Reset (chapter 18): After The Rain

Kyuhyun smiles forcefully. “Minnie” he said as he holds her hands. “Let’s cancel the divorce”

There’s a moment of silent as Sungmin just stares at him blankly. “What?” She asks. She rubbed her eyes. “I’m not dreaming, am I?”

Kyuhyun laughs. “No, you’re not”

“But… why? All of a sudden…” Sungmin said. She stares at him suspiciously. “Kyu, if you do this just because you don’t want to break a heart like what you did to Wookie unnie a few years ago, then it’s better if you don’t do this. Don’t sacrifice yourself for someone who hurts you”

There’s a moment of silent as he doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t want to tell her the truth and upset her. He doesn’t want to let her know and think that he decided to cancel the divorce just because of it. He shrugs. “I’m not” he said. There’s a moment of silent. He holds her hands tighter. “I just… I realized that I love you too much that I can’t live without you” he adds, saying part of the truth. He stares right into her eyes. “You know… if we divorce, I won’t be seeing you at all. And that’s… a life where there is no you… I just… I can’t even imagine it”

“But… what about what you said at the garden a few days ago?”

“I’m just being stupid” he said. “To be honest, I still haven’t forget it at all. What you did to me. Every single piece of memories still felt so real to me, as if it just happened yesterday. I just… I thought I can’t live with those memories. But I still love you. It’s like, it hurts for me to let you go as much as it hurts for me to hold on to you. I don’t even know what I should do. It’s as if whichever path I choose will drag me to the wrong way” he adds. He smiles bitterly. “So I decided to just let you go, thinking that I’m able to live without you. Maybe I can bear the pain to let you go more than to bear the pain of living without you and those memories. But you were ruining my decision. The more we got close, the more you stayed with me, that’s the more I realized that I love you. That’s why, I pushed you away, by saying that I don’t love you anymore”

“But, I mean… you sounded like you didn’t lie!” Sungmin said. “You sounded too calm, you made me believe it was real!”

“I also didn’t expect that. I sounded really unexpectedly calm. I’m always like that. I always sounded unexpectedly calm every time I lied to you” Kyuhyun said. “I was wrong… I was stupid. When you fainted, I thought of the worst possibility. What if you’ll never wake up? That means I’ll never see you anymore. Like, literally never see you anymore. That worst possibility made me realize that I can’t let you go… that’s why”

There’s a moment of silent. Sungmin stares at him awkwardly. “But… you still haven’t forget anything” she said. “That hurts you. And hurting you even more is the least I want to do”

“Well… I won’t lie. Yes, it hurts. It still hurts” Kyuhyun said. “But the thought of living a life where there is no you hurts more than that”

Another moment of silent as they just stares at each other. Sungmin finally smiles at him. “You know what? You made my world a living roller coaster” she said. “One moment you take me down, and the next moment you take me up. Now, you just did it again. You take me real high after throwing me down”

“Well, if so, I hope you love roller coasters” Kyuhyun said as he smiles back at her.

“So… are we good? Like, really good?”

“Well… maybe it will be a bit awkward since we haven’t been in a nice term for so long” Kyuhyun said. “But let’s try. There’s always a beginning for everything”

“By the way, how did you come here?” Sungmin asks. “You still can’t walk properly, right?”

“Not properly, but enough to walk here” Kyuhyun said. “I mean, you’re with me everyday, helping me with my practice, of course I can walk now. Not yet really normally, but I can. Besides, I’m going out of here next week. A few more practice will do”

Sungmin was about to say something when someone knocks softly on the door. Doctor Song came in as he looked down on the floor. “Oh, doctor Song. What happened?” She asks.

Doctor Song coughs. “Can I—“ he stops talking as he realized his voice is shaking. “Can I talk to Mr. Cho for a while?”

Kyuhyun stares at him suspiciously. There won’t be much to talk about after that news. “Me? Why?” He asks.

“Pl—please, I’ll explain later” the young doctor said nervously. “Or, do you want me to get a wheelchair for you?”

“No, that’s fine. I can walk by myself” Kyuhyun said, still suspicious. He turns towards Sungmin. “Is it fine if I leave you for a while?”

Sungmin nods. “Make sure you come back here later” she said. She just stares at both of them as they left the room. “They seemed weird” she mumbled to herself.

 

~~~***~~~

 

Doctor Song keeps on staring down at his feet. He tapped them nervously. It’s been 20 minutes since he sat in the corridor with Kyuhyun beside him and he still doesn’t know how to say that. To talk about his stupidity.

He bites his lower lip as he remembers his conversation with nurse Hwang a while ago.

“Doctor Song, where is the blood test result for Ms. Lee Sungmin at room 501?” Nurse Hwang asks as she walks towards him.

Doctor Song turns to look at her. “I just told her husband the result”

Nurse Hwang stares at him confusedly. “Her husband?” She asks. “But Ms. Lee Sungmin is not yet married”

“What?” Doctor Song asks. “But her husband is also my patient. He’s—“

“Wait a minute” Nurse Hwang said. “Doctor Song, seems like you’re mistaken. That’s Mrs. Lee Sungmin, blood type A. You gave her Ms. Lee Sungmin’s result. Blood type O”

There’s a moment of silent. “That means… I gave the wrong result?”

“Apparently yes”

Doctor Song face palmed. “Why am I so stupid?” He asks himself.

And now he has to deal with his own stupidity.

Kyuhyun coughs. “Doctor Song? I thought you have something to say?”

“I… um, what’s your wife’s blood type?”

“A. Why?”

Doctor Song face palmed. He stands up and kneeled in front of him. “I—I’m really sorry. It’s all because of my stupidity!” He said. “You can do anything, but please don’t sue me! I’m the oldest in my family, and I need to send my sisters and brothers to school, I can’t—“

“Wait” Kyuhyun said. “What are you talking about?”

Doctor Song closes his eyes tightly. “I gave you the wrong result. There’s another patient with the same name as your wife” he said. “Your wife, she’s actually fine. Just a bit too tired and stressed”

There’s a moment of silent. “So… you mean, it’s just a misunderstanding?” Kyuhyun asks. “She’s fine?”

“Yes” Doctor Song said. “I’m really sorry. Please don’t—“

He stops talking when Kyuhyun laughs. “Why would I sue you?”

Doctor Song stares at him. “It’s fine?”

Kyuhyun nods. “Everyone makes mistakes. If I was you I wouldn’t even bothered to pay attention to such little details” he said. “Besides, I think I should thank you, instead”

Doctor Song stares at him confusedly.

“Well, I almost did something I will definitely regret” Kyuhyun said. “Thanks to you, you made me realize what will happen if I lose something really important”

“Huh?”

Kyuhyun shrugs. “Nothing” he said. He smiles at him. “Anyway, good job, for being careless. See you later” he adds before he leaves.

Doctor Song just stares at his back confusedly. “Is that a compliment or an insult?” He asks. “That sounds like a compliment though. So weird”

~~~***~~~

“What did doctor Song talked about?” Sungmin asks when she saw Kyuhyun enters her room.

Kyuhyun just laughs upon hearing her. “Nothing”

“Nothing? Absolutely nothing?” Sungmin asks. “You’re lying”

Kyuhyun laughs—again. “Nothing really important, I mean”

“Why are you keeps on laughing?” Sungmin asks. “You’re weird”

“I don’t know” Kyuhyun said. “I’m just… relieved”

“Relieved? Why?” Sungmin asks. “Seriously, what are you talking about? You’re so weird today! Did you eat something wrong?”

“Relieved that I don’t have to lose something important, after all” Kyuhyun said. He shrugs. “I don’t know, maybe I’m just in the mood for being weird today”

“And that’s what make you even weirder” Sungmin said. “Stop being all mysterious, okay? Stop hiding things from me before another misunderstandings happen”

“I only hide unimportant things from you” Kyuhyun said. “Mostly, it’s too unimportant that I forgot to tell you”

“But what if only you thinks it’s unimportant? What if I do?”

“Now, do you trust me?” He asks. “I promise, nothing will happen to us from now on. Do you promise me?”

“Is it really okay if I promise you?” Sungmin asks.

“It’s okay, as long as you try your best not to break it”

Sungmin smiles at him. “Fine, I promise you that nothing will happen to us from now on” she said.

Kyuhyun just smiles back at her as he remembers the memories from those days. Just like what he said, the memories were still very clear, as if it just happened yesterday. He tries to stop thinking about it by changing the topic. “I think I need to go back to my room now”

“No, don’t—“ Sungmin said as she holds his hand, preventing him from leaving. “Don’t leave me”

Kyuhyun just stares at her confusedly.

“Don’t leave me” Sungmin said. “What if you never come back?”

“I’ll ask this one more time” Kyuhyun said. “Do you trust me?”

Sungmin nods. “I do, but—“

Kyuhyun smiles at her as he leaned his face against hers. “Then trust me, I’ll be back tomorrow” he adds before he kissed her lips. “Good night” he adds before he left.

Sungmin smiles to herself as she hold her lips. “I can’t believe this” she said to herself. “I acted like a teenager in love”

I guess unexpected things does happens after all.

~~~***~~~

“Yesung? Are you okay?”

Yesung snapped out of his thoughts when Heechul asks. “I’m… fine”

“What are you going to do?” Hankyung asks. “Are you going to meet her, or not?”

There’s a moment of silent. “Actually, what does she want?” Yesung asks. “She left me years ago. She promised to fetch me, but still no one came after years. What does she want now? Why look for me now?”

“Yesung, it’s not—“ Heechul stops talking when Yesung cuts off her sentence.

“I don’t know. I’m not even sure if I will meet her” Yesung said. “I don’t care what she has to say for me”

“But, she’s your mother” Hankyung said. “You should give her a chance”

“I know” Yesung said. “But where is she when I need her? I do nothing wrong, why dump me? She said she loves me, but why left me?”

“You know, there might be some problems you didn’t know” Heechul said. “Give her a chance”

“Chance? I gave her too much already” Yesung said. He blinks his eyes to avoid crying. “I just… if there are really something wrong, why don’t tell me? I will be understanding. I mean, I was forced to understand that my father died when I was a kid, so why not tell me the truth?”

“I’m sure she has a nice reason” Heechul said. “However, mother knows best”

“We’re really sorry for keeping this matter from you” Hankyung said. “After all these years we’ve been together, you know that we think of you as our real son. We just can’t let you go”

“It’s fine” Yesung said. “It’s not that I wanted to meet her”

Hankyung sighs. “Well, we can’t force you if you don’t want to” he said. “After all you’re the one who holds the decision”

“Are you really not going to see her?” Heechul asks.

“I won’t”

There’s another moment of silent as none of them know what to say. Heechul knows how much Leeteuk suffered, and she knows that she never meant to dump him.

But on the other side, she knows she doesn’t have the righr to tell him. Leeteuk does. She needs to tell him by herself.

“Yesung, think twice” She said. “If Tae Hee is the one in your position, if you’re the one in our position, what will you do?”

“I won’t force her to go” Yesung said. “Besides, if it’s Tae Hee, she’s the exact opposite of me. She would do anything to meet her parents”

“That’s what I meant” Heechul said. “Any other kids would do anything to meet their parents. But you’re one of the few that is given the chance. Are you really going to waste the chance that kids like Tae Hee has been waiting for?”

“But, you’re my parents” Yesung said.

“Tae Hee also thinks that you and Ryeowook are her parents” Hankyung said, helping Heechul as he knows where the conversation is heading. “But it’s not like she doesn’t wants to see her first parents, her biological parents, right?”

There’s a moment of silent. Yesung sighs. “Fine, I’ll go” he said. “But only because of Tae Hee”

Heechul smiles at him. “Good. We’ll tell her” she said.

Even though deep inside, she’s feeling really insecure.

What if he chooses his real family? What if he left them?.

It all became one of her biggest worries.

 

~~~***~~~

 

“Umma, that picture won’t change no matter how many times you look at it” Jongjin said teasingly when he enters his mother’s office.

Leeteuk puts down the picture she’s looking at upon hearing him. She smiles at him. “You know I’m excited” she said.

Jongjin smiles at her. “It’s good if you’re excited” he said. He walks towards his mother’s desk and stares at the picture too. “He looks just like Appa. It’s weird”

“I know, right?” Leeteuk asks. There’s a moment of silent. “That’s fine even if he doesn’t want to meet me. I’m sure he’s still bitter about what I did towards him”

“He will meet you, trust me” Jongjin said. “He will be understanding. I mean, I’m sure he knows how hard our live was”

Leeteuk just smiles bitterly at him. Jongjin doesn’t know what really happen because Leeteuk never really told him. She just told him that she had to leave Yesung because she can’t send him to school.

“Umma?”

“Huh? Oh, what is it?”

“Your phone keeps on ringing” Jongjin said as he pointed towards her cellphone.

“Oh” Leeteuk said. She gets her phone. “Wait a minute”

“Hello?”

‘Hello, Teukie?’

“Oh. Chullie. What is it?” Leeteuk asks.

‘Yesung wants to see you’ Heechul said.

“Oh my, really?” Leeteuk asks excitedly. “When can I see him?”

There’s a moment of silent. ‘Oh. He said that you’re the one who needs to set the date and time’ Heechul said. ‘He will be free this whole month’

“Oh, it’s great then” Leeteuk said. “Can you just give me his number so that I can contact him?”

‘Uh… that’s’—‘ there’s another moment of silent as Heechul stops talking. ‘Well… uhm, Teukie, actually he doesn’t want to see you. But I believe, you deserve a second chance, so I sort of made him go’

Leeteuk’s smile vanished upon hearing her. “Chullie… you don’t… you don’t have to do this” she said. “It’s fine if he doesn’t want. I’m happy by just knowing that he’s fine” she adds. She takes a deep breath. “Besides, I know it’s hard for you too. I know you love him just like your own child. And I’m glad because he got you”

‘I won’t lie’ Heechul said. ‘It’s really hard for me. But I know how much you suffered all these years, looking for him. I’m also a mother, and I know, how hard it feels when you lost your son, and how relieved it feels like when you know he’s alive. And I’m not selfish enough to let this sufferings go on’

“But—“

‘No more buts. Just text me the date and time, I’ll tell Yesung’ Heechul said. ‘I’m sure deep inside he’s pretty much excited’

Leeteuk laughs upon hearing the teasing tone she used. “I’m so lucky to have you as my best friend”

Heechul laughs. ‘I know. You’re so lucky for knowing me’ she said. ‘I’ll hang up’

“What happened?” Jongjin asks as Leeteuk puts her phone down. “You sounded serious, then you laughed, then you sounded serious again, then you laughed again”

“Just something about your brother” she said. She smiles at him. “We’re going to see him soon, Jinnie. Aren’t you excited?”

Jongjin laughs. “I’m excited as long as you’re excited”

 

~~~***~~~

 

‘You don’t have to drop Tae Hee here tonight. She can stay with you’ was the first word Yesung said to Ryeowook after she answered his call.

“Huh?” Ryeowook asks. “What are you talking about?”

‘I need some time alone’ Yesung said. ‘It’s okay if she stay with you tonight, right?’

Ryeowook knew there’s something going wrong. Yesung sounded upset. Just like how he sounded a few years ago, when he dumped her. “There’s something wrong, right?”

‘No’ Yesung replied, a bit too fast for her to believe.

“Yesung, tell me”

‘There’s nothing. Really’

Ryeowook sighs. Tears starts forming in her eyes as memories of those days come. The days where Yesung left her for no reason. “You know what? Sometimes, you act as if you love me so much, and then you act as if I’m nothing” she said. “I’m not a toy, okay? You can’t just do whatever you want to me”

There’s a moment of silent. Yesung sighs. ‘Wookie, please. Not now’

“See? This is what I meant” Ryeowook said. Her voice started trembling. “You acted as if you love so much, yet, you hide so much stuffs from me”

‘Kim Ryeowook. Please not now’ Yesung said. ‘I just… please just leave me alone’

Ryeowook knew he was being serious when he called her by her full name. “Why? Why must I leave you alone?” She asks. “Because now you’re not in the mood to play with your toy?”

‘Ryeowook, please’

“Please what?” Ryeowook asks. “You always acted as if I’m not a part of your life every time you have a problem. As if I’m nothing”

‘Can we not talk about this please?’

“Oh, sure. Okay, fine” Ryeowook said sarcastically. “After all, I’m just your toy. I need to follow your orders every time and of course, you don’t have the right to tell me your problems because I’m just your toy, and owners don’t have to tell their problems to their toys”

‘Kim Ryeowook!’ Yesung said, unconciously raising his voice.

There’s a moment of silent. “Great. Now you scold me” Ryeowook said. “I really am just a toy, huh?”

‘Wookie, I… I’m sorry’ Yesung said. ‘There’s just something bugging me… I didn’t mean to scold you’

“Then why don’t you tell me? I can help”

‘I can’t’

“And why can’t you?” Ryeowook asks. “Oh, I know. It must be related to other girl, just like what you did a few years ago, right?”

‘Wookie, stop being so insecure. I only love you’

“Tell me, is there a way for me not to feel insecure?” Ryeowook asks. “You said you love me, sometimes you act like you really do, but you never really tell me anything serious about you. I always find out from someone else. Remember when you had an affair with Minnie? I found out from Changmin, not you”

‘Can we stop?’ Yesung asks. ‘Can we stop looking back?’

There’s a moment of silent. Ryeowook’s tears were already rolling down her cheeks. She quickly wipes it even if she know Yesung can’t see it. “Fine” she said, her voice was trembling. “I just want a bit of your understanding, I just want a bit of your trust, but it seems like you can’t give it”

‘Are you crying?’

“No, I’m not” Ryeowook said. “Anyway, I’ll drop Tae Hee at your place tomorrow. Good night, I love you” she adds, still managed to say that she loves him at the end of their phone calls, just like how they usually did, only this time, she didn’t wait for his answer and just ends the call instead.

“Marriage blues, huh?”

Ryeowook look behind only to find her mother standing in front of the staircase. “Mom…” she said. “Where’s Tae Hee?” She asks when she noticed that she’s alone.

“Asleep, in my room” her mother, Jihyun said. “That’s why I went down here. I wanted you to call Yesung and ask him if it’s fine if Tae Hee stay with us tonight. She seemed tired” she adds. “But maybe I came not in the very right moment”

Ryeowook just smiles forcefully. “Yesung said that Tae Hee needs to stay with us tonight. He’s a bit busy” she lied.

Jihyun smiles at her daughter. “You don’t have to lie. I heard everything. Yesung wants you to leave him alone for a while” she said. “I always knew you guys were not in good terms this past few weeks. You seems like you’re drawing a line”

There’s a moment of silent. “You know?” Ryeowook asks.

Jihyun laughs softly. “I’m your mother. I knew how you act” she said. “So what happened?”

Ryeowook shrugs. “He said he has a problem tonight, and Tae Hee needs to stay with me because he needs some space” she said. “But he won’t tell me his problems. It’s as if he never trusted me on his problems”

“Wookie, guys can sometimes be very mysterious” Jihyun said. “They will hide everything from you, which makes you start to question if they love you or not. Truth is, they love you too much that they hide it” she adds. She sat on a sofa right beside her daughter. “If a guy loves a girl, they will never ever want that girl to see his weak side. Maybe that’s what happened towards Yesung right now. He just doesn’t want you to see his weak side, so he hide it”

“But… I’m afraid” Ryeowook said. “The last time he hide something from me, you know what happened”

“Marriage blues” Jihyun said. “This is what usually happened to women or sometimes men when they almost get married. They suddenly feels hesitated to get married. Like is it the right choice? Will I get hurt?” She said. She flashes a teasing smile. “Yesung promised to propose you as soon as Kyuhyun wakes up, right?”

“Wh-what? How did you know?”

Jihyun laughs. “This is why you shouldn’t tell your brother everything”

There’s another moment of silent. Ryeowook smiles bitterly. “I cancelled it” she said. “I told him to wait”

“You cancelled what?”

“I cancelled his promise. I’m not ready. What if I get hurt again?” Ryeowook said. “At first he said no. But then this thing happened. We talked about it in a restaurant where his colleagues were having lunch. I accidentally blurted out about what happened a few years ago” she adds. Tears starts rolling down her cheeks again. “Shortly, he’s suspended for a month for breaking company’s image”

“Oh my, what did he said?”

“He told me he was fine with it. He takes it as a holiday and as a punishment for what he did. And he told me he will wait for me” Ryeowook said. “But I know how much he loves his job. A month suspension means a lot for him. And I also know how he never meant to do what he did before… this is just making me even more guilty”

“Wookie, do you think he loves his job more than he loves you?”

Ryeowook looks up, right into her mother’s face. “What? I... I don’t know”

Jihyun smiles. “I know he loves you more than anything. That’s why I gave him my blessings even though he haven’t asked directly for it” she said. “You didn’t meant to do it. And he’s right. A month suspension is just like a holiday. It won’t ruin anything”

“But his colleagues will never treat him the same” Ryeowook said. “They will always treat him like a backstabber. And I hated it how someone judged him like that when they don’t know what happened”

Jihyun laughs. “You know what? You reminded me of me when I was young” she said. “Your father is almost just like Yesung. Maybe even worse. He never said he loves me, not even once. Every time he had a problem, he never told me. But he’s always flirting with me, and even calling me his girlfriend. He just never clearly said he loves me. Not even once” she adds. “At least Yesung said that he loves you”

“Daddy is like that when he was young?”

Jihyun nods. “So one day, just like you, I blurted it out, right in the middle of our campus” she said. “Everyone heard it. And soon, it became biggest gossip. Kim Soohyun, a jerk who played with a poor girl named Jun Jihyun’s heart”

“That sounds like a terrible gossip”

“I know, right?” Jihyun asks. “Your father said it’s fine. He doesn’t care what those people said. And just like Yesung, instead of getting mad at me, he apologized to me and followed what I wanted” she said. “He told me that he loves me. He just doesn’t know how to say it, and he thought that it’s enough if he didn’t say it. But you know, those kids in our campus won’t stop, right?” She asks. “They still judged him”

“So what did you do?”

“I hated it when they judged him like that, without knowing what kind of person he is” Jihyun said. She laughs. “So I pulled your father to the middle of our campus, and tell him to say he loves me as loud as possible”

Ryeowook laughs. “Mom, you’re crazy”

Jihyun smiles. “Finally, you laughs” she said. “Now, what I meant is, maybe Yesung has his own reasons, don’t think about it too much”

Ryeowook’s smile vanished upon remembering him. “But…” she stops. She stares at Jihyun sadly. “But it seems like I only bring troubles for him”

“Why would you think so?” Jihyun asks. “Now, who made him stay strong until now? It’s you, Ryeowook. If not for you, then maybe he’s already committed suicide by now”

“But that’s it. What else did I do for him?”

Jihyun sighs. “You need some space” she said. “Think about it thoroughly” she adds as she stands up. “But if I were you, I wouldn’t let this chance go. I wouldn’t let a guy who loves me so much go” she adds before she leaves.

Ryeowook looks down. Yesung loves her so much, she knew it.

But it always seems like he never trusted her. Jihyun’s right. He may has his own reasons, she knew it.

But he doesn’t have to put it this way, right?.

When things were supposed to go right, why does it go wrong?.

 

~~~***~~~

 

“Kyu, do I look good?” Sungmin asks as she walks towards Kyuhyun who just stares at her while smiling.

It’s been a week since he’s released from the hospital. And today, he’s going to bring her to meet his friends. As a new beginning.

He never really introduced her to them formally. And they decided to start all over again, so he’s going to start nicely now. By letting her know all of his friends.

Kyuhyun laughs. “Minnie, you look good in everything” he said. “Besides, even if you don’t look good, we can’t back off. We’re just one step away from meeting them. Open this door, and there they are”

Sungmin hits his chest gently. “Cheesy” she said. “I just wanted to make a good impression”

“Actually, they know you already. What good impression?”

“But they… they don’t seem like they like me so much” Sungmin said. “You know… because I hurt you”

‘Because I hurt you’.

As if it’s a magic spell, those moments reminds him of those memories. The memories he wanted to let go so bad yet he keeps on holding every pieces of it.

Kyuhyun holds her hands as he tries to shook those thoughts of. ‘It won’t happen again. Stop thinking about it’  he thought. He forces a smile. “If I can forgive you, why can’t they?”

“But even you can’t forget what happened” Sungmin said. “I just… are you sure you wants to bring me to see them? I mean, I can wait in the car with your driver”

“You know, we need to start with a brand new beginning” Kyuhyun said. “All of this… well, part of it was my fault. I never really introduced you to my friends that you didn’t know them. I just… don’t want it to happen again, okay?”

There’s a moment of silent. Sungmin smiles bitterly. “You just said that because you want me to feel better, right?” She asks sadly. “So that I won’t blame myself too much”

“Yes” Kyuhyun said teasingly. He laughs. “Happy now?”

Sungmin pouts. “You always say what I wanted to hear” she said. “But not at the right time”

Kyuhyun laughs—again, as if he already forget what happened. As if everything’s fine. “Anyway, are you ready?”

Sungmin calmed a bit upon seeing his smile. She intertwines her fingers with his. “Ready”

“Let’s go” Kyuhyun said before he opened the door.

“Hey! Finally you—“ Changmin stops talking upon seeing Sungmin, holding his hand. “Come” he adds awkwardly.

There’s a moment of silent as everyone just stand there, as if the clock has stopped ticking.

“I thought…” Seulgi’s the first one to break the silence. “We’re here to celebrate your recovery. Not to celebrate you finally becoming a saint?”

“We are” Kyuhyun said, as if he doesn’t understand Seulgi’s sarcasm.

“What’s with her?” Minho asks. “Why bring her here?”

“I just want to introduce her to you”

“Don’t tell me that you forgave her?” Suho asks. “You go back to her? After what she did? Are you a saint?”

“I just decided to forget her” Kyuhyun said. “After all what’s done is done”

“But it never means that what’s done won’t be done twice, right?” Changmin asks. “I mean, come on. She cheated once, why are you so sure she won’t do it twice?”

“But we won’t know if we never try, right?”

“Yeah, we’ll never know if we never try” Seulgi said. “Let’s see how you regret what you said today once you know the answer”

kyuhyun knows what does that means.

That means, the answer is it will happen again. He will get hurt again.

He always knew that there’s a possibility it will happen again. But he’s too scared to admit it.

Sungmin noticed his expression. She know he understands what does that means.

It’s all because of her. If only she’s not stupid enough to did that.

“We never know you’re this stupid” Suho said. “For now, it’s only your stepbrother, and he was forced to do it. But next, probably it will be someone you don’t know, and he did it because he wants it”

“Is it… is it really wrong to become naïve and believe in your feelings, at least just for once?” Kyuhyun said. “I thought you guys know how I still love her no matter what she did”

“We know. We always know how you become weak because of that feeling” Seulgi said. “Kyu, you can’t keeps on being weak like this. She will treat you just like a trash if you will go back to her no matter what she did like this”

There’s a moment of silent. Kyuhyun knows it’s true.

Nobody has ever said it to him like this, so it usually hurts less. But when someone said it, it just hurts even more.

Sungmin knew she needs to do something. “Kyu…” she called as she pats his shoulder.

Kyuhyun looked up and stares at her. “Yes?” He asks. “Sorry I ignore you. What happened?”

“I think I left my phone in the car. Could you please get it?”

“But—“

“Please” Sungmin said.

Kyuhyun sighs. He knew Sungmin did this on purpose. “Fine” he said before he left the room.

“I know you did that on purpose” Seulgi said. “What are you going to do? Convince us? Beg us?”

Sungmin didn’t say anything. Instead, she kneels down. “I know, I know all of you hates me because of what I did. I won’t blame you. I deserve all the hate” she said, her voice trembling from trying to hold back her tears. “But Kyuhyun never deserved it. Please don’t hate him”

“We never hate him. We just tell him what he supposed to know” Changmin said.

Sungmin ignores him. “At first, he tried to push me away. We even agreed to process our divorce after he recovers” she said. “I also didn’t know what happened. He changed his mind all of a sudden. So don’t blame him”

“Stop trying to gain sympathy, will you?” Seulgi asks. “You think we’ll suddenly turn towards you?”

“No. I didn’t try to gain any sympathy” Sungmin said. “I know you hate me. I won’t try to change it. But please, at least, pretend that you can support Kyuhyun’s decision in front of him. Just in front of him”

“What?”

“Kyuhyun never really said it, but I know, he haven’t forget everything yet. Every words reminds him of all those memories. And I know, he’s still questioning his decision” Sungmin said. “I know… I know it’s my fault that the memory is made in the first place. But please… at least, pretend that you support his decision. I just… don’t want to see him hurt anymore”

“If you don’t want to see him hurt, why do that in the first place?” Minho asks.

“It was a big misunderstanding” Sungmin said. “I was too stupid and too possessive towards him. That day, I saw him with Seulgi in his office. I got upset… I never knew he’s close to any other girl than me. I mean, I know, but I never know your real relationship. That you guys were just friends. That’s why… I did that stupid thing”

There’s a moment of silent. Seulgi sighs. “Stand up”

Sungmin looked up as the other stares at her confusedly.

“I said stand up. You don’t hear me?”

Sungmin quickly stands up upon hearing her.

“I can’t believe this” Seulgi said. “You’re too stupid”

“I know I’m stupid” Sungmin said. “That’s why, I’m trying to fix my stupidity. I promised myself, that I will make him happy, no matter what happened now. He already tried his best to make me happy, so now it’s my turn. I’ll do anything for his happiness”

“Literally anything?” Minho asks. “What if one day he got bored of you and asked you to leave?”

“Then I’ll leave” Sungmin said. Tears start rolling down her cheeks. “I don’t care how much it hurts for me. This whole thing has taught me to not become selfish”

“If we told you to leave him, for what we think his happiness, what will you do?” Changmin asks.

There’s a moment of silent. “I’m sorry, but I won’t leave” Sungmin said. “I won’t leave unless he’s the one who asked me to”

Changmin smiles. “Fine” he said. “I forgive you”

“What?”

“You don’t hear me?” Changmin asks. “I forgive you. I don’t know about the others, but I forgive you”

“I think I have to agree with Changmin” Seulgi said. “But you have to remember this one thing: Kang Seulgi has no relationship with Cho Kyuhyun other than friendship. Understand?”

“But… why?” Sungmin asks. “All of a sudden?”

“We all know you’re stupid and stubborn, and we still don’t really like you because of that” Changmin said. “But at least your stupidity is because you love him”

“Okay, that’s cheesy as ” Minho said. He shrugs his shoulder. “But I think I need to agree. What about you, Suho?”

There’s a moment of silent. Suho sighs. “Do I looks like I have any other choice?” He asks. “Just make sure you don’t repeat it again, or else, we’ll be the one who drag him away from you, and made him realize. Get it?”

Sungmin smiles. “Yes!” She said. “Thank you. Really. Thank you. I never expect all of you to forgive me, but you actually did”

Seulgi smiles back at her. “Well, if Kyuhyun can forgive you, why can’t us?” She said. “But just like what Suho said, don’t you ever repeat it”

Sungmin was about to say something when Kyuhyun goes back. “What happened?” He asks.

Changmin laughs. “Nothing” he said. “We just happened to realize why you choose her”

Kyuhyun stares at him weirdly. “You guys are so weird”

And all of them laughed.

Seems like the sun is starting to shine again.

 

~~~***~~~

 

‘Today is the meeting with your mom! Don’t forget! You still remember when and where, right?’

Yesung sighs upon reading Heechul’s text. A week has passed since he found out about his mother.

The past seven days was a disaster to him. Finding out that his mother wants to see him again after dumping him, and even fight with Ryeowook with no clear reason.

Ryeowook. He hasn’t seen her since that day. Well, he did. When she dropped Tae Hee at his condo a day after that fight. But she refuses to talk about it. In fact, she avoided having a conversation with him.

“Papa!” Tae Hee called him.

“Oh. What is it, honey?” Yesung asks as he forces a smile.

Tae Hee pouts. “Seriously, Papa? I’ve been asking you, and you’re not even listening”

Yesung laughs upon seeing her cuteness. Tae Hee has always been his mood booster. She has been showing him that nothing can go worst when it’s bad. He carries her in his arms. “Sorry. I was just spacing out” he said. “So what is it?”

“Where are we going?” Tae Hee asks. “I mean, why I must dress up nicely and wake up early?”

There’s a moment of silent.

This.

As much as he hates his mom for what she did, he still doesn’t want to be late to their meeting, he still wants him and his daughter to look good in front of her.

Yesung coughs. “To meet your grandma and uncle” he said.

“We’re going to see grandma Chullie and uncle Kyuhyun?” Tae Hee asks innocently.

Yesung smiles. He shook his head. “No, honey. Your other grandma and uncle” he said. “You have two grandmas and uncles. Just like how you have two parents”

“Wow. That’s cool!” Tae Hee said. “So what are their names? Are they nice?”

Yesung laughs. “We’ll see them later” he said. “Now, ready to go?”

Tae Hee nods.

They were about to go when suddenly the doorbell rings. “Wait. I’ll just open the door” he said as he puts her down.

Tae Hee pouts. “I want to go with you”

“Tae Hee, this might be an important conversation” Yesung said. He took out his phone and gave it to her. “Here, you can play with my phone for a while. You know the passcode, right?”

Tae Hee nods. “Me and Mama Wookie’s birthdays!”

Yesung laughs as he ruffles her hair. “Great” he said. “See you in a while” he adds before he left to open the door.

His smile vanished as soon as he sees someone in front of the door. One of his source of problems these days.

 “Ryeowook…”

Ryeowook smiles awkwardly. “Hey. How are you?”

Yesung coughs. “Fine. I guess”

“Great” Ryeowook said awkwardly.

There’s a moment of silent as both of them don’t know what to say. 

“So… it’s been a week” Yesung said.

“Yeah, it’s been a week”

“And… okay, Wookie, look, I’m sorry” Yesung said. “I’m just not in my right mind that day. I was so upset. I don’t know what to do, and you’re even making me felt more upser, so I scolded you”

“You know, I won’t make you more upset if you just told me what happened”

“It’s not as easy as it’s said” Yesung said. “And I won’t scold you if you weren’t taking unimportant matters seriously”

“Unimportant?” Ryeowook asks. She laughs bitterly. “So I’m the only one who thinks our relationship is important?”

“Wookie, I’m not talking about our relationship!”

“Then what are you talking about?” Ryeowook asks. “Imagine if it was me. Imagine if I was the one who hurt you. If I was the one who never tell you any of my problems, even if I call you my boyfriend, I never trusted you with any of my problems. You never know what I did when I didn’t tell you anything. I could do anything with anyone. And you won’t know. Now, will you feel upset? Is it really unimportant?”

“Wookie, it’s been almost a year” Yesung said. “Why can’t you trust me?”

“Remember what I said, Yesung? Almost is never enough. Even a year won’t be enough to make me trust you like I ddi, let alone a few months” Ryeowook said. “Besides, why would I trust you when you never trusted me?”

Yesung sighs. “It was my mother, okay?” He said. “It’s my mother who dumped me years ago. She came back. She wanted to see me.  I was upset. I don’t know how I will explain it to you”

“In the end, you will tell me when it’s too late”

“What too late?”

“I’ve been thinking for this past a week” Ryeowook said. “We keeps on fighting everytime we meet. And worse, the matter weren’t even that serious. And you never trusted me with your life. What will happen once we got married?”

“Wookie, what do you mean?”

“Let’s break up. For real now” Ryeowook said. “Yesung, we’re planning to get married, but deep inside, we’re not yet ready. You never discuss to me about things before doing it, which is what a husband must do to his wife”

“When did I ever do that?”

“When you adopt Tae Hee? Not that I don’t like her, but what if I wasn’t ready to be a mother?” Ryeowook asks. “When you have problems? You never discussed to me”

“But Wookie, you know how I’m such a mess without you” Yesung said. He sighs frustratedly. “Besides our relationship is just perfect. I mean, we’re already become our own little family. We only lacked marriage. And you know I can marry you as soon as you said ‘Yesung, I’m ready now’”

Ryeowook shook her head. “No. our relationship also lacks trust” she said. Tears start forming in her eyes. “The trust that you can’t give me”

“Wookie, please, don’t do this”

“No. I must do this” Ryeowook said. “We don’t belong with each other”

“But—“

“Next time, if you have a new girlfriend, make sure you let her know that you trust her fully” Ryeowook said as she faked a smile. “And… please teach Tae Hee to stop calling me Mama, because it will hurt your girl’s feeling”

“You cared about someone other than you who I don’t even know if she exist’s feelings” Yesung said. He stares right into her eyes. “But what about my feelings?”

“You will get over me one day” Ryeowook said. “See you later” she adds as she turns her back. She was about to left when Yesung holds her arm. She turned towards him.

Yesung sighs as he tries to hold back his tears. “Can I—“ his voice was hoarse. He coughs. “Can I kiss you for one last time?”

Ryeowook thinks for a while before she nods which made Yesung let go of her arms and walks closer to her. He leaned his face closer to hers. She could feel his breath, just like how he can feel hers. “I love you” he whispers. “I really do”

And they kissed. Sharing the sadness that they couldn’t show. Sharing the feeling of not wanting to let go of each other. Sharing the unexpressed love between them.

People said, once a rain stopped in one place, there will be another rain in another place.

And that’s what’s happening now.

~~~****~~~

“Seriously, what happened when I left you earlier?” Kyuhyun asks out of curiosity. They already got back from the ‘meeting’ and now they are at home, laying on their bed while lazily cuddling each other.

Sungmin laughs. “I also don’t know” she said. “I can’t really explain”

Kyuhyun laughs with her. “My friends can be really weird sometimes” she said. “I hope you don’t mind”

“It’s fine though” Sungmin said. She pinched his nose gently. “I’m already used to your weirdness”

Kyuhyun raises an eyebrow. “Seriously, Lee Sungmin? You just called me weird?”

“So what if I did?” She asks teasingly.

“You’re really going to regret this”

“Oh, I’m scared” Sungmin said dramatically.

Kyuhyun flashes a smirk. “You better run now” he said before he starts tickling her.

Sungmin laughs out loud as he won’t let go of her. “Kyu… stop… I can’t…. breath” she said between her laughter.

“You better apologize now” Kyuhyun said as he won’t stop.

“Fine… sorry… you’re not… weird”

“Good” Kyuhyun said as he stops tickling her.

There’s a moment of silent as they realized that he’s already on top of her. Their lips almost touching each other’s.

Sungmin was about to say something when Kyuhyun kissed her. Their first kiss after all those hurtful years. She closed her eyes as she realized what was going on. The kiss started to get passionate as his hands started to look for her shirt’s button, and starts ing it.

He won’t let go of her if he didn’t remember that they needed oxygen too. Both of them just stares right into each other’s eyes as they tries to catch their breaths. He started to kiss her neck instead.

“Kyu…” she moaned softly as she felt the weird feeling.

That’s when Kyuhyun remembered all those years. All those memories of watching the girl he love having with his step brother. How she called his name on every move he made.

“Kyu?” Sungmin asks when she realized he stops.

Kyuhyun looked up and stares right into her eyes. “Minnie”

“Hm?”

“Can I— Can I erase Yesung Hyung’s trace from you?”

There’s a moment of silent. Sungmin give him a sweet peck on his lips. “You can even do more”

Seems like they will be busy tonight

~to be continued

A/n: 2 more chapters to go till the ending :’) some little spoilers, it will be a happy ending ;) (because I fcking hate sad endings on chaptered fics. It’s like ‘I’ve wasted my precious time to read this fic only to find a fcking sad ending and wasted my tears? Wha~t?’ XD) a~nd I apologize for being such a troll XD this fic is too serious, I decided to add some of my long-lost rom-com touch XD

Btw, early update! Do you guys like it if I update faster like this? XD btw, sorry for the last scene. is just something I REALLY CAN’T WRITE. I mean, I read it (lots of times tbh lol) but I just can’t write it ><