Jong Kook was so lost when Ji Hyo told him that she wanted a divorce. He was thinking of anything besides that topic the whole night so when Ji Hyo dropped the bomb, his mind went blank. That’s the time when he realized that he might lose his family all at once if he didn’t make a move. Even though it was late, he still thought of winning her back. He knows that she needed some time and space to think thoroughly about her decision, so he let her be alone for now.

          Ji Hyo was pulled out of her trance when the water reached her hands which were dangling inside the bathtub. When she felt the water touch her hands, she went towards the cabinet inside their bathroom that contains light liquors and picked the Bordeaux wine that Jong Kook surprisingly gave her last Christmas. After getting her drink and glass, she then removed her clothes, played a soft yet relaxing melody in her bathroom speaker, and basked in the warmth of the water with her favorite lavender-scented bath bombs.

        Jong Kook on the other hand went into the bar at their house and he also picked the Bordeaux wine that he bought with the wine that Ji Hyo is currently drinking inside the bathroom right now. Funny how it seems, they both picked their favorite drink without knowing that both choose the very same one to ease their troubled minds. Jong Kook was also thinking about the things that he had done for the past years so that he’ll be able to coax Ji Hyo in the following days. As he thinks through everything, his phone rang. when he checked the caller ID it was their daughter, Min Hee. He answered it after clearing his throat and this sobered him up a little.

THE PHONE CALL:

“Hello, my baby princess. Are you at granny’s today?” Jong Kook greeted their daughter cheerfully.

“Yes, dada. Momma told me that granny missed me already that’s why I told her that I want to sleep here tonight.” Min Hee informed him with lots of energy plastered in her voice.

“Yes, momma told that to me too. It’s late already why are you still up by the way?” He asked her.

“I couldn’t sleep immediately so I asked granny if I can call you first. Where is momma? Granny called her but she didn’t pick her phone up. Can you please pass her your phone data? Even just for a minute?” Min Hee asked him politely.

“Don’t you want to talk to dada? I missed you the whole day and we didn’t even get to play after work. Dada missed you; don’t you miss me?” He said to Min Hee cutely, but their daughter just stayed silent on the other line.

“Okay, I’ll pass it to momma first wait a minute.” He then took the last sip of his drink before getting up to pass the phone to Ji Hyo.

         The way Min Hee stayed silent after he asked that query made him sadder even more. First, was the divorce that was insinuated by his wife and now Min Hee is silent when he asked the question about him. He slowly went up the stairs with a heavy heart and went straight to their room. He knocked first just in case Ji Hyo was inside but then when no one answered, he barged in and heard soft music playing inside the bathroom. ‘She must’ve been thinking about something while taking a bath.’ Jong Kook thought to himself. He knocked at the bathroom door quite loud that it made Ji Hyo from her unexpected nap and she accidentally dropped the glass onto the floor. Jong Kook, despite the loud-soft music playing in the background, was able to hear the ruckus inside the bathroom and he immediately barged in.

            Ji Hyo was about to walk out of the bathtub carefully to clean her mess, but she stepped into the shattered pieces of glass on the floor because someone suddenly went inside the bathroom. When she turned around to look at who the intruder is, she saw Jong Kook and she gave him a death glare. She didn’t feel the pain in her feet anymore as she was too focused on the intruder now. Jong Kook disregarded her death glares and immediately went to get the towel. He covered her up as she was still soapy, and he carried her bridal style and let her sit in the bathroom toilet. He passed the phone to her saying that her daughter was on the line, and she accepted it after clearing . She forgot about the sudden happenings as she was too excited to talk to her daughter even though they’re together just hours ago. As she talked with Min Hee, Jong Kook worked on the scattered shattered pieces of glass on the floor. Ji Hyo followed him with her eyes while he works, and she talked to their daughter on the other line.

            Jong Kook knew that she was watching him, so his moves are calculated at that moment. After he finished cleaning the floor, he went to the cabinet and get the first aid kit as he headed toward Ji Hyo. As she talked to Min Hee Jong Kook approached her. He sat on the floor and reached for her wounded feet that she had almost forgotten already. Jong Kook treated her wounds carefully not to hurt Ji Hyo and she winced as he removed the glasses shards that were on her feet. He’ll blow her feet every time she winces, or gasps loudly in pain. Her heart softens with these little ministrations from her husband and her focus on their daughter on the other line was caught by him.

THE PHONE CALL:

        ” Momma? Are you still there?” Min Hee called Her for the third time already with a bit of frustration heard in her tone and this time Ji Hyo was able to hear her.

         She immediately replied in a hurry and Jong Kook caught this too. He stared at her as she froze for a while an indication that she was flustered. When she eased her tensed body up, Jong Kook went back to the thing that he was doing which is patching up her wounds and when he finished curing her, he prepared another bathing for her to rinse her soapy body.

                “Yes, of course. Sorry I was taking a bath and got lost for a while. What is it that you’re saying, love?” Ji Hyo turned her attention back to Min Hee. While Jong Kook cleans her up from the soap. She ignored Jong Kook’s ministrations to her body, but she can feel a tingling sensation every time he touches her. She started to feel the way he cared for her like the first time they met until before their life messed up to the point that they’ll be having divorce as the only solution.

                “I said granny is already calling me for bed, but she wanted to talk to you first. I’ll give the phone to her now then. Good night momma, love you...And dada too.” Min Hee bid goodbye though Ji Hyo didn’t even understand a thing that her daughter is talked about.

                “Okay then give the phone to granny, go to bed already, and don’t forget to drink your milk. I’ll tell dada that you love him too. Love you princess.” She replied softly to Min Hee as Jong Kook watched her talk to their daughter.  As Jong Kook cleaned her up, Ji Hyo continued to talk to her mother and as they finished their conversation, she handed the phone to Jong Kook and asked him to leave her alone as she can already manage. Jong Kook doesn’t want to leave her alone, but he followed anyway afraid that his stubbornness will lead to a deeper wound and a fight between the two of them. He doesn’t want to add another flaw that’ll make his way back to their life harder.

                As Jong Kook walked out of their bathroom, she heaved a deep sigh and checked the wound she has on her feet. She was so embarrassed in front of Jong Kook because of her clumsiness a while ago that’s why she just followed everything he does silently. She’d admit that the man in front of her was the man that she met a decade ago and the man that she married. The one who cares for her truly and doesn’t neglect them because of business and definitely because of a woman.

11:00 PM- Kim’s Residence

        Ji Hyo then slipped into her casual clothes and went into the walking closet. She retrieves the biggest luggage she can find and started packing her and Min Hee’s clothes. As she does the packing, the happy memories that she and Jong Kook made in the past decade flashback into her mind. A tear escaped from her eyes, she knew she also lacked too much in their relationship, but she just can’t take the humiliation and pain that Jong Kook had engraved on her. As she finished packing their clothes, JI Hyo decided to retire to bed already as she still need to leave the house at dawn before Jong Kook could see her.

3:50 AM

          Ji Hyo woke up as early as 3 AM to prepare the stuff that she needed and took a shower after successfully dragging her luggage to the garage where her car is parked. She’s very discreet while doing all her work so that she won’t be able to wake her soon-to-be ex-husband. As the cold shower touched her skin, the reality struck her hard, she’ll be leaving this place for real now, all the pain will vanish already, and she and Min Hee will be finally free. She was planning this escape for almost 6 months already.

            She bought a house for her and Min Hee to stay in using some of the money she saved before, and at the same time, she was able to open a shop to sustain their daily needs at