Chapter 7 

"So, has Kyungseok come to you to tell you about what his and Yeonhee's date would be?" 

Yuri glanced up from the meal she and Seohyun were sharing during their weekly lunch date at a popular restaurant downtown, "Who told you about that?" She asked. 

Seohyun smiled, "Who else but my godson, of course. He told me that the only way he and Yeonhee can go out on dates was if they were chaperoned by you and Yunho Oppa." 

"Yes, that's true but as of yet, he hasn't told me where he wants to go so I'm assuming he and Yeonhee are still trying to figured out where they want to go. Though it doesn't matter where they go, any time they spend together will definitely be supervised." 

Seohyun couldn't helped the small smile that tugged at her pink full lips, "So you think they have an ulterior motive?" "Hey, I remembered when I was young and in love and when you are their age, you looked for every opportunity to be together whether you are under your parent's watchful eyes or not." 

"Yes, that could very well be but at some point, you are going to have to start trusting him Yuri. You can't continued to judge Seok by the way Eunhyuk Oppa behave with you. The more you do, the more he's going to resent it." 

There was anguish in Yuri's eyes and a teensy hint of guilt, "It's hard being a parent these days Seohyun. You want the best for your kids and you go on the assertion that experience is the best teacher but then, you are faced with the question of how you can be there to protect them without suffocating them." 

Seohyun nodded, clearly understanding, "I think for you, it's more difficult because Seok is all you got. Over the years, he has become your life. Have you given any thought to becoming involved in other things?" 

"Other things like what? I have a shop to run Seohyun. It's not like I don't have anything else to do with my time." 

"Yes, but only when Seok is at school. Other than that, you are a full-time mom who really don't have a life other than her child." 

Yuri knew where this conversation was heading since they had been down this road several times. Even her mother has brought up the topic as well. It was one she didn't agreed on. Seohyun felt it was a crying shame that she didn't have a man in her life and hadn't had one since high school. Her thoughts shifted to Yunho and how much she had enjoyed his company on Sunday. It had felt strange sharing her time with anyone other than Kyungseok but she had to admit it had felt good. Too good. After they had eaten, they had play a game of volleyball, the parents against the children. Yuri had been surprised at how much energy Yunho had. After a few sets with the parents winning in the end, they had eaten ice cream and a cake she had baked. 

As much as she had enjoyed Yunho's company, she knew it was out of the question for something to developed between them. There was no way she would start depending on him or any other man for her happiness. She had done so once and refused to go that route again. 

"I don't want a man in my life Seohyun, least not now." Yuri decided to say, "Maybe when Kyungseok leaves for college, I will feel differently and I will get involved with someone but I'm not interested now." She then turned her attention back to her meal. 

"Ok." Seohyun said, placing her glass of water aside, "Tell me about Jung Yunho?" 

Yuri looked up again, giving her an uncomfortable stare, "What do you want me to tell you about him that you don't already know?" 

"Well, Seok couldn't stopped singing his praises when I met him for our traditional afterschool treats. Yunho Oppa definitely made a positive impression on Seok. He thought he was cool and fun to be around." 

Yuri smiled, "He's right. He was a lot of fun." She quickly resumed eating her meal, afraid that Seohyun might see all the lusts that filled her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to tell her best friend that Yunho was the cause of her surging hormones lately. 

"Yunho Oppa isn't a bad catch, you know Yuri. He's good-looking, wealthy, intelligent and generous to a fault." 

Yuri glanced up, "Um, sounds like someone you should be interested in then." 

A smile tugged at Seohyun's lips, "I believe Yunho Oppa would be great but he and I never connected that way. I only see him as a friend and older brother, nothing more." 

Unfortunately, Yuri could see him as a lot more than a friend but she blatantly refused to go there but right now, at the moment, her main concerned wasn't the issued of her and Yunho. 

Propping her chin in her hand, she gave Seohyun a smile, "I understand you want to see me happy Seohyun. I have always known that if I got interested in someone, that person would have to love Kyungseok as much as he loved me. For some men, it's easy to accept a package deal but for others, it's not and those who can't are the ones that women like me do better leaving alone." 

Seohyun reached across the table and took her hand, "I know and believe that there's a man out there for you and believe it or not, he can be depended on. I know Eunhyuk Oppa let you down but you can't continued to judge all men by their actions, Yuri. Every young man needs a good role model in his life and you are cheating Seok of having that now. I think as a single mom, you have done a commendable job in raising him but don't you think at some point, he needs to see you in a loving relationship with a man?" 

Yuri looked Seohyun squarely in the eye. Conversations like these tended to exposes emotions that she would rather keep under wraps because along with the emotions came the memories of the hurt and pain that Eunhyuk had caused. 

"Even if I did Seohyun, that man can't be Yunho. For heaven's sake, he's the father of the girl that my son thinks he's madly in love with." 

Seohyun placed her elbows on the table and laced her short fingers together, "And what does that have to do with anything? More specifically, what does it have to do with you and Yunho Oppa?" 

"I don't want to confused him nor do I want to send out a negative picture about anything." 

Seohyun shook her head, "Seok is a lot smarter and mature than you think, Yuri. Kids these days know the deal and they aren't as naïve as we want to think they are. If something is going on between you and Yunho Oppa, he will be able to picked up on it and personally, I doubt if he will see anything wrong with it." 

"Kyungseok might not see anything wrong with it but I will. How am I going to lecture him about the difference between love and lusts when I'm having problems knowing the difference between the two myself?" 

Seohyun smiled, "So, you are attracted to Yunho Oppa." It was a statement and not a question. 

"Yes, more than I want to be." Yuri said, deciding to finally be completely honest with her best friend, "Around him, I feel things that I have never felt before, Seohyun. We have kissed, twice and I'm not talking about a little kissed either. The man takes kissing to a level I have never experienced before. All he has to do is get close enough to breathe on my mouth and my lips automatically opened. Isn't that pathetic?" 

"Not really, no." 

"Why would you say no?" 

"So what if you have an attraction for him? You are both adults and should be able to do whatever you want to do. Your attraction to him shouldn't have any bearing on what's going on between Kyungseok and Yeonhee and how you are handling their situation. I know you and no matter what you do, you will always set a good example in front of Kyungseok. However, what you and Yunho Oppa do in private is your business but then, like I said earlier, I can't think of a better person for that man to be than Jung Yunho." 

"There are bound to be complications Seohyun." 

"Only those of your own making, Yuri. Good men are hard to find so if you meet one who's interested, you better grabbed him, hold on tight and not let go." 

Later that night, Yuri got into bed, wrestling with the knowledge of her growing feelings for Yunho. She had to finally admit to herself those growing feelings after having lunch with Seohyun. Their discussion had made her realized two things. She found Yunho attractive and y and thought he had a body that was devilish as sin but there was more to him than that. He had already proven that he was dependable, unlike Eunhyuk. When Yunho and his girlfriend had been faced with a teen pregnancy, instead of leaving her in a flash like Eunhyuk had done to her, Yunho had done the honorable and responsible thing. He had made whatever changed the situation called for to make a home for his wife and child. She could tell by his relationship with Yeonhee that he was a good father and from what she read in the articles on various websites, he was also a highly respected businessman and she wanted to believe if he had shown up at her shop that day to tell her that their kids were involved in an unplanned pregnancy versus a plot to cut school, he would be angry, true enough but nothing would make him turned his back on his only child as her ex-boyfriend had done to her. 

She sighed. One of the problems she was having trouble coming to terms with was the knowledge that their relationship, if they could called it that, had developed because of their kids. She doubted they would have met any other way. There was a strong possibility that if they had been in the same room together at any given function, he wouldn't have given her a second looked so in her mind, their meeting was a twist of fate rather than by their own choosing. 

She jerked her head off of the pillow at the sound of the phone ringing. The last time she had gotten a called this late had been from Yunho. Sensations raced through her at that possibility and she quickly reached over and picked up the phone, "Hello?" 

"Sorry to called so late." Seohyun was saying, "But I forgot to mention it today during lunch but a new organization called 'Hearts of the World' which helps areas in certain parts of the world that needs food, clean water, housing and medical helped. There holding their coming out ball and I'm on the committee. The price of the tickets is high but it's all for a worthy causes, of course. Would you like one?" 

Before Yuri could answer, Seohyun quickly inserted, "In fact, you can get two if you like and bring a date." 

"I will take one ticket, Seohyun." Yuri said softly, hoping Seohyun didn't picked up the disappointment in her voice. A part of her had hope the caller was Yunho. She hadn't seen or talked to him since Sunday which was 3 days ago. 

"Sure you don't want two?" 

Yuri rolled her eyes, "No, I only want one ticket, Seohyun. I won't have a date that night. Will that be a problem? I either come alone or not at all." 

"No, that won't be a problem but I was hoping there was someone you could asked. Someone like Yunho Oppa perhaps?" Yuri sighed. She knew where this conversation was heading and wasn't in the mood, "No, only one ticket Seohyun. Good night." She then hung up the phone. 

A few seconds later, before Yuri could reclaimed her comfortable position in bed, the phone rang again. She frowned. There were times when Seohyun was worse than a dog with a bone. She didn't know when to let up. 

Snatching the phone, not giving her best friend a chance to say anything, Yuri said, "Look Seohyun, forget it! There's no way I'm going to asked Yunho Oppa to go with me!" 

There was a brief pause and then... 

"And just where is it that you won't asked me to go Yuri?" Yunho asked in a deep husky voice, that tailored more than mild curiosity. 

Yuri's eyes widened and hot colored rushed into her face. If she had been standing, she would have melted to the floor in embarrassment. Instead, she found consolation in burying her face under the pillow but even that couldn't drown out the sound of Yunho's voice when he said, "Ok Yuri, tell me what's going on and why you won't asked me to go wherever it is that you are going?" 

She closed her eyes and moaned. Her only saving grace was that she had heard the teasing in his voice and was glad he had such a good sense of humor, even if it was at her expense. 

"Yuri?" 

She pulled her head from beneath the pillow, "What?" 

"Are you going to tell me voluntarily or do I have to come over and tickle it out of you?" 

The thought of Yunho actually tickling anything out of her had a stimulating effect on her rather than an amusing one. Yet, she couldn't helped but smile, "I doubt you can tickle anything out of me Yunho Oppa." 

"Don't let me come over there and prove you wrong." He warned in an even huskier tone of voice. 

Yuri closed her eyes and in her mind, she could envision him lying in bed, saying what he had just said. He would be propped back against the pillow with a y smile on his lips and a teasing glint in his brown eyes. She allowed her mind to go a little further by envisioning him lying on top of the bedcovers, completely . Her overactive imagination spread warmth through her as she envisioned her gaze moving down his toned chest and firm stomach before coming to rest on his exposed groin. He was hard as steel. 

She inhaled deeply and wondered what it would be like to touched him there, caress his body all over, bury her face in the curve of his neck, taste his skin and nibble him in a few places to brand him hers. She would let his musky scent filled her nostrils before pressing to his, getting the deep, tongue-tangling kissed she knew awaited her. She would let her hand reached down to touched him in his most private area, feeling the heat of him, hot, hard and thick. The mere thought of seducing him that way had blood racing recklessly through her veins. 

"Yuri?" 

She swallowed, trying to bring her thoughts back in check, "Yes?" 

"Tell me." 

The sensuous tone of his voice was playing havoc on her sensibilities. Yuri leaned back in bed, letting her body cool from the heated thoughts that had flowed through her mind earlier. Her lids lowered and for a long second, she didn't say anything, wondering if she should but she knew he wouldn't let up until she told him. 

"Seohyun mentioned that this new organization is having a coming out ball and she's on the committee." She started off by saying, "So quite naturally, she's trying to get rid of as many tickets as she can. I told her I had get a ticket to support the cause then she tried talking me into getting two, knowing fully well I wouldn't have a date that night." "And?" Yunho asked, when she paused briefly. 

That single, softly uttered word stirred an area of her body that it shouldn't have, "And Seohyun suggested that I invite you." 

"So, that's what you meant when you screamed in my ear." 

Colored rushed into Yuri's face again, "Yes, that's what I meant." 

"I see. Don't I have a say in the matter?" 

"No. The only reason we met is because of the kids." Yuri said, giving voice to her earlier thoughts, "If we had been at any function together, you wouldn't even have noticed me. I'm not the type of woman you would have been drawn to enough to show any real interests in." 

"You think so?" 

"Yes." 

"What if I said you are wrong?" 

"We will never know, will we?" 

"Hmmm, I guess sometime soon I had have to prove you wrong then. Night Yuri." 

Before she could say anything, he hung up the phone.