Kim Jimin raced to the hissing bus as it prepared to take off. Placing his body in between the sliding doors, he greeted the bus driver with a smile and nod, apologizing as he made his way towards the back of the bus. He met eyes with two female students who hid their faces behind their phones when he grinned their way. When he took his place, he could still see their hair flip from side to side as they tried to stare his way without being caught. Even though he felt their gazes, he didn't look up, knowing that they would turn red at the sight of being caught and stop. He figured he would let them have their little fun.

    Opening his training book bag, he pulled out a set of earphones, placing them in his ear as he searched his phone for a particular video. He liked to call this a moment of inspiration and introspection as he studied the athlete he greatly admired, making mental notes on how he can incorporate their own techniques so that he could improve his skills. Jimin was a competitive swimmer, and much of his life had been dedicated to the sport which he loved dearly. It was his final year in high school, and he was anticipating grabbing the attention of scouts from the best universities in the country so that he could secure his dream even more. Where other teammates who were also in their final year began to sit back in their current rankings, overconfident in their seniority and skills, Jimin was looking for more ways to improve his art-not just to simply maintain it. Watching one of the most talked about competitions, he shook his head in amazement as he watched his sports idol.

    "You've always been one of a kind..." When the cheering of the announcers signaled a winner, Jimin shook his head as he watched the swimmer remove their cap and goggles. The happiness and humility of the athlete showed through the small screen as they celebrated.

Choi Ha-Nui...1st place...

      With the image of the swimmer in his mind, Jimin exited out of the video. Having watched it at least a dozen times, he still felt he was able to take away something new from analyzing her. Jimin looked up quickly to see if anyone was watching him as he used his front camera to check his hair and face. At the sound of soft giggling coming from the girls up front, he cleared his throat as he put the camera away and turned on his music to tune them out. Straightening his training pants, he sat back in his seat and closed his eyes, and for the rest of the ride, the feeling of excitement and anticipation rolled through him like waves.

---

   "Ha-Nui!"

    Turning to the sound of the head coach, Lee Hyuk, Choi Ha-Nui raised the clipboard in her hand in greeting. She stood in black sports gear, and her whistle dangling from her neck.

    "You're still here? Let's leave together." Patting her arm, Hyuk walked alongside her as she shook her head.

    "Not tonight, I have a private lesson with Jimin." Slapping her hand against the clipboard, she narrowed her eyes. "I'm going to have to be hard on him tonight. I spoke to one of his teachers, and he's been slacking in a class."

    "Kim Jimin...that kid can swim like hell. If only he would put that much effort into his class work." Tilting his head to the side as he racked his brain, Hyuk looked to Ha-Nui with a quizzical face.

    " I always thought he was one of our smartest guys on the team?"

     Nodding her head with a deep sigh, Ha-Nui scoffed." That's the thing, he could be the one guy sitting at the top of the team academically. That seems to be the only place he proves that he too can be a lazy kid."

    "Ah, a waste of intelligence. Those guys are the worst..." Hyuk laughed.

    "You can't talk. That's the exact kind of student you were."

     "Now, how could you know that? I was well beyond you in school, I was the hardest working student in the entire school."

    Sneering her nose, Ha-Nui waved him off." Hyeongbu, you can't run from your past. Minah has told me more than you know..."

     Hyuk let out a boisterous laugh, not doubting his sister-in-law's statement. While Hyuk and Ha-Nui participated in swimming, her older sister Choi Minah was always there cheering her on. Hyuk had found her to be beyond interesting, and the feelings of love towards her bloomed early. She had been shy and reserved, but was well aware of his crush, and had been the one to initiate their relationship. While she supported his career in swimming, he supported her as she worked towards a medical degree. After many years of work and establishing herself as a pediatrician, Minah had finally agreed to marry him, and 4 years in, they were still just as in love as the first time they met.

     Checking her watch, Ha-Nui recalled Minah mentioning her excitement about a date night she and Hyuk were to have that day. Clicking her tongue, Ha-Nui stared straight ahead as she envisioned Hyuk's reaction to her next words.

   "Speaking of my sister, she told me how happy she was when you scheduled a special dinner for the two of you. She just went on and on about how great of a husband you were-"

    "Ah, shit!" Freezing, Hyuk comically fumbled with his phone as he checked his messages. He had almost forgotten the time, and saw that he never turned his ringer back on. The screen was a light with notifications from Minah.

    " Ha-Nui! Don't train the kid too hard!" He back pedaled as he headed towards the exit. Leaning against a wall, Ha-Nui sent a teasing text to her sister about not hurting her husband too much tonight.

     Glancing out the glass doors, Ha-Nui could see a familiar figure climb off a stopped bus. Walking to the doors, she stood as menacingly as possible as she watched the recognition on his face shine bright once he spotted her. With a hand on her hip, she watched as Jimin lightly jogged towards the building. Opening the door, she tapped her foot as she waited.

     "Hey, coach." Jimin held back his smile as he saw the serious glare on Ha-Nui's face. Her features were so soft, that she looked like a pouting kid. He wouldn't dare voice that, knowing how much a kick from her could hurt.

   Jimin buckled anyway as Ha-Nui gave a swift kick to the back of his leg.

   "Coach, you should be gentler with me." He whined as he rubbed the area she struck. Feigning pain, he saw that as usual, she showed no signs of concern or remorse.

   "You!" Pointing at him, she spoke in a low voice.

    "Me?" Mirroring her with an innocent expression, Jimin shook his head confused.

    "I shouldn't allow you past this door. You're not even putting in half the effort into your studies as you do swimming! Are you not a student athlete? Doesn't the student come first?" She began to rattle off.

   Jimin cringed as he knew instantly why she was scolding him. He thought back to his last few grades and reports, and he knew his teachers had had a word with her.

    "I'll take whatever punishment you have for me, coach!" Standing straight and obediently, Jimin bowed his head hoping that showing her that he was taking her seriously would alleviate whatever she had in mind for him.

    "Do you think I was born this morning? I know what I said went in one ear and out the other."

    "No, I promise you. I heard what you were saying-your words are stuck to every corner of my brain like -"

    "Stop talking! Follow me." Folding his hands before him, Jimin's boyish grin sat softly on his face as he watched her turn on her heel. Even though she had made the threat of banning him from swimming tonight, she knew she would never do that to him, and allowed him to enter under the guise of punishment.

   "Yes, coach." Jimin shifted his shoulder bag as he hurried behind her.

     Pointing towards the locker room, Ha-Nui snapped her fingers at Jimin.

    "Don't make me wait." As he jogged away, she pulled up a plastic chair, propping one leg over its arm as she waited for him to return. Once he was out of view, her expression softened as she ruffled her own hair. She played back the conversation she had with the hardnosed teacher earlier that day.

"Coach Choi, I would hope that you would have this student's best interest at heart. I don't care if he is a top athlete, he should be aiming to be a top student as well. The mind outlasts the body, and Kim Jimin is only putting one to use at this point. He could be my highest scorer if only he applied himself more diligently in my class room."

"I understand, I'll do everything I can to make him work harder." Bowing profusely, Ha-Nui stood before the older woman whose arms were crossed against her chest. The stern look on her face faded as she pulled out her phone.

"By the way, do you mind if we take a picture together? It would look great on our homepage." Breaking out into an eager grin, the teacher moved next to Ha-Nui. Putting on her best smile so as not to show her slight confusion and annoyance, Ha-Nui complied.

      "I looked horrible today, and now my face will be plastered all over social media..." She mumbled to herself as she observed the drills she had planned for Jimin.

     "You always look nice, Coach." Jimin stood overlooking her as she spoke to herself. Jumping to her feet out of surprise, Ha-Nui clicked her tongue at him. Pointing to the ground, she commanded him without words as he got into the position he was all too familiar with.

    With his hands braced against the ground and hips high in the air, he endured what she liked to call "thorough stretching" as his punishment.

    "Don't let your hips fall or you'll stay like that for the rest of the night."

     "Yes, Coach!" When she had first arrived at the school as an assistant coach, Ha-Nui had initially worried about the reception she would receive from both the coaching staff and swimmers. When Lee Hyuk had approached her with the job offer, she had laughed at him at first, as she imagined how everyone would react to her standing on the sidelines of the men's swimming team. Ha-Nui had never considered her talent as being good for a female swimmer, but for being good as a swimmer period. She was never cocky, but she knew to reach the greatness that she had, she needed to be the person with the most confidence in her abilities because she knew there was no better form of motivation. When commentators or reporters asked her how she felt being the "female equivalent" of male counterparts who were ruling the water at the time, she always made a point that they should be proud that they are now on her level. Sure, comments like these were perceived as arrogant and rude by many, but she also had supporters on her side who would take to the internet and forums standing by her statements, and pointing out that none of the male athletes would ever be asked questions like this during their interviews.

    Ha-Nui always made sure to rate those comments the most.

    It was only natural that she hardened herself even more before going in to apply for the position because she knew she would be grilled just as hard as when she was a swimmer herself. Ha-Nui may have been considered one of the best in the history of the sport, but that didn't mean she wasn't immune from both criticism and skepticism at every corner of her career.

"Damn, is this how it's going to be the entire time she is here? Was it really necessary to have another coach added on? Just what could she teach our guys that we can't?"

"Right! I think we've done pretty well so far with who we have. I just hope she doesn't become a bother."

Hyuk gave his fellow coaches a knowing look as he entered the room at the tail end of their conversation.

"You all would rather stand over here and bitch rather than go welcome our new member?" He kept his tone light as he watched the frenzy of reporters surrounding Ha-Nui. They all had been questioned early, giving their feelings and expectations for working with the young star, fresh out of competitions. He was proud of Ha-Nui, and affectionately thought of her as his own younger sister. Her eyes cut in his direction as she waited for the interview to wrap up. Giving her a thumbs up, she playful stuck out her tongue to show the exhaustion she felt from all of the attention.

"I do have to admit: all the gear her endorsers sent us was well needed." One of the coaches pointed out. Ha-Nui gave her final bows as she walked away from the reporting team. When she stopped before the rest of the coaches, their attitudes of annoyance and disdain faltered as her beauty captivated them. Hyuk could see some of them on the brink of blushing like teenagers as she apologized for the distractions.

 "It's my first day here, and I haven't had a real chance to meet all of you just yet." Her genuine personality made them embarrassed about their previous bad mouthing. Without realizing it, they began to question their own actions, when in reality, they too were honestly happy to meet a swimmer of her caliber, ready to see how she could teach and transform others.

"No need for an apology Ha-Nui-ssi." The coaches brushed off her apologies with wide smiles as they began to strike up conversation with her.

Hyuk stood back in disbelief at their fakeness. He hoped that the coaches would be able to take her seriously, and not just think of her as a nice visual for their squad. He didn't believe that Ha-Nui's presence should be reduced to simply just that.

He was more than confident that soon they would eat their own words once she began to make moves with their team.

"Everyone," getting their attention, Hyuk began to speak." I've called in the guys for an early practice so that they can be introduced properly to our new coach. We should head on in now and jump into things."

 In unison, they all agreed and headed for the pull area. The group of boys were crowded around the large windowed entrance, having tried to catch peeks of Ha-Nui.

Kim Jimin stood close to the window, following the coaches as they made their way towards them. A senior on the team called for them all to prepare to greet them.

As they stood face to face with their coaches, they gave them a deep bow, acknowledging Ha-Nui as the new addition.

"Please take care of us!" They said with earnest. Ha-Nui bowed multiple times as she thanked them for their welcome.

"Hello. I'm Choi Ha-Nui, and I look forward to working with all of you. I already feel like we'll get along well. Let's make sure to watch out for each other."

"Yes, Coach!"

"Ahh...our children. Who raised you guys so well, huh?" Hyuk laughed as he began leading the practice, and explaining what was planned for the day. Ha-Nui stood amongst the other coaches as he spoke. She observed the boys from her position, unaware to Jimin's star struck eyes.

     Ha-Nui remembered how eagerly he had approached her after their very first practice together, bowing deeply as he begged for her to be his mentor. She had been taken aback by his request seeing as how they were just getting started. Jimin had insisted that she consider it.

"If I become your mentor, then that means there will be no crying, no complaining, and no backing out. Once I start something, I finish it, kid. Can you promise me that?"

      By the way Jimin seemed overrun by sheer joy at her words, she should have known he was a glutton for hardship. No matter how grueling and borderline ridiculous her commands were, he never hesitated to complete them.

"Coach-nim, once I see something I want, I go for it. There's no way I'll back out of anything once I set my mind to it."

   Jimin's declaration had been nothing but the truth.

    Ever since, Ha-Nui found herself passionately training him, enjoying the time and progress they had made together. Seeing her teachings manifest and refine his skills gave her great joy.

    "Jimin, how can you be so determined in every aspect of life, except for in the classroom? Huh? I need to you explain this to me because I just can't figure it out. Could you be so smart that you've transcended knowledge all together?"

     Shifting on his hands, he sighed. " I don't get the big deal, my scores aren't the lowest in my class. Doesn't that count for something?"

      "Yet they're not what they could be."

       "They're slightly above average at least. I guess I can't win at everything in life."

      "If you don't get your act together soon, then I'm going to have a lot more free time to myself after school from now on!"

     "You can fill your threats with your own threats, they're so empty." Jimin chuckled.

     "Just try me!" Pushing on the spot just behind his knee, Ha-Nui brought him to the ground. She prepared to turn up her intensity as she cocked one hip to the side.

     "You've got a lot of mouth on you tonight, let's see how well you hold up..."

---

             "You haven't left yet, director?" Kim Kibum looked up from his desk as his team manager poked his head through his office door. Making his way in, he stood before him.

           "Just finishing up some last minute things here." His body relaxed as his thoughts were grateful to be interrupted. His eyes drifted from the text message he had read over and over again in the last few days, still trying to interpret its true meaning.

     "You say last minute, but I know you well. You'll be in here for hours after everyone else is finished working. It makes sense that you're the director doesn't it?"

    "You know, each night I work overtime, I feel like I lose 5 years off of my lifespan." Twisting in his chair, he ran his hand through his hair.

    "I felt like that too once I settled into my career. Then each time my wife and I would pop out a kid, that rate increased tenfold." Looking at his watch the team leader shook his head." Like tonight, I'd rather be able to go out for some drinks and just talk shit, but I have to go pick up the two oldest from some ridiculously expensive cram school. Who knew all those years of saving up money and feeling like I had all the wealth I could ever need at the palm of my hands would disappear just like that?"

    "I've gotten a little dose of that with my younger brother. Let's just hope all of this is will be put to good use in the future when it comes time for them to take care of us as old men."

    "You should get me your brother's autograph before he makes it big. I know it's only a matter of time before it happens, I can cash in early and never worry about these school fees again." He joked.

    "I've already began to build a stash to sell online when that time comes." The two men shared a laugh before the team leader excused himself for the night. When he was left alone once again, Kibum let out a stressful sigh.

...dinner between old friends...I hope you'll consider this invitation...

     A few days ago, Kibum received a very special text message from someone of his past, Hyo Min. She had been the first woman Kibum had ever found himself enchanted with. She represented a period in time where he ventured off from the straight-laced upbringing that his parents had always enforced, she had been his first taste of youthful liberation. Closing his eyes, he thought about all the times they had shared together, reminiscing on what had been. He had been completely infatuated with her, and she with him. The kind of passion that only young people could know filled their lives, burning hot and intense in every way imaginable. For all the times they had brought each other pleasure, pain followed close behind. They had been considered complete opposites as far as compatibility went, but nevertheless they tried to stay together. The first couple of years had been filled with half-heartedness on both of their parts, and could have been considered as nothing more than blissful sex and laughter. They thought that whenever their mouths met, whenever their hands would caress the body of the one they craved, that that had meant they were deep in love. Once the façade that was desire began to fade, their fantasies of love became cracked, and eventually they began to see the faults which riddled it. What they wanted to be-hopelessly romantic-was impossible.

     They had reached a boiling point, where insults would be thrown at each other every other sentence, heated arguments that left them seething with rage and hatefulness had taken over. Both of them were beginning to find success in their respectful fields, and naturally began to drift away from one another. As a last effort to salvage the integrity of their relationship, they agreed that they had reached a point where it was best to leave things as they were, before everything became tarnished. Before they would lose the memories of all the times that they had made each other happy, all of the times that had really mattered together. Kibum had a difficult time finding a way to live without Hyo Min around, they silently cut off contact with one another-something they had promised not to do-but maybe it had been too heavy for the prideful pair. They had kept each other in their thoughts, determined to move on peacefully like they had said, to find happiness without what they had been interfering.

   They wanted to leave the past where it belonged.

   Even so, Kibum had made sure to remain visible, remain accessible to her for the day she may want to speak to an old friend.

     Leaning over his desk, Kibum stared aimlessly at the mess which decorated it. What has Hyo Min coming forth from her hiding place?

     Checking the time, he began to make his leave, and headed for the restaurant where he had made special reservations for the two of them. It had been one of her favorite places to go, and he wanted to make sure they would be able to be comfortable in a familiar setting.

    He looked at his messages, making sure he hadn't missed one from Hyo Min. He quickly sent one to Jimin, reminding him to not wait up tonight.

Hyung is meeting with an old friend tonight, so make sure you eat well before you go to sleep.

    He instructed.

---

     Kibum stuck his car keys into his pocket as he made his way into the upscale restaurant. Hyo Min had come from a family with considerable wealth, and she had always had an expensive taste. She introduced Kibum to this kind of lifestyle of luxury, which he came to appreciate. Once inside, he was greeted by the hostesses who then led him to the reserved area he had arranged. The atmosphere sent a shiver down his spine, one he mistook for anxiousness as he awaited her arrival. Taking a seat at the table, he patiently sat, waiting for her entrance.

     His neck became warm with excitement as he played out their reunion. His mind filled with how much she would have changed over the years.     

    Twenty minutes later, there she was.

    Hyo Min's slim body stood at the front of the room, capturing his attention instantly. Standing from the table, he strode towards her as she handed off her belongings to the hostess.

    Taking in her appearance, he saw that on the surface, not much had changed, but something struck out to him. She had matured most definitely.

    They both stood awkwardly as they attempted to find the right words to say. Nothing seemed right.

    "Hyo Min...It's nice to see you again." His words were cased in formalities. Long arms wrapped themselves around his neck as Hyo Min embraced him with soft laughter that whispered against his ear. Without missing a beat, his hands made their way to her waist, holding her not too soft, and not too tight.

    "What's with the formal speech Bumie? I'm sorry I've been away so long that you don't feel comfortable to speak normally to me." She pulled away, her brow furrowed slightly with a doleful gaze as she took a deep breath.

     They stood in place, not bothered by the silence as they searched within them. Could they find remnants of the passion they once had?

    Eyes fell on every plane and crevice of the other's face as they waited for some kind of reaction. When they finally met again, they laughed in amusement.

    "Still not there?" Kibum asked her.

     "Nothing." Hyo Min agreed. Releasing each other, Hyo Min placed her hand on his elbow as he led her to the table, pulling out her seat before taking his own.

     "This should have been the part where we both ran off to the seaside, throwing away our lives and never returning."

    "I wouldn't be surprised if that's was something we would have done when we were still young and foolish." Hyo Min moved a tendril of her long bobbed hair behind her ear." And I would have been the one who was down for the idea the most."

     "You could convince me to do anything back then." Kibum admitted. A waitress appeared by their sides, showing a bottle of wine before getting a nod of approval from the two.

     "You're right. I had you in the palm of my hand." Lifting the glass to her lips, Hyo Min raised her brows teasingly.

    Their conversation fell to friendly banter as the night went on. Hyo Min decided to bring up a subject she had been ashamed to admit she had avoided. When she had heard of his father's passing from mutual friends, she had debated visiting him, to show that she wanted to offer him any kind of comfort that she could. She chose not to because of shame and embarrassment that had plagued her at the time.

      So she kept her distance.

      "Bumie, during that time, I had been a bad friend to you." Kibum looked up from his plate, knowing what she was referring to. Vivid memories of wishing to see her after his father's memorial services came back to him.

    "No, it would have been a difficult thing for you to do, to show up like after what had gone down between us. Even though I would have wanted to see you, at that time it was best for the both of us."

    "I just wanted to address that. I couldn't do anything for you at all with our situation." Her shoulders fell gently.

    "When we received wreaths from our family and friends, I came across one in particular with PHM on the envelope. It wasn't hard for me to figure out who it was from. I really did appreciate seeing your own handwritten signature that day." Kibum's words of recognition relieved some of the guilt she had been feeling for missing his father's funeral.

    "I'm glad to see that you're doing so well. I know it must have been hard for you and Jimin." Hyo Min had only met his younger brother a handful of times, but Kibum had spoken of him enough to make her feel as though she knew him well.

     "We've managed well. Though some days I feel sorry towards him. I don't know what I have and haven't done right for him, but he's a kid that smiles and endures everything, so I can never tell if I've slacked off in raising him."

     Kibum had tried his hardest to give Jimin all the love that he deserved from an older brother. He had also transformed into his mother and father throughout his life, as he knew Jimin had missed out on both meaningful relationships. He was thirteen years older than him, and he had a chance to know both of his parents well. With their mother, Jimin could barely recall her face having been just a toddler when she lost her battle to stomach cancer. Kibum remembered her warmth and love, the meals she would make, and the words that only a mother can say to make any child feel loved and important were engraved deep into his memories. He had always been upset at the idea that he only got to have a mother for 16 years-an awfully short time-but that Jimin had her for even less, and didn't even get the chance to miss something he never truly had. It never helped that their father had been a hard headed man who showed love in his own special way. His love was never warm and embracing, but one that had instilled a sense of fear into both of his sons. Fear of disappointing him and his expectations he set for their own benefit. Fear of not meeting the success he wished for both of his boys, the same success that he put all of his time, money , and effort towards securing. Their father had tried remarrying twice after their mother's passing. Kibum never took to the idea of a new "mother" around the house, and had always felt protective of his mother's legacy in the family. He saw the new wives as intruders in her home, and was often cold towards them.

    The women he had chosen were never compatible to their family. The first one had been far too young in his opinion, and it showed in how she lived her life. She was clearly looking for new and exciting adventures in life, and had no true intentions of raising a teenager and a toddler. It had only taken two years for their divorce to come, and Kibum had seen the way his younger brother who had innocently began to make a connection with the woman became confused when the person he looked to as a mother figure had disappeared one day.

     He had to sit back and watch the same thing happen with his father's final wife as well. Jimin clung to her for the 6 years that she had been around. If anything, she was a decent person who tried her best to interact with the children. When their father had proven more than she could handle, she split from him, refusing to suffer like most women would in a marriage that would just be a burden to her in the long run. Kibum had taken a trip home when he learned of the news. He remembered finding his father in his study, shut off in his own little world. Jimin had been in his room, crying into his pillows alone when he found him, and he knew that nothing he could say or do in that moment to fill the void that drove him into such a rare display of anything other than happiness. Kibum always tried hard to be someone that his brother could come to, and once he realized that there would be a part of him he couldn't truly fix, he made it his goal to do whatever he could to alleviate his pain.

    "With a man like you raising him, I'm more than sure he's turned out to be a great person, Bumie." Hyo Min's breath hitched as she thought of her real reason for being there. "You are a perfect role model for him. I just know it."

    Kibum became alarmed when he saw the way her eyes teared up. He watched, anticipating for one to fall before she blinked them away.

     "What's wrong with you?" He laughed nervously, reaching out to shake her hand and bring her back to the moment. " I never knew you to be so soft."

    "Ah, well I guess I've become more sensitive over the years."

  The mood turned solemn as Hyo Min's tongue became dry. She had to do it now.

"Eomma!" Hyo Min chased after her mother as she hurried away, a small boy in tow. She had just arrived from work to visit with her son.  She couldn't count how many times she had been through this exact same scene in the last 4 years.

When she had arrived at her parent's home, she was greeted by her stoic father who refused to lift his head from his book when she asked him where her mother and son had gone.

"Where do you think?" He had asked rhetorically as he flipped a page, never breaking his concentration. As she raced out of the house, their family servant pulled her aside, telling her that it hadn't been long since Mrs. Park had once again taken the child to the same orphanage she had been for years. She told her that if she hurried she could catch her once again.

"Why, Hyo Min? Why do you insist on stopping me?" Her mother turned around enraged. She had been filled with sadness since the day Hyo Min had appeared before her pregnant. The first time she had seen her, it was already too late to suggest an emergency abortion to quickly get rid of the situation on hand. So she hit her and sobbed tears of sadness at the thought of her daughter's life being ruined by this child out of wedlock. Their society was harsh and unforgiving when It came to accepting single mothers, and she knew that by keeping the child, she would be giving up countless opportunities, along with not only her reputation, but that of her family's as well.

"Let's stop this now. You always go too far." Reaching for her son, she saw that his face was downtrodden and stained with tears.

"Sung Min, are you okay?" Bending at her knees, she held the small boy by his shoulders as he shook his head no.

"This child wasn't meant to be, and you know that." Her mother's words seared her as Sung Min began to cry out loud.

"How could you say something like this in front of a child? Aren't you tired of doing this? Don't you have any remorse for our Sung Min?"

"You're right, I am tired of doing this! I am tired of seeing the daughter I invested thousands and thousands of dollars into the best education I could give her waste everything away. I'm tired of people talking behind our backs because you've given birth to a bastard, Hyo Min!"

 "Enough!"

"I'm tired of seeing quality positions denied to you because the moment companies find out you're an unwed mother, they only see you as being a burden on the job! I'm tired hearing him cry about children who have already been taught to bully him for having no father. Yes, I do feel remorseful for that child. I'm sorry that he's going to have to bear the weight of the stigma you've gotten the both of you into. This has been a long time coming now. "

Hyo Min gritted her teeth in frustration as her mother's words ringed true. She had hoped by now that she could convince both her and her parents that she was fit to be a mother. She had decided to keep her baby thinking that she could find a way to defy the odds that would be set against her as a single mother in Korea. She was always the kind of person to try and finish any challenge put before her, unable to admit defeat. That's how she came to give birth to Sung Min, seeing him as another way to prove that anything was possible for her.

Hyo Min hadn't been ready to be a mother. There was no instinctual calling to be what Sung Min needed from her.

When she had first held him, she cried for this reason. Asking him to forgive her because she knew...she knew she didn't want motherhood in this way. Her pride is what had pushed her forward, refusing to let her parents have the chance boast about being right. She had lived with them, facing their criticism and disappointment every day. She had endured it for this long, yet she could feel her resolve beginning to crumble. She knew why her mother had made another dash to give Sung Min up for adoption. She had been offered a respectable position within her company, one that she couldn't pass up.

This was the first job she had managed to conceal the existence of her son. Her parents wanted this chance for her.

And she did too.

"I'm not giving him up." She stated firmly. Her mother cursed her as she used her purse to pummel Hyo Min's back. Pulling Sung Min into her chest she could see employees from the place her mother intended to send her child come to the door.

"You want me to die. You want me to die of heartbreak, Hyo Min. I'm your mother, I want you to have the life you deserve." She heaved." You're not helping him. You think this is the right thing to do? You think it's right to force him to grow up this way?"

"Eomma! I'm not giving him up to be adopted by strangers. I can't do that."

"Then what will you do? Huh? What will you do?" Her mother's body went limp as she had no more energy to yell.

Rubbing his head, Hyo Min thought of the only person she was willing to give Sung Min to. The only person who could make this decision easier for her to live with.

"I'm sorry, Sung Min." She whispered into his hair.

Turning her head up to her mother, she gave her a tight nod.

"I'll give him to his father."

---

       Ha-Nui glanced over her shoulder to see Jimin speaking animatedly with a security guard. They had finished up their training for the night, and were finally ready to leave. She smirked at the sight of the two as they shared in on a joke between them, the older man clapping Jimin on his back.

     When they approached, she thanked the guard for staying behind a little later that night to lock up.

     "I can spare my time if it means helping the nation's next star." He chuckled.

     "Ajosshi, you keep giving me too many compliments..." Bashfully, Jimin scratched his head. Saying their goodbyes, he followed Ha-Nui out into the night.

     "Do you have a ride coming tonight?"

     "No, my brother had other plans tonight, so I was just going to take the bus like I usually do."

     Looking at her phone, Ha-Nui saw that he had more than likely missed his usual bus. Not wanting him to have to wait for the next one, she offered him a ride.

     "You're hungry, aren't you? I'll buy you some meat and then take you home afterwards."

       Jimin's heart raced at the offering, staring at her with a surprised look, he fumbled with his response.

      "What?" She slapped her hand against his chest." You look like you want to refuse me." She sneered her nose up." Okay, have it your way then-"

    "No! I-I hope you're ready to empty your bank account tonight. I have the taste for steak." Jimin rushed to not lose this chance to be with Ha-Nui. He knew she would easily change her mind if he hadn't responded fast enough.

     "Of course I'd only give the best to my Jiminie." Ha-Nui reached up to his chin, lightly brushing her fingertips against it as she always did when she switched off her coach mode. At school, she was always tough on him, and showed no remorse when it came to disciplining him.

    But once they left that building, she went from being his coach, to being his noona.

    If Jimin loved her when they were just student and coach, he didn't know what words to use to describe how he felt when saw them as man and woman in times like this.

     He became lost in the thought of her as they made their way to her car. He had a plan to get his feelings across to her when the season came to an end. In his mind, receiving an offer and scholarship from his first choice school would mean he would have succeeded in putting all of her time and effort to good use.

      Then he would confidently confess to her, and ask her to be by his side, not just as his coach, but as the woman he loved.

     "Ajumma, two cokes please."  Ha-Nui called out to the restaurant owner as Jimin flipped the meat on the grill before them. They were both anxious for food as the scent wafted to their noses.

    "I'm so hungry I could eat it raw." Her mouth watered just at the thought. Jimin picked up a leaf of lettuce as he began to fill it with meat and condiments. Folding the food together, he carefully rose to his knees, reaching over the grill carefully to give it to Ha-Nui. Respectfully he had his empty hand supporting his wrist as she took the offer.

    Sitting back down, he watched as she chewed the food happily. It was quite warm in the restaurant and the light glistening of her forehead and reddened cheeks told him she could feel it too.

    "Noona, you should take off your jacket before your sweat starts dripping in the meat."He mockingly grimaced.  Rolling her eyes at him she began lift her hoodie above her head. Jimin's youthful vigor got the best of him the moment he saw the t-shirt she wore underneath inch higher and higher above her belly button. Instinctively, he moved to her side, pulling the hem of her shirt back down.

     "I think my head got bigger since this morning." When Ha-Nui freed herself from the hoodie, Jimin moved back into his original position.

     "Now that you mention it, I think it's swollen to twice its normal size."

      The messy bun she had her wavy hair held in had come undone. Scoffing at him, she tried to fix it quickly.

     "If my head has grown it's only because of the massive headaches you've been giving me lately...all you do is worry me. I'm too young for the gray hairs that show up every morning just thinking about having to deal with you." In the midst of her trash talking, her hair tie snapped just as she was finishing up her hair.

     "Karma always knows when to show up." Jimin popped the tab to their sodas as she huffed.

     ""How about we just eat now..." Ha-Nui giggled at the truth in his statement. Picking up her chopsticks, she pushed the biggest pieces of meat to his side. Choosing one, she lifted it to his lips.

   "Say ah..." Pushing it past his lips, Ha-Nui ignored his hissing.

   "Noona!" He chided her as he quickly swallowed the hot food.

    "Oh, is something wrong?" Batting her eyelashes at him, Ha-Nui knew what she had done. The rest of their meal continued on with jabs and comfortable conversation. Jimin wanted to stay like this for as long as possible.

    Out the corner of his eye, he noticed a group of men who had sent glances their way throughout their dinner. He had ignored them, imagining that they had recognized the famed athlete sitting across from him. A surge of pride ran through him knowing that he was the one sharing in her company.

    As they rubbed their stomachs heavy with food, they-or rather Ha-Nui-was approached by one of the older men.

    "Excuse me, your Choi Ha-Nui, right?" Ha-Nui held her hand to her mouth, a habit she had when she was feeling embarrassed.

    "Yes, I am."

    Jimin's expressionless face changed as he watched the group of men start a conversation with her. They talked about how much they had admired her and her career as she laughed heartily.

    "Student..."

     Jimin was telling himself to not feel jealous towards them. Of course they would recognize his noona. She was known by the whole country. Her face was definitely one that was hard to miss.

    " Excuse me, Student..."

    Yes, they were just her fans. Of course she would have fans of all kinds.

    "Hey, Jimin!" The sound of Ha-Nui's voice broke his inward monologue.

     "Do you mind taking a photo of us with Choi Ha-Nui-ssi?" Hearing the friendly suffix, Jimin could feel that his attempt to night feel slightly jealous at the obvious admiration this guy had for Ha-Nui hadn't worked. Taking the cell phone offered towards him, he watched as the group of men gathered around Ha-Nui for the group picture.

    "1...2..." He watched as the hand of the man who had first approached her was placed on her shoulder, and their heads moved closer together.

    "3." His voice was flat as quickly took the photo. Handing the phone back over. Standing to his feet, he urged Ha-Nui up with him.

    As she followed behind him, Ha-Nui stood too, politely shaking hands with the men as Jimin waited impatiently.

   They moved to the cashier, as she paid for the bill. With his hands in his pockets, Jimin bounced from foot to foot as he waited.

    He could hear the slight dismay in the voice of her fan as he pointed out that the picture had turned out blurry.

    "Ready?" Rushing her out the door, he made sure to leave before he could ask for a better picture.

     "Hey, slow down. I ate too much to move this fast."

    "It's good to walk briskly, that way you can burn off the calories even faster."

    When they had turned the corner, Jimin looked back to make sure they hadn't been followed, only then did he slow down.

     "Since when do you have fanboys asking for pictures in restaurants?"

     With a cheeky grin, Ha-Nui tilted her head up.

    "You do know that Noona is popular, right? I never want to disappoint my fans."

   "Don't you think it's too much to do that to a person while their trying to eat dinner like everyone else? It's not like we were there for a meet and greet."

    "That wasn't even anything serious, Jimin. I've had guys follow me home before just to get photographs and autographs. Hell, I don't see why they would want it that bad honestly." Tilting her head as she thought, Ha-Nui saw that Jimin wasn't amused by her words.

      "What's with that look?" She stopped as he kept his head turned." One day you might have people chasing you like that when you make it big. You're a good swimmer plus you're cute. I'm sure it will be even worse for you."

    "That doesn't interest me." He murmured.

    "You say that now but when you see a bunch of strangers show up to competitions chanting your name and waving signs you're going to eat it up. It already happens now any way. " She insisted." Just promise me you won't develop a huge ego because of attention like that. That's when I won't be able to stand you." Ha-Nui warned him.

    Ha-Nui pulled out her car keys, unaware that Jimin's footsteps had come to a halt.

    "The person I want to call my name is you, Noona. As long as I hear your voice, I don't need to hear theirs."

      Ha-Nui had a strange feeling overcome her as she looked to see the serious look on his face which had moved closer to her. His stare was unwavering as she noticed a tick in his jaw.

    "Well-well of course you'll always hear me! I am your coach. I'm the one who's always losing her mind screaming at you from the sidelines." For some reason, Ha-Nui found herself laughing nervously as she stood beneath his deep gaze.  Stunned she reached for her door handle, only to be see Jimin's hand beat her to it. Gently, his body brushed against hers as she backed up to allow him room to open the door. The hairs that laid against the back of her neck clung to her skin when she felt a soft breath against it.

     Clearing her throat she stiffened as she waved him off, not wanting to show that she had been thrown off by his actions.

     "Let's go, kid." She moved away hair that had fallen into her face as she quickly got in. She started up the car and took that brief time to herself to shake the strange feeling she had felt from Jimin.

---

       Kibum sat across from Hyo Min, stiff as she seemed to mull over the next words she had for him. She knew not to interrupt, seeing the concentration it took for her to get out what she needed to say. When he saw her lips part, he held his breath.

    He was anticipating her to reveal that she needed his help. Maybe she was in debt and came to him to ask for a loan. Surely that would make her feel uncomfortable to ask for.

    Could she be sick? She looked perfectly healthy, maybe the healthiest he had ever seen her. Were his eyes deceiving him?

    Kibum would much rather hear the former than the latter.

    "You know I've never been good at sugar coating things, right?" Kibum remained quiet as his eyes wearily watched her chest heave with a deep breath.

    "But this may be the hardest thing I've ever had to say to you. "

    "Have you gotten involved in some trouble? I can help you with anything, Hyo-Min. If there's a debt you need to pay... or could it be a medical bill? Are you sick, Hyo-Min?" His throat tightened as he anticipated her answer.

    Realizing that she was making this harder than it should have been, Hyo Min shook her head earnestly.

       "I'm not being chased by loan sharks, or dying, Kibum."She let out a self deprecating laugh.

       His sigh of relief couldn't be held back.

      "It's something completely different. When I left all of those years ago, I thought that was going to be the end. That I would be able to move on knowing that I had something good like you in my life. "

    To Kibum's ears, her words sounded like the prelude to a confession of Hyo Min realizing that she wanted to learn to love him in a way that she never could before.

    "I came to you tonight because I wanted to believe that the good thing I saw in you still existed. That I could turn to you to help me with this one last request." Wringing her hands together, she continued on." I gave birth to a child, Kibum. A son, who is in desperate need for someone to take care of him. Someone who can do for him what I can't."

     Hyo-Min's chest ached as all of the tension that had been building within her since she saw Kibum released its strong hold on her heart. She watched as his eyes widened to a ridiculous size, and his face paled.

    "What?" Dumbfounded, Kibum waited for her to say something that he could actual understand because this made no sense at all to him.

     " I've never been good at being his parent. I've always struggled to make the motherly connection everyone says happens when you look at your child for the first time. I've tried and tried to force it , but it's just never came to me. Since I couldn't care for him as a mother to a child, I cared for him as a person to a person, and I know it's not right, but it's the best I can do."

    "What the fuck are you even saying right now?" Kibum's calm demeanor vanished as he nearly turned over the table. A snarl on his face as he yelled.

      "The first time you speak to me in nearly 5 damn years and it's to tell me you-you had a child? My child?" Bewildered, Kibum held his hands to his chest as he tried to process everything.

     "I know you're angry-"

     "What else could I feel right now?" He billowed. The employees of the restaurant hid from the doorway as Kibum blew up.

    Hyo-Min fought back tears as she rose from her seat before him, bowing deeply at the waist.

    "Please raise him, I can't put him through adoption, it will only ruin him. Please let him have a chance with his own blood." Her body shook as she could feel herself losing control of her emotions. "

   Please give him a chance at a family with you." She remained in her stance as Kibum fell back in his seat, placing his head in his hands.

    "Did you leave knowing you were pregnant? Did you leave and purposely keep this from me all of this time?" Kibum could barely see straight as he asked the questions he needed answers to. " You know I would have married you, right? I would have tried to work through our problems with you." The crack in his voice was subtle as he pleaded with her to look at him.

    Standing up, Hyo Min's eyes were bloodshot red.

     "That's not what I would have wanted. Getting married wouldn't have changed anything between us, it would have only made life harder." She shook her head profusely at the idea.

    "Are you saying it's been easy the way it is now?" Mindlessly, Kibum knocked over a wine glass in his outburst.

    "I never knew I was pregnant when we broke up, and that's the honest truth Kibum." She held her hands before him as if to brace herself against his rage. "

    "When I found out I had considered an abortion to end things quickly, but-when the time came I just couldn't go through with it. I thought it was too mean to a child who had done nothing wrong in existing. I thought I could force myself to become a mother by giving birth, but I was wrong. I was so wrong."

    "Kibum, please. I don't want to ruin him anymore than I have already. The world isn't nice to children of women like me, and you know that." Her voice deepened as she hoped he would see her desperation.

     "Things could be easier for him being raised by his father than raised by a single mother. I don't want him to be judged because of me thinking I could take on the world by myself. I don't want him to open his eyes and see that I was never much of a mother to him in the first place. I want him to know that as his mother, I gave him the best chance at life by giving him to you."

    Kibum grimaced as every nerve in his body seemed to repel from overstimulation. He didn't know which emotions were appropriate to feel at the time. Anger was a given. Surprise obvious.

     He instinctively felt guilty for never knowing that he had a child in this world. Having children was something he had always known would be in his future, but never did he imagine it happening in this way. He felt both guilty and innocent in all of this. 

    "What am I supposed to do, Hyo Min?" Keeping her eyes leveled with him, she replied," Help him."

    "Him..." Disoriented, Kibum sat still in his chair." What's his name..." His voice was barely contained as he found himself shaking.

    "Park Sung Min."

Sung Min.

     Pursing his lips, he could only dangle is head.

      "This is all so sudden. I don't even know where to begin." The shrill laugh he let out was void of humor as he rubbed his forehead until it burned.

   "I don't know what this-this feeling I'm having right now is. I want to strangle you, Hyo Min. I could just--" Gritting his teeth, Kibum swallowed his violent threats.

      "I want to ..." The admission of the need to cry fell short as he held back.

     "What the hell makes you think this is something I can take on? A child, Hyo Min? Why would I want to do this?" He leaned towards her, as he listened for her to explain her own thinking.

     "I have more confidence in you than I have in myself. I can't offer much consolation right now, I know. Call me a bitch if you want to, a liar, you can say anything that you want. " Running her hands along her clothing, she smoothed herself out before calling to the hostess.

     The woman walked in on one of the most heartbreaking scenes she had ever witnessed. Everyone in the place had listened to snippets of what had gone down in the private room. She handed over Hyo Min's belongings as Kibum looked on in astonishment.

    "Wait a minute. Just what are you about to do?" Waving his hand at her, his breathing increased.

   "You tell me something as fucked up as a secret kid and then you grab your things to go?" The emotional toll this dinner had taken on Kibum was leaving him no room to adjust to the different changes he was being put through.

    "I accepted an offer with my company abroad, in Hong Kong."

     Trying to figure out what the hell her words had to do with him, he glared as he waited for her to finish.

    "My flight leaves in the morning, Kibum." Licking her lips, she avoided his eyes as the glazed over. "I've already spoken with Sung Min. I gave my goodbyes in the best way I could. " The tears she fought so hard against fell.

    "No..."

    "I don't know how much of this he understands, or if he understands it at all. I couldn't even keep myself from crying when I spoke with him." Hyo Min sobbed as Kibum broke out into hysterics.

     "What are you saying? You're leaving?" Grabbing her by the shoulders, he shook her hard looking for an answer.

   "You know what he told me when I said I couldn't look after him anymore?" Her voice was strained as her nails dug into the hands that held her shoulders. Her face was screwed into a sickening mess as she repeated his words.

"It's okay. You can't be good at everything."

     "I told him I was sorry I was taking him somewhere strange. I told him that he would be safe at his new home. And he looked at me with so much trust. I thought he would hate me, Kibum. I thought he would be the one falling apart with tears for me telling him that I wouldn't be seeing him for a long time. But he wasn't. He looked at me with those precious eyes of his and he said to me-" Hyo Min choked.

"Be happy, Eomma."

    "You took him to my home." Understanding hit him. Hyo Min nodded in response, trying her best to will her body to breath as violent spasms seized her throat.

       Kibum couldn't help but pull away from her.

       "What have you done?" He felt as if he was meeting a complete stranger for the first time. This hadn't been the way he expected their first meeting to be like after all of this time.

      "I've given you all parental rights. You can give him your name, it doesn't matter to me.I'm not looking for visitation or anything like that, I don't deserve that--I don't want that. I know you'll never want to see me after this."

     "You're saying this now. What happens when you change your mind? What happens if I don't decide to keep this child and raise him?"

     "Don't!" Wide eyed, Hyo Min glared up at him." Don't even think about giving him away to be adopted. I came to you only because I know you're a good person who takes responsibility for things even when they're hard."

    "Why? Why!" He got close to her face as he raised his voice. "Why can't I decide to give this child up too? Why are you suddenly making me the only parent of this child? Can I not do what you're doing? How the hell are you going to make this decision for me like this?"

     Biting her lips, she knew she had no real reason to combat his questions.

     "I know you, Bumie."

     "Don't you use that name." Rejecting the nickname she had given to him before, Hyo Min swallowed the lump in her throat.

     "You're going to be angry with me for a long time, I know. But I'm not afraid to leave like this. By giving Sung Min to you, I can walk away with not one shred of regret." Taking a step back, Hyo Min gave one last bow.

    "Please watch over him, Kibum." Standing to her full height, she turned on her heel, leaving the soft clack of them against the flooring behind.

    Kibum watched in amazement as she left. His legs frozen in place as he tried to go after her.

    "You can't leave like this! Hyo Min!" Snapping out of his paralysis, he went after her. It felt as though his legs didn't belong to him as he ran towards her. It was like any other dream where he found himself chasing after someone who he could never seem to reach no matter how fast he moved, our how far he reached out to them. They were completely unattainable.

    Hyo Min rushed to the entrance, making her way to her waiting driver.

     "Please, let's go." The driver had been with her family for years, had seen her grow into the woman she was. When she had instructed him to take Sung Min on a trip to his favorite restaurant and indulge him in anything that he wanted, it was bittersweet even for him.

   He had been weary of leaving the child at the front gate like she said, and had even considered climbing the gate in order to find a way to at least allow the boy inside and away from the street. It was cold out, and he already had a hard time with the thought of abandoning the child-he didn't want to leave him in the literal cold.

    When he had pulled up, he was thankful to find that the gate had not been shut properly by the last person who must have gone through it. He checked around to make sure there was no suspicious characters lurking around before bringing him to the front steps of the home he was to now call his own. He had gotten along well with the child during his time with the family. Large brown eyes looked straight into his and almost brought him to his knees. There was so much mature understanding in them that he felt like he should have been slapped for going along with this. He called to his ancestors to forgive him for participating in something as shameful as this before he gave a respectful bow to the boy. Even though he was no longer a part of the family he served, he wouldn't forget that he had once been.

      Adjusting his rearview mirror, he looked at the young woman. Her face was wrought with sadness, and he knew that in a moment like this, no words needed to be spoken.

     So he drove.

    Kibum stumbled over his feet as he tried to chase down the black car Hyo Min had rushed off in. He panted as if he had ran a marathon, placing his arms atop his head to help him breathe.

    He wanted to collapse in the middle of the road, but the honking of cars behind him and cursing drivers reminded him that he couldn't.

    "Get out the street, bastard!" One man hung from his car window as he laid on his horn. When Kibum turned around and stalked towards the car, the driver saw a look in his eyes that made him rethink a confrontation with him. A high pitched ringing was all that regiestered to himwhen he turned around and squinted to see the images that seemed to race past him a blur. As Kibum approached the passenger side window, he slapped it hard with his hands as he told the man to get out of the car. Kibum had completely thrown out any rationality, and was willing to get rid of the everything that was consuming him, even if it meant beating someone until they were numb like him.

    Speeding away, the driver fearfully left the scene. The cars behind him followed suit, with the passengers staring in awe at the man they figured had one too many drinks that night.  His entire appearance was in disarray, and he couldn't blame anyone for thinking he was anything other than a drunkard.

    Kibum tried his best in forming some kind of composure as he walked back into the restaurant. There was already someone waiting by the door as he pulled out his wallet, throwing a few large bills into their hand before exiting once again. He wasted no time in saying good bye as he headed to his home.

---

    Ha-Nui put her car in park as she pulled up to Jimin's home. He was unusually quiet the entire ride, and she was still baffled as to how things seemed to have soured.

    "Jimin-" When Ha-Nui began to speak, she stuttered upon seeing the deep expression that had yet to leave his face still lingering as his eyes were already boring into her own." It's the winter, so make sure you rest up and stay warm, okay? Don't go doing anything that can get you in trouble this weekend. Understood?"

    "Are you speaking to me as my coach right now?"

     "Of-of course I am. Whenever I give you advice, that's my coaching side." She looked at him puzzled.

      "Tonight, I want you to say goodbye to me like a woman does to a man." He gently requested. He was teetering along the line he said he wouldn't cross just yet. Someting had been ignited in him tonight which tempted him to forget the rules he had set.

     "A man? I don't see a man around anywhere..." As Ha-Nui looked around in exaggeration, Jimin's seriousness still remained. He had to remind himself that it was too early to be showing this side of him to her. He needed to play it off so that he didn't make her uncomfortable, and ruin the relationship he managed to build with her so far. The fact that his behavior was off putting to her was evident to him. He knew that the moment he saw the fans who had cozied up to her so easily that he had begun acting differently. He had almost made a bold move right then and there by telling them to be more mindful of the woman he loved.

   "Ah, I got it." Clapping her hands together, Ha-Nui thought she had figured out his issue. "Those guys earlier called you student...and then I've been calling you kid all day. You must have felt like you were being talked down to, right?" Jimin smiled as he saw the self-assured look on her face.

     "Let's say that." He shrugged

     Slapping him hard in the chest, Ha-Nui made him wince.

      "That's exactly it! Wow, I know you'll get to participate in the Coming of Age Day this year, but that's still far away." Going along with her assumption, Jimin slipped back into his usual attitude of silliness as he pretended to be offended.

    "I think it's a good idea to practice early."

    "Oh, get out of my car! You had me so confused with your little attitude...I didn't even know who the hell you were anymore." Clutching her hands to her chest, Ha-Nui's laughter began to die down as Jimin sighed. Reaching back to grab his bag, he felt the touch of her fingertips against his chin as she grinned from ear to ear. He was just inches away from her face, and could smell the faint scent he had come to recognize as her own. It was fresh, unmarred by perfumes or other fragrances except for her shampoo. He could have followed the pull in his body by grabbing that hand and pressing his mouth to her own, as he had imagined many times before. To wipe off that sisterly smirk she always looked at him with, and let her know that even the simplest of her touches were made it hard for him to resist the growing desire he had felt for her in this last year.

       It killed him that she had no idea what even her smallest gestures meant to him.

      Taking in a deep breath, he kept his cool.

      "Our Jiminie has grown up well." She sang. Opening the door, he climbed out.

      "Coach, I'll text you to make sure you got back home safely." His mind recounted the mentioning of her fans following her home. Pointing his finger at her, he made sure to add," and if you have a stalker, call me immediately! How could you not tell me about something like that--you have to take people like that seriously."

      "Whatever you say. I'll see you next week!" Stretching out her arm, she waved to Jimin as he shut the door. Pulling off, she could still see him in her rearview mirror as he get smaller and smaller. Bright headlights flashed in her eyes as her attention was brought back to driving. She quickly avoided hitting the oncoming car that seemed to have no intentions on slowing down as it raced around the street corner.

    "Crazy bastard," she said underneath her breath. The tinted windows and night sky made it impossible to see who had almost caused an accident.

     As quickly as it had happened, Ha-Nui forgot about her shock. Yawning, she drove herself home, happy to finally have a chance to relax.

     Jimin watched as his brother's car whizzed past, nearly missing Ha-Nui's.

    "What the hell is wrong with this guy?" Moving out of the way, he watched as Kibum drove through the opening gate, barely giving it enough time to finish. Following behind quickly, Jimin shouted out to him.

    "Where have you been? A date?" Kibum climbed from his parked car, walking purposefully towards the house.

    "Oh! You must be preparing for part 2! Hyung, do you need me to give you some space? Maybe some pointers while I'm at it?" Running to catch up with him, Jimin was ready to tease him more, but he came to a stop immediately.

    "Who is this?" Against the door sat a young boy dressed in a red fur lined coat. He had his knees pulled up to his chest, and chin resting upon them. His lips and cheeks looked almost bruised from the cold air as he made no effort to look at the two men standing before him.

     "What do we do? Maybe he's a run away, hyung. How did he climb the fence to get in-wait - maybe I left it open again...?" Jimin chatted away as he tried to figure out what to do with the misplaced child. Bending down, he tapped him on the shoulder.

    "Hey, kid. Did you run away from home? I don't know what happened but you can't just leave your family like this." He waved his hand before his face as he talked sternly. "They're probably looking for you right now. I'm sure you've made your point with them. It's good for a man to show his pride sometimes, but you also have to know when you've gotten your point across." The sound of soft cries wafted up to Jimin as he jumped back in surprise.

      "I made him cry." Looking to Kibum for help, he told him to do something.

      "Why are you just standing there?" Pulling out his cellphone, Jimin asked the boy if he could give him the number to his parents so that he could call and let them know where he was. When he lightly touched his back, the boy moved further away.

"Ah! What are we going to do, this kid still looks pretty young. Are kids his age even in school these days? I bet he can't even count to ten, why would he be able to remember a telephone number..."

    "Sung Min." Confused by the name Kibum called the child, Jimin looked to see that he too had stooped down to his level, softly calling out the name again.

    "Sung Min, you don't have to be afraid. You can stop crying now." It was as if his words were all he needed to hear. Slowly eyes that looked like both Kibum's and Jimin's stared back at them.

     The small boy rubbed the sleeves of his jacket against his cheeks as he sniffled.

     "What...is he your old friend?" Jimin laughed. "It's good you obviously know the kid, now let's call his parents quickly before this turns into a mistaken abduction." Jimin elbowed him, shaking his phone for emphasis.

    "Stop." Kibum lowered Jimin's phone as he stared hard at the reflection before him.

    "What do you mean? If it's not the parents, then I have to call the police to report him missing." Jimin was confused as to why this was hard for his brother to understand.

    "His parent is here."

     "So someone is on their way to get him? Hyung I have no idea what you're even saying right now." Becoming exasperated, he stood with a shrug.

     "Are you going to play deaf? Who is this kid?"

      The child's eyes moved between the two of them as Jimin waited for an explanation.

     "As of tonight, he's your nephew."

     Not falling for what he thought was a joke, Jimin shook his head. "If you can't handle alcohol, then you shouldn't drink. Do you even hear what you're saying right now? He'd have to be your son to be my nephew and-"Stopping to piece everything together, Jimin narrowed his eyes at his brother.

      "I'm his dad... he's my son now."

      Dropping to a crouch, Jimin sat in a daze as all three of them studied each other intently.

      From his brother's tone, it wasn't hard to tell that there was no hidden joke, no punchline behind all of this. At a loss for words, Jimin said the first thing that came to mind at the news.

    "Congratulations?"