Chapter 58. Words Unspoken

Yonghwa was confused— he was never this confused before. He looked at his phone once more.

I miss you already.

When was the last time he was crazy for a girl like this?

Ah yes, after that first night he got laid.

Damn, he hadn’t even gotten laid yet.

 After that call Seohyun would probably believe that he was upset, that he was mad— but really, he wasn’t. For a moment he was worried that she was not picking up so he called the home phone and Mrs. Kim answered. Once he was assured that everything was normal back home, he realized that Seohyun was only playing with him by not answering her phone.

He shut his eyes tight for a moment and took deep breathes to be able to bury this confusion a little bit deeper inside.

“You okay, boss?”

Yonghwa turned around to the foreman peering at him, “Uh, yeah…”

“It’s too hot today and the dusty—“

“I-I’m okay,” he tried to smile and looked over supply inventory report handed to him and nodded when the foreman suggested that they should talk in the construction office.

The rest of the day happened just like the rest. Yonghwa buried himself to work and tried so hard to focus on everything else except emotions. And by the time the day was nearly over, Yonghwa decided to call for a meeting about issues that could have been settled the next day. He was definitely conscious of what he was trying to do but Jonghyun was quick to point it out to him.

Yonghwa arrived home past seven and the moment he stepped inside sent shivers down his spine. Usually, he would hear the faint sounds of nursery rhymes playing in his home office or Seohyun talking out loud to Euna.

But this time, there was nothing but silence.

The lights automatically around the house on specific time but some were still closed. Yonghwa frowned and rushed upstairs to the bedroom checking his first instinct only to see that it was empty— empty and silent.

His hands ran through his hair as he made his way downstairs again to see if they were in his office. But when he passed by the kitchen and the adjacent dining room, they were not there— only the visible signs of plates set for two were on the table.

His heart started drumming in his chest that he jogged to his study on the other end of the hall.

And there he saw them—

Yonghwa just felt his knees weaken with relief to see Seohyun asleep on her favorite armchair with their baby curled on her chest. He walked to them swallowing the sudden fear away as he leaned closed, kissing Euna’s hair. A smile curled on his face when her little cherry red lips puckered and she started the thumb that was already in .

He couldn’t believe that he would be this afraid.

Then his eyes traveled to the mother who was breathing evenly, she looked so peaceful like nothing could wake her. But he smiled and moved closer to brush his lips on hers. Seohyun didn’t even stir so he wet his lips and started assaulting her lips a little harder until she made a little sound.

He smiled when her forehead creased and her eyes opened slowly. He laid his lips on hers as he held on her cheek then tilted his head to get better access until she let him in. Yonghwa kissed her until she was fully awake to realize that it wasn’t a dream. In time, she smiled against his lips and when he let her go, she looked up to him with sleepy eyes and Yonghwa found himself saying softly, “I’m home…”

Seohyun nodded her lips and replied, “I fell asleep. What time is it?”

He watched her glance outside so he replied looking at his watch, “Seven twenty-eight. Have you had dinner?”

She shook her head shifting her hold on her sleeping baby, “You? I’ll reheat the food…” Seohyun didn’t wait for him to reply assuming that he hadn’t because they normally eat together no matter how late he came home. He rushed to her side when she gasped in an attempt to stand, “M-my leg…”

His first instinct was to get Euna and when she didn’t stir, he laid her on the baby pen and went back to Seohyun. Gently, he helped her raise her leg on the coffee table. She was biting her lip and her eyes closed that he sighed when she warned him not to touch her, “Give it a moment. I’ll reheat the food.”

Before she could argue, Yonghwa was already on his way to the kitchen. Seohyun laid back, waiting for her leg to feel better. Her fingers touched her lips and smiled. She was so worried that he was mad at her but the kiss definitely told her he wasn’t.

After a while, she managed to walk in the kitchen to find him laying food on the table. “Hey…”

“You okay?” He looked over to her as he scooped some rice.

“Yeah, you?” Seohyun bit her lip and smiled when he looked at her chuckling so she spoke softly, “This morning…”

Yonghwa unrolled his sleeves as he shook his head, “Forget it. I told you I was worried when you didn’t answer. And I was just joking about that message.” He shot her a look after saying that and realized that it was a stupid thing to say, “I- I’m sorry. I mean—”

Her heart dropped a bit and it kind of hurt more when he apologized but Seohyun shook her head as if she was not affected, “You don’t have to explain. I know you…”

With that, she turned away and took her seat.

It was much more awkward after that.

Yonghwa tried to cover his stupidity by trying to engage her to conversation but she only gave him short answers and small smiles until he gave up and the rest of their dinner was quiet. She was the first to finish and excused herself to put Euna to bed and he could do nothing but watch her quietly walk away.

~~~~

It took a lot of self-control for her not to cry.

Now that she had open herself slowly, he would slap that on her face. Yonghwa just confirmed that he only wanted her for , and it hurt so much but she smiled because a part of her already thought of that.

But her heart was aching.

She rubbed her eyes and lifted her gaze up to stop the tears from falling. Shaking her head, Seohyun set aside the baby towels she was folding then looked up when the door opened and she found him looking perturbed. Their eyes met and she could feel the way he was looking at her as if begging for something.

Slowly, Yonghwa walked in the room and to her surprise, he dropped on his knees in front of her. Her heart seemed to get stuck in when his head slowly dropped.

“I’m not good with this…”

Seohyun had to bite her lower lip to stop herself from crying for real this time when she heard that. Gently, she reached out and touched his hair until he looked at her and took her hand.

“Hyun, I’m sorry… I’m not good with words. I’ve never been…”

She waited for him for to continue but he only shook his head as he looked at her hand. The way he was holding her softly was heartbreaking because it was so gentle as if he was thinking she could break just by his touch. Seohyun knew— somehow, deep in her heart she understood what he was trying to say. “I—“ she shook her head with a smile as she tried to realign her thoughts, “L-let’s not talk about that… at least, not yet…”