The sun is playing peek-a-boo with them as they stroll down the Douglas fir trees lined path.

It’s already December but the winter has been good to them this year. No sign of snow, yet. Most people are walking around in light jackets. Hyukjae has on just his suit while Hyoyeon is in her sweater still, her coat bundled under the baby’s stroller. She likes being outdoors and going for walks (he remembers).

As he continues to watch her out of the corner of his eye,

There’s a deep pang in his chest – a longing for his dream of a family with her to be real – he didn’t care where he was or where he had to go as long as he could have her by his side.

“Hyoyeon..” he tries again but she silences him with a light shake of her head. The smile on her face assures him that she’s not mad so he complies with her wishes. A light but chilly winter breeze flows between them and his body instinctively moves a little closer to hers – he can feel the familiar warmth radiating from her and the whiff of her signature Chanel no.5 hits his senses. If he just moves his hand an inch it would be touching hers..

“Get a grip Hyukjae. She’s off limits now!” he reminds himself angrily.

Baby Jae Min’s sleepy chuckles are the only sounds that fill the air around them – that and Hyukjae’s slightly heavy breathing. He’s trying to control himself as much as he can.

Suddenly a group of young children run by them – they are in a mad chase –almost knocking into Hyoyeon. Without really thinking about it, Hyukjae takes over the stroller, “Here, let me!”

And Hyoyeon doesn’t protest. It’s crazy but being here with him like this – seeing his loving and gentle side has completely erased all the painful memories of their past – it had been just 5% of their relationship anyway. The remaining 95% he had made her feel like the most loved girl in the entire world.

And she always knew that he never cheated on her or acted in any of the terrible ways she’d heard of guys betraying their girlfriends. Had she been wrong not to hold on a little longer?

==============================================================================

She notices that Hyukjae’s pace has slowed down considerably  – literally snail like. Wondering why she glances forward and realizes that they are almost outside the park gates now. She can’t help chuckling.

“What’s so funny?”

Those are the first words spoken in a while and his voice is thick.

“Nothing,” she waves the thought away and contemplates that risks are good to take once in a while, “you didn’t get your coffee earlier, right? Would you like to join me?”

Hyukjae’s face lights up like a Christmas tree – it makes her own heart fall. Hastily she adds, “It’s just for catching up.”

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When they enter the coffee shop, it’s quite deserted. 11 am: most of the patrons are at work so the baristas and servers rush to their feet to greet them.

Eyes widen and a couple of the girls’ faces fall.

Mr. Jung, the Coffee shop owner, comes over to say hello since Hyukjae is a regular. He’s a hyung, in his late 30s, and he takes in the sight of Hyukjae with a girl and a baby with composure. Like his coffee shop with its musky and polished wooden interiors, Mr. Jung is smart and classy enough not to ask awkward questions (unlike the two servers who are now sobbing and hugging each other).

He leads them towards the huge oak windows in a secluded corner of the shop – with enough room for the baby’s stroller to be set beside Hyoyeon’s chair and says he’ll be back to take their order.

Hyoyeon glances around, obviously impressed. Glossy dark wood bookshelves line the walls from floor to ceiling, the table and chairs have also been carved out of trees and in the corner is a roaring fireplace. The smell of roasted coffee beans surrounds them.

“Who would have thought that you would be a VIP customer in a place like this?” she muses to herself but aloud causing Hyukjae to immediately protest, “Yah! You mustn’t have heard but I am a sophisticated coffee connoisseur now, okay.”

That little slip into banmal* happens naturally.

He wonders if he should rephrase but Hyoyeon’s smiling at him so openly (for the first time since they’ve met again) that he thinks its ok.

She pauses to check on the baby who is still sleeping as soundly as ever and after lightly readjusting him within the cushy blankets, draws away with a little brush of her fingertips to his ruddy little cheeks.

“He’s a really good baby,” Hyukjae comments, as he feels his heart being pricked by pins and needles. “How old is he?”

“Five months.”

“And..” he is interrupted mid-sentence by the squealing of the two server girls who have appeared at their table as if my magic (not really, but if feels like it because all he sees is her).

“Annyeong haseyo oppa,” the girls bow to him and wait expectantly for an introduction to the girl, who they assume is his wife. But Hyukjae doesn’t know how to refer to Hyoyeon.. well the truth is he wants them and the rest of the world to believe that she’s his wife.. “This is..”

“This is my Hyoyeon,” he says finally and her eyebrows shoot way up in surprise.

“Annyeong haseyo unnie. We can call you unnie, right?” They talk like they are still in high school where everything is bursting with emotions, emoticons and endless exclamation points – the energy is palpable and it makes Hyoyeon smile a little – longing for who she used to be .. because then she’d still have him beside her.

“Can we see him?” one of them begs referring to the still sleeping Jae Min.

“Just a tiny peek! We won’t wake him up!”

“Of course.”

Hyoyeon gently moves the blankets away and girly oohs and aahs fill the coffee shop.

“So cute!!”

“ohmygosh so precious, I’m dyiiiiing!”

“Unnie, he’s so handsome! Must be because he looks like his dad, right?” one of the girls jokes thinking Hyukjae must be the father.. (oh how he wishes!)

and Hyukjae finds his heart breaking all over again when he sees her reply, “Of course,” without even blinking an eye.

* banmal = informal speech like you would speak withsomeone you're close to

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A/N you guys are so good with your comments! Look what you've done! third chapter and its not the end! but im enjoying writing this -ive had the end planned out(but scenes keep popping up in between) you know how i always say the stories write themselves. you dont mind right?

and sorry the baby cannot be hyukjae's. he's only 5 months old :((

this is short because its only half of a chapter but it felt like a good place to stop since i most definitely will not be able to end it in one more. looking like 2 more after this but it'll be quick so will still feel like a one-shot (i keep extending rofl)

thanks for the encouragement and please comment for a fast update. the 2nd half of this chapter is ready and waiting *.*