❝chapter02;
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                                   "Long time no see, Park Ji Ae."

I'll let Eun Jae stay over at my place for tonight, the little one's too exhausted after his day out today. Don't worry, he's had a great time just now at the carnival too :) 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             - Lay

 

Placing her phone down on the table, her eyes caught sight of a photo frame, with a picture of a 2 year old Eun Jae, smiling with a toothy grin. Ji Ae's lips instantly curled into a smile as she picked up the photo frame, admiring the photo of her baby boy. She recalled some of the moments when her son would bring up the topic of his daddy. 

 

 

"Mummy, do I have a daddy? My friends always ask me why they never get to see my daddy."

 

 

Ji Ae let out a small sigh, pulling the little one into her arms, "Jae ah.. Mummy wants you to understand that, Daddy's busy. He has a lot of work to do, and that's why you haven't gotten a chance to see him. But I'm sure he misses you too." 

 

 

Eun Jae looked down with disappointed eyes and Ji Ae tried to ignore the guilt creeping in her heart. She did not mean to lie to her son but, maybe Eun Jae would understand better when he grows older. She couldn't possibly tell the little boy that he will never get to see his father again, and whatsmore, she definitely did not want her son to grow up hating the father he has never met. 

 

 

"I want to see daddy." 

 

 

"Baby.."

 

 

"Can't I even see him once?"

 

 

Honestly, Ji Ae has never thought about having her son meet his father, not because she didn't want to. But, how could she? 

 

 

He does not even know about the existence of his son. 

 

 

"If you're lucky, daddy will see you sometimes in future yeah?" She soothed his hair, cupping his cheeks, "He loves you just as much as mummy does."

 

 

"Ok mummy," Eun Jae smiled and wrapped his small arms around Ji Ae's neck, "I love you."

 

 

Just then, her phone rang. 

 

 

"Hello? Hana?" 

 

 

The blaring music on the other end of the line made Ji Ae frown, Aish, she must be at the club again. Hana Zhang, Lay's sister, the friend who supported her through thick and thin. Hana was like the complete opposite of Ji Ae, it was funny how they could still click so well despite their split personalities. And Lay and Hana? Total opposites as well. Ji Ae herself found it hard to believe that they were both even related by blood! Even Lay had no say in the life choices of this sister of his. 

 

 

"Park Ji Ae! I haven't heard from you for like the longest timeeeee." 

 

 

Ji Ae rolled her eyes, laughing. Hana was always the dramatic one, one of the reaons why Ji Ae loved her too, "Hana, the last time I spoke to you was 2 days ago at the office." 

 

 

"Still! Hey, you should totally come to this club, the guys here are really hottttt. I'll be waiting for you, yeah?"

 

 

"You're drunk." Ji Ae sighed as she placed the phone on speaker mode, approaching the dishwasher to clean some plates up, "How are you going home? I told you not to drink too much! Yixing's gonna kill you." 

 

 

"You sound like my mum, Ji. And Oppa wouldn't dare to kill me." Ji Ae swore she could see Hana rolling her eyes on the other end.

 

 

"Oh, there's this guy named Mark? He's super cute. And there's another one, what's his name again? Er.. Justin? I don't remember but damn-" 

 

 

"Jesus Christ, Hana." Ji Ae wiped her hands off the cloth and picked up her phone. Her best friend really drove her nuts sometime. "I'm coming to get you, text me the address of the club."

 

 

"The drinks are really good here, by the way." 

 

 

"Yah, I said stop drinking! You're drunk. Aish."

 

---

 

"This should be the one." Ji Ae looked up from the address, muttering to herself as she stepped into the club which was blaring with loud party music, and blinding disco lights. She squeezed her way through the crowd of people partying on the dance floor. 

 

 

Ji Ae watched in disgust as guys grinded onto girls. She quickly forced her way through, avoiding all the glances by random dudes sitting by the bar. The last thing she wanted was to attract unwanted attention. Hana Zhang, I’m gonna kill you for this.

 

 

Ji Ae approached the direction where she thought Hana would be, since that table was the usual one her bestfriend goes to on a regular basis. She caught sight of her swaying her hands to the beat of the music, seated beside two guys who were pushing drinks in her face.

 

 

Screw you, Hana. Ji Ae cursed under her breath as she carefully apporached the trio, what have I landed myself into?

 

 

“Get up,” Ji Ae ignored the two guys’ dirty looks and tried waking her friend up but to no avail, “Hana Zhang!”

 

 

“Ohoy! Pretty lady! Let me buy you some drinks.” One of the guys stood up and moved towards Ji Ae with a drink in his hand, “Let’s hang out tonight ya?”

 

 

The guy forcefully pushed Ji Ae to the nearest wall and closed the distance between the two of them, his breath lingering dangerously close to her. She gritted her teeth and shot the latter a look of disgust, “Get off me.”

 

 

“Playing fierce here, aren’t we? I like that better.” He smirked, “Don’t be stubborn, pretty face. Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?”

 

 

As the guy’s eyes travelled up and down her body, Ji Ae cringed inwardly. “Let me go now, or you’ll be sorry.” She put up a brave front, though silently terrified as hell, trying not to let her fear get the best out of her. There seemed to be no one nearby that looked sober enough to save her from this disgusting bastard that was glancing her dirty looks.

 

 

Trying to ignore his incoherent slurs, Ji Ae was more focused on getting out of his grip.

 

 

“Who are you trying to fool here? Shall I let you punch me once, then you’ll be mine, y?” Instead of backing away, the guy placed one hand agaisnt the wall, cornering Ji Ae in a small and tight space. Ji Ae grimaced as she smelt the alcohol on the guy’s breath.

 

 

“Let go of me, you sick .” She winced as his grip on her wrist was getting tighter.

 

 

“Hey! Let go of my friend now! If you don’t…” Ji Ae watched as Hana clumsily approached them, trying to balance on her heels, her cheeks flushed from all the drinks. She is still drunk, what is she thinking! 

 

 

Oh , Ji Ae facepalmed internally and worry was written all over her face, not now Hana.

 

 

“Seems like you want to join our little party too, hottie?” The guy smirked at Hana. Ji Ae wished she could wipe that smirk off his face.

 

 

“Let’s not waste more time, baby.” He leaned closer to Ji Ae whispering in her ear, and she could feel his breath on her neck. 

 

 

Before she could respond, she watched as a punch was thrown towards the bastard who landed to the floor with a loud thud. There were loud gasps around her, and the next thing she saw was the guy groaning in pain on the floor as a few more punches were thrown in his face. Her eyes widened in surprise as she immediately looked up to see a familiar looking back view of a stranger in the semi-dark club.

 

 

“What the , dude?” The latter thrown onto the floor hissed as he wiped off the blood on his lips, “What’s your bloody problem?”

 

 

“Touch her again and I’ll kill you.”

 

 

“Are you ing kidding me?”

 

 

“I can tell she wasn’t enjoying one bit of your company. Now, off.”

 

 

That voice.

 

 

Ji Ae let out a small gasp and turned her head towards the stranger, well, her saviour. That voice was too familiar. Way too familar. The voice which she had been missing for the past 4 years, though she secretly wished she didn't. It belonged to the man who was the cause of her first heartbreak, her first love. 

 

It can’t be, Ji Ae thought as tears welled up at the corner of her eyes.

 

 

Her lips parted as she looked at him in shock the moment both of their eyes met.

 

 

“Jongin.. Kim Jongin.” Her voice was barely a whisper. 

 

 

“Long time no see, Park Ji Ae.”

 

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a/n; chap 2 is hereeee <3 things would be getting more interesting now since the main man is finally out heh ;) hope you enjoyed reading!! pls subscribe, comment and upvote! It'll be deeply appreciated :") 

x oh0rats