Chapter 17

Mrs. Kwon glanced up as Mr. Kwon entered their bedroom in his nightclothes. She patted the pillow behind her & then lay back down. He walked over to the bed & gently lay down next to her. Taking out his book & glasses from the nightstand on his side, he began reading. Mrs. Kwon picked up her knitted sweater & began knitting. Silence still took over them until she cleared .

“I’m worry about our grandson.” Mrs. Kwon said, as she lay down her work. She turned towards her husband & took the book away from his hands. He looked up with a questioning look, “I’m worry about our grandson.” She repeated.

Mr. Kwon made a grab for his book but she threw it over her shoulder. He sighed & took off his glasses.

“He’s getting better. Yuri just called us today.”

“I’m not talking about that. I meant us not knowing our grandson & he not knowing about us. We are doing a great job of keeping this a secret for a long time now but I want to know him more. I want to see him. We haven’t seen Yuri for four years now & not seeing my grandson makes me sick. Keeping this a secret away from his real father makes me sick.” She said, with a worry look.

“Look Aecha.” Mr. Kwon said, as he grabbed her hands, “This is the best we can do for her now. She’s living a great life over there. If you want to go see her, go.”

“You are making it sound so easy but it’s not. What if he finds out?”

He sighed again, “I don’t know but I promise you we will get to see Taehyun soon. Just wait alright?” Mrs. Kwon nodded her head & leaned back. She let out a deep breath & took in another one. Mr. Kwon took her chin into his hands, “How are you breathing?”

“Not so good.” She replied, with her eyes closed, “The tumor is growing inside of me everyday. I don’t know if I can handle it.”

“You are going to be fine. All you need is surgery. Just wait & we will get the money for it.”

“I’m tired of waiting. I had waited for a long time now to see my grandson. I had waited a long time now to see my daughter once again, & yet, those things haven’t happened. I want to see them before I die. I want to see them.” She repeated, & covered her face with her hands, “How did I ever receive this tumor inside of me? I had never smoked.”

He pulled her to him & hugged her tightly, “You just need the surgery, honey. We can cure your lungs.”

“What if we can’t? I don’t want our children to worry about me. They have enough to worry about. Doyeon is having a hard time about Ahjoong’s miscarriage. Yuri has Taehyun to take care of & the only one who doesn’t have stuff to worry about is Mina. I don’t know how to tell them.”

“I know how hard it is for you.” He said, ‘If only I shouldn’t have given him permission to marry my daughter.’ His mind said, ‘It all started because of me.’

Mrs. Kwon pulled back & wiped her tears away. She climbed out of bed, “Where are you going?” Mr. Kwon asked, as he was about to get up.

She turned & made a signal with her hand for him not to get up, “I’m just going to the bathroom. Don’t worry, I will be out soon.” He looked unsure but nodded. She walked slowly to the bathroom & closed the door behind her.

Mr. Kwon waited patiently. He leaned over to her side of the bed & picked up the book he was reading earlier before she threw it behind her shoulder. He then settled back on his side of the bed & began reading but his mind was on his wife. Concern with worries, Mr. Kwon didn’t want her to talk about dying. Sooner or later, life will end.

“& then nail it.” He quoted, from the book, “I know. I’m a constructor.” He said, annoyed!

He slam the book shut & placed it onto the table. He looked towards the bathroom door. Sighing, Mr. Kwon waited patiently. Tomorrow was a big day for him & Doyeon. Building the building for the richest man from Hong Kong was their biggest hit & if they fail this one, they will fail all the others.

Mr. Kwon played with the blanket, trying to make a big airplane out of it until he heard a noise from inside the bathroom. He raised his head in panic & turned to look at the bathroom door. The noise, he was sure, came from the bathroom. Getting up quickly, Mr. Kwon walked over, “Aecha.” There came a moan from the bathroom. Quitting his slowness, he ran over to the door & turned the unlocked door. He looked inside & saw her lying unconsciously on the floor. His forehead began to sweat. He ran over to her but didn’t touch any of her body parts, afraid that her bones might be broken, “Aecha, honey. What happened?” He asked in a panic voice.

She began to moan & move her head, “Don’t...Don’t move. I’m going to call the ambulance. Lay still.” He ran back into their room & snatched the blanket from the bed. He ran back into the bathroom & covered her with it, “Stay still, honey.” He was rushing but in a panic.

“Feeling better?”

Taehyun, like a good boy, idly lifted his little spoon full of orange jello up to his mouth while looking up at her. He played with the jello first in his mouth before swallowing it with a yummy sigh. He took another spoonful of jello again, “Yes, mommy.” He said, before putting the spoon into his mouth & then taking it out with a pop of his cute lips, “Hyunnie done.”

“& it’s time for Hyunnie to have a bath.” Yuri said, with a big smile.

“Another bath?” He asked, with his pouted lips.

“Yes.” Yuri replied, & took the empty bowl into the kitchen. She washed the bowl along with the spoon & then went back into the living room to find Taehyun with his little feet on a chair, looking out of the window. His hands were placed flat onto the windowpane.

“It’s booming outside, mommy.” He said, with his lips shaped as an o.

“Yes, it is.” She walked over to him & looked outside. The dark clouds were gathering overhead & were ready to let the rain come down. Her little boy loves to see the rain fall down. Whenever the thunder clapped, Taehyun will clap his hands together & make thundering noise with his voice. Still is a little bit sick, he still loves to watch the rain. Shaking her head, she picked him up & placed him at her hips.

“Can I take a bath outside with the duckies in their puddles?” He asked sweetly, & circled his arms around his mommy’s neck, “Please?”

She shook her head, “No. Do you want to get sick again?”

He looked down & started to play with his fingers, “No.” He stiffed.

Yuri sighed but then brought a smile to her face, “You can take a bath with your rubber ducky.”

Taehyun lifted his head up with a wide smile, “Really?”

“Yes, but only if you don’t get the floor wet again. If you do, mommy will take it away from you. Deal?” She asked, with her head tilted to the left.

He lit up his silly smile, “Hyunnie don’t gamble.” He said, knowing that he will definitely get the floor wet again, before he got sick.

Yuri laughed & pinched his cheek, “That’s my boy using his brain.”

He smiled his proud smile, “Me smart.”

“You are.” She said, & walked into the bathroom. Taking a bath was Taehyun’s most hateful thing to do but when he has his rubber ducky with him, he was willing to take it. Splashing & blowing bubbles underneath the water was his everyday bath to get back at his mommy for making him taking a bath. Nevertheless, he always helped her clean up the wet floor afterwards.

“Are you going to work tomorrow, mommy?” He asked.

She looked down at him sadly, “I’m afraid so, honey. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay with you longer. Mommy’s very busy. Do you understand?”

He made a puppy face & nodded.

“But did I not promise to take you to the zoo this coming week?” He nodded again, but didn’t bring up his usual happy face when Yuri talks about the zoo. She sighed, “I promised Hyunnie.” When he didn’t answer, Yuri took off his black chest-pocket tee & ink blue skinny fashion khaki pants & threw it idly onto the floor. She the water & he climbed in with her help.

Taehyun didn’t seemed to enthusiastic playing with his rubber ducky. He just sat there while his mommy washed him cleanly. Every now & then, he will mumble something under his breath while Yuri sighed. She truly wants to stay home with him tomorrow again, like the last eight days. Even with the summer vacation, they have nowhere to go because of her business.

“Hyunnie.”

He threw his ducky against the wall of the tub & crossed his arm. Yuri smiled & brushed his hair with her fingers. The baby johnson shampoo slid down his chubby cheeks. He brushed it away & crossed his arms again, “Hyunnie.” She stopped when the phone rang, “Mommy will be right back. Okay?” He looked up at her with his lips still in a pouted. She tilted her head to the left & shook her head. He turned away & picked up his ducky from the water. Yuri sighed again, for the thousandth times. She walked out of the bathroom & ran to pick up the phone that had been ringing for the third time, “Hello, Kwon Yuri speaking.”

There was no answer from the other line. She waited & shrugged. About to hang up the phone, a voice came through, “Yuri. It’s me, Doyeon.”

“Doyeon Oppa. Hey.” She said in a cheerful voice, “I just called mom this afternoon. Hyunnie’s getting along fine. I’m sorry that I didn’t call you, too. You must had been worried.”

“I was.” He said, after a second, “Listen, Yuri. I have something to tell you. Promise me you won’t.” He hesitated, as he did four years before, “Mom’s at the hospital now. She has a tumor in her lungs. I.”

The phone dropped from her hand & onto the floor. She leaned against the wall & fell down restlessly. Her eyes & bones grew weak from the news. Her breathing increased. The door opened & Mina walked in. Yuri tiredly looked up as tears started to fall down her cheeks. Mina’s eyes widened. She ran towards her sister & took her by the shoulder.

“What’s wrong, Yuri? Why are you crying?”

Taehyun walked into the living room in his submarine gray car graphic pajamas that he had put on himself, “Mommy.” He said, as he looked up from his little toes.

“Hyunnie, go…”

“Mommy. What’s wrong with mommy?” He asked, as he ran to Yuri, “Mommy.” He said, as he shook her shoulder, “Why are you crying mommy?”

“Hyunnie, please? Go to your room.” Mina averted her head. She saw the phone & picked it up.

“Mommy.” Taehyun’s voice begun to shake. His lips trembled as he saw how Yuri was crying. He wiped her tears away with his tiny fingers, “Hyunnie sorry Hyunnie was a bad boy.” He cried, thinking it was his fault that made her cried, “Hyunnie will not go to the zoo no more. Hyunnie will not cry. Hyunnie loves mommy only.”

Yuri brought her hand up & brushed his light hair. She looked at her son through her tears, “Your grammy is sick.” Said Yuri gradually.

“Yuri.” Mina said, as she hung up the phone from talking to Doyeon. She kneeled down beside her, “Mom is terribly sick.”

“I know.” She whispered, “I want to go see her, Min. She’s sick & I’m not there for her. What kind of daughter am I?”

“Don’t talk like that. We had just found out.”

“Mina.” Yuri said, as she looked up, “I want to see mom. It’s been years. We need to pack & go back to Seoul.”

A/N: i know some of you guys or maybe ALL want me to end yuri up with someone else, other then jaejoong from what he did, hahaha, but let me ask you guys this, what do you guys think of the title 'Child Custody, Love Custody' when you guys first saw it? i know you guys must have in mind about 'Child Custody' but what about 'Love Custody'? hehehe

be waiting for your guys answer ^^