Chapter 74

“Yes, ma’am. Friday. Yes, at one. Thank you. You too. Bye.” Jaejoong hung up. Another meeting murder case again. He toyed with his bottom lips while studying witnesses on the monitor. Then he turned to write something different down.

Too busy to hear the door opened or closing, a soft voice spoke his name. He looked up & dropped his pen. He stared at her in awe but then the cornered of his lips tugged, “Jessica.”

“Hello, Jae Oppa.” Her voice was shy, “I’m sorry. I informed your secretary not to tell you of my coming.”

“It’s fine.” But it wasn’t fine that he didn’t know what to do. He wanted to get up & hug her while another part of his mind told him to stay put & he did.

“I disturbed you, didn’t I?”

He shook his head, “My work can be put away for later.”

Jessica started to play with her fingers. He could tell she had been having a problem whether to come to his office or not. He had always been able to read her mind. Maybe he can still do that. She dropped one hand to the side & brushed her hair away with the other, “I need to talk with you.”

Jaejoong nodded with a questioning expression. Getting up, he straightened his alfani red slim-fit charcoal pinstriped suit jacket, “We will go across to that cafe over there & have that talk. Is that okay with you?” She nodded nervously. He walked to the door & held it opened for her. They walked across the street quietly with the noise around them. The door chimed as he opened it. Sitting down at the far corner, looking out at the street full of people, they ordered their drinks.

Sipping his sprite, he gazed up at her with the question still plastered on his face. Jessica pressed her glossy pink lips together. Her hands were folded down on her lap after taking a drink from her hot chocolate. She looked unready for what she had came for & he was unready for what she had to say.

“How have you been?” He said, to start the conversation she wouldn’t.

Jessica held her face to meet his eyes, “I miss you.”

Jaejoong didn’t dare looked away. He leveled his eye with her & could still see the hurt he had left her in. She was in pain. He grimaced inwardly. All the words he had said to her on the day everything was over were still stuck to him like it had her & he felt guilt-ridden which he didn’t miss her like she had him. Moreover, he couldn’t find the love he had had for her anymore. The love he can only find now was for his wife Yul.

“I’m sorry.” He choked out.

She heaved a hurt exhale, “You don’t miss me, do you?”

The no couldn’t come out of his mouth & he couldn’t lie to her. He had hurtled her. Saying it will only be worst, “Drink your hot chocolate, Jessica. It’s getting cold.”

“Just say a simple yes or no, Oppa.”

“Please, Jessica?”

She sunk & broke the eye contact. Leaning back, she stared out at the people on the street. Her heart throbbed severally. It was heartsick she felt. Her beloved had left her for the son he loves & a woman he had once loved. The one month she had spent alone had been a deadly cut out of all the cuts she had had. Her family wasn’t much help. They didn’t care about her or her love for her ex-fiance. She had only came back to get a job near his sister just because she wanted to be near him again. She couldn’t stand the blueness nor can the blueness stand her.

She had thought he was the one. She had thought he would make her the happiest wife & a mother later on. She had thought he had only loved her but all the thoughts she had had became useless to him. They were all dead.

“I really miss you, Oppa, & I still love you.”

“I’m sorry, Jessica, but I’m marry.”

“Not happily.” She added.

He gazed at her surprisingly, not believing that she will ever say that, “We are getting there. Time is all that Yuri & I need.” ‘& the love from her.’ He added into his thoughts, “I heard you got a new manager. The one Ahjoong has now.”

Jessica nodded, “She still hates me.”

“Ahjoong just haven’t gotten over of what happened.”

“She never will.” Jessica turned to face him again. Her eyes glinted. He cursed with his thoughts. She was ready to cry. He hated when women cry. Their tears always soften him, “I’m in love with a married man again.”

He shook his head, “There’s tons of men out there just waiting for a love like yours, Jessica. Love them like you have love me. I’m married & I won’t love anyone else.”

Her face paled, “Meaning you don’t love me anymore?”

This time, Jaejoong turned away to look out of the window. He massaged his neck & dropped his hand back down when the aching didn’t cease, “No.” He answered.

As soon as he said that word, tears dripped down from her eyes. Jessica brushed them away with gentle hands. She bit her lips together from trembling. Jaejoong groaned from the inside. Turning, he took out the small hankie he had tucked in his pocket & handed it over to her. Through the tears, Jessica took it with a thank you. She wiped her tears & sensitively blew her small nose.

“I shouldn’t have asked but I really wanted to know.” She stood up with a sniff, “I will leave you now. Thank you for the time. I will return your hankie. Bye.”

Jaejoong was about to stop her & tell her to keep the handkerchief but he leaned back & closed his eyes. It was hard to break someone’s heart but it was worst to tell her that he didn’t love her anymore. It was all a wreck. How could his love be gone for her just as fast as he had loved her in the first place? His love was true for her but it was gone. Gone like dust swept away from the harsh wind but at last, he had found the love that he had buried for so long now that was held only for his wife. He was ready to tell her but she wasn’t ready to hear his words.

With a big exhale, Jaejoong stood up, took a big gulp of his sprite & walked out of the cafe. He stopped before the pedestrian pole & waited with the others to cross the street. As the hand light turned green, Jaejoong followed the people from behind, breathing in the warm air. He entered the building & walked to his office. The work on his desk needed attention but it wasn’t everyday that he can take a few breaks. He popped onto his chair & circled around & it wasn’t second that he could see his wife. Lunch was just around the corner & he can never concentrate now that Yuri was on his mind. With a sneaky smile on, Jaejoong stood back up & started to whistle. He will love to have lunch with her. Besides, it was her lunch break. He couldn’t stand imagining her sitting in the teacher’s lounge all alone with no one to talk to. Oh yes, a surprises lunch with her would be perfect.

Driving to the school, he couldn’t help but grin. He sniffed the smell of the lobby as he entered the high school, wondering if it would smell of stink bomb. None came but the smell of school’s freshness. Jaejoong grimaced. Even private schools have stink bomb leaders. He then chuckled. He was one himself. The best actually.

Jaejoong shook his head. He made his way to the sign in window & got himself a visitor’s pass, “Room fifty-eight.” He said, under his breath, walking down the hallway. He clicked his tongue as he walked up to the room. He knocked. Her musical voice came through. He opened the door slightly & saw her working on some papers. Her head was bowed. Entering, Jaejoong shut the door quietly behind him.

“Yes?” She made a quick mark on a piece of paper & glanced up. Her eyes widened.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

Yuri swallowed & bowed back down to continued her work, “What do you want? I’m busy here.”

“Yes, you are.” He tilted his head. Then sat down on the chair facing her. His eyes followed her writing. He toyed with his bottom lips. His eyes moved to the left & caught the back of a computer. Then he looked around the room. A few animal pictures were hung up. There were students profile repositories located behind her.

Jaejoong scratched his head. He looked back at her desk. Piles of manila folders were stacked highly on it just like his desk at the office, ‘She must get headaches with all of this work.’ He thought. Turning his head to the right of the desk, he saw a picture frame, facing her. He leaned over & took it into his hands. A smile tugged at his lips. It was a picture of Yuri & Taehyun together. She had her arms around Taehyun’s neck, hugging him while the little guy was giggling.

Looking up, he caught her eyes, “You look beautiful.” He held the picture up & lay his finger on the tip of her nose. She wasn’t astounded. Inside his thoughts, he was wondering where he was in the picture but a smile just brings to his face whenever he sees them.

“What are you doing here, Jaejoong Oppa?”

He grinned, “Asking you to have lunch with me.”

“I’m sorry but I already ate my lunch.”

His grin widened at her lie, “According to my working brain & the lady at the sign in window, your lunch begins just right now.” She looked annoyed, “Come on, my bride, have lunch with me? I haven’t tasted school food for years now. I wonder how their fries will taste like.”

“The lunch ladies aren’t serving fries today & you had gone to a private high school.”

“The best & wildest private school, you mean. The private school I went to was different from other private schools.”

“That’s because you were the school’s stink bomb leader.” Yuri said, with a small smile.

He laughed, “& you remembered.”

Her smile disappeared, “I’m not hungry.”

“Yes, you are.” He commanded.

“No, I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m...I ate an apple for snack.” Yuri said, hoping that he would leave her alone since she had ate something but really, she didn’t want to have lunch with him.

He stood up, “An apple isn’t going to last through dinner. Come on, Yul. You need something healthier. No wonder you had been looking skinnier for the past few weeks. You had been skipping lunch while trying to finish all of that work.” A paused, “Please just have lunch with me? I will pay.” Jaejoong added, as if that will change her mind.

She sighed & dropped her pen. There was no use arguing with him. Standing up, Yuri said, “You will pay for your lunch. I will pay for my lunch.”

“Deal.” He quickly said, before she can change her mind again.

Yuri grabbed her teal buxton leather shoulder bag & led the way to the cafeteria. Jaejoong followed from behind, talking & knowing that she wasn’t paying a bit of attention to him. He followed her every move. He put the same food on his tray that she put on hers. He even placed a branch of broccoli on his tray with a sour look.

The teachers lounge was crowded. He got introduced unwillingly by Yuri. Women gave him looks, looks he wasn’t sure he liked. He knew what kind of looks it was, flirty looks.

“You are enjoying this very much.” Yuri mumbled.

“Oh yes, I am.” Jaejoong took a bit of the cooked broccoli just as his wife did. He chewed it. Made a face. Held it in. Made a bigger face. Brought up his napkin. Spit it out & sip his water. He smiled.

“You don’t have to copy everything I do.” She mumbled again.

“I’m not. I’m just trying broccoli for the third time of my life.”

“& how does it taste like?”

“Raw bananas mixed with overdue chocolate milk, plus rotten eggs left out in the sun, added to mayonnaise without ketchup & not to forget, sour tomatoes dipped into hairy, stinky toes.”

Yuri laughed but forks dropping onto trays were heard from across the table. Jaejoong turned his head with an eyebrow raised. A woman who hadn’t been flirting with him dropped a piece of ritz crackers that was halfway into onto her tray. She covered & quickly got up. Jaejoong turned back to Yuri.

“Did I say something wrong?” He asked, with a true innocent tone.

“Don’t worry, Sora’s pregnant & bad talking food always make her throw up.”

“Congratulations to her then.” He glanced at his fossil foreman multifunction automatic stainless steel watch & smiled grimly.

Her smile disappeared, “I think your lunch hour is over, Oppa. You better head back to your office. Just the look on your face tells me that there’s still stacks of paper piled on your desk.”

He shook his head, “I can stay for a little while.”

“Suit yourself. I’m finish eating anyway.”

Jaejoong quickly grabbed her arm before she can stand up, “You haven’t finish your lunch. Stay & eat. I will go.” He knew she never wanted him to be here with her, “I will see you at home.” He leaned over & placed a quick but gentle kiss on her cheek, “Goodbye.” Smiling, he stared down at her face. She blinked lovingly.

“I will take your tray after I finish. Go on ahead.”

He smiled one last time & quickly made his way out. Yuri leaned back & heaved a sigh. She hasn’t remembered how he had made her laugh like so. Lunch with him was wonderful but she didn’t want to admit it to anyone or herself. She gazed down at her lunch. No appetite was left in her.

Like Yuri had thought, lunch with him was wonderful but as the days went on, she didn’t expect him to join her everyday with that mischievous grin of his.