It's weekend morning, Taehyung thought Jungkook would be home but there he goes again-another part-time job he says.

It's actually a good news for Taehyung if Jungkook is not home since he planned to go to Songjeong-dong. He thought he wouldn't be able to go if Jungkook is home as he might ask to tag along with him and he can't possibly take him with him.

But he keeps wondering on just how many part-time jobs Jungkook has. It's true that he needs to earn money for both of them, but working without resting is never good. Maybe that's why Taeun was looking for work as well and contacted the cafe, she couldn't have possibly just sit and wait for Jungkook to earn and bring the bread home by himself.

Taehyung sighs as he look around the house, funny how he's starting to familiarize the place in just a few days.

"I don't think he'll be able to manage alone with only the pays from his part-time jobs for both of us. Should I work too? But where and what should I apply for? There's no documents of her here, not even highschool graduation certificate. Should I contact that cafe again?"

Isn't this crazy? Left his high paid stable and decent job when he was almost promoted and he's now here thinking of working in a cafe. As a woman.
He always believed life can really be unpredictable, but his life really just turned into something unpredictable more than the unpredictable.

If he tells someone what had happened to him, they might think he has gone crazy. Because who wouldn't? He himself would've never believed if someone had told him.

It didn't take him much time to reach Songjeong-dong. The subway wasn't that busy as it usually does since it's weekend. Thanks to that, he could avoid the rushings-he hates that.

With the photograph on his hand, he approached the shops around the area to ask about the two people in the picture but nobody said they knew them.

"Is it because the picture is old? They do look quite young here, but is it possible to not recognize their faces? Why no one knows about them? Or... am I even in the correct place? What if they're not from Songjeong-dong?"

It was hot, the sun was bright-definitely not a good idea to walk around without an umbrella because his skin started to burn.
He rushed to a bakery shop by the corner since there was a big tree beside-enough for a few minutes of escape from the sun under the shade.

"Oh? Do you want to buy cookies?"

Taehyung turned when he heard the shopkeeper from inside the shop.

"Cookies? Oh ye- uh well-" Taehyung hesitated for the first time in buying cookies. He actually like cookies, very much. He would stop to one particular shop he always buy cookies from, he even got regular customer coupons from the shop.
But now, he's hesitating, not because he doesn't like it anymore, but because he doesn't have money. He only got a few cash from Taeun's wallet which was enough only for the return fare.

"Come inside. You can taste it first if you want to try before buying."

"It's... it's alright, I'm not buying. I'm sorry. I was just standing here for the shade."
It's embarrassing, but what can he possibly do? He shouldn't have stood there in the first place.

"It's alright if you're not buying. Just come inside if you're here for the shade. Isn't it hot out there? We have cooler here, it'll be more comfortable inside."

Taehyung tried to say no but from the lady's insist, he hesitantly get inside the shop, and just like she said, it was much comfortable inside.

There wasn't much customer except for a middle aged man trying to persuade his son to get the smaller package of cookies but the son keeps nagging to get him the bigger one.

"He's a regular customer. He always buys that for his son, but he brought his son today since it's weekend but look at them."

Taehyung chuckle as he look at the two when the shopkeeper lady explains.
"Your cookies must've taste really good then."

"I'll give you one if you wanna try."

Taehyung just shook his head and apologized, he didn't want to be rude and reject it but he also didn't want to embarrass himself by not buying after tasting.
But with the way the shop was with low customer, he would've just bought every cookies in the shop if he was still Taehyung.

"Then... I'll get going. Thank you for letting me in for some time. I'll come and try your cookies some other day. I'm so sorry." It was still hot but it must be better to just go away from the shop before getting more embarrassing. So he just bowed at her but the picture on his hand fell on the floor.

"Oh, thank you," he bowed again when the lady picked up the photo for him.

"Wait... that picture..."

Taehyung almost stepped out from the shop when he heard the lady, and he didn't waste any more seconds from turning back, with hope filled in his eyes.

"This picture? D-Do you know them?" He rushed to her, showing her the picture.

The lady just stared at the picture and then to him, "aren't they Kang Mujin with his wife and daughter?"

Kang Mujin? It must be Taeun's father, right?

"Wait, I was thinking you look familiar, aren't you his daughter? Oh my, are you Taeunie?"

Taehyung almost cried with happiness. Yeah, why didn't he think of asking the lady first? He should've asked her when he got there.
"Yes, you're right. I'm Taeun. But... how did you know me?"

"Aigoo... aigoo... look at you. You're all grown up now. And how could I forget you? You and your father were the only customer I had at that time. You used to come here daily with your father just like them. You must not remember since you were too young back then."

Taehyung didn't know why the lady was crying while looking at him, and don't know if it was his or Taeun's emotion, for some reason, it brought him to tears too.

"Oh my, I'm sorry. I thought I would never see you again but I'm so happy to see you here." The lady wiped her tears before she continued, "I felt so bad when I heard the news of your father's death. How could heaven do that to such good person like him at his young age?"

Taehyung didn't move when he got to know Taeun's father is dead, he couldn't move. It's painful to hear the news eventhough he don't know him personally.

"I heard you moved to Yongdu-dong with your mother few months after your father passed away. And I never got to hear about any of you. But I'm glad I can meet you now at least. It must've been better if I could see your mother too. How is she now? She used to get sick easily."

So her mother might be still alive at least. But he can't ask the lady about her mother since she doesn't seem to know either. And as she said, since they moved to Yongdu-dong, that must be why Taeun and the grim reaper mentioned that place.

"Oh! Now that I look at you, you look a lot like your mother. I saw her when she came here with you whenever your father's busy. I still remember her face because she was so pretty back then. I'm sure she must be still glowing even now."

Taehyung just nodded with a smile, he didn't know what to say. He still hasn't met her yet, and he don't know how to react even if he meet her. Would she recognize it's not her daughter who came? Probably, right? Because she's a mother afterall.

But whatever that may happen, he needs to know everything.

"Uh... Ajumoni, can I ask if you know where we lived before? It's been long so I can't remember the way."
He had to lie, because since he's already here, he just wanted to see where they lived before moving out, whether the place is already renovated or sold off to other.

"Ahh... I don't know exactly, but your father's scooter always used to come from that street."

Taehyung smiled while looking at the street across the shop where the lady pointed. Thanking the lady for the direction and for the cookies she gave him when he was about to go, he walked down the street with heavy breaths mixed with exhaustion and nervousness.

But to his surprise, he could find the house without much effort, it was definitely much easier to ask with Taeun's father's name, and he's now standing in front of the gate, it was open so he could see the house. It wasn't a big house but big enough for a small family like Taeun's, it was a old house but didn't look shabby either, and the small yard in the front suits perfectly with the house. But it looked like the house was already moved in by another family.

Taehyung let out a long sigh, thankful to think that Taeun must've lived well before at least. Now, all he gotta do is go to Yongdu-dong, and he hoped she lived well there as well with her mother.

"YOU WENCH!! YOU DARE TO SHOW YOUR FACE HERE??!!"

Taehyung almost stumbled when he heard a loud scream from the house. He thought the family was having a fight so he was about to leave before he interrupt anyone but who would've thought a lady will run towards him, fists his hair with her big hand and throw him violently on the floor?

He hitched in pain when his palm was scratched to bleed, the cookie packet from his hand on the floor. He didn't know what was even happening. It happened so suddenly before he could even process, he only realized he's on the floor now when he felt the pain.

"You never learn, huh? So what if this was your dead father's house. It's ours now and he's dead. He's not gonna come back to take this house back from us and give it to you, you understand? No matter how much you cry here, you're not gonna get anything. Just focus on cleaning the debt you have on us. I already told you not to show your face here until you pay us the price for raising you. Or if you can't clean the debt, come clean the toilet and floor as you always did instead of trying to act smart."

Taehyung just stared at the lady furiously shouting at him. He was too shocked to even speak a word, he felt like he just forgot to breath for a moment. No one has ever spoke to him like that before. But from the way she was shouting and her words about the debt, he's sure it was the same person who shouted at him on the phone the other day.

Next moment, he realized he was already outside the gate that slammed hard to shut on his face. The sun was still bright and painful enough to burn his skin but it was nothing compared to the stinging pain on his palm.

When did he become so weak? He was thrown to the floor easily by the lady. And why he was even crying from the small scratch on his palm, or was it because of what he just heard from the lady?

He felt bad for even assuming Taeun lived well, because she wasn't-he realized that after he tried to grasp the things he just heard. The lady couldn't possibly be Taeun's mother. But what did she mean about raising Taeun? Then what about her real mother? Didn't they moved to Yongdu-dong together after her father's death? Who is this lady and what relationship does she have with her family?

But asking to pay back for raising her? He never thought the debt Taeun had would be the price of raising her. And he still don't know what made her life that way.

It's like a big puzzle piece is still missing to complete this whole picture to make sense and answer the questions in his head.

And to find that last big piece, he needs to go to Yongdu-dong, the only place and his only hope to find the piece he's searching for.

"Taeun-ah?"

It's funny how he instantly turned back as if someone called his real name when he heard the name from an unfamiliar voice, and there was a young man standing behind him, a black car parked beside.

A white shirt that looks like it glows under the sunlight, sleeves folded up a bit enough to show the watch that perfectly wrapped around his wrist, his black hair slick back-the man looked so fine, but his eyes on Taehyung was as if he would give him a tight hug. He looked worried.

Taehyung flinched when the man came closer to take his hand and looked at the scratches.

"It hurts, isn't it?"

It does hurt, but not that painful for him to shed a tear but the man did it for him as if it's him who's hurt.

"It doesn't hurt much, thank you." Taehyung pulled off his hand, the man's grip wasn't tight enough for him to struggle.

The man was being gentle to him but his gentleness only got awkward for Taehyung, because of course, that man is a complete stranger to him eventhough he seems to know Taeun.

"You always say that as if I can't see anything. Just look at your hand. It's bleeding. Come with me, let me put some ointment before it gets-"

"Excuse me, but I'm..." Taehyung slapped away the man's hand when he tried to take his hand, "I'm alright, thank you. I'll get going."

He tried to walk away but the man blocked his way, and it was really getting even more awkward and uncomfortable for him.
He just got lashed out on by an unknown lady and now a random guy is blocking his way, of course he'll be annoyed.

"Did she hit you again? It was your aunt, wasn't it?"

There was concern in the man's voice, but the only thing that tickled Taehyung's attention was the word 'hit you again' and 'your aunt'.

So, does that mean the lady was Taeun's aunt and she used to hit her? Isn't that domestic violence? How cruel one could possibly be to be able to hit someone?

But how and why does this man know so much about Taeun? Who is he? Was he closed to Taeun? Can he help him find Taeun's mother?

"Taeun-ah, do you know how worried I was the whole time-"
The man paused when he noticed the way Taehyung was looking at him curiously.
"But why are you looking at me like you don't know me? Or are you mad at me for not contacting you? Oh, come on, I was away for only two weeks."

"Yeah, I don't know you. Who are you?"
And oops! He wasn't supposed to say that out loud.

"Woah! Look at you. Are you that mad? You're even pretending not to know me."

He was lucky that the man just laughed it off as a joke. But he really do wanna know who this person is, if only he could know it without actually asking and being obvious-

"Taeun-ah, say something, yeah? You're scaring me. Look, here's your best friend. It's Jimin."

And guess it's really his lucky day somehow.

***

Jimin is here :)

We're in 10th chapter. I hope you're enjoying this so far.

And don't be a silent reader, please feel free to comment so I can know your thoughts about the book. I love reading your comments, it motivates me to keep going.

See you next week ◕ ‿ ◕
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