Contemplating (Completed)

Chapter 39 - Gift

I could only smile at her.

"Thank you so much for this, thank you, I don't know how to express it but thanks"

"Don't mention it" She smiles at me.

"And please, don't think about repaying me with the same gift for my birthday, okay? I don't like gifts"

"I know, I know"

My first object to be photographed, of course, her.

As promised she always accompanies me to take some pictures, even randomly sometimes I ask her to take me to a harbor, or the sea. I really love nature, and I love people photography. Sometimes I even asked her to accompany me to the market to take pictures, I didn't care, she was a little sulky at first. As long as we meet toppokki stall I will leave her there. Being almost 20 years grew up abroad makes her so childish about Korean dishes, she always acted like a foreigner every time I took her to the market, she tastes everything on the food stalls. She's the one who's holding the Korean citizen while I am Japanese here. Sometimes I forget.

My birthday and hers are only one month apart. We always talked about this,  how we really mean to be together because my birthday is on March 24, 0324, while hers on April 23, 0423. Sometimes we acted like a high schooler and go for it again while it's just a number. I think it through for her present. I spent the whole time to find a perfect gift for her.

Finally, her birthday comes. Since Chaeyoung really hates celebration, I take her to her favorite restaurant. A fast-food hamburger shop. Shake Shack.

How unromantic, but that's who we are.

"This is the best birthday ever!" Chaeyoung says to me in front of her burgers.

"It's kind of confusing at first whether I should take you to In 'n Out to pissed you, or to this place"

"Oh, don't you dare to take me to In 'n Out!"

I am laughing with her. We then eat together. We sit in the corner to avoid the traffic. Shake Shack is the busiest burger place in Gangnam.

"So, while we're still on the birthday mood now, here's your present"

I give her an envelope.

"What am I? A kid? You give me money?"

I laugh. "Open it"

She carefully opens the envelope and looks what's inside.

"NO WAY!"

"I feel that you need this, Chaeyoungie" Chaeyoung could only stare at the present. 

"This boy is literally hijacking your mind. I clear our schedule, I already find the replacement for us for 5 days at that date and we better spend it wisely" 

It's a plane ticket to Vietnam by the way.

"Minari.............."

I could see her tears at the end of her eyes.

"Before we go there, we should really study about this first"

I then give her bundle of pamphlets and booklet about International Adoption from Vietnam.

"I already take a look on this, perhaps you should study it as well"

Her hand shakes when she looking at the pamphlets.

"Chaeyoung-ah, are you alright?"

She put down the pamphlets and take both my hands. I can feel her shakiness.

"Mina, do you really want this with me? I mean I don't want to if you aren't............"

"To be honest, I am scared, never in my life thinks about being a mom. But, seeing you have this confidence, seeing how you passionately taking care of kids, that makes my heart move. Being in Vietnam for only a month also changes me Chaeyoung-ah. Every time I look at babies or toddlers, or kids my heart easily melt. And I start imagining to have one" I stare at her, "with you in the picture"

"And that boy, Chaeyoungie, he's too adorable, his smile never left my mind when you hold him in your arms that day"

"Mina, am I capable of doing this again?"

"Honey, you were a very great mother and you will always be"

"I've been meaning to do this since the last time I saw him, I just want to hold him forever, but I am afraid that you would think the opposite"

"Let's fight for this okay? It's going to be a long process, but it will be worth of our time"

"Mina, again, are you sure? Are you serious? Because I don't want to do it without you"

"I am deadly serious, Chaeyoungie" I cup her face.

Tears fall down on her cheek, she wipes it.

"This is the best best best birthday ever, really. Thank you so much"

She comes to me and gives me a kiss.

She's the person who actually changes me. I never imagine myself having a kid. But with her, everything that I stand could be falling apart in a very positive way. I know that it's going to be a hard year for us to try to do adoption, international adoption. But I know it will be worth it.