Chapter Four:                                    Augmented Chances

   “So, have you asked him?” She asked as she chops some celery for the vegetable salad she’s currently working on, not titling her head to have a sight of him. He otherwise, was admiring her back that was facing him, watching her every move yearningly.

   “Of course I did, what’d you expect? I’m almighty Kris after all” He said proudly, protruding his chest as he taps it, dignified with his own success. Jessica scoffed jovially as she rolls her eyes, completely unimpressed. The task itself wasn’t complicated at all, what’s so tough in asking a kid what he wants for his birthday? Nonetheless she was happy to finally hear his side.

   “So… what does he wants?” She asked, rolling her eyes once again upon seeing the triumphal smirk curved onto his face. Seeing her being nonchalant at his confidence, he was crestfallen.

   “Aren’t you impressed?” He asked, slowly approaching her from the behind, fully ready to give her a warm back hug. Jessica simply shook her head, turning to face her almost finish salad. “Not one bit?” he purged on, leaning his head against her shoulder. It was a sight to see, for she was much smaller than he is.

   “Well…” Jessica said; slightly mockingly as she tilted her head a portion to look at his face which lay on her shoulder. His eyes were shut close, his breathings were even, she doesn’t feel the burden of his weight, and his face were simply relax, enough to make her smile and cooed “I am very much impressed” she added sincerely, still staring at his perfectly made face. A face which any woman would want to see when she wakes up and when she sleeps, a face any man would wish to have. He’s perfect in everything he does, from the way he took care of her and of her son, to the way he supports his family and showered them unending love, she couldn’t be grateful anymore, she wasn’t lucky to have him, she was blessed.

   Kris didn’t move, her soft voice was music to his ears, and the sincerity in her intonation made him feel like everything is his, everything is his as long as he has her and Luhan by his side, a world with the three of them—even if it’s just the three of them, would be the perfect world to be ever created. “Sooyeon?” he called softly, he was still leaning his chin on her shoulder as she calmly chops some vegetables.

   “Hmmm?”

   “Thank you” he said, almost incoherent as his words came out as barely audible whisper.

   “For what, for complementing you and boosting up your self-esteem?” Jessica chuckles and pinch the bridge of his nose, and even with such skinship, he didn’t bulge nor open his eyes.

   “No.” He simply said, finally opening his eyes and slowly rotating her frail frame a hundred and eighty degree, a degree enough for her to face him. He intently gazed into her eyes and an overflowing happiness surrounds his entire being, for he was yet to be used to seeing her reciprocating the gaze. It had been a week since the night she told him she loved him, and though she had became immensely closer to him than she ever was, he can’t help but die a little every time their eyes will lock, as though messages were transmitted through the air by just the mere glance. And then he leaned closer, slowly closing his eyes once again, foreheads meet. “Thank you… for coming into my life”

   “No. Don’t thank me” Jessica said, wrapping her arms around his waist “I should be the one to thank you, for weighting the burden of being a father and taking us in, both me and Luhan. Kris, thank you…very much”

   As if a thousand more words were said though no more came out from their mouths, Kris sealed the conversation with a tender kiss. It was not that he wasn’t able to kiss her before, ever since they got married, he would kissed her when he thinks the mood was right, but even so, the feelings were different, for everything is one-sided, but now, knowing it wasn’t anymore, Kris was very much elated.

    “So… what does he wants? Does he want to have clowns again? You know Luhan, he loves messing with their make-ups and revealing their magic tricks. Aigoo, why is that kid so mischievous?” Jessica breaks the kiss and directing their topic to where it was before everything became intimately cheesy.

    “From the way I see it, he had lots of your genes, you really like being dominant don’t you?” Kris jovially said, watching her figure to resume her stopped task.

    Jessica shook her head. “Or from his father” she muttered under her breath, talking to herself, wary of her volume so that Kris wouldn’t hear what she had said.

   “Pardon?” Kris asked

   “N-nothing” She was quick to deny. “I said I really like superiority” she lied, laughing the topic off and waving her hand in the air—like fanning herself.

   Kris simply nodded his head to call the topic off, but she doesn’t know that Kris had heard her words, very clear. Hearing that she had talked about Luhan’s father and the fact that she even tried to hide it from him breaks his heart. He can never rewind the past and slipped himself in the man’s shoes so he, himself can be Luhan’s real father, and knowing that Jessica still thinks of it even after four years—almost, he can’t help but to feel a tinge of jealousy and uncertainty.

   But Kris is sure of one thing, if ever they cross paths one day, he will never let go of his family, ever. He’d rather die than to see his beloved woman in somebody else’s arms and not in his, and even though he was Luhan’s biological father, he will not let him lay a finger on the both of them and will not allow him to step an inch closer to them.

   “So… what does he wants?” Jessica asked once again, oblivious to the numerous thoughts occurring Kris’ mind. She didn’t even catch his slight trance though he almost jumps a little when she talked.  Kris looked at her, and though his minds were procured with insecurities, he flashed a sweet smile towards her direction.

   “He wants to go to the amusement park”

   “But we had been to the carnival several times, I don’t think Luhan would want to see the same rides and stalls all the time” Jessica blinked in confusion. Not only is last Friday when Luhan had complained about being at the same carnival again and again, and him wanting to be in a amusement park during his special day simply odd.

   “Not in here” Kris answered casually

   “Then where?”

   “The amusement park in Seoul”

    Just like having a billions of daggers coming her way, Jessica couldn’t help but to be agitated, anxious. She wishes to oppose and to say that it was never a good idea to travel from Busan—especially if they live in the farthest part of the province where there were only an approximate 1000 residences, to travel to Seoul.

   She couldn’t say a word even if was moving; her voice simply wouldn’t come out. She was at ease knowing she hasn’t got any news about him, but the thought of stepping back to the city where everything had started, it’s just too much. Fate was being ridicule to her, and she loathed it.

   He doesn’t know, and he’ll never know. With that thought, Jessica faked a laugh with a heart filled with worries and frets.

   Unaware of how Kris had monitored her expression, she doesn’t know that Kris could see through her. And the way she had forced herself to laugh, the way she was at loss for words to give him a reply but a stiff laugh, he knew, that something was wrong and something had became a burden to her. It was what they were both fearing: the chances of meeting him.

****

   Sipping his coffee, he tapped the table with his finger impatiently. It had been forty minutes ago when he said he was nearly there. If only the matters he would discuss weren’t important, he would have left the place immediately and throws vulgarity at him until his ears bleed.

   “Lee Hyukjae, you are so dead when I see your !” He hissed checking his wrist watch and glancing outside.

   It was nearly December, just one more week and its Christmas season once again. He used to enjoy strolling out on a cold day just like today, walk around the market district while tailing a girl, watching her squeal and drag him into different clothing stores, asking him what looks good or what looks bad on her. Of course, everything she picks suits her, she was a woman with such a high fashion sense, and even if she wears something like a grandma clothes, he doubts she would look less pretty, for she was very pretty not only outside, but inside as well.

   “No… do you think this looks bad?” She asked, lifting a silk pink dress. “No, I think this looks better…I… Donghae! You’re not helping me at all! Can’t you see my dilemma here?” She said, exasperatedly lowering the dress as she stomped away with deflated shoulders.

   He couldn’t help but to chuckle, suppressing his laughter so he wouldn’t offend her even more. But to be honest, he doesn’t know what’s her dilemma, she actually picked two stunning dress. He just followed her behind, very much amused at how she chooses its price tag first over the design and quality. He had seen her picked a dress with a gleam then placed the dress back to the rack crestfallen.

   He doesn’t understand why she refuses to let him buy her some clothes. She’s his girlfriend and his girlfriend is a frugal fashion freak, he can buy her as many as she wants, but knowing her, she wasn’t the type to depend on others.

   “This!” He said, handling the dress to her.

   Jessica blinked confusedly. She looked at the dress and was utterly amused at how can he be good at picking a clothe especially if it’s for a female. “I didn’t know you could pick when you completely ignored me earlier. I—“her voice trailed off mid-way as she caught the price. “A hundred thousand won for a dress, Donghae, are you ridiculing me? I thought we had an agreement about this, I—“She cannot hide the fact that she was somewhat insulted and humiliated. She wasn’t rich as he is, no; she was not rich at all, she knew about his family background and how his father owned a company, but she had vouched that she will never spend his money for her own, ever.

   “I’m not, Sica, you’re my girlfriend and have I not mention it? I will marry you after college so this is nothing” He said casually, approaching her with a smile plastered on his face.

   By the mention of the word ‘marry’ Jessica couldn’t help but to blush. She lowered her head, afraid he might at her beetroot red color, but she can’t help it. The thought of him thinking about marrying her had touched her, washing her madness in a matter of seconds.

   “Didn’t I?” He asked, purposely sweetly yet mockingly, tucking a lose strand of her hair at the back of her ear, making the latter stiffened and blush even more. He couldn’t help but laugh; she’s a strong woman with a cute physique.

   “You…” She paused, she wanted to lift her head to gaze at him but too afraid to see him mocking her.

   “I?”

   “Did” She said. Her words come out as an inaudible whisper. She can’t help but to giggle deep inside, he had told her countless times as to how he wanted to have his family, with five male kids so he can form a basketball team or maybe the first sibling idols to be ever created. She thinks it’s completely ridiculous, completely outrageous, yet, somewhat amusing.

   “I love you Jessica”

   “Me too, I love you Donghae”

   Lost at his own flashback, Donghae didn’t notice that Hyukjae, or Eunhyuk which he would preferred to be called, was already sitting at the opposite side of the table, panting.

   “Donghae-ah” Eunhyuk called Donghae who was staring blankly into the window and into the void. “Donghae-ah!” Eunhyuk raised his voice a little, waving a hand in front of a statue-like Donghae. “Lee Donghae, I demand you to grab your senses back!”

   As though the magic word had been said, Donghae titled his head at Eunhyuk’s direction. His expression was blank at first, and slowly, he started to frown at the latter’s direction. “Lee Hyukjae, what alibi were you going to give me this time? You shouldn’t let a person wait for you for a—“ He was seething with rage as the latter meekly rub the back of his neck. Donghae paused for a while to check his watch and he was late for an hour “—an hour. You’re an hour late! Eunhyuk-ah, you’re lucky I’m your best friend since elementary or else you’re—“

   “Yeah, yeah, I’m already grateful okay? Done? Good. Because the last time I checked,  it was I who hold something important that you want to hear and if you’re only here to nag me, then I shall leave I—“

   “—Lee Hyukjae! Stop kidding around. Fine leave this shop and I swear I’ll tell Hyoyeon about your clubbing and how you got yourself drunk two nights ago” He menacingly smirked. And when the latter stiffened and glare at him…

   “You wouldn’t…”

   “…Oh, I would love to” Donghae knows he owned it, triumph was his. And a smirk was on his face as he sipped his coffee which is now nowhere near hot.

   With deflated shoulders, Eunhyuk placed a folder on the table. Donghae looked at it with much curiosity; he raised an eyebrow and asked “What are those papers for?”

   “Remember Chunji? Kwon Chunji, one of our juniors during college, the one who likes to stalk Jessica, the one who announced war between the two of you, the one who—“

   “—Yeah, yeah, Hyukie. I get it!” Donghae gave him a nasty look before nodding his head, signaling for Eunhyuk’s continuation. “So what about him, what does he have to do with Jessica? If I remember clearly, Jessica tactlessly dumped him because of…” he was about to say ‘me’ but decided to stop and let the awkward silence finish his sentence.

   Eunhyuk was aware of what he was about to say. They were the best of friends, therefore he knew Donghae more than anyone else, and he even thinks that he knows Donghae more than he knows himself. But he didn’t need to pry on or to say ‘you’ in his face, although Donghae loved to put a smoke-screen to cover all the pains, he knew, up until now, Donghae had loved one girl and one girl only. If not, if he’s completely moved on, he wouldn’t ask him such favor: To track down Jung Jessica’s whereabouts.

   “So, as I was saying” Eunhyuk cleared his throat to break the silence. Donghae drew his attention back at his friend and nodded. “Chunji here was the one who send Jessica off. He was the last person to see her before we lost sight and news about her” he said casually.

   “And where did she go?”

   “I don’t know where exactly there, but Chunji said she had ridden a bus to Busan and…” Eunhyuk keeps on blabbering.

   But Donghae was already drowned at his thought. Busan, all along she was in Busan, but the question is, is she still there? It’s almost four years since he had last saw her, but he will not let his chance go, if she had stayed there, then he will flip the entire city of Busan just to find her. He doesn’t care if she’s still there or not, all that matters is, now he knows where to start and when to…

   “—she was pregnant when she left” was the last sentence in Eunhyuk’s words that he had followed, his ears instantly perked up.

    “W-what did you said?”

    “It’s confirmed Donghae, she’s pregnant when she left, and I think, that’s her main reason why she fled away” Eunhyuk’s words were said heavily. He completely understands both side, Donghae’s and Jessica’s. And to be honest, he sympathized with Jessica, for she was pregnant but had to raise a child all her own, and he wouldn’t even dare imagine all the hardships she must have gone to, all alone.

   Donghae’s mind kept ringing with the same questions he had been asking ever since Jessica left, if she’s really pregnant, the only question left is…

   Is the child his orhis?

****

   He had been driving for the whole day, and he came across a small village. He wasn’t sure how far must he had gone to but he can see the vast blue ocean that was surrounding the village from atop of a mountain. He had remembered a certain circumstances where he had talked with Jessica, and with that memory, he knew where he needed to go.

   “I love the sea” She said as they walk along the shore. Today wasn’t the perfect day to be strolling along the shore, the sky was gray and dark, the waves were like roaring lions, and the wind is just as frustratingly cold as the atmosphere.

   He glanced at her, she was watching their feet hit and buried itself in the golden sand, covering their feet with tiny particles of the soil. “Why?” he post her a question, he had an answer on his mind and he doesn’t like the way his brain had given him such answer, for there could have been thousands of possible answer, yet his brain chose to give him that one: That the sea, is connected with Donghae’s name.

   “Because…” She paused for a while; she stopped walking as well, and glanced back at the traces their feet had created on the sand with each step they take. They both watch it as it slowly fades away, being washed away by the water by the shore. “…sea is…” she talked as if she was in a dream-like trance, and right there he knew, she was thinking about h—“…relaxing”.

   He doesn’t know if she’s just being hypocritical once again or if that’s her true answer. There’s no hint of lying, yet, there’s no hint of sincerity either. For him, it seems like she had just answered the question for the sake of answering, yet she, herself couldn’t give herself a concrete answer to a simple question. Her intonation is distant, yet it felt as though she had whispered the words next to his ears, it was enigmatic in a way it was obvious.

    He didn’t purge on as she continue walking, he knew, right there, he was still far from reaching her, although they used to be the best of friends. He, himself, wasn’t sure what happened to them and how they grew apart. He can sense that Jessica’s trying her best to bring back what was lost between the two of them, but instead of lightening the situation, everything seems so awkward more than ever. He’s afraid she’s blaming herself for everything that had happened, for she was never at fault. She was just caught in between by his and Donghae’s childishness, and the woman who had nothing to do with all of it, was the one to suffer.

   Though she doesn’t say anything, Taecyeon is utterly sure that she’s dying inside. She has a strong exterior, but a very fragile interior. All these stresses, all these pains, and all these heartaches, her heart couldn’t obtain it all, for she might be considered as an ice princess who’s blunt and tactless, but deep inside, she has a heart of a child.

 “Jessica, I…”

 “Taecyeon-ah, you don’t have to apologize. It was never your fault, you’re my best friend, and although we grew apart you will always be my best friend. So please, don’t apologize” She flashed a weak smile, her face had no more blood. He can’t help but to detest the man who was the main reason why she stopped eating, why she lacks sleeps and why she’s broken.

   “Busan, let’s go to Busan” He asked to change the gloomy conversation, the weather’s gloomy enough and he doesn’t need more gloomy ambiance to surround them. “There’s a sea I wished you to see”

   “I would love that”

   He halted into a corner, it was almost night, and people are slowly disappearing from the street to warm themselves at the safety of their own houses. Taecyeon knocked at one door, just out of instinct. If she is here, or used to be here, he needs confirmation.

   “Excuse me? What can I help you?” A woman in her late 20’s he guessed had opened the door of the house, her perturbing stomach was visible as she opened the door comfortably.

   “I—“ Before Taecyeon could answer, a man appeared from the behind. Must be her husband.

   “Vic, who’s there? Who are you talking to?” Taecyeon heard the voice approaching. The woman, whom he presumes was Vic, as what he had called her, had whipped her head towards the direction.

   “Someone’s here to ask a question, I guess?” She looked at him as though waiting for an answer if she guessed right, and when he did, she smiles.

   “I’m Ok Taecyeon, I was just wondering if you guys had seen a woman who looks like this” He pulled a photo out from the pocket of his trench coat, slowly, he handed the photo to Victoria. “Her name is Jung Jessica”

   “I—“ Victoria furrowed her eyebrow, it does looked like someone she knows and slowly, she became suspicious. “I’m sorry but—“

   “Isn’t that Sooyeon?” Victoria and Taecyeon both jerked up upon hearing the comment; apparently Nickhun had appeared in the picture and peaked at the photo on his wife’s hand.

   Taecyeon was surprised, not because he had found her, but of the name he had heard “E-excuse me, Soo who? This is Jung Jessica”

   “Oh… I thought it’s someone I know” Nickhun answered casually.

   “What’s her name?”

   “She’s not Jung Jessica, she’s Jung Sooyeon”

    And right at that moment, Taecyeon felt like that girl and Jessica is connected, to confirm his theory, he must find that woman, Jung Sooyeon.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[A/N] So here's chapter four for everyone =). Can you sense it, yeah~ a little spoiler, the next chapter will be the grand day. Well, I'm not gonna spoin everything to you, so you guys should read more. Yes, I love KriSica too, Kris is just so perfect that it pains me thinking about his past (not gonna spoil) but I did told you guys it's an angst right? Yeah, so the ending is completely vague, because we all don't know who Jessica will choose in the end. Is it Taecyeon? Donghae? or Kris? I love all this three male lead, they all have their different sides that we will all love. As of now, Taecyeon is still quit idle right? Whilst Donghae is an , and Kris, I guess, is the one who's character is well showed. I mean, the good side of him was well showcased, but everyone has a flaw right? So the next chapters will bring out more of their personalities, especially around Chapter Six, we will backtracked so you will see a new side of Donghae and Taecyeon, but just so you know, that'll mean... no Kris T^T. Yeah, so for all the HaeSica and TaecSica lovers, let's all be patient shall we? And yes, I've just answered some comments, sorry couldn't answer rhe rest but next update I will again. And I hope this chapter did clear some matters. So.... enjoy!