Lee Jinki stops his steps. In front of him, there’s a low rent apartment. He knew this place really well as he used to come here before.

Someone who used to be really important for him lived in here. No, he won’t lie to himself anymore; it’s not a past tense. She’s still important for him even until now.

Shook his head and sigh heavily, he remembered how his father threatening him. “You leave that filthy girl, and you will do as I say. Because if you don’t you can forget being the next leader of Korean biggest corporation.”

But now he doesn’t really care about what the old man says.

The one he loved, she never asks too much.

He looked at something he’s been holding in his hand. She loves flower; he still remember it perfectly. A single rose can bring a smile in her face, even a small bouquet makes her kissed his cheeks and say, ‘you know you shouldn’t have.’

But he knows that she’s happy. That’s why it becomes a habit for him; to bring flowers every time he met her. Before he went here, he was choosing flowers in the shop. Without hesitation he picked the biggest and the most expensive bouquet. But then, suddenly he changed his mind.

She doesn’t care about who is he, she doesn’t care that he’s Lee Jinki, first born son from Lee family. You cannot count how much family named Lee in this country, it’s too much. But when it comes to Lee Sang Hun, everyone knows that Jinki’s father is one of the country’s richest men.

Of course, she knew about his father. Just like everyone looked at Jinki with those stare, ‘he’s the man’s spoiled son.’ And those who were trying to be his friend are just interested on his money.

He still remembers how they knew each other during the beginning of his college days.

She worked as a helper in the university, doing stuffs from cleaning to serve in the cafeteria. But that day they talked to each other for the first time is when he went to the rooftop and saw her standing there by herself with a broken vase and a bond of flowers.

‘What are you doing, this is my place.’ He used this tone, but honestly he’s a bit surprise to find someone in here. The place is where he escaped from those stare, where he could eats or just reading with peace of mind.

She looked at him but then she smiles, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I'm a new worker here. Please let me fix this and then I’ll leave.’

He looked at what she’s doing. Putted the flower into a bottle of water, she’s counting coins she took from her pocket and when she seems like it’s enough, she put it back. Then she took the glue to stick the piece of broken vase one by one. It seems not too easy, but from the look at her eyes, she looked so serious while doing it.

Sometimes she would hiss when she can’t stick it or the piece hurt her finger slightly, but other than that, she’s fine. And after almost an hour, the vase back into one piece although you can see its broken trail.

Jinki, who just finished his lunch while secretly staring at her all of that time, saying, ‘You know you can just throw the vase and used that money of yours to buy a new one. Besides, don’t you think your boss will find out that you broke it if you put those ruined vase back to the table?’

She looked at him and then she said, ‘I will buy a new one later, of course. I just stick this one and I would just take it home.’

‘Why?’ Jinki can’t help to ask.

‘Why?’ She paused for a while, but then she answered, ‘I just think that’s fair. I'm the one who broke it so why it has to be suffered by being thrown away?’

‘You’re crazy. It’s just a vase.’

She laughs. And her laugh is just like a melody to him. Then she said, ‘I'm just joking. A broken vase will always be different because no matter how good you stick it back, it still has the trail. But it won’t ruin by itself, someone must break it. Because of the breaker, it won’t be the same again. It’s so pitiful, isn’t it?’

Jinki thought that this girl is really weird. But when she smiled at him and for a second, it blinded him.

She said again, ‘I think everyone deserves a second chance. So if I keep this flower alive, and then I also keep this broken vase with me, I hope I will get that second chance.’

From that day, they met frequently on that place until they realized that they have fall for each other.

When he confesses to her, she said, ‘I knew that you’re that rich son, everyone mention your name and I’ve heard that. But that’s it. I dont care about that. Money can come and go, but what you feel… sometimes it will stick with you forever.’

Jinki learnt that she was born in a wealthy family, until one day her family loses everything. Just like she loses her parents too.

‘I'm still 5 years old, so I knew nothing about being wealthy. To be honest, I feel lucky somehow. I’ve heard how people went crazy after they lose their properties. ’ She laughs, ‘I live my entire life just being myself. Like this. So if you still wanting to be with me, I'm here. But we both know that we’re different.’

Of course he hugged her and says he wants to be with her at that time. They were together until his father finds out. And he was pushed to be away from her.

At that time, she gave him a sad smile and then just said, ‘So we’re really different after all, aren’t we?’

It’s been a while since that last time, until today, something successfully bothered his mind.

And that’s why he bought a smaller bouquet he knew she loves and here he is, right in front of her place.

He took one step. Two steps. And then without hesitation he walked to the stair, up to the second floor. First door, second door, he stopped at the third door to his left. Then he knocked. Twice.

‘ ’am coming!’ He heard her voice from behind the door, even to her murmured, ‘Who’s coming at this kind of hour?’

And she opens the door, ‘Yes-‘

‘Annyeong.’ he said hello with an uneasy smile.

‘Jin... ki? What… what are you doing here?’ She looked at him with confusion. Her hand even still not letting go the door handle.

‘I know that it’s might be too late, but… Someone said to me that everyone deserves a second chance. So as I broke your heart, I hope that you’re still willing to give me your forgiveness.’

Her eyes grew bigger, and he can see there are a hundred questions she hides. But instead of saying them, she just smiles and says, ‘You have the guts to come here.’ She’s not saying that with hate, in fact she said as if it’s a joke.

‘Yes, since that day since I met someone with the broken vase, I knew she’s different. And I fell in love.’

Then she welcomed his hug without saying anything. But I knew, the smile she just gave him, is more than a sentence of forgiveness.

--

‘Kibummie???!’

Kim Kibum closed his ears with both hands. ‘Yes, yes, I'm home.’ He sighed.

It’s been a while since he’s coming home to his parent’s house. Being in college and working at a corporation in the same time might have killed him slowly in the process. He’s not as rich as his classmate so he needs to work hard to pay the tuition.

Earlier, it was his mother who’s shrieking. And now she said, ‘Oh my God, why don’t you call first? I can prepare something, your favorite food, oh, there’s a plenty of Kimchi I can-‘

‘Mom. I'm your son, not a prince, or something.’

‘But you rarely come home, and you’re my prince after all.’ The middle-age lady patted both of his cheek so lovingly.

Kibum knew how his mom is, she’s a really cheerful person, but in the same time, so naggy. Well, in that sense, he got that from her.

‘Please stop it. And couldn’t I just come home without any reason? This is my house too, after all.’ He grunted but of course, his mother knows he doesn’t mean it. This oldest son is her pride.

‘Hey, son.’ His father appeared from the second floor, ‘How you doing?’ as he patted Kibum’s back like a proud father.

‘Fine, Dad.’ He smiled slightly but then he heard two people are talking in the backyard. More like arguing. So then he said to his Dad, ‘I’ll go check up on them.’

‘Yes, be my pleasure. I hope they would listen to you though.’

Kibum nodded and then walk to the terrace just to find a two teenage girls are really close on getting fight each other.

‘Ya! Ya!! Ya!! What the hell is this??’ He shouted like a father –or mother? with his hands rested on his waist.

The two 14 year olds are staring at him and then both screaming in unison, ‘Oppa!!’

One of them is running to give him a hug, while the other one just stood there but she’s pointing out.

‘Oppa, I told her that her boyfriend was going out with someone else behind her back, I saw them yesterday, but when she asked her boyfriend and he said it’s not true. Of course that stupid bastard won’t tell her the truth!’

And now the one who’s in Kibum’s arm yelled too, ‘She kept saying that she’s not lying but I knew that she’s making that up because she’s jealous of my boyfriend and-‘

‘STOP.’ Kibum gave out his hand in the air and sigh. Then of course, his little twin sisters stopped talking too.

‘I'm here after not seeing you two in over 5 months and what I found?’ He said. Then pointed to the one standing there, he said, ‘You, who said that you can use a word like ‘bastard’? We never taught you that. Well, ‘stupid’ I can handle, but no ‘Bastard’ no ‘Jerk’ not anything like that because I want you to stay away as far as you can from those kinds of bastard.’

‘But Oppa, you just say it-‘

‘Oh, young lady, I can say that as much as I want but not you.’

So then she can’t say anything else. And now Kibum looked at the one he embraced, ‘And you! What did I just say?’

She looked up to him and answer in a small voice, ‘To stay away from those bas- I mean, kind of guy.’

Kibum nodded and say, ‘Right. And please stop giving your sister a hard time, she just want to be a good one for you. But what makes me mad is that, why the two of you already talking about boyfriends, huh? You're still our babies! I dont want to hear something like this again. All you have to do is study! It's okay to have a crush, but no dating until.. Until you're in highschool! What will happen after that, well, we talk again when that time is come! Understand?’

Both of his sisters just nodded in silence as then he heard someone’s voice coming from behind, ‘Hyung?’
He turned around and saw a boy in a high school uniform.

‘Hey.’ Kibum messed up his younger brother’s hair as the tall 17 years old laugh.

‘Mom was in over excitement she almost drop a bucket of Kimchi when she told me you’re here.’

‘Well, Mom will always be mom, right?’

One of his sister is still in his arms, the youngest one of all, as then the 4 siblings went inside the house.

His mother commented, 'It's different when Kibum is here, isnt it, kids?'

Kibum looked around and then he frowned.

‘Wait, where’s Grannie?’ he asked.

Everyone stopped talking and just staring at each other.

‘I haven’t seen her; she must be in her room, right?’ Kibum asked his mother.

But it’s his father who replied, ‘Please don’t be too noisy, she must’ve sleeping.’

‘Sleeping?’ Kibum laughs, ‘Grannie loves to watch midnight show, and now it’s only 7 o’clock, why did she-‘

‘She’s not feeling well, sweetie.’ His mother answered.

He frowned. His Grandmother, or Grannie, is someone who raise him since he’s a child because his mother have 4 other children while Kibum is also helped her in changing his twin sisters’ diaper or helping his brother’s homework and everything.

‘oh, for God’s sake, Mom, just tell him.’ Suddenly someone walked on the stairs and it’s his 20 years old sister. ‘Oppa deserves to know. He’s the closest one to Grannie.’

‘What is it?’ Kibum asked, ‘Why wouldn’t anyone tell me what happen?’

The oldest of the twin finally speaks out, ‘Grannie is sick. The doctor says it might be too late to recover.’

‘You’re kidding, right?’ he asked his sister but she didn’t reply. He took it as a no.

Then he asked, ‘Since when? Why no one ever told me about this?’

Now the 20 years old answered him, ‘Grannie told us not to. How can she tell it to her favorite Grandson anyway?’

‘Wh-‘that’s how even someone like Kibum lost his words.

Less than a minute, he’s already beside his Grandmother’s bed. Staring at her sleeping. He still remembered, when he’s a kid, his grandma always read him a story every night. When he’s just 5 years old, he already have 2 younger siblings, so his mother can’t be with him all the time, but he thought it’s okay and he never envy his brother and sisters because he never feel lack of love. He got it more than enough from his grandmother.

In fact, his Grannie is also the one who taught him to be the leader of this family, of his 4 siblings. Although maybe because most of the time he spent it with his grandmother, he also has this ability to nag like a mother.

But growing up to be someone like he is right now, respected by his younger brother and sisters, to make his parents proud, all of it, he always give the credit to his Grandmother. If it’s not because of her, then this Kim Kibum is never exists.

When he’s still staring at the old lady, slowly she opens her eyes.

‘Omo!’ She exclaimed, ‘Kibummie?? What are you doing here? You almost scared me to death!’

Kibum is just looking at her. She doesn’t look like she has a serious illness. She’s still as witty as he knows in his entire life.

‘Hi, Grannie. Long time no see.’ He smiles.

‘Yaa~ this kid.’ His Grandmother laughs but then hugged him.

When she wanted to release him, he’s not willing to. Suddenly he felt relieved that he’s coming home tonight. If it’s not because of that person today, he might not going to think about coming home until the next holiday, and God knows when it would be.

‘How are you?’ His grandmother asked him as he still embraced her.

‘Fine.’ He actually lost his words.

‘Do you eat well? Seoul is not too cold, right? Aigoo~ You’re my handsome grandson but why you became so thin!’

Then he pulled back so he can look at her closely. She’s the one who look thinner than the last time they met.

‘I eat well; you know how good I am at cooking. Thanks to someone’s teaching.’ He said.

‘But how can you be this thin, I'm worried no girl would look at you!’

He laughs, ‘Grannie, you have no idea how many of them who have fell for me.’

Somehow, he caught the seriousness in her eyes, ‘Really? So you find a good girl? Why don’t you take her here, I want to meet her.’

He sighed silently. Of course he would love to take his beloved girl, but why rushing it, Grannie? Because you think you don’t have too much time left? Then why don’t you tell me about your condition. Kibum kept thinking about that.

‘I will, soon. But Grannie, why did you never call me? I bought you that phone with reasons, you know?’ Kibum pointed the cell phone on the table nearby.

‘You’re busy; of course I don’t want to bother you, my silly Grandson.’ She laughs.

Suddenly he realized. He also rarely ever calls her or anyone in his family.

His grandma gets up from the bed and say, ‘It almost dinner time, isn’t it? I want to go to the bathroom and then we go downstairs.’

Kibum nodded as she took her sweater and went to the bathroom inside the room.

He sits there dumbfounded, staring at the cell phone he bought for his grandma. And before he realized, his hand already took it, and then he opens the phone.

The wallpaper is a picture of himself, together with Grannie. He choked as he saw an envelope icon. His finger unconsciously pressed the icon and then it took him to the Outbox. There are a plenty unsent messages.

And all of them, meant to be sent to his number as it has his name on each one of them.

Kibum felt his eyes are burning as his finger trembling and open the first message. It means the last one she typed.

‘Kibummie. No matter what happens, just remember that Grannie loves you.’ it’s just that.

Suddenly he felt, she must be in vain when she wrote this, and not be able to send it.

He heard from behind, the door is open. He wiped his tears abruptly and then he heard his grandma said, ‘Come on, I’m hungry. And you have to eat 3 portions more for today. I want to have a healthy great-grandson, so you better doing well too.’

Kibum laughs although he felt like continue to cry. As then he gets up, his grandma caught his teary eyes, but she doesn’t say anything. He looked at her aging hand –the one who always patted his head lovingly since he’s still a kid, and then he took the sweater from her hand and put in on her shoulder.

And then he said, ‘I will remember that, Grannie. And I love you too.’ He knew his Grandma understands what he means. Like she always do.

--

‘What are you doing here?’

That’s the first thing Kim JongHyun heard as he saw her walking to her place with grocery bags in her hand.

‘It’s been a while.’ He smiled sadly.

‘Yeah, I don’t even counting the days, JongHyun. So stop the crap.’

He sighed. Of course she would say that. What happened to both of them, it’s like sending her to hell on earth.

‘I'm here just to see Mina.’

The young lady in front of him frowned. ‘What do you want exactly, just tell me.’

‘Nothing, really. I haven’t seen her for-‘

‘3 months.’ She mumbled.

I thought you didn’t count the days. Jonghyun thought that but of course he won’t dare to say it out loud.

He nodded and repeated her words, ‘3 months. I haven’t seen my baby girl for 3 months.’

‘Well, she doesn’t want to see you.’

JongHyun sighed again, ‘You know it’s not true.’

The groceries in her hand seem heavy, ‘Yeah, so tell me why you finally decide to come here, huh?’

‘I-‘Something he heard today makes him remember he hasn’t come to this place for a while. It’s not that he doesn’t want to, but he felt that he had nothing to be proud of, at least not yet.

But now it’s the lady who sighs, ‘She kept saying that she wants you to come next week, but I… I don’t know.’

‘Of course I will come. Do you think I forget about it?’ He reached out to help with her stuffs but she step back, and say, ‘I got it. I'm fine.’

She just shrugged so then he said, ‘Look, I know there’s nothing between us anymore, and just like our agreement, we both liked to keep it that way. But Mina is important for me, as much as she is for you.’

‘You kept breaking your promise recently and you know what; she’s not a baby anymore. She understands.’

Now he felt determined. ‘That’s why I hope she would understand that I love her no matter what. Even on the days we don’t spend together. Now can I please-‘

‘She’s in the playground.’ She said it as she went inside the house.

So then he walked there and when he reached the place, he called out, ‘Mi~na~’

A 4 years old girl on the swing turned around and looked at his direction.

“Appa??”

JongHyun bent down as he spread his arms to welcome his daughter, who’s running to him right now.

He lifted her in his arms and Mina said, ‘Umma went to the house, we bought a lot of vegetables and also chocolate milk that I love so much.’

‘I know that, sweetie.’ Then he says, ‘Poppo?’ then the little girl give him a kiss.

They’re laughing and she says, ‘I'm just thinking about you.’

‘Really? How lucky I am.’

‘I miss you, Appa, where are you, why didn’t you come to see me?’

JongHyun wants to sigh, but of course he wouldn’t give his daughter a tired face. He does feel tired of his life because he lives in a way he doesn’t want to. Being a delinquent through his youth days and end up make his girlfriend at that moment –Mina’s mother, pregnant is something he didn’t feel to be proud of right now.

And to pays it for humiliating his family’s name, he was bound to be succeed in college to fulfill his duty as his father’s successor one day. All he wants is to be a writer, went around the world seeking for something worth to be seen.

But then again, it’s just something he could only dream of.

‘I'm sorry, but I promise I will come more often to see you.’

‘You promised too much.’ Mina said that, and those 4 words, just shot through his heart.

He looked at her. Mina has her mother’s small nose and long eyelashes but the eyes beneath those lashes are look exactly like his. Her pigtails remind him on how hard he tried to tie her hair for the first time when once the two of them are spending one whole day together. And her smile is something that can erase his tiredness and all the things bothered his mind. Mina is just as pretty as her name. Mina.

‘So tell Appa, how can I make it up for you, Mina?’

‘Hm..’ the little girl tapped her cute finger on her chin, JongHyun wonders where she learn to act like that when she’s thinking about something. And then she speaks out, ‘I want to go to the zoo on my birthday.’

JongHyun laughs, ‘Next week?’

The little girl nodded, ‘Can I? Can I?’

‘Of course you can.’

‘But Appa have to come too.’

‘And of course I will.’ He patted her head.

‘Great! So we can go together, me, Umma and Appa.’

JongHyun paused for a while, ‘Well, you have to ask your mother about that.’

‘I will! And Umma will never say no to me.’

He laughs because of her. She’s really his daughter in that sense.

‘Appa?’ Suddenly Mina called him.

‘Yes, Mina?’

‘I still have this.’ She took something out from her dress’ pocket.

It’s a small birthday card from last year. he couldn’t come at that time so he sends her a birthday present. Thank God Mina’s mother was still willing to give it to his daughter instead of throw it away.

He was surprised she still kept it. Even the last time he met Mina, the girl doesn’t show it to him.

‘You know I learn Hangul in kindergarten. I can read it now.’

He almost forgot that his only daughter went to school since last month.

‘Yes? Can you read it for me?’ He asked her, although he also can read it as now she opens the card in front of him.

Mina nodded and start to read, ‘Happy birthday my little angel.’

‘You know what an angel means?’ He asked him.

‘Hm… I asked my teacher and I think I understand.’ She’s so cute when acts like a little princess. ‘My teacher said that an angel is someone who’s nice and keeping people away from doing something bad.’

‘Well, your teacher is right.’

‘So Appa, I won’t let anything bad happen to you because I’m your angel.’ Mina said it as she’s staring at him with those pair of innocent eyes.

For a second, JongHyun couldn’t say anything.

But at that moment he realized, maybe it’s true he throws his dreams away. But he already got one more important thing right now as he held the world in his hand. It’s his daughter. Mina.

--

‘Isn’t that the famous young actor? What is he doing in here?’

‘Look at those long legs and handsome smile. He’s more good looking in the real life!’

‘Wait, so the rumor is true? There are some people saying that the girl from our class is seeing a celebrity.’

‘Who?’

‘Our class leader.’

‘But I though she’s going out with the soccer team captain?’

Choi Minho stood there, leaning his back on the wall while he can hear all of those people. Then he sighed.

He’s waiting outside a class and it’s not even his campus. He went here, right after he finished his own class, bailing out because he’s supposed to be on his way to the filming location. But something he heard back in his previous lecture makes him wanting to stop by first.

One by one, the students went out from this big classroom, but the one he wants to see is leaving a bit later than the other.

‘Ima.’ He called out as she finally walked out from the class, surprisingly, not alone because there’s a guy following her.

She turned around and frowns, there’s only one person who called her that. ‘You-’ But then she said to the other guy, ‘Wait for me, okay?’

‘Ya! What are you doing here?’ The girl hissed as then Minho just laughed, ‘Hello back at you.’

‘Just skip it and tell me what do you want, I have class after this, Tokki.’

Ima is what Minho always called this girl, childhood friend of him. It means forehead. Because when she’s still a little girl, she always pulled her hair back into a ponytail, showing her forehead.

And Tokki, means rabbit, it’s what she called him because when he’s a kid, his front teeth used to look like a rabbit’s. It’s cute, but of course, he knew that she never going to admit it.

‘Is it wrong for me to meet my good friend? I'm on my way to the set and as I passed your campus, I decided to have lunch with you.’

‘But everyone will start a rumor, and that’s the last thing I need right now.’ She chuckled.

‘Of course, since I’ve heard that you’re been rumored with the Soccer Captain too.’

‘How-‘She stops, ‘Are you stalking me?’

To heard that Minho laughs, 'That's the first time I heard someone said to an actor whether he's actually a stalker.' then he knocked her head slowly, ‘Blame your college mates they love to gossip too much. But who would’ve thought that our Ima is actually really that famous?’

‘Stop it.’ She pushed his hand slightly, ‘You know after you went here for filming at that time, there’s already a rumor about us around here. And I don’t want to be the victim of your diehard fans.’

He laughs and ignore it, ‘You know my mom has been asking about this, you will come to tomorrow’s party, right?’

‘Your father’s? Of course I will. My parents are going to be there too, remember? They would strangle me if I didn’t show up.’

Even though being an educator’s son makes him always being questioned why choosing to be an actor instead of pursuing a serious career, but hey, at least he’s trying to get his degree. And at many times, he actually feels it’s an advantage that his father’s partner is this girl’s parents.

Why? well, it’s not so difficult to guess, right?

‘You were here just to ask that?’

‘If it’s the case, then what?’ He’s still smiling. Really, this stubborn girl.

‘Someone’s waiting for me.’

‘Oh, you mean that guy?’ He asked, ‘I thought you already have the Captain.’

She stomped her feet. He almost sure she never shows this side of her in front of her college mates since she’s a class leader. Then she said, ‘I tutored him. And the Soccer Captain, I don’t know, the girls said he was interested on me, but then I saw him with some girl.’

Minho laughs and pats her shoulder, ‘Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of guys over there that’s willing to be with such a stubborn girl like you.’

‘Seriously, did you come in here just to mock me or what? I thought an actor like you didn’t have so much time to hang out.’

He looked at her. She knew about his packed schedule, so why can’t she appreciate him to come by just to say hello? Besides, aside from the fact that they’re childhood friends, after being an adult they don’t spend so much time together.

‘Well, like I said, I was in the neighborhood and then I want to ask you about tomorrow’s party.’ He shrugged.

‘We have this, remember?’ She added as she lifts her cell phone.

Minho knew exactly the girl’s personality and sometimes, it’s really difficult for him because this lovely childhood friend of him often hides her own feelings even though it’s usually easy for him to read. But now, he can’t really tell why she acts like this. So he thinks that this is his exit.

‘Fine then, next time I'm not going to come again. I’ll text you.’ Then he’s just smile before he turns around, ‘See you tomorrow. Oh, and wear a pair of high heels at one time won’t hurt you.’

He knew she got what he meant. Back when they’re in high school, at prom night she literally held his arm all night because of her 5-inches heels. It looks good on her, but Minho can’t help to think, for someone who never wear such a high heels like her, why not choose a shorter one?

But then again, so many thoughts and question for her, there are also so memories about her that he kept inside of his mind because they knew each other for a long time. It might have turn into love, but knowing their unique relationship, it also might already pass through something called love or hate.

As he walked on the corridor and waved his hand without looking back, suddenly he heard her voice echoing the corridor, ‘Tokki!’

A smile appears in his face. But he doesn’t stop. Then he heard his name got called, ‘Ya, Choi Minho!!’

So now he stops. But when he wants to turn around, his cell phone is ringing.

He frowned. It’s from her. So then he looked at her, just to see her running towards him.

‘What is this?’ He lifted his phone to show it to her.

‘It’s…’ She stopped, and just shrugged, ‘I just checked whether you still got your old number or not.’

Minho laughs, ‘Silly.’

She pushed him slightly, ‘And didn’t you say you want to treat me for lunch?’

‘What? I didn’t say that I’m going to treat-‘

‘You’re a famous actor while I’m plainly just a student.’

Then he smiled as he wraps his arm on her shoulder as they walked to the canteen, ‘Okay, okay. Hey, but what about your tutoring student?’

She seems doesn’t mind with his gesture right now, then she just took her phone and texted something, ‘Done.’ as then she looked at him, ‘Who you gonna take to the party, by the way?’

‘Hm… I might be going to come alone to avoid any rumors. Why?’

‘Nothing.’ She shook her head.

‘Oh come on, just say it. Do you want us to come together to the party?’ He said.

She mumbled, ‘Well, I won’t humiliate myself in front of my date just because of pair high heels.’

To heard that, he laughs. He knew what she means, but he decided to , ‘I thought you will take the Captain.’

‘I told you, he’s the one interested on me, but I don’t!’ She yelled so he acts like his ear is becoming deaf because of her.

He really felt that it’s a good thing he decided to come by to see her today. And as the smile doesn’t leave his face as he patted her head using the hand that rested on his childhood friend’s shoulder, ‘Good. You don’t need him, you already have me.’

--

With a bouquet of daisy and a bottle of Makgeolli or Korean rice wine, Lee Taemin walks to the hill by himself. As he reached the top, he looked down to the night view of Seoul.

Then he turned around and smile.

‘Umma, Annyeong.’ He said, ‘Look, it’s your favorite daisy.’ He put the flower and patted the grass slowly.

As he buttoned up his jacket he said, ‘Ah, it’s getting cold lately, right, Umma?’

He stood there in front of her mother’s grave and he laughs, ‘I know, I know. I’ve been here last week, but I feel like coming here and not waiting until next month.’

‘Look what I got here. Makgeolli. Yes, last time I went here I forgot to bring it so now I have the best one.’ He opens the bottle and pours it into two small cups.

His mother used to say she always wanted to be able to drink this whenever her son, Taemin turned to be adult. But unfortunately she’s gone before he reached 16 years old.

So he remembered than since he turned 20 until now, he used to bring one bottle whenever he visited his mother almost every month.

Smiling sadly, he sipped the drink and then he said, ‘You know what Umma; sometimes I wonder how one person can be important to another people around. Because as I have no one, aside from you, I don’t think that someone finds me important for them.’

He laughs, ‘No, I'm not drunk. You might wonder why I suddenly talk like this, well, because today there’s something unusual happened.’

Paused for a while, as if he lets his mother speaks, then he continues, ‘It’s not a special situation or anything, it’s just that… Well, you know how boring my Thursday class, right? And just as usual, many of my classmates bailed out. But there’s some of them, who usually don’t come, suddenly appeared.’

Taemin chuckled, ‘But then I think they might just come because they need to fill the credits, those senior. For an average grade and poor student like me, I need to be in every class. But someone like Lee Jinki-sshi, you know Lee Sang Hun, right, he’s the rich man’s son, and he appeared although I think he doesn’t really have friends. To see him, I was become sure that you’re right Umma, there’s something that money cant buy.’

Then he sat on the grass before he continued, ‘And then I saw the scary looking senior, I think I have mentioned him to you before. His name is JongHyun or something, he often went to the same class as mine, but lately I think he’s more serious than before. I don’t what he wants to achieve because I was too afraid to talk to him, but then I think you can’t judge people by their looks, right Umma? It’s also something you taught me.’

Clapped his hands as he remembered something, he said, ‘Ah! Right! And all the girls in the class were buzzing because that cool young actor came!’

Taemin laughs, ‘Choi Minho became famous after one movie, and I believe you would say ‘if I have a daughter I might want him to be my son-in-law!’ Well, yeah, Umma, he’s really handsome, but I’ve heard from Kibum Hyung, that he’s actually coming from a respectable family, politician, or educator, I don’t really remember. But then again, I think family background isn’t everything, right Umma? You always said to me that one must achieve what they worked hard for.’

‘That’s why I admire Kibum Hyung. Oh, have I told you that he promised me to introduce me to his sister?’ He laughs.

Once again he paused, before he continued, ‘But the most unusual thing happened today, is the substitute lecturer.’

‘Why?’ He said as if his mother did ask him that. ‘Hm, well, first of all, I never saw him before. He said my lecturer couldn’t attend for today so he came to my campus. He’s his friend or something.’

‘I just hope that he wouldn’t be as boring as his friend, and turns out that he didn’t teach anything from the subject. He’s just talking about many random things.’

Taemin coughed, as then he said, ‘Out of the blue he’s talking about time. Well, some of the students have left the class with many reason, I guess, but I just find what he said is interesting.’

‘You know what, he even tells us about his own experience. He said, when we’re young, we would feel like we’re going to live forever. Right now is our moment, an endless one, without knowing the clock is ticking.’

‘If you’re wondering, I think he’s about 50 years old or something. I don’t know, he just seems… tired. But I can see there’s a young spirit in his eyes.’

Laughs a bit, Taemin says, ‘Yes, Umma, your son is an observer. I live my life on my own so I like to see how other people do in their life.’

Then he closed the Makgeolli bottle, ‘Now back to the lecturer, there’s one thing between all of his sentences that caught me. I think he quoted from a Western Poet but I forgot his name.’

He took his notes and read under the light from his phone, ‘“Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you.”’

Taemin lifted his head to face the grave again, ‘It’s really simple, right Umma? But I can’t seem to get it away from my mind.’

‘Up until now, I never really experience something like letting people go into my life, because...’ He smiled sadly, ‘Forgive me to say this, Umma, but I always scared that they will leave me in the end. Like you. Or my father that I’ve never even met.’

He lay down on the grass and looked up to the sky, ‘Well, I think I'm still a kid, sometimes I couldn’t cope the way I feel about it. Of course I know you would never want to leave me alone, Umma, its God will.’

Put his hand on the back of his head he said, ‘After I heard those sentences, I feel like talking to you again, Umma. Why? I don’t know. Well, you already know how much I love you even without I said it out loud, right? But I think he’s right, time does go so fast. Next month is going to be the 5th year of my life without you in it, but I can say that as time goes by, I feel your presence become more important for me, Umma.’

‘I'm sure, you always see me from up there, right? So I think I'm done being an observer because I want you to see me in the future, living my own life, with my friends, my job, my family, and my own kids. Up until now, I always come here by myself and say how much I missed you. But I hope soon I can bring a true friend and my lover too, to meet you, my most important person for me.’

‘That man, my substitute lecturer, you know what I felt sorry for him? He said that can only taught us because he lost his opportunity in the past. I don’t want to be that kind of person, but I thanked him to remind me about that.’

Then he stood up and take the bottle of Makgeolli, ‘Strange enough, but for someone who’s in vain, after he finished our class, he seems relieved. Well, maybe he’s nervous and I don’t think he will come to our class again.’

As he patted his jeans and coat to get rid of the grass that stick to it, Taemin bowed to give his respect to his mother, and he kissed his own hand then he pressed it to the grass on the ground, ‘I love you Umma. See you again soon. Rest well, okay?’

He walked but then he turned to give his cheerful smile he used to give to his mother when she’s still alive, ‘Oh, one more thing, Wish me luck, Umma. I was a bit nervous because I think Kibum Hyung’s sister would be as smart as her brother, and also very pretty too.’ Then he paused, before he laughs, ‘But I know you trusted your son will do his best, right?’

Once again, he looked at the grave and waves his hand, ‘Umma, Annyeong.’

--

Not long after that, someone else stood in front of that grave.

His eyes are teary, but his lips formed a smile that looks really similar to the young man that came earlier. And he whispered, ‘Our son grew to be someone admirable, doesn’t he? I felt terrible that I found out about him too late. But I think it’s better than never, for I might not be able to see him again after today.’

He put a bouquet next to the daisies. It’s the same flower.

And then he said, ‘I hope all of those young students can learn something and live no regrets.’

Gestured the same thing as his son, he kissed his hand and pat it to the ground, ‘We’ll meet again soon, wait me there, okay?’

--

The time is always right to do what is right.

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A/N: This chapter's title is a quote from Martin Luther King. and Mina means pretty in Korean.

all of the 5 characters I wrote based on my thoughts when it come to the image i want then to portray whenever they got a role in drama or movie, i hope you can picture them easily in mind while you read the story :)

and most important thing, I hope you enjoyed the story.

z.