Chapter 26

“Mommy.” Taehyun’s squeaky voice ran threw her ear, “It’s time to wake up.”

Yuri opened one eye then another. What appeared in front of her face was her little son. She smiled but then frowned. Raising her head from the bed, Yuri touched her cheeks. Oh yeah, she had slept over with her mom yesterday night but how did Taehyun get here?

He giggled, making her turn to reality. She blinked & focused her attention on Taehyun, “Now, how did you get here?” She said, with her morning smile. Still giggling, Taehyun shrugged. Yuri laughed, “Silly boy.” She stretched her arms out, “Where’s my morning hug?”

He jumped on her & circled his arms about her neck, “Morning mommy.”

“Good morning sweetheart. Now, how did you get here?” She asked again, & kissed his cheeks several times, “Jae took me here, mommy.” He said, & pointed to the window. Yuri turned around & saw him smiling. Her happy morning face disappeared. Her grip on her son tightened. She took a swallow. Why was she so scare of him other than him seeing her son? It wasn’t that kind of scare but the ‘Doesn’t want to see’ scare.

“Morning Yuri.” He said, with that smile still on his handsome face.

She ignored his greeting & glared her most hurtful glare at him, “You brought my son here?”

He nodded lightly. Her face flushed red. Did her son not know any better than to ride with a stranger? Yes, to her he was a stranger & yet, he still has the nerve to pick up her son. Does he not have any respect for her? She told him once before to leave her & her son alone & it was clearly said to him from .

“I never told you, too.” She said rudely.

He glanced at her beautiful face, “I know but I couldn’t resists bringing him. He was crying for you.”

She glared at him but after heartaches of doing so, she turned to her son, “You were bad this morning?” She asked in a whisper.

He looked up at her with his pouting face, “Hyunnie missed you, mommy. You didn’t come home last night & Hyunnie got very worry.”

Another heartache ran through her, “I told you, Hyunnie, that I was going to stay over with granny. Why didn’t you listen to mommy?”

He looked down at his lap & played with his fingers, “Hyunnie sorry.”

Yuri let out a breath & kissed his forehead, “Next time, listen to mommy okay?” With his head still down, Taehyun nodded.

“Don’t be too hard on him, Yuri.” Said Jaejoong.

She turned around to meet him again, “Don’t get on my cases. He’s my son, not yours.” She said, & felt a sharp pain slap her.

Like her, Jaejoong ignored her harsh words, “I know, but he missed you. It wasn’t a problem with me taking him here.”

Losing her last temper, she turned around to meet him, “It made not had been a problem with you but it was for me.”

“Yuri.” Mrs. Kwon’s tired voice said, from behind her.

Yuri turned back around in surprises, “Mom. Oh, I’m sorry I woke you up. I shouldn’t.” She stopped in mid-sentence. The look in her mom’s eyes told her everything. She had woke up & heard everything. It wasn’t after all her harsh voice that had woke her mom up.

“You shouldn’t be rude. Jaejoong was right. You shouldn’t had been so hard on Hyunnie.”

She stared at her mom but it was like she was staring into space. No, he deserved to be rude to the same way he was to her years ago. Her mom just doesn’t know how much she had been through.

“Mommy mad at Hyunnie.” Taehyun said to his granny.

Mrs. Kwon forced to put on a smile to her face, “Come here, darling. Granny will love Hyunnie.” He looked at Yuri, searching for permission to go to Mrs. Kwon. She glanced down at him & handed him over to her mom. Taehyun cuddled in Mrs. Kwon’s lap but was careful not to hurt her anywhere.

Jaejoong’s gaze was still on her. It was him. It seemed like he was the only reason why she was yelling at Taehyun. He didn’t know why but the question was interested to his mind. Her stubbornness, he could tell, had rose up to an unknown temperature. He came to their house this morning to catch her before she leaves for the hospital but unfortunately, she had slept over with her mom. He had his reasons for wanting to see her & his own reason for wanting to see Taehyun again.

He walked over to the bed beside Yuri. She looked up at him with a glare like the usual since he had first seen her after four years. She turned back to her mom & ignored him. He pressed a non-smile to his face just to cheer himself up, “Yuri. Can I talk to you?”

“You are talking to me right now.”

“I mean somewhere else? This is no place.”

She choked out a bitter laugh, “If you think that I’m going anywhere with you, you are wrong. If you want to talk, we are talking here.”

Jaejoong sighed & looked at Mrs. Kwon. Mrs. Kwon passed him a smile & turned her attention back to her grandson, “I just need a talk with you, Yuri, outside of this room.”

Yuri finally looked up at him, her eyes flared with fire. She got up & faced him. If he wanted a talk, he will have his talk. Without saying a word to him, Yuri walked past him & out of the room with the door opened. Jaejoong took one last look at Taehyun & followed her out. He closed the door behind him & crossed his arms. The moment he turned to Yuri, she still had that angry face on, “You said you wanted a talk, talk then.”

He ignored her harsh words again, “My parents said that you wouldn’t accept the welcome back party they were going to throw for you & Mina.”

Yuri nodded her head, “Throwing a party wouldn’t help me anymore than meeting someone I don’t want, too.” She said in one whole breath.

He stared at her. She has the beauty but she also has the courage to bring something like that up into the conversation. He didn’t come here to do this a favor for his parents just to get back at what he had done four years ago to her. Most divorced couples are more likely to never bring up the subject but they weren’t like most divorced couples. They were the divorce couples that hated each other & could never work things out.

“Please Yuri? I didn’t come here to start another problem.” Said Jaejoong, “My parents said that if you can’t accept the party, they want you to come tonight to the two family gathering?”

Yuri frowned. They were still onto that gathering? That was the last time she had been there was with Jaejoong; the last time she had seen Jessica before she left for the states; but the first time that she had heard Jaejoong call Jessica by Sica. What made they think that she will ever go there again? Maybe the only reason that they were still continuing that gathering was because of the marriage of Doyeon & Ahjoong but never will she go to their place again.

She shook her head, “I’m sorry but I don’t think I can make it.”

“You are busy tonight?” He asked.

“Yes.” She replied, too plainly, “I have to look over my mom.”

He nodded his head, “Maybe Hyunnie can come with Mina.”

She shot her head up, “No, he will not.”

Jaejoong frowned. She sounded as if she wouldn’t let Taehyun leave her sight for a second, “It’s just for tonight, Yuri. He’s safe with us.”

She shook her head, “My answer is still no. He isn’t going to that gathering with or without me.”

“Yuri.”

“I told you not to bother me or my son & I don’t want to say it again!” She said, with a hiss. A nurse passed by them & smiled. Jaejoong smiled back at her, nodding his head but when he averted his attention back to Yuri, his smile was gone from his handsome face.

“I don’t know why I’m sensing that you are trying to hide Hyunnie away from me, Yuri, but I’m trying to help you.”

She flinched. So, he sensed it but not at all does she need his useless help. His help will only bring him closer to her son while she was trying to do the opposite, “I don’t know what you are saying, Mr. Kim, but I’m not hiding Hyunnie.” She lied.

“Then why are you always telling me to stay away from him?”

Again, she flinched as if he had slapped her. That question, why would she ever tell him? It was her own secret along with her family. Taehyun is his very beloved son, the son that she was hiding away from him before he was even born.

“If you have nothing else to say to me, goodbye.” She said, changing the subject. Before she can put her hand on the doorknob, Jaejoong opened the door. She looked at him & entered the room. The door closed behind her. Yuri took in a deep breath, thinking that he had left but when he walked over to Taehyun, her heart started to skip, “You are not leaving?”

“No, I have time.” He said, & took Taehyun into his arms. Yuri took a step forward to snatch her son back but she stopped herself. She can’t be too protective of hiding Taehyun away from Jaejoong. He was already being suspicious of her greediness. If she keep doing this, he will surely find out. She needs to let Taehyun off a bit. Walking over to the chair beside Mrs. Kwon’s bed, Yuri sat down but her eyes were on them every time, “Hi big guy. Happy now?” Jaejoong asked Taehyun.

He bobbed his head up & down, “Did mommy yell at you?” Jaejoong grinned. He looked over at Yuri. She stared back at him. He turned his attention back to Taehyun.

“Not really.” He said, & sat down on the floor with Taehyun on his lap. Yuri, not able to see them, got up & walked over to them.

“Hyunnie. Have you have your breakfast yet?”

He bobbed his head again, “We ate at denny’s. I got a big coke.” Taehyun extended his arms out widely, “& I had a big burger.”

Yuri grimaced, “Thank you.” She said, indicating her words to Jaejoong. He nodded. Lord, she really wished that Taehyun hadn’t eaten yet. Her stomach was empty & there was no way she was going to leave Taehyun with him, even though her mom was watching over him but surely, she can wait until lunchtime. By then, Jaejoong would had already left.

“Hyunnie play puzzle.” He said.

Jaejoong laughed, “Why not?” He reached over & grabbed the puzzle box from the table. He spread the pieces out while Taehyun threw them into the air. Yuri smiled but then she wanted to cry. Like father like son. She still can’t understand why Jaejoong can not see that Taehyun looked exactly like him. He was a smart man but he can’t see the similarity but for that, she was happy. The more Jaejoong doesn’t know, the better.

A nurse walked in with Mrs. Kwon’s breakfast. Yuri walked over & helped her. After a while, the food was set on the tray in front of Mrs. Kwon.

“Is it a zebra?” Taehyun’s voice echoed over to Yuri.

“It might be. He’s got a lot of black & white stripes.” Jaejoong said.

Yuri picked up the cup of water & leaned it over to her mom. Mrs. Kwon took a sip, “They are getting along. You shouldn’t be doing this to both of them, Yuri.” She whispered.

She pressed a thin smile to her face & placed the cup down on the tray. Taking a half spoonful of white yogurt, Yuri handed it over to her mom. She took it in a swallow & glanced at Yuri. Noticing her look, Yuri dropped the spoon into the bowl & turned to her mom, “Mom, please? I don’t want to talk about this. It’s better if we leave if off.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s better if you tell them both the truth. They don’t deserve to be out of this.”

“But he does.” She said, without a blink.

“He does but can’t you see how happy they are with each other’s company? We kept this in for four years, Yuri, & how many more years would it take again? Other four years? Or five years?”

“Mom.” Yuri said, with a breath, “No matter how many years it takes again, I would never tell him. When Hyunnie is old enough, I will tell him.” She picked up the spoon, “I don’t want to talk about this.”

Mrs. Kwon grimaced but let it off for now but there was another subject she wanted to talk about. Taking in the spoonful of rice Yuri handed over to her, she swallowed & asked, “What did you two talk about?” “Nothing important.” Yuri replied. Another worry look from her mom, she sighed, “Mr & Mrs. Kim wanted to throw a welcome back party for Mina & me but I detested it.”

“Why, honey? It’s going to get some pressure out of your system.”

“No mom, it won’t. You don’t know how it is to be in this place I’m now. It’s going to put more pressure into my system more than ever.”

Mrs. Kwon sighed, “Is that all?”

Yuri shook her head, “They want me to go to the gathering tonight but I can’t.”

She looked closely at her daughter, “It’s about Jaejoong, isn’t it?”

“It’s more than that.” She gave her mom some more spoons & then put the bowl on the table, meaning that the conversation was over.

“We done.” Taehyun’s squeaky voice broke out.

“Yes, we are.” Jaejoong laughed & gave Taehyun a high-five in the air.

“Come here, Hyunnie.” Yuri said, with her arms stretched out. He got up on his little legs & ran to her. She snatched him up & placed him at her hips, “Did you have fun?”

He nodded & kissed her cheek, “We got a zebra.”

“You did.” Said Yuri, with her smile. She averted her attention back to Jaejoong, “I’m sure you have your own work to do.”

He nodded & stood up. Walking over to them, Jaejoong patted Taehyun on the cheek, “Do you want me to take him back to your parents house?”

“No.” Yuri replied quickly. She took a secret breath in lightly to calm down, “Tell your parents I’m sorry that I can’t make it tonight.”

“I will. Bye.” He grinned at Taehyun & winked. Taehuyn grinned, showing his front teeth & winked back, “Byebye.” He closed his fingers in & out.

“Bye.” Jaejoong turned away with a light sigh & walked out of the door. Yet, he couldn’t understand why Yuri was still like that to him. She had the right to be mad at him but she didn’t need to keep Taehyun lock up in her arms all the time. Yuri had made it like Taehyun was part of the solution to their problem from four years ago. All he wanted to do was play with the little man & save her some time from worrying but it just seemed like he was getting in her way the more that he butted in to help.

He grunted in frustration & entered his car. Yes, he had work to do & that work was to go to the wedding shop.