Chapter 102. Revelations

“Hyunie? It’s Umma.”

Her heart pounded suddenly and she felt like air just got out of her system until her brain processed what she heard, “Oh my god, Unnie. Don’t ever do that again!”

Yuri laughed on the other line, “What? I was just preparing you.” She giggled again when Seohyun groaned, “Okay, I’m sorry…”

Her legs just gave in and she slumped on the floor beside her baby.

“I’m not ready…” her voice trembled, she wiped away her tears when Euna looked up to her and she gave her a smile. That was the sudden realization that rushed through her.

“Oh, Seohyun,” Yuri sighed, “Your oppa called me. He said you’re ignoring his messages. He’s worried that you really turned your back on your own family. Just give him a reply, Seohyun. That’s all he needs.”

She sniffed as she shook her head, that wasn’t her intention at all. Hearing that pained her because she never thought he’d think that way, “Okay, I will… I’m so sorry…”

“You have nothing to apologize to me,” her unnie said softly in a voice that she knew only for her benefit. But there was also some tightness in it making Seohyun realize that she was not happy with her avoidance.

Then, Yuri continued pointedly, “I talked to him and he understands that it’s hard for you to reach out right now. But, it’s probably time for you to consider letting your family back in your life.”

Yuri was right and she acknowledge that. It was only her initial fear of threading on that somewhat unknown place that was pulling her back. She had the very same feeling when she learned that she was pregnant and considered going to her brother. Seohyun feared that the longer she stay away, the more she would create this distance between her and her family. After a few seconds of silence, she finally sighed, “I know, I’ve been gone for almost two years.”

“That’s why, don’t wait for one more year,” Yuri replied pointedly, “Although your parents may seem not to care, I think they really do. They just have a very different way of parenting.”

She almost laughed at that but her unnie was right. Her parents are just too used to knowing how they were from other people they pay or hire to see to it that they were well provided. And she wouldn’t be surprised if her mother already had someone tailing on her the moment she stepped out of the plane from Japan.

“And you have to tell Yonghwa,” Yuri added indignantly.

“I will,” she winced as she said that. Somehow, telling him that she made up her mind on reaching out to her family would also give him the wrong impression. But there was nothing else to do but to stop ignoring the inevitable. She should start making plans on how she would reach out to her parents, but before that, her Oppa should come first. When the call ended, she gathered her baby in her arms and cuddled her until they fell asleep.

By late afternoon, the two of them were just holed up in the lake house and Seohyun distracted herself by doing house works that needed attending to after their vacation. When the sun sank low in the horizon, she wondered why Yonghwa hadn’t checked in yet since leaving that morning. At first, she thought that he was busy considering he was gone for almost a week or he could have gone to some sites outside the city. She only decided to call when it was finally dark and Euna was almost ready for bed, but it was only sent to voicemail that she started to worry. Finally, she decided to call Jonghyun instead and was relieved that he answered and assured her that Yonghwa left his phone at the office and that they were with some clients.

However, the relief didn’t last when the clock ticked to almost midnight and he still wasn’t home. It never happened before and she couldn’t describe the worry that came to her every minute of it, she couldn’t even sleep. It was past midnight when she got a call from Jonghyun telling her that he was driving him home. She panicked for a bit since she couldn’t understand why Yonghwa would have to be driven home and he wasn’t even talking to her personally at that.

She waited by the driveway and gasped when Jonghyun stepped out from the driver’s side and ran to the back helping him out. “What happened?” Seohyun asked sprinting to them and instinctively ducking in to take Yonghwa’s other arm.

“We just got excited,” Jonghyun explained with a chuckle most probably as assurance that this was nothing but normal.

“I’ve never seen him this drunk,” she quipped almost biting back at how casual the other man put it. If they got excited, why was Yonghwa the only one wasted like this?

As if reading her thoughts, Jonghyun replied coolly, “I’m the designated driver so…” he shrugged obviously trying to keep her calm, “Anyway, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have encouraged him.”

Seohyun sighed struggling to walk with his weight on her side although she knew that Jonghyun was taking most of it from her. Thoughts hovered in her head, trying to retrace her steps where he started acting even a little bit weird. She only noticed a small one detail that she thought irrelevant, and hopefully still is, which was his distance that morning. All she could think that had a major impact to both of them was her declaration that she was his girlfriend by default.

Now, she wondered if Yonghwa just realized that he didn’t want the label. That he was struggling with this now.

After a few minutes of literally dragging him from the driveway and into the living room, Jonghyun almost collapsed beside his barely awake friend sprawled carelessly on the couch as she gingerly tried to keep his limbs from hanging on the edges.

“Should we move him upstairs?” He asked with neck tilted so he could massage his shoulder.

Seohyun thought for a moment before replying, “I’ll fix some mattress in his office. It would be easier than taking the stairs.”

“Yeah, that sounds better,” he nodded and followed behind her, “I need water first.”

She looked over her shoulder as if making sure he was behind her still, “Help yourself, please. I’m sorry, I even forgot to ask if you need anything.”

“That’s okay. I wouldn’t need one if he isn’t as heavy as I am,” he chuckled and before she could disappear from the hallway, Jonghyun spoke again, “Don’t think too much of this, okay? It’s been a while since he joined us for drinks, nothing for you to worry about.”

She nodded and mouthed her small ‘thank you’ then made her way into his study. Seohyun recognized his intention for saying that, however, she was even more skeptical now that he sounded more defensive than he claimed it to be. But she knew too that she should give them both the benefit of the doubt.

Making the bed was almost effortless since they had been sleeping in that room once in a while and before long, they managed to put Yonghwa there. Once they were sure he was comfortable, Jonghyun announced he was leaving so she walked him back to his car. Their conversation during that short trip was focused mostly on Euna and how they spent their mini vacation. She decided not to probe more since he might not have the answers she needed at this point.

When she went back to the room, she chuckled whe