(IV)
Die Baby BuntingThe room is echoed with the heart breaking sobs of HyunAe. Seunghyun quietly wipes the corners of his eyes and sighs silently. He is reminded of his own child who was killed by its own mother. And here this woman is crying for her child whom she has loved most. This is how a mother should be....
They sit there quietly for a long time. Maybe hours when a phone call distracts them from their respective thoughts.
"Hello!! Seunghyun!! Son!! HAve you talked with HyunAe anytime today?! She is not at home and she left her phone here..." Mrs. Lee asks, panicked and scared.
He looks at the girl sitting quietly infront of him," Aunty...relax. She is here..."
HyunAe looks up at him, worried and guilty.
"What?! But...she did not inform anyone. I went out to buy some things for the wedding tomorrow and she was all alone. I just got back to find her gone... I am coming..." She is preparing to visit him.
"Oh no! Aunty! Please don't worry. I'll bring her safe and sound. I promise. You believe me, don't you?" He replies warmly and makes an eye contact with his fiance.
"Oh! Of course dear!! If we didn't then we would have never trusted you with our daughter's hand..." She smiles sadly remembering her own son.
"So don't worry at all. I'll bring her to you...she is alright..." He assures.
After Mrs. Lee disconnects the call, HyunAe looks at him with a slight smile and softly says, "Thank you..."
Seughyun just smiles back, indicating her to continue. She seems to be a bit better now.
"I lost my Ri on that very place and the fall caused some serious injuries making me unconscious for weeks due to excessive blood loss and the fall fractured my right leg.... I was like a living dead body. But umma, appa and Jiyong took such care of me that I got out of the trauma. It took me more than a year. Then after recovering, I joined a school as a teacher. As you know I was already training for it. My world began to revolve around these three people and the children. I tried to be happy...
Gradually, it had been 2 years of Seungri's death..." HyunAe takes in a deep breathe.
2 years ago...
HyunAe quickly places the plates on the dining table. Mrs. Lee walks to the dining room to find her working on it.
She smiles a little, "Hyun...honey, why are you being so eager? Calm down..."
"No umma. Appa has an operation scheduled at 2 p.m. and I am already late..." HyunAe scoops rice in the boxes, " He will start without having his lunch if I don't hurry." She closes the lids.
"Are you taking Jiyong's lunch as well? You did not put the stew for him..." Mrs. Lee peeks in the bag.
"Oh. He has an important meeting so stew and rice can make him sluggish..." HyunAe replies casually.
" I see..." The older lady frowns a little with her answer and thinks about something. She absent mindedly waves at the younger when she leaves the house running.
"Hello Ladies!!" Jiyong greets happily and runs to their dining room. They have just laid out the dinner and been waiting for Dr. Lee to come home. He follows the young man inside and smiles at them.
"You are here again?" HyunAe huffs playfully.
"Of course... I was craving some home-made food. It has been so so so long I ate any..." He sits on a chair proudly.
"Eh?! You come here as if you own this place!! I send you lunch..." HyunAe retorts.
"Now, now, Hyun...that was last week!! Also I am uncle and aunty's son!! They don't mind!! Am I right?" He looks at the older couple with a bright smile.
Dr. Lee smiles back, "Of course son..."
"See!!" Jiyong nags and starts eating where HyunAe sticks out her tongue at him.
Mrs. Lee observes their playful banter and smiles realizing something. A thought has been on her mind for weeks now and tonight she is going to talk about it with her husband. She is quite sure he will agree but HyunAe...? Well, they have to pursue her...She just wants the girl to be happy...and Jiyong will be able to keep her happy...
Present day
"So...what happened next?" Seunghyun asks when HyunAe has stopped talking.
She shakes her head, "That night umma talked with appa and he agreed easily...but..."
"But- you....?" He asks.
"Yes, but me. I immediately said no. It...I...I could not. I mean Seungri and Ri...It was like I've died twice before my actual death. It was so difficult for me to move on!! I did not want to...They had asked Jiyong before talking to me and he had said that if I was ready, he would agree to marry me. Then...
Then one day umma fell very sick and we found out that she had a cardiac arrest. It was all due to stress and worries for me!! It was slowly killing her that what would happen to me after their death. So you could say due to obligation and guilt I agreed to marry Jiyong. The news acted as a boon for umma. She got well quite quickly and began to shop for our engagement party...She wanted me to have a grand wedding..."
"Is...there any force or reason for you to marry me...?" he asks softly.
"Yes. I am marrying you as my parents want me to and also you are a very nice person..."
Her answer satisfies him and he leans back into the sofa.
"Gradually the day of the engagement day arrived and then..." She looks up at her remembering those days.
"Then?" Seunghyun frowns.
"Then...it all begins...."
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