about was getting to Soo Ae and heading home together. Her footsteps unexpectedly slowed and she felt the exhilaration die down in her chest. Up ahead just a few yards from her was Sehun and Soo Ae standing against his car.

Sensing her presence Soo Ae turned and waved, "Mommy!"  

Pressing lips together sternly she forced herself forward. As if accepting the duel, he too, shifted and stepped toward her.

"I thought you knew better than to come here." 

"I know," he simply replied, "but what can I do, if my father wants to meet you?" 

Her brow deepened on her face. What did he mean his father?  

Immediately feeling bad vibes, she turned to Soo Ae, "Lets go home Soo Ae." 

Soo Ae stared up at them before suddenly turning, opened the door and got into his car. 

"Soo Ae!" Namjoo screamed and tried to open the door but discovered she'd locked it. 

A baffled breath swam out of her and she turned to glare at Sehun, blaming him for teaching her daughter devious tricks.  

"Well, come on," Sehun gestured his head toward the car and turned to walk toward the driver's side.  

"I'm not going." Namjoo refused stubbornly.  

He only slightly glanced her way, "Then, I'll bring Soo Ae back later."  

She couldn't believe him or that this was happening. Out of the corner of her eye she stole a look at Soo Ae and gritted her teeth. If she let Soo Ae go alone she couldn't guarantee Sehun could protect her. She was worried but she didn't want to step into his home, see his parents.

Nothing was going her way.

She would refuse, she would refuse, she wouldn't go there!
 
The door closed and Namjoo felt her heart drop all the way to the pit of her stomach. Hurrying forward she screamed, "Sehun!"  

Pulling the door open she stared in, barely catching a glimpse of the victorious smile he always had when Soo Ae took his side. Softly gritting her teeth she stared, all sorts of emotions between refusal, fury, and worry swerving through her veins.  

"Get in." He prompted.  

On the drive to his house Namjoo stared at the passing buildings, trees, and cars. Nothing but a powerful surge of negativity enveloped her. She didn't like this. Why in the world did she have to go see his father? What reason was there?

She was anxious and nervous. Out of habit she chewed on her knuckle while her eyes roamed over the clear blue sky. It had been a really long time since she'd ever fought or argued with anyone. With Sehun's mother yesterday, the things she'd said had been done on impulse because she hadn't known it was his mother. If his father was out to get her too, what would she be able to do?  

No, no. No matter what, she would have to stand her ground. She wasn't about to get pushed around just yet. When the car came to a halt Namjoo's heart flew up to . 

"Is this your house, Uncle Se-Se?" Soo Ae stared at the structure in awe. "It's so big!"  

"Are you curious about how it looks inside?" Sehun asked taking his seatbelt off.  

"Can I go in?"  

"Lets go." Sehun told and turned to glance at her.  

Namjoo was barely frozen in her seat, her eyes hotly staring at the house she didn't want to be near.  

"Don't worry and come in," he offered.  

Without answering she released the seatbelt and stepped out. This time the house seemed to loom over her. There was an illusion that it was even taller than what it really was.  

Here...everything would begin here.