PROMPTS

In Pursuit of Happiness - 18

(Reposted)

Cha Mi-jo sat at the restaurant where she was scheduled to meet Dae-sik.

Initially, Park Dae-sik was supposed to pick her up from the apartment but the agency called so he needed to stop over there first. Seeing the disappointment in Mi-jo's face, Hoon hugged her. "Appa is saving the world so that it's safer for us, Eomma. Don't be mad at him."

Cha Mi-jo hugged him back. "You are such a smart boy."

Hoon suddenly had a guilty expression. "Sometimes, I feel bad when Appa cannot see us at once, too," he admitted. "But I know he feels more bad about it, so I want him to know it's ok. I don't want Appa to leave us because he always sees me sad."

"Oh, Hoon!" Cha Mi-jo pulled him back into her arms. "Appa won't leave because he sees you sad."

"But Eomma, wasn't that what you told him?" At Cha Mi-jo's inquiring glance, Hoon shared, "I heard your call long long loooooooong ago."

Cha Mi-jo was no longer surprised that he had eavesdropped and probably heard her warning that she would not allow Dae-sik to break Hoon's heart. "Well, you are my son and I want to protect you," she explained. "At that time, I wasn't sure about Agent Dae-sik yet so I didn't want to just let him in our lives."

"Because so many people left us?"

This broke Mi-jo's heart but she wasn't surprised. People leaving was probably going to be a constant worry for her and Hoon and it was pointless to deny. "Yes, because so many people have left us."

Hoon hugged her. "I know, Eomma," he said. Smiling up at her now, he added, "But I learned from Appa that the best people always come back and stay! And Appa is the best people."

Hoon's words left a mark in her heart. "The best people come back and stay", a thought that warmed her heart. Now, here they were waiting on a man who had captured both their hearts.

A good man who was a great partner to Cha Mi-jo.

A good person who was an amazing father to Cha Hoon.

The three of them building a family.

Cha Mi-jo's musings were interrupted when a gorgeous couple slid in the booth, taking the bench seat across her. "Excuse me, you must have the wrong booth."

The man held up a finger to her before turning to the woman with him. "Baek Jang-mi, we should not intrude!"

"I'm just helping out! She'll be worried that Agent Dae-sik will not arrive!" the woman called Baek Jang-mi shot back.

"Dae-sik? You know Dae-sik?" Cha Mi-jo asked upon hearing the name of the man she was waiting for. "Is he okay? Oh please tell me he isn't hurt!"

Baek Jang-mi smiled at Cha Mi-jo. "He's alright. He's going to be late because those ugly guys at the NIS are asking lots of stuff."

"Both of you work with Dae-sik-ssi?" Cha Mi-jo asked.

Jang-mi chuckled, motioning to the man seated beside her. "This guy is just here to look handsome beside me. I'm not sure what I can say but I'm here just to tell you Agent Dae-sik is arriving soon so please don't think he forgot."

"You're the woman who answered his phone," Cha Mi-jo stated, putting the pieces together.

"Yes."

"Why are you answering the Agent's phone?!" the man asked, incredulous.

"Are you jealous?" Baek Jang-mi asked in surprise.

"Answer the question," the man insisted.

Was he pouting? Cha Mi-jo wondered. And were these two actually flirting in front of her?