Chapter 42. And To Be Without You

now is the right time to say

the things left unsaid

we can make this work for love

~Only for you (six part invention)

“Whose phone is this?”

Yong Hwa almost stepped on the break again when he found her curiously looking at something she shouldn't be seeing, much less holding. He took it, careful enough not to leave his sight from the road for a long time and stashed it inside the glovebox, “It's Nuna's.”

He heaved a sigh of relief when she did not seem to dwell on it. The last thing he wanted to happen was for her perfect day to be ruined. Or maybe it was a sign for him to tell her about his secret calls. It was another dilemma. Part of him wanted to tell her so bad but another is scared that she might take it negatively. And, considering how well things were going between them, he could not just help but to feel unsure whether to tell her or not. “Hyun...”

“Hmmm?” She turned to look at him but his gaze was focused on the road.

“Uhm,” he was still battling with himself if it was the right time to tell her. Yong Hwa coughed a little then continued, “Tomorrow I will call you.”

“Okay.”

Seo Hyun replied casually. Maybe he should wait a bit for a good opportunity to tell her. Besides, it's not a huge thing.

~~~

The winter wind was gently kissing their bare faces with its cool sweeping touch. Her friend's weary face made her smile. They were both smitten again, only now, Seo Hyun was with the same man but she was with another. There was this slight jealousy written on the younger girl's face when she said that she had accepted Si Won's proposal so she cleared , “But we plan to wed next year. Besides, I want you to do it first.”

“Me?” Seo Hyun laughed, “It's as if that guy's going to propose to me.”

“I guess he will,” Yoona said matter-of-factly, “By the looks of him, he surely would. So you better get yourself ready to be Mrs. Yong Hwa Jung.”

“Hmmm...” she puckered her lips and got drawn to that thought. They were basically catching up with each other's lives and that possibility of getting married sooner did not escape her thoughts. Probably. She smiled as she moved her head to deny the wind from playing with her hair. There was no way she would be saying no to him or have any second thoughts.

“Seo, can I ask you something?”

She turned to her sister as she spoke but her eyes remained on the distance, wrapped in her own deep thoughts, “Yes? What is it?”

“Technically speaking, you are step-siblings.” Finally, Yoona looked at her and studied her placid expression, “That fact did not change at all.” She laughed nervously as Seo Hyun's face suddenly went serious, “I am not discouraging you or anything.”

“I know, Unnie,” she nodded, “I've thought about it. I have thought about it for, maybe, eight years. But the fact too that he came back and we still feel the same way keeps me here. I love him and that all that matters to me now. I want my mom and dad to be together again and thinking about what I and Oppa would be if ever my parents remarried really drives me crazy.”

Yoona laughed, she too was thinking about it. “Don't worry, as long as you are not blood relatives then there's no problem, you'll have healthy kids.”

She joined in her sister's thought and laughed herself.

“Come to think of it, my mom's friend, the one who have this huge field of sweet potato we used to visit when we were younger. Do you remember her?”

“Ahhh, the one with triplets!”

“Yeah, that one! She and her husband are distant cousins and they only found out during the wedding.”

“They are? Really?”

“Yeah, like her distant aunt and his mother were even calling each other sister-cousins and then, pyong, they were related by blood.”

“But their children are beautiful!”

“And smart too, the youngest is taking her Masters at Seoul Daehak.”

“Wow!” She rested her elbow by the table, “That really peeled off the remaining fear in me.”

“So yeah, we all don't need to worry. Besides, I'm excited to see how little Ju Hyun and little Yong Hwa would look like running around here—“

“With little Yoona and little Si Won.” She supplied and they both laughed.

“And Ji Son, too...” she smiled remembering their 'eldest', “By the way, can you stay a little longer? Khun Oppa said they're on their way here.”

“I'm not sure, Unnie, I have to study for the test tonight. Maybe—“ Her phone rang and she stood up, motioning for Yoona that she would take the call. “Oppa...”

“We're about to board.”

“Uh-huh,” she nodded transferring the phone on her other hand, “Is Unnie with you?”

“Yes, also Hyung. I will call you often.”

“Yes, if you're not busy, you call me. Send my love to Shin Hye Unnie... tell her I'm sorry I couldn't come.”

“I will... too bad, you will not see the wedding. My sister is one wedding-freak, she gets excited even by the word.”

“I know, if I could only come.”

“It's okay, on Nuna's wedding for sure you will attend.”

“I can't miss that one, of course.”

“Hey, I'm sorry. I have to go now... I will call you as soon as we arrive.”

“Okay... be safe... take care...”

~~~

Yoona tilted her head and felt a bit dismayed when it was just another customer who was walking towards the coffee shop. When the young man entered, she decided to go and check the stocks on the kitchen. Seo Hyun left a few minutes after the call looking lonelier no matter how she tried to talk her to staying and wait for the kids.

She sighed again but stopped just a few steps from the porch and turned to see two little girls running towards her. “Amber! Sulli!” She bended and waited for the two pig-tailed little girls to reach her and engulf them in her arms.

“Imo, Imo! I wanna eat chocolate cake and... and...”

“Imo, we brought you gifts from Thailand and I have many new dresses but mommy said I should only—“

“Imo, can I go to the restroom now because I need to go and...”

Yoona's smile did not falter as Amber started pulling her up while Sulli's little palm was on her cheek coercing her to give her attention while she try to show off what she was wearing, “Okay, girls, girls, one by one please...”

“But Imo, I need to go now!” Amber stomped as she watched her sister twirl around to show her Imo her new dress.

She stood and held on to Amber's hand, “Okay, let's go Amber. Sulli, why don't we go inside so you can show me that dress? The sun is kinda bright out here for me to see how pretty you are.”

“Oh yeah, cool!” Sulli nodded then skipped ahead of them.

She giggled at the sight of that little girl then asked as they walked along, “Amber, where are your parents and sisters?”

“Daddy parked kinda real far and Sulli and me want to go already and mommy said it was okay but Luna has to stay with them because she kinda isn't feeling really well because she ate a lot grandma's kimbap this morning and Krys doesn't want to walk with us because she wants daddy to carry her—“

She could just kiss her as the little girl went on blabbering. A few minutes later, as she fixed the second clasp of the brown jumper Amber was wearing and Sulli was singing softly on the corner while leafing through a fashion magazine, their parents walked in with the two other little girls. Yoona walked to them and gave Vicky a tight hug sandwiching the little girl on the latter's arms, “Unnie!!!! Aigoooo, this must be Krystal! I'm so happy to see you again, Unnie...”

“Yeah, I'm so glad to see you too.” Victoria handed her baby to Yoona when she motioned to hold Krystal, “This place has never looked as amazing as this since I last came here.”

“Thank you... it's actually under renovation. I want a reading corner for kids.” She pointed by the covered nook then focused on the baby in her arms, “Hello, little girl, I'm Yoona Imo. You are just the prettiest little baby, aren't you?” She cooed as the baby placed a thumb in and started softly. They sat on the over-sized upholstered banquette she just purchased on the corner she called the family area. She smiled as Luna looked at her then buried her face on her mom's bosom, “Is Luna sick, Unnie?”

“She has an upset stomach but she said she feels better now. Right, baby?” Vicky pushed some hair off her daughter's face and soothed her forehead when the little girl just nodded, “But she's still a little cranky because Khun did not let her come here with her sisters. I hope the two did not bother you. They get unruly sometimes.”

“Oh, no...” she shook her head as she watched Khun nodding at Amber who was busily choosing cakes in the display case, “I wish you could come and visit often.”

“I know, me too, but your Oppa has to work. Amber and Luna have school, and Sulli just started kindergarten then Krystal is getting more playful now that she started walking so it gets a little crazy for me. Even weekend picnics get canceled on short notices.”

“Then you can leave Krystal to me!” She kidded that caused Luna to lift her head up and look at her mom, “Oh no, I was just joking...” They both laughed when she heaved loudly that even made the girl giggle.

Moments later, they shared an assortment of cookies and cakes with one family-sized pizza she ordered from a nearby pizza parlor because Amber suddenly craved for it. The kids got to choose their own fruit-flavored milk coolers while she and Nichkhun settled on coffee and hot chocolate for Victoria.

“I thought we get to meet fiancé today?” Khun asked while gently wiping off some crumbs on Sulli's face.

“They'll be here a few minutes from now.” Yoona replied adjusting the sleeping Krystal on her lap, “He had to attend an emergency meeting but Ji Son might come earlier since his school is just a walk away from here.”

“How old is his son again?”

It was her Unnie who asked, “Turning seven next month.”

“Ahhh, Amber is just older by three months,” she nodded putting down her mug, “You're going to get a son while I always want one.” Victoria pouted as she turned her attention to his husband who shook his head lightly.

Yoona softly laughed watching them exchange sad looks, “But you have four beautiful daughters. Besides, you can always have another one.”

“Who knows it's going to be another girl,” Khun dejectedly muttered.

“See? It was him who said not to get pregnant anymore!” Vicky laughed and lightly tapped her husband's cheek.

“Aigoo... you just don't know how hard it is to watch you inside the delivery room. I could not forgive myself for the four times you were there.”

“Aigoo, Oppa...” Yoona threw the same gentle voice at him, “But those were all worth it. Look at them!”

“I know!” His wife smiled with Yoona then her face turned soft, “Really, giving birth is the hardest but by the time you hear their little wails, it's like every pain got washed away by that overwhelming happiness... then you get to see their tiny fingers and tiny toes and everything else seemed so small, so pink, so cute and all pretty.”

Her heart skipped as she listened and saw that face glowing so beautifully then Khun reached out to hold his wife's hand. Yoona wanted to cry not because of the way her ex-boyfriend was looking at his wife but by that beautiful kind of love sprawled in front of her. She's happy for them and, most especially, happy for him. Khun looked up to meet her gaze and mouthed a silent 'thank you.'

Just then, the chime by the door clanged and Ji Son emerged quietly. He stopped for a moment when he noticed that there were a lot of girls inside the cafe until he saw his Yoona-ssi on the side with two other adults and the man looked familiar. One girl in a pink dress smiled and waved at him so he just bowed lightly, he was older than her he noted, then walked towards his Yoona-ssi.

“Cake!” Yoona exclaimed when she noticed the little boy and waited for him to reach them before asking, “How was school? Did you come alone?”

“De,” he smiled and dropped his bag by the side of the chair where she was sitting.

“Ji Son, meet your Vicky Imo and Khun Samchon.” She said as the little boy bowed courteously at them. Vicky chuckled as she pursed her lips at him and Yoona nodded. Ji Son was giving them a ninety-degree bow. When he stood straight again, she continued, “And this is baby Krystal, she's Luna... and the two girls over there, the older one is Amber and then Sulli. Go to the kitchen first and tell Ji Hwan Hyung what you want to eat then you can play with the girls.”

“De. But is Appa coming?” He politely asked.

“Yes, he will,” Yoona nodded, “He might be on his way so you can play first before he picks you up.”

~~~

In a few minutes, they would be reaching Jejudo in a jet owned by the Kims. He walked towards their cabin and sat across the two as Hyun Joong put down the newspaper he was reading. Yong Hwa took a quick glance at his sleeping sister before turning to focus on him, “Hyung, I talked to the agent already. He said the house is just for lease and the whole property cannot be sold.”

“Really? Can't you find any other house there?” He folded the paper and placed a small pillow by his shoulder then gently pulled his wife's head to rest on it.

“There are a few but the location of that one is just perfect. Hyung, can you do something about it?”

“Hmmm, my father is a close friend of the developer. I'll see what I can do but I really cannot promise you anything right now.”

“It's okay. If possible, I want to know the decision before Saturday. I want to do all the possible options to get it before giving up. It means so much to me.”

That surely made Hyun Joong chuckle but soft enough not to wake his wife up, “I know... you looked like a star-crossed lover.”

“I do?” Yong Hwa pointed at himself suppressing the same laugh.

“Oh yes.” He nodded then shifted his gaze at Fany, “But don't worry. You just don't know what I went through just to seduce your sister.”

“And I don't really want to hear about it, Hyung...” he warned playfully. “But Nuna is really lucky to have you.”

Hyun Joong chuckled again, “I'm luckier, Yong Hwa.”

“No, I'm just amazed. How can you be so patient with her? I swear, that kept me thinking a good deal!”

“Oh well, I fell in love with her... that's all.” He reached and held her hand, “And everything else became possible and fell into place.”

“Wow...” Yong Hwa heaved. He felt thankful seeing how this man takes care of the woman he loves, “Don't ever get tired of loving her, Hyung. No matter how annoying she gets.”

“No way...” He shook his head and laughed softly as if he remembered something, “Come to think of it, I love her more when she starts to get annoying.”

“Really?” Yong Hwa laughed but bit his lips when she steered, “But, I don't want to know how in the world it could happen to you, Hyung.”

“I know... and I plan to marry her in every country we go to. Just imagine the stress it would cause her when she decides to divorce me...” he rolled his eyes.

“Really? You're going to do that?”<