French Vocabulary:

1Je me sentirais lourd: I would feel bloated.

2Fais ce que tu dois, advienne que pourra: do what you ought to do, come what may.

 

Jack opens the door only to exclaim, “Holy Mother of God!”   Her eyes widen at the sight of… a striking, blonde woman at the doorway holding a little girl’s hand. She looks at Amber from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet and back up again. “Oh. My. God.”   Yuri frowns at Jack’s tense bodies as Min Ho shifts to the edge of his seat, craning his neck trying to see what she is seeing. Sung Yeol and Myung Soo exchange curious glances before sprinting towards the Psychologist, who retreats backwards to let Amber and Paris in. Amber closes the door behind her and lets out a broad smile as she turns to the five pairs of eyes on her.   “You’re blonde?!” Sung Yeol gawks at the sight Jack is surprised at earlier.   She lets out the most cheerful smile she could muster. “You guys don’t like it? Paris thinks it’s good.”   Paris nods instantly. “Don’t you like it, Oppa? Jack Jack?”   “It’s not that,” Jack explains, biting on her lips to stop herself from laughing. “You look gorgeous!”   “I have to agree,” Min Ho manages, nodding in agreement with his wife.   Myung Soo is too shocked to see her changes. After not seeing her for ten years, her hair had grown longer to middle of her back, and now in one night, her hair has transforme, again, into short and blonde. He notices the way Amber refuses to look at him in the eye and knows he has everything to do with it.   She chooses to bring the attention to something else. “Is dinner ready yet? We’re starving.”   Yuri chuckles and waves her hand towards the dining area. “Come this way, Ma’am.” She asks Min Ho to get their kids out for dinner as she beckons the others to the table.   As dinner commences, Amber keeps herself nonchalant and inquires, “So, when are you guys going to Korea?”   Myung Soo and Sung Yeol stiffen and exchange glances. Myung Soo places the cutleries on the side of the table and replies, “My ticket is for this Sunday and Sung Yeol has found one for the same day, but he has to get his passport from his house before he can book it.”   “Are you leaving so soon, Dad?” Paris queries, her eyes wide with surprise and disappointment. She has just met him and he is leaving already in three days.   “I can stay longer if you want me to,” he offers.   Paris purses her lips and turns to her mother, as if asking for her permission. Amber notices her gesture, but keeps her eyes on scooping pumpkin soup into the girl’s bowl. “I have to return before the weekend for work. You can stay here with your dad if you want, Paris.” She isn’t even affected when no answer comes from anyone and the only sound heard is Jaden’s soup spoon making contact with his bowl.   Suddenly, a clank from Yuri’s plate is heard, causing Amber to look up and everyone’s attention to the older female, who is staring at Amber sternly. “I need to talk to you after dinner, Amber.” She lets the words sink in before picking up her cutleries to resume her dinner.   Min Ho swallows, knowing Amber is in trouble with Yuri for her behaviour, and folds his newspaper before putting it away.

 

∞

 

Yuri summons Amber to her room. She decides that she needs to have a good talk with the younger because she does not approve of how she has responded to the situation back during dinner. She understands clearly that Amber is upset and she has the right to seek for individual space, but she has a child with her and she cannot forget that.   “What is it, Yuri?” Amber asks.   As soon as Amber walks in, the first thing that Yuri notices is her blonde hair. She is still trying to get used to this new look of Amber’s. She shakes her head to get back to business and signals her to sit on the bed opposite her. “Amber, do you want to talk about it?”   Amber stares into Yuri’s eyes remotely. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”   Yuri observes the woman she has thought of as the sister she never had and sighs in resignation. “What did you do with yourself?”   Amber lets out a low chuckle and shrugs. “Just some up-do. You’ll get used to it.”   “Is this indefinite?” She gazes at the younger tenderly. Amber just shrugs in response and gives her a reassuring smile, which is not convincing at all.   None resumes the conversation for a while. The sound of Jaden’s laughter travel to the room and although Amber knows the boy is watching a movie, she cannot help but feel as if it is a mocking laugh directed towards her. Her conscience keeps reminding her how naïve she was to think that it is time for a reconciliation, when really, it is a separation that is about to happen.   “Amber,” Yuri’s voice takes her out of her reverie, “I know I’m not Victoria, but I just want you to know that I’m here. I’m willing to be her replacement here.”   The way Yuri talks about Victoria makes Amber groan inwards. These two women who was and is now involved in Nichkhun Horvejkul’s life seem to have some sort of unexplainable envy towards each other. But that is not Amber’s concern as of this moment.   “You already knew, didn’t you, about Hyun Ah?” Regretfully, Yuri nods. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Anger rumbles in her chest. Her jaw hardens and her fist clenches in frustration.   Sensing her tension, Yuri explains softly, “Because I thought it is better for you to hear it from him.” She holds Amber’s eyes and continues, “This is your relationship, Amber. You wouldn’t want to hear something like this from someone else, right?”   Amber lets out an irritated groan. “I’m just… I’m angry with how stupid I was to… to…”   Yuri grabs her into her embrace and rubs her back soothingly. “It’s not your fault. It’s not.” Amber lets her comfort her, feeling herself calming down in Yuri’s arms. “Look, I know you’re upset and you do have the right to, but what about Paris, Amber? She hasn’t seen her dad for all her life and all she wants is just to get to know him.”   “I want her to get to know him too, that’s why—”   “But that doesn’t mean you can just abandon her with a stranger.” Confused by Yuri’s words, Amber frees herself and straightens up. “Myung Soo may be her dad, but he is still a stranger to her. When he said he is willing to stay back for her, you didn’t see the hopeful look in her eyes and dismissed her by saying she could stay here with him alone. Amber, she doesn’t know Myung Soo. She needs your help to get to know him. You’re a paediatrician; you should know children’s psychology well. Don’t let your disappointment take its toll on your relationship with your daughter.”   Although offended when her job is mentioned, Amber also realises what Yuri is trying to tell her. How could she have forgotten that? She is a mother, she cannot be selfish anymore. It is natural that Paris comes first.   Seeing the realisation in Amber’s eyes, Yuri relaxes. “I know this is cruel for telling you to put aside that anger for Myung Soo in front of Paris, but this is the harsh truth about being a mother, Amber. She needs you. This is the time when you have to sacrifice yourself for her,” Yuri sighs and adds, “again.”   Amber buries her face in her hands, closing her eyes, and massages her forehead. This whole ordeal is giving her an endless headache. After a moment of silence that Yuri gives her, she straightens up and exhales, “Can I sleep with you tonight?” Yuri gives her a smile and nods in approval.   Amber nods in respond and breathes, “Okay. Let’s do this.”

 

∞

 

Outside, in the living room, Min Ho is talking to the younger men about what has happened.   “Do you know how painful it is to have a baby? She wasn’t even ready!” He glares at Myung Soo, who is sitting there in silence, accepting his reprimands. “Do you know how hard it is to raise a child? She was so young! She could have had a completely different life had you two not have Paris! She almost lost her family and her own life. You better make your choice wisely!” he hisses in distaste.   Before he could start again, Amber exits the room with Yuri who beckons her husband to come into their room.   Meanwhile, Amber scans the living room to find no Paris and Jack and figures they are perhaps in her room.   “Amber, can we talk?” Sung Yeol inquires cautiously, gnawing on his lower lip in apprehension.   “Sure.”   “Amber,” Myung Soo calls. Bracing herself, she turns to face him. He sees the vacant look in her eyes and guilt overcomes him again. “Can we… talk after you finish with Sung Yeol?”   “I want to talk to you too,” she replies, earning a smile on his lips and a nod. Amber doesn’t give him anymore reaction and leaves with Sung Yeol to her room.   Her guess is correct; Jack is in the room combing her daughter’s hair.   “Mum!” she beams and greets Sung Yeol as well. “Oppa!”   Sung Yeol ruffles Paris’ hair as Amber locks gaze with Jack. The latter immediately stands up and puts the comb on Amber’s desk. “Alright, Princess, let’s go to your Prince’s room and watch some movie.”   Paris scoffs. “He is not my Prince.”   “Fine, fine,” Jack says, pushing her to her door gently, “He’s your knight in shining armour.” Paris snorts scornfully as they pass the other two. Jack turns to Amber before reaching the door, “I still can’t get used to your blonde hair.”   Amber grins. “You will.”   Once they leave and close the door, Sung Yeol gives Amber a meaningful look, which she completely ignores. She sits on her bed and waits for him to assume his seat in front of her, just like the night before she left Toulouse for the city of Paris.   “Wow… you look gorgeous!” He waves his hands towards her in the air. She manages a small smile and crosses her arms in front of her chest. She knows he just doesn’t know how to start, that’s why he is stalling time with the chit-chat.   “You’ve got something to say?”   “Yes!” he lunges into it, almost choking on his saliva. After a moment of collecting himself, he lets out a wistful sigh and gives another good look. “I’m really sorry. It’s my entire fault. It was my sister who made you suffer. I’m really sorry. We ruined you and L.”   “Sung Yeol,” she begins with a tone of disapproval. For the lack of better words to say, she decides to pull him into her embrace and lets the warmth of friendship envelops them. “It’s not yo—”   “It is!” he insists. “I was the one who begged L to just leave things the way it is… until Hyun Ah gets better.” She rubs his back in a soothing manner and feels helpless even more.   “Amber, tell me,” he starts again. “Why are you breaking up with L? You know it’s not his fault. He is just trying to make everything right; just like you, like all of us.”   Of course, she could understand that Hyun Ah’s time is running out, that Myung Soo proposed to Hyun Ah because he thought she had died, that Sung Yeol just wants his sister to survive, and that these men would have to return to Seoul to be with Hyun Ah. What she resents is how things have turned out, how wrong everything feels, and how… Myung Soo has changed. Or is it how she has changed? A selfish part of her wants Myung Soo to abandon Hyun Ah and return to her side, but her conscience tells her that the most important matter at hand is to make sure Hyun Ah gets better, as what everyone wants.   In regards to Myung Soo, it is the fact that he didn’t look for another solution and jumped right into the proposal.   “I thought you’d wait for him. I was so convinced you would and let him finish his role to stay with Hyun Ah until she gets better.”   Amber stares at Sung Yeol in disbelief. “Sung Yeol, I thought you’d be the one who understands me in this matter.” He looks at her, baffled and confused.  “I can’t wait for someone to die to be with him. That’s not right. If he is going to marry her and stay by her side until she leaves, then it’s like I’m wishing for her to go and take someone else’s husband.”   “But he is yours in the first place, Amber. You had Pa