45. Days Like These

Yuri found her in the bedroom with Euna rubbing her feet together and making mumbling noises as if she was talking to her mother. She quietly sat on the bed when she noticed the small movements that the younger woman was making, “Is everything okay?”

Seohyun shifted and wiped her tears. She rose shaking her head but ended up crying a little louder.

Yuri frowned, “Seohyuna, what happened?”

But Seohyun could only shake her head and wipe her tears with the back of her hand until her unnie pulled her in an embrace. The comfort her unnie brought her was helpful at least she was no longer alone. When her tears subsided, she asked Yuri to give her a moment and slipped into the rest room.

Just as Seohyun left, Yonghwa peeked into the room and smiled when he saw Yuri coaxing the baby to smile. “Where’s Seohyun?”

“In the bathroom,” she realized that something must have happened to her friend so she spoke, “Can you take Euna out? I think Seohyun is not feeling well.”

Yonghwa frowned and looked over the closed door, “Is she okay?”

“Just tired, I guess,” Yuri shrugged making sure that Yonghwa wouldn’t probe any further. She lifted the baby up and handed her to her appa, “Let her play outside. I’ll look after Seohyun.”

He stood looking as if he was unsure if he should just leave knowing that Seohyun was not feeling well. Euna grumbled so he nodded towards Yuri, “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will,” she smiled, “Don’t worry too much. I think she’s just tired. She’s not very used to many people since she gave birth.”

Yonghwa nodded and left the room with Euna in his arms. It was his fault somehow insisting on this event. She may not have said it but it probably overwhelmed her. After all, she had been basically locked up in the lake house. He sighed. He really needed to get her out more.

And then he smiled when he thought about taking her out— probably on a date.

Like a date.

~~~~

When she heard his voice at the other side of the door, Seohyun retreated back and sat on the floor. Thankfully, her tears subsided. And thankfully so, he didn’t catch her in that state since she’d probably not have any excuse as to why she was crying.

Why was she crying anyway?

A soft knock on the door made her stand and realized that it could be her unnie so she opened it gently.

“What happened?” Yuri asked again the moment Seohyun sat on the bed but her eyes shot towards the door so she smiled, “I locked it.”

“He asked me if Euna could keep her last name,” she swallowed and sniffed before continuing, “After t-this is over…”

Yuri sighed and sat beside her, “And what did you tell him?”

“I said she could,” she found herself crying again while her unnie rubbed her back, “I-I really don’t know why I’m crying so much. This d-doesn’t really make sense…”

“Maybe you’re just sad at the thought that this would be over…”

“Maybe,” Seohyun sniffed, “And maybe I’m just sad that he’s thinking about it already. L-like he couldn’t wait—”

Yuri smiled sadly patting her friend’s back, “Maybe it wasn’t like that, right? He too was probably sad about it so he asked you to do that.”

“He loves Euna,” she cried again, “I should be happy about that. I am happy about that.”

“You are, of course,” Yuri wrapped her arms around Seohyun and spoke in a rather livelier tone, “Then just be happy from now on. Be happy while you are still with him and just be sad when this is really all over for the three of you—for both of you.”

She didn’t know if it comforted her but it just made her sadder somehow. But her unnie was right. She should just live every second of this moment being here in his house— in his life.

Seohyun nodded and wiped her tears. She probably needed another moment in the restroom but for now she needed her unnie more. She smiled, “I said yes because there’s really no man that could ever be Euna’s father. They may not be connected by blood but he was the reason Euna came to this world safely. Just the thought, Unnie… I could have lost my baby, or my baby could have lost me…”

Yuri nodded in understanding and tapped the younger girl’s hand but she didn’t say anything.

“It would be worst if the two of us didn’t survive. So many things that could have happened but that night, there was no one but him. Euna will forever owe her life to him and I will make sure she won’t forget it.”

Yuri smiled, “That’s a beautiful thought, Seohyunie. We may never know if her biological father would cross your lives once again but Yonghwa has been filling that space in Euna’s life now.”

She nodded, “You’re right, Unnie. I should just be happy with him…”

Her unnie managed to convince her that she needed to take a nap and rest her mind and body from the stress of the day. Yuri only left her alone when Seohyun really did fall asleep. When Yonghwa saw her, he asked about Seohyun obviously worried of her condition and she assured him that she was sleeping it off.

~~~~

When dusk came, most of the guests had left and the only ones hanging around were his parents who seemed to be taking advantage of looking after Euna. Seohyun woke when Sooyoung and her sons went to the room and said their goodbyes. She promised her unnie that they would set a play date with the boys and Euna at least twice a month since the older woman was also busy.

Seohyun spent the rest of the time by the pool with his parents playing with Euna. Since she had been visiting them for a while now, she seemed to have gotten over the initial phase of being shy around them. However, she was still wary only because of the fact that she and Yonghwa was only lying to them about most stuff. Their kindness towards her was even making it harder for Seohyun too but she tried hard to just take care of Yonghwa and Euna for them.

“When was the last time you and Yonghwa spent time together without Euna?”

His mother’s voice pulled her back to reality that she looked at her for a moment until the question finally registered in her mind. Seohyun her lips and answered, “A few weekends ago? When we went to Jonghyun Oppa’s birthday party. Yuri Unnie looked after Euna.”

“I see,” Eunsuk nodded thoughtfully then smiled at the baby who was being rocked by her grandfather on his lap, “Since she’s in this age, you can leave her with us any time you need. She can even stay with us overnight. The two of you should spend some time together too.”

“Uh-huh,” Sunggwang mumbled in agreement, “Drop her to us on a weekend, at least we’ll be able to take care of our granddaughter too. At my age now, my only source of happiness are my grandchildren.”

“And what does it say about me?” Eunsuk threw her husband a lighthearted glower and they both laughed.

Seohyun gave a curt nod, “I will tell Oppa.”

But she knew that it was actually out of the question. Now that Yonghwa just