Chapter 18

All she could think of was her mom, not him. Not once in a second did she think of meeting him back at home. Too many things were located at the troubled section of her brain. She didn’t need to think of him to make everything harder. Her mom was at the hospital, waiting for the worst & she needed to be there to help her through. She missed them. Doyeon’s rarely smiled face was in her head. Her dad’s aging face was in her head & last but not least, her mom’s sick, pale face was trying to smile.

Yuri quickly brushed the tears falling down from her face away. Here she was, on the plane, flying back to South Korea, the place where she had left four years ago. She was ready to face her growing family again, with her precious & smart son.

“Mommy. Why are you crying?” Taehyun asked, as he climbed onto her lap.

Yuri looked down at him & shook her head, “You are supposed to be in your seat & not get up. That’s the rules, except if you are going to the bathroom, alright?”

He pouted as Yuri buckled him back up but before she could go back to her thinking, he wiped away her tears. She smiled sadly down at him, “Hyunnie very sorry Hyunnie make granny catch the flu. Hyunnie will buy medicine.”

Yuri titled her head & gradually smoothed his cheeks. He was too smart for his age & too sweet. She changed her mind & unbuckled him. She picked him up & placed him on her lap. Looking at him with glitters in her eyes, she kissed him & said, “What made you think granny caught the flu from you?”

“Mommy said that granny was sick. Granny caught flu from bad Hyunnie.”

“Oh, sweetie.” Yuri said, & pulled him closer into a big hug, “Granny doesn’t have the flu & Hyunnie isn’t a bad boy. He’s the greatest boy mommy will ever have. Okay?”

“Mommy sure?” He asked, with his hands cupping her cheeks.

She nodded, “Yes, mommy is sure. Now.” She held his hands together, “Go to sleep. It’s a long flight.”

“Can Hyunnie sleep with mommy? Hyunnie won’t be a pig.” He asked, as he started to get comfortable on her lap before she could answer him.

“Sure, sweetie.” Yuri replied, & grabbed his spongebob blanket from his seat. She wrapped the blanket around them & then her arms around Taehyun.

“Yuri.” Mina said, after seeing that Taehyun was fast asleep.

She turned to find her sister looking at her worriedly. Mina looked like she was being in her own thoughts for the last hour, “Are you sure you are ready?”

Yuri frowned, “Of course, Mina. Mom’s sick. Why wouldn’t I be ready?”

“Yuri, I...I.” She paused in mid-sentence to think. Then after a minute, she continued, “I meant Jaejoong Oppa, not mom.”

Her frown disappeared as she wetted her pink lips. So, that was what Mina had been thinking about so hard. Her problem with him was over, why should she worry about meeting him again? Why should she be scared to meet him again? Why should she care if she sees him with another girl? All was over. Just thinking about those questions made her want to slap him when she learned that he was cheating on her. She didn’t care about him anymore. Her love for him went away like a flash as his love for her did. She went away because of him. He can die for all she cared. He cheated on her while crushing her at the same time. How she wanted to crush him, too. Being cheated on again, was the only reason why she neither went on dates nor got married again. Getting hurt within the body & emotionally, she didn’t mind but being cheated on was another word.

She can indulge seeing him; she will.

“Yuri?”

“It doesn’t matter, Min.” She said, & closed her eyes, not wanting to discuss the problem even though it didn’t matter if she meets him again.

“What about Hyunnie?” Mina asked, out of the blues.

She gulped hard in one breath at the words. Her arms tightened around Taehyun’s small body. Her body shivered as if the wind was blowing coldly. Oh god, she forgot about her son, the son of Kim Jaejoong, the deceiver. It was too late to turn back now. What had she done now? Her son, he can’t know his father. She won’t let that happen. Neither can Jaejoong know about her son.

“He won’t know.” Yuri replied, without a shake of her voice, “We are just going for a short visit & then come back home.”

“We are going home, Yuri.” Mina said, “You won’t know when mom will get well. It may take a whole year. Possibly more.”

“Why are you worrying, Min?”

“I’m not. You are. You know that Hyunnie looks exactly like Oppa. He’s got his father’s brain & tastes. You can’t denied none of those.” Mina said, as she still kept her eyes on her sister.

“I can.”

Mina sighed, “You are wrong, Yuri. You are just mad at him for what he had done. Anyone who looks at Hyunnie can tell that his father is Jaejoong Oppa. You can’t hide it. It was all your fault for not telling him about the baby before you two got a divorce.”

Yuri turned to look at her with an angry face, “Why are you trying to bring this up? Why are you on his side? You don’t know how much he had hurtled me, Min. I live in a horrible life until I gave birth to Hyunnie.” Tears started to swell up in her eyes, “He was the only thing that brought my smile up everyday. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know where I would have ended up. That bastard doesn’t have a son like Hyunnie! I gave birth to him. Hyunnie isn’t his son. He’s mine. Mine, Min.”

She turned away & hugged Taehyun closely. Those unwanted tears fell down her face like four years ago. She had said her words. Taehyun doesn’t have a father like him.

Mina touched Yuri’s shoulder with caresses, “I’m sorry, Yuri. I was just trying to let you know what would happen before the time comes. You will never know. Oppa will find out that Hyunnie is his child. You hid his child away from him for all these years.”

“It’s not my fault.” Yuri whispered, behind Taehyun’s hair, “I had to do what a real mother would do. I saved a child from getting hurt because his father was cheating on his mother & for that, I did the right thing. Don’t you think?”

Mina pressed her red lips together, “I guess you are right. I’m sorry to had bring this up & add more to your worries.”

Yuri nodded her head & closed her eyes. She knew what Mina was trying to say. Her sister was helping her all that she can. She pressed many kisses to Taehyun’s hair, trying not to wake him up. Silence boarded the plane along with all the other people. Yuri opened her eyes back up, “Min?”

“Yes?” She looked up from her book.

“Thank you.”

Mina smiled, “Go back to your dreams.” Sighing, she kept looking at the wonderful figure beside her but only one important object was missing, Taehyun’s daddy.

Doyeon checked his fossil grant chronograph leather brown watch again, for the millionth times. It wasn’t that the plane was late, he was just impatient again, to meet his sisters & his little nephew named Taehyun. Just waiting for eight minutes seems like an eternity for him. Finally, he saw the plane landing outside from looking out of the window. His feet moved towards the exit on the carpet. He counted the seconds then the minutes. Finally, again, he saw Mina walking out. A rarely smile spread across his handsome face as he waved a hand up in the air. Mina walked over to him with a smile & hugged him before he had a chance to say his long time greeting.

“Hi Doyeon Oppa. I missed you so much.” She said, & then pulled back.

“Same here.” He said, with the smile still on his face, “Four years was a long time but here you are, so beautiful. My little sister had surely grown up.”

“I’m not little anymore. I have my own credit card now.” Mina said proudly.

Doyeon laughed but it disappeared as he saw Yuri walking over to them. She walked up to him & smiled, ‘My little sister had changed.’ Was all that Doyeon could think of. He looked down at her, “Welcome back, Yuri. You been gone so long, we missed you.”

“I missed you guys, too.” She said, & gave him a big hug, trying to hide her tears. She pulled back & tried to smile, “How are you?”

“The same. You, my little sister?”

“Better than ever.” Yuri took in a big gulp, “How is mom? Is she still at the hospital?”

Doyeon nodded, “She haven’t woke up yet since that day. Dad’s always at her side.”

“I...I want to go see her now.” Yuri said, “Come on.”

“Where’s?” Doyeon caught a fidgeting figure behind Yuri. He kneeled down, “Hey there.”

Taehyun popped his head out from behind Yuri’s legs. He tilted his head, “Who are you? Hyunnie don’t talk to stranger. Do you know my mommy?”

Doyeon laughed at the question & extended his hand out for a handshake, “The name is Kwon Doyeon, your uncle Yonnie. I don’t talk to stranger either & yes, I know your mommy. She’s my sister.”

Taehyun looked at the extended hand & then smiled. He stretched his short arms out & shook hands with Doyeon, “Me name is Kwon Hyunnie. Mommy told Hyunnie about uncle Yonnie. I liked the stories.”

“I’m flattered.” Doyeon said, with a beaming smile, “What does Hyunnie stand for? If I may know?”

He wrinkled his small, tall, sharp nose, “I don’t like it so I won’t say it. Mommy says that it’s very special because my daddy likes the name but my daddy isn’t with us no more, do you know? Mommy says that I look just like him.”

Doyeon looked up at Yuri with a questioning look. She pressed her pink lips together. It looks like they got up to the wrong point. She kneeled down, “Let’s get going, shall we?” Doyeon kept looking at her while Taehyun began to cheer. Yuri pressed a sorrowful smile to her face & picked Taehyun up from the floor, “It’s getting late so we need to get our stuff.” Yuri began to walk over to the pickup section, leaving Mina & Doyeon behind.

“I talked to her about that on the plane & she seems like she doesn’t care.” Mina said, with a hand on Doyeon’s shoulder. He got up from his kneeling position & nodded.

“Had she been keeping away everything about Jaejoong?” They walked slowly over to Yuri & her son, “Hyunnie doesn’t even know his name. All he knows is that his father is dead. Yuri kept telling myths about how great his father was but actually, she’s telling stories about Jaejoong.”

“What is she planning to do then? Later or sooner, everyone will want to know about the father.” Doyeon said.

“I don’t know. It looks like she want us to stay out of this one this time.” They reached Yuri & Taehyun & quieted down as if nothing of the conversation had been said. They picked up their bags with the help of Doyeon. Halfway home, the ride was quiet, except for the little voice of Taehyun asking his ‘New like found uncle’s’ questions.

“How old are you?”

“Thirty.” Doyeon replied, with no difficulty.

“What your favorite chocolate bar?” Taehyun asked, with each word in a pauses.

“Snicker.”

“Really? Mine is, too.” He giggled.

Doyeon averted his head & look carefully at Yuri. She seemed disturb with her own deep thoughts. He didn’t like the worry look on her face & the thought that she was having one bit, “What are you thinking about?” He asked, while Taehyun was thinking of something else to ask him.

Yuri broke out of her thoughts & quickly turned to look at Doyeon, “Nothing.” She replied, languidly after some seconds, “I’m just happy to come back.”

“Home?” She didn’t answer & he knew he got his answer, “How long are you going to stay?”

“I don’t know. Maybe until mom gets better or I will just leave before hand because of my work at school but neither do I want to leave her like this. She needs some care.”

“Then stay.” Doyeon said, concentrating on the road ahead of him.

“I don’t want to.”

“I see.” Doyeon turned another corner with a soft curve. He drove on for a minute & then stopped at a red light. The car seemed to go into silence. As the lights turned green, Doyeon drove ahead.

Yuri looked out into the world she had left. It had surely grown into a real town with the sun shining above all. Doyeon still look & act the same. Nothing seemed to change him. Yuri frowned for once & again, in Seoul. She turned to look at Doyeon.

“Where is Ahjoong?”

“Usual.” He said, “Modeling.”

“Oh.” Was all that she could say. She still kept the frown on her face when asking, “Then where is Daeho?” Doyeon sighed. He had wished she wouldn’t ask that question. He had hid it from her & Mina & again, everything would be reveal like always, “Ahjoong had a miscarriage.” Doyeon let out.

“What?” Mina asked, from the back, “What...What do you mean by miscarriage?”

“Ahjoong lost the baby after five months that we got married. She fell down the step of the apartment where we lived at.” He explained, without letting out any of his cries of losing the baby. The first look he had at Taehyun, his soul had almost cried out. The boy was smart & how he wished his little boy would have been like that some day. He kept his voice from shaking when talking to his little nephew only because he was laughing & wanted to enjoy the boy’s company.

“& you didn’t tell us?” Yuri asked, “Why?”

“I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Why is this always about worrying me? Forget about worrying me. I don’t care. Mina & I had the right to know, Yonnie Oppa.” Said Yuri, trying her best not to yell at him while keeping in her own cries, “Then who is Daeho? The boy you said was your son.”

“I would had call him Daeho.” Doyeon replied, expecting the outburst of Yuri’s voice, “I had to lie, Yuri. I’m sorry.”

She let out a deep breath & turned away from him, “I’m sorry, too.” Yuri said, looking up to make the tears in her eyes go away, “How did you go through this?”

“I asked myself that a thousand of times & still, I don’t know. Looking at your son the first time made me wondered about my own son if only he had made it. I’m glad you have someone to cheer you up, Yuri. Hyunnie’s a wonderful boy.”

“Yes, he is.” She said, “I’m very sorry about your little boy. I know he would had been happy to have a man like you for a father.” He nodded & she continued, “Hyunnie & him could had been become best friends. I’m sure of it.” Yuri fidgeted with her next question, “How is Ahjoong? She must had been very depress to learn of her miscarriage.”

“She was.” Doyeon said, trying not to shrug but he doubted that she lived a living hell of losing the baby! The first look he had at her after she had woke up from her long nap, she never looked happier. He had wanted to slap her then but his manners as a gentleman stopped him. She was smiling while all the time he had wanted to cry, “Let’s not talk about this anymore.” He said, after a while of silence.

Yuri, seeing the sorrow look in his eyes, nodded.

“All of you need some rest so I will take you guys home first.”

“I don’t need rest.” Taehyun said, from behind after having a big talk with Mina.

“Yes, you do.” Yuri said strictly, “Go ahead Oppa. Take us home.”

He nodded & continued driving until they finally reached the house. Yuri got out & took Taehyun out of his safety seat. She looked at her parents’ house & smiled. It still looked the same, nothing changed, “That’s granny & gramp’s house, Hyunnie. Isn’t it beautiful?”

He nodded, “Hyunnie love it, mommy. Can Hyunnie go inside?”

“Yes, sweetie.” She put him down on his own feet. He ran the short distance to the gate & tried to open it but unfortunately, he was too short, “Let me help, Hyunnie.” She walked over & pulled the latch open, “There you go.”

“Thank you, mommy.” He said, & started running.

She smiled at his cheerfulness & went to claim her bags from inside the back of the black Dodge. With two bags in her hand, Yuri walked down the cement & onto the porch. She entered the house & put the bags down. She looked around with a smile on her face.

“I missed this place.” Mina said, walking down the stairs, “Looks the same, doesn’t it?”

Yuri nodded. She picked up her bags again, & walked upstairs to her old room. The door was already open & she could hear voices from inside, the voices of her boy & brother lecturing.

“This is going to be mommy & me room?” Taehyun asked excitedly, while jumping on the bed.

“Yes, it is.”

“Hyunnie. No jumping on the beds.” Yuri said, as she put down her bags near the bed. She opened the curtains & then the window, “That’s better, the air of South Korea.”

Doyeon chuckled, “You missed Korea, didn’t you?”

She nodded & sat on the edge of the bed, “You & Hyunnie need a long rest. I will be going now.” Doyeon said, as he got up. Yuri quickly stood up & grabbed his arm.

“Are you busy or going anywhere?” She asked, with a hopeful look.

“No.”

Yuri bit her bottom lips, “Can you take me to the hospital now? I really want to see mom.”

“You need your sleep, Yuri.”

“I don’t care. I can’t sleep knowing that mom is at the hospital. I need to see her, Oppa. Please?”

Doyeon sighed & then nodded, “But what about Hyunnie? Someone needs to look after him.”

“I will ask Mina. Hopefully, she will understand me.” She turned around to look at Taehyun folding the blanket over & over again, for the fifth time.

“Yuri.” She turned back with a questioning look, “He might be there. He’s there every day looking over mom.” Yuri shrugged, “Doesn’t matter.”