Chapter 88

Yuri watched as Taehyun unwrapped his presents. He tore the santa wrapper & threw it into the air gaily. A scream came out of his mouth when a control airplane popped up. Yuri laughed & cuddled herself more into the leather couch. She was still in her black cotton jersey pajamas & hasn’t opened one present yet from Jaejoong. She didn’t want to see what he had for her. Maybe just some jewelries wrapped up.

Donghae had given her a 14k white gold diamond scoll pendant necklace. She couldn’t possibly accept it but she had given him her words before the box was in her hands. They were only friends. Yes, only friends, even though gossip had been spreading around the school. It didn’t matter.

Taehyun, being too merry, pulled her off the couch & demanded her to open the presents that were still left. She took the biggest of them & from biggest to smallest, more surprises came onto her face. No, none of them had been jewelries yet but the smallest one came to be one. Her eyes glittered as she stared at the golden rose petal. He had kept it after all, on the day of their divorce four years ago. She remembered it well. It was the day after their first kiss anniversary because he had forgotten.

‘But I love you more’, it read.

Yuri tried to keep the smile off of her face but it came on anyhow. She laughed while running her fingers over the crave words. How sweet can her husband go? Just seeing the words made her heart ache continuously, “Pretty, mommy.” Her son said, looking over her shoulder.

“It is, isn’t it? It’s from your daddy.” Taehyun grinned proudly. She glanced at him, “Go get ready. The doorbell will start ringing any second now.” She kissed his chubby cheek, “Go dress your best for gramps & granny.” He nodded & ran away. Yuri glanced back at the rose petal. She traced her finger along the edge. Such beautiful thing shouldn’t be touched but she couldn’t help it.

The wallpaper in their bedroom hadn’t even been fill up yet but most of them contained ‘But I love you more’ sentences & still, her heart beats wildly like wild horses’ hooves. Shaking her head, Yuri closed the velvet box & searched under the tree for untouched presents. She shoved all the unwrapped papers into a trash bag & came across the present she had for Jaejoong. A sigh came out between her lips. One was better than none. Yuri shoved the present back in its place under the tree & continued cleaning until the trash bag was filled. She felt nothing, absolutely nothing but maybe a slight happy seeing the rose petal. She wanted him home but yet, she didn’t. Maybe it was her stubbornness doing the job of a woman after all. She misses him during the nights without his arms securely wrapped around her waist & even during the day without his humorous company. His kiss.

She heaved a sigh & walked into the kitchen after throwing the trash outside. She hadn’t talked to him since that last call when she had asked for her most wanted present from him; a wish for him to stay away from home for christmas but it was her stubbornness again, to not talk with him when he called. Taehyun talked for hours with him while she listened with a clench jaw.

Trouble fell more over her after each hang up when Taehyun informed her about all the words his daddy had said. He didn’t hate his daddy after all, after a little talk that Jaejoong was terribly sorry that he had yelled at Yuri. She knows he couldn’t be mad at anyone for long. Her son had the smartest heart in a man.

With the turkey in the oven, she prepared more dishes just as the doorbell rang. Her families came in a hustle; murmuring how cold the outside weather was & handing her wrapped presents. Mr. Kim was the last one to hang up his black michael kors alhambra knit-bib wool-blend coat. He took his time, Yuri noticed, for the rest to disappear into the parlor or kitchen before his look turned curious. She smiled halfway & before she can turn around, he stopped her.

“Jaejoong hadn’t come home yet?”

She shook her head with the forced smile still on, “He’s still in San Francisco on a case but I’m sure christmas won’t be any different.”

“I’m sure, too.” He mumbled, “Had he called?”

“He had.”

“& how long will it take him to come back home for christmas with his family? I’m sure the case with Mr. Jung could be put away easily.”

Yuri looked away at her father-in-law’s detested voice. She knows he how he feels, “I’m sure of it too, but it seems important for Mr. Jung to get the case over. Nobody wants to work during christmas.” She lightly cleared as he squinted his eyes, “I really don’t mind, dad. It’s his job & I, as his wife, don’t mind at all. I know of this be...before agreeing to marry him.”

‘What a great lie that was.’ She thought detestably. Mr. Kim is her father-in-law & she knows she was doing the wrong thing by lying to an elder but what else could she have done? Cry?

She brushed a lock of her hair away from her face & changed the subject, “Hyunnie has presents for everyone. I’m sure he will be more than happy to show what he’s gotten for you.”

Mr. Kim noticed the change & nodded. Yuri smiled halfway & walked back into the kitchen. She didn’t want any reminders of Jaejoong anymore. Thinking about him was enough to explode her head. His present was sweet but it wasn’t sweet enough for her to stop thinking about him.

Yuri gasped when a sting shocked the tip of her finger. She shook out from her thoughts & glanced down. A spot of blood dip from her skin & more followed. Reaching over, Yuri quickly grabbed a napkin & circled it around her index finger.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

“Nothing, mom.” She quickly hid her hands behind her back & folded them together but she knew otherwise by the look on her mother’s face.

“Go get a band-aid. I will finish slicing the cabbage.”

Yuri grimaced. She bit her gum & walked out of the kitchen to the bedroom. Opening a drawer, she took out a band-aid & circled it around the cut. Her eyes were on the knife a while ago but her thoughts were somewhere else. She should have paid attention.

Looking in the mirror, she studied her growing belly & smiled. She smoothed the wrinkle off of her apron, feeling the rounding part where the baby was growing inside of her.

“Be a girl for your daddy.” She whispered, “He loves you as much as he loves me already.”

Jaejoong hugged himself as a breeze passed him. He stood afar from the cabin, just watching his families having a merry christmas. He had came home after all, apart from being with them. He sat alone at the small well. Very well camouflaged in. The present she wanted; he had given it to her but that hadn’t meant that he couldn’t come home & wait outside until his seiko chronograph black polyurethane strap watch stuck midnight.

He watched as the delivery man came onto the porch & ringed the bell. The door opened after a few seconds. He could hear her voice, sweet & demanding whom the rose petal was from. A silent & secret smile came onto his handsome, paled face. He knows she knew whom it was from. It was just surprises that had entered .

He had thrown the bouquet of roses into the woods when the delivery man handed it to him & kept one. Tip him, Jaejoong did, for him to deliver Yuri the rose petal he had written, ‘Merry christmas, Yul’ on it with his special pen.

The delivery man tipped his hat at him as he entered his car & drove away. Jaejoong’s eyes were still on the open doorway where lights were coming in from. His heartbeat tripled as she stepped outside. The delivery man didn’t tell her that he was standing outside near the well, did he?

His heartbeat settled down once more. No, he didn’t. Yuri looked up at the old oak tree & then down at the rose petal again. Even from far away, Jaejoong couldn’t see a smile on her face. He sighed as she walked back into the house & closed the door. Looking down, he tapped his right foot on the ground, listening to the crickets singing.

Christmas alone. Jaejoong had left the Jung mansion as soon as the case was over. He had given Mr. Jung a clue of what he knew the old man was up to after a sick day in bed. In haste, Mr. Jung had organized the information for the case too fast. The man had chickened out after all. Mr. Jung had been trying to take him away from home for christmas.

Jaejoong didn’t even beg pardon for his early leave. He packed his stuff when Mrs. Jung had still been running the party in her usual style. He spared Jessica a glance when she saw him walking down the stairs with his bag & briefcase in hand. She had tried to make her way over to him but he was quick & walked out of the house without a worry & he wasn’t sorry.

Now, here is he, having a merry christmas with a rose in his hand but with the flu? Wonderful. He sniffed the smell as he looked at Yuri through the window. The curtain wasn’t full enough to blind him from the party. He even felt as if he was in there, dancing with her.

His eyes moved lower & landed on her growing stomach. A silly smile came onto his lips but then it slowly disappeared. Did she take care of herself & the baby inside of her while he was gone? Did she eat enough to satisfy the baby? Did she carry any heavy equipment? His heart lurched forward as he saw her reaching to the top of the christmas tree to fix the star but then, her father came & shooed her off.

A sigh of relief came through his lips & then he sneezed. He wasn’t being a father. He wasn’t being a husband. Yet. He wasn’t home for christmas. He wasn’t being supportive. His eyes went back to the rose but he was doing a wish, his wife’s wish.

The night drove on. So slowly that he felt each breeze’s whisper. He took more than eight thousand glances at his watch. Was it working? He tapped it. It was working alright. He was just impatient & as he looked at his watch again, he thought it was a miracle. The big hand slowly, gradually took its time to stuck midnight & when it did, he smiled so secretly & made his way towards the cabin.

His black leather calvin klein warden chukkas shoes on the mahogany porch made it sound as if he was in a movie, just coming from a war, drench with rain & meeting his wife for the first time in years. Each step he took seems like an eternity before he can reach the door. He flexed his hands, raised his head, moved his toboggan & brought his hand up to knock on the door like a stranger.

Jaejoong let out a sighed of desperation when the door slightly parted. His smile disappeared, staring at the surprises face. He blinked slowly, ran a hand through his hair & nodded his head. Everything was done slowly, “Merry late christmas, Yul.” He noticed her fixing her face back to its normal color, “Don’t I get a kiss?” He asked, with a stuffed nose.

“What are you doing home?” She asked instead.

He raised his hand, showing the time on his watch, “It’s not christmas to me anymore. It’s the twenty-six.” Yuri made a face as if he was joking. Instead, she stepped back, open the door wider & walked away. Jaejoong breathed a sigh of calamity. Wasn’t she happy? He gave her the present she wanted but she wasn’t satisfied with him coming back home?

He gave up thinking & standing as if he was lost & walked into the house. Home sweet home. It was good to be back home with the smell of christmas still hanging in the air. He hung up his black nautica wool-blend pea coat & uttered a sneeze. Great. Just great. He was just feeling well after leaving San Francisco but standing outside in the cold had been a consequence.

Sniffing, he quickly took out a tissue from his black levi straight fit jean pocket & wiped his running nose. He sneezed again. Walking down the hall, he entered the parlor. Everyone looked up. They weren’t giving him nice looks. Those were actually looks of death. He scanned the room for his wife. She wasn’t around. He sneezed again.

Mrs. Kim finally sighed & got up, “Finally home, huh?” She asked, with a chiding voice. Jaejoong nodded, “You are sick. Had that family been keeping you warm? Serves you right though. Come into the kitchen & I will fix up a bowl of ginseng soup for you.”

Jaejoong obeyed after nodding his head at his father & in-laws. He sat down at the counter quietly while waiting for his soup. His mother didn’t spare him a glance & when she did, he swore it wasn’t a lovely motherly look at all.

“Why didn’t you come home earlier?” Mrs. Kim asked, as she half-slammed the bowl under his nose. Jaejoong groaned at the noise, “Speak up.”

“I was busy.” He said, sipping on the hot soup.

His mother snorted, “Your son wasn’t so happy about it. Why didn’t you just put it off for later? That was very foolish of you, Jaejoong.”

He groaned again, “I know.” He scratched his head, “Is Hyunnie asleep?”

“He was waiting up for you but he’s asleep now.” She narrowed her eyes on him, “You didn’t talk to Yuri before going off. Your father told me that you had been calling her. Did you explain yourself?”

“I did.” He blew on the hot soup, “How was she? Did she enjoy the party?”

Mrs. Kim sigh before responding, “Why don’t you ask your own wife?” With that, she walked out. Jaejoong tripled his groan. Damn! It was his entire fault again. He raised the bowl & took all the hot soup in. Quickly with fast hands, he drank the cold water with a sigh of relief.

Now, to his wife. He walked out of the kitchen & up the stairs to their room. The lights were on when he opened the door. She was sitting in front of the desk mirror, brushing her hair. He pressed his lips together & closed the door. She didn’t look up. His eyes darted to the bed. There their son lay fully asleep.

He took off his black cherry wrinkle-resistant mini-check shirt, ready to climb into bed without a shower. That got his wife’s attention but as he looked at her again, she turned back to the mirror. He growled ever so slowly for the first time that night. What she was thinking about, he could clearly see & he knows she can read his mind easily, just looking at the bed.

He sneezed. She fully didn’t care. This time, he sneezed on purpose & loudly. When that still didn’t get her attention, Jaejoong climbed into bed, picked Taehyun up & moved him a bit to his side. He gave him a kiss on the cheek & pulled the cover over himself. Now, he will just wait for her to come to bed.

His eyes followed her slow movements. She was surely taking her time to annoy him but he wasn’t annoyed. He was actually enjoying every move she make. Finally, she placed her brush back into the drawer, stood up without a rush & walked to the bed without looking at him. She smiled as she slipped in & turned off the lights.

Tucking his arms around her, he pulled her close. To his stupefaction, she didn’t pull away but was tense. It was too long. He pulled her closer & buried his face into her hair.

“You smell good tonight.” He whispered, “Did you like your presents?” She didn’t respond, “It’s fine with me if you don’t. Where’s my presents? I want to open it now.”

“I got you the white pen you couldn’t find at the store you usually buy it at.” She said dryly, “Don’t be surprises when you open it.”

He only smiled, “Thank you but I would had been more surprises if you hadn’t told me what you got for me. The pen I have right now is about to run out.” He kissed her neck. She flinched, “I miss you. Why wouldn’t you talk with me on the phone when I called?” She didn’t answer again. He exhaled, “I’m sick.”

“&?”

“You don’t care.” He stated for her.

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you didn’t say anything else. You know what would make me feel better?” When she didn’t answer, he continued, “I’m sorry & I want you to forgive me. Will you do that for me?”

Yuri finally closed her eyes. She sighed in relaxation. He hugged her closer. Grimacing, she said, “Go to sleep please.”

“Is that a no?” She didn’t respond again, “I’m really sorry that I left on christmas. If you won’t forgive me, I guess I will just get sicker & sicker.” He actually sneezed & was quick to cover his mouth, “My nose is stuffed up.” He smoothed a hand over her belly, “How about Aejung?” He can see her frowning, “If it turns out to be a girl, can we name her Aejung.”

Yuri answered him this time, “It’s your daughter.”

He frowned, “Yul…”

“Go to sleep, Jaejoong Oppa.”

His heart lurched. Was she onto the bargain again? Oh, god. He hadn’t had much notice of it since weeks now. He didn’t like the sound of it. He didn’t want her to say it. He didn’t want this marriage to be about the bargain. Never before & never now. She couldn’t possibly stick to it. No, she couldn’t. Their marriage was a real marriage. It wasn’t about the bargain anymore. No cheating in a marriage. Be faithful & never breaking any vows.