When someone who has dumped you but come back in your life, asking you that everything is going to be normal again. Do you believe it?

While sitting on the couch in the living room, eyes subconsciously landed on the tile floor after a few minutes fixated on the wall, Sunhwa was wondering about that. The unexpected visit from Chanyeol this afternoon had thrown her mind into blankness and half-dizziness. How she wished Byul would be here, to cure her state, mentally. Even it wouldn’t be in a direct way as in a counselling session.

-Flashback-

A familiar car made its way in front of the house entrance. She could see it from the spot where she was sitting by the round garden table while a magazine on her lap. Leaving it on the table, she stood up and walked. Only a few steps forward since the person coming out from that particular silver sport car had strode hastily to her direction.

She couldn’t help but look up when he became nearer because of his taller figure.  “Wh...what are you doing here?” She asked, still surprised.

Chanyeol looked down between the space in front of them before he gazed softly, still in a serious demeanour, at her, “I’m here to see you.”

“What?” she blankly stated. She couldn’t decipher what he was trying to say, to see her? Like what? It was not like she was terribly ill and needed visit from people around and whatever it was…

He flashed her a closed genuine smile, “I’m break up with Chaerin now.”

Her crestfallen formed even deeper, suddenly he said something weird like this. “b-but why?” She wouldn’t deny that she was indeed shocked with the sudden confession.

“Because you’re no longer Byul’s mother...” he pointed out.

“-remember that my mom wants to marry me with Chaerin just because you are adopting Byul. But now Byul is back with her father which mean you’re not tied to anyone else..” he continued, his eyes never left her orbs.

Sunhwa blinked.

“what about Chaerin?”

“don’t worry I know how to handle her. And my mother… she surely will accept you again, I can convince her.” He nodded confidently.

Sunhwa awkwardly rubbed her hands together, “oh...” was all she said, she completely shocked by the facts she received just now. Too much to be consumed for her. Especially when he said his mother would accept her again... seriously? She was already dumped by Mrs. Park and now Chanyeol suddenly asked her to be with him again?  This was insane.

When she was busy trying to pinpoint the whole ed-up situation right now, Chanyeol had his gaze fixed on the woman right in front of him again, the one whom he loved for so long. He stepped forward with his right hand settled in between her hair and the back of her neck. Angling his head in the process, he wanted to place his lips on hers as if there was no hesitation, no shame, and no guilt.

Sunhwa wasn’t ready for any of this.

 In reflex her arms lifted defensively and her hands landed on both side of his shoulders, restraining him from proceeding closer.

“Chanyeol.” She wanted to warn him that he supposed to hold himself for whatever goddamn yearning kiss he was into because she had clearly declared they had nothing special relationship. Not more than a friend or merely a contact. She wanted to throw a fit for he was coming again and asking her to be together with him when everything was already ended. She hated him for almost pulling her to a kiss that just so intended by one side but not her. It ached her when he was acting carelessly like this.

He stopped inching forward, his gaze fixated intently back at her eyes, as if asking her of why she told him to stop. To stop from kissing her. Seeing the furious gaze in her eyes made him thought that she was indeed not pleased by his action. Knowing her for more than 6 years now, of course he can read her mind.

Taking that note in his head, he heaved a breath, straightened himself, releasing his grasps on her.

“I’m sorry.” A deep, fluid voice resonating.

He stepped back and he lowered his head once, one hand raised and he squeezed his fingers on both side of his forehead before he released them. Feeling stupid for his hasty action.

He looked up again with a gentle closed apologetic smile. “I’m sorry again.”

Sunhwa with her hardening gaze at him that seemed did not falter any moment from now, gulped hardly, trying not to burst tears in front of him. She did not know why she felt like this when she did not supposed to feel it. She was unsure from where this sick emotion coming from.

She felt guilty.

As if the situation was torturing her. Was this the punishment for a woman like her for the past action of coercing an adoption and made a little girl separated from her father? Because she felt like this was the consequences after all.

She was not sure how long she had been staring at Chanyeol, when he called her attention again. She snapped out, as if she just returned to her state. “Sunhwa, do you have a visitor today?” he asked while his head craned to look at his back, to the space where he parked his car. She followed his gaze. “..no.” she answered with a light frown. “Why?”

He faced her again. “Nothing. I just… I thought I heard a car’s engine just now.”

Sunhwa refocused her attention in front of her again, looking for something related. Somehow, hoping for something.

But there was nothing.

She heaved a sigh. A little bit disappointed. No. She was indeed disenchanted. Once again, Chanyeol saw that.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Surprised by the way he could read her mind, she looked at him before immediately looked down. She nodded small.

 Maybe, she was just the one that placing too much expectation from him.

:.::.:.::

 “So… it seems like you still mad at me for a past noon lunch huh?” Junmyeon said to the sea, taking his seat on the giant rock beside his daughter, lowering his back enough to install his arms on his legs. His black hair was styled in upward manner and didn’t seem to be messed up by the harsh wind hitting both of their face.

Byul was sitting on the same rock, watching the sea ahead with her lower lip jutted out. She had awaked when Junmyeon brought her to a late lunch about an hour ago.

Byul shook her head. “ani.. I’m not mad.”

Upon hearing her small voice, he craned his neck to the side facing the little girl. Her face told the other stories. She was pouting, showing full cheeks that made Junmyeon’s contour face changed. He stifled a chuckle from erupted. He dropped his head for a second, before he looked up at her again, “come here. We’re going to see your mom.” He stood up and offered a hand at the little girl. When he thought about it again, his egoistic action would not do help for both situation. He’d rather fulfil his daughter’s wish; he knew she badly wanted to see her mother. Poor kid. Besides, that was the main reason why they were here, in Busan after all.

Byul’s face lit up as she looked at her father who was showing a closed gentle smile. She gladly inserted her hand in his and hopped down dangerously.

“ooh be careful.”

“I am.”

“you almost fell.”

“I’m not.”

Junmyeon sighed and shook his head. “alright let’s go.”

At this moment, Junmyeon was standing in front of the door to the same house again. The only difference was that it was already night and Byul was standing beside him, looked all happy to meet the owner of the house.

Junmyeon had his eyes bored to the ground, like having some meditation issue and after a second he lifted his head, drawing a breath before he released them, without noticing that Byul had just been looking at him with a blank, confuse face.

His hand reached up to push the button.

He could hear the bell rang from inside the house.

Taking a deep breath.

Three.

Two.

One.

Sunhwa looked up, or more like snapping her head up after hearing the bell rang. Since she was somewhat wary of the incident happened before, she headed to the intercom. Checking if... if Chanyeol came here again. But that would be stupid. He supposed to leave for Seoul since few hours ago and she would be totally freaked out to see him still here. Or maybe... maybe he had other problem that made him cancel his ride. But it would simply weird, because if he did, he would tell her in the first place. Or perhaps… perhaps this visitor was not him, maybe some creepy… no wait, she squinted her eyes when the screen on the intercom showed up. To her surprise, it was Junmyeon stood there… with Byul.

As if there was no needed to think of her action later, almost impulsively, she responded and opened the door. One hand covered still in dazed, significantly when she landed her eyes on the little girl who was radiating a bright smile amidst of the dark engulfing the night sky. “Byul…” she whispered. Tears were stinging her eyes, she badly wanted to pulled the younger into a tight hug but bit back her intention when her eyes subconsciously landed on him.

“Junmyeon...” she called, and his eyes instantly locked with her. And she didn’t know why, it felt distant. All this short time of getting know to him, she had already received variants of looks from him.

 It was weird though but at the same time she found it was really interesting that she abled to read the look in his eyes.

The moment he looked faultless every time he , or when his serious profile emanated when he meant business, his confused crest-fallen that formed after the incident at the shop, or even his innocent, sweet eye-smile he would radiate whenever he faced his daughter.

It was all different compared to what he showed now.

The way he looked, from what she could see, it give off pain.

Pain.

Junmyeon was in pain.

 The vicinity, the distant that accumulated made Sunhwa lost her vocabulary.

Cricket songs.

“umma...”

Sunhwa heard the younger whispered, specifically at her. She turned to Byul, with round eyes motioning a concern gesture at the same time a questioning look.

Showing her front white teeth, ByUhsaid in a hush tone, “I wahoneste.”

Sunhwa’s eyebrows raised almost in synchronize from left to the right as she broke into an amused smile. “Alright, come with me.” She said to encourage the little girl who was somewhat shy. It seemed like she had grew closer to her father that Junmyeon might had taught her to be courteous with someone else, which included Sunhwa herself. As she about to lead Byul with her, somehow she managed to take a glimpse of Junmyeon who was mentally face palming. It was obvious to Sunhwa when she saw him closing his eyes shortly.  She wondered if that indicated he was not pleased at all to come here. But, if he really hated her, he wouldn’t show up at her, right?

Junmyeon just watched them walked further inside the house, as he heaved a small sigh.

When he realized how awkward this meeting had led, he decided to leave his spot at the entrance, of course by not entering the house.

Sunhwa was not sure what had brought to Junmyeon’s knowledge about her place in Busan. She guessed a man like him would do anything to find her and it looked like her attempt to get away from them was getting harder. After done with nursing the little girl who had already slept due to tiredness she believed, she decided to wander out, looking for the left-out person here.  It actually took almost half an hour since she missed her a lot that she had to make sure she learned each of Byul’s feature really well. For that, she was grateful that Junmyeon had come and brought Byul to her for goodness sake.

As soon as she walked to the door, she saw the black automobile still parked on the ground of the house’s vicinity. She was hesitated at first considering the way he gave her the look earlier, but later found herself continued striding to the car since she thought it would be rude to let the guest waiting in the car.

She was about to knock as soft as she can when the car’s window rolled down.

“uhh… please come in.. I-”

Junmyeon shook his head, his eyes didn’t leave the spot ahead him. “it’s okay.. I can wait here.”

“b-but it wouldn’t be nice if I let you wait in here.” He didn’t say anything so she continued. “..therefore Byul is sleeping already.” She motioned her head to the house.

No reply.

“Junmyeon-”

“Get in.”

Wh..what? Get in? where? Did he mean insi