| CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX |

Four of Us

“Thank you for coming earlier, sorry if it was last-minute.”

Jiwon gave her friendliest smile as she took the seat across the office table. “No problem, my nanny was there early anyway. Leaving two hours early was nothing.” Hara smiled back and adjusted herself on her chair. “Anyway, welcome to Empress. How do you like my empire?” The store owner welcomed in the most glamourous way she could possibly welcome anyone. Jiwon laughed and nodded approvingly. “It’s gorgeous, full of glass and gold. It’s so you, Hara.” She replied in delight.

It really was a luxury brand—you could tell the moment you step foot into the store.

Everything started at a four-digit price and beyond.

Hara grinned excitedly. “Anyway.” She brushed her loose waves all on one side to her shoulder and leaned on her chair. “Yeah, so someone cancelled on me last-minute on shopping so I decided to move this meeting earlier. I’d rather get home early today to my kids. I haven’t shown you them, you’ve met Haneul once before though, right? She’s a lady now.” She took her phone out and started showing some family pictures to Jiwon.

One of which had … Baekhyun in them.

It was a recent picture at Haneul’s birthday party about five months ago. “She just turned eleven. Kyungsoo and I have officially adopted her as our daughter soon after we got married. You know the complicated situation before, right? Kyungsoo came from an orphanage and when he got older, he took baby Haneul and the two other youngsters then, Jaesun and Haena to take care of them as his siblings cause he didn’t have anyone.” Hara retold the story of her husband.  “I don’t know if you remember, but this is them now. I told you, right? They became a couple when … they got older and it was such a big chaos back then. But yeah, here.” Hara then pointed to another young couple who was holding a little kid in their middle. “

Jiwon slowly nodded. “Yeah, I remember. Kyungsoo told me about it briefly then, he didn’t go into details but he did tell me about him catching them before—I honestly, I didn’t even push the topic. I didn’t want him to be too affected.” Hara nodded and sighed. “Yeah, they’re all okay now. You know, we have Haneul now and they’re all very happy. And then, here is our little Seojun.” The proud mother pointed at the little toddler. Jiwon realized that they must have had their kids roughly around the same time.

Except … Seojun was most likely a pre-planned child.

Jiwon grinned while pointing at the picture. “Oh my—he looks so much like you. But he got Kyungsoo’s eyes.” They both laughed. “I know. I love it. Every time I look at him, I see the man that I love and it’s the most beautiful thing.” Hara answered and sighed in joy. Jiwon looked away, forcing a smile. To be honest, she felt the same towards the twins but of course, she was not going to say that out loud.

“By the way.” She changed the topic and they both shared an eye-contact. Hara put her phone down and adjusted herself on the chair again, waiting for her to go on. “I’d like to clear up some things.” Jiwon held onto the handle of the chair tightly while trying to come up with the best explanations. “First and foremost, I would like to deeply apologize for cutting you out of my life three years ago, you and Kyungsoo, I must have disappointed you two” She closed her eyes for a moment and catch her breath. “I had no good excuse—I know, you guys have only treated me with so much care and respect and I wasted that.”

There was a brief moment of silence before Hara sighed. “I forgive you, Jiwon. And don’t ever think we have stopped caring and respecting you because of it.” She reached for her hand across the table. “I’m sure Kyungsoo feels the same way, too bad he’s in a business trip right now. He’d love for us to all catch up, for sure.” Jiwon exhaled in so much relief as she took her hand with her other. “Thank you so much. Uhm … that’s not it, I have more that I need to explain.”

Hara smiled and let go of her hand so she could lean back. “Okay, go on.” Her smile grew more as she waited.

Jiwon took her time to breathe first as she nibbled with her bottom lip. “I … I lied. I lied about my twins and I feel terrible for doing that to them and to you and Kyungsoo.” She paused and cleared , clearing the lump that had been building up since she went into this office. “Uhm, Jihwan and I aren’t a thing. We’re only best friends and he’s … he doesn’t like both ways like I said. He’s just … one way. You know, like—” A small laugh came out of Hara as she nodded. “I get it, I understand what you mean.”

Jiwon fell into a nervous yet relieved laugh while nodding along. “Hara, the truth is—”

Hara shook her head and put her hand up to stop her. “Jiwon, I think—” She sighed heavily, turning away for a second before looking at her again. “This doesn’t seem right. Whatever you’re gunna say, I don’t think I should be the one listening to it right now. I just … I don’t know, I’m not sure about this.” She declined to go further. Jiwon felt as if she already knew by the way she rejected to hear whatever it was. As if they had telepathy, they both smiled to each other.

Without needing to say any more, Jiwon broke into tears as she nodded. She covered and sobbed faintly. Hara looked away to suppress the tears that were threatening to form in her eyes as she smiled and took her phone out. “Okay, uh—here’s uh—, you’re making me cry, Jiwon.” She gave in and teared up as she searched for Baekhyun’s numbers.

Jiwon buried her face down the table and cried harder. “I ed up so hard, I’m so sorry. I was so wrong all this time—I don’t know what to do, Hara. I’m such a bad mother. I was selfish.”

Hara stood up and walked around the table to go to her. “Hey—” She knelt down in front of her and held onto her lap. “Don’t say that, Jiwon.” She wiped her tears. “Here.” She turned her phone screen in front of Jiwon to show Baekhyun’s phone number. “You take his number—uh, I don’t know—call him. Just talk about this, okay? Relax, it’ll be fine. If it makes you feel better … Baekhyun is a changed man. Ever since you left, he’s never been the same. I haven’t seen him with another woman ever since you were gone, We’ve tried to fix him with women, as ironic as it sounds. Do you believe me?” Jiwon frantically took her phone out from her bag while nodding.

She typed in Baekhyun’s number into her phone and saved it.

“Oh my god, I’m really doing it now, I guess?” Jiwon cried but this time, a smile was slowly forming in her lips as she looked down to Hara. They shared a tight hug as they both cried. “Did you figure it out right away, Hara?” She asked. They cut the hug off and Hara chuckled. “Well, it was pretty easy. Your son, uh, what’s his name? Hansol?” They both laughed, no need further explanation than that. “I also know when you’re lying because you know why? You don’t usually lie, you’re like one of the bravest and toughest women I’ve ever known and to see you … get all frail and dishonest like that was pretty easy to catch.”

Jiwon looked down, nodding in defeat. “I mean, of course, my naïve husband didn’t catch it. I had to explain everything from the top to him when we got into the car.” Hara nodded making her laugh, finally. “You know, uh—” She stood up and scratched her head. “Why don’t I just give you his address? Actually, he still lives in the same place. Do you, by any chance, remember that address? He said he’s gunna be home all day today so it’s probably better if you just go there?”

Jiwon stood up and hesitantly nodded. “I remember.”

“Hello?”

Baekhyun sighed in relief once the phone call was answered. “Kyungsoo, thank god you finally answered. Something big happened.” He muffled while fiddling with the car keys. He pressed the button to unluck his car and he went in. “Kyungsoo, I know about Jiwon.”

Kyungsoo gasped on the other line—quite a long gasp and a pause. “Oh my god, you’ve met them? This is so exciting!”

Baekhyun frowned in confusion. “Huh? I don’t—anyway, yeah, I met up Jihwan, her friend. It was very weird, he just asked to see me and then we cleared up some stuff from the past and then he told me. Kyungsoo, I need to talk to Jiwon. What should I do?” He asked as he started the car. “Uhm, I’m in a meeting but—uh, so you also know that Empress is collaborating with Jihwan’