Back to Seoul

"Mommy, are going to stay in my grandparent's villa?" Tae-tae broke the silence, when they were already reaching the airport, thanks to Aeri who was driving the faster she could, and would probably receive thousands of warnings for that.

"No baby, mommy has a house there. I used to live alone since I was fifteen when grandpa and granma emancipated me. But mommy will buy us an apartment when this storm calms down a little. My house is not big, once it was just me. However, there are two suites, so it's good enough for now."

He nodded, analyzing his mom's features. "Will I study in the same school you attended, mommy?"

"Yes. Once mommy's school was also an advanced one for prodigies like us, and if mommy passed, you certainly will too," up to this day she still wondered how the fuck Ah Kimsoo even managed to enter there, but it was probably due to money, once he IQ was lower that a worm's.

Arriving at the airport, Ashlyn and Taylor went to meet them and help with all the luggage, while Aeri went to meet Ryu Kishimitsu the airport administrator, and thank him for helping with this emergency flight.

She was thankful that her friendship with Ryu wasn't strange after Tae-tae tried to make the two of them date. That mischievous brat was always trying to find her a boyfriend and a new father to himself. She knew all along, but didn't let him or Jiah, who helped him, notice; and even if that made her sad because she knew he wanted a father, she couldn't help with it, once she didn't have feelings towards those men.

After that, she met them at the jet. "Miss Hana, can I go with Taylor in the front?" Ashlyn asked carefully and Aeri swallowed her laughter, both because of how they were adorable together, and because Ashlyn insisted on calling her by her international name, rather than calling her by her birth one, even after she gave her permission to do so.

"To be my co-pilot," Taylor added and Aeri stared at him with her eyebrows raised.

"She won't be able to help you if something happens. Is that okay?"

He nodded and said, "Nothing's going to happen. Don't worry."

"Then it's okay. We are going straight to Seoul."

"Little Tae-tae told me. Be at ease, everything's going to be okay with them, they're strong. Just chill and we'll be there in no time!"

With that, they entered the jet, and in the next instants, they were on the air.

···

Two hours passed. They were somewhere close to Italy, when Tae-tae broke the comfortable silence, without taking his eyes off his Ipad, where he was watching a documentary about the cosmos, to look at his mom. "Mommy? Can I ask you a question?"

She nodded, passing her fingers through his hair. "Does my dad live in Seoul?" Aeri froze and found her sister's worried eyes looking at her. "I'm not trying to find him or met him, mom. Don't worry about that. It's just so I can be careful and all."

Tae-tae finally looked at his mom and her sad eyes made his heart skip a beat, he hated to see her like that. He hated everyone who made his mommy sad. And his dad was at the top of that list.

"Yes, baby," she muttered after a long minute, with her eyes closed.

Tae-tae kind of knew that already because he heard his aunt speaking with his mom about a guy in Seoul. But he wanted to hear from her, and he knew she wasn't going to lie about it. His mom was everything but a liar.

···

The hours passed faster when they fell asleep. Jiah fell asleep while thinking about what she was going to do while directing her family's company until her twin stayed in the hospital. Tae-tae was now reading the book, Dune, by Frank Herbert, when he fell asleep.

And Aeri fell asleep while thinking about Seojin and what she's going to do with him if he discovered that he is Tae-tae's biological father, or when. She knew he would learn about that sooner or later, it was inevitable. Especially now that she's coming back to South Korea. But she still tried to prepare herself.

···

Taylor used the onboard microphone to warn them that they were already entering Seoul and to ask them to get ready and put on their seat belts. Which woke up the three of them who were still sleeping.

"I hope Mori's surgery went well..." Aeri whispered to herself, but her sister and son heard and nodded.

Tae-Tae looked at his mom, held her hands, and said, "Uncle Mori's strong, mommy, he'll be fine. And so will grandma and grandpa."

"You're so precious, smartass dwarf," Jiah spoke, messing with his hair.

"My precious baby!" Aeri said hugging her son and they laughed.

After the sweet moment, the jet hit the ground and she closed her eyes for a second, minutes after that, Ashlyn came to where they were. "Boss, none of you ate anything during the flight."

She helped Aeri, who was a little dizzy, get up, and then she held Tae-tae in her arms, analyzing Aeri's face and noticing that she was a little pale.

"Mommy, aunt Ashlyn is right. I'm healthier than you, you need to eat or you're going to faint."

"I won't! I'm totally okay. Now, Ashlyn? I gave you the address of my house, so you and Taylor can get the car I have in the parking lot and leave my things and Tae-tae's in my house. We'll go directly to the hospital, in Jiah's car!"