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Epilogue - Through Hoon's Eyes

Hoon could tell that even his mother was happy to have Agent Dae-sik around, so it broke his heart when they went through a temporary separation. It was a sad time for their family, but what Hoon learned from that, is that no matter what he was their son. Nothing will change that.

He did not have the words to express how he felt but he knew it made him happy.

*

Hoon knew that he was still young. He was a big boy now at 5 years old but he knew that he still had a lot of living to do.

He knew he was different, but the longer he lived with Cha Mi-jo, he no longer saw that as a bad thing. His Eomma was adopted, too, and she seemed to have a good life. Perhaps, unwanted children like him still stood a chance to have nice future.

When Appa Dae-sik entered their lives, Hoon met even more people like him and Eomma.

He found out that Uncle Tae Gu was left in an orphanage, too. And, when Hoon found out about Auntie Jang-mi's story, his heart bled for the funny woman who made his mother laugh.

"Why do you hug your mother so tightly when you see her?" Hoon asked as he watched Aera greet her mom one day.

All of them children hugged their parents very tightly. Hoon knew that Sujin and Soo Hyun did so extra tightly with their father because of the baby he lost. This was one of the pictures Hoon found in their home. Inspector Ha promised to tell him the story when he was older, but Hoon was told that there were bad people in the world and Detective Im's baby left this Earth early because of them. Their baby was now one with the stars.

Hoon knew of these bad people. He never forgot those nightmares when he almost lost his Appa Dae-sik. However, Hoon didn't know much about Auntie Jang-mi.

"Because my Appa reminds me that we need to give an extra hug to Eomma Jang-mi," Aera explained. "You see, my Eomma didn't receive a lot of love when she was a baby. Her mom threw her out in the streets."

Hoon's eyes widened. Abandonment was unfortunately too familiar to him and he had found out, during the course of his friendship with the Mins and the Ims, that Aera, Auntie Jang-mi and Uncle Tae Gu were all the same as him. But this was the first time Hoon heard that Auntie Jang-mi wasn't even given to an orphanage like them.

"When I am not being nice or if I don't want to follow instructions, Appa reminds me to be kind because my Eomma had the hardest life and she deserves the best now," Aera continued. Then, she ran to hug her mom again. "I love you so much, Eomma."

Hoon, with tears in his eyes, hugged Baek Jang-mi as well, much to the surprise of everyone. "I love you, Auntie Jang-mi."

"Awwww... thank you, Hoon-ah," Jang-mi returned his hug.

"Have you eaten your food that Appa prepared, Eomma?" Aera checked. "Remember, Appa said you can not feel hungry or else he will have his Uncle Cheol-Ryung scowl-y face."

"YAH!" Cheol-Ryung protested to everyone's delight.

That night, Hoon slept in Dae-sik and Mi-jo's room. Noting that the boy could not sleep, Dae-sik asked, "What's on your mind, Buddy?"

"Appa? Why do people throw away their babies? Babies can't be so bad, right?" Hoon asked quietly.

Dae-sik hugged Hoon, as Mi-jo stroked the little boy's back. "No, babies are not bad. I don't have an answer for you, Hoon-ah. I don't know why some people give their babies away and why, like with Auntie Jang-mi, she was left in the streets."

"Appa? Please don't throw me out even if I'm so naughty," Hoon asked. "Please keep Eomma and me, okay?"

Dae-sik held both Mi-jo and Hoon in his arms. "I'm staying right here with you, Buddy, remember? I promised you and Eomma and I am keeping that promise."