Previous Chapter Throwback

They went to the nearest market after Eun Hye’s jog and bought the ingredients and things that they needed. They were having fun while eating some tteokbokki at a stall that they didn’t even noticeforgetother's someone approaching them. When they were about to go, Jihyo heard someone calling her name. That very same voice, from the very same man, years ago, she can’t forgot that deep voice of his even after years, but how can that happen?

Well, he’s already in front of her eyes, so she doesn’t need to question it. They met again, after all these years.

Her heart is beating fast, as they look into each other's eyes.

It’s been a while, my love - Jong Kook

Eun Hye shook Jihyo’s body and it pulled her out of the trance. When she get back to her senses, Jong Kook was still there, in front of them. Eun Hye kinda noticed this and saw who she was, looking at. She immediately recognized Jong Kook as one of their rich buyers, she was in shock and greeted him, this caught Min Hee’s attention and jumped into Jong Kook’s embrace immediately.

“DADAAAA!!!! I missed you! So much.” Min Hee said as she buried her head in the crook of Jong Kook’s neck.

“ I missed you too my little princess. Let me see you.” Jong Kook gushed over her as he lifted her up and Min Hee returned it with heaps of laughter. Jihyo, seeing this, can’t help but get teary-eyed. She knew that although Min Hee grew distant from her father, she still loved him and longed for his presence.

“How were you doing all these while my baby?” Jong Kook greeted as he blew raspberries on her cheeks that made Min Hee giggle

“We're doing fine dada. Did you know that we have a shop, with tons of flowers in it. And Eun Hye eonnie is helping momma take care of the flowers. We just finished eating tteokbokki and are on our way home because (she whispered after) I heard that we’re going picnic because it’s momma’s birthday. Do you remember dada?” Jihyo cursed inside after hearing Min Hee’s chitter-chatter about everything. Jong Kook on the other hand glanced slightly at Jihyo but she just averted her gaze to elsewhere just to pretend that she was not listening to their conversation. But then Jong Kook shifted his body to face Jihyo.

“H-hi Jihyo. Happy birthday!.” Jong Kook said with a nervous smile on his face. He can’t believe that after all this while he’d be able to see her again, and all these while she was already there- in front of him, standing a foot in front of each other. Knowing that she’s running a flower shop where he’s been a regular ever since he decided to reside in the city. Being a lowkey business owner while tending to their precious daughter. Flowers and Jihyo have always connected especially books so this doesn’t surprise him at all, he’s even happy for her, that she was able to fulfill her wishes of having a flower shop and not just working as an office worker.

Eun Hye pushed Jihyo forward toward Jong Kook to which she received a glare from Jihyo before she replied to Jong Kook- albeit nervously and awkwardly.

“H-hi. Thank You.” She said and reached Min Hee’s hand.

She wanted to get out of the place so bad, and besides, she doesn’t have anything to say to him in the very first place. She’ll let them meet one day, but not today. She’s afraid that he’ll just get Min Hee from her and bring their daughter back to Seoul leaving her alone in Jeju. But with further analysis in that short minute, he doesn’t have that kind of intention so far.

“Let’s go Min Hee-yah. We’ve still got lots to do, it’s getting late.” 

“Will Dada go with us momma? I wanted to celebrate your birthday with him.” Min Hee said with a pouty face and her puppy eyes which are her weapons in melting her parent's hearts.

This melted Jihyo’s heart, but she wasby not yet ready to face Jong Kook for the time being. So even if she wanted to fulfill her daughter’s wish, she can’t do anything about it. Eun Hye is there too, Jihyo already knew from her friend’s face that she’s got lots and lots of questions and she was also kinda surprised with the things that unfold before her eyes for sure. But what surprised her the most was when she was about to decline her daughter’s request, Eun Hye butted in.

“....Uhm, I-I think dada needs to do something today and we’ve got lots t--”

“ You can come Jong Kook-ssi!” Eun Hye cheerfully invited him whilst Jihyo pinched her on the stomach, making her flinch while Jong Kook looked quite nervous in Jihyo’s eyes. Eun Hye on the other hand winked at Min Hee and that’s the time when she did her thing again.

“Please momma.” Jihyo can’t do anything but sigh. What else can she do if they are ganging up on her, right? So she just let him join them even though she’s cursing loudly in her mind as to why would she even give in to her daughter’s weapon this time.

“Okay fine. You can come. Jong Kook-ssi.” Then she grabbed Min Hee’s hands and went straight to their car. Jong Kook followed them and the most exciting part for Jong Kook was that they parked next to each other- Jihyo doesn’t know this of course.

“ Oh, there it is again. The cool car (Jong Kook’s Cielo). I bet its owner is handsome.” Jihyo gushed over it and whispered to Eun Hye. Unbeknownst to them, Jong Kook heard it and smiled widely. Of course, the owner of Cielo is a handsome man- Jong Kook thought.

When Jihyo finished loading everything and getting some of the stuffs that Jong Kook offered to bring, Min Hee and Eun Hye settled inside the car, Jihyo talked to Jong Kook- back to her cold and unaffected gaze and tone.

“ Sorry for the interruption. You don’t have to bother and waste your time to join us, you can go on your way now if you have some important errands to do I’d be the one to explain to Min Hee later.” His heart clenched when Jihyo uttered those words, he just wanted to be with them, on her special day, but yeah, since he made her be the woman she is today- cold and uninterested - he can’t blame anyone but himself.

Jihyo then grabbed the handle of the car’s door and was about to go inside when Jong Kook immediately uttered.

“ I don’t have any important errands to do though. I- I can spend my time with you, I leave this day especially empty to celebrate your birthday- like before - although I thought I’m alone.” Jihyo’s heart skipped a beat when Jong Kook said that he left that day completely free of any schedules, but of course, she doesn’t lose her stance and replied.

“You don’t have to do that thing though. We can manage as always.” this left a pang in his heart, they indeed grew that far from each other to make her feel alone - always - that she even gets accustomed to it and is now getting back to him in the most emotional, mentally, and heartheart-wrenchingin Her lovely, and warm aura around him vanished and was changed with the coldest and unaffected way as she talked to him, her voice unusually- but attractively low -unlike her high pitched one before when they’re still together- closely.

“ I insist, I won’t bother you or Eun Hye, I’ll just stay with Min Hee if you want.” He insisted in the most pitiful way he can, hoping that this will softened her. In which it did, maybe their daughter took after him for using weapons just to get Jihyo's mercy.

“ Fine if you say so. But I’m just doing all of this just because I don’t want to create a commotion and see Min Hee crying- just like the last time when we talked in the basement parking of your office.” Then she entered the car. She left him speechless, but he immediately get his together when she pressed the horn of her car, signaling him to move away as he’s standing in the middle of the road.

After that Jong Kook went inside Cielo immediately as he pumped his fist into the air even if she left with spicy words. He can’t blame her, but he’s still happy nonetheless. He hit the road as soon as he went inside his car and followed them.

Jong Kook took his time in following them, opting to visit a different flower shop this time, to avoid the news of him buying flowers flew immediately to Jihyo. In addition to that, he decided to choose a jewelry that suits his wife. It’s been a while since he did this for her and he himself knew that they kinda lost in touch in those times when he’s so immersed in taking care of other woman rather than taking care of his very own wife. Jihyo on the other hand was so busy preparing the dishes that she didn’t even notice him as soon as he arrived in Jihyo’s house. She’s so busy with the chores and foods that they’re going to bring for their picnic later when Eun Hye suddenly shrieked from the living room.

“ Eonnie! There’s the y car in front of our house!”  Jihyo just jumped because of the sudden shock but immediately recovered after and went back to the thing that she’s doing.

“Really? Maybe he just lost his way and stopped for a while. There’s no way the owner of that y car would go here.” she deadpanned. But then, Min Hee suddenly went out of her room running like something was about to eat her alive.

“MOMMA! DADA IS ALREADY HERE!!!” Min Hee shouted from her room. Min Hee must’ve seen him from the window of her room, and Jihyo froze in her place.

“I’LL OPEN THE DOOR FOR HIM...” Min Hee ran to the door but the knob was just out of her grasp that’s why she called Eun Hye immediately.

“ EUN HYE EONNIE! HELP PLEASE.” 

“ Coming!” 

Jihyo on the other hand just continued cooking like she wasn’t bothered by the person who came at all. ‘, he did really came. Why are you making things hard for me even more oppa?’ She just sighed as the microwave beeped, a sign that her lasagna is already cooked. She only realized that she’s not wearing a mitten when she was about to get the pan of lasagna in the microwave. By the time Jong Kook, Eun Hye and their little princess entered the house, Jihyo suddenly shouted- out of shock of course from the sudden heat that she felt.

Jong Kook out of impulse hurriedly went to the kitchen and immediately examined her little fingers that got burned. He tended her immediately asking Eun Hye where the first aid kit was and at the same time, being the one who remove the pan of lasagna from the microwave and safely putting it in the middle of the table to avoid further accidents. As he tended her burned hand, Jihyo just kept her gaze at him all those while, he must have done that out of impulse, but the time he touched her, blew her hand, and tenderly put some ointment on it, her heart skip a beat.

IN THE LIVING ROOM:

Eun Hye and Min Hee went straight to the living room when they saw Jong Kook dash into the kitchen after hearing Jihyo shrieked from the pain. Min Hee was about to check her mother, but Eun Hye stopped her seeing the two being so natural and comfortable to each other. She doesn’t want to break their little bubble and be awkward afterwards so she just let Min Hee scoot over in the couch and watch her parents with a big smile on her face.

‘Geurae eonnie, you don’t have to agonize and cry every night because you miss him. You can just rebuild everything, again, slowly, just like this. You deserve to be happy so follow your heart.’ Eun Hye thought to herself as she let out a soft smile while she watch the two being absorbed in their own bubble of joy and eyes sparkling with love and happiness- albeit pain can still be seen through them.

IN THE KITCHEN:

“I missed this, oppa.” She suddenly spoke out of nowhere but then a tear escaped from her beautiful eyes and accidentally dropped in Jong Kook’s arm. It’s too late already when she realized what she did or what happened in that short notice. Jong Kook already turned his gaze from her hands straight to her eyes and he lets out a very quick smirk and wiped the tears that trickled through her face.

“Don’t cry. I’m already here. I’m sorry.” He said in a low tone matching hers and kissed the top of her hand in which she immediately replied albeit stuttering when Jihyo got her brains out of the gutter.

“I-I-I m-me-mean...” she sniffled, eyes avoiding his’ and little beads of sweat started to form on her forehead as she was caught red handed.

“ I know what you mean, you don’t have to explain, I understand.” He gave her an assur