Chapter 63

One-fourth of the stuff packed in bags & suitcases & three-fourth of the massive equipment in storage, Yuri took in a deep breath & let it out easily as she stared at nothing. She clapped her reddened hands & then brushed her falling hair away. Finally, everything was done in just eighthy-three hours with help from her father & Doyeon from time to time. They switched position from the hospital to her apartment, nursing Taehyun & helping her pack. She had been in her apartment all day, just wanting to get everything done before Jaejoong came back for his words of promise.

Yuri blushed, even though her face was reddened from packing. She didn’t know why she was wondering if he might come back because of his silly promise of helping her. Maybe it was the look in his eyes. She shrugged helplessly. It didn’t matter, she just wanted everything pack before he came back. Luckily, she had already talked to her boss & landlord. They had no problem but just wished her luck.

With another deep breath, she averted & gasped inwardly. He smiled, pushed away from the doorframe he had been leaning against with his arms crossed & walked towards her. She swallowed, wondering how long he had been standing there. More blush came to her already blushed, hot face. They were in her empty bedroom which; unfortunately, the bed had been put into storage. What did she expect? Did she think that he had take a look at the bed if it was still lying in the middle of the room? Nonetheless, she shuddered under his soft eyes as he stood a foot away from her.

“You are done packing.” Jaejoong spoke, taking a look around the vacant room.

She managed a loose nod, “When did you get here?” Damn if she was to stutter!

He brought up that unscrupulous but mischievous grin that Taehyun had caught up with so much from him. Like his father, Yuri was sure that Taehyun would tip every woman’s heart when it comes to smiling. Like father, like son. Oh man, how much did her heart crushed when he foremost smile to her when they first met? They truly hated each other then but his conscienceless but naughty smile had always tipped her heart over & over.

“Just five hours before.” His eyes twinkled as surprises covered her face, “I went to visit Hyunnie for four hours.” He tilted his head, “He’s getting better at eating. His tummy is getting chubbier.” He chuckled, remembering what had happened at the hospital, “Hyunnie was patting his tummy, saying that he was getting fat like that pregnant nurse.” Jaejoong wiped away an invisible tear on his cheek. His chuckle turned into a roar of laughter. Yuri couldn’t help but lit up her pink lips, “The nurse said that Hyunnie was definitely ready to go back home. You should have seen her face, Yul. Her cheeks suddenly turned red & she was trying to fan herself with that wooden clipboard.” He wiped a real & gleeful tear away, “I tried to quieted Hyunnie down but I got out of control & laughed so hard after the nurse went out. Your father had finally put that rare smile on. You should have seen it, Yul.”

The smile that Yuri had had on earlier disappeared a while ago. She averted as glints of tears shine in her eyes. He didn’t notice. She took several swallows, trying so hard not to let those tears fall down. He called her Yul for the third time, the name she had so much missed. Last night, he had called her so before leaving her in despair. If not for the doctor to come in & check on Taehyun, she would have long broken down. Did Jaejoong not notice that he was calling her the name he only loved her in? Did he not see that they didn’t love each other? Did he not notice at all that he doesn’t love her but somebody else?

Lord, he was doing it again.

“Yul.” He touched her shoulder. She jumped, startled “What’s the matter?”

She turned back around & faced him with a faint smile. There was no way she was going to ask him why he had called her in a loved name, “Nothing. I just haven’t seen Hyunnie for today.” Her son had been talking to her all morning on the phone until they had to unplug it for storage.

“You should had waited for me to help you packed.”

“I didn’t.” Yuri worded, & walked pass him but he grabbed her wrist. She didn’t turn to face him but jerked her arm away.

Jaejoong wasn’t surprises but crossed his arm, “Why are you acting like this again? I want us to get along before we get marry, Yul.” He didn’t mention her skin burning against his more as he had taken her wrist.

The name again.

“It’s just how I am. You will have to get used to it living with me in the near future.”

“The near future is next month.”

She turned around abruptly & squinted her eyes at him. He sighed, “What do you mean next month?!” She asked, with a snap.

“The wedding.” He simply answered.

Her breathing heaved, “There is no way the wedding will just happen that fast, Jaejoong Oppa. I want my time. You didn’t ask me for my opinion.”

He shook his head lightly, “You didn’t want the wedding talk.”

“When did I say that?”

“You didn’t say it but you didn’t want any. Remember the night before the last?” Jaejoong dare to raise those handsome brows. He smiled when she didn’t answer him, “There’s no engagement party & the wedding will be small with families & close friends. I ask my mom to do all the arrangement for the wedding & she’s willing to.” He paused at her look, “Your mother & Mina knows about it, too. They are willing to help my mom.”

“& you told them the wedding is in a month?” He nodded. She glared at him, “There is no way that its going to happen. I want eight month at the least.”

He wasn’t surprises but shook his head, “That can’t be, Yul. The invitations are probably being sent out now. We are going back to Korea after tomorrow. Hyunnie’s getting out of the hospital tonight. I talked to the doctor. He needs some more rest before we can leave here.”

She stared at him unbelievably but relieved that Taehyun was getting out of the hospital but he dared to do all these arrangements without an agreement from her. True, she didn’t want any wedding talk but she still had the right to be part of the arrangement. It was her wedding & she was risking her life for it.

“No, Oppa. I don’t care about the invitations. I want the wedding in eight months. Not one short month.”

His soft look turned into a deadly glare. Her glare was still on but the blood from her face became drained. Her lips dried. He took a step towards her. Reaching her, bodies touching, he arched a brow.

“Why, Yul? I know you don’t want to marry me but why that long since you & I know that we will never back out of this bargain. We already made it, almost with a kiss.” He stopped short & stared down at her lips. They suddenly trembled. He looked back into her eyes. Those eyes were laughing at her, “Or do you have another man in mind?” He asked slowly, “What’s his name? Is he a pretty boy? Answer me, Yul.”

She will but with only a slap on his pretty face. Mad & embarrass enough to kill a human being, Yuri turned directly around with a turn of her heels. She strolled to the door but he was faster. He blocked the doorframe with his arms stretched out on both sides. She heaved a breath out & stepped back again. He glared back at her, took some steps forward & closed the door with a kick of his foot.

The room turned dimmer. Only lights coming in from the window gave away their figures. He advanced towards her. She took some steps back, even though she knows that he won’t do anything to hurt her. He, again, stopped a foot away from her. A muscle jumped below his jaw.

“I’m right, aren’t I? You are in love with somebody else.” He whispered.

Else?

“Even if I am, that has nothing to do with us.” Yuri said, through her teeth, “It’s none of your business.”

“It will be my business, honey, in a month’s time. The moment we get marry & I find out who you are cheating on with me, Hyunnie will be mine.”

“You wish!” She hissed, “You had have to walk over my dead body before that happens!”

“Humph.” He chuckled, “Then the wedding will be set in a month, am I not right, Yul?”

Her lips trembled in madness but what he didn’t know was that he had hurt her deeply with his words. Never in her life since they had been divorced had she ever dated again. She was planning to stay in a divorced woman’s position but now, that position was taken over by the same man she had once loved so deeply. Yuri thought he knew better but she thought wrong. He simply thinks that she had been dating men over the last four years while she had been living in loneliness.

“We will have that your way.” Yuri said in a calm voice, she was surprised of, “There’s to be only a small dinner for the reception, no big buffet or anything.”

“That’s fine with me.”

She took in a deep breath & let it out as she said, “How did my mom take the news?”

He seemed trouble before answering, “She was happy & concern like a mother & she also wished that you were there with me to tell the news to her & Mina.”

Yuri nodded. It wasn’t the answer she had wanted. She wanted her mother to object to their marrying, even though the bargain had already been said.

“Thank you for explaining things to your father & Doyeon.”

She nodded again, hoping that Doyeon didn’t causes any violence to Jaejoong, even though he deserves much more than that. She had had no trouble talking to her father since he had already been given the notice but Doyeon was much more of a different hand. He had completely gone off; saying that no swindler like Jaejoong was going to marry her again. To say it all, he didn’t like the idea of having her hurt again. She explained & half-pleaded for him to understand until he finally agree not to get in any quarrels with Jaejoong.

“What did Doyeon say to you?” She looked away.

“He won’t be the best man.” Jaejoong said, surprising Yuri that he had give the offer to Doyeon, “But he’s willing to accept me as a brother again.” There were more that he had left out. Oh, much more.

Just at the calmness of his voice, Yuri knew that Doyeon hadn’t done any of those things. She doesn’t know why Jaejoong had to lie with that. Silence covered them for a few minutes. She took a glance at him from the corner of her eyes, thinking that he was done. He was standing there, staring at her as if she was invisible. She squinted her eyes & suddenly paled. Not wanting to stay in the room any longer to hear what he had to say, Yuri walked pass him.

“Jessica wishes luck for us both.” He spoke, as she placed her hand on the doorknob.

Yuri closed her eyes, not knowing at all how she feels, “Did you explain to her why?”

“I did.” Silence again, then a click of the door opening, “Where are you going?”

“To the hospital. You say he was getting out today?”

Instead of answering, he walked up & took a hold of her arm gently. Surprised, she looked up at him. Before she can pull her hand away, he spoke, “I will take you.”

“No thank you.” She said, with confidence, “Doyeon & I are headed over there anyhow.”

“I prefer you riding with me.”

“Well, I prefer riding with my brother.” Yuri jerked her arm away just as Doyeon rounded the corner & eyed them, especially Jaejoong. She walked away. He didn’t stop her. It wasn’t because of Doyeon but because the things he had caused already. With an abnormal exhale, he followed them out of the house & to the hospital, “What did you say to him?”

Doyeon took a glance at his sister & then turned back to his driving. He clenched his jaw, “That I will give him what he needs if he hurts you again.” He answered carelessly.

“Oppa.” Yuri said in a tone, she had never used with her only brother before, “I told you I know what I’m doing. We have everything work out. I will give him what he needs if he hurts me, not you. Please stay out of this?”

“You are my sister.”

“& you are my brother who I trusted to keep his words but didn’t!” She said angrily. He clenched his jaw again; mad that he had to make her say that.

“I’m sorry.” He said in a hushed tone. She accepted the apology with a nod of her head, “I reserved rooms in that hotel you told me to before we leave for Korea.” He said, with a change of subject.

“That’s good enough.” Unfortunately, she had asked to lodged out of the apartment before she even knew the time when they will be leaving for Korea.

They didn’t say anything else the rest of the way to the hospital. As they got out of the car, Jaejoong had the nerve to walk beside Yuri. Doyeon glared at him from the back. Yuri kept her distance but didn’t dare let her brother see the tenseness she had with Jaejoong. Opening the door to Taehyun’s assigned room, Yuri heard a squeal of delight as her son saw her. She grinned, walked over & gave him kisses.

“Coratation, mommy!” He squealed again. She frowned at him, “Daddy marry mommy! Webbing!”

“Wrong again, little guy.” Jaejoong said, from behind with a chuckle, “It’s wedding.”

Taehyun grinned his mischievous smile, “Wedding!” He exclaimed again, correcting his baby accent.

Jaejoong gave him a wink. Taehyun winked back with hardness. Looking down, Jaejoong risked smiling at her. She ignored him & averted back to her son. That heart tipping thingy, she ignored the same.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” Her heart tipped again. Did she sound as if she wanted to marry him? She looked around the room & caught Ahjoong’s eyes. Now & lately, she had only been staring at her. Their talking limit only reached three minutes. How incredible can two sister-in-law be so speechless to each other?

“Home, mommy, home!” Taehyun demanded, for her attention. Yuri turned back to him & notice that he was fully dressed in his clothes.

“Who dressed you, sweetheart?”

“Aunt June.”

Yuri glanced at Ahjoong & uttered a thank you. The woman managed a jerky nod. Somehow, she saw sympathy in Ahjoong’s eyes. Getting up from the bed, Yuri placed Taehyun on her hips. She grinned.

“You are getting heavy, honey.” He patted his tummy. Yuri laughed, remembering what Jaejoong had told her, "Home now, mommy?"

Yuri smiled faintly, "No sweetie, we aren’t going home."