You were rummaging around in your bag for your phone and purse, you could feel a watchful gaze on you.

“You know, staring is rude,” you said casually, not looking up.

Jaejoong laughed out loud. “You know, I hate it when you do this.”

“Do what?”

You turned around and was startled at how close he suddenly was, you hadn’t heard him move at all. Times such as this, was when you truly understood why Jaejoong had been the most notorious gangster in Korea…was being the keyword. You still weren’t sure if he had completely left that life.

“When you talk to me but don’t look at me,” he said slowly, sensually. The warmth from his body rippled through yours, searing right through you.

“Please don’t make it more complicating than it already is,” you begged him quietly. “I-I need time to think.”

He your cheek, his touch sending pleasant shivers down your spine. “And time you shall get, but I want you to know, that Geun Suk isn’t the only guy that craves your true feelings.”

You were speechless.

Jaejoong let out a large breath. “So, you were looking for something in your bag?”

You nodded, still in a daze. “Yeah…urm…SangHee, wanted to get some cake.”

You could hear your blood rushing around your body, your heart beating so hard. It was like 5 years ago, your heart reacted like this whenever you were around him…Jaejoong.

Jaejoong took your hand and gently tugged you close. “Then let’s go.”

When the two of you went back outside, you were surprised to see everyone having a good time. They were splashing and playing in the river, Onew had SangHee on his back. His face screwed up in pain as she held onto his hair, moving his head left to right as if he was a horse, but he didn’t protest.

“Yah! Are you out of your mind?!” Jaejoong yelled, his fatherly instincts kicking in. However, you held onto his arm.

“Let her play,” you told him. “She deserves this, after everything she’s been through.”

Jaejoong flinched when he saw Seung Ri splash SangHee, it was like he needed to protect his daughter from them. *But ~~~~~~’s right, she needs to laugh. To have a normal childhood.*

“We’re going to go and get some cake for you sweetie,” you said. “We’ll be back soon.”

“Make sure to look after her,” Jaejoong said to Yunho and Micky.

-

-

-

You sighed. “It’s so nice out here, so quiet and peaceful. No car horns blaring like in Seoul.”

Jaejoong watched you close your eyes and breathe in, the smile that appeared made his heart flutter. *She’s so beautiful.*

“How is SangHee?” Jaejoong finally asked. “After she was kidnapped by the ring leader.”

“She was fine, a lot better than I would have thought. Maybe it’s because she had Onew, if she didn’t…I don’t know what she would be like.”

Jaejoong nodded, relieved. “That’s good.”

You cleared your throat. “Actually. I wanted to know…how you knew the ring leader.”

Jaejoong didn’t answer.

“I-I mean, only if you’re comfortable talking about it,” you said quickly. Not wanting to make him feel like he had to tell you.

Jaejoong shook his head. “No, its fine,” he sighed heavily. “The ring leader’s real name is Jung Ji Hoon, but apparently goes by the name Rain now. You most probably won’t find a Ji Hoon on the database, he was never registered.”

“Oh, wait. Rain? Is he a gangster too?”

“Last time I saw him, was before…Cha Sung had split up from my parents and your father. Ji Hoon and I, we were friends. Hell, people thought we were blood brothers. But Ji Hoon was the type that wanted to please.”

You swallowed. “I can’t believe he’s Cha Sung’s son. I-I killed his father.”

Jaejoong pulled you to a stop and cupped your face carefully into his hands. “Hey, Cha Sung deserved it. After everything he had done to me, to Ki Nam, to the crew and to you. You did the right thing.”

He leaned in to kiss your forehead, and when his lips pressed against your skin, you felt like you were being burnt alive. The desire for Jaejoong raging inside of you was so painful, you swore you were going to pounce on him like he said you would.

If this was how you reacted when he kissed you on your forehead, what would your reaction be when he kissed you on the lips? You didn’t want to think about it.

The two of you carried on walking, this time you were walking hand in hand. Jaejoong smiled at this skin ship, it was so…childish and almost frigid. But he would rather be holding hands with you then not holding hands at all.

“But I can understand why he’s angry at me. I killed his father.”

Jaejoong’s eyes grew hard. “I wouldn’t be so sure he grieved his father’s death too much. Cha Sung was a to Ji Hoon, whatever Ji Hoon did, it just wasn’t good enough. I hate Cha Sung more for making Ji Hoon the way he is today.”

Jaejoong’s mind was full of memories of the past, him and Ji Hoon were good friends. And all because of one man, that friendship was ruined.

“Cha Sung even beat Ji Hoon when he was in a really bad mood, my father and mother told Cha Sung to stop but he said it was ‘teaching the boy a lesson’. I regret not being able to help Ji Hoon.”

You squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Oppa, it’s not your fault.”

They’d all be through so much. You couldn’t even begin to comprehend the pain all of them have had to go through. Yes, your mother left but she never laid a finger on you. Your father was overprotective but it was because he loved you.

Jaejoong and the others had seen so much horror, so much suffering that you felt even guiltier to add to Jaejoong’s pain. *When I left him with our baby, I must have hurt him so much. He didn’t even know if the baby was a boy or a girl.*

Jaejoong sighed. “It is, I should have worked harder to make Ji Hoon understand that Cha Sung was in the wrong and not me or my family. Any sort of brotherly feelings I had for him was severed the moment I found he was the one that kidnapped SangHee.”

“Jaejoong oppa. I’m so sorry, my family has caused yours so much hurt.”

He cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“My father, I don’t know how you could stand here before me and have a normal conversation when you know that my father was the one that killed your parents,” you rasped. Your throat felt tight as tears threatened to spill out.

Jaejoong paused then pulled you close. “I can stand here because I’ve seen who you truly are, you’re a woman who hides from the world because you’re afraid of what will happen. You’re a fantastic mother to our daughter. You are Park ~~~~~~, and you are nothing like your father.”

Jaejoong hugged you tightly, you wrapped your arms around his waist and breathed in his familiar scent that you had missed so dearly. You remembered snuggling next to him late at night, the way he kissed you with so much love that it made you giddy.

Right now, you were giddy.

Jaejoong’s entire body felt warm and electrified, every single one of his nerve cells were standing on alert. Your presence did strange but pleasant things to his body, that brought a smile to his lips.

“Shall we get those cakes then?” he asked with a more cheerful tone. You pulled away and nodded.

Jaejoong swung your arm happily, and by the time you two reached the small village bakery, his cheeks hurt from smiling so much. He smiled even wider when you didn’t drop his hand at the bakery, he stared down at the skinship.

*I want to hold onto you and SangHee forever.*

=====

Hope you enjoyed ^^ hehe