CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Jongin had expected a lot hear a lot of screaming children, balloons accidentally hitting his face and stepping on a lot of toys. After all, he was in a party meant for children. However, he was not expecting to see Choi Jinri walking towards him in the party with a smile. Shockers. But even when they had a discord, he couldn’t help but to feel elated and proud in a way when she struts confidently across the room just like the Jinri he had always known.

Much more when he found out that she’s keeping the baby, from a relieved Park Chanyeol, no less.

“I might as well go out when it’s still not obvious.” She jokes with a chuckle as she obviously referred to her soon to be growing belly. It was as if she read his mind that was wondering what she was doing there, but he also remembered that she was Doyeon’s godmother when the Jung cousins approached the two with their auntie.

“I’m so happy to see you, auntie!” The confident Doyeon exclaims, running towards to Jinri. It was something she did not tell Jongin, which he was not surprised. Soojung has mentioned how the little girl has gotten upset by how close she was with Jongin which results to how she plays with her auntie less.

Birthday boy Jaesung was relatively much shyer when it comes to people, though Jongin had heard how sweet the young boy is from his auntie. Though Jongin didn’t notice at first as he was looking at Soojung who was talking to Jinri, he later realizes that the kid was staring at him with his eyes wide. He couldn’t help but to raise an eyebrow as if to ask him what’s wrong.

“I want to be like you when I grow up.” Jaesung mutters.

What a thing to say, Jongin thought. He didn’t understand why the kid had said it, but he was touched for some reason.

“You’re a football player, right Jongin?” Soojung had interfered. She had just heard what her nephew said.

“I was.” He utters, but he felt Soojung nudging him. “I am?”

“Wow.” Jaesung gasps in the cutest way possible.

“I told him you’re an incredible footballer so just play with it.” Soojung whispers as she smiled at the still amused Jaesung. “And what did you do to be good at it, Jongin?”

“Uhm, I had to practice a lot?”

“No!” Soojung immediately looks at him and was sending signals by the look in her eyes, but he did not get it. “You had to study hard at school, isn’t that right Jongin?”

“Ah, yes!” Jongin nods seriously, looking back at the kid, who seemed to believe everything the older man was saying. “Study hard, kid.”

“Okay.” He simply replied.

The children was immediately distracted upon the arrival of a clown, which meant a lot more of screaming with an addition of crying. (Jongin never understood why some kids thought clowns were scary). That also meant that Soojung had to leave her two friends.

“Keep her entertained, yeah?” She managed to spat out as her nephew and niece dragged her to where the clown was.

Jinri could only chuckle as they watched the scene in front of them. “I’m really going to miss her.”

“Miss her?” He thought to himself before looking at her. “She’s going back to Boston for her graduation. Don’t miss her too much.”

Confused, she looks back at him but her expression quickly turns blank, as if she wasn’t supposed to say what she had said. “Did she… not tell you?”

Oh how he hated those words. He did not understand them, but it manages to make him nervous.

“What do you mean?”

“I guess, with how crazy the past days have been, she has forgotten to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“I’m in no position to tell you. I’m sorry.”

“Choi Jinri, please.” Jongin looked so serious that Jinri had to sigh.

“The Jungs… They want to open a new branch somewhere in Europe and make advancement over there. They are still not sure in which country exactly, but they are letting Soojung choose where she wants as they’re going to send her there to lead. Knowing Soojung, she won’t refuse their orders and would probably stay there for God knows how long-”

Jongin didn’t even hear the rest of her story. He had suddenly become nervous, and looked around the room as if he had lost something. His eyes lands on Soojung, who was nodding to whatever her brother was explaining to her.

“Soojung, may I talk to you for a second?”

“Oh, Jongin! I’m so happy you’re here!” The girl exclaims. When she turns around, he sees her with a tray full of juice. “Can you help me give these to the children? They’re thirsty.”

Though disappointed that he couldn’t talk to her at the moment, he still took the tray from her, as she got another one to fill with. “But, uhm, can we talk after this? I just need to tell you something important.”

“Yeah, sure! Just remind me. I’ll forget about it, surely.” She laughs before disappearing to where a group of kids were.

Before he could even know it, he was also swarmed by children eager to grab a drink and with just a blink of an eye, his tray was empty. When his job is done, his gaze turns to where Soojung was. Just like him, she had finished the drinks and was now talking to one of the kids. She was crouching down to talk to the child properly and seeing the sight of it had Jongin smiling.

Hoping that he could finally talk to her, he walks over to where she was until Jihoon appears on his sight frowning.

“I want to go home!” He cries, and Jongin lowkey wants to do the same. It frustrated him how close Soojung was and yet he couldn’t talk to her.

“What’s wrong little guy?”

“I’m so bored! Nobody wants to play with me!”

“Surely there’s someone who wants to play with you.” His eyes secretly searches for Soojung’s nephew and niece so he could ask them to play with him, only to find them pulling her to a place further from him. Why is she always being pulled, he did not know.

“Uncle will play with me, right?” The little boy asked, visibly excited at the thought of playing with him. But Jongin makes a face, a small little smile which obviously meant that he did not want to. This quickly disappoints Jihoon, but before he could even throw a fit, Jongin finally agrees. Playing with him would be much better than leaving the place.

In the end, he found himself being dragged too. Just on the opposite direction of where Soojung was.

Jongin kept tossing and switching his positions every now and then despite him forcing himself to sleep. He tries to, but he knows he can’t sleep. Especially when his mind knows that the love of his life is about to leave yet again and when his heart is beating so fast since he knows that he is ready for them to be together.

But how can that happen when they’re miles away from each other?

His mind flashed the scenes of him alone in his Parisian hotel room back when he had cancelled off their engagement. Alone and depressed, he remembers that feeling of emptiness that consumed him to the point that he could only cry. The thought of that haunts him and makes him open his eyes. He didn’t want that to happen again.

He glances at his small clock on his bedside table. Due to the darkness surrounding his room, he had decided to look at his phone instead.

4:30

Jongin sighs. It was too early to do something, but it would be too late if he didn’t do anything. So despite his knowledge of Soojung hating early mornings, he opens Google to search for some 24-hour flower shop or some sort of expensive French chocolat ier because if not, he’ll have to make an excuse once he gets caught on his parents’ garden stealing flowers at such an hour.

Guilt struck Soojung when she had realized that Jongin had left the party without talking to her when he insisted to have a word with her. She really would have loved to talk to him, and even be with him throughout the party, but she had to entertain the guest and being the soft hearted aunt that she is, she also had let herself do whatever Jaesung and Doyeon wanted.

That’s why she made a promise to herself to call him as soon as she wakes up the next day.

Much to her surprise, or to her annoyance rather, she wakes up at five in the morning due to a call from Jongin.

“This better be good…” She mumbles half asleep, putting the phone on her face so that she could speak to him while still being on bed with her eyes close. “Why are you… Why are you calling me?”

“I know it’s early but… I really, really need to talk to talk to you.” He exclaims over the line. He sounded a bit breathless, and she wondered if he was already doing those daily jogs that he always does. She’d ask, but she was too sleepy to speak.

“Can… Can we do that later…” She yawns, not even bothering to get her phone when it fell from her face.

“I’m afraid that this cannot wait. I need to see you this instant, please.”

“Wait, you’re not in danger or something, ar