"Oh, Jimin, I'm sorry I didn't know you-"

Ara looked from the woman – Seolhyun – and then back at Jimin.

"I'll - uh - get going," she let out, sensing the tense atmosphere.

Jimin nodded slowly, turning to her, "Okay, I'll see you later."

She smiled as a reply and then turned back to the door, bowing at Seolhyun before walking back to her house. Even if he didn't tell her, she already knew who she was.

--

"What are you- What happened?" Jimin asked, scanning Seolhyun up and down.

Her body was shaking, as she shuffled forward, "J-Jimin."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Tears were brimming her eyes as she looked up at him, "It's Minjae," she sniffed.

He let out a deep sigh, trying his best not to roll his eyes. Of course it was Minjae. It was always Minjae.

"What did he do this time?"

"He cheated on me," the tears fell, "Again."

"Come in," he stepped aside, running into his bedroom and bringing out a towel from the closet.

Walking up to her, he wrapped it around her and pulled her onto the couch.

"I hope you don't mind I asked Taehyung for your address," she said and Jimin internally cursed his best friend's weak heart.

"Are you sure Minjae did that?" he asked.

"I saw her," she hiccupped, "I saw her getting out of his car."

He bit his lip, "What if-"

"I saw them kissing, just before that."

Jimin couldn't help but shut his eyes. What was he going to say now?

"I can't believe," her steady tears turned into wailing, "That after all these promises, he would just-"

He pulled her into his arms, letting her cry on his shoulder. This was what he had to go through for the past three years, and it was also one of the reasons he had moved house. Whenever she was having a problem with her boyfriend, he was the one she would turn to, despite their past relationship. He did love her, they did used to be in love, it was the kind of love everyone thought was going to turn into marriage. But she had different plans.

"It's okay, Seolhyun," he whispered, "It's going to be okay."

For him, it was weird holding her in his arms again. She was familiar yet unfamiliar. He didn't like the way he knew how to touch her, how to console her, how to make her feel better. He didn't like how after all these years of him hating her for what she repeatedly did to him, it seemed as if there was nothing wrong between them.

Her phone rang.

"It's him," she sniffed, looking at her phone.

"Are you going to answer?"

"No," she shook her head, "I don't want to."

"Seolhyun I think you should," he sighed, "There might be something you're missing."

"Something I'm missing? I saw her kiss him Jimin!"

"I know, but maybe it-"

The ringing stopped.

"Maybe it was a mistake. People make mistakes, Seolhyun," you should know.

He refrained from saying that last part because, stuff it, what could he do about it now? He was over it.

The phone rang again this time and she looked over at him, he nodded. Heaving a deep sigh, she reached out for it.

"Hello?"

--

As soon as Seolhyun had left, Jimin flopped onto his sofa, wondering where Eunji was with Min Hee. And, as if on cue, the door clicked open and he heard her shrieking immediately.

"Daddy! Daddy daddy daddy!"

"Eunji!" he got up, his face lighting up immediately when he saw her running up to him and wrapping her up into a hug into the couch. "Where have you been?"

Min Hee sighed, "It's time for Eunji to get to bed, c'mon little one."

"I want to stay with daddy," she insisted, shaking her head.

Jimin laughed, "Okay, kiddo, go and brush your teeth and then daddy will sing you a lullaby before you sleep, alright?"

"Which one? Can you sing Butterfly for me?"

"Yes, of course sweetheart, go and brush your teeth for me now," he kissed her cheek and she grinned, running off to their bathroom.

"What took you so long?" he asked, standing up and slipping his hands into his pockets.

"I don't know, why don't you ask your ex-girlfriend?" she hissed and Jimin's eyes widened.

"Did you see her?"

"Yeah, I did, and then I turned right around with that girl and went to the library."

"Did Eunji see her?"

"No, thank goodness," she sighed, "Why did that bitch come here?"

"Min Hee, watch your language," he warned, "She was having trouble wi-"

"She's always 'having trouble' with her boyfriend, Jimin, and she's always coming to you for it."

"She doesn't always co-"

"Jimin, she doesn't have the right to keep coming back when you're broken up."

"But-"

"That's it, I'm leaving," she turned to him, "And you're pathetic."

"Min Hee-"

"No, don't try to fight me on this," she pointed at Jimin, "you have a life now, you have a job, a fucking kid for goodness sake, you cannot let that woman use you like she did when you two were together."

Jimin sighed, partly because he knew it was true and partly because he didn't need her to remind him.

"Next time she shows up at your doorstep, you tell her to leave, you hear me?"

"I can't just-"

"Tell me you will."

"Min Hee, you know I can't."

"Well then, I guess you're going to have a lot to say to your daughter when her mommy shows up again."

"Shh!" he ran up to her, covering her mouth.

Min Hee only shrugged, hearing Eunji's excited footsteps come running in.

"I'm done!" she grinned, hands on her waist proudly as she showed her father her teeth.

Jimin held her chin and inspected her mouth, "Good girl, nice and clean," he leaned down and scooped her up in his arms, "Let's go to bed."

"Is Min Hee going to join us today?" she asked excitedly and Min Hee shook her head.

"I'm going now love," leaning over, she pecked her cheek and then Jimin's too, "Think about what I said, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes and then she waved at the both of them before leaving.

"Let's get you to bed," he rubbed his forehead against his daughters' and she giggled.

"Daddy, did you see Ara today?"

Jimin furrowed his eyebrows, "Huh? Uh, I don't think I did?" he lied, "Why do you ask?"

He put her down onto her bed and pulled up her blanket.

"Because before Min Hee remembered she needed to pick up a book from the library, I saw her walking on the street."

"Oh," Jimin nodded, "Well we'll be seeing her tomorrow anyway."

Then he remembered her birthday party was a surprise.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I needed to give her the book you accidentally brought home from school."

"I can just take it back to school on Monday."

"Oh, yeah, you're right."

Wow. Nice save Jimin.

"Okay let's get you sleeping," he tucked her in and then started singing Butterfly for her, stroking her hair until she fell asleep. He stayed there for a while, smiling down at his daughter. He saw his lips in hers, his eyebrows in hers, but his smile turned into a frown when he saw Seolhyun's cheekbones merged into Eunji's as well as her eyelashes.

Eunji was his number one, he wasn't going to let Seolhyun come and ruin her life as well.

--

"Happy Birthday my princess," Jimin sang, dancing into his daughter's room.

She grinned up at him, "Good morning daddy!"

"You're finally three years old!" he scrunched his nose as he sat on her bed, bringing her up in his arms and squeezing her.

She squealed in laughter, "I am! Daddy I can't breathe!"

"I'm sorry," he chuckled, loosening up his grip, "I just love you a lot, you know that right?"

"Yes," she giggled, "I love you too daddy."

"Well isn't that a relief," he got up and put her on the ground, "C'mon let's go get breakfast."

Their tradition was to get breakfast at a local café on every birthday, with Eunji ordering a large waffle with extra maple sauce and Jimin ordering an Iced Almond Macadamia Milk Latte, his guilty pleasure which was only reserved for special occasions.

"Oooh! Can we invite Ara?"

Jimin froze, "What?"

"Ara, can we invite her?"

"Why?"

"Pleeeeeease? Pretty pretty pretty please? She's my best friend and it's my birthday," she stuck her bottom lip out and did the puppy dog face Jimin always fell for.

Pulling his phone out, he sighed when he looked at the time.

8:30.

What if she wasn't awake yet?

"Daddy! What are you waiting forrrrr," she sung and then jumped, taking Jimin's phone from his hands and running away.

"Yah! Eunji!" he ran after her, but Eunji was already at the contacts page, searching her name and calling her.

"Eunji!" he hissed, "She might still be slee-"

"Hello?" Ara's tired voice answered his call. "Jimin?"

"Ara!" Eunji chirped, waking her right up.

"Eunji! Hey!"

"Ara, what are you doing right now?" she asked, and she looked around at herself in her bed. She was just finishing off a literature essay for her Masters and was about to eat breakfast before going for a run and getting ready for Eunji's party.

"Nothing, really, why do you ask?"

"Because Dad and I were going to go to a café and we wanted to invite you!"

"Oh! Really?"

Jimin snatched the phone from her hand, "Uh, Ara, so sorry for calling you this early in the morning, it's okay if-"

"I'll be there," she cut him off, jumping out of her bed. To be honest, she really wanted to see him again, especially after how they left last night. And she wanted to know what happened (although she knew she probably couldn't just ask).

"Huh?"

"Just give me ten minutes," she strode over to the bathroom, washing her face and putting on some mascara, "I'll be out in ten."

"See you soon!" Eunji's voice was so cheerful it made Ara laugh.

"See you soon, love."

--

"Ara!" Eunji let go of his father's hand and ran up to her, giving her a hug when she crouched down. She was in a pink dress, her black hair flowing over her shoulders in curls, making her wonder if she got that from her mother.

"Morning," she hummed, "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you!" when she stood up, she held her hand and Jimin scoffed.

"Am I being replaced?"

"Oh, you're here too?" Ara teased, turning around. He was wearing a pastel blue loose shirt tucked into some blue jeans, his hair was just combed out over his forehead, faintly curled, probably from his sleep.

"Yeah, I am here, with my daughter," he said defensively and took Eunji's other hand.

"Don't be mean to Ara," Eunji scolded Jimin, making her laugh.

"Yeah, don't be mean to Ara," Ara repeated, making Eunji turn around and grin at her.

"Okay, there's no way I'm winning this against two women," he sighed, "Let's just go."

She tried not to let the admiration show. Because honestly, every time he interacted with his daughter Ara melted. She saw all the love he put into caring for her, and all the adoration he had for her, reminding her that he had to do everything for her on his own.

They went to the café she used to work at and her old co-worker was there, behind the cashier. She raised her eyebrows when she saw Ara and then her eyes widened even more when she saw Jimin, and his daughter.

He walked up to the counter and picked Eunji up, "Tell her what you want, Eunji."

"Oh, can I please have the biggest waffle you have! With a lot of maple syrup, please?"

Grace smiled, "Of course, anything else?"

"Yeah, an Iced Almond Macadamia Milk Latte and," he turned to Ara, "What would you like?"

"Uh, I'll just get a regular mocha."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, are you sure you don't want a Cookies and Cream Mocha Milkshake?"

"I'm sure," Ara glared at her.

"Does she like that milkshake?"

"It's her favourite," she nodded and she shook her head.

"No, it's not, I can just get a re-"

"We'll get that for her then, if Ara likes it, we have to get it," Eunji cut in.

Jimin nodded, "Yeah, we have to get it."

Ara didn't want him spending too much on her, and she knew the milkshake was expensive.

"Jimin, it's fine, really."

"Too late," he shrugged, taking the buzzer and carrying Eunji to a booth to sit in. She slid in next to Eunji and across from Jimin.

"So what are you planning on doing today?" she asked Eunji who held her chin in thought.

"Probably go shopping, daddy hasn't even bought me a birthday present yet."

Ara clicked her tongue, "Wow, how responsible."

"Yeah, I'm a responsible father, I know, I know."

Their breakfast came just after and Ara took it from the worker, passing everyone their respective order.

When Eunji became too invested in her food for conversation, Ara turned to Jimin, "So, what exactly do you do for a living?" she surprised herself by asking, "I don't think you've actually ever told me."

He smiled, "I'm a gallery curator."

"Really?" she became intrigued, "Which gallery?"

"At the moment I'm working at the National Art Gallery, but I used to be at Contemporary Korea."

"Where's that gallery? I don't think I've heard of it."

"It's actually in our neighbourhood now, it's moved from Gangnam, which is where is used to be."

"Oh," she nodded.

A gallery curator.

She would never have guessed.

"So what do you do? As a gallery curator?"

"Mostly organising, I've got to choose the pieces which are on show in the gallery, where they are put, all that stuff."

"You must have a good eye for that stuff, I'm the worst at being creative."

"I doubt it," Jimin shook his head, "I'm not good at my job, don't get me wrong."

"Hmm, you're the curator of the National Art Gallery and you're not good at your job?"

"Ara, no matter how many times you tell him, he won't believe you, trust me, Min Hee tries too."

She sighed, "Well we're going to have to work on that then, aren't we?"

Eunji nodded before going back to devouring the last part of her waffle.

"I'm done! Are you two finished?" she looked up at the two of them over her plate.

When she saw that they were finished she asked if Ara could go to the bathroom with her so she could wash her hands.

"Ara, do you have a mom?" was the first thing Eunji asked when the two of them were in the bathroom, and she just stared at her for a few seconds, contemplating on what she should say.

"I used to," she shrugged, "I don't anymore."

"I don't have one as well!" she raised a hand for her to high five, and she did. "Well, daddy says I don't."

"Why? Don't you believe your dad?" she asked, crouching down so she was at eye level with her.

"All my friends at school keep saying that daddy's wrong, they keep saying that everyone has a mom."

"Well, you know what? The most important thing is that you have a dad, and he loves you more than anyone else, nothing else matters, alright?" Ara said, stroking her hair and she nodded.

"Let's go! I hope daddy takes me shopping today! We always go shopping on my birthday."

"What do you want to buy?"

"I want to buy daddy a Polaroid camera, don't tell him though," she whispered into her ear and she laughed.

"Why? Does he want one?"

"He's been obsessed with the vin- vin- ahhh I forgot the name," she knocked her head and Ara smiled, "the older displays at the gallery recently and I guess if I give him one, he can make his own display at home!"

She grinned, ruffling her hair, "Ohhh, vintage?" Eunji nodded, "You are one smart kid with a one great heart."

"You two weren't talking about me in there, were you?" Jimin asked once they had left the bathroom.

He was waiting just outside the entrance to the bathroom with his back leaning against the wall and his arms folded over his chest.

"Were we Eunji?"

She shook her head cutely, "Of course not daddy."

He smiled through his eyes and took Eunji's hand, walking out of the café with Ara trailing behind them.

When the three of them were walking back home Eunji sparked up conversation about dinosaurs, which led to dragons and reminding the both of them that there were only seven years until she would meet one.

"What are you going to do with him when you meet him?" Ara asked, looking down at her.

"Well, Coco's obviously going to have to take me flying around the city," she said and she and Jimin nodded.

"Obviously."

"And then we're going to make him some clothes, and we're going to figure out what his favourite food will be! So we can give it to him on his birthday!"

When they reached their homes, Eunji gave Ara a hug at her knees.

"Thank you for spending my birthday breakfast with me!"

"It's okay love," she crouched down, "Now you be good to your dad, okay?"

"I'm always good, right daddy?" she turned to him and he tilted his head.

"Uh, I don't know about that..."

"Dad!"

The three of them started laughing, "Well I better go now, before I forget to submit my papers, I'll see you later, okay?"

"Bye bye!" Eunji waved and she returned it, looking up at Jimin when he mouthed 'three o'clock' and she nodded, 'I'll be there'.

--

Ara did manage to finish her essay and submit it to her teacher just before changing into her clothes for Eunji's birthday party. She went ahead with a pink cocktail dress, one which stopped just at her knees and she decided to undo her hair, letting it flow past her shoulders and stop at the middle of her back in soft waves.

With one last look at herself in the mirror, she nodded before applying the last coat of lipstick and heading out.

Who am I even trying to look good for?

She knocked at the door and someone she didn't know (although she had seen her come by to pick Eunji up from the school a few times) opened it.

"Hey!" her voice was cheery, but she couldn't move her gaze from her appearance. She looked gorgeous, and not to mention her adorable eye smile as she looked at Ara. She probably outdid her in the looks department.

"H-Hi."

"You must be Ara, Jimin said you were coming," she stepped aside, "Come in, they'll be here in another five minutes, Jimin took her shopping. I'm Min Hee by the way."

"Hi," she smiled politely, shaking her hand and walking in. Immediately she saw some other toddlers running around his house, a few she recognised from her school, others were most likely her friends at her old school.

"They're here!" one of the kids hissed, looking out the window before running under the table and hiding.

Ara and Min Hee ran to the kitchen bench and crouched behind it. The instructions were that they all jumped up and yelled 'surprise' three seconds after Jimin turned the switch on.

And thank goodness Ara's counting skills didn't fail her when she jumped up together with everyone else.

Instantly dropping the shopping bag she was holding, Eunji quickly ran behind Jimin, hiding behind his legs, gripping tightly onto his pants.

Ara grinned, as she watched many of Eunji's classmates run up to her and pull her away from Jimin, hugging her and dancing around her.

"Happy Birthday to you!" they sung, and Eunji opened her eyes, laughing immediately when she saw her friends.

"What is this?" she giggled when her friends squeezed her tighter.

"Your birthday party, silly," a friend knocked her on the forehead.

Jimin walked over to Min Hee and Ara, his hands in his pockets as he did. "Surprise party, success."

"She looks like she's the happiest girl in the world," Min Hee nodded at her and Ara glanced over her shoulder, seeing Eunji jumping around, flailing her skirt and jumping over her friends.

"Good," for some reason Jimin's tone got her to look at him and she saw his dreamy expression as he watched his daughter, making her heart melt. "Eunji's happiness-"

"Is your happiness, we got it," Min Hee rolled her eyes, "I swear you're the cheesiest father there is."

He snorted, "I'm taking that as a compliment."

--

When Eunji cut the cake, she couldn't stop gushing over how beautiful it looked and how it was red velvet, her favourite!

After singing the birthday song, Jimin walked over and sat next to Ara and Min Hee, leaving the children to play their games.

"She's so happy," Ara commented, not realising she had done so out loud.

"I know, I'm glad she can be this happy even though..." his voice trailed off and Min Hee knocked the back of his head with her hand.

"Don't ruin the moment, shut up," she surprised her by saying but Jimin only laughed, turning his eyes into those upside down crescents Ara loved.

"Okay, okay."

The comfortable silence was broken when Min Hee's phone vibrated and her eyes widened.

"Crap, I have to go, my roommate just got back from her trip and I told her I was looking after the puppy," she sighed, "Sorry."

"That's alright," Jimin got up and put a hand in his pocket, the other hand rested on her back, "Thank you for everything you've done for Eunji."

"It's alright," Min Hee winked at Jimin and looked around her at Ara, "I'll see you around?"

"Yeah," she stuttered, standing up and bowing, "I'll see you."

"Bye hun!" she waved at her and Jimin, and tiptoed to kissed Jimin's cheek. Ara blinked, not knowing how to react, but she didn't have much time before Jimin spoke.

"See you Min Hee," he grinned as she gave Eunji a quick hug and a kiss goodbye.

He turned around, putting his hands into his pockets again and walked back over to Ara.

She didn't know what to do, but she really wanted to just fake an emergency and go back home, escaping what was to come.

What was to come, she thought, was an awkward conversation with her and Jimin sitting side by side, watching the kids play with nerf guns.

"We never had games like this when I was a kid," Jimin muttered and she sighed in relief.

"I know, I swear the games these kids come up with," she shook her head.

"Honestly, some of the things they do scare me sometimes, it's so violent."

"Well, kids will be kids."

"Yes, but I don't expect Eunji being chased down the street by a girl with a nerf gun screaming-"

"Kill the traitor!" a child cut Jimin off, running around them two before heading back into the living room.

"That."

"Okay, I gotta admit, that's a little concerning."

"Yeah, I mean, back in our day it was much simpler," Ara shrugged, "The riskiest game I ever played was Jegichagi."

"Oh yes," he nodded, leaning back and placing his hands on the couch behind him, "That was definitely the scariest."

"I remember playing it with my cousins and then we dropped it down a drain."

"You did not," his eyes were wide in disappointment.

"Well it wasn't on purpose," she defended herself, "Nana was furious because it was hers."

"I can't believe you did that, unforgivable," he shook his head.

"Oh shush, it's just a game."

He gasped, "Just a game? You're speaking to the five times running Jegichagi champion of Busan!"

"Yeah? Well I was champion six times running."

"Six times running you say? Okay, I think I have a jegi around here somewhere," he stood up, "Let's see what you've got."

She stood up too, catching his hand before he could walk away.

"What? Now?"

"Yeah, now."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Aww, what's wrong Ara? You scared?"

She couldn't help the giant smile breaking on her face.

"Shut up, I'm not scared."

"Then let's do it-"

"Daddy!" a quiet little voice chirped and she looked down to see Eunji holding onto Jimin's pants.

"Yes hun?" he asked, crouching down.

"Alex got a little sick," her face was painted with guilt, "He kinda..."

Jimin sighed, rolling his eyes and standing up. "I definitely know where this is going."

He walked over to the cleaning supplies and Ara followed.

"I'll help," reaching in and grabbing the paper towels, she turned to him. "Looks like we're going to have to continue that match another time."

"Yeah because-"

"I'm going to kick your ass."

He chuckled, "Dream on."