POHANG

“So, where are we going?” Jong Kook just remembers that he doesn’t actually know where they are going. Where is her shop, what kind of shop is that, etc etc.

“Go to the left here, then right after this…” Ji Hyo leads the way, even though he can hear the lazy undertone in her voice.

When they arrive at the shop, Jong Kook can see the name. Sky Florist. Sky – Their Ha Neul. Jong Kook is the one who taught her some English, he’s not stupid.

“I’ll just put these things inside quickly, you can wait here.” Ji Hyo motions at the boxes that the delivery men put on the ground.

“I can help you with those.” Jong Kook offers.

“No need.” Ji Hyo replies quickly.

“Okay.” Jong Kook yields. He doesn’t want to make her more uncomfortable, even though he’s really curious about the interior of the shop or just basically anything about the shop.

After Ji Hyo is done putting the boxes inside without checking if they're right because she's too damn tired, which she is more willing to be helped by the delivery men than her former husband, they get inside the car and ready to go back. When they’re driving back home, Jong Kook is less tensed than before. He now knows their way back. “So, your cooking is getting better.” He gives a comment all of a sudden.

“It’s just budaejjigae, what can go wrong?” Again, Ji Hyo just shrugs lazily.

“The first time you cooked you almost burned down my apartment.” Jong Kook reminisces with a faint smile, ignoring the laziness laces on her tone or her body language. It's been a long time and he just wants to talk to his former wife whom he still loves and misses every day.

“Don’t exaggerate. The food was just scorched.” Ji Hyo glares at him.

“Still we had to order from your favorite Chinese food restaurant because of that.” Jong Kook chuckles.

Ji Hyo hums. “Yeah.”

Then silence.

“You don’t have a car?” Jong Kook remarks after skipping a beat of silence.

“No. So Min and I don’t really need a car.” Ji Hyo tries to answer as short as possible.

“But you love driving.” He comments.

A small smile appears at the corner of her lips. Somehow it feels nice to know he still remembers things about her. But she immediately hides the smile. “I don’t really drive anymore.” She answers vaguely.

“You don’t drive anymore?” Jong Kook wonders. “Because you don’t have a car or?”

“Yeah, one of the reasons.” Ji Hyo mumbles.

Jong Kook takes a quick glance to his right. “Since when?”

Ji Hyo stays quiet for a second before she answers in a small voice. “Since the night of that accident.” The accident that still haunts her to this day.

Jong Kook frowns, putting one of his hands on top of hers.

Ji Hyo has a mixed feeling. She feels small now that she remembers that particular moment and Jong Kook provides that support, but no, she can’t be weak. She quickly pulls her own hand and intertwines her hands to prevent him from taking it again.

“Don’t touch me.” Ji Hyo warns him.

Then silence again.

“Can I ask you something?” Jong Kook breaks the silence once again.

“Ask away.” Ji Hyo shrugs, letting him continue.

“It’s about I Seul.” Jong Kook tells her with a firm tone.

Ji Hyo’s heartbeat increases. She wonders if the drive from her shop to her house is this long or Jong Kook purposely takes the longer route because as of right now, there's nothing she wants more than to get out of this car.

“What about him?” She still asks even though she knows very well what’s about to come next.

“I’m not going to beat around the bush.” Jong Kook takes a deep breath. “Is he my son?”

“What?”

“Is I Seul my son?” Jong Kook repeats louder although he has a feeling that she actually heard him.

Ji Hyo lets go of her practiced laugh. “Who told you that?”

“No one has to tell me that. We have the same eyes.” Jong Kook defends himself.

“Do you think you’re the only one who has that type of eyes?” Ji Hyo answers harshly. “Jong Kook-ssi, we had to be together for me to birth your son, but as long as I remember, I left you.”

She can thank heaven because they finally arrive in front of her house. She quickly opens the door and jogs towards her house. She knows this is going to happen sooner or later. She has rehearsed a perfect dumb answer to the question, but as of right now, she can’t speak. She can’t answer that question. She is scared. She knows it’s her decision to run away from him and not tell him about their son, but she had to save herself before she could save others.

“We were together, weren’t we? Before you left me.” Jong Kook chases her and grabs her wrist. “Tell me, Song Ji Hyo, because I think-”

“I don’t care what you think, Kim Jong Kook!” Ji Hyo snaps in front of the entrance door. The best reaction she can muster when she is panicking. She curses herself because just one more step and she can be free from him and yet she’s too slow.

His hold on her wrist tightens as she tries to push him away. “It’s a simple question, Ji Hyo-yah, and I want the truth. You’re the one who’s beating around the bush right now.”

Ji Hyo is sure that his hold on her wrist will definitely leave a bruise. “You are hurting me.” She whispers, trying to get free from him without having to answer him.

Jong Kook’s hold on her visibly loosens. “Is he my son, Song Ji Hyo?”

“No. He’s not your son. He’s my son.” Ji Hyo remarks.

Jong Kook chuckles dryly. “So, he is my son.” It’s not a question, it’s a conclusion he draws.

“No, he’s not, okay.” Ji Hyo sighs tiredly. “It’s getting late, you should go back to your place.”

“Who’s his father then?” Jong Kook presses.

“I am!” Ji Hyo snaps one more time. “I’m his mother and his father!”