Chapter eight 

Oh Yeon Joo was back in the real world once again but her problem is, she was stuck. Only thirty minutes have gone by and she was restless.  Her time skipping made her unconscious for almost two months. With her body weak, she was put into bed rest for another week. She was confuse of why she couldn’t go back in.

 Did Kang Chul forget about her?

She spent another week crying over her husband and reading the manga again to distract herself.  Her mother have been curious what had happened to her and Kang Chul but Oh Yeon Joo remain tight lipped. So Boong too.

The diagnosis from the W world is the same as the real world. 

Yeon Joo was still pregnant and  is experiencing a much sensitive pregnancy which makes her worry even more. How could she reassure that the development of the baby will be normal if she kept on this time skipping problem?

She caress her stomach and began reading the 34th book of W. It was the only sweet record of their love that she couldn’t help but cry once again and fell asleep.

Almost instantly, she was transported in the W world. 
*

 Kang Chul stared at Oh Yeon Joo. She wasn’t there a moment before but now she is. He couldn’t understand why he didn’t feel surprise at all, like it all tend to happen in the past and he just forget about it. 

He made his way carefully and lie down on her right side. Still feeling kind of incomplete, he pulled her head up and let it rest on his outstretched arm. Right before he fall asleep, he lay his hands on her waist and snuggled close to her. 

He couldn’t help but felt weird and comfortable at the same time. Though as he snuggled closer, he felt a foreign object clutch close to her arms. He carefully pulled it only to see a book, a manga to be exact. 

He scan it and recognize his name, So Deo Yeon, Yoon So Hee and Oh Yeon Joo. With pure curiosity, he began reading the book. 

*

Oh Yeon Joo woke up from her dreamless sleep. She frown as the magnificent chandelier loom over her. The undeniably soft bed was an indication of luxury. As she expected, she was back in the W world. 

She look around the room to find a confuse looking Chul. The bright morning sun casted a shadow over his sleep deprive face. He was seated beside Yeon Joo, a book in a hand instead of a gun. Yeon Joo felt some kind of déjà vu. This exact same thing had happened before and the expression on his face right now is not an indication of a good happening. 

“ This is strange.” His voice cut her train of thoughts. He was looking at her with a very strange expression. She look back at him, trying to stay silent so as to hear his next words.  “ Who made this? Have you read the book after this one? It made me think. Does Chul forget Yeon Joo for good?”

“Kang Chul…”

“What? Are you trying to distract me off this book? Because it’s not going to happen.” He pulled Oh Yeon Joo from the bed and led her to the dressing room. “When I got into an accident a few months back I thought I have lost my mind. I was found by  Deo Yoon on the side of the road going to Daeship-ri. I have a bag full of gold bars and a few of my foreign currency. I didn’t know why I did that

“When I gain my consciousness, I couldn’t remember why I felt incomplete, why I shouldn’t be here. As a month pass by, everything went back to normal. That’s when I see you in the bathroom, almost . You started stirring up the emotions I didn’t know I possess and reading this, explains it all.” He wave the manga in front of Yeon Joo’s face before he continue. “This feels weird but somehow it felt true. Now answer me…” 

Oh Yeon Joo stared at him, his serious gaze burning her. “Is your husband who suddenly disappeared, me?”

In an instant, everything froze. A screen like projection appeared by the window, right behind Kang Chul. Kang Chul stared at it and turn to Oh Yeon Joo, “Is it hard for you to answer?” He stood then pulled her hand making her stand. “Then let’s find out together.” 

*

They step out of the screen and ended up on her father’s studio. Oh Yeon Joo stared around and Kang Chul did the same thing. He stared at the drawings by the window before he look at Oh Yeon Joo’s necklace. There, her wedding ring shone, making Kang Chul hold it. 

“ I didn’t know that I took the book with me. When I return here, I figured out that your story doesn’t include a happy ending with me which is why…which is why you went back in.” She sigh and said, “I wasn’t planning to tell you about all this. I wanted to keep it a secret…I just want you to be happy that’s all. I know that you are from the W world but…you are my husband too.” She bit her lip and look up at Kang Chul. 

Kang Chul look at her before he began exploring the room. He saw Oh Yeon Joo’s picture with her father and said, “I want to see him. I want to meet your father who made me. I want to know his purpose of making me” 

“He’s gone.” Oh Yeon Joo’s voice was barely above a whisper. She cried silently and Kang Chul made his way to her, worried. “What happen? Why is he gone?” Oh Yeon Joo shook her head before clutching the sides of the desk, “I feel sick.” 

It was good that Kang Chul was attentive. He caught her right after she swayed. If he hadn’t been quick, Oh Yeon Joo had probably bump her head on the table. 

Kang Chul took her on his arms and made his way out only to see a surprised So Boong. 

“Can you help me? She fainted.”  Kang Chul said, looking at Oh Yeon Joo. 

So Boong opened his car and Kang Chul put Oh Yeon Joo inside and watch her as she stir up. As she open her eyes, he ask, “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

“Ani, It’s just exhaustion.” 

“exhaustion?”

“Yes. I haven’t fully recovered from my skipping time when I stayed back at your world and now I am here. It happen the last time I went back.”

“Does this mean all you have to do is rest?”

“Yes. Rest will do”

“I’m glad.” Kang Chul nodded to himself satisfied of her reply. 

Oh Yeon Joo watch as Kang Chul converse with So Boong, telling him to take her to the hospital because he has somewhere else to go. After that, Kang Chul lean in and put the seatbelt on her. He was about to go when Oh Yeon Joo pulled at his hand. “Where are you going? Please stay, don’t go.”

“I have to take care of something first. I—”

“Do you remember? Do you... remember me?” Oh Yeon Joo gave him a hopeful look as she swallowed, “Do you remember everything now?” Kang Chul look at her too and gave her a small smile. 

“No.” Oh Yeon Joo wanted to cry as he said this but she controlled herself and waited for his next words. “I’m just assuming how the Kang Chul in the comic would have felt. Since you didn’t change, I’m sure I’ll find out soon what your strange charm is all about.” Yeon Joo bit her lip and let a tear escape. So Boong loaded inside the car and started the engine
 “I’ll come in a bit. Please take care of her.” 

*

Oh Yeon Joo open her eyes and was startled to see their room. She look on her right and confirm it as she saw their wedding picture on the wall. She sat up and remove the IV tube on her arm.

“Was it all a dream?” She whispered to herself. She look around and couldn’t help but be startled as her phone rang. “Hello?”

“Are you awake? How do you feel?”

Oh Yeon Joo was startled as she hear his voice that she couldn’t even say something. “Hello? Can’t you hear me?” Kang Chul’s demanding voice felt like something that is from a dream. She still can’t believe it that they are back. 

“I can hear you.” She simply said, refusing to talk that she might somehow ruin this dream. 

“I ask how you are. Are you alright?” His voice is so real. Oh Yeon Joo felt like she was being lulled  to sleep but she chose to answer him. Her curiosity is far too powerful than her dignity. “I think I am alright but where are you right now?”

“I’m near your father’s studio” 

“You’re here right now? Are you really calling me from here?” 

“Well, how can I call you from the manga?” Oh Yeon Joo breathed out a sigh as she hear his snappy know-it-all voice. “I got a new phone under So Bong’s name. Save my number, arasseo?” Yeon Joo nodded although he couldn’t see her.  

“Will you continue to sleep?” She frown at that. Why would he say that like she took too long to wake up? As if hearing the question, Kang Chul answered, “You’ve been asleep for about three days. I have adjusted in this world and felt some familiarity with it.” Oh Yeon Joo listen to him talk though his next  words made her breath catch. “ If you are feeling okay now, let’s go on a date, shall we?”

 
계속