She was walking gracefully towards them while holding the strap of her bag on her shoulder. He didn’t know if it was just his imagination or something had totally gone wrong with his eyes because he swore he saw her took a very slow steps toward him and the image of all people around her became blurry. The wind gently blew her silky hair that she left untied and she looked like an angel in her white trench coat and a pair of dark blue jeans. The white snow surrounding the park had done a good effect to enhance her beauty.

Slowly he stood up with the ‘monkey’ boy in his arms and turned to face her. The boy was still energetically jumping in his arms, as if to encourage his mother to come to him faster. He opened his arms wider while screaming “Momma!” over and over again. She quickened her pace but with his eyes as the lens, he chose to film her gait in a very slow motion.

When she neared him, he saw her covering and gasped in surprised.

“Oh my God!” She immediately rummaging inside her big bag and retrieved a handkerchief. “What have you done Junie-ya?”

Soeun felt her face becoming hot and tried very hard to hide her embarrassment. Her son cutely grinned at her as she saw his saliva dripping on his chin. He looked like a vampire who had just finished blood from his victim. That’s the special effect coming from a strawberry lollipop.

She slowly close the gap with the guy and studied the damage that have been done by her son. Her hand slowly rose up to the guy’s cheek and wiped the visible red sticky liquid that she confirmed matches her son’s DNA. “I’m so sorry mister. Please forgive me for not watching my son properly.” Soeun apologised to the stranger while wiping his cheek. Then she proceeded to wipe her son’s mouth while glaring at him.

Junho couldn’t tear his eyes off her. He was aware that his heart rate abnormally increased tremendously higher than the time he completed a five kilometres marathon. Her soft touch on his cheek, although to wipe her son’s saliva, sent shivered down his spine. Their closeness made her floral scent diffused through his nostrils and he automatically closed his eyes while taking a deep breath to save her special scent in his memory.

“Oh no!” Junho immediately opened up his eyes when Soeun shrieked loudly. “He stained your jacket too!!”

“It’s okay ma’am. It’s nothing serious.” Junho felts the need to calm her before her face became redder than tomato.

“But…”

“It’s okay, really. Please don’t scold him.” Junho said while ruffling the boy’s hair. Then with the same hand, he offered it to her. “I’m Lee Junho. Just call me Junho.”

Soeun looked at his hand and contemplating whether to shake it or not. She didn’t know the guy and after what happen two years ago, she was still phobia with a stranger. Then she looked up to study his face and saw nothing but a genuine honesty. She also noticed how her son comfortably s his arms around the guy’s neck and covered his face under his chin as he knew that his mother was angry at him. Her son trusted the guy and she decided to trust her son. So she accepted his hand. “I’m Kim Soeun.”

Junho tried not to beam happily when Soeun shake his hand. He didn’t want to release his grasp on her hand but his logical mind told him not to hold any hope on her because obviously she was not available anymore. He was holding the evidence in his arm, the proof that she was the other half of the boy’s father. So he reluctantly retracted his hand and continued to support the boy’s body. “So where is his father?” Junho didn’t know why he asked the question.

It was not the first time Soeun heard the same question. But every time she heard it, she never failed to feel ashamed to answer. She looked down on her feet and mumble under her breath. “He only has me.”   

“Great!” Junho exclaimed happily. Soeun immediately shot a confusing look towards Junho after his weird reaction and he knew he shouldn’t show his happiness at someone’s losses. He needed to cover his mistake fast. “I mean… it’s great that he still has you and you are a great woman because you successfully raised him alone and he looks great without his father and it is great for me to know you guys and I should stop saying so many ‘great’ words.”   

Soeun can’t help to burst into laughter and for Junho, he never know that a simple laughter can beat all his favourite melody, not after he heard hers. He realised that he started to drawn into her and he done nothing to stop her from magnetising his soul especially after he knew she was now single and available or maybe not? He chose to ignore the latter question because it felt wrong to ask her whether she has a boyfriend or not. After all, they only knew each other for about ten minutes.

The boy in his arms chose not to hide his face anymore after he confirmed that his mother was not mad at him when he heard her laughing. He looked at Junho and wondering what he had done to amuse his mother. 

“Junho-shi, you’re the first person to say those kind words to me. Thank you for not being judgmental at my situation.”

“It’s not a big deal for me Soeun-shi. Beside, I’ve been living in England for 10 years and trust me a lot of my friends are a single parent.” It’s a lie but she didn’t need to know that he never befriended with a single parent before.

“Well then, can I have my son back?” Soeun smiled at him while caressing her son’s shoulder.

Junho knew if he handed back the boy to her, he was going to lose the chance in his lifetime. He didn’t want to end his time with them yet. He never feel attracted to any woman like how he attracted to her, and strangely he also have a special feeling for the little boy that he just met because for some reason he felt that his life was already complete. His mind and his heart synchronously sending him a signal to tell him that the woman in front of him might be the one who’s going to be by his side for the rest of his life and he wanted her full package along with her son.

He didn’t want to miss the chance, but how?

Soeun noticed the faraway looked on Junho’s face and decided to take her son without his consent. Wait, she didn’t need his approval right? He was her son, not his so she has a full authority on him. So she put her hands under her son’s armpits, ready to lift him up from Junho but her son decided to be rebellious and tighten his embrace on Junho’s neck and he rounded his legs around Junho’s waist.

“Junie, come to omma now.” But her son stayed rigid and only shook his head along with a muffled grunt. Soeun could feel all her blood suddenly rushing to her face and she knew if she went to the clinic now, the doctor would give her a medical leave for three days because of a hypertension. “Junie!!” This time she slashes the gentle approach and chose to be rougher and pulled him forcefully. 

Of course, it also meant that Junho would be pulled together and he had ‘no’ other choice than to grab Soeun to stop him from falling and also to stabilise his stance. He managed to stand still and he also aware that his arms tightly s around Soeun’s waist and his face only a few inches away from hers, no-thanks to the little boy in between them.

Soeun could only freeze; she stood there agape in shock with eyes about to pop-out. She never been so close with a man before (not counted Junie’s father), so close that she could feel his warm breath on her face and breathing his nice scent. So close that she could see a few stubbles on the surface of his upper lip and under his chin. In the end, her eyes landed on his alluring lips that so perfectly designed to silently inviting to be kiss. She had to admit that the man in front of her was dangerously handsome and attractive and she gulped her own saliva at her new found information.   

No one dared to move but the little boy that trapped in between them surely didn’t like to be caged any longer. So he wiggled his body to get free and Junho immediately released his grasp on her. Both of them awkwardly looking at anything other than the person in front of them.

With the little boy who still glued to him, Junho finally got an idea. Junho silently thanked the little boy for offering him the opportunity that he surely won’t miss and he smirked deviously at his plan. “Soeun-shi, where do you want to go after this? I got nothing to do today and since Juni doesn’t want to let me go, why don’t you rent me as your ‘stroller’. I don’t mind to carry him around.”

Soeun who had already recovered from the awkwardness, managed to stay focus and tried very best not to involve with another stranger. “He can walk. Besides, I can carry him by myself if he’s get tired to walk.”

“But for how long? How can you carry him around with that big bag on your shoulder? I’m sure after sometime, you’ll get tired too.” Junho didn’t want to retreat without a fight.

A few seconds of silence from her and how cutely she looked while biting her lower lip while thinking, made Junho’s heart blossom with hope.

True, today was the first time they went out without a stroller. She already feels the ache at her back and her shoulders including her legs (from chasing her son). He was surely growing up fast because it’s getting harder and harder to carry him around. Although it was wrong to think about it, she could only see the advantages of accepting Junho’s offer. “How much is your service?”

Junho smiled widely before answering her question. “Hmm let see, since I’m still unemployed, how about you pay for my meal today?”

In the end, they ended up at a theme park like a real family. Junho finally knew the little boy full name, Kim Junwoo but he chose to call him Juni. Junwoo was an energetic little boy who loves to run and surprisingly looked much like him especially his smiling eyes. Well that’s what everyone in the theme park said to them. He didn’t mind at all because for some reason, his heart swelled when he heard their praised that Junwoo would be a handsome man like his father (while they were eyeing him).

“Are you still feeding him?” Junho asked after she went out from the nursery room at the theme park. He thought Soeun wanted to change Junwoo’s diaper but she took too much time.

Soeun’s face suddenly reddens at the simple question. She raised her eyebrows at Junho but she saw nothing but a set of curious eyes. Wait, why should she feel embarrass about it? “Yes, I still feeding him but not very often anymore because now he can eat solid foods.”

“Good. No wonder you have a smart kid.” Junho spoke while ruffling Junwoo’s hair.

Soeun smile at the scene in front of her, Junwoo never stop to laugh while being cooed by Junho. He really got attached to him and loves to be on his arms. She also saw the similarity between them and felt amazed at the coincident. 

After they finished their lunch, Soeun handed her son to Junho so she could pay for their meal. She also handed a smelly-baby-pillow and her son snatched it immediately. “This pillow’s name is Po. It’s Junie’s drug to sleep. He can’t sleep without it.”

A small smile broke on Junho’s face. He stared at the sleepy little boy in his arms. The boy covered his nose with Po and his eyes slowly shut to sleep. Junho suddenly remembered his favourite smelly-blanket he had when he was a kid, he also cannot sleep without it.

The rest of their time they spent it inside a shopping mall. Junho diligently worked as a ‘stroller’ to carry around the sleeping prince anywhere the mother goes. Soeun bought new cloths for her son but mostly she just surveyed around for window shopping. They had a few conversations to know about each other more. It turned out that Soeun was a year older than Junho. At first she asked him to call her noona but he refused because their age was only separated by four months. They argued for a while but Junho refused to agree with her. In the end, she decided not to prolong their fight because she thought that they won’t ever meet again in the future.        

Finally they end up at the top of Namsan Tower. Soeun woke her son to celebrate the New Year. She didn’t want him to miss the colourful fireworks show. Junwoo sleepy eyes immediately went wide open and shouted happily when he saw the fireworks. Both Junho and Soeun laughed at his action and their eyes landed at each other. Junho smiled at her while memorising every contour of her beautiful smiling face. “Happy New Year Soeun-shi.”

“Happy New Year to you too Junho-shi.”

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Author's note; I know there're many questions about the delivery guy but at least now we know it was not Lee Junho. Junho is not the father and I think you can guess that there's some 'angst' element in their future love story. Thank you for your comments and I love reading any thought from the readers about this story. I maybe cannot update the story daily but I'll try to upload a new chapter every week.