Decoupled • KTH ✔

Epilogue Pt.1

*ten years later*

Jang-Mi

Yet another Monday morning, but with so much more to look forward to.

I wake up earlier than usual upon sensing the faint vibration of the alarm that goes off on my phone which is lying somewhere on the bed, buried under the heavy comforter, just like me at the moment.

I usually never wake up so happy and bright, but today is an exception because it is an important day that I look forward to every year, one that I have been celebrating every year for the past seventeen years, the day my precious little daughter let out her first cry in this big world, bestowing me with the most beautiful title in the world—a mother.

Yes, it is Areum's seventeenth birthday today, and just like every year, this year too, Areum has come over to stay with me and spend her birthday with me—the only woman whom she will always and forever call her mom.

Quietly taking care of my morning routine, I pull my hair into a bun as I head to the kitchen to finish decorating the cake that I baked last night.

I slip on my gloves and retrieve the bowl of frosting that is covered in a cling film and resting inside the refrigerator. Carefully filling the piping bag with a few dollops of the chocolate cream, I begin frosting and icing the small two-layered cake.

The layers of fluffy cream sandwiched between the layers of delectable and moist chocolate cake are then strewn with Areum's favorite sliced strawberries and a little drizzle of rich home-made chocolate ganache.

I couldn't be more thankful than now that my little girl had finally outgrown her chocolate allergies a few years ago. Areum is finally enjoying all the food that everyone around her has always enjoyed eating, without having to worry about falling sick.

After I set the cake layers in place and frost them with just the right amount of cream that Areum prefers, I proceed to meticulously decorate the top of the cake with some more sliced strawberries and a chocolate drip around the rim of the cake.

Checking the cake from every possible angle, I beam proudly at my lovely creation. I then place the cake inside the refrigerator and clean up the counter before getting rid of my gloves.

Around twenty minutes later, breakfast consisting of the traditional seaweed soup, Areum's favorite spread of sandwiches, and freshly pressed pineapple juice is set out on the dining table, along with a customary pretty greeting card that I place next to her plate on the table.

With a bright smile on my face, I proceed to wake up my daughter who is sleeping peacefully in her bedroom.

Life after the divorce has been a turbulent rollercoaster ride for me. In addition to the separation from Taehyung, I also had to deal with the loss of my father within a few months of my divorce. I had found a job for myself as a kindergarten teacher, and I also had to support my ailing mother whose health had rapidly deteriorated after my father's demise.

Eventually, a few years later, my mother passed away too, leaving me all by myself. Being a single child myself, I had absolutely no form of moral support from anyone who was related to me through blood.

The only person who stood by my side during my painful period of grief was Maya, who spent a lot of time with me to help ease my loneliness and help me pour out my worries and troubles. She had my back during most of my tough times with her kind words and her comforting presence.

We found a lot of comfort and joy in each other's presence.

However, my lifeline that has kept me going strong all these years has been Areum. My little daughter, who is wise beyond her age, always had only nice things to say to me whenever she sensed that I was folding in.