Chapter 22: “Please don’t be in love with someone else- Taylor Swift”

-o0o-

At the restaurant, the normal unusual one where Kyuhyun would hardly ever eat in, was roughly filled with average people, eating burgers and grilled barbeque over ice cold orange juices and some random soup as well. Rice was served naturally, freely discounted to those who order their special family size food.

Seohyun was silent as the two of them ate, face to face she could add, and it felt awkward that they didn’t talk at all. It felt the worst that they weren’t in the least any kind of relationship except for being friends. She remembered the last time they saw each other, just after Kyuhyun saw her flirting with Yonghwa. She remembered the last time he was in Incheon, Sica’s birthday it was, and she didn’t go home because she was with Yonghwa. She sold the house because she hated Kyuhyun very much. She didn’t want to see him, ever again, so it was disappointing that she and Yonghwa were miles apart. And she was stuck with Kyuhyun.

“Do you think true love is real?” Kyuhyun opened up, still patiently finishing his food. His eyes were settled on her, observing every move she made.

 Thank goodness, he began the conversation. Kyuhyun killed the silence, which brought her some joy that she didn’t have to start a discussion.

She gulped, nodding as she chewed. “Why open such a topic?”

“I was thinking about...Sunny-noona and Sungmin-hyung,” Kyuhyun told her. He didn’t usually take lying personally, but he needed her belief in this as well. “Sungmin’s been complaining about it to me. I don’t know. I don’t think he believes in it anymore.”

“Do...you believe in true love, oppa?” she wondered what his idea would be.

Kyuhyun shrugged, letting go of his chopstick. “I think...I’ve given you that answer before. Just recall it, I really hate telling things over and over again.”

Seohyun giggled, knowing. “Aigoo. I have the worst memory. You know I’m not like you, oppa.”

He took the compliment cheerfully, staring at her face bordered by that dark fragrant hair. “Aish. There’s no real love. A person cannot love someone other than himself. And---” Her hair was curly, once again. He frowned at her. “Aigoo, is there any way you could iron your hair again? It’s disturbing me.”

She laughed. “Don’t you like my curls?”

His head bobbed childishly, ignoring her. “I choose straight over those waves any day. If you ask me, I think they’re uglier that way, you understand?”

“Would it matter if I look different just because of my hair?” Seohyun asked, Kyuhyun smirking at her wittiness.

“You’re right. It doesn’t change a thing,” he stated, looking at the peaceful aura of the lights above. Despite the playing of an annoying country noise, shouting, and laughing from various tables, Kyuhyun found that dinner quite serene. He waited until she would tell her side of the story, why in the world was she down south.

“I was volunteered by the hospital to help in Busan,” Seohyun told him after completely finishing her dinner. “I’ve been tasked to night shift. We, Jiyoung the other doctor, will be staying for a month.”

He understood...somewhat understood as he played with the ice on his glass. “If it’s okay to ask, where are you staying now?”

“I brought Sijoong with me,” Seohyun added, Kyuhyun giving a surprised look. “Sijoong’s with Sunny-unnie now. I left him earlier because I was planning to spend the whole afternoon looking for a place to stay in. But...unfortunately, I’ve got nowhere else. Sunny’s place is...smaller though. So...it would be embarrassing to stay there.”

“Silly Seohyun,” Kyuhyun remarked, clicking his tongue. “You’re nuts to be leaving on a weekend. It’s impossible to find a room to stay in Busan during a weekend. There are no vacant apartments available, especially now that its summer. Everyone’s bound to travel at this side of the world.”

Seohyun agreed. “That has been a problem. Unnie has been calling me about when I’ll be taking our luggage back. Their living room would be distracting to sleep in, and Sunny-unnie couldn’t really afford to have me stay in.”

“That is troublesome,” Kyuhyun said, a hand on his chin. “Sijoong’s with you too. What about Yonghwa? Is he with you?”

She shook her head, disappointed. “Sadly, he’s sent to Seoul.”

“Cheer up,” Kyuhyun told her at once. “It’s not the end of the world. You just turned 29 yesterday.”

Laughing, Seohyun nodded, thanking him for that statement. “You really are something, Kyuhyun-oppa. How are you and Ms. Kim Haelee?”

He smiled at her. “It’s not something you should be worried about. I’ll tell you if I’m getting married. I’m not like you who would decide so fast. I can’t really manage to pay for all of those years we’ve been together.”

“Just two years, oppa,” Seohyun reminded him, peeking at the bill they were suppose to pay.

He clicked his tongue, grabbing the foot himself and instantly getting his wallet. It summed up to twenty-one thousand won, Kyuhyun leaving the table with twenty-five. He barely had change, the only reason for his generosity.

“Wrong,” Kyuhyun said, as they exited the restaurant. He held out his fingers, eyes on the ceiling and trying to count back. “It’s...around eleven years. More than a decade.”

“But we’ve been married for only two years,” Seohyun cleared. “The other nine years...well....they were different, right?”

He rolled his eyes, opening her door for Seohyun as she got in with a wide grin on her face. “We’ll pick up Sijoong first. And then...I’ll drive you home.”

Kyuhyun sat on his seat, plugging in the keys, and turning on his car started coughing before it worked properly. He turned to the road, headlights flashed before the street.

“I don’t...have a home,” she again told him, saddened.

“I don’t think it will do Sunny any harm to adopt you for the night,” Kyuhyun stated, Seohyun agreeing with this idea. “But...if she still disagrees, if it does not bother you or if it’s comfortable for you, you can stay at my place. But you really don’t have to. I have an extra room at my apartment. Usually Sungmin stays there when he and Sunny argue about Jinhye again.”

This time, it came out too strong that Seohyun definitely declined. “Aigoo...I don’t want to be a burden to you especially that Sijoong is with me.”

He smiled, regretting about suggesting that idea. He had let his emotions slip at that time. “I’m just saying there aren’t any good places and people in Busan. It’s...hard. If you don’t want me to interfere, then I wish you good luck. I’m not forcing you to live with me, Seohyun. And....it’s...just a suggestion. You said your shift starts at 7 and ends at 2 am. That’s a weird schedule for a doctor, but if you were on your own, who would be taking care and watching over Sijoong at that time? Nobody. If you’d hire a babysitter...that will take much of your money. You get what I mean? Busan’s an expensive city, everyone needs to be paid double the original price. You have to think just as twice as hard to defeat swindlers. You can never trust anyone here. Who knows, someone might kidnap Sijoong! Or...even food poison him.”

She nodded at the risks. “You’re such an intelligent lawyer, Kyuhyun-oppa. This is upsetting. I don’t want to live with you, either. I have no interest in living with you. But...what to do? I will pay you for the rent...for whatever trouble. It’s embarrassing to be staying with you. I’m scared with the fact that you’ll...hate me even more. I don’t want to cause any kind of argument with you. But I’ll move out as soon as I can. I don’t want to be a burden to you.”

“So...you will?” he wondered, surprised that she actually agreed.

She flashed her hand before him, showing off the ring she swore on Yonghwa. “I’ll tell Yonghwa about it, though but yes, I will. I don’t have a choice now.”

He chuckled at her naiveté’. “I didn’t say...you should stay. It was just a suggestion, Seohyun. You really don’t have to believe in everything I say, okay. Sorry...delete that idea. It was dense. Let’s look for another---”

“Oppa, I’m serious about it,” Seohyun said. “I think it’s irrational and dull but...hey, I have no other choice. Let’s drop by Sunny-unnie’s place to fetch Sijoong and my stuff. Then...head home.”

It sounded so wonderful, so right to both of the ex-couples’ ears---Seohyun uneasily feeling relaxed about it. It seemed fair...’let’s head home’ was very mature, coming out from . Even just this time, Kyuhyun grew enthusiastic of getting home. He would have Seohyun to himself---as if that advantage would do him good. Yes...well, it was because...there was something...that pain of his that could not be replaced easily. He truly missed Seohyun, more than anything in the world. So it’d be perfect...if she could stay just for the little while.

He the volume of his speakers, playing the mellow playlist just that time. It had truly been quite long since he last played it. The songs some of which were sung by him, by his hyungs, and others just his plain old favorites were handpicked by himself, as he listened to them intently while driving to a different restaurant.

Seohyun remained quiet, silent all the way and thinking of why the hell she agreed of going with Kyuhyun in the first place. She should go get Sijoong from Sunny’s place, and then search for a good home to stay in. Jiyoung informed her earlier that it was impossible for them to locate an apartment in Busan because of its packed population, so she was staying with her grandparents.

Almost suddenly, the tender melody began, surprising Kyuhyun with that entry in his list. He grew suddenly depressed, so hurriedly he planned on switching it.

Seohyun stopped his hand from turning any further, his eyes setting on her.

“Don’t change it,” Seohyun smiled at him cheerfully. “I miss this kind of music.”

“I’ve been living with a shadow overhead,” she started singing, happily. He couldn’t understand her liveliness, unable to comprehend his ex-wife. “It’s no fun if you don’t sing it with me! Come on, oppa! Sing the song with me. It’s gorgeous!”

“I have an awful voice,” Kyuhyun reminded her, clearing his throat.

“I’ve been sleeping with a cloud above my head. I’ve been lonely for so long, trapped in the past I just can’t seem to move on,” Seohyun, her beautiful vocals echoing sadly in his memory, continued tormenting him with the song, as if telling the story behind what reality couldn’t confess to him easily.

“I’ve been hiding all my hopes and dreams away,” Kyuhyun was tempted to sing, his insides frustrated with the lyrics. It was odd that she didn’t budge, didn’t even flinch at the thoughts of the composer. It was a beautiful song indeed.

His voice fell chilly, not anymore singing as beautiful as he usually would. “Just in case I ever need them again someday. I’ve  been setting aside time, to clear a little space in the corners of my mind.”

“All I want to do is find a way back into love,” sang Seohyun, her voice soothing as ever, and Kyuhyun too lowly releasing his own.

“I can make it through without a way back into love. I’ve been watching but the stars refuse to shine. I’ve been searching but I just don’t see the signs.” Kyuhyun had considered her style of singing exceptional, really.

He couldn’t resist it, switching the channel back to Sorry Sorry quickly that his head began moving along with the fun beat. Seohyun glared at him, folding her arms on her chest.

“Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry...” he pinched her cheeks contentedly, apologizing for the change of rhythm.

Her lips twisted. “I enjoyed the music before this kind of noise.”

“It’s not noise,” Kyuhyun defended. “It’s Sorry Sorry. It’s...awesome. It’s no fun if you don’t sing with me. Come on, Seohyun! Sing Sorry Sorry with me.”

Seohyun laughed, pushing him playfully. “Don’t be distracted. Keep your eyes on the road. You’ll get yourself into another accident. We don’t want 170 stitches by the face again, do we?”

“That was a hundred and seventy-one,” he chuckled heartily, pointing his chin. “After this, let’s dance to Bonamana?”

-o0o-

“Sijoong-sshi,” Sunny called him from Jinhye’s bedroom, the little boy looking up at her aunt.

 Jinhye was playing with him, sharing her toys with him, despite that they were a bunch of dollhouses and kitchen utensils. She whined nonchalantly when Sunny entered, Jinhye pointing at the baby in irritation, pushing its little head. With this physical assault, Sijoong started crying his loudest so far that Sunny hurriedly carried him up.

“Umma! He doesn’t know how to play!” Jinhye told Sunny furiously.

The mother shook the baby in her arms, cheering Sijoong up just in case Seohyun arrived any minute. “Aigoo, Jinhye-ah! This is why umma would not have another baby. Sijoong-sshi...Sijoong-sshi...do you want some ice cream? Umma will get you one.”

“Umma! I want ice cream too!”

“You can’t have some!” Sunny retorted, angry at Jinhye while still carrying a disheartened Sijoong. She was silenced at once by her umma’s reaction.

Sungmin also made way to the room, hearing someone crying. He looked at an upset Sunny as they exited, still calming down Sijoong as he played with the Barbie Doll Jinhye lent. Sungmin saw his own daughter, throwing her kitchen play set aside, kicking them away if they were still reachable. He approached her at once, seeing the angered cute face that reflected Sunny’s own irritation.

“Omo, Jinhye-ah!” Sungmin took one of her dolls, showed its broken leg. “It’s broken. Keep throwing things and they’ll break.”

“Yah! Yah, appa!” she shouted at him, rubbing her eyes. “Yah! Ice cream! Ice cream!”

Sungmin smiled, finally carrying the little girl into his arms and holding her tightly. With ease, he laid her unto his shoulder, and almost at once, he began humming a sweet tone, his body following the rhythmic style. One step here and then there, he began singing.

“There’s no other person like you,” It was a song his hyungs and himself enjoyed singing. Jinhye was very familiar with it, since all her life, it had been one of his lullabies to her.

“Appa...” she yawned, struggling to tell about what Sijoong had done but couldn’t make out the words because of the drowsiness.