Part 4

JULY SEVEN CELEBRATION

Ironic, Ryeowook thought as he joined Sungmin on the front porch table. He almost gave up the freedom of his life, the life in Seoul, and especially his career, for the sake of a baby. When the documents were signed, he would feel like a prisoner, his emotions would be hostage, all for one purpose –for a child.

Nathan's destiny would be intertwined with his own destiny forever.

When Nathan's heart was broken, so was his heart.

Did all this fit the price he paid?

Ryeowook certainly did not doubt it, but he also did not dream that the process would be easy without pain. Happiness, in his experience, was the conjoined twin of sadness.

He pulled a wicker chair with brightly colored floral pillows. "I met with Kyuhyun when I came out earlier," he said. "He asked about you."

Sungmin smiled. "Kyuhyun?" He repeated the name gloomily, as if by calling it he could magically show him and see him clearly in the distance.

Saeun, with a wet face, went straight into the house, muttered to herself, and rubbed her eyes with a cotton handkerchief while walking.

"Do you love him?" Ryeowook asked. Then he feared, because he unconsciously asked the question. He was not trying to investigate. After all, he was not a person who liked to interfere with others problems. He was not impulsive. Actually, he was proud of his practical self, hating rejection, and was open-minded. His affair with Yesung was an exception to be noted.

Now he waited for Sungmin's answer with a strange urgency and got ready with his answer, becoming one, like a judging comment.

Sungmin was silent for a moment, his expression still cold, almost unfocused. Finally he shook his head, "No," he said and Ryeowook suddenly felt at ease. "Kyuhyun and I are just a childhood couple..." He paused to sigh. "A very old-fashioned term, 'childhood couple,' don’t you think so?"

Ryeowook wanted to avoid his eyes, but he did not do it because he would look like a coward. "I think Kyuhyun loves you," he said, unable to avoid some of his odd and unwise feeling, who suddenly said everything he did not want to say or say. And he felt hurt by the unhelpful sorrow of his own words.

Kyuhyun hated him and he also felt the same. Then, why did he care about Sungmin loved him or not? More precisely, why could not he stop caring about him?

"He did love me." Sungmin agreed. "He's really protective of everyone he really loves –all Cho Families are like that."

A lump appeared in Ryeowook's throat and fell silent there. He swallowed it, trying not to spoil it.

Something moved in Sungmin’s eyes –compassion, maybe. He held out his hand, touching Ryeowook's hand.

"Kyuhyun and I are just friends." Sungmin said softly. "Nothing more."

"I'm not sure he agreed," Ryeowook said. "Sungmin, I-"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for everything that happened between Yesung and I."

"The water flows into its flow," Sungmin said. "When Yesung died I felt relieved –in some ways. It’s terribly bad to admit it and maybe this time I'm being punished for feeling that way. Maybe that's why I have to take it off, leave Nathan- "

"No," Ryeowook protested weakly. He wanted to raise Nathan, but the cost was too expensive.

Sungmin smiled, but his eyes filled with tears and his chin slightly trembled. "Isn’t that wonderful, Ryeowook? You're here, I mean? Actually I think we can be friends if we meet in another situation. "

Ryeowook swallowed. "I'll do anything to go back and change everything."

"Really?" Sungmin asked. "Even if it means leaving Nathan?"

Ryeowook could not speak.

"You slept with my husband. You have a baby. And while the whole world told me to hate you, I could not. You gave birth to Nathan, Ryeowook. How many times I try, I can not feel anything but thank you."

Tears heated up in Ryeowook's eyes. "You're the most incredible person, Lee Sungmin." He said stammered, the words stuck in his mouth. "You're ten times better than me and a hundred times better than Yesung. He doesn’t deserve you. "

Sungmin giggled gravely. "Well, I agree with you about Yesung. That man didn’t even deserve to my shoes. But you are completely different, Kim Ryeowook. You're someone better than what you think you are."

Ryeowook shook his head. "I'm stupid and blind-"

"Stop it," Sungmin said suddenly.

Ryeowook blinked, shocked.

"Yeah, you did make a mistake." Sungmin admitted it. "But something very, very good came after that. And right now I'm dying. " He paused, gathering his words. Perhaps ading, again, the fate he could not avoid. "I do not have time for a regret, either for you or for me, so be prepared and accept all this. The first time I held Nathan in my hands, I forgave you for everything. I pray for you. Now you need to forgive yourself, though only for Nathan's sake. Can you do it? "

Ryeowook pondered the question, then nodded. "Yes," he said. "But it won’t be easy."

"Nobody said it would be easy." Sungmin replied. "Nathan will get fever, knee blisters, and all boy’s experience. Facing Kyuhyun also will not be like walking in the middle of the Lily fields, but I think you already know it. "

Regretfully, Ryeowook nodded again.

"I've asked Kyuhyun to become a holder of power over my assets." Sungmin confirmed it. "He wants to adopt Nathan, you know. Releasing you from all this. I refused, because I believe Nathan needs you more. "

"How-" Ryeowook choked, cleared his throat, and went back to speaking. "How can you trust me, after all that happened?"

Sungmin smiled. "This isn’t a decision that just appears, Ryeowook. I will not surrender Nathan to you just because you're his real father. You've been checked by the best detectives in Seoul."

"But you said you did not know my financial condition."

"I lied." Sungmin said sweetly.

Ryeowook smiled. Suddenly unexpectedly, he burst out laughing until he coughed and he put his hand in his mouth.

Sungmin's eyes were tired. "Maybe we can be friends, even if it's too late," he said. "What do you think?"

"I think I'm honored to be your friend," Ryeowook replied.

"You know what?" Sungmin asked.

"What?"

"Yesung also didn’t deserve to your shoes."

Once again Ryeowook laughed. He laughed so hard that he had to hold his head with his folded hands and yell as if his soul was hurt.

Which of course, his soul was hurt.

***

As the sun set, Kyuhyun stood staring at the towering water of a small garden in Seonjae, trying to change his mood to be more excited. He tried his best, but could not.

Sungmin was dying.

ChoKorp was crushed slowly.

Tae Hee wanted to take Jiyeon thousands of miles away and put her into a dorm so she and her lover can stroll in Paris hand-in-hand when the rain comes.

The presence of a Kim Ryeowook also played a role.

What a heavy burden.

Kyuhyun was being tossed about how bad his life now.

"Dad?"

He looked down, saw Jiyeon standing beside him, flanked by Daehan, Minguk, and Manse. Donghae and Eunhyuk would come later. Meanwhile, the four kids chewed four big pink cotton candies and it seemed as if they would throw up in their shoes in a minute.

"Can we ride a walking horse, Uncle Kyuhyun?" Daehan asked.

"It's a donkey, daeng!" Said Minguk with a smart- style.

"There's only one donkey." Jiyeon reminded them wisely.

"So we have to wait in that line." Mansae added. Daehan was now ten years old, while Minguk was nine years old just like Jiyeon. Mansae was a year younger than Minguk and Jiyeon, two years younger than Daehan.

Kyuhyun sighed. "Of course."

The four children raced through the thick lawns of the garden, past the barbecue tools being prepared under the canopy, and Kyuhyun walked casually behind them, feeling ridiculous with his loose white shirt and the gray silk vest. Another men around him wearing jeans or casual pants.

The donkey was small and its skin was scabies. The animal was tied with a rotating wood and turned in the middle, chained with it. The animal's ribcage could be seen, his nails needed to be cut and his head always ducked down, as if facing strong winds in the desert. The child on his back occasionally kicked him with his shoe.

As that donkey passes Kyuhyun, spinning endlessly, his head was raised, staring at Kyuhyun with his dull brown eyes. The animal suddenly fell and a strong little man –the donkey’s guard– stood on one side, hitting the donkey's ribs with a stick and screaming, "Wake up, sleepy head!"

Kyuhyun who was about to take out his wallet to give money to Jiyeon and his nephews to buy tickets, suddenly stopped.

The guard’s eyes lead to his wallet, stared at Kyuhyun's face. After passing the guard for the second time, the donkey fell back.

The guard raised his stick.

Kyuhyun, unconsciously moving his body in front of the man, and took the stick from his hand. He might have thrown the stick if there were no children standing there. He let the stick drop to the ground, opening his fingers slowly.

"Do you have a problem, Sir?" The man asked. He wore a pair of fat-stained jeans and a shabby white t-shirt. There was a tattoo of  snakes that intertwined, seemingly trying to eat each other, on the top of his arm. A plastic pin clamped on his shirt, showing his name, 'Haengbok'. (Haengbok means happy)

Kyuhyun made a head note to assess how ironic this is.

"No," he said flatly, trying to lower his voice. “I have no problem. But you'll have a problem if you take that stick back.”

Haengbok contemplated it, then spit. "Brenn is mine," he said. "I think I can do whatever I want him to." (FYI, Brenn is my dog's name :D)

"Really?" Kyuhyun challanged him, still holding his wallet with his free hand. "Are you going around with this carnival? As I recall this carnival comes twice a year, but I've never seen you before. "

Spit full of tobacco out of the man's mouth, slightly missed from Kyuhyun's shoes. "I'm a freelancer," he replied. "Not a trivial matter for you."

"Do you have another donkey?"

"Only Brenn. Actually, that animal is useless. I have to get it out once in a while to keep him moving. "

"Daddy?" Jiyeon asked, staring at Kyuhyun's elbow. "Are we going to buy tickets? The queue is very long. "

Kyuhyun took over the queue of impatient children.

"I'll sell it for a decent price." Haengbok offered him cunningly.

"I've guessed it," Kyuhyun said slowly.

"Dad?" Jiyeon asked hesitantly.

Kyuhyun gave some money to his daughter without taking his eyes away from Haengbok's small eyes. "Forget the donkey." He told Jiyeon. "Go take another ride around here."

"But Dad, we want-"

"Another ride, Jiyeon."

Jiyeon sighed dramatically, but she obeyed. She and her three cousins ​​immediately headed for another ticket booth.

"How many?" Kyuhyun asked.

Haengbok mentioned the price, already suspected, quite high.