Chapter 20

It's the first time Shin got to visit Sam's main shop in Manhattan. It's where her office is located and where all her famous designs are created. He was amazed…at the place, the clothes and Sam herself. He still couldn't believe it, that she's this successful and famous and rich. Her dreams came true. Although not at being Chaegyung but at least she got to get what she wanted since she was little. If her real parents see these, they would be very proud of her. Even her friends and his family. Because he feels that way…very much.

Shin couldn't help to feel shy and smile to himself upon seeing all the employees at Sam's shop. They were looking at him like he's some kind of meat to make a steak or some fruits to add on their daily diets. And most of them are from the opposite sex. Well, there are males but definitely a lot of them have the heart of a female. Oh well, that's fashion for you - mainly dominated by the female species, physically and emotionally.

"Hey, you look like you left your mind at the shop. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." Sam gave him a question-look waiting for a reaction. "Did I look funny at the shop? I mean all of your employees scrutinized me like I'm from Mars. Do you think so they're talking about me right now?" Shin questioned looking flushed and still thinking of what happened at the shop. Sam then chuckled at his face and inquiries. The couple just got from the shop and are now at the visitor's area of Claremont School waiting for little Annie to come out of her classroom. "Now, should I worry about your employees or should I worry about yourself?"

"Oh, honey. Don't feel bad. And I'm sorry. I was not making fun of you. Nor did the people from the shop. They were just surprised seeing you there. Actually, seeing a guy with me. They haven't seen any guy going out with me besides Jesse. They know I'm a work and school freak so it surprised them seeing you there. And I mean being there. Because, as far as they are concerned, I don't bring my male friends at the shop. I don't like gossips you know."

"So it means it's ok for you to have gossips about the two of us?"

"Nah. I don't think so it would be some sort of a gossip. Because 'us' is true. Those guys before aren't. So please…Don't feel bad and embarrassed. Or you'll not be cutie Uncle Ji Hoon anymore." She teased winking and smiled seeing he's beginning to blush again. "Oh, honey, you get to blush so easily. I think I should tease you more often and bring you to work all the time. Anyway, my employees would love to see you there. They think you're some sort of an Asian superstar."

"Asian superstar? Why? Like some actor or musician?"

"Nope. Like some sort of royalty. It's funny, really, but one of my salesladies thinks you look like the King of Korea. Well, I told her you're definitely not. Because, c'mon on, you're too young to be a king. And you look so simple. Royalties are way too posh and can't-be-reach kind of people. And you're not one of them. And I love you being simple. It's one of the qualities I love about you. So I told her you're not who she thinks you are. Well, Helena has a different perception of you though. She said you look like a model. And she's asking me to ask you to model for one of my male clothes. And seeing you're just here for a grand vacation and stuffs, maybe we could grant Helena's request. What do you think of that idea? Honey?..."

"What?" Shin asked back to Sam's asking. His mind was horrified and in confusion. Did anyone just recognize him? Do they know him actually? What will Sam say? Is she going to get mad at him? Is she going to dump him because he was not honest with her? What? What? What?!

"Ji Hoon, are you alright? You look pale?" Sam asked worriedly. She didn't know what's going on and if she had said something that made him paled immediately after blushing. But before he got to give a reply Annie called from afar running towards them.

"Aunt Sam!" Annie happily greeted climbing onto Sam and clinging on her neck. She then noticed her aunt's with someone and smiled seeing who it is. "Uncle Ji Hoon, you're here!" She greeted with the way she did at Sam. Shin, on the other hand, promptly was taken out from he's confused thinking and happily greeted the little girl. "How are you doing, Uncle Ji Hoon? It's cool you're here with Aunt Sam. Dad said it's only her so I was thinking maybe we'll just eat on some vegetarian restaurant. I love vegetables but please not today. I want ice cream!" Annie yelled explaining making Sam chuckled and tickle her. "Uncle Ji Hoon, help!"

"Oohh…you little squirt. I'll tell Mr. Smith about you not wanting to eat at Angelica Kitchen. His place is kinda cool. Victoria Beckham's kids love being there. And I can't believe you're asking for this guy's help. Am I not your favorite anymore?" Sam gave a child-kind of pout at Annie making Shin smile with enjoyment of the scene. He couldn't believe just being this simple will make him feel like that. And he promised this would be forever.

"Well, of course, you're still my favorite. But Uncle Ji Hoon is also my favorite. He's cool. Right?" The little girl answered looking at her uncle waiting for an approval. He just gave the thumbs-up sign and winked at her. "Now, c'mon! Let's get some ice cream!"

"Not if we have eaten some veggies."

"Oh, Aunt Sam?!..."

"Nah-ah, young lady. Real food now, junk food later. Understand?" Sam plainly said eyeing the young girl who carefully nodded defeated. She peripherally looked at Ji Hoon hoping to get some negative reaction, however, like her, he was silenced by her aunt. "No words from you, too, mister. Not because you're her favorite cutie Uncle Ji Hoon you could say go junk food, bye bye veggies. I still have the last say."

"Oh, honey. You know I don't like to argue with respect to the kid's health. Of course, you are right about that. Right?" Sam raised her eyebrow at Shin. "Yes, you are. Now, let's go and have that veggies." He softly pushed Sam to walk and encircled his left arm to her waist with his right on Annie's hand.

"Yeah, I'm right. Though, how come, you little girl, would like to have an ice cream at this kind of weather? I wouldn't trade a simple ramen at Rai Rai Ken for a cup of Haagen Dazs. It's too cold these days. I mean, sweetie, even the birds at Central Park would love to have a hot soup at this temperature."

"Sorry, Aunt Sam, but I love ice cream. Even if Mommy yells at me not to have if I have sniffles. I'll just take Tylenol." The young girl proudly reasoned out. Both adults just chuckled.

"Well, you are your father's daughter. And I'm telling that again to Grandmum. C'mon, sweetheart, let's just take this trip at Baskin Robbins a secret from Mom and Dad, ok?"

"Deal!" Annie agreed in delight giving a truce action to Sam. Shin just shook his head smiling and then they crossed the street to the car park like a one, small happy family.

Staten Island, Sunday, at James residence…Sam is trying her best to help her mom and sister-in-law cook seafoods, meats and vegetables with some pasta and bread without breaking her attention to the people at the veranda which is overlooking the kitchen window. Andy, her mom, is busy checking the pots while Bec, her sister-in-law, is preparing caesar and apple-chicken salads. She, on the other hand, is in-charged with the vegetables for jjigae and kimchi. She chops and glances outside.

"I'm glad we haven't seen any natural red sauce coming out of the veggies yet." Bec said putting more mayo on the bowl of apples, carrots, celeries and chicken. She raised her eyebrow not hearing or seeing any reaction from the person at her front then glanced at her mother-in-law. Andy looked at her questioningly. She pointed her lips to the three gentlemen outside. Both ladies shook their heads and smiled.

"Sweetie, I think you should be careful before you…."

"Ouch!"

"…Cut your fingers." Andy finished her sentence after hearing Sam's hurtful yell. Sam immediately went to the sink and run cold water on the cut.

"That's what you called not paying attention." Bec teased which made Sam pull a face. "You are such a baby, Sammy. Here…Let's put some medicine and plaster. We don't want to be bloody around here." Sam just sighed while waiting for her doctor to put medication on her small cut on her left forefinger. "There, little Sam, doctor has put medicine on the cut. No blood spilling any longer. Just pay attention next time, ok?" Bec teased again then pat Sam's head.

"Very funny, Rebecca."

"Sam, I think you should let me do that chopping. It's almost finished anyway. And the meat, crab and shrimp are almost cooked. Lunch is ready in thirty minutes. Please prepare the table and tell the boys to finish their gossiping."

"Yes, Mommy."

"Good girl." Bec teased once more which now earned her a slight hit on her butt. "Hey! My husband only do that to me! You're claiming his right!"

"Argh! Bad mental image! Don't want to hear it!" Sam yelled walking away from the kitchen. The two ladies were left chuckling.

"I haven't seen her that distracted….from a guy." Andy commented looking over the window half-happy-half-worried.

"Well, I don't think it's bad. I mean I haven't seen her this happy since I met her…..since that day five years ago. So I think this is something good….right?"

"Should be…but…" Andy sighed first before continuing then looked at the window again. Sam is already outside showing her finger clothed with a plaster. Annie is on the nearby lawn playing with Jam. Meanwhile, Bec looked at her expecting to hear words after her but. "But don't you think she should know first her family? Of course, I don't want her to go away from us but her family deserves to know that she's alive."

"Well, she has not recovered any memory since, as far as we are concerned. Don't you think she has regained some and just don't want to tell?"

"That's what I'm worried about, Bec. I mean what if she has left someone so dear to her? What if she had someone she promised her life to and been devastated since the plane crash? What if, Bec? What are we going to do? What is she going to do about it?"

"Have you talked to her? I mean about this?"

"No, not yet. But I do have plans. It's just that I don't know how to start. I feel like she's vulnerable these days especially with that guy. I feel like she'll be easily hurt if something happens to their relationship. But you know I mean no harm to him. Because honestly, Sam is very happy these days. I've never seen her like that. And I'm very grateful about it. But still I'm worried she'll be hurt once her memories come back. Her amnesia is temporary, right?"

"Yeah, it is temporary. And I do have a feeling those memories will come back soon." Andy eyed Bec closely. "I don't know. I just feel like it. Recently, she's been experiencing migraines…constantly. And then when she met Ji Hoon, surprisingly, those migraines were gone….Hmmm…Andy, do you think he's a part of her memories? Do you think he knows her?"

"I don't know. And I don't know what to think and feel about it. A part of me wants to say that if there's someone she had left behind I hope it's Ji Hoon. I know he's good for her and Sam knows it too. But I'm afraid that what if he's not. What if it's someone else? Oh, Bec, I don't know how to react on that. Sam will for sure get hurt. And I don't want her to feel that way. I love that girl so much. She's like a real daughter to me."

"I know, Andy. And I feel the same way. But we can't do anything about it if that's the case. All we need to do is just hope and pray that there is no one waiting for her back to her original home. Let's just cross our fingers on that."

On the other hand, while Andy and Bec are having a heart-to-heart talk inside the James' kitchen, Sam is outside the veranda advising the three gentlemen – Bob, AJ and Shin – that lunch is almost ready. She also informed Annie to have a rest and get inside the house with Jam. She then is somewhat teased by AJ being thrown out from the kitchen.

"I know we really couldn't trust you in the kitchen. It's either you cut yourself or the whole house will be burned down. Well, at least you could cook rice." Sam grimaced and glared at AJ again after hearing another tease from him. Her brother is quite agitated in giving remarks with regards to her clumsiness especially since someone so dear in her heart is with them listening.

"You're lucky your daughter is just few meters away or I would have drowned you already in Hudson River."

"Oh, really. You'll drown me? Let's see about that. Anyway, could you swim? Maybe you'll be the one to get drowned not me."

"Ha ha ha…Very funny, Alexander. Very funny."

"Don't worry, honey. I'll save you." Shin remarked smiling at her. Sam smiled as well happy that someone saved her from her brother's tease. She was about to retort back at AJ but she was beaten by another remarks of Shin. "That is if you haven't drowned already." She crossed her eyebrows looking at her boyfriend. Her dad and brother were just smiling at them. "Sweetie, what is your weight again? I'm afraid my current weight couldn't lift anything heavier than a sack of rice. I was thinking maybe you have the same weight..Ouch!"

"I thought you're on my side! I can't believe you!" Sam grimaced at Shin after giving him a hit on his right arm which was wrapped around her waist. She then eyed AJ. "What have you been telling my boyfriend? For the last hour, have you been brainwashing him? Daddy, you let this idiot tell things to Ji Hoon about me?"

"I resent that. I am not brainwashing him. It's his own thoughts. And anyway, it's so damn true."

"How could you? I'm not heavy. My weight is just appropriate with my height. Right, Dad?"

"Right, sweetheart." Bob answered smiling at his kids' banters. He's happy with the current status of his family. AJ is married with a wonderful lady and they have a cute daughter. And now Sam has officially announced that she has a boyfriend. And Shin for him is a fine young man. He likes the guy and he's glad AJ would not pester Sam anymore into dating his colleagues.

"See, Daddy's on my side."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. You're Daddy's girl."

"That I wouldn't deny." Everyone chuckled with Sam's remarks. A few seconds later, Annie called to have their much awaited lunch. And so the James family and Shin had the Sunday lunch and dinner.