*I changed Mickey's name to ACE.

“Unni! How did you do that?”

She frowned seeing Eunmi’s name calling her phone just a few minutes after they left. Hesitant, but she pressed the green button. And it wasn’t any formal greeting, but a question welcomed her.

“Do what?” she asked in returned, her eyebrows still pulling down. She looked at Yifan and his son who was looking back at her too, waiting for answers to explain after what she did.

“The coffee unni! You made him drink coffee!” the voice over her phone was too excited, despite the tension happened awhile ago, she couldn’t help to smile about the bubbly woman on the other line.

But she’s confused, “What about the coffee?”

She hear the woman on the other line heaved a heavy sigh, “Unni, I’ve never seen him drink coffee. . .” the other line paused, and she waited, “Never unni, not even Starbucks’ coffee, not even De Chocolattes’ coffee, not. . .”and the other line sighed again, “Never unni, and he drank yours like it’s been his habit.”

Habit.

. . .like it’s been his habit.

She flinched with the last words, frowning not with confusion, but with anguish.

“Oh, that. . .” she doesn’t even know how to respond, how to explain, how to. . .she can’t just tell her it was really his habit. “I. . . I don’t know really.” She forced her laugh, “Maybe you could ask him.” And she’s dying to know how he will explain.

“Impossible unni.” And the woman other line laughed, Eunmi talked like they’ve been friends for a long time, and she just can’t help to smile. “He’s irritated, maybe when he gets his mood back. And oh, unni!” the sudden changed of her tone made her face focused, “I’m really sorry for what happened awhile ago, I apologize for your husband and son. I am really sorry!”

“No, no, it’s nothing never mind it.” Again she forced her laugh, and as she looked back at Kris still standing on the other side of the dining table. “Uhm, Eunmi, if you don’t mind. Can you call on later-“

“Oh, sorry sorry sorry unni, are you and your husband talking? I am really sorry! Sure sure, I’ll call you again next time when you’re not busy. Bye unni!”

And before she could talk back, beeping sounds came, and now a genuine smile came off her. Just thinking how her ex-husband is marrying a talkative and bubbly girl is making her at ease, thinking at least he’d be happy with someone like Emi.

And now, she has to explain. Explain to Kris and Ace. She didn’t mean to put up such scene, it was the urgent reaction of her ex husband and his fiancé that pushed her to it, and not to even refuse the whole misunderstanding.

She just wanted to know how he would react, and how it feels to prove him that it’s not just him moving on. She can too, however she can’t, she won’t, she doesn’t want to, and just faking an understanding is helping her.

“What was that Emi?” it was Kris who spoke first, Ace was just looking on both them.

As she looked on Kris, she sighed deeply seeing Kris wasn’t mad. He’s not mad, she thought he’d be mad about putting such act, but Kris proves her again how understanding he is. It wasn’t anger she sees, but confusion, and worry.

“I’m sorry Kris, I really didn’t me-“

“I know.”

All she could do is look down, search for Ace and see how he is seeing the situation. Ace is still too young for this, but Ace just smiled at her, and all she could do is smile back.

“Who is he?”

And with that question, her head immediately looked at Kris. . .and her tongue got tied.

“Is he. . .” Kris tilted his head, pausing at his word obviously wanting to spill out something but hesitating.

“No.” she shook her head, “No.” she said again, “No.” and for the third time, yet she doesn’t even know what her no is for. Kris hadn’t continued what he was saying yet there she was forcing out her no. . .no for what?

She looked back at Kris, and Kris just looked t her. How thankful she is Kris isn’t what she expected him to be. Understanding-- and she knows he won’t ask her more. And between those unexplained minutes they looked at each other, he laughed.

“I wonder why though.” He leaned down to pick up his son; he was still smiling as she’s left confused. There’s something behind how Kris was smiling.

“Let us give your teacher Emi a day to rest okay Ace?” he talked to his son, as his son only nodded and waved to her goodbye. And with that they left.

She feels sorry. No, sorry is not the word but she hated herself for using them for her own. And as soon as she heard the door closed, she slumped down the chair having her both palms cover her face.

She wanted to hide.

*8*8*

23:22

The time read on her phone, and she’s still awake doing her school records, tomorrow is Monday and she has to be prepared. The past two days didn’t give her enough time to do all the work she ought to have done.

And at that unholy hour, her phone rings. Again, who would call her at this hour?

Checking the caller, she frowned again. It’s Eunmi.

Pressing the green button, it wasn’t again a greeting that welcomed her but Eunmi’s crying and terrified voice.

“Unni!” the other line was sobbing so hard; she panicked thinking of all the possible things that could happen.

“Eunmi! Why? Is something wrong?” there’s definitely something wrong, and her terror is rising up to make her heartbeat harder.

“Unni! Oppa. . .” she paused between her sobs and cries. “Oppa is drunk, unni I don’t know what to do. His friend is not here to help him, unni. . .” the cries on the other line is getting muffled and more terrified.

As for her, hearing him drunk. . .she knew why and as much as she wanted to be pleased to how he took the misunderstanding awhile ago, the sound how terrified his ex husband’s fiancé worried her.

“Shhhh I’m coming over okay? Where is he?”

Not minding her papers still all over her table, she took her coat and rushed out the house, waved her arm frightfully hailing a cab, she’s rushing to the address Eunmi told her.

If not his friend, she’s the only one who could handle him drunk. She knows how Junmyeon when drunk and it’s awful. Drinking is never his habit, he hates it. And he only does whenever he’s mad, frustrated, whenever he couldn’t handle his emotions, he will drink and for the entire four years they’ve been married, she had only seen him drunk twice. After the bad news was revealed; and the day before they decided to divorce.

Reaching a building, she immediately went to the floor where they stayed. Seeing the place, she wondered if the place was Eunmis’ or his, it’s unlikely to be his since he always dislike apartments, that’s why he bought them a house before.

When she reached the door, there was Eunmi with her face all tears and red, looking all terrified.

“Unni. . .”

“Oh My Eunmi!!!” surprised on how she looked like, she went in, and what she saw inside brought her to panic.

Everything inside was disaster, like someone have thrown the entire place, and yes. It was obviously Junmyeon.

“Did he hurt you?” it was the immediate question that came out .

“No unni, no. But he trashed the whole place, unni what should I do.” Eunmi is getting more scared,clutching her fist on but at least he didn’t hurt her physically if he did. . .then he must be really mad.

“Where is he?” she thought of being scared. She’s afraid what he will do when he sees her, the cause of all these chaos in the house.

“In the room unni!” Eunmi lead her to their room, opening the door—there he saw him, the long neck of the liquor on his hand, having swigs every minute, he was slumped down at the foot of the bed, and as she looked around the room, it was the same mess.

The entire picture gave her chest enough pain for her not to leave him at this condition.

She pulled back, asked for the kitchen, and Eunmi led her. She did what she always do on him when drunk; get a basin, put ice cubes on it, pour in water, and a towel.

Eunmi just look at her hopefully, hoping she could calm her fiancé. And how hopeless she thought herself useless. She’s going to be the future wife, yet she couldn’t handle him when drunk, neither seen him drunk.

But it was Emi the one struggling so hard, seeing his husband like this. . .she herself doesn’t know what might happen next. She took her steps one by one towards him, gripping the basin on her left hand, careful not to make the water in it spill.

“Unni. . .” she heard his fiancé whispered in worry. “Unni, I will leave you with him, I don’t think I could handle-” The evident tremble on her voice was too obvious.

“It’s okay. Its fine, I’ll call you when he calmed down. Just stay outside.” She wanted her to stay outside, she wanted her safe to whatever Joonmyun might do, and that is probably to hurt her.

She heard the door closed, and had her focus on the half-lidded eyes of Joonmyun as his head lay on the edge of the bed, exposing his neck that is flushing from his drunken state.

She kneeled beside him, “Joonmyun-ssi” she cooed, hoping he would give her back the same fervor she showed. She wasn’t disappointed when his head immediately pulled up and searched for her face. He stared at her for seconds. . .until it became minutes, and he blinked lazily. And at that instant she thought he wasn’t drunk.

“You. . .you don’t call me that name.” his voice came so calm, drunk, slurred, and so tired. A paused happened, and when she thought he was fine with her presence around him, he threw the bottle he has on hand to the wall, and made an ear shattering noise as it broke into pieces.

She flinched.

She has to admit that she was scared; scared as . Thinking maybe she could give in just for tonight to calm him, she’s been saying the name he used to love calling him on her mind. And if it didn’t work. . .she herself is hopeless.

“Suho.” And the moment it came out , her eyes hurt wanting to cry, she missed it.

And like some oxygen pumped into his ex-husbands lungs, he heaved a heavy sigh. Just the mere mention of the name calmed him.

“Emi. . .” he said, and she waited for his next words. “Emi Emi Emi. . .” but he was just saying her name again and again, his eyes looking at nothing as his head lay on the edge of the bed.

“Suho stop drinking please.” Knowing he calmed down, she started dipping the towel on the pail, wringing the excess water and start wiping his face.

She was surprised he stayed still, letting her do what she’s doing and he never spoke a word. At that she knew she could handle the situation. She started untying his tie, taking his coat, and his eyes were closed the entire time, but she knows he wasn’t asleep. It was when she was about to help him get up lay down the bed, he spoke.

“You remarried.” The tone was so dull; she thought it was just her ears playing tricks on her.

“You even had a child with him.” And she was now sure it was him speaking, and he refused to be carried to the bed, she felt him pulling down his weight whenever she would help him up.

“Emi. . .” and after the mention of her name, she wanted to believe he was still under the influence of alcohol. “Emi, you can’t have that kind of family. You can’t have a family, how could you do this to me?”

That slashing pain hit her, it’s as if she betrayed him and he stared at how selfish this man in front of her, why did she even married him before. It’s been always that. Since they divorced, it was that he made it sure to mark on her mind. She can’t have that kind of family, a loving husband with a child, that complete package of happy ending.

“How old was your son? Five?” he chuckled infuriatingly, “So you’ve been sleeping with that giant when we were still together?” he chugged down that glass of whiskey on his side. “Ah! He was tall after all. You always like tall men, and how short I was.” He laughed, the laugh he made, made a huge lump on . “Was his, bigger than mine like how tall he is?” the intensity of anger when he said those. . . “I never thought you could be this filthy.”

That last word he said, the pain was too much to bear, she couldn’t take it anymore. Again she was crying because of him, and in front of him.

She just stared at him, and he looked at her. Seeing him smirk, enjoying the sight of her tormenting, like it was nothing on him. He laid his head at the edge of the bed again, pulling his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He groaned, “Arghhh! Why did I even marry such like you.”

She couldn’t stop the tears, she was sobbing. She doesn’t know how she loved the man who could think of her as the dirtiest he’d ever met.

“He wasn’t. . .” she started to sob, “. . .my husband.” She choked on her last words. “Ace wasn’t my child.” She felt it hard to speak, choking every word as she sobbed. “They are not my family.” She was sobbing so hard now, her face all soaked with her tears. “Because just like you said, I will never have a happy family.” Every sentence she choked as she sobbed. “Yes, I will be forever alone like you said. Like you wanted, now are you happy? If you’re making yourself drunk just because you thought I finally found someone who could share my life with. . .Never drink again okay Suho? Because I will make that as a promise to you. I am going to live alone, and to make you at peace, I will die alone.” It was hard for her to even continue, she couldn’t stop her tears from flowing down her face. If this is the only way she could pay his hatred on her, then she’s willing. She’s been through it anyway, for years, she’s been alone.

She didn’t wait for what Joonmyun would say; she immediately stood up, her palms to wipe her tears. She knows everything that happened tonight, he will all forget them tomorrow. Tonight never happened. She rushed out the room, and Eunmi bolted from her seat from the tension.

“I’m sorry Eunmi, I’m really sorry.” She was still sobbing, her face flushed, and her eyes swollen.

“Unni, are you fine? Did he hurt you?” it was the genuine worry that calmed her, she’s happy at least her ex-husband is marrying her.

“No, no! I’m fine, just go in, he’s calmed down. It’s all right now.” She gave her that sincere smile, and she wished Eunmi would just let her go, “I have to go now okay? You can handle yourself.”

“But unniw you look-“

“No, no, go and fix your husband ok?” and with another last smile, she left that place, and she wished to never meet them again.

*8*8*

It was on her way home when she saw someone sitting on the bench in front of her house, it was weird. Who would sit there at the middle of the night doing nothing. And as she glanced at her house, she forgot to turn off the lights of her room. The light post far from the corner didn’t help her distinguish the man; as much she wanted to think that the man is some intruder checking her house, plotting some robbery, she couldn’t help to think she might know the guy.

She had too much of what happened just awhile ago, and she didn’t want to add more tension on it by thinking the guy is some robber.

She walked slowly, making sure the guy could hear her steps, and he glanced over his shoulder. There he saw him.

“Kris!” a smile broke her lips.

“Hey!”

It was Kris, but “What are you doing here at his hour!” she can’t help to ask, thankful it wasn’t some robber planning to rob her house, but him.

Kris shrugged, then moved aside obviously telling by his actions that she should seat beside him, “Nothing. Just saw the lights from your room, it’s still on. Wondering why you would be still awake at this hour when there are classes tomorrow!” he sounded playfully accusing. “And look, you were even outside the house!” she laughed how he could sound so playful but she knows she meant everything he said. “A teacher like you shouldn’t be out at this hour.” And that sound of worry make her calm, and warm.

She smiled, “Thank you, but I just ran some emergency.” And it was really an emergency.

“Ok, ok. I won’t ask more.” And he looked back at the house again, and this is something she’s really comfortable with him, he never asks more question. Whatever she gives im, he’ll take it like he had the entire explanation.

“What are you still doing here then, I’m here already. You should go home, who’s with Ace?” now she gave back the playful accusing tone. “You left your son alone in your mansion!” she laughed, but she mean it, the little boy would be alone in their house.

“I came here because of what happened this morning, and Ace asked me some questions, but no-- don’t worry not questions you should be bothered about, but I myslef.” the embarrassed chuckle he gave made her laugh. But she wondered what those were.

“But what are them?” she looked at him expecting something.

“The guy, who is he?”

Her face fell with what he asked, she waited for him to drop the question, but he still looked at her and waited.

She sighed, “Just someone, nothing to worry. I told him already it was a misunderstanding.” She faked a giggle.

She waited for a reply, but nothing came so she looked on her side to look at him, and he was still looking at her. She wanted to break the contact, but he helped her by doing it first.

“I’ve been really thinking lately. . .” she’s again surprised on how he kind of didn’t hear what she said. She heard him sigh, “I think I really should give Ace a mother.”

Suddenly, with what he said she felt alarmed. But she hid it, and laughed. “Of course! Your son is longing for a motherly love, you go and start dating women.” She even slapped his arm that made him chuckle.

The image was so weird, two people laughing in the middle of the night.

“You know that’s not easy. Women these days, would turn you down when they knew you have child. Especially on us men.” He explained to her.

“Aigoooo! But look, you are tall, handsome, and rich, you could do magic to women.” She laughed again, it was a funny idea, not the dating part, but the reality that Kris is talking about this to her.

“And Ace, I dated a few, and he never liked any of them. If there’s any woman he ever been a good boy. . .it was you.”

Silence.

She wasn’t stupid not to understand everything. She clenched her teeth from the feeling, from the delight, from the joy, from the overwhelming feeling. Millions of thoughts came crashing her mind, but every time she started picturing her future, it immediately ends with what she told Joonmyun. Why now?

She swallowed that lump, just the idea that she could have the family she ever wished to have is too much for her to take, even she couldn’t love Kris. . .

“Ok! Ok! I am going home. Good bye teacher Emi.” Her thoughts broke when Kris stood up; dusting is pants like he didn’t say any at her to make her mind float. She just looked at him stood up, still lost of everything.

He stood in front of her; she sat still at the bench, leaning on her arms as her head leaned up to look at his height.

“Good night Emi.” She was surprised by the absence of teacher in it.

“Good night. . .Kris.” she was looking at him, still lost.

“I am going to kiss you.” He said that made her eyes wide.

“What?!” she panicked.

But too late, Kris kissed her on the cheek, and as he walk away. . .”Good night Emi!”

*must have too many pronoun errors, will fix it later.