Lee Hyuk's bare back was slammed against the bedroom wall as Min Ah worked feverishly to undo the buckle on his pants. His chest was covered in her plump lips as she twirled her tongue around his taut nipples, groaning in delight as he brought her face back to his. His hand gripped the hair at the base of her head as he glided into her mouth. He could taste the faint hints of wine they had at the dinner that was cut short due to their demanding need for each other.

"Jagiya, I can't move my legs in here."

Hyun hurriedly reached beneath his wife's dress, dragging the lace underwear she donned for the night off, and throwing them haphazardly in the car. When he had arrived late to their date, she had nagged him for making her wait for so long before pulling him by the collar, telling him that she would fuck him right then and there if it hadn't been for how hungry she was.

His mind ran wild throughout their entire dinner just knowing that his wife had made such a declaration. He watched as she ate, imagining the things that they would do to each other once they got home. He put on his best charm, inwardly cheering himself on each time he was rewarded with one of her longing looks.

He had made arrangements to attend some couples painting session at a local art studio, but when Min Ah heard of his plan, she absolutely refused and demanded he pull over into the nearest parking lot. Directing him to the darkest corner they could find, she all but dragged him into the back seat, kissing him till his lips were swollen.

Min Ah flipped positions with Hyun as she lifted the skirt of her dress above his head. He didn't need to command his hands to grip the tops of her thighs holding her close to his face, or his tongue to stroke and massage the swollen lips of the sex he didn't think he could ever live without.

Min Ah threw her head back, singing with pleasure.

            Min Ah filled her mouth with Hyun, slowly pushing him to the back of her throat as he cursed. She had finally gotten him bare, and needed to taste him before she lost her mind. She wasn't sure what it was about today that had made it hard to concentrate on her work, but all she knew was that this moment was long awaited, and she wanted to be worked over so much that she couldn't move for the rest of the weekend.

      Pressing her flat tongue against his flesh, she concentrated on pumping and sucking him until his face contorted just the way she liked. Hyun staggered as he could feel the burn in his legs from the sensation. He thought he would topple over her, as she stripped him of any coherent thoughts.

    She controlled him with her mouth, causing him to softly thrust when she hit the right spot. Her hair bounced with every motion, drawing him closer and closer to a climax he wasn't yet ready for.

    "Min...Min Ah." He tried to sound firm, but only ended up sounding like a man begging for his life.  The vibrations that surged through her throat, and enveloped his dick as she groaned once again almost made him lose his resolve. Grabbing her face on both sides, Hyuk forced himself from her mouth. His body almost disobeyed him, but he wasn't going to let her win tonight.

      He took note of the fact that she had managed to stay clothed throughout it all and made sure to change that. He palmed her left cheek, as he ground his hard-on between her thighs. Min Ah gasped as she felt him brush against her clitoris. Her hips jerked against his, making her lift her leg to surround his waist as the muscles in her body tensed. Fighting with the zipper of her dress, Hyun lifted the fabric above her head before devouring her mouth again.

    Strong thighs wrapped around his waist as he led them to their bed. Min Ah's body was so in tune with his that she managed to slip down on his erection before they even made it to the bed. Hyuk's lean legs pushed hers out as he stroked his way to heaven.

      Min Ah could feel the beads of sweat on her chest dry as she and Hyuk lied in a tangled mess on their floor. They had moved in such a frenzy that they drove themselves off the bed, and didn't even attempt to make it back up. They had a power play: she had taken control by riding him with all intents and purposes of making him cum for her, while he in turn had her face pressed to the carpet, his hold on her hips rendering her useless as he slammed against her, grunting and-

    Min Ah had to fan herself as she became hot just thinking about it again.

    Hyuk's strong arm reached out from underneath her, pulling her into his body as he panted, trying to catch his breath. One hand laid against an exposed breast, a habit he had when they held each other after making love. It forced Min Ah to close her eyes, reveling in the comfort it gave her to feel his large warm hand there as she laced her fingers over his, pressing his hand closer.

    He could feel her heartbeat against his palm.

    "Oppa. I don't think I could ever get tired of you." Her voice was sweetened with bliss as she grinned. Hyuk squeezed the flesh he held in his hand as he kissed her jaw. He remembered how she had called him by that name even before they began dating. In private, she still used it.

     "If you keep calling me Oppa, soon I'm going to become Appa." They both burst into a giggling fit at the idea. They were enjoying their 4th year of marriage just like it was their first. When Hyun was 24, he had an extensive shoulder injury that had been the end of his swimming career. He had struggled with depression after hitting his peak at what he thought was way too soon for everything he had planned to accomplish in his swimming career. He loafed around, berating himself over all of the potential he would now have to give up. For two years, this went on, and throughout it all, Min Ah stayed by his side as his girlfriend, encouraging him to pull himself out of the dark hole he was lying in.

     He finally gathered enough courage to quit letting something he couldn't control be the reason for his dejected attitude anymore. He no longer wanted to burden Min Ah with the emotional strain it was putting on their relationship, and so he began to push his brand, contacting schools across the country looking for coaching positions.

      The day he had gotten the call from one of the highest ranked sports schools, he asked Min Ah to marry him. She had her own conditions on their engagement: he had to wait for her to achieve her goals too, so that they both could be happy together.

    And he did.

     He was more than grateful that he didn't let himself go over the fear of no longer having the chance for new medals to be placed around his neck. There had truly been more to swimming than just that, and he was able to find that out by becoming a well-known coach in his own right. If anyone were to ask him, "what more could you want from life?" he wasn't sure he would have an answer for them. He was allowing life to go the way it was supposed to, appreciating what was real in the moment.

Of course there's that...

     Lately, Min Ah and Hyun had found themselves considering the idea of having children. As he brushed his hands through her brown hair, he thought of the increasing amount of baby talk that was shared between the two of them.

    "Min Ah." He called her name. Tilting her head up, she gave him her attention. " I think that we should seriously try for that."

    "That?" She looked at him quizzically.

    Taking in a deep breath he shifted his hold, wrapping his arms around her back." A baby."

    "Hyun..." Burying her head in his chest, she knew what he was feeling. Years ago, she had been diagnosed with endometriosis, and though fertility tests revealed that her chances of conceiving were higher than she had expected, she allowed the fear of being disappointed by possibility of failed attempts to rule her mind, thinking of the worst.

         "I really do want a baby." She whispered.

         Hyun was well aware of her condition, and never pushed her on the issue, but he also knew just how much she wanted a child, and he hated how she psyched herself out just before they seriously began to try to get pregnant.

      "I think we're in a good position to be someone's parents now."

      "What if I can't get pregnant though? What if I disappoint you?" Min Ah was a pillar in just about everyone's life that she touched, and Hyun had become the one she needed the most.

    Around him she allowed herself to feel vulnerable. She would allow him to take the reins when things became too hard, and because of that she always worried about failing to show him just how much she appreciated all that he did.

     "Something like that wouldn't make me disappointed in you, and you know that." Locking eyes with her, he sighed at the doe look she gave him. "You and I share this relationship together. We bare responsibility for everything equally. Nothing we do or don't do is no more your responsibility than it is mine."

     Biting her lip, Min Ah considered his words.

     "If we do this-if we really try to have a baby-I'll need to visit with my doctor first. I need to make sure that he can give us the safe go for all of this." Making mental lists, Min Ah thought about all of the things they would need to prepare.

     "Are you certain about this?" She had never been so quick to jump at the opportunity before, and he wanted to get a clarification on just what she was saying.

    That day Min Ah had treated children as they came into her office for appointments. She met with newborns, toddlers, and school aged children, and at no point in the day did she not have the thought of being able to do this too with her own child. One patient in particular told her of how she too suffered from endometriosis, and after much unnecessary worry, her and her husband were able to give birth to the 3 year old girl she had brought before Min Ah that day.

     She was even excited to announce that she was already expecting their second child.

      After meeting her, Min Ah had to ask herself why she had been so fatalistic in her thinking. Why couldn't she have encouraged herself to have confidence?

    "I've been terrified by the thought for a long time. I just couldn't fathom getting excited for a baby and then being let down in that way, so I never wanted to try, but today it was all I could think about." She admitted.

    "That must be why you were so eager to get me home."

    "Maybe." Min Ah lightly snorted.

    "So from this moment on can I consider us as being in active baby making mode?" Min Ah rubbed her hand against his stomach as he asked her his question.

    "Hmm...yes. But! We're only really there once we get approval from my doctor."

     Min Ah shrieked as Hyun's hand clapped her ass with a sharp slap.

      "Let's run through some practice drills now. Once we walk out of that appointment, we're jumping right in to the game, so let's we've got to work out any kinks now." Effortlessly picking her up, Hyun tossed her on to the bed as she laughed. Joining her, they lost themselves in each other for the rest of the night.

                                           --

       Ha-Nui pulled up to the house she had called home her entire life. Making sure to grab the bag of soju she stopped by the store for, she hopped out of the car and strolled up to the door, where her father stood waiting for her.

    She had called him on the off chance that he would want to have a drink with her before the night was over. He had accepted the offer, happy to be able to meet with his daughter and enjoy her company.

    "Ha-Nui, welcome home." He greeted her. Ha-Nui could feel his love radiating towards her the closer she got. At 60 years old, Choi Sung Woo had aged with grace. His once dark hair was now replaced with a salt and pepper tone. It helped to soften and intensify his features at the same time. Ha-Nui may have been 28 years old, but that didn't stop her from taking the steps by two just to fall into her father's open arms.

    "I'm so glad you were still up when I called." Leaning back she smiled impishly." I really wanted to see you."

    "I'm old, but I can still stay up past dark." Taking the bag from her, he ushered her into the familiar place. Removing her shoes, and sliding into the house slippers that awaited her, Ha-Nui made herself at home. The first thing she did on her inspection of the house was to check his fridge.

    "Appa! Did you just get this refrigerator or something? Why is it so empty?" Sung Woo laughed as his daughter began to scorn him. He wasn't surprised by it at all.

    "Have you been eating enough rice? I don't like leaving you by yourself, you never eat proper meals if I'm not here to watch you." Going through his drawers she shook her head.

    "You're going to leave me no choice. I'll have to start coming to prepare meals for the week to make sure you eat well!"

 Sung Woo let her go on her small rampage as he gave her an occasional grunt to satisfy her. Grabbing two small glasses, he began walking towards the back patio, knowing that even though she was talking a mile a minute, she would naturally follow him outside.

    When she had finally quieted down, she sat across from her father on the wooden platform, hair blowing from the slight breeze in the night.

    Pouring his own glass before her own, Ha-Nui set it down before him, quickly raising hers to accept her own drink.

    Turning away, she downed the alcohol.

    "Appa, I need to come by more often. Not just to drink with you." When she saw that her father's glass was empty, she refilled it without missing a beat.

      "I know you've been busy lately, Ha-Nui. No need to feel guilty for that. I'm just happy to see you finding yourself again." Sung Woo remembered when it appeared that she had given in to hopelessness when she retired from competitive swimming. She had spent many nights crying to him before she made the decision, telling him that her drive had disappeared, it had started to become a mundane task for her to compete anymore.

     He knew it hadn't just been that, but also the stress of being an athlete pushed into the spotlight only those who wanted to be a celebrity craved. With that came a lot of responsibility on her part. Her life wasn't composed of simply training and competing in competitions, no. Ha-Nui had become the model of clothing brands, alcohol, sports drinks, you name it. TV show and movie producers asked for her cameos in their programs, and she had even found herself beside some of the nation's top stars, igniting music video sets in her time. Keeping up with appearances had been a major part of most of her life, and when she thought she would be able to be released from the puppet strings which bound her and live wildly, she had been slapped in the face with the fact that she had no idea how to live life in that way. As her father he was well aware of the fact she had to adjust to no longer being awarded for the things she did. It was a difficult move for anyone to learn how to live life without a standing ovation and trophy meeting you at the end of every accomplishment, when they once had the privilege to be in her position

      With a loving gaze, Ha-Nui recalled the times she had come to him like she was 5 years old again, hoping that he could wipe away all the sadness that had consumed her.

     "I must have worried you back then, didn't I?" Tucking her hands into her front pocket, she hid her face behind the hoodie.

    "You worry me now. Look at you, running around at night without a proper jacket." Standing up, Sung Woo reentered the house with the sound of Ha-Nui's objections behind him. It wasn't until he pointed out her lack of clothing did she feel her teeth chatter against each other. Before she could shiver too much, she felt the wrapping of a warm fleece around her shoulders as her father covered her with an old throw. Pulling it close to her nose, she took one deep breath, and it was as if she had inhaled her childhood all over again.

   That same blanket had been by her side after many meets keeping her warm in the stands as she watched others compete. It had comforted her on nights in her bed after she and Min Ah stayed up late watching horror movies that they knew they weren't supposed to see. Those were the kind of moments she could recall. While fainter ones had long drifted away from her memory. Tapping her glass against the wood beneath her feet, she looked up to see her father's loving eyes wandering off in a world unknown to her.

Sung Woo straightened his suit jacket as he walked across the office space, heading towards the break room in search of a refreshment. His line of sight immediately fell on a particular woman in his department. Her hair fell in soft billows surrounding her face, large brown eyes focused as she typed up important business. It was part of his everyday trip to the break room-looking at her while she was carried away in her work. Her eyebrows were always set in a serious burrow as she worked, and around the office she had easily become known has a hardnosed employee who always kept others on their toes.

He was 26, and in his prime. Hailing from South Korea, Sung Woo had been a force to reckon with at the electronics and tech giant, Sando. The economic world of the East was slowly on the rise, and Sando had caught an early wave, and began to push their company outwardly. When talks of a division opening up Stateside circled around their headquarters, Sung Woo had been personally recommended as the one to send and help get the division running and shape it to the company's standards.

Here in California, he was a long way from home, and three months in, he was starting to feel the ache of loneliness as he tried to navigate this new place. The closest acquaintances he had were expats from Korea as well who were just as new as he was.

He needed to start making moves to expand himself soon before he loses his mind.

Once he made it to his destination, Sung Woo reached for a paper cup, filling it with cool water as he brought it to his lips, downing it instantly. When he swallowed the last drop, he reached back down again to refill his cup before he found himself being moved to the side, as the young woman he had watched not too long ago took his place.

 "Sorry." He apologized immediately as he stood back, grasping the cup in one hand. He crumbled the object, looking for the trashcan as he planned an escape, the nervousness she made him feel becoming too much to handle in that moment as he was unsure of what to do around the same person who he had always wished for an opportunity like this with. Cutting his eyes to her, he hesitated with the idea of saying something more memorable to her, but before he could turn to leave, he felt a slight tug at the sleeve of his coat preventing him from running off.

The woman still tipped her water to her lips as she stared straight into his eyes. He waited as she licked her lips, moistening them before turning them up into a big smile. It was a contagious grin that spread to Sung Woo in an instant.

"Hi." She spoke, her fingers slowly dragging away from his clothes.

Chest relaxing, Sung Woo felt his mind surge.

"Hi."

--

"Baby we can do it, take the time, do it right..."

Sung Woo could feel the sweat bead down his face as he kept up with Nadia's moves on the dancefloor. It was another Friday night that they were spending together. He swayed his hips in rhythm with hers as she teasingly danced just a hairsbreadth away from him, only allowing his fingertips to kiss her waist. Her mid drift glistened under the club lights, her arms raised above her head as she gave him a smothering stare.

"I see you Woo!" Sung Woo nodded to the chagrin of one of Nadia's friends, Moe, who over the last few months had become one of his own.

He had never known a feeling like this before, and he had no intentions of living without the joy she was bringing him.

They had managed to build a friendship fast. It started with passing time on break before slowly moving to lunch. They would both stay behind at the office late, and would make sure to leave together. That was when they would have conversations about each other's lives, finding many similarities that drove their bond deeper. Nadia had begun to show him all the spots around the city where she happened to spend her time, and Sung Woo felt a deep intimacy in her sharing things that had seemed so important to her and had been her safe spaces.

In the midst of all the bodies, a man watched the couple closely, laughing in disbelief as Nadia and Sung Woo danced together with their group of friends. With a dip in his step, he slinked his way through the crowd, eyes on Nadia.

Nadia placed her arms around her date's neck when she felt the tap on her shoulder. Turning towards the man, she craned her neck to hear him over the loud music.

"I was hoping I could get a dance with you, beautiful."

With a high pitched squeal, Nadia turned her attention back to Sung Woo as she waved the man off. Pulling her closer, he raised an eyebrow at the man, waiting for him to move on.

 "I said, can I have a dance? What, you can't hear me?" Brazenly, he jerked at her hand, pulling it from Sung Woo. He quickly twisted his grip, pushing Nadia behind him, but she didn't stay there for long as she stepped back in front, officially pissed for being manhandled by the strange club goer.

"I know you see me with my man, so why are you bugging me?" Nadia was always one to go tit for tat, something that he had come to learn. He pulled her away again, a part of him feeling proud of his new title-her man.

"Your man? You mean this China Man?" He laughed wildly as he began to draw the attention of others. Moe had long been listening in to the scene, pulling his own date behind him as he stepped to their side.

"China is not the only country in Asia, you know." Keeping his cool, Sung Woo's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he spoke to the man.

"Speak English motherfucker." The crowd around them voiced their disapproval at his prejudice as he insulted Sung Woo's accented English.

"You need to take your ignorant ass on. Now!" Nadia was irate as she pushed the man by his chest. Moe pushed through more people as they began to gravitate towards them. The man grabbed her by her hands, holding them to his chest as he tried to move with her deeper into the crowd. Moe and Sung Woo both reacted instantly, pulling her away as they squared up with him. Standing at six feet tall, Sung Woo found that the heckler only had him by a couple of inches in height, but definitely outweighed him. Moe stood on a more even ground with the man with an equal frame.

"You wouldn't even know what to do with an ass like that. Why the fuck are you wasting her time?"

"You don't have to worry about her. Okay?" Sung Woo didn't back down. Maybe he couldn't get out the words that carried the best punch in English, but he wasn't ignorant to the meaning in his tone.

"Baby girl, stop fucking around with this shrimp dick motherfucker! I'll show you how that ass needs to be treated-" With all of the force he could muster up, Sung Woo sent the harasser flying with one solid punch into the other dancers.

"That's what his ass gets..."

"Shit, he's on his own..." The others around them scattered, watching the man stumble to the ground with no one offering any help.

Nadia shouted mockingly as she stood over the man.

"Now what? You're on your ass, bitch! You chose the wrong one tonight, playboy!"

Moe clapped his hand on Sung Woo's back, his mouth still wide open from witnessing the power his friend packed. Suddenly, he could see large bouncers push their way towards them and knowing that it was time to get out of there, Moe pointed in their direction and told Sung Woo,

"Grab your girl!"

Sung Woo quickly reached for Nadia who was still ranting and raving.

"Let's go!" He said into her ear with urgency. Even while he dragged her along, she never kept quiet.

"And he's Korean, you dumbass! Read a book!"

Dashing out of the club the two couples left, with their excitement fueling their rush.

       "What?" Interrupting his thoughts, Ha-Nui smiled softly. "Are you seeing her again?" Referring to the mother she never had a chance to really know, Ha-Nui could see tell all signs of her father reminiscing for the woman he loved in the way he gazed at her.

    "Sometimes, I can't help but to when I look at you girls." He responded, pushing his glasses further up on his nose. "Speaking of which, have you spoken with your sister?"

     Ha-Nui knew exactly what Min Ah would be up to at this time, and the thought drew a sly grin from her. "Yes, Min Ah and Hyuk have been pretty busy lately."

    The innuendo was lost on her unsuspecting father as he nodded his head, glad to hear the small update.

    "I'm going to hit her over the head for you, Appa. When's the last time she came to visit you? I know her job is taking up a lot of her time, but it wouldn't kill her to stop by and see you, would it? While, I , on the other hand..." Ha-Nui didn't have a chance to duck as she saw her father's hand heading towards her head. A solid thwart quieted her as she rubbed the now tender spot.

    "This child talks too much for her own good..." he mumbled as Ha-Nui bowed her head slightly.

     "Was thinking that maybe the three of us can have a nice dinner together..." Bashfully smirking, she tried to make a quick save as she pulled the blanket closer. Ha-Nui still hadn't gotten out of the habit of playing the younger child who tried to one up the older sibling. He figured that playfulness in her nature would never go away, and knowing there was never any true maliciousness behind it, he hoped that it wouldn't. The two sisters' relationship was built on teasing one another and support. Though they may try to complain about the other, no one else was ever allowed to bad mouth them in their presence.

    "Appa..." Moving closer, Ha-Nui laid her head against his broad shoulder, and just like that they continued talking into the night, until they both became tired and cold from the air.

                                             --

      Jimin eyed his brother who stood across from him in their kitchen. Placing down the bags he just brought in from outside, he saw that their young houseguest sat quietly at the dining table.

   The young boy kept his head down, avoiding eye contact, and to his surprise, Kibum did the same.

    "What are you doing over here? Go talk to him." Nudging his brother, Jimin noticed that in his hands, he held various documents. Birth certificates, recent doctor and hospital records; Hyo Min had left him with extensive lists detailing the son that now sat in his home.

    Taking the papers from his hands, Jimin placed them on the counter. "Hyung, are these really important right now?" He tried his best in encouraging him, but Jimin could see the stress which muddled his face. His head jerked towards the young boy who they both seemed to be avoiding in that moment. He sat at the table staring ahead with tear filled eyes, and a bottom lip that quivered as he tried his best not to pout. Sung Min had learned to not show too much emotion on his face. A life with his grandmother had led him to believe that with one wrong look, he would be reprimanded with a good tongue lashing.

"Eomma, can we go to the park tomorrow?" Sung Min sat beside his mother, kicking his feet as he awaited her acknowledgement. She had come home from another long day at work, and he was happy to have her around. His grandparents had been their usual dull selves that day as they entertained old friends leaving Sung Min in solitude, so when he saw his mother return home, he had been filled with excitement because now someone would be willing to actually speak with him, instead of always telling him what to do and how to do it.

Being with his grandmother and grandfather all day was no fun.

"What have I told you about asking silly questions like that?" With a hard glare, his grandmother raised her voice, causing him to shrink back from her as his smile slowly melted away.

"I wanted to see if Eomma could play with me." His voice was small as he brought his hands to his lap.

"You know better than that! She has to work extra hard because of you! She doesn't do what she does just so she can come home and waste time playing silly games." His grandmother made sure emphasize her annoyance by overreacting to the simple question, dropping her utensils loudly against her plate. Hyo Min seemed deaf to her mother's nagging as she continued to eat.

Sung Min lost his appetite.

"Sung Min," Hyo Min's voice brought his face to hers as he yearned for her to bypass her mother's interjection.

"Next time. I promise." Dejectedly, the young boy nodded his head masking his obvious disappointment.

"Tonight, you can use the tablet and play the games you like, doesn't that sound good?" Hyo Min's lack of realizing the child's sadness was proof of her shortcomings as she couldn't gauge his feelings like any mother would have. She was hoping to keep her mother from yelling at the poor boy, and to have him occupied with what she thought he enjoyed more. She was ignorant to the fact that he would have chosen her over electronics any day.

"  ‘Kay."

    Sung Min slowly looked over to where the two men stood. He remembered his mother telling him that he would get to live with the man who was his father from now on. He wasn't so sure what father even meant. He just knew he never had one. At preschool, there were a few boys who would tease him about only having a mother. At first, he always met their bullying with a simply confused look.

"What does a dad do?"

    He would ask himself, trying to understand the point behind their childish remarks. It wasn't until he started paying attention to the way the other kids would run and jump into the arms of their fathers who came to pick them up that he began to catch on to what they meant. They would push their new artwork into their hands, receiving praise as their dads lifted them up in their arms. When it was Sung Min's turn to be picked up by Driver Kang, he tried his best to imitate the displays of affection he had witnessed. He faked a smile as he ran towards the older gentleman who stood with his hands crossed professionally before him, giving the young boy a small bow with a warm smile.

"Look what I made!" He jumped enthusiastically, twisting the finger painting before the old man. Driver Kang's reaction was lackluster as he failed to give Sung Min the response that he wanted.

"I'm sure you worked hard, Sung Min." Dropping the picture along with his act, Sung Min fell back into his normal quiet self.

"Driver Kang isn't a dad. Not my dad at least." He thought to himself. At a young age, Sung Min saw things very black and white. If he had garnered the same reaction as the other children did with Driver Kang, his naivety would have convinced him that he was a dad-and could therefore be his.

But since it didn't turn out that way, he shrugged his shoulders and moved on.

Taking the lead as Driver Kang stepped aside, Sung Min headed for the awaiting car.

Some kids had dads, and Sung Min wasn't one of them.

     Kibum rubbed his hands together as he hesitantly made his way to the table with the young boy. His face was set in a firm grimace that he wasn't aware of, and couldn't seem to let go. Jimin watched with abated breath as his brother tentatively bent down towards his son. Even from that distance, he could see his hands shake with anxiety.

    "S-Sung Min?" The boy didn't stir at all. Looking over his shoulder to Jimin, his younger brother raised his hands not knowing what he wanted from him. Turning back to the boy, he gasped slightly upon seeing his brown eyes bore into his own. He froze, enveloped by the poignant stare. Kibum could see all the hurt that lied beneath the surface in the child. His throat became dry as if the heartache Sung Min was sinking in seeped through the air, desperate to be heard as the boy remained mute.

      Pulling a chair close, Kibum sat in it, leaning forward, he examined his son. He thought he was the one who was hurt, who was betrayed. He had thought that no one else was feeling anything remotely similar because of Hyo Min's lies and her choices. No, Kibum had been wrong.

     It was he who didn't understand true hurt in this situation.

     Unable to meet his eyes, Kibum clenched his own shut.

    "You're hurting, aren't you?" He trembled. A small hand held on tightly to the sleeve of his button down. Opening his eyes, Kibum saw the boy shaking as well.

     "Are you a dad?" His breath hiccupped as he failed to contain his cries.

     "I gue-Yes. I am." Rethinking his words, Kibum nodded his head.

    "Are you my dad?" Sung Min needed a straight answer. He needed to know what was what. He too wanted to feel the way the other children had. His fingers dug into the skin at Kibum's wrist.

   Lips moving without a second thought, Kibum nodded. "Yes. I am."

   Pausing in a moment of reflection, Sung Min held everyone's attention in the second it took for him to accept the admittance.

   "It hurts really bad. It hurts!"  His face turned red as his sobs increased intensely. Jumping from his chair to Kibum in one swift move, he put all his trust in what he imagined a father to be, expecting the same warm hugs he had seen at school, and he hadn't calculated not being met by one either. Sung min wasn't disappointed when it was apparent that he didn't have to force the response out of his father as his arms opened ready to crush his small body against his. As his arms tightened around the boy, Kibum was still in disbelief as his heart beat violently against his chest when he felt small hands grasp at his neck, the feelings that came to him now were foreign, yet natural. The boy broke down entirely against Kibum, his anguished tears were contagious as his face became wet with sadness too. He couldn't stifle the sobs that rocked his body. The father and son shared in their vulnerability together, a first encounter that would seal the bond they never even knew they had.

    Sung Min's being held on even tighter to Kibum when it realized that he had never felt this tug of emotion and care from anyone in his life. Not form his mother, and surely not from his grandparents.

    It took this meeting with someone who was still a stranger to him in order to cause a surge of happiness inside the boy.

    It was the first time he could truly say that he felt a parent's touch.

    If he could, he would breathe a sigh of relief so that he could bask in the feeling of true love.

    Jimin braced his hands against the counter as he remained silent throughout the exchange. Kibum rubbed his hand through the boys soft hair as he continued to absorb all the pent up emotions he had kept hidden, determined to relieve him of the heavy load.

    Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jimin's eyes began to water. Without a word, he grabbed the bags that he had brought in, moving them to an extra bedroom, careful not to disturb Kibum and Sung Min.

      Left alone, their cries quieted down, but their hold on one another never relinquished. The energy that moved between the two laced together, building a tight link to one another right before their eyes. It singed together, fusing with its other half, and firmly refused to be undone anytime soon.

      "I know you may be afraid of being in an unfamiliar place with new people. Strangers."

     "It's really scary." He agreed. Sung Min wasn't sure of what to do in this new situation, but he didn't want to let go just yet. He was still filled with many questions he didn't know how to ask.

    "It's scary for me too. I don't know where to begin. I don't know what I'm supposed to do for you, and I'm sorry."

    "Just do this." Sung Min's voice was muffled as he buried his face into his father's neck. With Kibum's personality, he was tactical and precise at all times-a trait he seemed to have passed on. He never made a move without having a complete understanding of any situation, and a clear cut plan to execute it. There was no way any of this should be simple. When his mind was ransacked with the news of Sung Min and Hyo Min's ultimate plan to blindside him with the child, he had no way to come at the problem. He was left trying to formulate a game plan in order to assess everything.

    Yet, those three little words soothed him.

   "Yes, let's just do this." Taking his son's advice, Kibum emptied his mind about all the worries for the time being. He knew that there would be plenty of chances for them to invade him once again.

    But for now, he would do as Sung Min said.

                                             --

      Ha-Nui gargled before her bathroom sink as her thumbs typed out a quick message.

Don't forget what I said tonight! Try to be a good student for once, please.

      Though he said he would be the one to contact her, Ha-Nui had not been bombarded with text after text as she had expected. In this way, at least Jimin would know she made it home without having to actually say the words he wanted her to.

    As she rinsed her mouth, she noticed that there hadn't been an instant reply, something Jimin was usually good for.

     Turning off the lights in her bathroom, Ha-Nui emerged into her quiet apartment. The sound of her feet against the hardwood floor followed her as she went in search of the packages the building night guard had held out on just for her. Of course, they had been sent to her by fans and companies who still sent their products to her, looking for endorsements.

    " This old body still has some appeal, huh?" Opening one box, she read a small card as she sifted through the array of hair products. She knew how the game went. They would send her products, and in return she was to give them a shout out on social media to draw in her fans. She wondered when they were going to realize that she was halfway there to being an old "star" soon to be forgotten as the fast moving world rallied on to the next evolving celebrity to capture their interest.

    She was now just a former athlete. To no surprise it was only a matter of time before the main public lost interest in her-they only paid her any mind every 4 years anyway-leaving just a small number of fans who still cared to send her letters. Even they would soon push her into the back of their memory once all the glory that she once was wears off and a new talented star comes through and wipes clear all the records she set that were once seen as unattainable by anyone else.

    It was the natural order of things.

   Even though it still felt fresh, Ha-Nui saw herself as slowly moving out of the mourning phase of her career, and could actually feel her accepting the happiness that she was beginning to let in to her life. During the early stages, she was always conflicted by the way she craved acknowledgement when she thought that it had been what hindered her for the longest time. While she had hated the watchful eye of the public and the social responsibility she as a single person had to uphold, when she went into retirement, she realized that she had fallen into the traps of fame and attention and like many others before her and those that would follow after her, she had no idea how to exist or function without it. She didn't know how live and think for herself without someone telling her...

Be mindful of what you do! Let's not create any anti-fans, okay?

    In a funny way, she ended up with withdrawal symptoms as she learned to drop her need of playing into what others wanted her to be, and told her to be. It was almost as if she had to recover from Stockholm syndrome, no longer looking to police herself constantly for others or accepting the criticisms and expectations that were always wound tightly around her neck.

   Pushing aside the box of products, she knew that first thing in the morning, she would take the items to a women's center to give out as she always did. If these were the fruits of her labor, she was more than happy to share them with others.

   The next thing she opened brought a smile to her face. A teddy bear with a gold medal around its neck greeted her as she pulled it from the box. Stitched on its chest, Ha-Nui read the words there out loud.

Please take care of me Mermaid Ha-Nui!

Love, Kim Ha-Na

  Tucked away in its arm was a picture of a young girl, standing in swim gear as she smiled from ear to ear at the camera.

    As she read the letter detailing how the young Ha-Na looked up to her, Ha-Nui had another reason to be okay with her accomplishments. Letters of inspiration like this always reminded her that in people like this was where her public image counted the most.

    Sure, new swimmers would come to replace her position in the spotlight, but at least Ha-Nui could be proud that for some people, she would always be the light they looked towards in hopes of becoming the best at whatever they reached for. By the looks of it, the girl in the photo couldn't have been more than 11 years old-Ha-Nui had been swimming long before she was even thought of-yet she called her a role model...

    This was what she had to teach herself to love and appreciate now.

    Though it was late, Ha-Nui knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep without beginning a letter of thanks to the young girl. With the stuffed animal and picture in tow, she went to her room, and immediately pinned the photo against her board of motivation at her desk. Placing the bear carefully on a shelf beneath it, she sat down in her seat.

   Before her was a brown envelope filled with a proposal she had been given by her manager. A publisher had reached out to them in hopes that they could convince Ha-Nui to write an autobiography. Her manager made sure to ask every week what her decision was as she sat on the proposal, never once paying it any mind, but as she held it in her hand, and thought about Ha-Na she wondered if she would be happy to read something written by her. How many other people out there still held her in high regards like this girl?

    With a sideways grin, she placed it back on the desk. Looking for special stationary, she kept glancing towards the proposal with a thoughtful look.

     In her best handwriting, she began a letter to Ha-Na. As her hand flowed, she wanted to make sure that every word she wrote conveyed the very feeling of gratefulness her gift had given her. She encouraged the girl to never let go of her dreams-something she always thought sounded cheesy coming from her mouth-and she had never meant them in a more serious fashion than now. If you had asked Ha-Nui what she had to say to others about achieving their dreams a year ago, in her severely depressed state she would have sneered her nose up and told of how dreams are just that, and they always end.

As long as it is something that makes your heart sing, and pushes you to become better, never give it up. Always hold dear what builds you as a person, what makes you happy. Allow yourself that joy, Ha-Na!

      Careful not to disturb the fresh ink, Ha-Nui lightly blew on the letter as she prepared to place it in an envelope. Smoothing her hands across it, she saw a new goal blossom before her eyes, ready to be taken on.