Idol Next Door

25

"Hot chocolate with whipped cream and an extra dusting of cocoa. And drip coffee," the barista stated as she placed two hot beverages on the two-seater table Dahyun had occupied.

The barista seemed to recognize Dahyun and politely asked for her autograph which the idol agreed immediately with a smile.

"Thank you very much. I'm sorry for the disturbance," the barista bowed but Dahyun waved her hands, gesturing that it was completely fine.

"It's not a big deal, really. Thank you for serving us," Dahyun beamed at the barista and the latter bowed once more before she went back to the café's counter where more customers were queuing.

"How long is he staying with me?" The woman who sat comfortably across Dahyun asked.

"Maybe until the end of the month since we will be quite busy for the next few weeks. Is it okay, Mom? Aren't you busy?" Dahyun asked as she stirs the hot cocoa in front of her.

It was the second week of December and Dahyun would start spending her nights in the TWICE dorms so she wouldn't be apart from her members as they fill in their list of outside schedules and continue polishing their performances for the annual year-end award shows they would be attending. Dahyun wouldn't be able to take care of Ari and thus she's entrusting him to her mother's care in the meantime.

"I'm never too busy for Ari," Mrs. Kim spoke. endearingly. "He is going to do just fine with me. You are a good boy, aren't you, Ari-yah?"  she coaxes, rubbing the puppy's fur as he snuggles into her ankles.

Mrs. Kim picks up Ari from the floor and sat him on her lap. The dog calmly rests his body on the woman's thigh, enjoying the soothing strokes Mrs. Kim gave on his back. Dahyun understands why her mother loves Ari as if he was her son. With both her children away from home, Mrs. Kim had no one to spoil with and thus Ari has become the sole target of her affection.

Dahyun missed her mother's pampering. Being the youngest child and the only daughter, she was extremely cared for in the family. She had a strong bond with her parents, even with her older brother. Their closeness had never changed even after Dahyun decided to become a trainee at JYPE. It demanded a lot of time, effort, and sacrifice both from Dahyun and her family who had a hard time letting go of their little girl and allow her to chase her dreams despite the slim chances of actually debuting. But those sacrifices had brought her here now and she couldn't be more thankful for her family's support throughout these years.

Dahyun slightly lifted her cup to take a slow sip of the hot chocolate she had ordered. The whipped cream stained her lips as she did so. "Your hot cocoa recipe is still the best, Mom. How do you do it? It tastes different when I make it."

"Mine's made with so much love, that's why." A warm smile drew across Mrs. Kim's lips, looking fondly at her daughter.

"How is oppa doing?"

"He's good and healthy. I don't know what's in the food they serve there but it certainly made Myungsoo a little chubbier," Mrs. Kim said. "It's you who's getting thinner, Dahyun-ah. Aren't you eating well?"

"I am eating very well. It's just that we've been a bit too busy lately, you know how it is," she says softly, quickly shifting the topic with another question. "What about the cookies? Did you tell him it's from me?"

Mrs. Kim came from the military base camp where Kim Myungsoo, Dahyun's older brother serving his time in the military,  was assigned. Mrs. Kim had paid her son a visit before she came to meet her daughter. Dahyun could have requested her manager to take Ari all the way to Seongnam, but after hearing her Mom's voice on the phone last week, Dahyun suddenly became homesick and wanted to see her personally.