Chapter 32: So Much Relief…(Part III)
You're Really the One I Love?
I was still in Ji’s room. It had been two hours already. I got the others to go back to the house. Of course, Aya and Hoon just had to stay. Chansung and his father stayed, too, since Chiyo was finding out what was up with her devilish spawn.
“You don’t know how much it kills me to see you like this, knowing what happened to get you in here. Baby, please stay ok. I can’t lose you again…”
“But I do know…”
I looked up, startled. “Jiyong, you’re awake…”
His eyes stared back at mine. “Li, we both know it would’ve been worse if you hadn’t of seen everything.”
I looked down and felt the tears fall again.
Ji touched my face, making me look at him. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for this, Li. Don’t ever do that. You saved my life. Now come here,” he opened his arms.
“But Ji, I…”
“Shut up and get over here, Li.”
I sniffled, smiling a little and laid in his side. I put my head on his shoulder with my hand on his heart. “God, I’m so relieved.”
“I am, too, baby.” Ji put his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. “Li, remember when you had the miscarriage? Do you know what the doctors said to your parents that I overheard?”
“What?”
“They told them that due to the amount of blood you’d lost, you weren’t going to make it. But you did, Li. You made it through, and you had our daughter.” He buried his face in my hair. “It freaked me out when I heard that,” he muttered.
“I don’t think I would’ve made it through had I not seen you there. It’s not like Aya is purely my daughter…”
“So you fought for me a little bit, too?”
“Of course Ji.” I hugged his neck and moved to look him in the eyes. “You know how I would be if I could never see you again.”
“Why do you think I was struggling to tell you I love you before?”
I laid my head back on his shoulder. “I don’t know. Enlighten me.”
“Just in case the worst happened.” Ji held me tighter. “You still managed to make my heart flutter when you told me it back.”
“I’m surprised you heard me say it back.” I put both my hands on his face. “I love you, Kwon Jiyong.”
He smiled and pulled me closer, pressing his mouth to mine. “I love you, too, Lizzie.”
I pressed my forehead to his, holding the back of his head with my hand. “I’m so glad she was asleep when it happened.”
“Me too.” He rubbed my back.
“It freaks me out to even think of it. I never want her to have to go through the thought of losing either of us while she’s young. I don’t want her to be like me…”
Ji kissed me softly. “That’ll never happen, Li. Promise.” He held me tightly in his arms.
“I swear to you Kwon Jiyong. I will never get tired of feeling you holding me in your arms like this.”
“That’s good, because there are times when I will just do it anyways.”
“You do that already, Jiyongie.” I kissed his cheek and ran my fingers through his hair. “I love you, Yongie.”
“I love you, too.” He leaned his head against my shoulder.
“Does it hurt?”
“They gave me painkillers. I can’t feel my stomach.”
I closed my eyes. “I’m so worn out Ji.”
“You should go back and rest then.”
“I don’t wanna leave.”
“I won’t make you, then.” He my hair.
I sat up. “I’ll be right back. Ok?”
“I’ll be here.”
I pecked his lips and walked back to the waiting room.
My uncle was sitting with Hoon, holding Aya in his lap.
“He’s awake.” I took Aya from Raito, rubbing her back softly.
“When did he wake up?”
“Just a few minutes ago.”
Hoon stood up and kissed my forehead. “You want to stay here.”
“You know me too well.”
“I’ll miss you in bed tonight.”
“I might be back in time to get in bed with you. I make no promises on that, babe.”
Hoon pressed our lips together. “Stay as long as you need. I’ll be fine. The threat is taken care of.”
“For now,” I redistributed my weight a little bit.
“Well I know what’s in your boot. Please tell me you put the safety back on before putting it in the holster.”
“I turned it off, shot, flipped the switch, and put it back in a matter of seconds. I even checked it in the ambulance. If I hadn’t of done it, I would probably be in an O.R. right now anyways.”
“Ok, good. I’ll see you later baby.” Hoon hugged me gently. He kissed his palm and touched my belly. “Keep Eomma safe.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t rely on our unborn child to do everything. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
“I love you baby.”
“I love you, too, Hoonie.” I kissed him once more. “Mm, I’ll call you tonight if I don’t come back.”
“Ok.”
Aya waved at Hoon. “Bye Hoon.”
He smiled. “Bye Aya. Watch after your Mama.”
She nodded and hugged his neck, kissing his cheek. “I love you Hoon.”
I smiled. “Awww, my baby is so grown up.”
Hoon smiled and kissed Aya’s forehead. “I love you, too, Aya.”
She waved goodbye.
Raito, Aya, and I walked to Ji’s room again.
I set Aya down and held her hand as I opened the door. “I brought you someone Ji.”
He smiled and took Aya into his arms when she walked over to his bedside. “There’s my pretty girl.”
“Daddy, what wrong?”
“Daddy just got a little boo-boo. I’m ok baby.”
“Aya’s Daddy hurt! Who did?” She showed a pout on her lips.
Ji chuckled and held Aya close. “She’s just like you, baby.”
I smiled and sat down in the chair beside the bed. “She doesn’t like people she loves getting hurt either.”
Aya clung to Jiyong. “My Daddy.”
I smiled. “Our Aya,” I leaned over and kissed Aya’s forehead.
She put an arm around my neck. “My Mommy.”
“Our baby girl,” Ji said.
I smiled.
Ji touched my hand. “My baby Li-Li.”
I felt myself blush. “My Jiyongie.”
Ji puckered his lips. “Kiss?”
I shook my head. “You are so childish.” I leaned over and pecked his lips. “My needy Jiyongie,” I poked his cheek.
“Yep, I am.” Ji let me have Aya while he was checked out. “So do you have any plans after we get back home?” He asked after my uncle left.
“Hoon’s birthday party, and then my date with you. I don’t know when Eli’s will be. Hey, your birthday is Saturday. Anything special you want to do?”
Ji smiled at Aya. “Hang out with my beautiful daughter and my baby.”
I smiled. “Hoon will have to work anyways.”
Jiyong squeezed Aya. “Aya, do you want a brother or sister?”
She shrugged.
“Then what do you think Mommy’s going to have?”
“Don’t know, Daddy.”
I smiled and leaned back in the chair. “Hoon’s mom wants a girl.”
“What do you want?”
“I wouldn’t mind either. We already have Aya. I think I want another little girl though.”
“What does your husband want?”
“He said he doesn’t care as long as the baby and I are healthy. I kind of think he wants a girl, too, even though he whines. He’ll spoil the baby like crazy either way.”
“I bet he wants a girl for the same reason I love mine.” Ji kissed the top of Aya’s head.
“What reason is that Ji?”
He smiled. “I helped create someone who’s also part of the woman I love. Aya does favor you in some ways, too, so there’s that as well.”
“Maybe when I was little. I see you in her a lot, though.”
“I see the little rebellious preteen who thought of me as a punk.”
I smirked and kissed his hand. “I still think of you like that babe.”
“Why you…” Ji tickled me.
“Yah, you bastard, quit! JIYONG!” I laughed while he tickled me one handed.
“Say it.”
“NO!”
“Say it Li.”
“I LOVE YOU!”
He grinned. “Good girl.”
I gasped. “Holy . Yah, are you trying to kill me Ji?”
“Why would I be? That wouldn’t be very good at all.”
There was a knock on the door.
I stood up and went over to the door to peek out. “Sungie Oppa, what is it?”
“Wanna hear some gossip?”
I opened the door. “Only Korean if it’s bad.” I went back and sat beside Ji on the bed so Chansung could have the chair. “Sungie’s gotta gossip with us, Ji.”
“I’m cool with it. I probably won’t remember anyways.”
Aya cuddled into Ji’s arms and laid her head on his shoulder.
Ji her hair. “Is the baby tired?”
She nodded.
Ji smiled. “You can sleep right here with Daddy. Ok Aya?”
She was already half asleep and just barely nodded.
I looked at Chansung. “Ok, talk.”
“You got her pretty good. The bullet fractured her leg.”
“What else? Why did the doctor only call Chiyo?” I laid down beside Ji, still looking at Chansung.
“The Japanese police were here and they have Min Jee shackled to the hospital bed. The told the doctor she wanted to see her mom and talk, so they’re talking. Min Jee is probably feeding her some bull lies.”
“Knowing her, probably.”
“Wait, they shackled her to the bed?” Ji raised his eyebrows.
I looked at him. “They wouldn’t just handcuff her. The shackles they use are very hard to get out of, and the chains are really strong. They’re impossible to pick.”
“You know this how, Li?”
“Halloween in the States, baby.”
“How does that go with shackles?”
“Appa really liked getting into the occasion, and we had a haunted house every year we were in the states. One year, he was an electric chair victim and he shackled himself to a chair. I’ll show you pictures later. He scared the hell out of Eli when he came over. Eli and I used to go trick-or-treating with our moms while Oppa stayed with Appa.”
“That explains the spike piercing.”
“Don’t remind me about that stupid thing.” I looked at Chansung. “Sorry Sungie. You were saying?”
“Well, the doctors said that she’ll be paralyzed for the remainder of her life. She has to undergo a psych evaluation, too.”
“Good. That needs one.”
Ji kissed my temple. “She sure does.”
I his hair. “I don’t know if I will stay the full night. Aya will definitely go back home.”
“She needs her rest. She’s passed out on me.”
I smiled. “She’s not even three, Oppa. Of course she’s going to be tired a lot. She didn’t have that long of a nap either, though.”
“That’s true.” He rubbed her back. “Daddy’s poor sleepy Aya.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder. “I have to go to a U-Kiss fan meeting next week. Ugh…”
“Why’s that?”
“In order to prevent scandal, Hoon is publicly announcing our marriage. He wants me to be as stress free as possible during this pregnancy. Honestly, he’s so overprotective. Didn’t I tell you about the meeting though?”
“I don’t remember baby. So, is being the number one V.I.P. business wise in all of Japan/richest woman in Asia coming out in said fan meeting?”
“Uhm…we might keep that to ourselves. I don’t want crazy fans knowing who the hell I am.”
“As if they won’t try with the press anyways.” Ji met my eyes. “Are you going to say something about Aya?”
“Should I?” I looked straight into his eyes, smiling. “You can always come if you’d like.”
“To support you?”
I pecked his lips. “I know you already do, but you know how I am.”
“I do.” He rubbed our noses. “Love you, Li.”
“I love you, too, Ji.” I moved and sat on Chansung’s lap, kissing his cheek. “I love you, Sungie Oppa.”
He laughed and hugged my waist. “I love you, too, Lizzie.”
“So, how’s the situation?”
“There is so much to it.”
“How do the others feel?”
“Disappointed. How else should they feel?”
“I can’t blame them. I would feel the same way if I were you guys. I kind of do.”
“What you think that we think is cool. What you think that we think is cool. Drop the beat. U-Kiss. I want your kiss. What you think that we think is cool...”
I stood up and answered my phone. “Hello?”
“Hi angel.”
I smiled. “Hi Oppa.”
“You must be in a really good mood if you’re calling me Oppa instead of Pigeon.”
“You could say that. Oh yeah, thanks for sending me One of You.”
“You’re very welcome.”
“I still think I made a good choice with Hoon’s wardrobe. They should’ve let me pick yours and Kevin’s, too. Well, I kind of liked the black pants and cream shirt. Kevin’s was…yeah.”
Chansung poked my belly.
“Sungie Oppa, don’t do that! You know I’m pregnant!” I rubbed my tummy. “Pigeon, I just got poked in the belly.”
“Who did it baby? Oppa will hurt him.”
“Hwang Chansung Oppa,” I pouted.
“As long as it’s not Wooyoung.”
I giggled. “Why? Scared of my Woo Oppa?”
“Hey, he can be pretty scary.”
“Oh Eli, you’re so wimpy sometimes.”
“More of a man than your husband.”
“Yah!!!! DON’T TALK ABOUT HOON LIKE THAT! I’LL KICK YOUR AGAIN!”
“I’m not taking it back.”
I looked at my phone and hung up on Eli. “He’s gonna die.” I called Hoon.
“What’s up baby?”
“Hoonie,” I whined. “Eli talked bad about you.”
“What’d he say?”
“I’ll tell you when I get there.” I pouted. “He’s such a jerk.”
“Aww baby, Oppa loves you.”
“I love you, too.”
“You are my obsession.”
I smiled. “You’re mine, too, babe. So, what are you doing?”
“Laying in the bed, missing my baby girl being here beside me.”
“Aww, my poor yeobo,” I smiled. “I’m gonna bring Aya back soon. She’s passed out in Ji’s arms.”
“She’s tired. Don’t blame our baby.” Ji kissed Aya’s forehead.
I sat beside him. “I don’t blame her, Ji. I’m tired, too.”
“I’ll see you when you get here then. Ree is still there, so she has your car.” Hoon yawned.
“Thanks for letting me know, honey.”
“Anytime.”
I smiled. “Baby, get some rest. I don’t want you being tired and worn out when we get back to Korea. This is a vacation for us as much as it is our honeymoon.”
“I know. I’ll go take a nap.”
“Good. I love you.”
“I love you, too, jagiya.”
I smiled and put my phone up. “I’ll go in a few minutes.”
Ji pouted. “I’m going to be alone.”
“Only until I get back, Jiyongie. I’m coming back.”
“You are?”
I pecked his lips. “Do you think I could or would ever leave you by yourself for that long when you’re hurt, Kwon Jiyong?”
He smiled. “I love you, too, baby.”
“And hey darling, I hope you’re good tonight. And I know you don’t feel right when I’m leaving. Yeah, I want it, but no I don’t need it. Tell me something sweet to get me by. Cause I can’t come back home till they’re singing la lalala lalala. Till everyone is singing…”
I crossed my eyes in frustration and took my phone out. I opened my inbox and looked at the text I got from someone whose number I didn’t recognize.
And I know that I, I sometimes tend to lose my temper. And I cross the line, yeah, that’s the truth. I know it gets hard sometimes, but I could never, leave your side. No matter what I say.
I covered my mouth and tears sprung to my eyes when I saw the picture under the message.
Ji looked at me. “Baby? What’s the matter?” Ji sat up a little and put his hand on my shoulder. “Li, what is it? Talk to me.”
I shook my head.
He sighed. “Chansung, can you watch our daughter for a few minutes?”
He took Aya, still sleeping, out of the room, and Ji pulled me close after Chansung had left.
“Baby, come on. Talk.” He rubbed my back.
I clung to him, my phone on the nightstand now. “It’s him, Ji.”
“Who baby?” He pulled back and wiped my eyes.
I hid my face and cried again.
“Oh Li, baby, you’re going to make yourself sick.” Ji rocked me back and forth gently.
I sniffled and wiped my eyes. I picked up my phone and saw a different message under the first one.
My granddaughter looks like her mother when she sleeps. I’m with Ree and Mei right now.
“Read this…” I held my phone out to Ji.
He took it and read the full thing. “Oh my god…So…”
The door opened.
“I’m not dead.”
I burst into tears and got up, going to the man standing just in front of the closed door. I clung hard to him. “I thought you were gone forever, just like her.”
“Shh, baby, it’s alright. Appa’s here now.” He wiped the tears away.
“How are you alive?”
“It’s such a long story, baby.”
“Who was the other guy there then?”
Appa’s face darkened and looked down. “His last name was Jang.”
I sat down on the edge of Ji’s hospital bed, drying my eyes. “So it was all true…”
My father sat in the chair. “Yeah, it was.”
“Was everything a lie?”
“I don’t want to hear those words come from your mouth, Park Jung Li.”
My eyes rose.
“I couldn’t save your mother.”
“I didn’t believe her when she died. She told me it all.”
“I didn’t want you caught up in all that. Why would I? It’s so terrible. You are my child.”
“How did you know where I was?”
“I’ve known since last week.”
I felt my hand be taken and clasped my fingers with Ji’s. “Were you there?” My eyes darted upwards to meet my father’s.
His eyes held confusion. “Where baby?”
“The house.”
He bowed his head. “Yes.”
“Chiyo is here.”
Appa looked up. “Why?”
“Her daughter tried to kill Ji and me both. Min Jee won’t walk again on her own legs.”
He smiled slightly. “My daughter has never been a killer.”
“I feel as if I should’ve, but I was too worried.” I squeezed Ji’s hand.
Ji smiled and pulled me onto his lap, hugging me tightly.
I hugged him back and leaned my head against his chest, looking at my father.
“I hear I have a son-in-law.”
“A third grandchild on the way, too.”
“Preggers,” Ji murmured.
I pulled back to look at him. “I told you to not ing call me that.”
“It’s a term of affection.”
“Affection, my .” I flicked his forehead.
He winced and rubbed the now red area. “Li!”
Appa laughed. “You shouldn’t have married her.”
“I didn’t, unfortunately.” Ji frowned.
Appa raised an eyebrow. “Who did you marry?”
I smiled. “I married Hoon.”
“I was worried there for a second.”
“Why?”
“I thought you married someone like Lee Joon for a second.”
“We dated for a little bit.”
Ji chuckled. “Then I came along and confused the hell out of you.”
“I forgot to thank you for that, too. I was not gonna be with Joon for long anyways. He’s ing crazy.”
The door opened again, and Aya walked in, stopping when she saw my Appa. She walked up to him, and he lifted her up.
Aya hugged him tightly. “Grandpa.”
He smiled. “I missed you, too, Aya.”
I smiled. “Good to see she still remembers you, Daddy.”
“She remembers him, but not her own father?”
I grinned. “Jealous, are we Ji?”
“Your daughter is a traitor.”
“Oh, so she’s my daughter, now, is she?” I took Aya and stood up. “Your daddy just said you’re my daughter. That means Mommy doesn’t have to share.”
“HEY! SHE’S MY DAUGHTER, TOO!”
I let Aya slide out of my arms onto the bed, and she hugged Ji. I sat in my father’s lap and hugged him.
He held me close and kissed the top of my head. “My baby girl,” he said.
“How did you know I still loved his music?”
“I know you, Li. That’s all I’ll say.”
“Did you know Jihoon is finally marrying that crazy chick?”
“Really?”
“I should hook him up with someone better.” I pulled my hair free of the hair band.
Appa chuckled. “Girl, you’re crazy.”
“I love you, too, Daddy.”
He rolled his eyes, smiling. “I love you baby girl.”
“THAT CRAZY SHOT MY DAUGHTER! LET ME GO IN THERE!”
Aya covered her ears. “Too loud.”
“Chiyo, calm down!”
I stood up and leaned against the wall. “Three…two…”
The door opened to reveal my father’s furious half sister.
“, IT’S YOUR FAUL…”
My father pushed her against the wall. “Is there a problem, sis?”
Her eyes showed the same fear Min Jee’s did when I warned her to not mess with me anymore. “Oppa…”
“I won’t repeat myself after this, Chiyo. Is there a problem?”
She hissed. “That woman shot my daughter, and now she won’t be able to walk for the rest of her life on her own legs because of that .”
“Oh believe me, Chiyo, I know your daughter’s track record with my own.”
“S-s-she really is your daughter?”
He smiled, a hint of evil in his eyes. “My eldest daughter and second child, Park Jung Li.” Appa looked at me, then at his sister. “She’s your niece, and, believe me, she knows not to harm without a cause.” He let go of his sister and sat back down. “Come here baby.”
I sat down on his knee like I always had.
“On that note, I believe you’ve met my granddaughter and her father as well. If I’ve heard correctly, Lizzie was defending Jiyong here because of your daughter.”
Mr. Hwang and Chansung came in, looking frantic, but noticing the atmosphere.
“Chiyo?”
She swallowed. “Honey…you should know this man.”
“Who is he?”
“Yeobo, this is Jung Dongsun, my brother.”
Appa squeezed me. “You didn’t mention she married Hwang Chansung’s father.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t think of it, Daddy.” I stood up and took Aya from Ji after pecking his cheek. “I’ll be back later. Get some rest while I’m gone.”
He pouted. “You’re taking my baby from me.”
Aya hugged Ji. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, too.”
I smiled and held Aya in my arms after straightening up. “Rest, Jiyong.”
“I will. I love you, Li.”
“Love you, too.” I walked out of his room with my daughter and stopped in the waiting room where we had been before. I looked at my aunt, sulking as she walked alongside my uncle.
Appa took Aya. “You should let me hold my granddaughter more.”
“You can always just ask, Daddy.” I looked at the other people standing across from us.
“Follow after us. I will know if you don’t or not.” Appa turned and walked towards the stairs.
I followed him and walked beside him to the parking garage underneath the hospital. “Why have you just now come back?”
“I was in the States for a bit again. I finally decided to come back. I took care of the person I was after.”
“Mama told me you were still alive, that the other man was the one who caused everything. I didn’t believe her.”
“Don’t feel guilty baby.” He put Aya into the car seat of his back seat.
“Steal it from my Toyota?”
“Your aunt put it in for me.” He grinned and got in the driver’s side.
I got in the passenger seat and buckled up.
“Your brother, Hoon, Jung Hee, Kai, and Danny are at the house. Ree was going to drive Mei there as soon as she got off her shift. Which was twenty minutes ago, so they’re probably at the house as well.”
“Why did you tell them to follow us?”
“We’re going to have a little meeting.” He drove towards the house. “You’ve grown up since I last saw you, baby.”
“You don’t look any different.”
“I feel different.” He put his hand on mine. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there with you when you were grieving over your mother and me.”
“I at least had Hoon and Mir, so it’s ok. I understand your outlook.” I leaned the seat back a little.
“I know you do, now.”
“I could’ve killed her Daddy.”
“I know, baby.” He pulled into the gate and typed in the code. My father pulled his car through and got out. He opened my door for me and helped me out.
I got Aya out of the back and set her down so she could walk.
Aya whined. “Mama!” She put her arms up.
Appa scooped her up in his arms. “Let Harabeoji carry you.”
Aya looked at my father. “Hair ah bowl gee?”
“It’s Korean for Grandfather, Aya.”
I smiled. “She still doesn’t know much Korean.” I walked up to the door and opened it, stepping aside to let my father carry my daughter through. I waited until the Hwangs walked through as well.
Chansung looked amazed at the house. “Jesus, whose is this?”
I smiled. “This is my house Oppa.” I shut the door and slid my shoes off. “The first house we had in Japan no longer stands, but this is the property it was on.” I took my father’s arm. “What should we do, Appa?”
He looked at Aya. “Can you do something for Grandpa?”
She nodded.
“Go get Jungie, Ree, and Kai in here for me. Can you do that, Aya?”
“Yes Grandpa.”
He smiled and set her down. “Go ahead.”
“Li, are you down there?”
I looked towards the stairs. “I’m down here baby.” I walked to the foot of the stairs and saw Hoon walking down.
He smiled when he saw me and started to skip every other stair. Hoon wrapped his arms around me, kissing me lightly. “Hey baby.”
I blushed and wrapped my arms around him as well, leaning my forehead against his. “Hi jagiya.”
He ran his fingers through my hair. “My pretty baby,” he kissed my forehead.
“Never thought I’d see the day…” Daddy sighed. “Li, you make me feel so much older than I am.”
Hoon froze and looked over my shoulder. “Jung D-D-Dongsun…”
“Hoonie, are you ok?” I held his face between my hands.
“H-how?”
“It’s a long, long story baby. But it doesn’t matter.”
“It’s so unfortunate. My own son-in-law calls me by my name rather than Appa like he always used to before.”
Hoon walked around me to hug my father. “Forgive me, Appa. I’m just shocked.”
Appa smiled and hugged Hoon back. “You’re forgiven, son.”
I smiled. “Is he the son-in-law you always wanted?”
“He’s one of two that I’d accept.”
Hoon wrapped his arm around my waist. “Did Li tell you?”
“Of course I told him.” I kissed my husband’s cheek. “Did you rest at all?”
“Yes baby, I did.”
I smiled. “Good.”
Aya came in, pushing Jung Hee’s legs as she walked. Mei and Danny followed behind them. “Jungieee, c’mon! You walk!” Aya pushed against my cousin’s legs harder.
Hoon laughed. “It’s our wedding day all over again.”
“You shouldn’t have made me push you. It drained me.”
He kissed my cheek. “Don’t blame me.”
“Too late, I already did and do. If you do something else, I’m calling Kiseoppie. Or Soohyun.”
“Oh god, no.”
“KAI YOU ! LET ME DOWN!!!!”
I laughed. “He’s picked up Ree again.”
“AHJUSSI!!!! YOU BETTER ING PUT ME DOWN PARK KAI!”
Jungie covered his eyes with his hand. “My father….”
I smirked. “Want me to fix it, Jungie?”
“Just do it already.”
“HEY, PARK KAI, YOU BETTER GET YOUR IN HERE NOW OR I’M LETTING JUNG HEE RUN EVERYTHING FROM NOW ON! SET MY AUNT DOWN OR I’LL KILL YOU!”
Ree came in, putting her hair up while looking cross behind her. “Thank you baby,” she told me.
I smiled. “Anytime Auntie.” I put my hands on my hips. “Park Kai, I’m waiting!”
My uncle came in, sulking.
Appa laughed. “Even my daughter has you whipped. It’s bad enough that my sister does.”
“Well your sister is allowed to have me whipped.” Kai kissed Ree’s cheek.
She pushed him away. “Go away, I don’t want to talk to you.”
I smirked again. “Shall I take care of him?”
He gulped. “I’m fine.”
Appa grinned and picked up Aya once again. “I feel like it’s a good decision your mother and I made.”
“Seung-hyun would’ve put it all on me to run the company anyways.” I pulled Hoon’s arm around me.
“Knowing your brother, of course he would’ve.”
I looked at my father. “Wait a minute, you’d only accept two guys? What if I had married Eli?”
“I don’t think you ever would, but I’d accept him, too, just because of your history.”
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s just head upstairs now. I need to get back to the hospital.”
“There’s no rush, Lizzie.” Hoon rubbed my side.
“Did I stay with you practically 24/7 when you were in the hospital after that accident, Yeo Hoonmin?”
“Yes, you did.”
“Ok then, shut up.” I kissed my husband’s cheek as we went up the stairs. I opened the large conference room up next to the study and sat in my chair. “Did no one tell Oppa that we were going to be here?”
“He’s here,” Ree said, sitting down. “I told him to come up after he was done on the phone.”
I leaned back in my chair and propped my feet on Hoon’s lap. “I’ll let you start the meeting Daddy.”
“No cursing, first of all.” He kissed the top of Aya’s head. “I don’t want my granddaughter hearing any of that nonsense. Secondly, don’t speak unless you’re given permission to speak.” His eyes directed at Chiyo.
Hoon rubbed my ankles. “Do I have to speak in English?”
“No Hoon, you don’t.”
The door opened and Oppa came in. He stopped when he saw our father, sitting with Aya in his lap.
“A-Abeoji…” Oppa hit the floor.
I sighed and stood up, going over to my brother. “Oppa?” I knelt down beside him. “Seungri Oppa, yah, wake up.” I smacked his face gently. I sighed when he wouldn’t get up. “I give up. I’m too tired to try to revive my brother.” I started to get up, but noticed his piercing. I removed the spike and took his hand, pressing the sharp tip to his finger.
“YAH!” He sat up and on his slightly bleeding finger.
“I told you months ago you should’ve kept this damn thing out. But did you listen to me? Noooo.” I stood up and dragged my brother to the vacant seat beside Appa. “Sit down pabo.” I sat back in my chair.
Hoon pulled my feet back up and rubbed my ankles again.
“You can continue on Appa.” I set the spike piercing on the table out of my brother’s reach.
“Ok…since there is obviously some major tension and everyone is probably wondering what happened, I’ll help as best I can. Lizzie and Seung-hyun know everything about the past. I won’t dive into it because I know how my daughter feels.”
I adjusted the back of my chair and moved my toes when Hoon brushed his fingers gently against the bottom of my feet.
“Mom and I hid things from you and Seung-hyun, Li. We did it to protect you. Of course, your mother told you the story before she left us. Did you she tell you everything?”
“She started at the beginning and didn’t leave anything out, Daddy.” I bit my lip. “I understand fully why you kept it all from us, from everyone really.”
He reached over and laid his hand over mine. “I’m glad you do.”
I cleared my throat. “I’m glad I know the truth now…” I watched Aya go to my brother’s lap so she could rest against Jungie’s shoulder on the other side of Oppa.
“We’ll save that part for another day. I only needed you to understand it all.” He squeezed my hand gently. “The issue we need to focus on right now is all this drama that has been stirred up for years now.” He looked at his sister. “Did you even have any idea that our daughters knew one another when they were in school, Chiyo? Honestly, did you?”
My aunt bowed her head. “No, I didn’t. I didn’t even know you had a daughter Dongsun.”
Appa cleared his throat. “I watched Li go through so much in high school. It hurt a lot to see my own daughter, my angelic baby girl who wouldn’t hurt anybody, being hurt by someone who didn’t even know her that well. Then I come to find out that the same person who has been hurting my daughter happens to be your daughter. It disappointed me, Chiyo. My own sister couldn’t take enough interest in her own child and instead just lets her do whatever. Do you know how many nights Lin and I were in Lizzie’s room trying to comfort her? She was hurt so much that she moved away from home to come here just to get away from it after she graduated. Do you think I liked having my child in a different country? It doesn’t matter if she was with Kai, Ree, and Jung Hee, I didn’t like one second that I couldn’t see my daughter and hold her in my arms.”
I sniffled, seeing the tears in my father’s eyes. I remembered the hurt look on his face and the sadness in his eyes when I left Korea.
Appa looked at me. “I know you remember it as well as I do. The day you left,” he swallowed. “I thought I would die. I wasn’t used to having you away from home. I never did get used to it, either.”
I squeezed his hand tightly, keeping the pressure between our hands. “I cried the first few days I was here. I really didn’t know how it was to be away from home or you and Mama. It was really kind of intimidating, even if we lived here until I was three. I won’t lie, it was really hard leaving everyone in Korea.” I looked at Hoon. “I missed a lot of people when I left, but I came back as much as I could.” I put my forehead to the table when pain started to flare in my body. “Goddamn, why does this happen?”
Hoon rubbed my back. “Baby, are you ok?”
“My side and head hurts really badly.” I closed my eyes against the pounding in my head and put both hands over my ears. It only made things worse.
Hoon pulled me into his lap and slowly massaged my temples with one hand. “Is this better?”
“A little,” I murmured.
“You should stay and rest.”
“I want to go see Jiyong though.”
“I know you do, but you know what Soo Jin said.”
I pouted. “Screw what she said.”
“Baby,” he said a little firmly.
Appa chuckled. “I never thought I would see the day where Hoon loses his temper with you or you with him.”
“Oh believe me, I have more than once chewed him out in the past few months. It wasn’t even when I was pregnant. It was before.”
“Yeah, like when you yelled at me when my leg was still broken.”
“It technically is until you get your cast off.”
“Oh hush you,” he kissed my lips.
“You’ll let me go if you love me.”
“You’re crazy. I will always love you.”
I pouted and looked away from him. “Jerk.”
“I didn’t say no baby. It’s not like I can stop you anyways.” Hoon rubbed my back.
“You make such a good point with that.” I hugged his neck.
“Ok lovebirds, enough of that.”
I stuck my tongue out at my brother. “You don’t tell me what to do, Lee Seung-hyun.”
“I do, actually.”
“You do not. Are you my father? Are you my husband? I don’t think so. So shut the hell up.” I leaned back in my chair.
“Li…”
Appa laughed, shaking his head while he looked at Aya. “Your mommy can be pretty sassy, you know that Aya?”
Aya shrugged and went back to messing with my cousin.
I grinned. “I wonder where I learned that.”
My phone vibrated on my hip, and I opened the text on my phone.
Get back here, please. I’m alone, and I don’t like it. The docs said that I’m stressing out, and it’s causing my BP to go up.
I’ll be there soon.
I sighed. “I have to leave now.”
“Where to?” Appa looked at me.
I stood up. “Ji is stressing out and his blood pressure is going up. I need to go be with him so he won’t get worse.” I kissed my father’s cheek. “Sorry Daddy.”
“I understand baby.”
“I can use my phone and be on speaker so we can finish. I just can’t be here in person.”
“I’ll call your phone once you leave.”
I nodded.
Aya looked up. “Mommy, can I go?”
I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “You need to stay here, ok baby? Go to sleep when Ree or Jung Hee tells you to. Ok?”
She nodded.
“I packed a bag for you when I got home. It’s in the kitchen. Grab the bottle out of the fridge when you go down.”
I smiled at my aunt. “Thanks Ree.”
Mei looked at me. “I’ll be back for the night shift in a few hours. I’ll come check up on you.”
“Thanks Mei.” I kissed Hoon. “I love you baby.”
“I love you, too.”
I went downstairs, grabbed the bag Ree packed and the mysterious drink with Li on it, and then I left the house. I called Hoon’s phone as I pulled out of the gate. “Daddy,” I said after Hoon put me on speaker, “why didn’t you just leave the gate open?”
“I thought I had baby. I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok. So, continue on with this meeting thing.”
“Alright, going on. I think this whole thing is a problem. Chiyo, your daughter has had the worst possible infatuation with my son-in-law since they were kids. Do you know what started this all?”
“I have no clue. I didn’t even know my daughter knew him.”
I rolled my eyes. “ing lying ,” I thought. I put in my earpiece so I wouldn’t have to hold my cell while I was driving.
“Let me tell you a shortened summary of it all. Hoon and Min Jee dated in high school, but Hoon has always loved my daughter. They’ve been best friends since they met. He has always put her first before anything. I haven’t known one instance where Li has called Hoon when she needed someone and have him not come to her. I mean, she called him a lot when they were going through high school, and anytime she called, he’d be over as soon as he could. He’s devoted to her. But, you see, Min Jee didn’t like this.”
Hoon cleared his throat. “Appa, can I say something?”
“Go ahead Hoon.”
“When Min Jee and I first got together, I told her clearly, ‘look, I have a best friend who goes through a lot of things, and she’s very important to me. So, if I ever get a call from her, I may have to leave. Don’t worry, she has a boyfriend, but we’ve been best friends forever.’ I told her this so she wouldn’t worry if I ever just up and went to Li. It’s true, I’ve been in love with Li forever…”
“Love you, too, baby,” I murmured softly.
“…but, I was not going to just dump Min Jee because of that. Li wanted me to be happy and actually date people, so I did. Of course, then Min Jee wanted to talk really bad about Li, and it turns out she only wanted to be with me for Li’s boyfriend at the time, which was all another plan to get on Li’s bad side because she just hated Li. I never knew why, but ever since Lizzie and her met, Min Jee had unconditional hate. She went too far one day, saying some really nasty things about Lizzie in front of me, so I broke up with her. I was done with it. I wasn’t about to let anyone bad mouth my best friend. So, we went our ways, and I immediately went to Li’s house after.”
I remembered that day. Hoon came to my house, upset, but cheered up since we could spend time together because Ji was busy.
“It was really sad to see Min Jee be so childish and mess with Li. She was really stressed when Min Jee would say something to her. I tried to help calm her down, but sometimes even I couldn’t.”
I pulled into the hospital parking lot. “Baby, you always helped.” I got out of my car with my bag and went into the hospital again, getting in the elevator.
My father sighed. “I really don’t know what has gone through your daughter’s head all these years, but she has caused so much BS. We need to somehow come to an agreement.”
I walked past the receptionist’s desk, all the nurses there knew me from either my family or we were closely acquainted, and into Ji’s room. I set my bag down beside the door and went over to the bed, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “Ji?” I whispered softly to him.
“Baby?”
I sat on the side of the bed and let him lie his head in my lap. I his hair as he cried a little. “Ji, what’s wrong?”
“I was scared,” he admitted.
“Mianhae jagiya.”
“It’s ok.” I comforted Jiyong and listened to the conversation on the phone when Ji had fallen asleep. I got off the phone before they had finished because I couldn’t be on the phone anymore.
Raito came in and smiled a little. “Hey Li.”
“Hey. He was sweating like crazy when I came in here. He’s fine now.” I looked down at Ji, sleeping with his arms around my waist while his head leaned against me.
My uncle sat in the chair beside the bed. “He was really stressed earlier.”
“How bad was he?”
“You need to be here until we can make one hundred percent sure that he’ll be ok.”
I looked down at Ji. “Poor baby.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so freaked out, Li. The kid is seriously afraid of dying.”
“I know it, Uncle. I don’t really think it’s the fact that he’d be dead, though. I’m pretty sure that he would be really upset if he could never be with Aya and me again. I mean, Ji and I can’t be a real couple, but we can at least be with each other pretty often since we have our daughter. It scares him to think of life without me. It scares me, too. I don’t want Aya growing up without a father. Without her father,” I corrected.
Ji groaned in sleep. “Baby…”
“Ji, what’s wrong?”
“Stomach…”
“Lie normally Ji.”
“Don’t leave me.” He held me tighter.
“I won’t, Ji. I promise. I’m staying overnight.” I stood up when he finally let me go. I sat in the chair and let Raito examine him.
“You almost tore the stitches earlier. You’re lucky you didn’t, otherwise you’d be in even more pain.”
“I can face any amount, as long as Li is here with me.”
I smiled and kissed his hand. “I love you Ji.”
“I love you, too, Li baby.” He sighed in relief after pain killers flooded his system. “Thank you so much.”
My uncle smiled. “Just take it easy Jiyong. We won’t knock you out unless we have to.”
“Or unless Lizzie says you need to rest.” I squeezed Ji’s hand.
“How did you get Aya to stay home?”
“It was easy. I told her that she needed to stay and go to sleep when Ree or Jung Hee said she should. I bet Appa will keep Hoon entertained in the meantime. They always have gotten along so well.”
“I’ve always gotten along with your father.”
“But you aren’t my husband, now are you Ji?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m as good as your husband.”
“So I have three instead of two now. Great.”
“What? Who was the second?”
I laughed. “Eli is kind of my first.”
“What?”
“It’s a really long story. It was before I moved to Korea.”
“So when you lived in America?”
“Yeah. I really miss it sometimes.”
“Hey Li?”
“Hmm?”
Ji put his arms behind his head. “Remember how you told me that if you would’ve had Mason, your parents and you would’ve gone back to America? Why didn’t you go since you still had Aya?”
“It’s simple. I didn’t want to be that far from the people I loved. I moved to Japan instead. I at least have relatives in Japan. Plus, I was born here and lived the first three years of my life in this very city.”
“Did you miss it?”
“What?”
“Being away from everyone when you came here.”
“Of course I did, Ji.”
He pulled me over to sit on his waist. “Did you miss me, too?”
“Yongie, I always missed you.” I leaned down and kissed him softly.
He smiled. “Good.” He brushed through my hair with his fingers. “I miss having you to cuddle with before I go to sleep, and I miss having a beautiful woman in my arms since I don’t as often as I used to.”
I put my head on his shoulder. “I think I will always wonder if I made the right choice.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t tell you about Aya. But then, there’s always the thought if I made the right choice marrying Hoon. I just, I don’t know.”
“Well you always have me if something goes wrong.”
I squeezed Ji’s neck. “Yeah, that’s true.”
He rubbed my back. “I’m glad you’re staying with me Li.”
“I would hardly leave Hoon alone when he broke his leg, so I’m not going to leave you by yourself.”
“I love you, Li.”
“I love you, too.”
“Now, take a nap. You need to rest.”
I pouted. “You sound like Hoon when I was pregnant with Aya.”
“Well then you should do it. Rest yourself,” Ji kissed the top of my head.
“Fine.” I snuggled closer to him and closed my eyes. I slowly drifted to sleep since Ji was singing to me.
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