Soo Yon-A Single Mother?

'Oh come on,' Cheng protested as she walked off. He slumped on the seat next to me.

'Guess I'll go with chocolates. Women loves chocolates. Right hyung?'

I did not respond. My mind was filled with several questions. Cheng didn't seem surprised by the fact that Mia was married and had a son. What bothered me was the fact that I didn't know. Why did it affect me so much?

'Soo-Yon, you still haven't decided on your hair color,' Mina noona said, breaking me out of my reverie.

'Uhh... let's just think about it later,' I said. 'Maybe trying on the clothes will give us some ideas.'

Mina noona sighed.

'Oh well,' she said. 'I'll have to go and work on the rookie group. They have a variety show scheduled. Let me know when you decide upon a color.'

She picked up her bag and hurried off, leaving me and Cheng alone. Cheng picked up a magazine and was humming to himself.

'So,' I said. 'Did you like Mia's designs?'

'Hm?' Cheng asked, absorbed in his magazine. 'Mia's designs? I told her to keep me shirtless. Just loose jeans would do.'

'Her designs really are amazing,' I continued. 'Speaks to the wearer's soul.'

'Yes,' Cheng gushed. 'Precisely why I recommended her designs during the recruitment.'

I sat up straight. Cheng recommended her?

'You recommended her?' I asked, confused. 'Why?'

'Coz she is good,' he said simply. 'Her talent will be wasted if she doesn't get exposure. Professor Ahn has a good eye for talent.'

'Professor Ahn?'

'Yeah, he recommended Mia to me,' Cheng said casually. 'He really pushed for her.'

I remembered Professor Ahn was particularly close to Cheng. If he recommended Cheng to Mia, then the latter must have gone through her profile...

'Strange that Mia's husband readily agreed to move to Korea,' I said.

'Husband?' Cheng asked sharply. 'Mia doesn't have a husband.'

It took me a while to digest that. 'What? Then her son...'

'She's a single mother,' Cheng said, flipping the page of the magazine. 'They moved to Korea a few weeks ago. Her son is eight in English age now.'

Single mother? No wonder Cheng strongly recommended her. He had an admiration for strong women. But I felt my heart drop. Cheng knew all those personal details about Mia but I didn't bother to know.