Han Nam Joo’s House

8 pm

“Are you really certain?” Their eyes were wide with disbelief. Their jaw dropped too.

“I hired a private investigator, didn’t I?” Han Nam Joo confidently replied. She slumped into one of her comfortable white couches, proud of what she did. Since Jong Kook and Hana’s break-up, their friend was a total wreck. She couldn’t work, couldn’t eat properly, wouldn’t want to go out and wouldn’t even want to talk to them.

Hana was a total mess.

Han Nam Joo, Hana’s friend, who happened to be close to her since she was nineteen years old, did something out of the ordinary: she hired an investigator. Jong Kook just broke up with Hana for no apparent reason (at least according to Hana). He asked for space from her and he refused to see her or talk to her. And Jong Kook was slick; he was not seen with another girl, ever. So, they couldn’t pinpoint exactly why he broke up with her. Then, Hana’s friends decided to act and help her.

The investigation was almost useless because he rarely goes out of his house and he does go out just to workout or may be to the Lee’s. And if ever Ji Hyo would come to Grandma and Grandpa Lee’s house, they wouldn’t make the big deal out of it. Their few sightings together outside their house were disregarded as well. Hana, just like her friends, were too confident that Jong Kook and Ji Hyo will never take their relationship to the next level. Friendship between the two of them was actually close to impossible in the beginning. A ‘romantic one’ was as if saying aliens were living in the sun.

Until Jong Kook came with Ji Hyo to the hospital for check-up. That’s when the investigator went to probe further. The investigator had to report to Han Nam Joo that Jong Kook will have someone calling him ‘Daddy’ and Ji Hyo, ‘Mommy’ pretty soon; and that someone is just one little person.

“Oh…” Semi (Hana’s friend) remembered. “For sure their baby will look beautiful.” Pabo, Semi. You need not rub it in. Obvious things need not to be spoken aloud.

“Yah!” Nam Joo threw a magazine. “Sorry, Hana.” Semi said. “Your kids with Jong Kook oppa would probably look better.”

Hana kept silent.

She kept silent because tears were rolling down her sad face.

What exactly happened?

She was so strict on Jong Kook? She wasn’t too paranoid after all. She was jealous for a reason. There was something on how Jong Kook looks at Ji Hyo. She knew Jong Kook was attracted to Ji Hyo and apart from that attraction, he looks at her with caring eyes.

Damn. She knew it. And now what?

They’re having a baby?

It’s going to be easy if she can just tell the public about their marriage and Ji Hyo’s pregnancy.

And it’s over.

Jong Kook and Ji Hyo’s careers are over.

But she and Jong Kook are also over.

So Hana can’t do that, she wants her Jong Kook oppa back, with or without the baby. And Ji Hyo can keep her little Jong Kook.

“What do I do?” Hana cried out loudly.

“Talk to that .” Nam Joo angrily replied. “Tell her to return what’s rightfully yours.”

Semi who plays dumb most of the time got serious, “Get back what’s yours, Hana. Kim Jong Kook is the type of guy you fight with your life for. They’re divorcing in a few months. With a baby on the way, they might not divorce at all or worse, Jong Kook oppa might ask her to marry him for real this time.”

‘We need to talk’

When Ji Hyo received that message, she knew she need not tell Jong kook she’s meeting up with Hana. But at least she told Hyemin (her manager). And Ji Hyo is a strong woman, she knew she had to face Hana sooner or later. She’s got nothing to hide anyway.

Ji Hyo and Hana kept silent the entire car ride. Ji Hyo didn’t know exactly where they are now. But she saw the highway road sign that they are exiting Seoul. Hana was driving fast and far. She was mad of course. Ji Hyo already knew that. From the moment she had received the message from Hana, Ji Hyo knew that the lady already knew everything about her and her husband who actually happened to be her ex-boyfriend.

Hana didn’t bother to even glance at her, but Ji Hyo didn’t bother; her stare might cut her into pieces. Instead, Ji Hyo busied herself looking into the window and holding onto her seatbelt.

After two hours of long drive, Hana stopped when all they can see were few trees and no houses or buildings. It was an empty road ahead and behind. It would take some time before another vehicle passed by, and usually it would be delivery trucks or local buses. Ji Hyo doesn’t know where they are, and from the looks of it, neither does Hana. She got scared. It looks like it’s going to rain soon. Hana finally spoke but she didn’t look at her.

“Give me your phone.” She commanded her, while she lent her hand. “No distractions while we talk.” Ji Hyo just took out her phone and gave it to Hana. She turned it off and she threw it at the backseat.

“Was it fun sleeping with another’s boyfriend?” Hana’s voice cracked. She was crying as soon as she spoke these words. “I admit, I was really mean to you. But that was too much getting back at me. And you knew that Jong Kook had been attracted to you ever since.” Hana continued to cry.

Jong Kook had been attracted to her ever since? Ji Hyo didn’t know that, she looked shocked.

“What?” Hana looked at her. “Come on, you didn’t know? Why is he comfortable with everyone else and goes all shy with you? He just couldn’t admit it all these years.”

Ji Hyo remained silent.

She really didn’t know.

“Now I know why I acted like that towards you.” Hana admitted. “If it could’ve been another girl, we could’ve been friends, maybe even close friends. But no, it was you. Someone who Jong Kook is attracted to all these years, but could never admit, even to himself. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised… not at all.” Hana wiped her tears. “But I am surprised that you felt the same way and I am more surprised about the baby.”

The baby.

Their baby.

“Hana-shhi…” Ji Hyo cleared . “I am sorry. I know no amount of reason can justify anything. But just to be clear, when you guys broke up that’s when things got serious between the two of us…”

“Jong Kook oppa left me because of you, that’s the only thing clear here.” Hana pointed out. She is no longer crying.

“You already broke up…” Ji Hyo tried to defend herself.

“How sure are you?” Hana glared at her.

“Jong Kook and I talked.” Ji Hyo defended.

“Oh, you talk…” Hana sarcastically said. “So, you’ve talked about having kids…”

“It’s not like that.” Ji Hyo insisted.

“Not like that?” Hana almost shouted. “But it is now! Damn, even if Jong Kook oppa comes back to me, you’ll forever be connected now, now that you have a baby.”

“Let’s just go back.” Ji Hyo resigned. “This is going nowhere, and I am getting stressed as it. It’s not doing you good anyway, not doing me any good.”

“Let Kim Jong Kook go.” Hana, almost expressionless this time, told Ji Hyo. “Let him go. You have your baby. Give my Jong Kook back to me.”

Ji hyo can’t believe what she just heard. “You are not serious, are you?”