Seventeen

Yeon Joo’s head was bowed when Chul entered the room. He took her on his arms and she cried out, fat and heavy tears pouring down from her eyes. Chul was confused as to why she is reacting like this but he let it go. She needs him, that is the most important thing to him now. 

After a while she have stopped crying. He asked her if she wanted to go to their room and sleep. She refused. “I wanted to do this with you, can you help me?” Chul delighted of her asking for his help, smiled. He took the cradle and move it near the wall. They put the covers, the pillows and the stuff toys inside the crib. They put the stickers on the walls, have the clothes laundered and set. Little shoes were placed by the window and they finish it of with the fairy lights twinkling by the ceiling. It was perfect.

Exhausted, Yeon Joo collapsed at the rocking chair, falling into a nap. Amused, Chul carried her towards their room. He change her into a shirt and laid her carefully on the bed. Yeon joo was pretending to be asleep all this time, watching her husband. 

She realize how hard he is trying. He is giving her his best. And he is really winning it. 

She can’t help but smile as she snuggled close to her oblivious asleep husband. 

*

Morning came. Suddenly, it was her seventh month. She couldn’t believe that in just two months, her babies will be born. 

Stretching out, she felt the cold mattress on her side. Sitting up, she looked around before calling out, “Chul? Chul-ah?!”

She pushed the sheets off of her and went to the bathroom only to see it empty. She push the closet door next and the entertainment room, still nothing.  Worried, she ran out of the room only to be mesmerized of what she saw. He was there at the kitchen-cooking. 

He smiled when he saw her but it vanish as he see her worried expression, “Gwaenchanha?”

“Dangsin, mwohaneun goya?” (what are you doing?)

“I’m cooking you breakfast.” Chul smiled at her before he offered her a seat. She watch him as he flip the pancakes and served it on her plate. Next, he made her a rolled egg and put it on top of her pancakes. “An unlikely combination but I promise you that it taste the best”. Yeon Joo raised an eyebrow before she dug in. She was so hungry that she did not even notice that there are only two pancakes left of the ten.

She smiled at Chul and told him to seat in front of her. She put some syrup on the pancake and sliced them. Chul watch her while she did it. All the while, making him more curious than ever. He was surprised when she suddenly raise the fork and point it towards his mouth. “Me?” he asked and she just rolled her eyes at him before putting the mouthful of pancake on his mouth. 

She fed him and ate too. It was beautiful. It was precious. It was a moment of bliss. 

After they ate breakfast together, they bathe together. Chul smoother her hair as he lather it with shampoo. He massage her back and his hands drifted off to her stomach where their babies are. “Just two months,” Yeon Joo nodded, her anxiety resurfacing as she realize the fact. 

Though Chul made her anxiety vanish as he make her face him. They look at each other under the hot spray of the shower. She was his and she knows that to herself. Though, does it work the same way to him for her? The thought made her frown once again. Her hand glides down on her stomach as she sigh. “Tell me, what worries you?” 

His voice is like a soothing balm to her that she relaxes instantly. She took his hand and whispered, “ I am scared. I do not know what will happen to us, to our babies. I am worried that there wouldn’t be enough time for us and-and—”

“Shh, you are thinking so much,” Chul hug her close before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

They went on a shower together. Chul lather and scrub her back all the while smiling against her skin. She was enjoying it and every time his hands pass her , she couldn’t help but sigh a little. “You are a tease,” She whispered, glaring at him. 

“That I am.” He gave her a sweet wide smile before continuing down south. She gasp as she felt his hand in between her legs. Slithering, up and— , “Chul.” 

He stopped and look up at her, his eyes full of questions. “Not here. I am not feeling it.” Chul just nodded before washing off the soap off of their bodies. Feeling his slight annoyance, Yeon Joo ease him by kissing him on the lips, taking him by surprise. 

The action made Chul hot. He pulled her up and carried her as he attach her to his waist. He carried her towards their bedroom and very slowly satisfy his own cravings. 

He was a man after all.

●

He held her hand and look back at the road. They decided to visit a park by the lake. About half an hour drive away from the city. It was a beautiful day and in an instant they have decided to go for this wasn’t available at the real world. 
They arrived. She took the blanket at thee back of the car while he carried the picnic blankets.

They walk hand in hand. Yellow leaves falling around them like rain. They settled down on a shade of a tree she doesn’t know the name of. It was serene and quiet. There were only the ones at the park at this time. 

He fed her sandwiches while she read on his lap. She offered her some fruits while they sat side by side. The wind blows her hair which tickled her making her smile. 

But at that moment her face contorted. Though before he could even ask her what is wrong, a bullet goes off. 

The bullet whiz pass from his side and to her stomach, right where the babies are. The moment had stopped. Chul watch as the leaves fell slowly like his wife. Yeon joo collapse on a heap of yellow leaves, bleeding. He move fast as another bullet was off. He took her on his arms and carried her up. Another bullet pass his ears as he was running towards their car. 

He was shaking. 
The security men were already escorting them. Everything was in chaos but he was only looking at her. He put her at the back of the car, carefully lying her down as bullet goes off in the background. Thunder rumbled as he close the door and went off to the driver’s seat. 

Yeon Joo look at him by the rearview mirror. Her face ashen as she grip the back of his chair and ask him to go faster. He finds it hard to do so considering that it had started to rain. Yeon Joo silently prayed and resume her staring at him. She could see it in him. He wanted to please her. He is exerting his best efforts. He wanted to make her see that even if he couldn’t remember the past, to him she is his future. 
But the least expected tragic things happen when they are so happy. It even outs the happiness and eventually it all, leaving only tragedy behind. It is the generic rule of the manga.

Yeon Joo’s body shook as she let out a heartbreaking sob, feeling the lives inside her slowly ebbing out.  

계속