UNCHANGEABLE - TIAOM

06

"kim!"

kim turns at the call and sees katrien dashing towards her. the kid's parents, along with jane, are entering the waterski entrance.

"wow. someone looks excited to see you, huh?" says suzy. "you know, if she wasn't a kid i'd feel jealous."

"she's just a kid. and don't deny you find her too cute too," says kim. she bends down to receive katrien jumping into her arms. "hey, sweetie. you're here to ski too?"

katrien nods. "daddy promised..."

"hello, baby. looks like you're already prepared, huh?" says suzy, noticing the purple rash guard the kid is wearing.

"hello..." katrien gives suzy a kind smile before her curious eyes catches kim's already damp hair. "you've already skied?"

"yeah. with some friends." kim nods at the direction of zee and some of their previous sau comrades.

"whaddup, kim?" says jane who comes after katrien. "hello, miss suzy. i'm jane, kim's friend."

"no need for formality..." suzy offers a hand. "it's a pleasure to meet you. i've heard a lot of things about you from kim."

jane raises an eyebrow, shaking suzy's hand back. "didn't know kim talks about me."

"course i do. i'm proud of my doctor friend," says kim. "will you be joining us?"

"hmm. well..." jane's eyes scans the area until she spots eunji talking to zee and yam. "yeah... i'm here to try waterskiing..."

kim sends her friend a knowing smirk. "that's good. you can join eunji and the others now."

"oh. i surely will. catch you later..."

"... the water seems deep..." kim hears pie's voice as the woman approaches them along with her husband.

"it's fine. they have life vests," says peter.

pie clasps her hands on her chest, coming closer to tidy her daughter's hair. "is it safe here?"

kim isn't sure if pie intends the question for her. but since she's carrying the kid in her arms, she answers, "yeah. a lot of kids are even doing it on their own." she gestures towards the water.

pie's eyes wanders to observe the kids up on the waterskis and her anxiousness increases. she turns to her husband. "i can't allow katie there. it's too deep, and it looks dangerous."

"hey, relax." he puts his hands on her shoulder. "let's watch first so you can calm down, okay?"

"captain! it's your turn again!" shouts eunji. "come join jane here!"

"coming!" kim shouts back. she puts the kid down. "you stay with your mom for now and be a good girl, okay? don't come near the water unless your mom allows you. you hear me?"

"okay." the kid nods and smiles.

kim looks up at pie who's still pouting. she secretly smiles knowing that's how the woman looks when she's worried.

"i'll go for another round. catch you later," she tells suzy.

"go ahead. enjoy!"

the next thing happening is jane's screams echoing through the island and far off in the distance.

---

kim is drying her face with a towel when she hears footsteps approaching.

"hey..."

she looks up and sees pie. "oh. hey..."

"um..." pie fiddles with her fingers nervously.

kim knows there's no way pie would approach her first in this situation so she shifts her eyes to where pie's family is and sees katrien crying, throwing tantrums while her dad tries to calm her down.