Chapter 42: Escape

She hung up but Yonghwa held on to the phone for a couple of minutes. How long was it been since he heard her laugh for the day? He suddenly missed her laughter.

He felt terrible.

How to treat a girl?

No—how to treat Seo Joohyun better?

Yonghwa adjusted Euna in his arms and carried her back to bed. His baby was sound asleep unaware of the storm that was brewing between the two people she dreamed of putting together forever. Above all else, Joohyun loves Euna, he could probably assume that she loves his little girl more than he loves him. Although it was different but Yonghwa was somewhat envious of that love— unconditional at that.

After putting his daughter to bed, Yonghwa dragged himself to his room and wondered how Joohyun somehow doubts his feelings for her. That day where he almost made love to her was the closest thing to showing her how much. It would probably make him a jerk but he never used only as a physical contact; he was never into casual and he would only do it with the woman he loves.

And that woman he could only see is Joohyun.

That day was clear to him especially when he went out after his shower and heard her on the phone with Changmin. Right after that, he talked to that other man; he was jealous, to say the least. And the two of them didn’t talk about what happened but Joohyun looked lonely than upset. He didn’t know what he did. He would never regret not taking her all the way because he knew she deserves more than that.

But he won’t be able to give her more if she would keep on running away from him both literally and figuratively.

For him, she ran away but he realized that something stirred in her that day and he didn’t have any clue what it was. What bothered him most was the fact that she had to go to that other man instead of facing him head on. Joohyun had always been outspoken but lately he recognized the way she would deflect when he would notice the disturbing sadness in her eyes.

Or maybe he was thinking too much.

~~~

The Saturday afternoon breeze blew mildly at them. The early signs of autumn nipped at their skins but Euna was so happy she did not notice at all. Her umma suggested that instead of going to Everland they should just spend the afternoon on a picnic at the park near their house. She also called Daehan’s mom and asked permission for him to join them. It made her really happy to think that her umma knew how she feels. Appa grumbled though while she was on the phone.

“I found you!” Daehan tagged her gently on the back and he scampered away from her.

Euna squealed as she got out of her hiding place and watched her oppa jump over the stone paths. She was about to follow him when she heard her appa called her back.

“Euna, be careful!”

Her appa scolded her but she saw Umma touching his shoulder. She smiled at her and nodded so Euna knew it was okay. “I will!” She shouted back and raced through the trees to find her oppa. They had been playing for a while now and she was tired but Euna knew he would leave soon.

And then she was sad again and she wanted to see him longer. “Oppa, where are you? I give up! You can come out now!”

Euna looked around but he wouldn’t come out so she called and called and it was frustrating her—

“Boo!”

Daehan came out of nowhere and tugged her gently. She spun around and glared when he laughed. Euna huffed, “You can’t do that! I said I want to stop playing!”

“Hey, just because you couldn’t find me, you wanted to quit!” He grumbled then crossed his arms on his chest, “That’s not fair!”

Euna imitated the way he stood and pouted. If she got mad, he would surely stop being mad at her. But he was taking so long so she sighed and uncrossed her arms. She knew she was still it and he had to run or hide again. But Euna moved towards him and when he didn’t do anything, she leaned closer and peck a kiss on his cheek

He didn’t expect that. Did Euna just kiss him?! Eww! Daehan wiped the kiss by his forearm and could only sigh when she didn’t see what he did because she was already flying through the open field.

Wow, he just got kissed by a girl.

And Daehan did chase her forgetting what happened.

~~~

“Look at your little lady…” Joohyun elbowed him then nodded at the two kids by the distance standing face-to-face with their arms crossed on their chests. Moments ago, they were obviously playing hide-and-sees and she wondered what game they were playing now. They were so pretty to look at and it made her remember her own childhood with Changmin.

They were so like them.

He sighed, lifting his eyes on the children ahead then looked at the woman beside him, “She’s six…”

“And she’s happy…” she snapped but lightly and not without that tiny lift on her lips that worked every time.

And it was indeed working as Yonghwa stared at her for a long moment until a curl of smile showed on his face. Dropping his hand on her shoulder, he kissed her by the temple and spoke softly, “Why do you always have to make sense?”

“Because I’m a woman?” Her suggestion made him laugh.

“What?” He drew her closer to him and murmured lowering his gaze on her, “Because you’re my woman, you mean?”

Joohyun could only giggle at that and just when they both looked at the two little couple, they got the biggest surprise when Euna boldly kissed Daehan on the cheek and started skipping away with that big smile on her face. Her head turned to him and she almost laughed out loud with that big wide eyes that had decorated his face, “Director Jung, are you okay?”

“Was I dreaming?” He asked blinking widely but noticed that amusement she was wearing.

“Do you want me to pinch your cheek?” She was trying so hard not to laugh and with a slight tilt of her head, Joohyun continued teasingly, “Just to make sure, of course.”

“Is s