\\\\\

The two months after Kai’s visit she never saw him again. She often heard customers at the restaurant gossiping about the broken link between two conglomerate families and how stock prices had dropped heavily in the market. Rumors had spread around that the daughter of one of those alleged families had run off, breaking the agreed marriage between them. Other rumors said that she killed herself because of an affair, no one really knew. None of that really mattered to Namjoo anymore.

Returning to her life she found a daily routine of going to work, coming home, sleep, and rising again to go to work. It was repetitive and she liked how it kept her busy. Namjoo didn’t want to ask for more and she didn’t think she needed anything more than that.

One night late September, she spotted someone standing in front of her home after coming back from the grocery store. The figure belonged to someone she had often run into when she was at jail. And she had had no plan to meet that person again.

Namjoo wondered as she stopped if she should turn around to walk away or if she should bravely move onwards, but then that person looked up.

“You’re back?” Hayoung greeted.

Namjoo looked away before holding onto her bag tighter and started toward her home. Without a word she unlocked the door and stepped in. The woman invited herself in after her and looked around.

“Not bad,” Hayoung said. “It suits you.”

Setting the bag of grocery onto the counter Namjoo bit her tongue. “Do you want some water?”

“It’s alright. I don’t plan to stay long,” Hayoung turned around to look at her. “Can I sit down?”

Namjoo nodded quietly and listened to the woman pull the chair out. Grabbing a glass of water Namjoo turned to sit down and heard Hayoung say, “I said I didn’t…” until she noticed her fingers wrapped around the glass then laughed, “of course you would.”

Namjoo took a sip of the water then asked, “Why are you here?”

“I’m on probation,” Hayoung told. “You’re surprised, aren’t you?”

“No.”

She haughtily smiled anyway. “So you live alone now?”

“Yes.”

“You must like it,” Hayoung commented.

“I do.”

“Do you work?”

Namjoo nodded.

“Have you met Kai or Sehun yet?”

“What do you want?” Namjoo asked. “I’m tired, so can you just get to the point.”

Hayoung heavily breathed before leaning back into her seat, “It’s nothing. I’m just curious about what Kim Namjoo does now and how she lives. I didn’t know about you when I found you. I’m sorry if crossed a line by talking.”

Namjoo clamped both hands tighter around the glass. She was starting to feel uncomfortable. What she left behind was starting to catch up and she didn’t like it.

“Namjoo,” Hayoung called, “you’re not going to ask?”

Namjoo lifted her eyes up to the determined woman’s face.

“Don’t you want to know? About your son?”

Something tightened within Namjoo and she looked away. “I don’t have a son.”

A moment of silence grew around them before Hayoung slid the chair back and rose to her feet. “I’m sorry for asking. Honestly, it’s nice to see that you’re living well. Forget that I came.” She reached for the doorknob then turned back to her, “If you’re curious, I hear he’s with his father now. He cries a lot. It’s as if he’s looking for his mother. Just like his father is.”

When the door closed Namjoo felt her hand grow into a fist.

\\\\\

Hayoung turned around to stare at the mobile home. She was awed by Namjoo’s performance of ignorance. Now that girl was really running from everything.

Turning around Hayoung stared at the blue home across from Namjoo’s and walked toward it. After two knocks a young woman opened the door and Hayoung introduced herself. “Can I ask if you live here alone?”

“I live with my mother.”

“You and your mother live here alone?”

“Yes.”

Hayoung let it sink it then proceeded, “How about selling me this place?”

“Excuse me?” she asked baffled.

“For ten thousand,” Hayoung offered. “How about it?”

\\\\\

Two empty bottles sat on her table with a finished plate of spicy pork. Namjoo was currently on her third bottle of soju. Tonight she wasn’t getting drunk and it was hurting her pride.

It hurt…gruesomely. In her chest she could feel herself bleeding. The pain tormented her unfairly.

Tears fought to come out but she didn’t want to unleash them. She wanted to be stubborn that way but those images in her head were so strong, and the feelings pulsing through her veins were so vivid.

She could clearly remember that day when the contractions grew so strong and she was by herself. As they carried her off to the medical ward she had wished she was dying instead of going through that ordeal alone. That day had been so utterly painful and she had prayed that if time could wind back she would go back to that night in Incheon and undo everything.

Despite already having gone through everything, God was still forcing her to go through such a painful thing and by herself. Namjoo remembered she had shed so many tears that day as she gave birth. The images of Sehun being sweet with her had flashed through her mind, stabbing her heart as she fought to push the baby out.

Honestly, she had never forgotten the night he drove all the way to Busan just to see her. Her heart had fluttered insanely when they spoke the entire night on the phone, but the cruel things she had done to him had ruined it. She had been trapped and it had been unfair.

Namjoo only realized she was wailing like a child when the owner of the stall walked over to pat her on the shoulder, asking her to leave. Wobbly rising from her seat she stumbled down the street until she sank onto the sidewalk to bawl her eyes out. She didn’t know how long she remained there until she out and awoke a few hours later deep into the night. With a headache she pulled herself up to walk home.

Her legs ached and she couldn’t find the reason why. The only thing Namjoo could think about was finding her bed and going back to sleep. As she stumbled up the steps to her door she paused upon discovering a bag hanging on the doorknob and turned around upon hearing the vicious wailing of a baby from next door. She was sure the young lady living with her mom had been single.

Shaking her head at the thought that maybe she’d gotten pregnant too, Namjoo pulled her door open and walked inside with the bag in her hands.

When she came to in the morning she sat up groggily and looked around. That was when her eyes landed on the bag from last night and went through it to find a bottle of fruit juice along with some bananas and an apple. Confused about the gift she left it on her bed and went to wash up.

Stepping out of her home she looked around before walking toward the land owner’s home at the far end and knocked on the door. The elderly man came to the door smiling. “Good morning.”

“I wanted to thank you for the fruits you left on my door last night,” Namjoo politely told.

“What?” the old man frowned.

“You left a bag of food on my door.” Namjoo repeated.

“What bag?” he asked. “I didn’t leave anything for you.”

Frowning, Namjoo apologized before returning to her home. Stopping in front of her door at the sound of that wailing baby she turned around to stare at the blue mobile home, wondering when the two women ever got a baby. They’d always been quiet before.

Never minding them Namjoo hurried inside to dress for work.

\\\\\

“Good night!” Namjoo listened to her boss call out to the last of their customers. “Namjoo, come here.”

Wiping the table clean Namjoo grabbed the rest of the dirty dishes behind her and hurried into the back. The fragile woman was pouring leftover soup into a container for her.

“Why don’t you take this home,” the woman suggested. “It should still be good tomorrow if you refridgerate it.”

“Thank you,” Namjoo smiled accepting it from her. Bidding goodbye to the woman Namjoo turned around to walk home, ready to call it a night. Tomorrow would be her day off and she planned to spend it well by seeing if she could run errands for extra cash. As soon she arrived at her home the baby next door was again, wailing like there was no tomorrow.

Namjoo frowned at the home, wondering if those two women knew how to even look after a child. Dismissing it she turned to see another bag hanging off the doorknob and turned to look around. Her neighbors were busy people, who were all trying to make a living like her. They wouldn’t have the money to spend on her.

With a shake of her head she took the bag and walked into her home sitting down to first eat before heading in for a shower. Then relaxing she sat on her bed looking through the newspapers to see if there were any jobs that would suit her. She was starting to think a second job might do her some good right now and she didn’t mind picking up extra hours.

Through the thin walls she heard the baby wailing again and looked up vexed. It was starting to annoy her by now. She wanted to concentrate and sleep well tonight. Setting down the newspaper and pen she stood up and walked to the door. Slipping into her flip-flops she pushed the door open and stepped out. She was certain the other neighbors were bothered too.   

Huffing and pushing her hair behind her ears she knocked on the door. “Excuse me!” she called out. “Excuse me. Please open the door.” She knocked her fist against the door again and listened to footsteps inside.

The second the door opened, Namjoo wished she’d never stepped outside of her home. Wide-eyed, she stared back at Sehun with a baby strapped to his chest. The entire world disappeared behind her as Sehun and the child zoomed in on her. Bitterly shocked, Namjoo turned around to go but he quickly grabbed her arm.

“Don’t you want to come in?” he asked.

Namjoo quickly shook her head, “No. I got the wrong house.” She was delirious and her mind was acraze. This didn’t make sense. She didn’t understand. A disorder of panic and shock blast through her like an atomic bomb gone off.

Her heart beat wildly and she couldn’t think straight. She felt drunk again. She had to be dreaming. This wasn’t right. This didn’t make sense.

Before she knew it she stumbled into the house and the door flapped shut behind her. The warmth of the mobile home washed over her and Namjoo felt like crumbling to the ground. Her eyes immediately lay on the crying baby and suddenly felt short of breath.

“Do you want to hold him?” Sehun asked.

“No. No, no,” Namjoo shook her head furiously but he was already taking the baby carrier off on the table to her left. As the material dropped onto the table, Sehun gently handled the baby crying in his arms before holding him out toward her.

Namjoo literally freaked when the baby’s hand touched her shirt before he pushed the baby against her, forcing her arms to come out to hold him. Her lips trembled and her entire body ached with pain. The baby suddenly quieted in her arms staring up at her with his big eyes, magnetically gluing to hers. Shakily breathing Namjoo felt Sehun help adjust her arms and within an instant, tears began pouring down.

She was broken all over. She was empty, sad, and miserable. She watched her son smile up at her, move in her arms comfortably. A cry seeped through her lips. She was holding her son for the first time. The baby touched her shirt pulling it out into his small fist and Namjoo sobbed harder. She hadn’t looked at him after he came out. She had been scared she would want him and the thought had terrified her.

“His name’s Ki Hoon,” Sehun told. And all Namjoo could do in reply was cry before she felt Sehun pull her into a hug with the baby between them.

After what felt like an entire half hour and the baby fell asleep Namjoo muttered, “Take him.”

Sehun glanced at her and reached out for the baby, but the very moment his hands wrapped around the baby Ki Hoon woke back up and began crying wildly again. Afraid that she might drop the tiny thing, Namjoo instinctively strengthened her hold and Sehun withdrew his hands.

“Well,” Sehun quietly breathed, “it doesn’t look like he wants you to go.”

Despair loomed over Namjoo as she tried to figure out something to say. Then suddenly Sehun gently pulled out a chair and pushed her into it. “Can you watch him while I eat something?”

Namjoo turned away from him. Sehun started moving around again after a few seconds and when he turned to the stove and Namjoo was sure he wasn’t looking, she the baby’s hair. He smelled exactly like how a baby would and his skin was soft and fresh. Namjoo feared if she was too rough she would injure the baby.

“I heard you got released early,” Sehun said without turning to look at her. “I came to see you every week, but I was told you didn’t want visitors. But I found out that you often saw Tao.”

Namjoo turned her face away.

“I don’t mean to nitpick,” he softly explained, “just…hearing it made me sad…and I was jealous.”

Closing her eyes Namjoo suddenly wished time would go by faster. She didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t want to see him. She shouldn’t have gotten riled up. She shouldn’t have come. Why was it like this after she tried so hard to return to the way life used to be?

\\\\\

When he finished cooking his simple meal and turned around Namjoo had already knocked out. Leaning back against the counter he stared at the sight of mother and son in front of him, adoring it completely. He had missed this. He had wanted this. It was perfect.

Despite some weight loss Namjoo was stil particularly the same. He had tried so hard to look for her after Hayoung stopped by to discover the baby in his apartment and learned that he’d been kicked out of the house, and most of all that Namjoo had been let out early. He had literally whooped in joy but only until he discovered that no one knew where Namjoo was.

For a long time he had debated about going to see Kai. The last time Sehun saw him was when he appeared on his doorstep with the baby, learning from him that Namjoo had gone through a painful labor. Then at 2:33 PM Oh Ki Hoon was born on a Tuesday afternoon. And he was a cry baby, always searching for his mother through his wails.

There was so much Sehun had waited to tell Namjoo. He wanted so much to apologize to her and beg for forgiveness for sending her to such a horrible place; for forcing her to give birth alone. There was so much he needed to do to make up to her.

When what seemed like a long time passed he slowly stepped forward forgetting about his food and knelt down to gently take the baby from her arms. Ki Hoon wriggled frustrated and annoyed.

“Alright, alright, I know,” Sehun quietly cooed lifting him up. “Be a good boy and go to bed first. I won’t forget your mother.” Carefully bouncing the baby in his arms to keep him from crying out, Sehun walked through the short hallway to his bedroom and slowly placed Ki Hoon onto the bed. Wrapping the baby in the blanket Sehun headed back out to find Namjoo’s head drooping forward.

A smile spread over his face at the precious sight and he reached up to brush a hand through her fine hair, his heart fluttering at the touch of her. She was real and she was here. And he would make her his again.

Linking his arms around her he cautiously lifted her up as he rose to his feet, savoring the sweet moment of her head against his shoulder. Rubbing a hand against her arm he glanced down at her and smiled again. This was how it should have been a year ago, if only things hadn’t gone wrong.

Walking to his room he lay Namjoo down beside Ki Hoon who was fussing and calmed when Namjoo finally settled in beside him. Turning the lights off Sehun climbed in after them, pulling the blanket up and shifted to hug Namjoo. He didn’t think he would be able to sleep tonight. He was too happy and anxious. If Namjoo awoke before him she would leave without a word, but he wasn’t scared. She didn’t have enough money to move elsewhere as Hayoung had told him.

Leaning over Sehun placed a kiss on her cheek and spent a portion of the night listening to her breathing. 

***here's me weeping for them! And yes, Hayoung did her deed. She found Namjoo for Sehun and bought the mobile home besides hers as Sehun told her to =D I didn't write that but that's how it is

***And LOL we have Ki Hoon again xD HunJoo's son makes another appearance!

***If you're wondering or are confused, yes the linking factors (Kai & Choonhee) that broke between both families also broke the relationship both families had with each other. So in the end, Kai and his family never got the money they would have if the marriage went through succuessfully. And for Choonhee's parents, they never really cared for her anyway hence the farfetched relationship and as for Choonhee's disappearance in their perspective, well that's their own story. Finally, yes, Sehun left his home. His father would have never accepted him and Namjoo or their son. Besides, Sehun has his own money from his time working as Vice CEO ;)

***Going to prison was the only way to escape Choonhee's miserable fate, and another way of bringing Namjoo back to Sehun as herself =D I'm happy with this.