TODAY was supposed to be a great and blissful day for Joshua as he turned 18, but all Song Qian could see was his gloomy face ever since she arrived at the coffee shop. They were sitting in confined area for privacy because sometimes they could be too loud and disturbed other customers. She observed his face while waiting for their ordered foods, and he looked pensive and bothered.

"Hoi Joshua, are you okay? Do you have any problem?"

"Huh?" Joshua looked at Song Qian with dumbfounded face. He just shook his head when she asked him the same question, but his reaction was not convincing. She wanted to dig more but had to stop when the foods arrived. Her eyes glistened when the waiter placed the giant blueberry cupcake on table, and she looked excited as if that was her birthday cake.

"Okay, let's start," she said with clasped hands after the waiter went away, but Joshua stopped her before she could open to sing. He quickly blew the candle away and dug the cupcake with spoon.

"Hey, I haven't started singing and you haven't made the wish! How could you impatiently blow the candle?"

"I'm 18 now. I don't need you to sing for me like a dumb here," he stated while maintaining his cool face, but then he yelped when Song Qian pulled down his cap until it blocked his sight.

"Whatever!" she replied before she grabbed the wrapped gift beside her and handed to Joshua. He torn the floral wrapping paper and saw the neatly folded wine colour tuxedo inside the transparent box. He remembered telling her that he needed a suit for upcoming prom night, but he did not take it seriously when Song Qian said that she would make one for him.

"Did you make this? Thank you Noona. I love you," his face brightened up, and Song Qian chuckled when he excitedly took out the blazer and tested it. Her smile faded when her sight fell on the cubic box inside her bag. This gift was from Nichkhun, and she had to give this to Joshua. Mentioning about Nichkhun, it had been two days since he left Philippine, and she had not heard any news from him yet.

What exactly did he do for living because he was quite frequent went abroad? Fashion designer? She did not think so because he never paid attention if she watched fashion program. Song Qian stopped making guess when Joshua snapped his fingers at her face. He non-verbally asked her what she was thinking by raising his eyebrow.

"Nothing! Just I have one more thing to give you," she said while taking out that box from her bag and shoved it to Joshua. He took it and his reaction was similar to Song Qian when she first saw it.

"It is second hand product, so it is affordable. Don't you worry about its price," Song Qian lied and tried to look directly in his eyes to convince him that she was telling the truth.

"Thanks Noona," Joshua did not know what else to say to show how thankful he was for everything she had done for him.

"Quick, try on it," he obliged her. Song Qian smiled after saw that wristwatch really looked good on Joshua. After that they started to eat the foods, and Joshua kept telling funny stories that made both of them laughed so hard. They were having a good time until Joshua noticed the small family that sat quite far from them was celebrating the birthday of their daughter. Both of them suddenly quiet, and Song Qian checked on Joshua's face as she knew what was inside his mind.

He was just one year old when their late father committed suicide, and their mother disappeared when he was three years old. Basically Joshua was too young to remember anything about their parents, but he knew what had happened to their family that caused them to break apart. They were hunted by the loan shark until they lost their old house in Seoul, and they literally lived like a beggars after that before Mei Xui sent them to Daegu and disappeared later.

"Joshua..,"

"I was just thinking what we would be today if we still had parents," he answered as if he could read her mind at that time.

"Why you suddenly bring up this? Do you miss them?" she studied his expression but instead of answering it, Joshua questioned back which caused the pang inside her again.

"How about you Noona? Do still mad at Mom for leaving us?" Song Qian was quiet, and she continued eating to avoid that question. Joshua did not need the answer because he had it from the beginning. No matter how many times he asked her about that, the answer was still the same which she was still mad at Mei Xui.

"Noona, what if Mom comes back and she..,"

"We don't need her," Song Qian interjected with angry tone and caused Joshua instantly stopped to ask her more question. He just cut his steak and stuffed into his mouth without looking at her, and Song Qian sighed in guilty because she realized that she just hurt him.

"Look Joshua. I'm sorry but can we stop discussing this? Mom does not need us. She was the one that left us and why would she come back after 12 years of missing without any news? We survived without her anyway and there is no reason for us to accept her back," she reached his hand and rubbed it while looking at him for understanding.

"I'm sorry Noona. I didn't mean to ruin your mood by talking about Mom. Okay, I won't bring it up again," he apologized, and Song Qian just smiled bitterly before she excused herself to go to restroom. Before she was able to push the door, someone came out and bumped her shoulder as that person walked passing her.

"Hey watch out where you are going!" that person scolded her although it was totally not her fault. Song Qian looked up to defend herself, but they were wearing surprised faces after recognized each other.

"Oh my God, Song Qian! I'm so sorry. I did not see you just now,"

"It's okay Miss Arissa," she reassured Arissa who she had not seen for quite some time. They knew each other because Arissa was her first so-called customer that wanted her design of red mini tube dress. They were not really close, but they just comfortable with each other.

"I haven't seen you visiting boutique for quite some time now," Arissa laughed as she realized the truth in Song Qian's statement.

"I was so busy lately with my project. You can see my designs display in the stores soon," Arissa was working as jewelry designer for Diamond Sea Company, and seriously she was amazing and talented designer.

"But you will see me soon because Taecyeon is working on my engagement dress," she said with excited voice.

"Congratulation Miss Arissa. I wish to see your cold-hearted soon-to-be your fiancé soon," Song Qian teased Arissa as she knew a little about Arissa's boyfriend because Arissa did share with her some of her problems. Song Qian obviously was not expert in handling the complicated relationship, but Arissa liked her because she was a good listener.

"By the way, I really have to go now. See you again," Arissa hugged Song Qian, and she went inside the restroom after Arissa disappeared from her sight. It was quite funny because they actually shared the same problem where both of them were in love with cold-hearted man. What made them different was their status; Arissa was legit girlfriend while she was just someone's mistress.

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SONG QIAN checked out the condo and made sure everything had been switched off before she hung Sony digital camera on neck and tugged along the small suitcase after she locked the condo. She also brought her favourite Polaroid instant camera with her which she put inside her suitcase. Besides designing the clothes, Song Qian was also into photography, and she even joined the photography club in her school back then.

It was still early in the morning when Song Qian left the condo, and there was less number of vehicles on the road at this hour. Song Qian would take the bus to the bus station where she would meet Joshua at there. The grey skies started to became bright, and Song Qian stopped to take the picture before she continued walking. Then she waited for the pedestrian crossing light to turn green, and she was alone there at that time.

Song Qian crossed the rood when the light turned green, but then she realized the blac