Chapter 43

Yuri waited for Jaejoong while sitting on a chair outside of the secretary’s office. She pressed her red lips together from time to time. She took another look at her seiko coutura solar diamond accent stainless steel bracelet watch & sighed impatiently. He was surely eighty minutes late & she couldn’t go in there & get the schedule without the father of her son along with her. If she waited here for another thirty minutes, she surely will take no time to chide him. Just talking to the man was worse than waiting for him.

The quick news broke out to her parents without any surprises. They were happy but showed none of that feeling to Yuri. To congratulate her when Jaejoong was sharing custody with her wasn’t at all to be so great. Her heart was broken just when Taehyun confessed that he loved them both instead of loving her more. The thought just came to her that he doesn’t loved her as much as he loved his newfound daddy. Jaejoong & Taehyun had hardly known each other since she could never let them be but they seemed to be so close together, “I’m sorry!” A voice called out, from down the hall. She glanced up & saw Jaejoong running towards her with his alfani mid-grey stepweave slim fit suit jacket hanging on his right arm. Getting up, Yuri raised her chin. He stopped in front of her & started to get his breath back again, “You must had waited long.”

“Of course.” She replied, a minute later, waiting for him to get his breath under control, “Where do we go exactly?” That was the other reason why she waited.

“It’s just around that corner.” He pointed to the left corner, “& the fifth door on the right.”

She nodded & started her way down the hall. He had wasted enough time. Before she could walked eight feet away from the place she was sitting a while ago, he was by her side, staring ahead. She studied him & then turned away as he turned to look at her. At the corner of her eyes, she could see him smile. She kept her expressionless face & turned the corner with him. He knocked on the door & opened it after receiving an answer from a woman.

A young woman looked up & smiled but Yuri could tell that she directed her smile to Jaejoong more than her, “Hi there, Mr. Kim. Came for the schedule?”

Jaejoong nodded, “Do you have it ready yet?”

“Yes, I do.” She replied, & shooed back from her seat to opened the drawer to her desk, “Here it is.” She shook the three papers of schedule made into a packet in her hand, “Sit down, won’t you?” She then turned to look at Yuri, “Ms. Kwon, won’t you have a seat, too?”

Yuri somehow sighed & took the seat next to Jaejoong. He frowned at her behavior but then shook it off.

“I’m Ms. Choi Sooyoung.” The woman said, as she placed two copies in front of Yuri & Jaejoong, “Look over that & if there’s a problem, just tell me.”

As Yuri scanned over each paper, her brows narrowed. Then she turned the pages back to the front & then glanced up at Ms. Choi. The woman raised a thick brow, “I’m sorry but this schedule that the court had planned out isn’t suited for me.”

At her voice, Jaejoong looked up. He glanced at Yuri first & then Ms. Choi, “What problem is there, Yuri?” He asked.

She ignored him & kept her attention to the woman in front of her, “My home is in the US. My son can’t come & go each week back to my ex-husband & I. It’s too much difficulties & this can’t work out.”

Troubled, Ms. Choi leaned forward & folded her hands together, “Is that all?” Yuri nodded, “Well, Ms. Kwon, that’s your problem. The court doesn’t care. You will have to take care of that yourself. We make the plans & we don’t change it if it’s just a little problem like that.”

Surprised, Yuri parted her lips, “But this isn’t just a little problem.” Her voice grew, “That’s my son & my home. Hyunnie is a US citizen & I have my job over there.”

“US citizen or not, his father is over here & has half-custody of the child.”

“But…”

“Sooyoung.” Jaejoong interrupted Yuri, “Make the changes.” He took a look at Yuri, “How about a change of each month? Is it fair enough for you?”

She turned to glare at Jaejoong. Each month? Just one day & she couldn’t be separate from Taehyun. How could she possibly not miss him when he is half the world away from her? One month separated from her is too long. She can’t take the missing & loving of her son. She can’t go on without his squeaky voice & laughter. She can’t go on without him for every other month until her life is over.

“No.” Yuri whispered, “One month is way too long.”

Jaejoong grimaced at her little voice. It almost made him change his mind about the custody. He knows she will miss him with every other month Taehyun is away from her but he will miss the little guy, too. He can pay for the expenses but he can’t pay for the agreement of Yuri & himself. There was no other way. She can’t let it be for every other week nor even every other month. What else could she think of or what else can he think of? “How do you want it then?” He asked, as if in dreamland.

She shook her head, still looking at him, “There’s no way I will let Hyunnie keep flying on a plane for all of his days & there won’t be a day where I will not see him.”

Jaejoong raised his brows uneasily. He so much wanted to go easy on her, “There’s nothing with that that I can help with.”

“Why are you trying to steal my son away from me?” Yuri asked, from out of the blues, “Jessica can do anything for you. She can give you more children if you ask for it. Hyunnie is just like every other kid.”

‘No.’ He thought, ‘Hyunnie isn’t just any other kid.’ He was theirs. He was something special. Jessica can give him more kids but she can’t give him Taehyun. He needed Taehyun.

“He’s not your son.” Jaejoong said, but somehow, growing angry, “He’s our son. You shouldn’t have.” He trailed off, raked a frustrating hand through his hair & then turned to Ms. Choi, “Sooyoung, we will come back here next week after straightened out. I’m sorry to waste your time.”

“I’m not sure if you can change the schedule.”

“I know we can. Next week it will be.” He said, & stood up, “Schedules can’t be made if it isn’t suit for both parents. Have a good day, Sooyoung.” He opened the door & waited for Yuri. She sat there, didn’t really want to move but at last, she stood up & walked to the door. She stared at him long & hard before passing through the door. As she began to walk down the hall, she heard a click & then heard footsteps behind her. Her spine straightened. Yuri began to walk faster but the footsteps behind her seemed to cease. She slowed down & then into a stop. She stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do or what he was doing behind her. Not a thing did she want to know what he was doing behind her. A strange feeling clawed up her spine, telling her to turn around but she so wanted to go home back to Taehyun. Without any second thought, Yuri turned around. Jaejoong stood there, leaning against the wall with his head down & his arms crossed over his chest. His knee was bent & his left foot was leaned against the wall like his whole body. She swallowed as he looked up & then turned his head towards her. The strange thing was that there were no one walking by & they were five feet away from each other. Before she can even breathe another breath, he pulled himself from the wall & walked towards her. She didn’t want to admit but his look sent shivers up her spine. Three feet away from her, he stopped & tilted his head.

“Sooyoung forgot to say who Hyunnie will be staying with for today.” He forced himself not to stop what he wanted to say when her face turned pale, “Can he stay with me today & then I will give him back to you by tomorrow morning?” It was a calm question, “Please?” He added. Somehow, he wanted to be soft on her for now.

She took a swallow in again. Missing Taehyun for a day? “I...I...Ask Hyunnie.” She then said. She gave him the wrong answer but why let them part when the man knows the secret already? It was useless.

Jaejoong smiled, “Thank you, Yuri. Can I go to the house & pick him up now?” She nodded, not really knowing what to do, “Do you have a ride?”

“Don’t worry about me. I took my dad’s car this morning.” She replied, more rudely.

He nodded. Yuri turned around & started to walk away. Again, he was walking behind her. She exited the courtroom & noticed that he turned left. She let out an uneasy breath & walked to the car.

Driving out of the parking lot, Jaejoong was suddenly ahead of her in his own car. Yuri grimaced. She was hoping to reach the house first before he does.

Jaejoong signaled right & as the red light turned green, he made his way. He looked at his side rear mirror & saw Yuri in her father’s car. He let out a breath as Jessica flashed through his mind. He cursed under his breath. Days had passed since he hadn’t talk to her & even worst, he hadn’t told her of the custody. Getting out his cell, he pressed a number & waited for her to answer. After two rings, her lovely voice came through, “Hi, hon.” He said.

“Oh, hey Jae Oppa. I was going to call you yesterday but got caught up in this web. I miss you so much.” She said, with a sigh.

“I miss you too, sweetie.” He sighed, “I have something to tell you but promise me you won’t yell at me.”

She frowned, “Is there something wrong? What is it?”

“I still love you, Sica.” He said, before he had to say what he called her for, “You remember Hyunnie?” She uttered a yes. Jaejoong raked his hair as he looked at the side rear mirror again. He had wanted to tell Jessica about this face to face but somehow, his time was always use up, “Sica, he’s my son.”

Jaejoong heard silence from the other line. He made a turn & tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. God, he knew this was going to happen. He could had waited & tell her face to face but no, he just had to at that time, “Sica? Are you still there?” He received another silence but then heard a hesitating sigh.

“Is this a trick, Oppa?”

Lord, oh god, he wished it was, “No.” He whispered, “It’s true, Sica. Yuri.” Jaejoong trailed off, as a click of a hung up phone was heard. He sighed with a curse & threw the cell onto the passenger seat. With a hard tap of his horn, he cursed again. He just hurtled Jessica, he knows.

Jaejoong turned the car into Yuri’s neighborhood & into their driveway. Getting out, he slammed the car. He waited for Yuri to park her car & then walked over to her. She stared at him strangely after the beeping of his car horn. He ran a frustrating hand through his hair as she looked at him.

“Yuri.” He said, but didn’t continue.

She crossed her arms over her chest, “What is it?”

“I...I can’t take Hyunnie for today as I had just said. I’m sorry. I...I really want to see him but something just came up.” Jaejoong explained, with complications.

Yuri looked down & then back up at his darkened face. She shrugged, “It’s alright with me.” She kept staring at him of what he have to say next. Just by the frustration of how he played with his hair, she can tell that he was having a hard time but what does she care?

“I have to go now then.” Jaejoong said, after seconds had passed. Yuri shrugged again. She walked pass him but he grabbed her arm. She turned back & brushed his hold away. He stared at her, troubled “Please tell Hyunnie I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think it matters to him either. Have a great day.” Yuri said rudely, & walked away. Jaejoong watched as she opened the gate & then walked down the cement. As the door closed behind her, he scrolled back to his car with regrets. Damn with the complications that he was going through but right now, he needed to see his fiance, even if it hurts not to play with his son!

“She will understand.” He whispered.