CHAPTER 12

WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR

She woke up at the midnight to see an empty space beside her on the bed.

Hadn’t been awake yet, she blinked and brushed her eyes for a more obvious view.

She was alone on the bed.

He wasn’t there.

“Oppa, where are you?” – She wondered, thinking that he might go to the rest room.

Afraid of the cold air outside the bed, she just lazily rolled around under the warm cover and waited for him to go back and hug her when they slept.

These days, because of her lovely husband, the 8 – week pregnant Sulli was growing up a bad habit as a sniveling little girl, whenever she went to bed, Min Ho would have to be there with her, hugging and nuzzling her until she fell asleep, no matter how busy with his work or how much sleepy he was, she was the one who slept first, in his arms.

Mornings, Min Ho woke up with a frozen arm as in the previous night, it was given to his sniveling wife to be her pillow.

And now, if Sulli woke up at the midnight like this, she wouldn’t get back to sleep again unless she felt she was in his arms.

Childish, right?

But our lovey – dovey husband here didn’t mind it.

He loved it.

But after almost 15 minutes, he hadn’t come back, and it waa time for Sulli to went on her familiar adventure.

She carefully went out of her bed, and rushed out with the Teddy bear on her hand. Actually, Choi Min Ho’s wife had a very cute habit, she would never went out of her bed at night without her Teddy Bear, scaring of being alone at night, the Teddy bear certainly became her accompanying bodyguard and protected her from those dark imagining fear.

“Oppa?...” – She opened the bathroom door.

He wasn’t there. She gripped the bear tighter.

Then she saw a light b from the kitchen side of their apartment.

She slowly approached there and right after she could see it clear, here came in front of her eyes the beloved Choi hubby there, busily devouring a bunch of fried chicken he had just bought in the afternoon.

Min Ho was too focused in his devouring business that he even didn’t notice his wife’s appearance, until he heard Sulli’s giggle and looked up.

He smiled.

Like a shy little boy.

Sulli chucked at her husband wave, he signaled her to come closer and pointed at his lap.

She obeyed and sat down on his lap, putting her arms around his neck.

“You like it that much, huh?” – She asked, pouting

“Hmmmm…” – He was back with his enjoying and even couldn’t answer her properly.

“Are they that much delicious…” – She caressed his ear, making him a little bit choke out but he didn’t stop eating.

“Hmmmmm… really really tasty…” – He smiled, again, like a kid.

This time, couldn’t help it, Sulli burst out in to laughter.

And Min Ho stopped, lifting his head up, his lips, threw his famous charismatic flaming glare at his wife – “Wae? Who are you laughing at? Who makes me like this and then laugh at me?”

“Aniyo, thank you, oppa… This is showing how much you love me, Sulli smiled, planting a kiss on her husband’s cheek.

*Flashback*

Sulli woke up because of the noise Min Ho had just made. He jumped out of their bed and rushed out in the bathroom.

Sulli ran after him, worriedly.

“Waeyo, oppa? What happened?”

Min Ho didn’t reply, he had already gulped down his head and kept on throwing up.

Sulli was stunned at that situation and her mind almost blank until she heard that familiar sound.

The same sound when she vomiting every morning.

He was vomiting up. Hard.

His hands gripped tight at the bathtub counter, his shoulders were shaking.

“Oppa, are you ok? Do you feel sick?” – She bowed down, patting softly on his back

“I don’t know, I just… this feeling…” – He dropped down his sentence at the urge of the vomiting and turned to the basil again to throw up, this time, it even made him a little bit teary…

“I… I don’t know why, my stomach just .. just…” – And again, he dropped out the answer to continued throwing up.

He looked so pale.

And that event happened repeatedly in two days, though Sulli wanted him to go to the hospital for a reliable checkup but he refused for the excuse of being busy with his new project at work… Until…

“No, Mom… Thank you, but I don’t have the appetite…” – Min Ho smiled weakly, he still looked so pale, refusing his favorite seafood noodles made by his mother.

They were at his house for a family gathering dinner.

“Waeyo, boy? Don’t tell me that now you love your wife’s food than mine?” – His mom pretended to be upset, glaring at him…

“No, mom, I just can’t stand its smell…” – He hardly answered, feeling the urge of vomiting b up from his stomach again.

“What happened with him, Sulli? Does he have stomachache or something? He looks so pale when he came, is he sick?” – Her father asked in concern.

“This is what I want to tell you, he looks so ill from the day before yesterday, and it even gets worse every morning, but whatever I tell him and rush him to the hospital for a full checkup, he wouldn’t listen to me! I’m mad at him already.” – Sulli pouted at her father, and threw a glare at Min Ho, yet worry was in her eyes when she saw him bitting his lips, as if he was suffering from something very uneasy.

“I told you, just because I was stressed out from the busy work… and… MOM, I TOLD YOU, I CANNOT STAND ITS SMELL…” – Min Ho suddenly yelled out as his mother lift up the seafood plates near his nose and immediately he ran out of the dinner table to the nearest bathroom direction.

Sullie got stunned, the only thing she knew at that moment was to go after him and called out his name to open the door as she heard he threw up again.

“Oppa, open the door! Are you ok?”

“Ssul, are you feeling well now? Have you felt the morning sick these days?” – Her mother – in – laws called her from the dining room…

“Aniyo, mother, I feel better now, and even the morning sick, it hasn’t come lately…” – She answered back in between her knocking for calling Min Ho to open the bathroom door.

The two mothers burst in laughter as they saw Sulli back with her husband tagged along behind, he looked like a wet sick kitten coming back from a heavy rain.

“Mwoya? I’m sick and you’re that happy?” – Min Ho sat down upsettingly, he never expected this reaction from the elders.

“Kids, let he rest…” – Grandmother slowly said, she smile softly

As a result, the parents stopped laughing, but they immediately turned in to giggling and buzzing together…

“Mwoya? What happen with you guys, Min Ho oppa is sick and you’re that happy?” – Sulli pouted, feeling confused.

“Your husband must love you so much, my dear Sulli…” – Grandma said, smiling…

Sullie blushed, hearing her grandmother’s sudden statement.

She looked at her two grandchildren lovingly – “And by the way, Min Ho, no need for you to go to the hospital…”

The newlywed exchanged a confusing look.

“What do you mean, grandma?”

“A man who has morning sickness doesn’t need to come to the hospital to check up, unless his sickness becomes even worse than the sickness his wife has…” – His mother laughed

“WHAT?” MORNING SICKNESS?” – The two yelled in shock

“Yeah, right, my dear… You’re having morning sickness for your Sulli…” – Grandma just smiled, her eyes sparkled – “Sometimes, it happened because the husband is too worried for his pregnant wife, and just so you now, we’ll have an reversal here, instead of the wife, her husband will have her sickness during her first stage of pregnancy, and this case, you’re that lovely man, my dear Min Ho… And I’m glad that this may be the proof for how much love and care for her… Ssul, your husband must love you so much, he now receives all of your tiring and inconvenience…”

Sulli blushed, she smiled at Min Ho with her surprising yet sweet puppy eyes.

Smiled back weakly, Min Ho mouthed “I love you” with her, ignoring the teasing sound from the parents.

And soon ran away to the bathroom for another vomiting round.

*End of flashback*

After finished both of that combo fried chicken, Min Ho was now lying on the bed with Sulli in his arms, he picked up the Teddy bear beside his wife and said while poking at its tummy.

“Teddy, have I told you that somedays I would replace you on this bed, now I’m here already, I thought you should go to your own place with those Hello Kitty, Winnie the Pooh, Pigglet, Snoopy, Pororo, Keroro…” – He shook the bear, pointing at the corner where Sulli placed her flurry stuffs.

“Ya, oppa, give him back to me!” – Sulli tried to get the bear back

“Him? So he’s a boy, huh?” – Min Ho asked, raising his eyes brows

Sulli giggled – “Oh, a boy, so what?”

“So, it’s his fault to be a boy, he’d better go to that place with them instead of here…” – And he threw the bear away, making Sulli yelled out.

“Ya!”

“No boy has the right to stay beside my Ssul baby…” – Min Ho said flatly, embracing her in a big hug.

“You’re sooooooo much childish oppa… Froggy oppa…” – Sulli answered, hugging him back.

“You make me like this, Ssul baby…”

“Oppa…”

“Wae?”

“I can’t sleep…”

“Why? Feeling sick something?”

“Ani… just because…”

“Because what?”

“Because of the noisy whaling sound from your stomach, oppa…”

“YA, this little girl!”

“Psssss… Stop that! Stop tickling me… Froggy oppa…”

“It’s been a long time you haven’t call me Froggy oppa…” – He smiled, hugging her tighter

“Long time, huh? Since when… Almost 3 years… right? From that day, I haven’t called you Froggy oppa … But I still wondering, are you that Prince Charming… That Froggy Prince?”

*Flashback*

3 years ago…

At the University Welcome Newbie and Graduate Farewell Party.

They entered the same university.

This year, Sulli was 19, her fresh year at college, and the last year of senior like Min Ho.

The Student Council always celebrated the two events in a big and splendid party.

This year, the concept of the event was Fairy tale Ball room Dance Party, where all the participants should dress in those gowns that resemble to one of the characters from many famous fairy tale.

Sulli, with her milky with skin and pretty face, was chosen as the Snow White and represented for her class.

She was so nervous wearing a truly bubbling and strange dress like this, but right after her appearance, both of the looks were attracted by her… As a shy girl, Sulli felt a bit lonely in a crowded party.

The only thing she wanted to do was went out and came to a small corner of her own. She smiled at Krystal, who was busily dancing with the guys… Even though she was the center of the party, Sulli still feel uneasy, she didn’t use to those kind of gathering.

Then suddenly…

“Ladies and Gentlemen, now it’s time for out teuely ball room dance…

Guys, please wear up your masks and find your princess, invite her to dance with you…

Our party is going to start right now…

And here you go…

Vienna Waltz…”

The music was on…

She could see the boys put on their masks…

The music…

A beautiful song…

And, suddenly…

A voice came near her ears…

“Snow White, can I have this dance?”

She didn’t know why her mind told her to refuse, she didn’t know how to dance, the only time she dance was with Min Ho on her 14th birthday, at the hospital, during her treatment… And dancing? No, it reminded her of him, his hands, his aura… Everything… But her hands were now in his, and she softly nodded her head…

“… You're in my arms
And all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two
So close together
And when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive…
 

The light was all off, and she could hardly see his face, especially when he wore a mask like this…

But, this feeling, what is this…

“Is this Min Ho oppa?...

It’s too dark here… I can’t see his face…

But this feeling… Quite familiar… Just as the same, 5 years ago, at the hospital, when he taught me to dance those waltz step…

These hands…

It’s been a long time for me to take his hands…

Are these his hands?

So close…

She felt and she wanted to know it was him… Because only this feeling made her feel so alive… So close to him… “Prince… Are you him? Are you Min Ho oppa?”

… A life goes by
Romantic dreams must die
So I bid mine goodbye and never knew
So close was waiting, waiting here with you
And now forever I know
All that I want is to hold you
So close…
 

He gripped her hands tighter, he knew, this time, after 2 years, he would have a chance to get close to her.

The music… Tender and beautiful, just like her…

His little sister…

His first love…

He once let go of her hands because of that coward inside him…

He was guilty for not being with her, for refusing her… And now, his chance to bring her back… Would he have that bravery?

He lookd into her eyes… Those sparkle and pure eyes…

They’re so close…

“Are you still waiting for me? Are you still there for me?”

He once gave this Snow White an apple, and this time, could he be able to make up his mistake… Is there still that stupid poison in the apple? The apple he gave her  along with the result that she never believe in fairy tale anymore… Never believe in ever after anymore?

He hold her in his arms… This was not a dance anymore…

…So close to reaching that famous happy ending
Almost believing this one's not pretend
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far, we are, so close …
 

“We’re so close, but why do I feel it’s too far…?” – Looked into his face, Sulli secretly asking herself.

“Is there a thing call Happy ending? Ang if it is a dream… Tomorrow, when I wake up, will I see you?”

She leaned up, and touch his mask…

Her heart fluttered…

… How could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now?
We're so close
To reaching that famous happy ending
Almost believing this one's not pretend
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are
So close
So close
And still so far…”

He gave an apple in her hand and there was a small paper on it.

The paper wrote in English: “Dear Snow White, I’ve tried it, no poison… you can believe in fairy tale again… - Uncharming Prince”

That time, he had no bravery to begin again…”

*End of flashback*

They woke up together in the bed the next morning…

Ring Ring…

Sulli lazily her phone…

“Hello…”

“Is that Mrs. Choi… Choi Jin Ri…”

“Yeah, I’m speaking…”

“I’m calling from the Mothers and Babies Healthcare, can you please come to our place to receive the checkup result today… I mean both of you, you and your husband… Doctor Kim said he wanted to talk to both of you, this afternoon, when you come, he’ll discuss more in details…”

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Hey there, sorry for nor updating yesterday...

Here come your chapter 12...

Enjoy <3 Comment and let me know your thought, boring, rite...

Emmmm, what will happen next?

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii <3 I love you guys so muchhhhhhhh <3

From Ceroro with love <3