Chapter 121. Presence

Yonghwa was anxious from the moment he walked out of her apartment that night, he kept berating himself that it’s better if he shut his mouth once in a while. He knew that she had been hurting and hearing that was even worse. He didn’t really know how to handle this but he was doing his best to show her exactly how she meant to him.

Although he wasn’t sure if he should approach right after that, Yonghwa decided to face her the very next day and have a feel of how she would treat him. He waited outside her door but frowned when there was no answer. It was past six so he was expecting her to be home from work. After a few minutes of waiting, Yonghwa tried her phone but she cancelled his call. He was about to try again when he got an incoming message instead.

“Oppa, we’re not home. Dinner with Joowon Oppa.”

Seohyun wrote and he didn’t waste any more time but replied right away, “I see. Can I come tomorrow?”

“Sure. Did you go to the apartment today?”

“Yeah, I just saw your car at the parking lot, I was worried when nobody answered.”

“Sorry. I forgot to send you a message. We rode with Oppa. But Euna will be home tomorrow.”

That last comment gave him hope she wasn’t that upset. He went the next day and the day after that but Seohyun came home later than she was supposed to. Her Yuri Unnie would be there before the old woman went home. It worried him that she was avoiding him until Yuri mentioned that Seohyun was occupied with the preparations for the firm’s party.

After a few days, he found himself driving to the lake house after an inspection to one of his projects close by. He hadn’t planned it but Yonghwa decided to stay for the night. It had been weeks but he couldn’t deny that his house felt bleak and empty. But like he was channeling the spirit of the place he created himself, he made a quiet promise to bring back the light and color in it. Content with this realization, Yonghwa managed to spend the night there.

The next day, as he was checking his home office for some plans he needed to bring with him, he found this stuffed pink bunny laid on the couch facedown. He distinctly recalled that this was one of Euna’s preferred plushies. Sighing, he took the toy and after checking for dust and dirt, he muttered, “I guess you’re going with me today…”

He hoped that this would make his baby happy and when he passed by the garden, the sight of the gazebo reminded him that this would be the perfect time for him to finish it. His attention was transferred towards the flowerbed blooming with pastel of colors. Mrs. Kim comes some days and she was probably looking over the garden for Seohyun as well. Thinking about how she loves ‘her’ garden, Yonghwa decided to transfer one bunch of wild flowers in and put it in another paper bag he found in his car before driving back to the city.

They would be a nice gift for his two favorite girls.

~~~~

She was watching her daughter by the corner of her eyes while she prepared their food. Seohyun smiled seeing her little legs under the walker moved with the music she was so engrossed on at the TV screen. Although she loves working, not seeing her daughter the whole day made her feel somewhat lonely and guilty. So, when Mrs. Kim called that morning to tell her she couldn’t come, Seohyun was just happy about it.

Her thoughts were distracted by the ringing of the security alert and laughed when Euna automatically moved towards the hallway to meet anyone who was buzzing. She pushed the button and raised a brow seeing who it was at the screen, “Hi, Appa! Euna’s there to meet you.”

She unlocked the main door even before he could reply and followed her daughter. Another mirrored doors leading the entryway to the hallway of the main apartment prevented the baby from moving forward but she was already bouncing on her bottom giggling at the sight of her appa on the other side of the door as he took off his shoes. Seohyun leaned on the wall crossing her arms on her chest watching her baby so happy to see her most favorite playmate.

He waved a hand excitedly at her that she squealed in delight before pushing the doors open. “Hi, sweetheart,” Yonghwa greeted the baby first along with a hand ruffling her hair before looking at her, “You’re home…”

She just nodded with a smile but she was really glad to see him after days of not being able to. Seohyun decided that it was a good thing since she needed a break from him after that loaded evening they last talked. She watched as he bent his knees and wrapped his hands on the baby’s face, “How lucky are you, umma and appa are home in the middle of the workday?”

“Ajumma called, she had an emergency,” she replied as he got the baby from the walker and, with his free hand, took two paper bags she just noticed on the corner of the entryway. He followed behind and she went back to the kitchen peeling the sweet potato for Euna’s porridge. “Why are you here so early?” She asked watching them by her periphery.

“I’m here to deliver some gifts,” Yonghwa smiled as he put the baby on the floor and placed his hand inside the bag looking at Euna, “Can you guess?”

The little girl thought he was making her laugh so she just flailed her little arms in the air giving him a soundless laugh with wide open. He started taking his hand in and out of the bag pretending to pull something but since Euna didn’t understand it, she laughed with that belly laughter consuming their whole space. It was so adorable that Seohyun smiled when he could no longer take the cuteness that he scooped her off the floor and hugged her tight, “Aigoo, you’re a funny one.”

“Aish, just give her already,” she playfully muttered from her corner in the kitchen overlooking the living room.

“You want to know,” he chuckled pointing at her but she only grunted so he took the plushie from the bag, “It’s bunnie!” Euna smiled with her tongue sticking out of her lips and grabbed the toy from her appa taking it straight in .