It is just another chilly morning today. One little boy is still fast asleep on his bed on the right side of the room. His name is Bentley, the bravest of the two. If there are monsters around or under their beds, he sure will be the one who protects his older brother, William. But where is he? The wiser older boy isn't in his bed anymore.
There in the corner of the room, a silent ringing became heard. "Nana!" William is seated on the floor with the light from the device all over his face. He smiled sweetly, seeing his favorite aunt's face on the screen. "Hi, Nana!" William repeated, causing the woman from the other side to giggle.
"Wow, who is this handsome boy? Why are you awake early today?" She is Im Nayeon. The boys often call her 'Nana,' which she hates because it sounds like a nickname for old people. She couldn't do anything about it, though. If William and Bentley like it, then why not?
"Shh, baby bro is sleeping." William raised his pointing finger vertically above his lips. "Nana, where are you?" He asked, pulling the device closer to his face as if he could peek on Nayeon's background by doing that.
"I'm in my bedroom. See?" The woman showed William her room before facing the phone to her again. "How about you? Why is it too dark in there?"
"I'm in our bedroom too!" He suddenly stood up and stepped on Bentley's bed to show the little boy's sleeping face. "Baby bro looks cute, right?" William said, all giggly, before accidentally dropping the phone on his little brother's face. "Oops."
"Oh no," Nayeon said when she realized what happened. They were expecting a loud cry, but the younger boy only sat up. His eyes were half-closed while he looked around. "What happened?" She asked, and then it was Ben who picked the phone up. "Bentley!"
A bright smile on the little boy's face, "Nana! Why are you inside?" he asked before trying to bump his head on the phone.
"No, you can't go in!" William said, trying to take it from Bentley. "Give me! Mommy will get really angry." He said while grunting. Nayeon could only laugh even though it makes her dizzy, and all she can see is their feet.
"Boys, enough." She said, causing the two to stop. "Where is mommy? Wake her up already. Aren't you hungry?"
"I'm hungry," Bentley said, looking at William as if he is telling his brother something. "Bro, food!" He said in a louder voice.
"Good boys! Go and wake Mommy Sana up." Nayeon said, immediately making the two run out of the room, leaving the phone above the bed. "Okay, thanks for leaving me like this." She chuckled before ending the call.
On the other side, a pale woman is lying on her back and holding her phone above her face. She's too lazy to do anything today, but her friends were forcing her to get up. Well, she is the company's CEO, and she should be acting that way. "Okay, Kim Dahyun. Get your ass to work." Dahyun whispered to herself before getting up and straight to the shower room, she went.
She lives alone in this mansion-like kind of house, but it doesn't really make her lonely. A life like this is something she grew up with—an independent one. Her past may be tragic if you think of it. However, it doesn't bother Dahyun anymore. She loves the life she is living now. After all, she knows how lucky she is.
After getting out of the shower, Dahyun stopped in front of a mirror. There she noticed the necklace hanging on her neck. It's been with her for more than ten years—a puzzle piece. "Mister, I will find you. I'll show you I kept my promise to live the way I want to." She said with a contented smile.
2006
A fourteen-year-old pale girl, Dahyun, slowly took steps inside this unfamiliar home. At this young age, she became a foster child. Her father lived with another family, and her mother recently passed away due to a terminal disease.
"It's okay, don't be shy. We are a family here, and they are your new siblings. You can call me dad." A man told her while a woman stood beside him, smiling widely. They are a married couple around their 40's.
They haven't taken anyone else in for about three years, so the seven teenagers inside the house were already fond of each other. One reason why Dahyun felt as if she really was an outsider. "Which room do I get?" She asked in a tiny voice.
Call it unfortunate, but she ended up in a room with three girls older than her. She couldn't even understand what's going on, but they looked like they were talking about a boy in their age. There's no way, Dahyun could relate. She thinks she's too young for that, so she chose to lay down and rest.
Not when "Psst!" She turned around to face them.
"What?" Dahyun asked with her brows raised. The older girls exchanged glances, giggling a little. It confused the pale one, but she did not ask.
The oldest one of the three uttered, "We're thirsty. Mind going down to get us three glasses of water?" She asked with one eyebrow raised. "I mean, you'd follow, right?"
"Can't you get in on your own?" Dahyun asked in a respectful tone.
The girls chuckled, "Well if you'd like to make friends here, you should be following us. That's how it is in here." One of them said, to which the others agreed.
Dahyun heaved a sigh before getting up, "Okay," She said in defeat—left with no choice. If she wouldn't follow them, she'd end up being the one they make fun of, and she's already had enough of that. Even in school, students would look at her differently, knowing that she isn't from a wealthy family.
2020
"Kookeu!" The two boys exclaimed after seeing Nayeon holding the dog in her arms. The woman let her pet down to play with the kids. "Nana! Kookeu!" Bentley excitedly said while pointing at the dog, then clapping his hands after.
"Yeah, it's Kookeu!" Nayeon played around, clapping her hands as well before she went down to hug Ben. "Did you only miss Kookeu, or Nana too?" She asked.
"Puppy." He answered right away before giggling and struggling to get out of the woman's arms. Nayeon could only pucker her lips before looking at William, who is getting chased by the dog.
"I'll see this all day again. Don't they get dizzy running around?" She mumbled. That is when Sana came out of her room, already dressed formally. "Interview today?"
"Yeah," Sana nervously smiled as she rubbed her palm on the back of her pants. "I'm sorry I had you to babysit them again." She pouted her lips. Nayeon is her best friend, and she couldn't trust her sons with anybody else. It would be fine if Chaeyoung and Tzuyu are around, but they aren't. So she is left with no choice but to bother this woman again.
Nayeon shook her head. She stood up and held Sana in her hand, "Look, that's not a problem. You know how much I love these two. Plus, I have nothing to do today—done with the blueprints, so.." She chuckled, shifting her gaze on William and Bentley. "I might think of this as rest. I hope they'd behave."
"You know that's a little impossible, right?" Sana jokingly said, well, that was half true. They both know that very well. "Anyway, I'll head out now. I think I'm too late." Then she looked at her wristwatch. "Oh, God. I really am."
"Boys! Your mommy is leaving now." Nayeon said, causing the two to run towards their mother. She enjoyed how William and Bentley kissed Sana's cheeks a lot before whispering their goodbyes. "Alright, good luck! You'll do great. I know you will."
Sana was seated along with the other applicants. She's second to the last, so she's observing how the others are dressed prettily, "Should I tie my hair too?" She whispered to herself.
That is when a pale woman walked past all of them. Sana heard multiple good mornings, so she said the same. "Is she that snob? How would we get along then? She must be scary." That thought made her more nervous.
When the interview finally started, Dahyun was only sitting there. Listening to whatever and not understanding any of them at all. She only looked at the résumé photo then proceeds to decide whether to accept that person or not.
The next one would be the seventh interviewee, and although Dahyun is already tired of listening, she should finish all eight. "Good morning. Thank you for making time for this meeting." She heard someone say.
"Yes, please sit down," Dahyun said, not even bothering to look at the girl's face. When she had her hand on the résumé, she said. "Miss Minatozaki, Sana." She read the name.
"Yes, miss." The girl politely said.
"I'm a lazy reader, so could you just tell me about yourself?" Dahyun finally looked at the woman in front of her. For some reason, those eyes made her stare longer that she didn't realize she's been spacing out the whole time.
When Sana cleared her throat, Dahyun shifted her gaze to the paper. "Ah, so you are married." She nodded her head, quickly reading since she did not pay attention.
"I did not mention that," Sana wore a shy smile before nodding her head. "Not really married—married. I mean, we are getting a divorce. I shouldn't be saying this." She scratched the top of her head.
Dahyun was already so lost that she asked, "Do you have kids?" She gulped after realizing.
"Yeah, I have to sons."
That made the pale woman squint her eyes. She's not sure if that would be a good thing—hiring someone with kids. That would be a lot of jobs to do. "Uh, okay," she uttered.
"I can manage," Sana said when she saw the expression on Dahyun's face. Moments of silence before the pale woman finally spoke again, and her words were a little too painful to hear.
"Thank you for applying, but I have decided to pursue other applicants."
The last interviewee came in wearing a wide smile. "Please sit down," Dahyun said, immediately making the girl follow.
"Oh," The girl exclaimed before picking up a wallet from the chair. "I think someone—"
"Let me see." Dahyun reached her hand out. After taking the wallet, she opened it, seeing a photo of two little boys. She already knows who owns it, but she saw another picture. "This is.." She tensed her jaw, and with eyes widened. "Pucca hair." A nickname she gave someone as a child.
"Yes?" The girl asked again with brows furrowed. When Dahyun suddenly laughed, she got more confused. "C-can I sit down—"
"No. Go back home." The pale woman stood up, quickly leaving the room as if she's running after something.
Dahyun was looking around after reaching the lobby, hoping that Sana is still around. She could be too late, well, that's what she had in mind. "But.." She gulped before smiling sheepishly, "I can't believe I'll meet you again, Pucca hair." And she held that picture in her hand.
"How do I find you again? Is there an identification card here?" Dahyun opened the wallet once again as she turned around. "Minatozaki—"
"Thank God you have it." She heard that familiar voice, and when she raised her head, "I thought I lost it somewhere else." Sana stood a meter away from her.
There Dahyun went again, staring at Sana as if she is the prettiest. "Thank you so much for keeping it for a little while." The woman walked closer, causing the pale one to hold the wallet out.
When Sana is about to take it from the other woman's hand, the latter suddenly pulled it back to her. "You..." Dahyun uttered, "..are hired, Minatozaki."
"W-what?" Sana had her eyes widened, and with a tinier voice, "All of a s-sudden?"
Dahyun smirked before taking the woman's hand and placing the wallet above her palm. "You can manage, right? Prove that to me." She said before leaning forward and whispering, "Wake up early. I need you at seven, okay?" Then she lightly tapped on Sana's face before walking past the latter.
"I am hired?" Sana still couldn't believe it. She needs the job so much, so she turned around and said in a loud voice, "Yes! I'll do my best." The pale one didn't look back as if she doesn't care.
Little did Sana know, Dahyun was wearing a smile while she walked away. And little did Sana know, her childhood photo wasn't inside her wallet anymore. "How come you became cuter today?" The pale woman looked at it carefully as she shook her head in wonder.