44. HOW CAN I FORGET?

In the past two years, Uncle had made major changes to our house. We had purchased the apartment below and merged it with ours. After some serious remodeling, there were huge living room, dining room and kitchen at lower level with internal winding stairs leading to the second level which had six bedrooms and a small playroom for the children. Now, we could easily accodomate our overseas friends, Kris and Luhan with their families.

The next day, as the family sat down for a late breakfast I loudly called up the stairs, “Hey Minx, hurry up! Everyone is already sitting for breakfast.”

The sharply indrawn breaths and pin drop silence made me look up from the glasses of juice I was pouring. Byong’s was the only voice, “Ummappa, how can you forget that noona is on her honeymoon?”

Yes, how could I forget?

I rushed back into the kitchen, blinded by tears coursing down my cheeks. How could I forget that Minx wouldn’t come sliding down the staircase railing anymore and kiss me when I scolded her for her madcap ways? How could I forget I wouldn’t see her every day? How could I forget she wouldn’t be there to kiss me before leaving for school in the morning and I wouldn’t get to kiss her sweet dreams every night? How could I forget?

Warms arms enveloped me as I sat with my face hidden in my bent knees in a corner of the kitchen. Puppy coaxed me into his arms and put his head in the crook of my neck. We sat crying together, not bothering to wipe any tears. What would be the use of wiping them away? There were plenty more to replace them. I held on to him silently, letting his shoulder support my thoughtless head.

We separated when small fingers patted our cheeks. Looking up we saw baby Yixing smiling at us. One by one he wiped our tears and then kissed our cheeks. We tried to smile for him. He looked at us seriously and said, “Don’t cry. I will sing umma’s song for you.” Wrapping his small arms around both our necks, he began singing the difficult Korean words of Island Baby as best as his 2-year-old could.

When mother went to the island to pick oysters

the baby had to stay in the house alone

with ebb and flow of tidal waves sounding like lullaby

the baby fell asleep with his elbow as a pillow

when the baby's in his deep nap, all seem peaceful

yet, noisy hoot of seagulls make mother's heart anxious

not minding half empty basket, carrying it on her head

mother ran to her baby, stepping on the hot sandy road.

Yixing kept wiping our tears as he sang us the sweet lullaby of a mother’s love for her child. As his angelic voice sang the last notes, we smiled at him through our tears and hugged him tight. Puppy stood up with Yixing in his arms and pulled me also up. He took some tissues and dried our tears. Wrapping arms around each other’s waists we walked into the dining room to take our seats.

Puppy seated Yixing in his lap and I plated our breakfast. As he began feeding Yixing from his plate, I held back my tears. I remembered the time when Puppy had entered my life in 2001. This was exactly how he used to eat with 3-year-old Minx. Puppy looked at me and we silently shared the memory. I put a hand on Puppy’s thigh and rubbed it to comfort both of us. Around us, everyone began talking normally. It was their way of telling us that life has to go on. Yixing smiled at Puppy and I leaned over to kiss the dimple in his soft baby cheek.

Heechul, Siwon and Duckie arrived soon after breakfast. Within a few minutes Soo and Leeteuk arrived with their two sons. Someone must have called them in, to divert Puppy and me. The brilliant idea worked.

Heechul was grumbling. “Jinx, help me. This English crazy will make me go mad. What did you tell him in Australia?” Heechul whined as I continued to pay more attention to 3-year-old Jaejoong who was sharing his lollipop with me. Junsu was off playing with Byong and Duckie.

“Who are you talking about Cinder? We met a lot of people in Australia.” I paid only half attention to Heechul as I tried not to worry about the exchange of germs when Joongie put the same lollipop in Yixing’s mouth.

“Puppy what’s the name of the English police officer who attended the wedding?” Heechul loudly asked.

“Are you asking about Harold, hyung?” Puppy responded as he handed Yixing a new lollipop. Children really have no concept of hygiene. Yixing promptly gave a big to the lollipop and then held it in front of Puppy’s mouth for him to .

“Yes, yes, that Harold fellow. Jinx you have to do something.” Heechul pouted without actually telling us anything of use.

“Cinderella, I cannot help with anything unless you tell me the problem?” I tried not to smile at my friend’s antics.

“He’s sent a dozen bouquets of red roses today morning. All addressed to me and all having tags with cheesy love poetry. Yesterday I listened politely to him as he told me about his three ex-wives and how after meeting you in Australia he gave up on women and has gone gay.” Heechul finally came to the point and I couldn’t help but laugh. It was difficult to imagine Harold as gay.

Heechul pouted even more at my reaction, “Stop laughing like a hyena, Jinx. I am in serious trouble here and you are having fun at my cost.” His sudden yell startled me, “Simba, you told me my stupid friend would find a solution. But all this idiot is doing is laughing like a lunatic. God! Why do I put up with him?” Siwon ignored his antics and gave a soft smile to me.

Puppy unwrapped another lollipop and put it in Heechul’s mouth. “Calm down hyung. Harold has only sent flowers right? Just enjoy them. Throw away the tags. Actually, just enjoy the attention. You are what, 44 now? You should be happy that at this ripe age you can still make guys fall in love with you.” Heechul listened to him with shocked eyes.

Puppy continued with a devilish smile at me, “We are having lunch with all of them today. Why don’t you join us and flirt with Harold a little? Super is getting too serious nowadays. You need to keep him on his toes and a little. I think ‘Harold for lunch’ is exactly what both of you need.”

“Oh no, not again?” Kris exclaimed from the other end of the room where he was talking to Leeteuk.

“Jjong you cannot be serious about this?” Luhan said at the same time.

“Why not? Didn’t Tokki and I have a great time with both of you in Australia?” Puppy waggled his brows suggestively at the two.

“You are forgetting that we were not interested in Jinki that way.” Kris cleared the air for our family.

“But Hyori was definitely interested in me.” Puppy grinned.

“Oppa, why do you have to remind me of that witch?” Ji whined and came to sit near Puppy who wrapped an arm around her shoulder while keeping his other arm discreetly wrapped around my waist. “Isn’t it enough that I have to meet her occasionally because she is working in Seoul with Yeollie now?”

“But we had fun times then, Ji.” Puppy winked at me.

I smiled back at him, “Oh yes, we did Puppy.”

“I pity her. You evil men really used her for your own fun and games. Don’t think I didn’t notice what both of you were doing all the time and why you, Puppy oppa, allowed her to be all over you.” Ji pinched Puppy’s arm.

“Ji you are right. They were really shameless. My Xing nearly divorced me.” Luhan grumbled at his own memories.

“Jinx what are they talking about? How could you cause a rift between Luhan and Xing? And how could you allow another woman near Puppy?” Heechul’s face was still shocked.

“Ah Cinder! It was a wonderful time. Right Puppy? I was almost sad when she stopped coming over for dinner.” I looked dreamy-eyed at Puppy. “And the upcoming divorce was only in Luhan’s imagination.”

“Heechul don’t listen to this crazy bunny. He will corrupt you. His moronic puppy and he have the strangest way of loving each other that I have ever witnessed in my entire life.” Kris frowned at us.

I winked back at Kris. “It’s not corruption Kris. It’s called widening your horizons. My Puppy loves only me. And even ten Hyoris falling all over him at the same time cannot change this fact. Do you know how hot the whole idea of ten gorgeous women fawning all over him is, knowing that they can do what they want, but his eyes will always be on me only?” I touched Puppy’s cheek lovingly.

“Aaaaaarrrggghhh! Stop it. There are little children around.” Luhan tried not to scream too loudly. Rest of our family looked at us, but then continued with their various activities.

“Jjong care to explain?” Siwon asked with a serious expression.

Kris and Luhan began cackling like old crones. We looked at them with patience, waiting for their hilarity to pass. Finally Beagle explained on their behalf. “I think they are laughing because they can’t believe you are giving lessons in love life even in Korea.” Dumb and Dumber nodded in agreement.

Finding his voice, Luhan managed to speak, “They made us learn to flirt with our wives and brought the spark back in our marriages.”

“I don’t understand. Why do I need Harold to flirt with my Simba?” Heechul looked at us in confusion.

Puppy and I looked at each other before I responded, “Ugh! Cinder, just forget it. You are right. You don’t need anyone to flirt with Siwon. And Siwon does not have to go all possessive about you, only to first throw away all the flowers that Harold sent you. Then kiss you wildly to remind you how much both of you love each other.”

“What? How did you know?” Heechul looked at me with round eyes and pink cheeks.

“The fresh hickeys on your neck.” I pointed out the marks that gave the two away. “And I have known Siwon long enough to predict his reactions.”

“What would you have done Jjong?” Siwon was curious while Heechul turned red in embarrassment and tried to pull up the collar of his shirt.

Puppy just smiled and remained silent. His fingers my back, hidden from everyone’s eyes.

“I think I know what Puppy appa would have done.” Beagle spoke up again. When he had the attention of our little group, he continued, “Puppy appa would have pulled the roses apart and spread the petals on their bed to remind them later at night of how alluring ummappa is not only to him but others as well. And also to remind himself how lucky he is that ummappa loves him and no one else. Then he would have invited Harold to a meal cooked by ummappa to rub in the fact that ummappa is his life partner, no matter how much interest Harold takes in him. And while Harold flirted one-sidedly with ummappa during the meal, Puppy appa would have enjoyed the silent flirting between ummappa and himself.”

Our mouths hung open in shock and Ji looked on proudly at her husband. Beagle was bang on with Puppy’s reaction.

Heechul’s near scream brought everyone to focus on him again, “Aaarghhhh, we wasted 144 roses Simba!”

Joongie chose that moment to put his lollipop on my lips again. I it and looked at my Puppy, making silent promises to him for that night.