Come Back Home

14

10 YEARS LATER – AT THE SUPERMARKET – WINTER'S POV

Since Karina is spending the entire day at the dance school, I had no other choice but to do the grocery shopping by myself, which I hate! But at least, I'm almost done...Only 3 more items to put in my cart and I'm out of here.

I'm double checking the label of a product when a little girl next to me suddenly drops a few cereal boxes on the floor, looking all embarrassed.

"Hey there...You ok?" I ask her with a smile, helping her pick the boxes off the floor.

"Ellie?" I overhear behind me, before the little girl can answer me. "There you are! What did you get yourself into agai-..." The woman's voice trails off upon seeing me.

"Winter..." She says, as if she had seen a ghost.

"Yeji..." I say with the same disbelief, my jaw dropping in surprise.

I had not seen Yeji in over a decade – not since we broke up, actually – but she has barely changed. Of course, she looks a little older, but she's just as beautiful as ever...

"You... uh... Is this your daughter...?" I ask as I eventually come out of my daze, noticing the resemblance.

"Um... yeah... That's Ellie." She says, resting both of her hands on her child's shoulders.

"Hi Ellie!" I say in a kind voice, waving at the little girl. "How old are you, sweetie?"

"I'm 7!" She says with such pride that I can't help but chuckle.

"She's beautiful..." I comment, before looking back at Yeji. "You have a kid..." I smile, genuinely happy for her. I know how badly she wanted to be a mom...

"Yeah... I have two, actually." She says. "I also have a 5 year-old son, Owen. But he's still recovering from the flu, so he stayed home, with my wife..."

"Oh, you're married?"

"I am." She confirms with a smile.

"I'm really happy for you, Yeji." I say sincerely, nodding.

"Thank you..." She replies. "It looks like you're married too?" She adds, pointing at the wedding ring on my left hand.

"Oh, uh... yeah..." I say in a shy voice. It's pretty awkward to confirm I'm married now, considering I never agreed to tie the knot with her when we were together...

"To Karina?" She eventually asks.

"Yeah..." I whisper, with an apologetic shrug.

"That's alright, Win. If you had to marry someone else, I would rather it be Karina than some random girl." She says, with a reassuring nod. "How are the kids?"

"Oh, they're great!" I reply, grateful for the change of subject. "Minji is pregnant, actually..."

"No way!" She says in disbelief. "Wow, that's big news! Congratulations!" She adds in an excited voice. "So, you're gonna be... a  'Halmeoni'?!"

"Yeah, apparently so..." I sigh. "To be honest, it still feels completely surreal, but... I have 4 more months to wrap my head around it."

"Does she know what she's having?"

"Yeah, it's a girl!" I say. "I guess making girls is part of the Kim DNA or something..." I add, making her laugh.

"Is it Liam's?"

"Yes." I sigh. "She married the Irish three years ago."

"I see you still don't approve of him." She smirks.