How Do We Go from Here?
Never Again
Jaeseok brought his kids to a hotel. He bought them clothes for the days they won't be going home. Jaeseok is determined to leave his wife. He needs to talk to Jihyo about his plans.
"Oppa," Jihyo was talking to Jaeseok over the phone while she was in the living room, "how're the kids?"
"Naeun was already sleeping while Jiho was still at his laptop. He might be doing some projects." Jaeseok answered as he was beside Naeun.
"Does Jiho ask anything about you and his mother?"
"Ani, not yet. How are you? Does the man still roam around the apartment?"
"My manager checked earlier; he said no one this evening. I hope he will never come back."
"I will make sure he won't. Jihyo-a."
"Ye, oppa?"
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there tonight."
"It's just fine. You have to take care of your kids first. They should be the first on your list no matter what."
"I know, but I shouldn't treat you this way."
"I'm fine, oppa. Don't worry about me. I understand everything."
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Yoo Jaeseok-ssi."
"I want to hear you say it in my face."
"I will when you can come here."
Jaeseok sighed, "I wish I could be there tonight. I miss you so much, Cheon Sooyeon."
"I miss you too, oppa."
After the sweet talk over the phone, Jihyo had an unexpected visitor. It was Jeon Somin. The woman was sulking and brought some alcohol with her and fried chicken. Somin was having a tantrum because Seokjin promised her that they would go out of the country this coming weekend, but suddenly the man canceled because his wife won't be leaving home.
"Isn't it too unfair, eonni?" Somin complained before emptying her glass of soju, "We already made the plan, and he will suddenly cancel it because his wife won't be leaving home until next week."
"Ay, Somin-a. You know very well that you can't be his priority. Seokjin oppa doesn't want you to get hurt."
"But eonni, I am already getting hurt!"
"Is this the first time he did this to you?"
"Yes. Oppa, he always moves first before his wife can, but this time he lets her do whatever she wants."
"He probably doesn't want her to be suspicious. Somin-a, you should be careful."
"I know, but still..." Somin sighed before pouring soju into her glass and drinking it at once. "By the way, eonni-"
"Hm?"
"I didn't know you and Jongkook oppa were still together."
"What?"
"The news."
"Aist, give it a rest, Somin-i."
"Why?"
"Jongkook oppa and I, we are not together anymore. He just did what he wanted. He was annoyed, that's all."
'Did he sleep here?"
"He did." Somin looked at Jihyo with a sheepish smile, "Stop it, Jeon Somin. Nothing happened to us."
"I didn't say anything. But honestly, eonni, whether Something happens, there will be no problem, right? You don't have anyone right now. You are not in a relationship or anything."
Somin doesn't know about Jaeseok and her, and Jihyo is thankful for that. She hopes that Seokjin won't tell Somin anything about it too. Looking at Somin, the woman is like a sister to her. She knows a lot about Jihyo since she joined Running Man, and Jihyo was glad to have her as a friend and a good confidant. She cried a lot in front of Somin whenever there was Something that Jongkook and her could not understand with each other. Jihyo always shares things about her and Jongkook with Somin because she is that happy and thankful for Somin's existence.
"Eonni, remember when you and Jongkook oppa fight?"
"Hm? When? There were lots of times we fought each other."
"Ani, the one that you fought in front of me."
Jihyo remembered that night. It was when Jongkook and Jinyoung were in a loveline in My Ugly Duckling. Jihyo hated that Jinyoung could make Jongkook do everything she wanted, but when it was her, he always said no. She cried a lot about it. She remembered that night vividly.
It happened in the place where Jihyo and Somin hang out. Somin was the one who got that place to protect Jihyo and Jongkook too. Sechan also helped them during that time. Jongkook doesn't back down right then. Their fight almost got physical, so Somin had to stand between Jihyo and Jongkook.
"He never really wants to lose a fight," Jihyo told Somin as they both remembered that night. "He'll always think he is right and refuse to admit his mistakes."
"That's just what he is, eonni. Jongkook oppa doesn't like to be wrong. He thinks he is doing everything right and the best he can, yet he can't be truthful. Now, look at him trying to get you back."
"He can never get me back, Somin-a. I have somebody else."
"Oh? You are in a relationship, eonni? To whom? Do I know the man?"
Jihyo smiled, "You know him, but I can't tell you yet. We are still settling things around us."
"Why? Is there Something wrong with him? I mean, unsettled business?"
Jihyo inhaled, "Something like that. I will tell you when the time is right."
A few hours passed, and Jihyo drove Somin to her home. She doesn't want to call anyone to go with her since Jeon Somin is drunk. She emptied all five bottles of soju. When she returned to her apartment, Jihyo saw a woman in front of her door. It was Na Kyungeun. The woman was drunk and couldn't stand straight. Quickly, Jihyo walked to her unexpected visitor yet again that night. She leads Kyungeun inside her apartment. Na Kyungeun sat on the couch, and Jihyo went to the kitchen to get her some water.
Kyungeun looked at Jihyo's face intently after drinking some water given to her. Jihyo sat on the small couch, looking at Jaeseok's wife worriedly, "How did you get in here with that condition?" Jihyo asked.
Kyungeun snickers, "Are you curious?"
"I am not. I am worried. It's two different things."
Kyungeun laughed sarcastically, "Why would you be worried about me? Shouldn't you pray I'd die in the street while driving like this?"
"Don't say things like that as if you meant them. I am not as vile as you think I am."
"Ani. You are more than that, Song Jihyo-ssi. You are more than that!"
"Hajima. Don't shout. You can stay here for the night. Just don't make a scene. I don't want the neighbors to get alerted."
"Wae? Are you afraid? Are you suddenly ashamed that you are sleeping with my husband? Are you afraid that the whole world will know what kind of woman you are?" she chuckled, "You are pretty—honestly, one of the most beautiful faces in South Korea. Everyone admires your face. It's so tiny. Your eyes are big. Your lips are thin. Your smile? Just like an angel. You barely aged. You almost looked the same the first time I met you when I visited your set before. I was starstruck. I told oppa, 'Wow! I never thought that she was that pretty.' Little do I know that that beautiful woman I admire is a snake in disguise."
"You are drunk. Let's talk again in the morning when your mind is clear."
"No! Do you think my mind will be clear when I wake up and see your face? Do you think I am that stupid?!"
"You are not. That much, I know. But at least you know better than to do this, Na Kyungeun."
"Better? I know better. I only know now that my husband is having an affair with you!"
"I told you to tone down your voice."
"I can do whatever I want. I am Na Kyungeun!"
Jihyo sighed and led Kyungeun to her bedroom while letting it talk all it wanted. She let Kyungeun pour down all her emotions on her while changing clothes and cleaning Jaeseok's wife. After Kyungeun fell asleep, Jihyo called Yoo Jaeseok to tell him about Kyungeun.
"I will pick her up now, Jihyo-a." Jaeseok immediately responded when he heard that his wife was at Jihyo's apartment.
"Ani, oppa. Let her stay here for the night. I'm just fine."
"But Jihyo-ya-"
"I'm fine, oppa. Let us talk tomorrow morning."
Jaeseok sighed, "I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing, oppa. This is not your fault alone. We are together in this."
"Although I was the only one who created this mess."
"Don't say it like that, oppa. You suggest I was just getting pulled by the flow, and I don't love you."
"Mian, Jihyo-ya. It's not what I meant."
Jihyo smiled to herself, "You should take a rest now. Check the kids. You need to make sure they are in good condition tomorrow. Don't let them think about the situation negatively. It will affect their school, so smile when you greet them tomorrow. I will handle Na Kyungeun tomorrow. Don't worry too much, okay, oppa?"
"Gumawo, Song Jihyo."
"You are always welcome, oppa."
"I love you so much. I won't get tired telling this to you."
"I love you too, Yoo Jaeseok. And I don't regret being with you. We can do this together. We can find a way to make everything better, most of all for the kids."
While talking to Jaeseok, Jihyo didn't know Na Kyungeun was awake and just listening to her. Acting like she was asleep, Kyungeun tried to stop her tears from falling. She can't compete with how Jihyo and Jaeseok hold to each other. The way Jihyo talks to her husband, Kyungeun, can feel how much Jaeseok takes its feeling with utmost care. And Kyungeun was almost swayed by how she heard Jihyo cared for their children's well-being.
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