Chapter 9

-X-

“Got any news from him?”. Yoochun shook his head when he heard Seungah ask him that question. Yoochun never felt as helpless as in that moment. Junsu had been absent from school for about a week and when he asked his friends, they said that he was sick. As a good boyfriend, of course he was worried as hell. However, Junsu didn’t pick up his phone when he called him and didn’t even speak a word to him when he called his hyung’s house. He knew far too well that this would happen since the clinic incident and his words to him were kind of… rude, but he didn’t think that it would get Junsu very sick and lead him to avoid him like this.

“Are you guys seriously not fighting or anything?” asked Seungah lightly, hand playing with her hair. A week of not hearing Junsu’s voice at all was really driving him crazy. He slammed the table in front of him snapping and startled his friend.

“We’re not, Seungah! Why can’t you just believe me?!” Irritated at hearing Yoochun’s loud answer, she slowly took several steps towards him and hit him on the head. She then stepped back immediately from him—running away from the mad Yoochun.

“No need to be rude, dude! I was just asking!”

Yoochun  was left alone with his fisted hand and frustrated mind.

-O-

Jaejoong was in the middle of opening his office door when he felt the phone in his pocket vibrate. He didn’t pick it up right away because he had some new stoke boxes in his hands. After putting them aside, he brought his hand to take his phone out from his pocket. A series of unknown numbers showed up on its screen. He tapped on the green button right away in case this was an important call.

“Yobeoseyo?”

“Ne, yobeoseyo, Mr. Kim. I am Kim Jiyool’s homeroom teacher, Lee Yuri.” He held his breath hearing the woman’s voice, Jiyoolie’s teacher calling me? He face palmed his face in aware.

“Ah yes, Mrs. Lee what did my daughter do this time? Did she—“ His mind couldn’t help but immediately think of the worst scenario but before he could talk any longer the teacher butted in and cut his words.

“No, no, Mr. Kim, don’t worry Jiyool is doing fine. She didn’t do anything bad lately. Just having some issues with her friends but they’re being cooperative again. I’m not calling you to talk about Jiyool, actually.”

“I thought she was fussing around again, thank God, she isn’t .” Jaejoong sighed in relief after hearing that. He slowly walked to his chair and sat himself on it.

“Well, what do you want to talk about then?”

“Some days ago, there was a man that come here looking for Jiyool. We were busy with planting that day and that’s why the security didn’t let him meet her. But in these last three days, that man keep on coming here again and asking for Jiyool. We’re so worried that he’ll do anything bad to her so I decided to call you to confirm him first.” The pen that was on Jaejoong’s hand fell when he heard Mrs. Lee following words.

“Do you by any chance know a man named Jung Yunho, Mr. Kim?”

Oh my Godness!

-O-

“Yes, and their kitties too.” Jaejoong laughed and shook his head in amusement. Typical Kim Jaejoong’s daughter. He brought his hand to pat on Jiyool’s head. The latter giggled for a while before she turned in silent, eyes set on her mother again.

“Mama, do I have an appa?” as Jaejoong heard his daughter’s question, the sweet smile that was plastered on his mouth gradually faded away. He was almost turning numb. His heart felt like it was being stabbed by her light, innocent question.

It’s not like he didn’t have the answer, he had the answer but…could he really answer her question with his own mouth? That man, the father of his daughter. Despite how much Jaejoong wanted to tell Jiyool about him, he still had to bury the memories of him.

He had his own life, Jaejoong. You have to remember it.

“Mama~ do I have an appa?”

“Well I think… so.”

“You think so?”

“You think so, mama?” Jaejoong nodded halfheartedly and Jiyool could see that her mother didn’t look at her straightly. She tilted her head in confusion at first, but then something struck her brain and she realized. If her mama was behaving like this, she must have been really hurt. Jiyool smiled to herself and touched Jaejoong’s hand as she talked.

“Mama… let’s not talk about this, okay? Can we… umm, can you help me fix this? I couldn’t draw the lines straight!”

-O-

He closed his eyes at that memory, and Mrs. Lee was still waiting for his confirmation over the line.

Jiyool was growing bigger everyday and it was about time for her to question him about his father again and Jaejoong had grown tired of keeping everythin