24.

Kris patiently waited for the other man to appear. This morning he had decided to come over and see Yong Hwa by himself after he accidentally overheard Inha’s devilish plan with a certain journalist named Yoorim. He could no longer hold this by himself and thought would at least warned the young husband to be more careful with Inha. He sighed deeply, at the same time tapping his toes out of his nervousness when Yong Hwa did not show any sign to show up any time sooner. Few times, his eyes met with the secretary’s and yet he still managed to put his smile on.

‘Kris Wu.’ Kris flinched a bit but still managed to compose himself and turned to face the owner of the voice. He was no other than Jung Yong Hwa, looking all charismatic and confident. ‘You have been waiting for me. Sorry to keep you waiting for so long.’

Kris could only smile as he offered his hand, and Yong Hwa did not waste much time and immediately took his hand and invited him to his office.

‘Inha is planning something big for you.’ Kris finally blurted out. ‘She will drag you down and even worse wreck your marriage.’

Yong Hwa stared at him for a while before he let out his heavy sigh. He suddenly felt exhausted at the sudden revelation and even exhausted more as he tried to figure out the guys infront of him. No point, he did not have any slightest memories of him and too bad, Kris seemed to know a lot of his relationship with Inha making him a bit flustered. ‘Who are you?’

‘I am Inha’s boyfriend and we have been together even the times when she was actually still with you. I hope that enough to explain you everything-’

‘You are the father of her baby?’

Kris simply nodded his head. ‘I am pretty much sure the baby is mine. I wanted to be responsible and marry her but-’ Kris smiled sadly as he looked up at him. ‘She still wants you. No way, I will not let that to happen. She already planned out with one of the top journalist and making her pregnancy to become a headline and-’

Yong Hwa gasped loudly. He still could not believe what he had heard just now. How could someone so loving once could turn into someone else. Choi Inha that he knew though she was a little ambitious but still a loveable and kind hearted.

‘.. She might as well use your past pictures with her to convince people that the baby was yours. I am afraid that will not only hurt your family but your wife. I knew that your marriage was an arranged marriage but still, any wife will be hurt knowing her husband has another woman beside her.’

And that hit Yong Hwa real bad. He remembered Shin Hye was all calm when Inha confronted her and even until now his wife was acting as if she was really fine with all these chaos which eventually put himself in relief. He failed to realise what Shin Hye exactly felt and did not take her feeling seriously thinking that she must be really okay.

‘Yong Hwa-sshi.’ Kris called out his name as he caught the other man seemed be lost in his own thought.

‘Ne.. neh?’ Yong Hwa stuttered a little. He suddenly becoming nervous and scared. What if Shin Hye got to see his past pictures with Inha in tomorrow headlines? What about his family? How would they react to the news? Soo Jung must be really upset with him and Shin Hye might started to distant herself from him and of course he did not want that to happen. Just thinking that Shin Hye was now pregnant and she had to be in this mess making him felt even worst.

And, at this point Yong Hwa exactly knew that only Kris could help him to clear up all the misunderstanding.

***

Yong Hwa gently patted her back as Shin Hye continued to throw up everything she just had this morning. Since, her pregnancy was confirmed, she was doing so well until few days later, she starting to experience her own morning sickness. It was such a bittersweet experience for her but lately she seemed to feel suffocated with the whole new things happened to her. Luckily, Yong Hwa was patient enough to go through everything with her.

‘You should have your breakfast now.’ Shin Hye said weakly. ‘- or you’ll be late for work today.’

‘Do you want me to stay with you?’ Yong Hwa suggested. He was no longer at mood for work when he was all worried of her well beings. All he wanted to do now was to stay with his wife and comfort though she insisted she was doing fine but as a husband, he just could not help it but to feel worry of us, physically and emotionally.

Last few days after his confrontation with Kris, Yong Hwa took his own initiative and talked regarding the issues that he had with Inha. As expected, Shin Hye assured him she was all fine with the those issues yet Yong Hwa was not satisfy but not wanting to annoy his wife, so he decided to let it be.

‘Don’t worry, yeobo. I’ll be fine with ahjumma neh.’ Shin Hye ushered him quickly to finish his breakfast as she slightly pushed him towards the door. ‘I will fix myself and join you soon.’

Yong Hwa had no choice but to obey his wife. With heavy steps, he slowly made his way downstairs and towards the dining room. As usual, his breakfast was all done though it was just simple toast and sunny side eggs with coffee, Yong Hwa was more than grateful that Shin Hye still wanted to make breakfast for him. Not to mention these days, Shin Hye was really having a hard time even just to a fried rice for him because of her morning sickness.

Yong Hwa smiled lovingly when he heard her footsteps getting closer to him and he immediately turned around and offered her to join him for breakfast.

‘I will home early today neh.’ He stared right into her eyes as he gingerly intertwined their fingers together. ‘Sleep some more after this.’

Shin Hye lightly nodded her head, smiling at him too as she continued enjoying the view of her husband enjoying his food right before her eyes. Last few days had been really hard for her. She could not even bring herself to kitchen and cooking their meal for either lunch or dinner. Even the breakfast, she barely made for them and fortunately, Yong Hwa was more than glad to settle with just toast with scramble eggs or sunny side eggs.

‘I don’t think I can walk back to our room again.’ Shin Hye suddenly blurted out at the same time, chewing her food as she stared at Yong Hwa whom just finished his food.

Yong Hwa immediately looked up and saw his wife already smiling sheepishly at him. ‘Deh?’

‘Can you carry me upstairs before you off to work?’ Shin Hye asked- more likely like begging him to comply with her request as she stared at him while mimicking her sad face.

Yong Hwa almost choke at her request, yet he found it really amusing. Shin Hye had gotten really demanding and clingy these days which sometimes made him thought if it was really a normal thing for pregnancy women to act such ways. Last night, Shin Hye even asked to sleep without even getting a shower which he found it was really weird and Shin Hye told him she felt like wanting to smell his afterwork scent. That how he ended up having cold shower at the midnight when he was really sure Shin Hye was already asleep. Just few days ago, Shin Hye made him cook a stew. Being the loving husband, Yong Hwa did not think much and immediately hailed Sanok to help him but something unexpected happened. Shin Hye went sulky and goes for a hunger strike, until Yong Hwa mended up and decided to cook again for her by his own.

‘Deh, arasso.’ Yong Hwa grinned widely and told Shin Hye to finish her food before he could bring her back upstairs.

***

True to his words, Yong Hwa went home earlier than usual that day. Her lips curled up when Yong Hwa walked in to the kitchen and quickly advanced towards her before placing a soft kisses all over her face. Not wanting to be a third wheeler, Sanok immediately left the kitchen leaving the young couple alone.

‘O- Yong-ah, since you are here, can you make my favourite noodles?

‘Yah, Park Shin Hye!-’ Yong Hwa wiggled his brows at her ridiculous demand. ‘It is already hard for me to make your favourite stew and now you are asking me to cook buckwheat noddle.’

Shin Hye grinned cheekily and put a quick peck on his lips hoping that he would say yes to her. ‘Please, Yong. It is really simple, neh. Just make one for me.’

‘What if it does not turn well? You might hate my cooking.’

‘Aniyo. I promise I will love every single of your cook.’ Shin Hye chided, at the same time clasping her hands together, more likely like begging him.

Yong Hwa smiled faintly as he hastily peck on her lips. ‘Let’s just go to your favourite restaurant, neh. Theirs should be better than mine.’

Shin Hye remained silence for a while before she eventually agreed with him. She badly wanted to get upset with him again, but somehow her empty stomach stopped her from doing so. Instead, she went sulky and pouty as she washed her hands and obediently followed him to their bedroom.

Yong Hwa noticed his wife was looking unhappy but what else could he do for her? Stew that he made for her the other day did not even turned so well so he thought it was not a best idea to let himself cooked for his wife again. And now Shin Hye was pregnant, she needed to eat something more nutritious.

***

So, Yong Hwa drove his car to her favourite restaurant after dismissing Sanok from her duty. Shin Hye was being quiet all the way to Gangnam putting Yong Hwa uneasy. When he wanted to start a conversation with her, Shin Hye immediately shut her eyes and pretended to be sleeping. Though no matter how much he wanted to laugh at her childish antics, Yong Hwa tried to refrain himself as he wanted to take care of