Chapter 21. It's All Fun and Games Until...

After she made sure that Euna was comfortable on the bed, she turned just in time to see him put a smart phone looking device that she soon realized to be a baby monitor on the table. She couldn’t help but commend how thorough he seemed to be. Everything that he prepared for Euna, every single thing she couldn’t have provided herself. For him to treat her daughter this way, she could only imagine what he’d do if Euna was really his.

Goosebumps appeared on her skin with the mere thought.

“What is it?”

She focused her attention to him and saw his pensive expression, “Huh?” Yonghwa only gestured at her and it was only then that she noticed how she was rubbing her arm. She smiled guiltily, “Uhm, nothing.”

“Stop. Whatever you’re thinking, just stop,” he replied sternly then handed her the monitor. “Hold on to this so you won’t worry too much when you leave her alone.”

Seohyun nodded, “Thank you… for everything, thank you.”

He looked at her. That moment, she looked so small and weak, the exact opposite of the woman he met on that rainy street. She must have been feeling insufficient and overwhelmed of the things he got. Yonghwa winced, it wasn’t his intention at all but he couldn’t help but feel guilty that it looked like he was showing off. He ran his hands through his hair and gave her an awkward smile, “Honestly, I don’t really know what a baby needs so I just decided to get everything… I guess—“

Before he could continue, Seohyun shamelessly lounged into his arms that it took him by surprise. She wrapped her arms around him. It was the purest gesture and unabashed expression of gratitude that she couldn’t stop herself and in no time, she was crying. Ever since she found out that she was pregnant, her hormones were all over the place and she would cry for the silliest reasons but she always held back the tears until she would be alone. Seohyun cried most nights especially after Euna was born but she never let anyone see her tears— except now.

She sobbed on his chest forgetting really why she shouldn’t be like this— just letting her emotions flow out. Without even trying to stop, she cried until she felt those gentle hands on her back moving up and down almost not touching as if hesitating. “T-thank you…” she mumbled.

“You don’t need to—“

“No,” she pulled away finally and looked back at him. She smiled when she noticed those eyes that were unsure. Perhaps it was a first for him to see a grown woman cry in front of him. She shook her head, “Please don’t stop me from thanking you because this is all I could do now… don’t take that away from me.”

Yonghwa understood. This stupid, stubborn woman standing in front of him with those eyes b with tears, face flushed and nose oh so red it reminded him of Euna’s. He smiled and ruffled her hair, “Alright then, you can thank me all you want.”

“Thank you,” she muttered then both of them laughed. She sighed as she wiped her tears-stained face. “I’m sorry… they say it’s the hormones.”

“Of course, blame the hormones,” he said flatly that made her smile even more. He took a deep breath and reached out to wipe the remaining tears from her eyes. “If I’ve known any better, I’ll say Euna really took after you… such a crybaby.”

Forcing herself not to laugh, she eyed him questioningly, “Who else would she take after?”

“Uhm, me?” Yonghwa said almost playfully but when her smile bloomed, his heart suddenly jerked. Swallowing back this weird feeling, he nodded, “Ready?”

Seohyun noticed the sudden change in his expression, like he was about to say something but hesitated. She nodded. The house tour would be a good distraction. Following him out of the room, Seohyun clutched the baby monitor in her hand. If Euna was comfortable in her new surroundings, she’d definitely sleep for at least four hours but the house tour won’t be that long and how she would spend the remaining time in this house with him was making her nervous for some reasons.

His pace slowed when they walked through the hallway. Seohyun noticed that they bypassed the three other closed doors on the second floor. Ignoring that, she focused her attention to the hallways lined with empty picture frames and she wondered if those were just for artistic effect or waiting for them to be filled up later. She should ask him one day all these questions about this house.

When they reached the first floor, Yonghwa turned towards the opposite side of the open living room where she was already acquainted with. She knew that they were heading to the kitchen but he made another turn that she thought they were headed to the back of the house. The hallways here, as well as that upstairs, were painted the lightest shade of gray but the only difference of the one they were threading on was the absence of the empty picture frames. Just then, the hallway turned into a curved maze that she had to remind herself that this was an architect’s house and, at last, he stopped and turned to her after pressing a button on the wall. The blinds around them lifted slowly to expose a wall-to-ceiling windows that gradually lighted the whole room.

Seohyun almost gaped at what she was seeing. On one side of the room facing the lake was a large drafting table connected to a desk with a roll of parchment paper and some papers scattered on top. At the opposite end was a computer and a bookcase surrounding the corner. A black armchair was positioned on one end of the room facing directly towards the vast lake ahead. Also, there was an ash gray loveseat across his work space and a small coffee table on its side. She chose to sit on the loveseat as she watched him grab a chair near his desk.

“This is where you’ll usually find me when I’m here…” Yonghwa spoke watching her eyes wander around his personal space. He imagined this— showing this to some stranger and he didn’t like the thought of it but watching Seohyun’s eyes in amazement, he felt the same pride the moment she first laid eyes on his home.

“It looks really nice…” she said as she looked at him. “Does that mean you’re not usually here?”

Yonghwa chuckled, she had always been quick at subtle notes, “Yes, but usually I bring work here especially on the weekends.” Seohyun only nodded so he continued, “Behind that bookcase, there’s a gym if you want to use.”

“This house is a maze,” she remarked and it elicited a laugh from him. “You suddenly tell me rooms that are not very visible or obvious.”

“You can say that,” he smiled, “There are a lot of adjacent rooms. I like the idea of rooms with different functions but easily accessible for me, like this room. I can easily work out when ideas stuck. There’s an outdoor hot tub at the balcony of the master bathroom.”

“A what?!” Her eyes widened but he just shrugged so she added, “But this lake house is just opposite the golf club.”

“It is,” Yonghwa grinned, “Don’t worry, there’s this half-wall surrounding it. Private enough so you’d be perfectly safe when you join me for a late night dip…”

“And why would I even want to— no, don’t answer that!” Seohyun shook her head the moment she saw that glint of mischief in his eyes. She walked to the glass door and carefully slid it open. The late morning breeze rushed inside and she breathed the fresh air reminding herself that she should keep her calm despite the effects of his jokes on her.

Surprisingly though, she didn’t feel offended by the way he would . In fact, she was a bit grateful for them since the teasing lighten the mood between them. The more he , the more she became comfortable of being around him and it was better than being awkward.

The truth was that he reminded her a lot of her older brother. Not the ual jokes of course, but the way her oppa would try to piss her off. Growing up with him, she learned to be tolerant and patient. She sighed. Her oppa was so mad with her decision of leaving home but she promised him she would be okay. And he would surely be angrier that she kept her pregnancy even from him. If he knew about it, she would surely be in the US with him right now.

And it would mean failing on her mission— the reason why she was in Korea in the first place.

“I’m sorry…”

She heard him from behind her. A smile formed on her lips since she didn’t really expect an apology. Perhaps he assumed that she was upset and she wanted to explain why she w