Jong Kook gets back inside the apartment. 9.47 pm, wow that girl can surely talk a lot. If it’s not for Jong Kook who slowly but surely ends the conversation, maybe Eun Hye will keep finding a new topic and they can have the call until tomorrow evening.

He used to love her voice, the way she talks and laughs with her hair flows around her, and the way she carries herself with pride, and the smart topics they used to have. He used to love them all. But now, he just finds their conversations repetitive and boring. That they no longer share the same interests. That they no longer share the same perspective.

Everything he does is no longer for her. More like so she doesn’t get angry. Is this the real reason for someone’s loving someone? He was sure he loved her, or did he? Does he?

The apartment is dark. All the lights are out. He didn’t seem to notice when he was on the phone before. Why wouldn’t he notice? Was he so out of it that he didn’t remember anything? He is sure it’s not because he was so into the conversation.

Has Ji Hyo eaten? Because he hasn’t and his hunger level reaches the sky.

He walks over quickly to the dining table. The one that serves the kimchi bokkeumbap that Ji Hyo cooked earlier. He tried some when he helped Jin Joo ate hers and his stomach grumbled.

He opens the lid that covers the dish and the side dishes. No, Ji Hyo hasn’t eaten. Is she taking a shower?

Is she waiting for him?

His heart’s thumping hard from anticipation and joy. Can it be?

Jong Kook starts walking to the bathroom and presses his ear towards the bathroom door. No sound. It means she’s not taking a shower. He knows she usually hums or sometime sings quietly when she’s showering.

Is she in her bedroom?

“Ji Hyo-yah?” He calls her quietly, knocking on her bedroom door.

No answer.

“Ji Hyo-yah?” This time he calls her louder. Still no answer. Is she already sleeping? He can feel his hope starts crashing down. “I’m coming in.”

He opens the door and the room is dark. His eyes try to adjust with the darkness. He doesn’t want to turn on the light, afraid he’ll disturb her if she is indeed sleeping. However, he sees no sleeping figure on top of her bed. It means she’s not sleeping yet. Is she in Jin Joo’s room?

He finally checks in Jin Joo’s room. Slowly and quietly opens the white door. And there she is, sleeping soundly, cuddled next to their four-year-old daughter. He can hear her snore softly, dark brown wisp of hair falling off of her face.

Jong Kook walks to the bed and watches them sleep. His family. She looks so innocent. So does his daughter.

He leans down and plants a kiss on his daughter’s forehead. Before he can stop himself, he kisses Ji Hyo’s cheek lightly. He can feel something wet on her cheeks, so he starts observing her. The wetness comes from her eyes. Her cheeks are wet from tears. She has cried herself to sleep.

Jong Kook’s heart breaks over and over again. How many times must he fail his family like this?

“Mianhae, Ji Hyo-yah.” With his thumb, he wipes the last trailing tear from her cheek and her lashes. “I should have never done this to you and Jin Joo.” A tear has also fallen from his eye, which he wipes immediately.

He no longer has the appetite to eat even though he knows how delicious it is. He just walks back to the dining table to clear everything up and put them in the refrigerator. If he can’t help Ji Hyo from feeling disappointed towards him, at least he can help Ji Hyo to rest.

-

“Joong Ki-yah.”

The baby-faced man with a messy hairstyle smiles. They agree to meet and have lunch in a Chinese restaurant that serves Jong Kook’s favorite jjamppong. Jong Kook once said that it’s better to eat jjamppong than jjajangmyeon because he’d rather choose fat than calories, Ji Hyo remembers. That’s why she and Jin Joo too prefer jjamppong than jjajangmyeon.

It’s just a family thing, she guesses.

“Jajjangbap* hana, what do you want, Noona?”

Of course, she automatically says, “Jjamppong hana juseyo.”

“Still trust Jong Kook Hyung’s nutrition facts, huh?”

Ji Hyo shrugs, “It just becomes a natural thing for me to do.” Making Joong Ki laugh.

“How have you been?” Joong Ki asks while they’re waiting for their orders to arrive.

“What do you mean? We saw each other yesterday.”

Joong Ki smiles. The genuine smile that makes Ji Hyo feels right at home. The genuine smile that makes Ji Hyo wants to choke up on her tears.

“You know what I mean, Noona.”

She looks straight at him. All her emotions that she has bottled up from the past week is starting to burst through. “I can’t do it here, Joong Ki-yah. This is a restaurant,” She takes a deep breath. “Let’s just talk about something light.”

“I