Chapter 92

Jaejoong waited impatiently by the elevator door. If he weren’t so respected, he would have already kicked the metal door. An old woman stood beside him with her reptile bulldog sneering angrily at him. He can’t quite see why such a talkative & sweet woman just couldn’t get a cat. A cat wouldn’t have such sharp teeth & just when the old woman stopped talking to look down at the bulldog again, it stopped it’s sneering & purred with a bark.

Jaejoong grimaced. Dogs. He turned back to stare at the metal door as the old woman continued to talk, things he hears every year coming to the Europe continental study of laws. How could such an old woman talk so fast? “I just got here today. My sick granddaughter had delayed me. Oh dear, but thank the lord she is well now. Since my husband had died, the host & hostess had always been so nice to invite me back every year. My husband was well known throughout the whole country. He’s very well respected. Nobody had ever seen him raise his voice, not even in court & not even at me since those eighty years we had been married. Oh dear, why does the lord give people such short lives? I miss him. He was the only person that I shared my secrets with.” She sighed & smiled up at Jaejoong, “Where’s that wife of yours I saw last year?”

Trying not to frown with a grimace, he answered, “I wasn’t marry last year, Mrs. Yang. You must had mistaken it.”

She narrowed her eyes & patted the bulldog’s head, “No, I’m sure you were married. I remembered you were with her every year since you had begun coming here as a law student years ago. She’s a beauty. Yes, a beautiful girl alright. What was her name?”

“Yuri.” Jaejoong replied, confused as much as the old woman was but he was sure he had never married Jessica. Of course, Yuri is his only wife.

“Ah.” She pointed to the air as if getting the name now. The elevator door finally opened.

Motioning his hands, he said, “Ladies first, Mrs. Yang.” The old woman smiled & patted his cheek as she had patted her dog. Jaejoong chuckled & followed from behind.

“Where is your wife? Shouldn’t she be with you?”

Jaejoong nodded, “She’s down in the grand room waiting for me. I had to go back to the room & get her vitamins.” He shook the little bottle fill with one-fourth folic pills with a smile, “She’s three months pregnant.” God, he loves bragging about their baby. How could a father not be?

Mrs. Yang’s eyes widened, “Congratulations but I warn you, young man, don’t let her carry heavy supplies. Know how dangerous heavy equipment are for your pregnant wife to carry.” She shook her head, “Very bad. I have three grown children & they are all very healthy. See, my husband would never let me carry more than what a little baby weights when I was pregnant.” She sighed happily, “He was a very sweet man.”

Indeed. The elevator stopped & opened, revealing Jessica. His reaction wasn’t even full to his face yet when Mrs. Yang broke out with a cry, “Ah! So this is your wife! I thought you said she was waiting down in the gallery for you! Come in, come in!” She took Jessica’s hand & surprising her at the same time. The bulldog jumped out of the old woman’s hand & onto Jaejoong. His eyes widened but he kept in his curses with a closed mouth. The dog just bit his hand.

“Sweetie pie!” Mrs. Yang cried out loud, grabbing the bulldog back. Jaejoong quickly wiped his torn sleeve or a least he was trying to keep in his words. Sweetie pie? That dog wasn’t a sweetie pie. He just bit his hand.

“Are you okay?” Jessica rushed to say, taking Jaejoong’s hand into hers. She gasped as dips of blood pour slowly out of his hand, “You are bleeding.”

“It’s just a little.” He thought to pull back but thought better of it. The pain was a stab with the dog’s sharp killing teeth but he wasn’t going to die.

“Oh no, sweetie pie, look what you had done.” Mrs. Yang chided the bulldog. She looked at Jaejoong’s hand with a pout, “Are you okay, dear? Oh my, it’s bleeding badly. Maybe we should take you to a hospital.”

“No, I’m perfectly fine. Something to wrap my palm would just do.” & just before he had finished his sentence, the elevator door opened. The dog barked.

“Ah ha! So, you are his wife!” The old woman exclaimed, then frowned.

Jaejoong looked up & met those immense eyes that could only belong to his wife. He smiled; forgetting that Jessica was wrapping his bleeding hand. With the folic bottle in his hand, he shook it, “I got it, honey.” Walking out of the elevator, his hands fell back to his side, “I will see you later, Mrs. Yang.” He called back, & took a hold of Yuri’s waist, “I’m sorry it took me so long. Our baby must be hungry for his folic pills.”

“Your daddy is busy, sweetie. Brush your teeth before you go to bed alright. Byebye.” Yuri hung up the cell phone & clenched it lightly in her hand.

“That was Hyunnie? Why didn’t you let me talk to him?”

“Huh?” She looked up at him. Then smiled, “It was past his bedtime.”

“He…” The ringing of the cell phone interrupted his sentence. Yuri held the phone up to his face with a thin smile, “Aren’t you…?”

“It’s probably Hyunnie.” She took his hand & with a force, shoved it onto his wounded palm, “I will be around.” Before Jaejoong can open his mouth again, she walked away with the bottle of pills. Lost, he blinked. The cell ringed again. With a discontent sigh, he flipped the phone open.

“Hey, little guy.”

“Hello, daddy. Where is mommy? Mommy won’t let Hyunnie talk to you, daddy, but Hyunnie smart & hear your voice.”

“Yes.” He responded, not taking his eyes off of Yuri as she took a pill, “You are my smart boy. Are you being good to your aunt? She’s not very good with naughty boys.”

Taehyun giggled, “When are you & mommy going to be home, daddy? I miss you. Aunt Min won’t let me eat candy & ice cream.”

“Just a few more days, honey.” He smiled as Mrs. Yang walked over to Yuri. The bulldog smiled his dog smile as she patted his head. That dog had never liked him & he hadn’t quite understood why, “Don’t worry about your aunt. I will double your ice cream scoops when your mommy & I get home. How does that sounds?” “Yummy.”

“That’s good than. Oops, I have to go now. Looks like your mommy is in need of a hand. I will call you tomorrow alright? Be a good boy & tell your aunt to double your ice cream scoops or I will sue her.”

Taehyun giggled again, “Okay, daddy. Byebye.”

“Bye.” He flipped the phone shut & started to make his way towards his wife & the old woman with the reptile bulldog. The room was getting cramped up with each day passing by. He passed law student with a nod of his head as they greeted him. He remembered his days as being a law student so well & surely, he remembered his first case.

A silly smile popped onto his face. Just reaching them, Mr. Young, the host, started that night’s introduction. Jaejoong paid little attention as he took Yuri’s hand & excused them. Mrs. Yang was still continuing her conversation as they walked away.

“She’s a talker, huh?” Yuri nodded her head lightly. She sat down as Jaejoong pulled back a chair from their reserved table. He pulled his chair closer to her & took her hand, “The continental study of law is ending tonight right after the new year begins. So, I’m making my last & biggest speech. Wish me another luck?” Yuri averted her head to gaze back at him. She stared at him for quite a while before nodding her head, “Mrs. Yang’s bulldog seems to like you very much. He hates me though. Got bit.” He winked & raised his hand for her to see. As if not interested, she turned away. His eyebrows met in the middle, “What’s wrong?”

“Were you ever married to Jessica?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

“Mr. Kim Jaejoong, we know you love your wife very much but please come up & make your speech & while we are still young please.” The audience chuckled. Jaejoong forced a smile on & stood up. He stared down at Yuri, waiting for her to place her hand on his arm. When she neglected him, he clenched his jaw. What did the old woman say to his wife?

Turning to Mr. Young on the podium, Jaejoong held one finger up, signaling to wait. Maybe common sense will work. He bent his head near his wife’s ear & whispered, “You are my only wife. Mrs. Yang is an old woman. She can’t remember well. We will talk about this later. Stay put alright?” He turned his head & lightly kissed the corner of her lips.

“Mr. Kim, I’m not getting any younger.” Jaejoong turned around & shot him a glare. The man smiled. Straightening up, Jaejoong slid his index finger down her cheek & sauntered to the podium, “I knew you wouldn’t disappoint us. Everyone, Mr. Kim Jaejoong.” The audience clapped, welcoming the famous lawyer. Jaejoong’s eyes were on Yuri as the noise calmed down.

“First of all, I would like to thank every single one of you for your patience. As you all know, my wife is three months pregnant. She was feeling sick to the stomach. No kicking yet but I wish she was in labor now. I’m that impatient, men’s.” The crowd laughed again. A big guy in at the back whooped. Jaejoong watched as Yuri blushed to her roots. He smiled & continued with his speech.

Even though speaking through half of his speech, his eyes were only on his wife but he wasn’t so sure if he had burst his thoughts out about her. The crowd laugh from time to time but her blushing had stopped. When she stood up, he stopped talking. She gave the notice of his invisible voice as she took a few glances his way. Goosebumps filled his arms as Jessica followed her.

“Yul?” Jaejoong said into the microphone, with a questioned whisper.

She reached the archway of the exit, threw one last look at him & walked out. His lungs tickled when Jessica vanished after his wife. Just as he was about to take a step back, the voice of Mr. Young stopped him.

“Speech. Talk.” He coughed, covering his mouth.

Jaejoong threw his gaze back to the audience. He blinked his eyes as if to get back to where he had left off on. Taking one last look at the archway, he continued while his whole mind was still on Yuri. He talked fast, not getting his own words. He stuttered a few times & raked his hair for more than he can count.

Jaejoong would have run after her but he didn’t. He didn’t know why either but he has to finish what he had started first. Surely, there will be nothing serious going on but the question was in his head. Why did Jessica follow Yuri?

Perspiration appeared on his forehead. As he finished, Jaejoong wiped the sweat off with the back of his hand. He stepped down from the podium & exited the room. She didn’t take the elevator from inside the room & there surely was no trace of her whereabouts. He strolled down the hall & sure enough, he heard their voices.