Burden of Proof

Chapter 15

Ding dong.

Jisoo quickly went to open the door and took a few steps back as two small figures hugged her tightly.

She laughed. "Are you happy to see me or are you happy because you know I have something for you?"

"Robot!" Inho said.

Heeryung didn't say anything. She just looked up and grinned with expectation in her eyes.

"Fine fine. Go get your toys. They're on the bed in the guest room."

"Yay! Thank you, Auntie Chichu!" The two ran to the other room.

"It's Jisoo!" She sighed and turned to see Lisa grinning. "Is it so hard to teach them to say Jisoo instead of Chichu?"

"Chichu sounds cute and easier to pronounce for them."

"Excuses," Jisoo mockingly sulked then hugged her friend. "How are you?"

"I've been better," Lisa smiled.

"Where's Jen?"

"Meeting her parents. She'll be here soon."

They walked inside the lavish townhouse and heard the happy screams from the other room.

"What did you get them?"

"Nothing much. Robots for Inho and Barbies for Heeryung. Got them chocolates and books too but I'll hand the sweets over to you." Jisoo took a seat on the couch. "Yeri called last night."

"Oh?" Lisa sat down on the other end of the couch.

"How are you two holding up?"

Lisa shrugged. "Not bad." She looked at her friend. "I need your help. We need your help."

"Anything for my two best friends."

Lisa was about to say something when the happy boy ran towards her, climbing the couch and her to show off the toys in his hands.

"Y-yah, Inho. Get down." Lisa tried to make him sit properly.

"Umma! There's Gordon and Thomas and Percy and and..." He was speechless as he showed Lisa the plastic trains he was hugging.

Jisoo laughed. "Wow, you really know every single one of them."

He turned around and grinned.

Jisoo ruffled his hair. "Glad you like them."

"What do you say to Auntie Chu, Inho?"

"Thank you, Auntie!"

"Can I at least get a kiss then?" Jisoo pointed at her cheek and leaned forward.

The boy gladly gave Jisoo what she wanted. He then struggled to get off the couch, holding on tightly to his toys and ran back into the room.

"I thought you only got him robots?"

"So I added a few trains, no big deal. They were on sale anyway." Jisoo dismissed Lisa's remark. She lowered her voice. "So? What did you want to say?"

"Represent us?"

"Of course. Have you done a DNA test?"

Lisa nodded. "The claim's legit. She's his biological parent." She sighed and threw herself back against the comfortable cushions. "It's a lost cause, isn't it? I'm never winning this one. We both know that history has proven that adoption laws almost always favor the biological parents."

"Almost, Lis. The keyword here is 'almost'. There were adoptive parents who won custody over the child."

"At what cost? Severe stress to the child? He's only five. I don't want him to be heartbroken and traumatized at such a young age."