{3} "Eomma Or Noona?"

"She's there in her glory, her beauty, minding her business as they say, ignorant to the fact that they are waiting for her, they're waiting patiently like the moon waits for the sun to set, in that same way for when she falls they shall raise." —Icychica_

"I take it back..." Namjun exhaled, putting his cup of coffee down.

"You take what back?" I asked, sipping the warm liquid, letting the sweet taste linger in my mouth before I swallowed it.

"What I said before about this not being the craziest thing I ever heard. I take it back." he said, meeting my gaze.

"I told you, you wouldn't believe me." Taking the cup from my lips, I tightened my grip around the mug setting it down.

"I was actually considering the possibility that maybe you weren't insane for a minute, that maybe I was wrong, but after hearing what you just told me, I'm not so sure anymore." he questioned my sanity once more.

I came to the conclusion that I'd woken up in another world or universe, where everything was different from how I left it, saying it out loud, it did sound kinda crazy. I told him the conclusion I'd made, how I thought that I died before it happened and it didn't make sense that I was still alive, the real question was, how did it all happen? And how was I supposed to get back home?

"I'm not sure how to help you." he spoke, awaking me from my daydream.

"I never really said I wanted your help, you're the one who told me to tell you everything."

"Yes, I'm aware of that," he exhaled. "Alright, not saying that what happened to you was real, but hypothetically, if it did what caused it to occur?" he asked me the same question I'd just been wondering.

"If I knew that I wouldn't be sitting here in front of you right now."

"Right, right." he repeated, putting his hand to his chin thoughtfully.

I couldn't help but watch him, observing his face, trancing his jaw line with my eyes. I allowed my eyes to drift up to his chestnut-brown eyes then to his nose and lips that formed a frown as he was still distracted by his thoughts.

I missed him, I missed being touched by him, I missed his little texts he would give me every morning to check in on me whenever we were apart; it became a habit for us since he was always away and I was always busy.

'What if it was something I did that caused this to occur? What if I did this to them? Did I really destroy their careers? What if their lives are worst because of me?' I started to rant in my head bombarding myself with more questions.

"What happened before now? What events do you remember taking place?"

"I—" My phone cut me off as I grumbled in annoyance, more at the device than at the person on the other end. Taking it from my pocket I looked at Namjun as to say: 'I have to take this' to which he nodded, so I answered, "Hello?"

"Bab— Sagwa, where are you?" I heard Okada's voice ask from the other side.

"I'm at a café, a few blocks away, why?" I told him, glancing at Namjun who was looking at me weirdly.

"You said you'd be back soon, I left soon after you did, and when I returned you weren't here so I wondered where you were, are you alone?" he kept asking me questions. I looked up at Namjun then back down at the table before I replied, "Yes, I'm alone." Nonchalantly biting my bottom lip as I lied.

Earning me another strange look from Namjun to which I looked away, slowly directing my attention elsewhere.

"That's okay, but come home soon you shouldn't be out by yourself so long, it could get dangerous after dark."

"I'll be home soon." I said hanging up.

Taking it from my ear I focused back on Namjun.

"Was that your boyfriend?" I somehow knew he was going to ask that.

"He's not my boyfriend, he thinks he is, but he's was originally my best friend."

"Why did you lie then?" he asked, I knew he was gonna ask that too.

"No reason in particular, he would have just kept asking more questions if I told him I was with you." I said pulling my hair behind my back. "I have to go." I slowly stood up, pushing the chair under the table after I did.

"Well, if you ever want to talk further about your... problem." he stated, motioning for me to take his business card that he handed to me.

I took it from him. "When will you stop believing that I have a problem." I rolled my eyes before turning to walk away, I paused. "Thank you."

He smiled. "For what?" He pretended to be clueless, even mimicking a 'I don't know what you're talking about.' look.

"For listening, you didn't have to but you did and for saving me earlier." I fully turned around, meeting his captivating line of sight, telling him what he already knew.

"You're welcome, and I guess the listening thing became a habit of mine." He rubbed behind his neck awkwardly.

I waved, mumbling a small 'bye' to him while I left. When outside I untied Koda and later we found our way back home.

The moment I stepped inside the house, this little boy came running up to me, terrified, screaming in fright and hid behind me.

To say I was confused was an understatement.

"Eomma! (meaning mommy), you have to protect me!" he pleaded dramatically, even gripping onto my skirt tightly.

He was the cutest little boy I'd ever seen, he was mixed race just like me, his skin was tanned along with his curly hair, but he still had Asian eyes. If I had to guess he was at least five years old.

'Wait a second! Did he just call me... eomma?!'

"I'm gonna get you Sun-woo!" I heard Kazuchika grumble in a scary voice, which caused the child behind me to shriek in fright as he buried his face into my skirt, his tiny hands around my thigh.

When Kazuchika finally came around the corner he smiled at the sight before him, he motioned to me to play along with them.

Which I did, bending down beside the child whose name I learnt was Sun-woo. "Is that big bad monster chasing after you?" I asked in a baby voice, completely getting distracted.

"Y... yes, meany." he stuck his tongue out at Kazuchika, who in return growled at him, making the little boy squeeze his eyes shut.

"I'll protect you from him, I promise." I assured the child. I whispered secretly into his ear earning me a suspicious glance from Kazuchika, I slowly unleashed Koda before saying to him, "Koda, attack!" I pointed at Kazuchika whose eyes widened as the dog came hurdling in his direction at top speed, he turned and tried to run but then Koda jumped onto his back, knocking him to the ground with a loud *thump*.

Sun-woo came running from behind me and pounced onto Kazuchika's back sitting on top of him.

I too walked over to him, bending down on my knees, as he called Koda a 'traitor' with a pout on his face and Koda licked him on the nose.

I was laughing at him as he struggled on the ground between the boy and the dog, who both held him down.

"We win scum bag!" Sun-woo exclaimed in victory still on top of him.

"Scum bag?!" Kazuchika repeated in disbelief, holding his head up to which Sun-woo slammed him back down to the floor. "How was three against one even fair." Kazuchika grumbled like a child.

I was practically in tears laughing at the two arguing. "Okay Sun-woo, let him be, come on, you can get off of him now." I extended my hand to help him off.

"No, eomma he needs to be pinished." He refused to get off of him as he called me 'eomma' again. I snickered a bit at how he butchered the word 'punished'.

"Eomma? I thought I told you to call her noona (meaning older sister.)." Kazuchika told the child.

"But she doesn't feel like a noona to me, so I'll call her eomma instead." The boy corrected, holding one of his tiny fingers up as if he got his point across better that way.

"You already have a mom, so why call her that?" Kazuchika told the boy.

"So? Why can't I have two?" The little boy challenged jumping up and down on his back.

"You can't, because that's not how it works." Kazuchika insisted, I looked between the two and decided to step in before it turned into an argument.

"How about I make you a snack Sun-woo." I told the child who immediately got off of a complaining Kazuchika and ran to the kitchen in excitement but not before kicking him in the head, really hard.

"Ouch! You little piece of shi—" I snapped my head around to him sending him a glare, daring him to finish his sentence. He swallowed, before getting off the ground.

"I didn't know you could babysit." I stated, smiling with folded arms.

"You forgot didn't you?" he asked, making me aware that I'd apparently forgotten something.

"I forgot what?"

"That you told Soo-ah you'd watch him until she comes back later." he informed me.

'I told who I'd do what now? Soo-ah didn't even have kids, that is... never mind. This place is just full of surprises, what's next?'

"Right, and remind me who that is again?" I asked just in case she was someone different.

"She works at my father's restaurant, she's your friend, you had drinks a couple times, even got drunk togther." he said, searching my face for a reaction to show I knew what he was talking about.

"Ooh yeah." I acted as though I'd remembered what he was saying, shacking my head. "Silly me."

"That reminds me, don't forget about the function tonight." he said, making me whirl my head around.

"The what?" I scratched my head.

"At the restaurant, many people will be there including potential investors and the press, so wear something to show them who's in charge, sexy but formal." he said the last part biting his lip, staring at me. I knew that dirty thoughts were going through his mind at that moment, so I smacked him to the back of his head with a *WACK*.

"Oww! Enough with the head already it's starting to bruise!" he complained, rubbing the area.

"I'll keep smacking you until you get the point." I responded. "But if you want I can pull you by the ear instead." I threatened, teasingly reaching out to touch his ear.

He backed away. "I'm suddenly very afraid of you, when did you become so violent?" he pouted.

The sudden tugging of my skirt made me look down. "Eomma, I'm still hungry you know, me and the dog." Sun-woo cutely stated, shifting his weight from one foot to the other impatiently.

"Oh, yes honey, I'll get you your snack now." I giggled, walking to the kitchen to fix him something to eat.

...