"She said she isn't married and since you said we're just friends, should I introduce you?"

"Eun Bi..." 

Immediately cutting him off she said, "You work all the time and you're always elsewhere after work. I feel kind of sad seeing you so lonely like this. Don't you think dating someone would be nice? Your parents are probably waiting for you to settle down, give them a grandchild. It gets tiring with your mother calling me her daughter-in-law all the time." 

"Forget it," Sehun said and turned to disappear into the next room. 

He was afraid, wasn't he? If his mother found out about his relationship with that woman it'd all be over for him. It was no wonder he kept declining suggestions to marry. 

That woman, Namjoo, had been holding him back. 

"Just you wait," she muttered. 

*****

Quickly closing the door to his room he stared about unable to explain the unease flowing through him.

How in the world did Eun Bi start talking with Namjoo? Why Namjoo? 

He was worried about Eun Bi poking around. If she said something to his parents he was afraid Namjoo would get in trouble, especially if they were able to recognize her. They'd only seen her once and that was when they came to pick him up from the police station after being caught at the club. He'd been given a whole night's lecture when he returned home and he'd promised not to see Namjoo again. 

Sehun didn't need them to blow up in her face if something were to happen this time. Namjoo already said she'd leave if anything happened and he knew she would keep her word on it. And he...didn't want Namjoo return to that rural village where she earned little everyday; where opportunities for a better future wouldn't come to them. If she left he wouldn't be able to see Soo Ae either and if that happened he'd be stuck with his mother and Eun Bi.  

That was a nightmare itself. He hated being pushed around by them and he tired of his mom's naggings. It felt like they controlled him at every corner he turned.  

What he admired most about Namjoo was how she was so free, back then and now too. Although her past contrasted with her present she was always in charge of herself without being pushed around. Sehun wanted to live like her.    

Demons of anxiety swallowed him up before he turned in for sleep.

When Namjoo and Soo Ae got into the car the next morning he asked, "At work, do you talk a lot with the customers?" 

With the strange question she shot him a frown in return. 

"Like, you don't tell every customer your name and all, do you?" 

"I wear a nametag," Namjoo stated in a way that he should have known before pulling on her seatbelt. 

"Ah...really?" 

"Are you going to drive or not?" Namjoo questioned. "If I had my license I'd already be off by now." 

"Fine, geez." He muttered. 

When he later watched Namjoo head into the salon he wondered if Eun Bi would make some excuse and come back to see her. He was still pondering over why she'd mentioned Namjoo to him yesterday. 

Did she know something?

He'd been secretive about both Namjoo and Soo Ae, but not careful. Eun Bi wouldn't know about him, Namjoo, and Soo Ae. Besides, who cared about what he did now that he was an adult?      

Yet, Eun Bi knew about Namjoo, the girl who'd gotten him dragged to the police station years ago. The only thing was that she didn't know Namjoo's name or how she looked like. Back then, Eun Bi had been one to follow him around school and home after school. Monitoring him had been her early profession along with delivering sweets to his home. She was also the first to find out that he was dating a girl in his grade and had thrown a fit about it.

The memory was still clear. Returning home from a day of play he was greeted by Eun Bi's wailing on his mother's lap about how it wasn't fair when he'd promised to marry her first. The situation had blown up and his mother, too, had gotten upset with him, siding with Eun Bi. Since then he hadn't recalled a day when Eun Bi didn't show up at his house expecting to have an evening with him. Studying and university had been his escape from them until recently. 

Would she now throw a fit if she knew about Namjoo and Soo Ae? 

He wanted to deny the possibility because Eun Bi wasn't a child anymore, but he knew better. She, like his mother, wanted him to get married and settle down fast. And she wanted to be the one he would marry. 

Sehun hated it, because he no longer felt the same way. Being cute as a child had been Eun Bi's forte and he'd thought she was pretty, but he had been a child then. How could anyone expect him to stay and think with the same mindset as his child self? He was grown up, an adult at that. He was certain he didn't want to spend his future with Eun Bi.

"Are you thinking about something?" Soo Ae called from the back seat. 

"Hmm?" Sehun's attention returned. "No, it's nothing. It's just Uncle's worries." 

"Can I know?" 

Why was it that whatever mood he was in, Soo Ae always brought a smile to his lips?

"Don't worry about it."

"Should I tell mommy to make something even more delicious tonight to help you feel better?" She wondered. "Mommy might not be that good at cooking, but her food isn't bad either." 

"I know." 

"Then lets eat something good tonight!" 

Laughing, he replied, "Sure." 

After dropping Soo Ae off at daycare he finally headed in to work.  

When he thought about it, his life was always routine without a sense of new. If it wasn't fun with Chanyeol, he was at home or sleeping. His mom would come find him, tell him to go take Eun Bi out to play. She'd drag him around to the theater or to the park to watch the sunset. Yet, he hadn't done anything he really wanted to do. All he wanted was to do the things he wanted, whether they were things on impulse or not he just wanted to be free. No voices in his head and no hands at his back pushing him as they liked. 

That was something simple, but so hard to attain. 

Once, Namjoo had been his escape. This time he didn't want to use her like that again. Namjoo would sense it, she was always a step ahead of him.

"Why so glum?" He felt Chanyeol hit his arm as he caught up in the wide corridor.  

The large panel windows along the sides invited an abundant amount of sun rays in. Heavenly fresh green leaves marked their shadows along the silver floor made from the best high quality marble on the market. One could almost hear them jingling happily in the sunlight.                      
                
"Ah...that hurt," Sehun quietly mumbled rubbing his arm. 

Straight ahead was another identical corridor, but it wasn't just a hallway but the lounge. Snack, soda, and coffee machines all stood beside each other. There were always people sitting snacking or relaxing. Sehun too, always used that lounge to just sit and dream.  

Chanyeol laughed heartily, "Didn't hit that hard. How's the marriage practice going? Haven't heard about it from you." 

Sehun glanced up at Chanyeol with a narrowed eye, "Still going on about it?" 

"Well, of course. Eun Bi is still at your house, right?" Chanyeol asked. 

Sehun sighed. "I haven't talked to her lately." 

"Really?!" He sounded as if he couldn't believe it. 

Suddenly stopping in step Sehun professed, "She knows about Namjoo." 

"What?!" Chanyeol raised his voice without intending to and turned to look around. 

Turning back to Sehun after confirming that they were alone, asked, "Really?! How? I thought no one knew about them, but you and me, of course." 

"I don't know," Sehun said. "She mentioned Namjoo out of the blue yesterday." 

"Hmm...well why worry? She just mentioned her. It's not like she knows about Namjoo's kid and that you go see them everyday." Chanyeol slightly laughed before wondering quite earnestly, "Or does she?" 

"She says she's going to leave if anything happens, so of course I'm worried. It's Eun Bi we're talking about." 

"Then, I guess you should be worried. Eun Bi's been following you for a long time." Chanyeol reasoned. "But why are you so secretive about Namjoo and her kid? It's not like you're embarrassed of them. This ex of yours seems so great since you care for her and her kid so much. I'm curious, can I meet her sometime? I barely remember how she looks like." 

Throwing his hand back he slapped Chanyeol across the chest, "Namjoo wants to live quietly without noisy jerks like you." 

Quickly walking ahead he heard Chanyeol shout from behind, "I'm not that bad! And that hurt!"

*****

"Are you seeing someone these days, Namjoo?" Rita questioned while unpacking new magazines that had come in.  

"No," she replied wiping the sink in the back dry for the next customer before she'd leave for the day.  

"Really? Who's that man that drops you off every morning and picks you up in the afternoon? Your friend?"  

"Ah...he's just...someone I know."  

Rita eyed her in a way that said she didn't quite believe her, "Where did you come from again?"  

"Muju."  

"So far from here. It must be tough, especially since you're all alone with your daughter. No boyfriend?" 

"I'm really not interested."

"You're still so young, you should think of your future too. Plus, for your little girl too. The economy is always inflating, going up and down, prices are rising and finding jobs with better pay is difficult. Every child needs someone to call father and you're going to need someone to lean on too. I grew up under a single parent household. I had a father, but no one to call mother. It was a lonely and difficult experience." Rita expressed. "I have a friend whose son just graduated university. You want to go on a blind date? I can hook you up."  

Namjoo just replied with a smile and said nothing more. After turning in for the day she approached the door and sighted Tao standing outside. Glad to see someone familiar she hurried out.  

"Tao," she called, "what are you doing here?"  

Raising his hand up to greet her he said, "I'm going back home for a few days to help mom with the harvest."  

"Ah...it's that time already," Namjoo nodded.  

"Since I can't be here for Soo Ae's birthday this weekend, I wanted to take her out to play today. Is that all right? You come too, of course."

"Sure, why not," Namjoo smiled. "I'm sure she'd love to." 

"Then should we go pick her up?"

"Actually, Sehun does it. They'll be here shortly."

Tao raised his brows. 

"What?" She wondered.  

"Is he always around?"

To this Namjoo nodded a little blankly before turning at the sound of a door closing and heard Soo Ae's voice.  

"Tao Tao!" She screamed before jumping into his arms to let him spin her around.
 
"Hey, you," Tao greeted rubbing his forehead against hers. "Want to go play today?" 

"Really?!" Soo Ae sounded as excited as expected.  

They looked homey together and Namjoo reached over to run her hand over Soo Ae's head adoringly. Jumping down from Tao's arms Soo Ae turned to gesture for someone to come over, Namjoo following her gaze. Sehun was watching them quietly and hesitated before trudging toward them.