The girl said in such a funny way that I almost fell off the chair fromughing so much, but in reality, I became shy. The only one still drawing was Jihoon, and I became increasingly curious. Soon, anotherdy entered the room, calling the children for a snack, and they left so happily that they left the drawings lying on the chairs. The girl who wouldn’t leave Jihoon’s side was the only one who didn’t run and looked up, analyzing the older one.


    “Uncle, aren’t you going to eat?” she asked.


    “I will soon, Yaya, why don’t you go ahead and save a seat for me and one for Jane?” he replied.


    She agreed and left hisp, heading in the direction the other children had gone. He continued drawing silently for a few more minutes, and I couldn’t stop smiling. It was incredible how he made me forget everything I was feeling before.


    “For how long have you beening here?” I asked.


    “About two years…” he replied without taking his eyes off the paper.


    “They do beautiful work here,” I remarked.


    “Yeah… I… Ie to help whenever I can…” he replied modestly.


    “That’s a beautiful gesture…” I said, impressed.


    He shook his head while a shy smile spread across his lips.


    “I already knew you were amazing, but you really surprise me every day,” I admitted.


    He hid his face behind the drawing, and I smiled.


    “When can I see this drawing?” I inquired.


    “You won’t…” he said,ughing, and I put my hand on my waist.


    “Oh no… That’s not fair… The children showed me.”


    “Well, it so happens that I’m not a child…” he joked, and I walked over to him, grabbed the drawing, but before I could escape from him, he pulled my arm, causing me to fall into hisp, and I startedughing, but I lost my breath when I realized how close our faces were. He looked into my eyes and then nced at my lips, and as he leaned in, I just closed my eyes without thinking about anything else, but before I felt his lips on mine, we heard someughter, and we saw some children at the door who ran away singing as soon as we saw them.


    “Jane and Jihoon sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…” they sang, and we startedughing. I returned my attention to the drawing and was surprised to see a small illustration of me surrounded by the children.


    “Wow, Ji, it’s beautiful,” I said, smiling, and he smiled back.


    I was sofortable there that it took me some time to realize that I was still sitting on hisp, and as soon as I realized it, I blushed and got up quickly.


    “Well, shall we have a snack? Thedy at the canteen makes a delicious cornbread cake,” I suggested.


    “Speaking like that, how can I say no?” he replied, smiling, and we went to the canteen. When we got there, I sat next to Yaya, and even though he tried to hide it, I saw Jihoon handing a check to the olderdy, who hugged him gratefully.


    “Auntie, will you y ball with uster?” one of the children asked.


    Iughed and agreed.


    “Yay! You’re nice and very pretty, auntie!” the child eximed.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    “You’re very pretty too, Yaya,” I replied, looking at the youngest one with her straight hair tied in pigtails, making her even cuter.


    “I like you to be Uncle Jihoon’s girlfriend,” she said.


    Iughed because it was impossible not to melt with the little one.


    “But you have to take care of him as he takes care of us,” she added.


    “Oh yes, I will…” I replied.


    “Without him, Yaya wouldn’t have a home,” she exined.


    “But what about Maggie and the otherdies?” I asked.


    “Uncle pays them to take care of us. He also buys our delicious food, our toys, books, and even Yaya’s clothes. Look at my dress, isn’t it beautiful?” she asked, standing up to show me her yellow dress with floral print.


    “Yes, it’s very beautiful!” I said and turned my attention back to Ji, seeing him focused, talking to Maggie, and it was impossible not to smile looking around and seeing all those happy and well-cared-for children thanks to him. When he looked at me and realized that I was watching him, he smiled, and I felt my heart beating so hard that it seemed like it woulde out of my chest. I got distracted by Yaya showing me her new doll, and soon Jihoon came to have a snack with us. After that, we went to y ball with the children, and one of the boys threw it so far that itnded near the smallke that was there.


    “Let me get it!”


    “No, I’ll get it!”


    I ran faster, and when I grabbed the ball, I jumped for joy and ended up falling into theke with a scream of fright. Ji jumped into theke, and I ended upughing when I realized that theke was only about a meter and a half deep, so I could just stand up and not drown. I waspletely soaked, and so was Jihoon, and yet weughed at the mess we made. He approached me, removing a leaf from my hair and cing his hands on my arm.


    “Are you okay?” he asked when he managed to stopughing, and I confirmed.


    “Yes, it was just a scare,” I replied.


    Heughed and agreed, again, we were very close, and we couldn’t stop looking at each other, our bodies seemed like two mas attracting each other. Every time he approached me, I felt confused by how much I felt an uncontroble desire to kiss him. When he leaned in, we heard some children approaching, and we cut off eye contact.


    “Come on, I think I have some dry clothes in the car,” he suggested.


    “But what about you?”


    “No problem… You shouldn’t get sick because of the baby,” he replied.


    I ended up smiling at his concern and agreed. He went to the car and grabbed a set of gray sweatpants and a sweatshirt that he uses for working out. It was huge on me, but I felt sofortable in it that I didn’t mind. We said goodbye to the children and promised toe back more often before leaving. I felt so happy, light, and also felt some other feeling that I couldn’t identify, but it seemed to fill my chest. I looked at the road, and as we approached my house, my smile faded.


    “What’s wrong?” he asked.


    He kept one hand on the wheel and used the other to stroke my neck gently, which made my body rx.


    “I just… didn’t want to go back…”


    “And you don’t have to… My house is open to you anytime,” he assured me.


    I smiled, knowing that… Knowing that I had somewhere to run or someone to turn to if something happened.


    “It’s good to know…”


    “Whatever happened… You don’t have to go through this!” he said firmly.


    I smiled and remembered his words that gave me so much strength earlier.


    “What’s wrong?” he asked.


    “You bring out the best version of me,” I replied.


    “You already are the best version of yourself. I just remind you of that,” he said.


    Iughed and curled up inside that huge sweatshirt, closing my eyes when I realized that the clothes smelled like him.


    “So, do you want to go to my house?” he asked, seeming a little nervous, and I ended upughing.


    “What’s wrong?”


    “It’s just that you seemed so nervous asking that it seemed like you don’t have people at your house all the time,” I teased.


    “And I don’t…”


    He said simply, and Iughed mockingly.


    “Oh yeah… The most desired man in Korea, as Jinhee says, doesn’t have thousands of women parading through his house?”


    Heughed shyly and shook his head.


    “No… The most desired man in Korea only has eyes for one woman… But she’s with the wrong guy…”


    He said, looking at me, and seemed sad to say that. Now that he mentioned it, I seemed to remember all my problems, doubts, and sadness. I lowered my head mncholically and stared out the window, seeing that the sun was already setting.


    “I need to go home. I need to talk to Jason,” I said, my voice heavy with emotion.


    “More problems?” he asked, concerned.


    I simply nodded, and he seemed to realize that I didn’t want to talk about it because he didn’t insist. At some point along the way, I ended up falling asleep, and when I woke up, we were already approaching the gate at home. When he parked near the door, I looked at him, and his hair was still wet, just like mine, he looked beautiful, and I needed to get out of this car urgently before I sumbed to the urge I had every time I was near him and kissed him.


    “Thank you for this day… You’re amazing,” I said sincerely.


    “Thank you foring with me… You were a hit with the kids,” he replied, smiling, and I nodded.


    “Not more than you… Those kids love you, and what you do for them… It’s wonderful, Ji… I always knew you were amazing, but you really outdo yourself every day,” I said, impressed.


    “No… I don’t do anything… The people who work there do all the heavy lifting,” he replied.


    “Yeah, but without you, none of this would exist,” I insisted.


    Heughed.


    “I see you talked to Yaya.”


    “Yes! That girl is your number two fan,” I said.


    He looked at me confused.


    “Why? Number two?”


    “Because number one is me…”


    Heughed, and I gave him a kiss on the cheek before getting out of the car. I stayed there waiting for him to leave with the car, and as soon as he left, I entered the house,ing face to face with Jason, his eyes filled with anger, and Jinhee was by his side looking shocked.


    “I told you? I told you she had gone out with him? And look at the state she came back in… Wet hair and clothes that aren’t hers… She must havee straight from the motel!”


    “WHERE WERE YOU Jane?” Jason demanded.


    “It’s none of your business!” I replied.


    He seemed shocked by my response, and Jinhee burst intoughter.


    “Look how bold…”


    I walked past them, heading up the stairs to the bedroom, and heard Jason stepping firmly behind me. He grabbed my arm just before I entered the room.


    “Jane, I’M TALKING TO YOU! WHERE WERE YOU?”


    “Why don’t you listen to Jinhee? I was at a motel!”


    He looked shocked, and I could see all the hatred in his eyes.


    “WHAT?”


    “I never said that Jane!”


    “Never? Is that so? Will you also say that you didn’t kiss Jinhee on the day you left me alone at that mall?”


    He frozepletely, and his surprised look told me it was true.


    “How do you know about that?”