12 | First Love

:::

It did came to Jessica’s mind to hear those words straight coming from her son. He was brave and definitely innocent about it. Not to mention, his father is smiling, which means, he knows his son’s plans.

“Oh dear, I… don’t… know. I mean I have no words to say." Her mind is surely blank.

"What do you mean sica? You don't know me courting you that time." Yul confusedly asks.

"Mom must be surprise, Appa." Yoong guesses getting that bottle of water in the side and handed it to her. "I'm sorry if I surprised you, Mom."

"It's okay. It just... never comes to my mind." Jessica sighs before she take a little sip of her water. She's still at the middle of accepting the fact that it was her son who asks her about it.

"Take your time then." Yul raised his hand and rubs the back of the blonde. It's kind of silly for him but he thought she needed it.

After a while, Jessica finally relaxes. She turned to her ex-husband and signals him to come with her, as she got up and walk away and stop at newhile.

Yul and Yoong looked into each other's eyes. Both are puzzled. Yet, Yul comply after a while. Yoong was left, wondering what it could be. But he hopes his mother will accept it and support his plan. He decided to have an eavesdrop by leaving his seat and take few steps away from them. Just enough he can hear them. Good thing and his mother is back facing, she did not notice he comes closer to where they stands.

"You know about this beforehand, didn't you?" Jessica sternly started.

"He told me the other day and I thought-"

"And you thought it's a good thing?" She interrupted. Eyes not leaving her ex-husband.

Yul was taken aback. By the cold tone he can hear from the blonde, that only means a bad thing. "So... What's exactly your thought?" And he definitely doesn't like where this is going.

"He wanted to court my employee. Which means, he likes her. Do you have the mind to even think it could be a bad thing? You see, she's just my assistant and Yoong is the son of the boss. They don't match. Besides, He doesn't even know her well yet... I don't think that's good to look at." Jessica explained, feeling a bit defensive. She would never like to see her son courting that girl she just told to stop her feelings.

"Non sense! Your son is in love!" Yul exclaimed, defending their doe-eyed son. "There's no boss or employee in his situation right now!"

"Yeah, I was there. He is in love. And he's like the most innocent boy in the world to ever fall in love. He is just a little-"

"Are you kidding me?" Yul chuckled. "He is indeed innocent but he is 27. Twenty seven is not a little kid anymore that doesn't know what he is doing. He pretty much know what is this. Only that, he wants support." He firmly ended.

Jessica gritted her teeth and fists clenched. "Yoong is indeed 27, enough age to know these stuffs but he is still innocent how is this working. Like I said, he doesn't know the girl yet. We never know that girl is just pretending to be kind or anything, so she can get what she wants."

"That's why he wanted to court her. Isn't this also a way to know her well? And Sica, you're not the one in love here. It's your son. And it's his job to work on this, whether he will be hurt or not. At least he experience it." Yul countered. Jessica is not in her mind, over protecting their son.

"So you obviously like the girl for your son?" Jessica scoffed in disbelief.

"If my son likes her, then my job is to support. Which I think you should do."

"What if you will regret?"

Yul was about to speak back when Yoong's voice interrupted the both of them.

"Just say it straight, Witch!" And his tone is not a good news.

Jessica turned, surprised. "S-Son-"

"Just say it straight YOU ING DON'T LIKE JOOHYUN!" Yoong outbursts. "I thought you would be different this time. But no, I was so wrong. You're still the selfish witch I know." He turne and left with fast steps.

"Yoong! Wait!" Jessica was about to follow her son but Yul got her hand, pulling her back. "Let go of me!" Shouted her, trying to let go of her own wrist.

"Look what you've done now? You better fix this before he completely leave again." Yul sternly said, letting go of Jessica's wrist abruptly. He then followed his son, leaving Jessica dumbfounded; and the woman is tearing up, while trembling. The fear of being alone once again engulfed her, she loses her strength in her knees and fell them in the ground, crying. Her world looks like crashing again.

---

It's almost sunset when Seohyun finally decided she should go home and prepare for dinner. She went out earlier and walk with their puppy in a park. Now that she had enough, it's time to go home and rest her legs.

On the way home, the sun is sitting as car passes faintly before her eyes. She smiled, loving the scenery with a peaceful mind. She has never this relax ever since she started becoming a PDN. It feels like she's a human again. If her mother told her she should work to become a human, for her, she's a human when she can feel how relax she is. How she can appreciate life after being so busy and whatnot.

Fortunately, before she can proceeds to their home, she stopped after spotting someone, walking, in the opposite side. And he's obviously worn out. Her heart aches a little, seeing him like that.

A sudden idea came out from her mind, she put on her hoodie over her head and zipped it close. She can still see him with the tiny hole in the shirt. She stood there, waiting for the doe-eyed to have enough distance -- until he is just five steps, "What is Yoongry bird doing in the sidewalk?" She asked with her very low voice, that fits the skull face in the hood.

Yoong literally jumps in surprise and out of fear. "Whoa-Whoa... There..." As the figure came closer to him, he also steps back a few times. "I was just passing by!" He exclaimed, trembling now. He was about to run away when the person laughs so hard behind the skull. He changed his mind as he raised his brows, trying to figure out the laugh. Unfortunately, it only leads her to one person, "Joohyun?"

Still laughing, Seohyun opened the hoodie and fixed her hair with her free hand.

"Aish! You scared the hell out of Me!" Yoong cried, sending the very enjoyed culprit. He kicks the ground when Seohyun did not even stop. "Whatever." He turned and left.

Seohyun quickly stopped from laughing, as she practically chases the doe-eyed. She blocked him before he can go farther. "I'm sorry." She said, catching her breath.

Yoong crossed his arms. But he noticed a puppy is next with her. He got interested more with it, as he crouch down and smile at it. "You did not tell me you have a puppy. What's its name?"

Seohyun sighs, smiling. "Glad to see that smile again." She also crouch down. "Yoongry, meet Lion, our little simba. And Lion, meet Yoongry, my meaniest angry bird." She playfully introduce them. But as she looked at the doe-eyed, he had a poker face. "Why? Did I say something wrong?" she flashes a cute smile.

'Aigoo, my heart... ' Yoong couldn't deny the effect, it would always make him flutter. It's unbelievable the witch doesn't like her, when all that she's showing is positiveness. "You sure so weird."

"Huh?"

"How did a Lion becomes a puppy? Or are you blind? Tsk, tsk." Yoong shake his head.

"He looks like a lion though." Seohyun picked up the puppy and show the face of it. "Look, does he look like a puppy for you. He would even roar."

"Besides the color is brown, I really can't see any resemblance of a Lion. Hahaha You're so silly." Yoong laughs, totally amuse by the silliness.

Seohyun pout sadly. "Lion wae they're not seeing you as a little simba, eh?" She looked down at it in her hands and the latter lifted up his two paws in the air. She giggles at his reaction. "Aigoo, my cutie Lion." And started kissing his facr all around.

"He seems to understands you." Yoong couldn't believe what he saw somehow. But something builds inside him, he is jealous of the puppy being kissed by his crush.

"Whatever." Getting up, Seohyun huffs.

Yoong also stood up. "What were you doing here, though?"

"What? Shouldn't I ask you that? This isn't the way to the mansion if I'm not mistaken. So what are you doing here? Alone? Where's your Omma and Appa?" Seohyun looked around randomly, as if she can see the Jung and the older Kwon.

The mention of his mother made Yoong remember what happened. He looked gloomy again as he passes Seohyun only.

"Wae? What happened?" Seohyun quickly catch up. "Something happened?"

"Sometimes, I really couldn't understand her." Says Yoong with a sad sigh. "But I guess... It was her true color."

"The... Witch?" Seohyun somehow felt a bit bad for asking without being careful.

Yoong puffs his cheeks and stop on his tracks, that also made the the younger do and turn to look at him emphatically. "I envy you, Seoturtle. You have such a caring and loving mother. Should we actually share the same. My mother is such a selfish person. She only thinks of herself."

"Yoongry, don't say that. You know that's not true. Maybe she's like that because she only loves you. She only think of what's best for you. Isn't all mothers like that?" Seohyun couldn't agree with Yoong's words.

"I'm tired. I'm tired of giving her a chance or even understanding her." Yoong groaned as he continue on his tracks. "I really think I should just leave that mansion."

"Please be patient, Yoong." Seohyun catches up right away with Lion tailing behind.  She reached for his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "She's sick and it's easy for her to be stress. I'm pretty sure she doesn't mean what happened."

"Are you going home now?" Yoong asks when something comes to his mind.

"Yes. But since-"

"Can I come with you? I don't want to go back anymore."

"What? No way!" Seohyun stopped abruptly. "Let's get you back to the mansion!" And pulled him, holding his hand tightly. "She's sure so worried now, Yoong!"

Yoong tried to let go from the younger but Seohyun is persistent. She even started dragging him. "Yah! Yah! Yah! I can walk by myself!"

"You're not going home with me! You're going home to the mansion!" Seohyun firmly stated not planning to let go. The bus stop is so near already, so she can bring him there successfully.

Groaning stubbornly, Yoong still tried. And when she let go, he attempted to run away but Seohyun caught his wrist so fast.

"Don't be stubborn, otherwise, I'm going to feed you to LION!" Seohyun warned, as if it will frightens the latter.

Thus, it made Yoong looked down to the innocent puppy, apparently looking up to him as well. He grimace and sigh in defeat. "Should we go somewhere first? I don't want to go back right away. It will just stress me seeing her again."

"You promise to go home?" Seohyun strictly asked.

"If you will bring me somewhere I haven't gone." Yoong's smile curved into a small smile.

Seohyun smirked as an idea instantly comes to her mind. She did not warn him and started running, which causes for the latter to almost lose his balance. Lion started running as well, barking on them.

Yoong looked back and laughs at the cute sight. Seohyun is also laughing, didn't know it will be fun, running with Yoong, as the sun is setting in the corner of their eyes.

'A human's laughter never failed to amazed me. It feels so great listening to them. They're magical and music to your ears.'

***

Yoong almost let out a laugh if he did not held it back, upon arriving in a place he had never gone indeed, cultural theater. "What are we doing here?" yet, he's still this curious.

"You haven't seen any cultural show, no?" Seohyun has this wide smile in her face as she handed Yoong the other ticket. They casually fall in line.

"Cultural show is my type. But I've been to one during elementary days." Yoong answered with a sheepish grin. He stood behind Seohyun as the latter knows the theater well.

"That's why I'm bringing you here."

"Eesh, you are obviously happy."

"Wae? Aren't you happy?" Seohyun turned her head with a curious stare to the doe-eyed.

Yoong smiled. "Of course. Whenever I am with you."

"That's good. Because you will surely enjoy this." Seohyun smiled back before she returned her head. She bit her lip, suppressing that smile to turn into a big one.

"This place isn't that crowded." Yoong noticed the small line they're creating in going inside the place.

"Cultural show are indeed not mainstream." Seohyun informed as matter fact. "But I love it. Well, ever since I was in high school. Hehe." She added, recalling the past.

"Yeah. Normally concerts are popular which ever youngsters are going. But in concerts like this? It's impossible to see them fanboying." Yoong mutters.

"Exactly."

"Good thing and most people are foreigners. They appreciate more of our culture that makes you proud."

Seohyun loved what she's hearing from thr doe-eyed."It's tourism business as well."

"True."

"How about your mother? Does she goes like this place?" Seohyun mindlessly mentioned the chairman, causing for her to cover and scolded herself mentally.

Yoong remained silent only. He expected it already, from someone as nosy as Seohyun.

-

It hasn't even started, Yoong is already eating the snacks they bought. The moment they settle down, his stomach just growl, who wouldn't?

Seohyun on the other hand had a secret message she sent to chairman Jung.

Chairman Jung: Yes, He's safe and sound with me. I'll drop him off in the mansion later after this cultural show we're about to watch, Ma'am ;)

She has this satisfied smile creeping her face, knowing that the chairman would always care for her son. And she's glad she never think twice and contacted her.

"Oh, it's starting." Yoong suddenly excitedly says, snapping Seohyun back to reality. She looked at him in amusement.

As the traditional music started to fill the entire theater, dancers in the stage wea