Chapter One

Juhyun smiles, squeezing her husband's hand in assurance. “I know.” She replies shortly, giving Junmyeon a wave of shock. It's a very short response but still takes him aback. The said guy opens and closes his mouth, the urge to ask her is too strong at how she manages to find out about it. But words can’t seem to come out of his mouth at that moment. The low chuckles that escape Juhyun's mouth catch his attention.

“Stop doing that Junmyeon, you look like a fish.” She cracks a joke, trying to ease the tension surrounding them. Although deep inside her, she feels that the thickness of the pressure in the atmosphere is already too suffocating; like a metal chain that chokes her. And as she tries to enlighten up everything, Junmyeon flashes his handsome smile at her, even though she knows that behind that smile, he’s still feeling guilty about it. The husband fakes a couple of coughs, before he manages to utter an almost whisper—a manner when he's embarrassed.

“How?”

With that, Juhyun's small lips draw a thin smile across her pale face.

“I saw the two of you, just this last few weeks.” She answers whole-heartedly, her own cold hands slowly letting go of Junmyeon’s warm hands as she begins to clean the dining table. She knows very well that the table can't wait and the matter between them is much more complicated but at the same time, she's afraid of confrontations. She dislikes having to interrogate the husband she loves all her life. She swallows the lump in and blinks her eyes a couple of times when her back is already facing him. She’s hiding her tears. “And Junmyeon, you should really be careful with her perfume. It’s too strong that her scent remains on your suit.” She says jokingly, although she knows she is hurting.

Junmyeon helps her with washing the dirty dishes, he stays silent as he listens to her. He tilts his head a little, observing Juhyun's slim figure. “So, you’re not mad at me?” He asks idiotically which then causes him to receive a light slap on his right arm.

“Of course I’m not. Finish your chores. I’ll be in Aleyna’s room.” She walks off and heads to their daughter’s room.

After Juhyun leaves him in the kitchen alone, Junmyeon heaves a heavy sigh. He doesn’t know how he must feel about it. It’s a relief that Joohyun isn’t mad at him, but he still feels kind of uneasy about it. It seems like Juhyun doesn’t care about him anymore, with the way she reacts to him cheating behind her back. But then, reality hits him right in the face. He’s the one who doesn’t care about them anymore. He’s the one who cheats and he can’t blame Juhyun on however she wants to react about it. Again, he heaves another sigh. “This doesn’t look like what I’ve expected.”

Whilst in their daughter's room, Juhyun is busying herself with combing her daughter's hair. “Mama.” Her sweet child calls for her attention. She hums in reply. “Did you tell papa already?” She asks curiously, trying to turn to face her mom.

“Tell Papa about what sweetie?” She asks, turning her daughter to face her as she combs her fringe out of her cute face. Aleyna replies by placing her small hand on her mother's belly. She eyes her mom in the eyes, smiling cutely. She mouths 'My baby sibling’ and Juhyun stares into her eyes. She leans in so their foreheads meet, “I’ll tell papa afterwards. Now my sweet Aleyna should go to sleep. Or else, a monster will tickle you until you cry.” Juhyun says as she carries her adopted daughter to her bed.

Juhyun gives her a goodnight kiss and sings her lullabies before her daughter completely dosses off to her dreamland. She switches the night lamp on and switches the room light off, shutting the door behind her, softly to not wake Aleyna up.

“She’s asleep already?” Her husband's voice startles her which causes her to slap his arm in reflex.

“My goodness Junmyeon, you scared me.” She says as the lad smiles, muttering an audible “sorry” to her. She works her steps towards their shared room, getting into the bathroom immediately, once again, leaving Junmyeon all alone.

Junmyeon stares into their bathroom's door for good 20 minutes and hears nothing but the sound of running tap water. He’s getting impatient when Juhyun finally steps out of the bathroom, wiping her face with dry towel as she steps towards the makeup table. Junmyeon stares blankly on her figure when she combs her hair.

“Juhyun-ah.” He calls for his wife and she hums in replies.

“Juhyunie.” He calls for her again. This time around, when she replies with humming, it sends chills down to his heart. He loves her singing voice, though right now, she’s just humming a simple “hmm”.

“Juhyun.” He tries again but Juhyun doesn’t reply to him. Junmyeon crooks his eyebrows.

“Seo Juhyun.” He speaks out her full name which in turn, Juhyun sends him a questioning look through the reflection.

She then turns to face him, tilting her head slightly to the right and Junmyeon does the same too. She lifts her left eyebrow and Junmyeon does too. Juhyun scoffs when she knows Junmyeon tactics too well. She smiles, rolls her eyes, and laughs while Junmyeon mirrors all her actions.

Juhyun slowly draws a dangerous smirk on her face, clicking her tongue and shaking her head lightly. Junmyeon stiffens at that moment, because he knows what comes next, and his prediction is right. Juhyun fingers start to mimic a walking man on her thigh, revealing her milky skin underneath her night robe, Junmyeon gulps. “Not now.” He whispers to himself but he stays rooted on the side of the bed when Juhyun walk towards him, slowly. She sits next to him, putting her own head on his shoulder.

“You enjoy it Junmyeon? Playing with me?” She asks, facing him with a venomous smirk on her lips. Junmyeon turns to face her, “I…I..” But Juhyun silences him with her index finger on his lips then she laughs at his expression. She fans herself because the tears starts to roll down her cheeks. “You need to look at your own face Junmyeon. Oh my God, you’re so hilarious.” She exclaims while laughing.

She crawls to her side of the bed, tucking herself under the thick comforter. “Aren’t you sleepy?” She asks, still giggling. She shakes her head, “Oh Lord, I should just have recorded that.” She continues as Junmyeon lays next to her. He lays down on their bed facing Juhyun. His wife is still talking about his silly expression but he seems to ignore it all. His mind now focuses on Juhyun's image only. How she looks so damn fine with his cheating issues as if he just breaks the small vase in their living room. He gently grazes his right hand to her right cheek which makes Juhyun to stop blabbering on her own about her husband's reaction.

“Hey.” He says almost in a whisper. Juhyun looks at him with her wonderful eyes. “I’m sorry, I betrayed our love.” He says carefully. Juhyun scoots closer, towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She buries her face in his broad chest. “It’s okay.” Her words muffle in his chest. “It’s perfectly okay.” She pauses for a moment, inhaling a lungful of air.

“But I have a condition.” She raises her face to look into her husband’s eyes. “Don’t forget about Aleyna once we’re off.” She pleads with her eyes.

Don’t ever forget about us. She wants to say that but she holds it in with a smile.

Junmyeon furrowed his brows. “I will never forget Aleyna, she’s our daughter. Remember? Even though she’s just an adopted child, she’s still my daughter.” Juhyun smiles, shaking her head as she buries her face in his chest once more. “You’re right, though. Let’s sleep, you have some important meeting tomorrow, I suppose?” She changes the subject.

“Good night Junmyeon, sweet dreams.” She pecks him on the lips.

“Good night Juhyun. Sweet dreams too.” Junmyeon doesn’t kiss her forehead like any other night. Juhyun hides a painful smile, a drastic change indeed.

Juhyun waits for few minutes until Junmyeon is in his deep sleep. She lifts up her head to check her husband if he’s really sleeping or still awake. She scoots to the edge of their bed and reach for her phone under her pillow. The clock in her phone shows 10:46 and she walks out of their shared room towards the kitchen. She searches through the fridge and takes out a bottle of milk. She pours the milk into a pan and heats it on the stove, worrying that if she uses the microwave, it’s going to be too noisy.

She sighs, staring into the space. This isn’t what they have planned years before. This is a 360-degree turning point for their relationship. She knows Junmyeon doesn’t feel the same about them anymore, his eyes lose their sparks since then.

Sighing for another time, she searches for some number through her contact list. Her eyes glues on an ID of their trusted family member. She clicks on it and sends a simple text message.

To: Minseok Oppa

Oppa, are you still awake?

From: Juhyun

Juhyun waits for the milk to be completely heated and for his reply when a warm hand taps on her shoulder. She squeals in surprise and her phone notifies a new message is received.

“Why are you here?” She asks Junmyeon, the latter smiles. “Just to get something to drink.” He replies groggily. She turns off the stove, grabbing a glass from the nearest rack. She pours the hot milk into the glass. Junmyeon reaches out for the glass and takes a sip from it.

She smiles, facing her husband, taking the glass from him and places it on the kitchen counter. “Go back to sleep, I’ll be right back, okay?” She asks, cupping his handsome face in her palms. She kisses his forehead, slightly shooing him off to their room. When she’s sure Junmyeon enters their room already, she checks her inbox, slightly smiling.

To: Juhyun

Yes. Is there anything that you need Juhyun-ah?

From: Minseok Oppa

She types a quick reply while drinking the milk.

To: Minseok Oppa

Let’s meet tomorrow. I’ll text the details tomorrow morning. Sorry for bothering you tonight. Good night, Oppa.

From: Juhyun

Juhyun washes the glass quickly and walks back to her daughter’s room, checking on her with a pleasant smile on her face. She shuts the door quietly before heading to her own room. When she finally enters her room, she roams mindlessly with a heavy heart. She sighs in between her steady breathing. The conversations she has with Aleyna find their way into her mind. Juhyun rubs her flat belly softly, her eyes on her husband's sleeping figure.

“Mama will take care of you.” She promises to her unborn baby. So much for a complicated event in a day makes her mind worn out.

She works her steps towards their bed, tucking herself next to Junmyeon, she pecks his cheek. “Be happy, Junmyeon.” She wishes. She switches her phone off after making sure for Minseok’s reply. But the lad is probably busy right now. She sighs as she forces herself to sleep. Not a minute she lays in their bed, she falls into her sleep.

Author's Note: Hey, I'm so sorry for taking too much time for this first chapter. It just that, I need it to be edited and proof-read by Anne. This story is nothing without her word plays and amazing use of language. Thank you, Anne. This is lovely. She makes the stoy even more readable. Anyway, I just found a new kind of attraction towards English man. Especially Tom Felton and Jude Law, these two are just sinfully attractive. Well, that aside of it, how do you think of this chapter? Do you like it or you think it is some crappy piece of ? Do drop your comment. Thank you for reading. Once again, thanks to Anne (OfSereneNights) for editing and beta-ing. Any questions can contact me through my twitter (@justseoho). Peace out. -Aida