One week later…

“Mom!” Yong rushed to me in the kitchen.

I’m cooking breakfast. It’s a school day, so I’m in a hurry. We need to be at the Preschool in two hours.

I watched him run to me. “What’s the matter, Superman?” I asked, cheerfully.

He hugged me by the waist. He seemed scared. I crouched down and cupped his face with my hands. “Did you had a bad dream?”

In tears, he nodded. “A man got Emma. We were at the park. I keep on shouting to let her go, but he doesn’t want to”. And my poor son breaks down, hugging me by the neck. “It’s so scary Mom”

Well, this is alarming. I’m not a believer of premonitions, but this is something. It’s also Ethan’s first time to dream about his sister being abducted. Usually, it’s just about their toys coming to life and chasing him or Emma’s favorite doll becoming a monster. His imagination is broad, that’s why it’s not a shock that his dreams are quite intense.

To be honest, there are days when I think, ‘What if all these years Jiyong actually knows where we are? That one of these days he’ll show up and get my children away from me’. I swear, if ever that happens, I’ll fight him till I can’t fight no more. Though he has a right to them, I will not let him take them away. Never!

“Emma isn’t going nowhere” I assured Ethan, who is still shaking in fear. “You have Mom to protect you both” I his back gently. “I will not let anything bad happen to you. We’ll never be apart”

Our morning is not the way I expected it to be. Ethan is so disturbed by his dream that he asked if they can just stay at home and not go to school. Also, wherever Emma goes, he follows. I even bathed them together because he doesn’t want her leaving his sight even just for a second.

“What are we going to do in school today, Mom?” Emma asked with soap foam on her hair that she gathered from the tub.

I chuckled because of her silliness and poured water on her. “Ms. Smith will bring your class to the park. You’ll play catch and have a picnic” I answered.

Very timely, right?

Just hearing the word park, Ethan gets alarmed. He scooted in front of his sister, so that he’s closely facing me. “Can she not go?”

I playfully pinched his nose. “Don’t worry about a thing. Emma is going to be fine. Ms. Smith and Ms. Davis would be there to keep an eye on her”

All he can do is look back to his sister and pout. He pulled her closer to him and hugged her, while patting her head. Then he pulled out, gripped her shoulders and made her look at him. “Always be beside your teachers, OK? If a man goes to you, ignore him, or if he tries getting you, shout out loud”. My son sounded just like me when telling them instructions.

Well, the kids are always reminded of what they should do if a stranger approaches them or tries abducting them. It’s being taught in school and of course, I taught them beforehand. Emma, as young as she is, is still easy to lure, that’s why I really keep her close to me all the time. Ethan on the other hand, is never easy ever since. He’s cautious of his surroundings and always on guard – a trait I’m sure he got from Jiyong (yet again). One more thing, whenever he sees a stranger talking to me, he’s on alert, especially if it’s a guy. He sometimes tell me to not talk to that person ever again because of random reasons. Yep! My son is, once again, just like his Father who is easy to get jealous and very protective.

All prepared, we left the house and walked to school. It’s just ten minutes away.

“Good Morning Ms. Yoon!” one of my students greeted.

I smiled at her. “Good Morning Abbigail”

You see, when you’re a teacher or even a Doctor, it always feels good whenever your students or patients greets you. I don’t know, but it brightens my mood.

“School is fun! School is great!” Emma is singing on our way to her classroom. She really have songs for everything that she do. Mind you, some of them are just made by her (her musical genius Father is the one to blame for this talent).

The kids are in different classes. Emma is at K1, while Ethan is at K2, while I teach in K2, not Ethan’s class though. Our classrooms are just beside each other, which is so convenient because I can check on my kids from time to time and vice versa (Emma always peeks in my classroom during their break time just to blow kisses at me).

“Be good” I told her. “Eat your snack. Don’t throw any. If you can’t finish it…”

“Give it to Mikee” she butted in, and it made me curious.

“Why is that?” I asked.

She giggled. “Because he loves leftovers. Almost our whole class give him what we don’t want to eat from our lunches and he eats them all” she said animatedly.

“All right” I straightened her clothes and kissed her on the lips. “I love you. See you later!”

She rubbed her nose to mine. “I love you too, Mom!” and she’s off.

As for Ethan, he is hesitant to leave his sister. I even have to pull him to his classroom.

“Emma’s going to be fine, Superman” I tapped his nose and he wrinkles it cutely.

Once again in tears, “I’m scared Mom”

I hugged him tightly and hummed Jiyong’s song, Butterfly, to calm him down.

For some reason, this song is the only memory he has of him when he was still a baby. I don’t know, but during that time his ultimate favorite is Crayon and Fantastic Baby, and I can’t remember him reacting to Butterfly that much. Jiyong however, sings to him whenever he’s irritable or if he’s making him sleep. Maybe he has hummed the song to Ethan many times, that’s why it stuck on him.

Time is not as fast as usual. My students are napping and I’m left with nothing to do. Unlike when I was still a Doctor, I never had time for myself. I was so hectic, that eating is impossible. Now, I even have time to relax and freshen my mind.

“Mom” Ethan peeked in my classroom.

I carefully and silently went out to meet him. When I saw him, I knew right away that he just finished crying. This is unusual of him. He never cries as much. Maybe he’s really worried for Emma.

“Their class is gone now” he said, looking at his sister’s empty classroom.

With a sigh, I wiped his tears and his cheeks. “Do you want to go there?” I asked, even when I’m not sure if his teacher would allow him to go home early.

Hopeful, he nodded. “Yes Mom”

“All right. I’ll ask Ms. Brown if she can let you off early” I told him, and he gave out a small smile.

“How about you Mom?” he asked, pointing at me.

I stood up and we walked to his classroom. “Mom is still working. But don’t worry, I’ll walk you to the park and check Emma too. I’ll pick you guys up after work or if you want, you can go home when you want to”

He shook his head. “Pick us up Mom”

I hold him close to me. “Ok, Superman” I said, making him giggle.

With Ethan permitted to go early, we walked to the park, holding hands. My son is still not at the stage where he gets embarrassed when he’s being so cheesy with his Mother. I’m telling you, if that day comes, I’ll lose my marbles.

“There they are!” I pointed at the kids, playing.

Emma’s class is having fun under the sun. The preschool they’re attending is promoting outdoor classes, which the children loves.

“Don’t go too far” I told the kids. “You know up to where you can play”

Emma is just jumping in excitement, while Ethan is being the responsible one, nodding and answering. “Yes, Mom”

I left the park with them playing together. The teachers in-charge will not have a problem with them, for they are well-behaved, just can be extra playful at times.

When I got back, my students are already awake and my co-teacher is preparing another activity. And when work’s done, I headed straight to the park to meet up with the kids who I’m sure are having a blast.

“Mom!” Emma came running the moment she saw me.

I welcomed her with a tight hug. “How are you, baby girl?”

She giggled and kissed me on the lips. “I’m fine!” Oh gosh! She’s too hyped. “Ms. Im wants to talk to you” she said, pointing at the bench where the parents are. “There she is!”

“What about?” I asked curiously.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, Mom”

And I walked to the bench. Parents know me and they all greeted upon seeing me.

“Hey!” Ms. Im, a Korean but has never been to Korea, made me sit beside her. She can speak and understand the Korean language very well though.

“Hello, Ms. Im!” I greeted with a bow.

“How have you been?” she asked, a little jumpy.

I smiled at her. “Good. How about you?”

She giggled. “I’m good as well. Anyway…” she snapped, “Have you ever been interested in Kpop?” she asked, and I find it really weird.

I wonder what’s with her random question.

“Honestly, I’m not that into it. But, I know enough” I answered.

She groaned. “So there’s really some Koreans that are not much hooked!”

I only chuckled.

Still enthusiastic, “Do you know Big Bang?”

The moment I heard Big Bang, my interest spiked up. Of course, I know them. I know them well. What about them? Don’t tell me Ms. Im just discovered the band and is looking for someone who can fangirl with her.

Not getting any response from me, she sighed “Ever heard of Bang Bang Bang, Lies, Haru Haru, FANTASTIC BABY?” she emphasized, making me chuckle. “No?” she shook her head and looked at me with so much expectations. “How about….TOP? Daesung? Taeyang? Seungri?”

Wait. Why did she stop? She’s missing one member.

And then she squealed, a squeal that I only hear from teenagers nowadays. “G- DRAGON?” then she hold my arm and shook me a little. “Oh my! That man is the hottest! Up until now, even when he’s already married, his charisma is oozing. Actually, all five of them just added age but they never looked like it”

Oh yeah. My babies’ daddy hasn’t lost it yet. Good for him.

To be completely honest, I haven’t taken time to check on him. Not that I don’t care about him anymore, but I feel like even in a picture, I don’t have the guts to face him. I don’t know any news about him as well. To make it simple, I know nothing about him now.

“I know them. Of course” I finally speak out.

And she squealed again. “Then I’m inviting you to their concert!” she excitedly grabbed my arm again and shook me.

“Huh?”

Proudly, “My husband is one of their concert organizers here in America. I was given ten VIP tickets and I want to give you one because I’m sure you will enjoy and relate so much to it. Just think that they’re a piece of home brought to you to cure homesickness”

More like a piece of home brought to me to bring my past to the present.

This is not happening.

“When is this?” I asked, feeling nervous.

“Next Friday. But, the band’s actually here in Chicago already”

                                                                                                                                                      ****