🎢 Chapter 15: A Day That Felt Like a Dream
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☀️ At Jiwoo's House
The scent of sesame oil and sizzling garlic wafted through the cozy kitchen as Jiwoo hummed quietly to herself, placing freshly made japchae onto the serving dish. Her home, nestled in a quiet street lined with cherry blossom trees, felt unusually lively this morning. Maybe it was the soft anticipation fluttering in her chest—or maybe it was the image of a little boy's bright smile that wouldn't leave her mind.
She moved to the dining table, carefully placing plates and bowls on a dainty linen runner. Just as she adjusted the napkins beside the plates, the front bell rang.
Before her housekeeper could even fully open the door, a familiar voice shouted with glee.
"Mommaaaa!"
Jiwoo turned with a surprised laugh just in time to see Taehyun sprinting toward her, his little legs wobbling in excitement, dressed in an adorable striped sweater and matching cap.
"Baby, be careful!" she said with alarm, bending down to catch him in a warm embrace as he launched himself into her arms.
He clung to her tightly, his tiny arms wrapped around her neck.
"Momma, you know Taehyun missed you sooo much!" he pouted, burying his face in her shoulder.
Jiwoo held him a bit tighter, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. There was something about the way he held her—so full of innocence, trust, and love—that made her heart ache with a strange mix of joy and longing.
"Aww... then today Momma will make sure she never leaves Taehyun alone again, hmm?" she whispered.
"Yeaaaah!" Taehyun cheered, pulling back slightly. "Taehyun will play with Momma the whole day!"
A soft chuckle came from behind them. "Good morning," Seojun said as he stepped inside, his tall figure slightly nervous as he watched the heartwarming scene.
Jiwoo looked up and offered him a bright smile. "Oh, hello, Seojun. Come on in."
"I'm sorry if he caused any trouble this morning," he said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.
Jiwoo shook her head, still holding Taehyun. "There's no trouble at all. In fact... I don't know why, but I feel so drawn to him. It's as if... I really am his mother." Her voice dropped into something softer. "There's this... connection. Like I've always known him somehow."
Seojun felt his throat tighten at her words, but he kept the smile on his lips. "Thank you," he said quietly. For letting yourself feel that... even if you don't remember why.
Before another word could be exchanged, Taehyun's stomach grumbled loudly.
"Mommaaa, my breakfast?!" he cried dramatically, making both adults burst into laughter.
"Okay okay, my boy!" Jiwoo smiled, "Let's eat the delicious breakfast I made just for you."
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They moved to the dining table, the warm golden light of the morning filtering through the lace curtains. Jiwoo helped Taehyun climb onto a chair, but the boy squirmed and reached out his arms.
"I want to sit on Momma's lap!"
With a soft laugh, Jiwoo sat down and let him settle into her lap, his head resting lightly against her chest. The moment felt so natural—so complete—that even Seojun, who sat across the table, found himself staring in awe. This is what we were missing for so long...
Taehyun took a big bite of the japchae and gasped.
"Woooow! Momma, how do you know Taehyun loves japchae?!"
"Really? You like japchae?!" Jiwoo asked, blinking at the boy in her lap as he gobbled down another bite of the glossy noodles.
Taehyun nodded vigorously, his mouth full. "Yesh! Ish my fav'rit!"
Jiwoo laughed, wiping his mouth gently with a napkin. "Me too! It's my favorite, too."
Across the table, Seojun raised an eyebrow, tilting his head ever so slightly. "Yeah... but," he said cautiously, "you used to hate it."
Jiwoo paused for a second, looking up at him in surprise.
"What? No—I've always liked japchae," she said with a small laugh.
Seojun froze momentarily, realizing he'd said too much. "Umm… I meant Taehyun. I was talking about him." He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Oh," Jiwoo chuckled. "For a moment I thought—well, my Appa says the same thing. He swears I used to hate japchae when I was younger, but I don't remember ever disliking it."
Seojun smiled tightly. "Yeah. Your Appa…"
"I used to live with him until recently," she said softly, a trace of longing in her tone. "But I moved here to be closer to my gallery and the city."
Her smile faltered a bit, eyes momentarily distant. Seojun watched her, reading the quiet sadness behind her words.
"You seem really close to him," he said gently.
"Of course," Jiwoo replied with a soft smile. "He's my only family."
Seojun nodded slowly. And yet… you don't remember the rest of it.
"Momma!" Taehyun chimed in suddenly, his little hands tugging on her sleeve. "We're also your family, right?"
Jiwoo blinked, startled by the earnest look in his eyes. A warmth bloomed in her chest as she smiled and reached out to squeeze his cheeks.
"Oh yes, how could I forget?" she said with a grin. "Now Taehyun is also my family. My most adorable little family member!"
Taehyun beamed proudly. "Momma, your Appa… he's my Grandpa, right?"
Jiwoo's eyes widened. "Oh? You're sharp!" she laughed. "Yes, my Appa would be your Grandpa."
Taehyun turned to Seojun, excitement lighting up his face. "Appa! Can we go meet Grandpa?"
Seojun's face darkened just slightly. "No, Taehyun. Eat your food."
His voice was firm, the tone clear enough to silence further questions. Jiwoo frowned slightly.
"What's wrong, Seojun?" she asked gently, looking between him and Taehyun.
Seojun quickly composed himself. "It's nothing. I just meant—if Taehyun wants to meet Grandpa, we can wait until he visits us here."
Jiwoo smiled, planting a kiss on Taehyun's cheek. "Exactly. When Grandpa visits, he'll be so happy to meet you."
Taehyun clapped. "Yayyy! I'll show him my drawings!"
Seojun watched them, heart full and heavy at the same time. He forced a smile. "Alright, now finish your food, buddy."
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After the cozy breakfast, Jiwoo took Taehyun by the hand to give him a tour of the house. Laughter echoed from the hallway as she showed him her art room, her garden balcony, and even her secret stash of chocolate hidden in the top cupboard. Seojun remained in the living room, pretending to scroll through his phone but unable to stop glancing toward the sound of their joy.
Seojun's POV:
I can't let Appa—Jiwoo's father—know we're here. Not yet. I will have to keep this a secret at least for now ...