“Your father came?” he asked without thinking. Cursed himself the next second.

“What?” she frowned.

Throwing the paper on the bed he avoided her eyes. “I already got it.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” she asked, maybe scolded.

“The timing…” he cut himself short. No, he knew a while ago. When he spoke with her father in his office. Before he even got the sheet of paper.

He wasn’t supposed to mention it. And he…he didn’t want Namjoo to know that her father made him feel unworthy.

“Tell me,” Namjoo’s eyes refused to leave his face. Waiting. Demanding for his explanation.

He felt weak under the strain of her watch. Suddenly so many things were crashing down on them. He didn’t always want to fight with her. Couldn’t he just be in her arms for a while?

“Since Sangki hurt you,” he quietly confessed, “he’s been on my back about it. About returning you to your family.”

“And you said nothing?” Namjoo spat. “You should have told me!”

He turned to her. Out of spite, “What about the things you never told me?”

Inching back, her brows pulled down her face. Scoffing, “Don’t turn this on me.”

“I should,” he came on more confidently, “because I don’t know who else I might meet next.”

Her jaw dropped. Insulted. “You’re an .”

Clamping his eyes shut he rubbed his forehead. Stress. He was too stressed. “I’m sorry. That was out of hand.”

She looked at him angrily then turned away. “There’s no one else.”

He discreetly looked her way. “Then what about that guy. Your so-called friend?”

“We never made it past base two, ok?” Namjoo murmured.

The corner of his lip threatened to curve up. Sehun stopped himself. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Turning his head a little he peeked at her. Shifting more fully he asked, “Then, can you hug me?”

He received a nasty frown in return. Heaving a deep sigh, she walked over and put her arms around him. Leaning down he hooked his chin over her shoulder. Succumbing to the security of her arms.

“I may not be good enough for you, but I don’t want to get a divorce,” he said. “I want to be with you and the baby, so whatever happens, you have to believe in me.”

“You’re good enough,” Namjoo said. “You’re all I need.”

This time he smiled. “Really?”

“I never loved anyone else, ok?”

Withdrawing he glanced into her eyes. Seeing his own reflection. “So, you love just me, right?”

She shot him another nasty frown but more out of sarcasm. Pushing him away, “You’re grossing the moment out.”

He laughed, tugging her toward him. Giddily kissing her. Brushing his hand along the side of her face into her hair. “I’m going to tell you something, so just listen, ok?”

The high moment shut down just like that. Understanding, she quietly gazed up at him. Nodding, “Ok.”

“My father set me up with Hea. Several times.” Her brow twitched, but as promised she said nothing. “She told me some things about you. I’m sorry I doubted you, even after I promised myself not to.”

Instead, Namjoo gently smiled. “I forgive you.”

“Just like that?” he asked.

Namjoo nodded. “You know, Hea and I never got along. I was quite a bad girl.”

He grinned a little. “Bad girl is a little…”

widened. “Anyway, I love you and I don’t care what anyone says. Just, don’t leave me behind.”

Sehun kissed her. “I won’t, no matter what happens. I promised, didn’t I?”

“Yea,” she was still smiling, “I think you did.”

Sehun hugged her closer. Feeling her arms hook around his neck as they kissed. “I love you,” he breathed for the thousandth time as their mouths connected. To continue making promises. Shrugging off their worries for the greater good to come. Because having each other was all either of them needed.

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

They went to sleep cuddling. A little hot from the body heat but comfortable. Namjoo’s heart fluttered with so much adoration as Sehun her cheek with his fingers.

“I think, it’s a good thing we got married.” He professed.

“Yea, I didn’t like you either,” Namjoo grinned.

“How did your father do it?” he asked. “Make you marry me.”

Namjoo hesitated. “We had a fight. I called him names and that…he murdered my mother.” His fingers stopped moving. “He hit me.” Namjoo pulled on a strengthening smile. “That weekend we got engaged.”

“So your face was caked white,” he recalled.

“Yea,” still grinning, “that’s why.”

“I’m sorry. That must have hurt.”

She shook her head. “You know I’m my dad’s worst daughter.”

“To me, you’re the best wife.” Moving over he kissed her forehead. “And the best mother-to-be.” Cheering her up he added, “And I’ll be the best dad.”

Giggling, Namjoo tucked her head under his chin. Wrapping her arms around his sturdy body. The promise in the form of her husband that she could and would be happy. She would die before she had to let him go. That was how hard she would hold onto him.

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

They washed up together the following morning. Playfully brushing each other’s teeth and splashing water on each other. He even fed her a spoonful from his plate. They laughed like total teenagers, gushing over one another. This time she walked him to the door where they kissed on and off.

“Will you be ok?” she worried. “Your dad is probably angry.”

“I’m not afraid of him,” Sehun said. He stepped away then turned back around. “One more kiss.”

Giggling Namjoo tilted her head for him as he drew an arm around her waist. Then he pecked her one, two, and three times. satisfied when he moved back.

“Don’t wash up without me tonight,” he ran his hand down her hair.

Laughing under her breath. “Are you talking about what I’m thinking about?”

“If it’s what you’re thinking about then it’s what I’m thinking about,” he teased. Pecking her cheek. He looked back once and waved when he scurried down the stairs.

Grinning Namjoo turned around to walk back into the house. Dishes were still piled up on the counter. Auntie Park and Hyesoo weren’t around, so she stepped up to the sink turning the water on. The home was quiet without them. If they had gone shopping Namjoo thought they should have asked her.

“What are you doing?” Auntie Park scurried over. With a tap the faucet turned off. Namjoo stared at her soapy hands before looking at the woman surprised.

“What?” she asked clueless.

“No, no, no,” the woman scorned. “Don’t do the dishes.”

“Why?”

A plastic bottle of vitamins rattled when Hyesoo pulled something out of a grocery bag. The mother – daughter duo had indeed run off to the store. Without her.

“Oh,” Hyesoo cooed cheekily touching her bump. “The baby is popping is out.”

“Now eat this,” Auntie Park handed her the plastic bottle. “You have to make sure you’re getting all your vitamins. They are essential for the development of a healthy baby.”

“My hands…”

“Look at you,” Auntie Park chided turning the water back on for her to rinse the soap off.

“How much do I eat?” Namjoo asked. She knew. Sehun knew. Her belly was rounder these days. Not too much but she was starting to show just the slightest. The baby making its proclamation that it was here.

“It says two,” Hyesoo pointed out.

“Now go sit down and watch your movies,” Auntie Park waved her off.

Scowling Namjoo headed toward the stairs. Smiling to herself as she hopped up the steps. She had Sehun. She had Auntie Park. She had Hyesoo. She had Auntie Park’s husband. All here with her. As her family.

Everything had turned out in her luck after all. She was happy here.

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

“I heard you got yelled at today,” Sehun started as he headed up the stairs after dinner.

“I did not.”

“You weren’t taking your vitamins.” He glanced at her.

“I forgot,” Namjoo quickly excused.

Looking at her again he scoffed. Reaching for her hand he pulled her after him, “You’re slow. We don’t have a lot of time you know.”

The corner of her lips lifted. “The moon isn’t up yet.”

“Yea,” he rolled the word, “but I work tomorrow.”

“Did you see your dad today?” Namjoo wondered.

“No talking,” he stepped around to face her.

“How stingy,” she muttered when he pulled her into their bedroom.

“We’ll see about that in a bit,” he teased. His gaze heated up as he closed the bathroom door.

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

“It got a little bigger,” Sehun commented running his hand across her belly.

“You think?” she asked laying on his arm. It was nighttime now. They were in bed after unwinding in the shower. To relieve some stress and have a moment together.

“It did,” he stated. “I can’t wait to meet the baby.”

“Well, I’m nervous,” Namjoo told. “You’re not giving birth to it, so you have it easy.”

“I’m just as nervous, ok?” he said. Namjoo looked at him from the corner of her eye. Comforting her, he said, “It’s our first time. We’ll learn from experience for the next time around.”

“You want another baby?” Namjoo asked surprised.

“We should at least have two or three. They’ll need playmates.”

“I don’t know.”

“We’ll see about that,” he challenged. “But I’m pretty confident you’ll give in to me.”

Scoffing in disbelief, Namjoo hit his chest. Sehun let out a round of laughter and spent the rest of the evening teasing her. Just to hear her laugh, because for the rest of his life there would be no one else.

By morning Namjoo had ditched him to help the housekeepers with breakfast. Leaving him to get dressed alone. The divorce paper her father had handed her was still sitting on her shelf in the walk-in closet. Sehun wanted to rip it up. Turning from the distasteful sight he shut the closet and went downstairs to find his wife.

She was at the counter working on mixing some greens. Hyesoo, opposite her, saw him creep up. He held a finger to his lips to keep her quiet. Slyly grinning the younger housekeeper glanced at Namjoo. Still focused on her task she didn’t notice their ploy. Abruptly grabbing Namjoo’s shoulders he let out a shout to scare her. Jolting surprised Namjoo turned around to shoot him a glare.

Immediately hugging her he pleaded, “Sorry. Don’t get mad.”

Shrugging him off Namjoo slid away from the counter. He followed like a puppy. Leaning forward to peek into her face.

“You mad?” he asked again.

Namjoo brushed him off. He tailed after her again.

“You’re very annoying, you know.” Namjoo narrowed her eyes at him.

Smugly grinning, “So you’re not mad.” Pivoting away from her he sat down at the table. Patting the space across from him. “Come sit.”

Auntie Park shooed her away the coming second. Forcing her to plant herself into her seat. Leaning chin into his palm his gaze zoned in on her. Watching her smooth out the table cloth. Sensing his eyes, she lifted her head up.

“What?” she asked.

“I’m just thinking, I’m lucky.” He said.

Namjoo peered over her shoulder at the two women behind her. “Are you hiding something from me again?”

“Of course not,” he smiled. “And for your information, my father wouldn’t even look at me yesterday when I saw him.”

“He’s that angry?” Namjoo asked.

“Don’t forgive him,” Sehun told, “even if he begs or tells you a sob story about me.”

“Your father is old,” Namjoo reminded.

“Will that fact make you forgive your father?” Sehun tested.

“It’s different.”

“My father hurt you first. He always used me,” Sehun told, “but this time, he did it to you. So, I can’t let him off easily.” Reaching over to touch her hand, “Lets go see the doctor this week. I want to know you’re doing ok.”

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

With a kiss she bid him farewell. Nostalgically watched him drive out onto the road and disappear around the bend. This could make up for the regular life she wanted. Waking up beside her lover. Spending her mornings and nights with him. Leading a simple way of life and growing a family together. Under a household with laughter, affection, and love. This, too, was a kind of normalcy.

Just her and Sehun.

A life of their own.

Things so simply done.

If forever could be like that there was nothing more she would yearn for. She would let her mother be in peace.

Wheeling around Namjoo headed upstairs. Opened the closet. Grabbed her keys and left the house.

“Where are you going?” Auntie Park questioned when she passed the kitchen.

“I have business to attend,” Namjoo answered.

“What business?” she inquired.

Halting, Namjoo glanced back, “I’m going to see my father.”

The woman’s expression dropped. On determined feet, Namjoo slipped into her shoes and headed out the door.

A wave of emotions washed over her when she parked in front of her childhood home. Of memories. Sadness and happiness. Coming back to reclaim a long-lost self. Answers and closures.

When this child of hers came, she wanted a good world for it. To prepare a world unhindered by sins, greed, and secrets. To promise that there would be no harm waiting like shadows. No one in her child’s family would constantly try to demean his morale. Designate a one-way road. Dictate his life for the good and bad. Use his weaknesses to trap him. And for every day of his life try to mold him into what they decided acceptable.

When this child of hers came, she wanted him to have a family he deserved. Good people who would know how to cherish his existence. Her child would have choices. He would have the freedom of speech. She would give him all the love in the world, and a father to protect him.

When this child of hers came, she would fight every battle so he could live the life he chose. And if he fell down and scraped his knees, she would pull him right back up. If her child had a sibling, she would teach them to love and not hate.

When this child of hers came, she wanted him to learn to honor his parents. Love and miss his mom and dad like she missed her mom. She would teach him to cook. She would let him get dirty outside. He could bring his friends to the house. He would have the life a child was meant to experience.

When this child of hers came, she would protect him from the rain and the storm. She would be his umbrella. His shelter from horrible nightmares. She would always open her arms for him.

That was why she had to do this.

Namjoo turned upon the roar of an engine. Her father’s car pulled up beside hers. When his chauffeur stepped out to open the back door for him, she climbed out of her car. Patiently waiting to see if he might grumble that she had called early in the day. Why not later in the day when he was less busy.

Her father said nothing. Didn’t even look at her as he stalked toward the house in his clad black suit. The chauffeur bowed respectfully toward her. Turning on her heels she followed him inside. Climbing up the stairs after him. Eyeing the stark white walls. Always unchanging. As cold and bleak as the rest of the interior. Always as she recalled it when she left.

Kim Bonhwa led her nowhere but to the ice cage. Not opening the door for his oldest daughter but walking right in. Leaving her to invite herself in. Close the door after her. Very systematically just the way Namjoo remembered.

The door clicked close behind her. Locking father and daughter into a singular room. He remained standing by the corner of his monstrous desk. Waiting for her to spit whatever she had called him for, so he could leave and return to groveling in his office at his empire.

Reaching into her purse she pulled out the slip of paper. Took a step toward him. Placed it on the desk. “I want to return this to you.”

***The man of his words is Sehun. He kept his promises in chapter 23; he fought for her and he never left her. He understands her because he's witnessed her father's cruelty toward her, and the rest of her family being unappreciative of her. And he's learned about her when Sangki attacked and she opened up to him about her mother. He observantly understood more about her when she got pregnant. He is her best. So this time, Namjoo has to face off with her father in order to keep the life she wants with Sehun and their baby.

***So, remember, Namjoo just wanted to know the truth about her mother. Her father locked her out of her mother's remaining story which was unfair to her. She spent her life living on memories of her mother - times in which she knew her mother only when she was child, not the woman her mother was. She lived with a lot of resentment, and as a rich girl she rebelled in whatever way she could because with any fender bender her father cleaned up after her, with his money - money, not his love, things she never felt. So she met Jinho and fell in love with the kind of life he lived - he had a good family, loving siblings, a very, very simple life. Namjoo compensated a lot and she went through rough patches to find the happiness she has now with Sehun which her and his family is trying to take away. She experienced the worst, so she knows she doesn't want the same for her child

***Depending how the writing goes, next chapter might be the last ;; Be ready to say goodbye