Chapter 12 

Their situation went from bad to worse. Yoona had done a 180 on Changwook. She no longer cater nor cower to his every wish and demands. She started spending more time away from home, claiming that the project needed all of her attention. If she was home, she would do her best to avoid him unlike before when she would seek solace in his company. 

Changwook helplessly felt his wife drifting away from him. He was scare and worried. He didn't know what to do anymore. He manage for the most part to stop himself from arguing with Yoona and had tentatively started going to therapy. He even attempted to go to work one day but that was a disastrous event. Feeling insecure again, he pick a fight with Yunho and Yoona when he notice how closely they were working together. Yoona then without any further word, just left and he didn't see her again, until late that night. 

Sunday morning, the only day that Changwook look forward to in his bleak existence. At least Yoona never fail to have breakfast with him on Sundays. He was starting to get hungry and wondering where his wife was. He call to one of the maids, "Where is my wife?" 

The maid place an electronic gadget in his hand, "Mrs. Ji left early this morning. She said to give you this. She also said that you would figure out how to use it and then you will know where she went. Mr. Ji, would you care for some breakfast now?" 

Changwook stamped down the senses of disappointment he felt. He wasn't hungry anymore. After dismissing the maid, he settle himself to figuring out what it was that Yoona left for him. After fiddling with the gadget for several minutes, he was ready to hurl it across the room, "Where is Yoona?!" He growl out loud. 

He almost drop the object when Yoona's cheerful voice came on, "Changwook Oppa, I knew you would be smart enough to figure out how to use this." Changwook smile when he heard her voice, "By the way, this is one of the early samples we have for our soon to be new product line. Like it? Oh yeah, you want to know where I am. I'm sorry to leave you on a Sunday but this was the only day when Jumyuk Oppa and the rest of the gang could get together." Changwook frown when he heard Jumyuk's name. That dare devil? "We are going to the Cheongpyeong river land for bungee jumping. Isn't that exciting? I haven't done that for so long. Anyway, I will see you tonight for dinner. Love you. This is Yoona signing off." Changwook could hear her slight giggle at the end of the message. His blood started to boil. Bungee jumping? She promise she wouldn't do anything stupid like that anymore. What if she got hurt? His mind vividly play back the scene when Yoona's car flip through the air. He fervently pray that nothing would go wrong this time and she would come home safe and sound. He hate feeling like this. He wanted his wife home right now so that he could personally kill her for breaking her promise to him. 

Yoona was having a great time with her old friends. It's been so long since she last did anything fun and exciting and her system was craving for it. It had been different when Changwook was his old self; being with him was more than enough to make her forget about doing anything stupid but lately... 

She felt bad about treating Changwook the way she had been behaving towards him lately but it seem to be working. At least he had taken an active role in helping himself and he had been less argumentative. She was having a hard time implementing her 'tough love' scheme. She hate seeing Changwook's bewildered and hurt look but she told herself to remain firm, everything should soon work out. 

"Hey Yoona, your turn!" Jumyuk declare in a loud voice. A velcro strap was tie securely around her ankle. After all, the safety harnesses were attach and listening to the last minute instructions, Yoona jump. She spread her arms out and scream with glee as she felt her body hurling down the river. She welcome the indescribable feeling of air rushing against her and the weightless sensation of flying. All thoughts flew from her mind as she savor this moment. Soon, it was over and she felt the elastic bungee jerking her up and down. 

"That was so awesome!" She scream, when she got back up to the bridge, "Jumyuk Oppa, thank you for inviting me. I love it." She happily hug every person she saw. Every care and worry she had faded to insignificance, everything seem so bright and alive. 

Changwook was far more than cranky by the time he heard Yoona enter the house. He had dreaded hearing the phone ring, thinking that any of those calls would be about Yoona. 

"Changwook Oppa, let me tell you about." Yoona stop her excite jabbering when she saw Changwook's dark face. She silently withdrew and turn around to leave the room. She was startled to feel Changwook grab her by the arm. For a minute there, she irrationally thought that Changwook could see again, for he move with such speed and confidence. 

"Where do you think you are going?!" He queried angrily. 

"Oppa, what's wrong? Why are you angry?" 

"You have the audacity to ask me what's wrong after what I have been through the whole day?" 

"I...I don't understand. Please Oppa, you are hurting me?" 

"You promise you wouldn't do anything dangerous again!" Changwook shouted, as he hug his wife closely, reassuring himself that she was alright. 

Yoona thought about what he just said. What was he talking about? What promise? "Oppa, I promise to never race again, and I didn't go racing." She reason. 

"Same difference. You knew what I meant. If something happen to you." Changwook couldn't talk anymore. He was too relieve that Yoona was back and wanted to just hold her and never let her go. 

"I'm sorry for making you worried." Yoona said softly, as she realize what kind of day Changwook had. It never occur to her that he would react this strongly, "But Oppa, please understand that although I might enjoy doing high risk activities, I also recognize the fact that these are calculated risks and there are plenty of safety precautions taken with each and everyone of them." 

"How can you say that after what happen to me? Life is unpredictable enough as it is, why tempt fate further by putting yourself in danger?" 

"Exactly Oppa. I think that if things were meant to be then it will happen. Just because there is a probability that a ship might sink doesn't mean that it will. One can still enjoy taking a cruise but there are safety equipments on board that will even the odds just in case there were an accident." 

"I don't care! I want you to give me your word that you would never engage in any dangerous sports again!" Changwook demanded. 

Yoona thought about this for a moment, "I will agree if you agree to my conditions. That you give up your idea of having the operation and start going back to work again." 

"I will go back to work." Changwook agree reluctantly. 

"What about the other condition?" Yoona wasn't about to let this opportunity go. 

"Yoona, we are talking about two different issues here." 

"Funny, I thought that we were talking about the same thing. Using your words, tempting fate. Isn't that what you will be doing if you insists on going through a procedure that might kill you? For your information, my so-call high risk activities has a much greater percentage of safety than your operation." 

Stalemate.