Yongsun’s POV

I’m sitting inside the guestroom of Eric’s house, my eyes sore and puffy from crying so much last night. I’m staring at Wheein’s gift for Yongjae, which Yongjae and I opened this morning. It was a heavy gift and we now understand why when we opened it.

She gave Yongjae a mini version of her white Mercedes car. I knew it based on the label of the box. She gave him a car with this controller, which is the parental remote based on the writings on the box.

Yongjae recognized it right away and has been saying vroom vroom several times now. He has sat in it already but we have never driven it. We just let him sit on it and he loves it already. We both know how Yongjae remembers and loves Wheein’s car. Now Wheein has given him one.

ing Wheein… How am I supposed to forget her if this thing would be sitting in my apartment all the time? I’ll just probably leave it here in Eric’s house but I don’t have the heart to do that as well.

Stupid Wheein.

I sighed heavily and started picking up the torn gift wrapper on the floor. I crumpled them all and placed them in the trash bin. Then I walked back to the car and lifted it to move it to one corner of the room.

I looked down when I felt a paper landing on my foot and confirmed that there was a paper on top of my left foot. I placed the car down and picked up the folded paper, wondering where it came from since we hadn’t noticed it this morning.

The paper had a tape on one side that has already lost its stickiness. I crouched down and tilted the car so I could see what’s underneath it. I saw another worn out tape in there, telling me that the folded paper was taped under the mini car, that’s why we didn’t notice it right away.

I sat down on the floor and unfolded the paper, curious what this was about.

Happy Birthday, little guy!

My eyebrows furrowed when I recognized Wheein’s handwriting on the paper.

I’m sorry I couldn’t come to your birthday. Your Daddy was right when he said that I don’t deserve your love so I chose not to show up. I’m very sorry.
You love vroom vroom, right? I hope you’ll love this. I hope your Mommy approves of you using this too.
I’m proud that you turned out to be a strong and sweet baby already. I hate it when I remember you in the incubator with tubes on your arms. Be a good boy to your Mommy always.
I love you, Yongjae. I’m sorry for disappointing you.

Whee

The next line was written upside down. The entire second half of the letter was actually written upside down. I turned the paper around so that I could read it. I still don’t know what to make out of Wheein’s letter to Yongjae. I only know that she didn’t come here yesterday because of what Eric said to her, but that’s why I sent her a thousand texts. I repeatedly told her that Eric took it back and that she’s invited in Yongjae’s birthday.

Yongsun,

I unconsciously in a huge breath when the second letter was addressed to me while my eyebrows were furrowing even more.

I know I promised to see Yongjae on his birthday. I couldn’t do it so I just wrote a letter for him. Will you do me a favor and read it for him? Or keep it until he’d be able to read already? I don’t know…
I would also understand if you’ll just throw this out, as well as the gift I got for him. After what I did, I’d totally understand.
I knew you wanted to know how I knew about Eric cheating on you. I’m going to explain that here because I’m not brave enough to tell you everything personally. I’m sorry.
Me, Hyejin, and Byul would go to bars before to drink, but mainly because Hyejin wanted to dance. Hyejin doesn’t drink much, only Byul and me. We’d watch over her from our seats in case someone would do something bad to her. That’s where I first saw Eric making out with someone else. This was around the time you introduced me to him. I already knew back then. He didn’t know because he never saw us.
I never told you because I have feelings for you. I don’t want you to think that I’m lying in order to get you or something like that. I was just hoping that you’d caught him or that he’d admit it himself. He never did.
Years passed and I’d still see him in bars, dancing and making out with someone else. I was one second from telling you but you always seemed happy around him. I don’t know what to do until you said that you and him got engaged. Until Miyoung showed up.
Miyoung was a friend of a friend of mine. The father of her child left her and she didn’t have the money to support her pregnancy. Her problem got to me and I was willing to help even without her doing something for me. She insisted. Everyday she insisted. Instead of helping her with some of her financial problems, I ended up paying her to do something for me.
I knew Miyoung was one of the women that Eric slept with. She thought that Eric was courting her but he only wanted to sleep with her. That’s how I ended up paying her to do what she did to Eric. I told Miyong to tell Eric that he got her pregnant. That’s all I asked from Miyoung.
If I confront Eric, he might brush it off. If I tell you… I don’t have the heart to tell you. I planned to force Eric to tell you his wrongdoings by letting Miyoung pressure him. I didn’t know he’d go out of his way and break up with you to marry Miyoung.
I wanted you to know because you two were about to get married. I wanted you to have the choice to either stay with him or break up with him. I didn’t know Eric would break up with you first.
I never planned to ruin your marriage, Yongsun. I love you and I’m happy to see you happy. I never want you for myself because I know I never deserved you. I was content loving you from afar.
I plan to tell you all of this in Yongjae’s birthday before I’ll be staying away from your lives. I just couldn’t let Yongjae see me like what Eric said. I never deserved you and Yongjae both.

I’m sorry.

Tears were already flowing down my cheeks when I reached the last part of her letter. The next line was the end line of her letter for Yongjae written upside down. What does she mean by staying away? I don’t want her to stay away. Yongjae doesn’t want her to stay away.

I flipped the paper over and scanned my eyes on the paper. I don’t want to miss something she has written. I hurriedly wiped my tears and cleared my vision when I saw something at the very edge of the paper.

It’s still you. It will always be you. It’s only you that I’ll love.

Those were written in tiny letters. I’d never notice it unless I’d focus and look for it.

“Stupid Wheein” I whispered under my breath as I wiped my tears with the back of my arms while standing up.

I folded the letter and dumped it in my bag. I checked the contents in my bag and saw my phone and wallet in there. I hurriedly washed my face and changed out of my pajamas before I wore the dress that I was supposed to wear on my way back to my apartment. I slang my bag on my shoulders and walked out of the guestroom.

For whatever those small letters meant, I’m getting it out of Wheein herself. Screw all these no talking, texting, and calling each other. I’m getting my answers from her and I won’t wait for tomorrow to come anymore to get them.

“Where’s Eric?” I asked Brian, one of Eric’s brothers, as I reached the living room.

“He’s in the backyard watching over Yongjae and Yongkeey” he answered right away while looking at me worriedly, probably because of my sore and puffy eyes.

I gave him a curt nod before I whispered, “Thank you”

I headed to the backyard and smiled when I heard Yongjae’s scream of excitement and Yongkeey’s playful bark. I saw Yongjae and Yongkeey playing catch while Eric was standing behind Yongjae, holding onto him so he wouldn’t fall.

“Eric” I called out to him as I walked towards them.

“Yeah…” he said before he turned around and looked at me. “Why are you dressed up? Are you going somewhere? Are you going back to your apartment already?”

“No. Not yet but I might not be able to come with you to drive your family to the airport later.” I bent down the moment I reached them and kissed the top of Yongjae’s head. I brushed my fingers over his growing hair and said, “Wheein hid a letter for me and Yongjae underneath the car she gave to Yongjae. I’m going to her right now but I’ll be back to get Yongjae and Yongkeey before bringing them back to the apartment”

“Let me guess, you want me to watch over them?”

I looked at him and saw him smirking at me. “You don’t want to?”

“No, that’s not what I meant by that,” he said, shaking his head as he softly laughed at me. “Don’t you want me to drive you so you’d get there faster? We’ll just bring Yongkeey and Yongjae with us”

“It’s okay. Please watch over them for me”

“Of course, Yongsun. You don’t have to tell me that” he whispered, smiling at me genuinely.

“Thank you”

“I got our son and your dog. Don’t worry” he confidently said. “I hope you get Wheein this time now. I’m tired seeing you sad and hearing you cry”

“You know there’s no chance between us anymore, right?”

“I know.” He sighed heavily and glanced down at Yongjae in front of him. “I accepted that already, Yongsun. I’m such a bad boyfriend to you but I still love you. I wanted to see you happy and only Wheein can do that. You still love her.” He looked at me again, smiling so wide now as he tipped his head towards the exit of his backyard. “Now, go. This just means more bonding time with Yongjae. I’m loving that already” he said teasingly.

I pointed a finger at him while glaring and said, “Don’t hog our son to yourself. Don’t make him win your favor”

He chuckled and gently pushed me. “Go! Also, Yongjae loves his Mommies so much. There’s no way I could compete against you and Wheein. Now, out. You’re ruining my time with Yongjae”

I can’t help but smile at what he said. “Thank you” I whispered sincerely. Then I jogged out of his backyard as I said, “I’ll be back right away. Don’t steal him from me. Don’t you dare”

Eric’s laugh, Yongjae’s excited screams and Yongkeey’s loud bark were the last thing I heard as I exited his backyard.

I checked the address on my phone before I glanced at the tall gate and at a very large house, specifically a mansion, that was surrounded by tall metal fences. There’s a cemented pathway from the gate to the front doors of the mansion. Well-maintained bushes were on either side of the cemented pathway while a large fountain was standing in front of the mansion. I could see potted magnolia plants all over the place. Wheein told me that her Mom loves these flowers so their presence here confirmed that I’m at the right address.

I was so determined to come here when I left Seoul. Now, I’m scared.

I knew Wheein is still in Jeonju because of what Hyejin said yesterday. The first place I went to when I arrived in Jeonju was her café. Only Kyungwoo and Yoonyoung were there. Wheein wasn’t. I had to make a scene and threaten Kyungwoo and Yoonyoung just to know where Wheein was. Classic Wheein told them not to tell me anything and I’m done with that. I was so tough a while ago but I’m freaking out now. The place is so intimidating. I don’t belong here.

“Excuse me”

I jumped on my heels when I got startled, dropping my phone on the ground when a woman from inside the fence approached me. I pouted at my phone and immediately picked it up before I faced the woman, my heart beating loudly from nervousness.

“Is there anything I can help you with? I noticed you’ve been standing there for a long time now” she said slowly approaching me with a polite smile on her face.

“I… Uhmm…” I stuttered before my eyes momentarily widened when the woman got closer.

She looked like Wheein! Or like an older version of Wheein. I thought she was a gardener because she was watering the magnolias. She even dressed like she didn’t own the place. Sweat was covering her face, her hair sticking on her neck, and dirt on the boots she was wearing.

I’m glad I didn’t say anything yet. I might make a fool of myself if I said something stupid in front of Wheein’s mother.

Wait… Wheein’s mother?!

Now, I’m more nervous. I’m facing Wheein’s mother and I looked so stupid just staring at her while she patiently waited for me to say something. I wanted to back out and just ran back to Seoul.

No. I got to do this. I need to do this.

I gulped hard and released a nervous breath out as I wiped my sweaty palms on the skirt of my dress. “I… Uhmm… I’m looking for Wheein” I nervously whispered. “Her friend told me I could find her here”

“Oh… May I know who you are?” she asked, her voice so sweet while she removed the gloves on her hands before wiping the sweat off her face with the back of her hand.

“Kim Yongsun…” I whispered, my voice going softer in every syllable. I leaned forward when she whispered something I didn’t catch and asked, “What was that? I’m sorry I didn’t hear it”

She smiled at me and shook her head. “You can wait inside for her. Let me just get her” she said, opening a smaller gate for me to enter.

“Thank you” I managed to whisper as I walked past the gate.

I tried not to let my mouth hang open as I got inside their property. My eyes nervously scanned around their place as me and what I assumed to be Wheein’s Mom were walking towards the mansion.

When we reached the fountain, I saw three different cars parked in front of the mansion. One of them was Wheein’s white Mercedes. I sighed in relief knowing that she’s here and I’m about to see her.

I glanced at Wheein’s Mom beside me and said, “I’ll just wait outside, mam”

“Oh, no. You could get inside. It’s better to wait there”

I nervously pointed at the gardens where I saw benches there and said, “I’ll just wait over by the benches if that’s okay, mam. I won’t be long so I’ll just wait outside”

“Okay… Let me quickly get inside so I can fetch Wheein for you”

I bowed at her and said, “Thank you, mam”

She smiled and nodded at me before she pushed the door open and entered the house.

I closed my eyes to sigh heavily, thankful that I survived a few minutes of being around Wheein’s mother, possibly Wheein’s mother. Then I walked towards the benches and sat down, my back to the mansion while I stared at the clean-cut grass and the vibrant flowers planted in their garden. After seeing Wheein’s mother earlier, I assumed the flowers were personally taken care of by her as well.

I closed my eyes and listened to the peacefulness that surrounded their place, so far from the traffic noises I could hear right outside the apartment building and the busy sounds