Chapter 19

Fifteen minutes later, Yul’s face flashed across the screen. Yoona turned the volume up, careful not to disturb the baby with her movements. Her eyes widened at his announcement. “I am pleased to announce that I have signed for three seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats,” he said. “I will begin playing with them as soon as practice resumes and I will be starting in their first game against the L.A. Lakers next season,” he started. He went on to say that he was excited to start playing with them and even more excited to be able to find a place to call home, being that he had signed for three seasons as opposed to his original plan of one.

“He said he’d never do that,” Yoona whispered.

“Do what?” Yoonhee asked.

“Sign for more than one season at a time,” Yoona said bewildered.

Yoonhee gave a pointed look. “It seems to me like your husband is interested in putting down some roots,” she said.

“Don’t call him my husband,” Yoona said firmly.

Yoonhee stood up. “I am so not going to play this game with you,” she said. “I’m going to take care of the groceries I left on the counter.”

Yoona placed a now sleeping baby into the car seat beside her and tucked a blanket around him, then struggled to get to her feet. She grabbed her crutches and went into the kitchen. “What game?” Yoona asked.

Yoonhee rolled her eyes. “The one where you act all... like you’re shacking up with your husband and sleeping with him every night.”

Yoona’s eyes widened at her sister’s shrewdness.

“Yeah, that’s right! It’s obvious that you two are sleeping together.”

“How is it obvious?” Yoona asked, her voice rising.

Yoonhee peeked out from the behind the refrigerator door. “For one thing, your husband is walking around with a very satisfied grin on his face. Good job, by the way,” she teased.

Yoona’s face reddened. “And for another?” she prompted, looking more for more proof.

“You’re married to the guy, and he’s handsome as sin. You can only live in a house with something like that for so long before you give in and attack it,” she said dryly, closing the refrigerator door. Yoona rolled her eyes and sat down at the table. Yoonhee sat down across from her. “You need to either leave or decide to stay,” she told her sister.

“What is with everyone and brutal honesty?” Yoona said. “What about being sympathetic to the girl who almost died in a car accident?”

“I’m too busy being sympathetic to the husband who’s falling in love with his wife all over again.”

“Yul only thinks he loves me,” Yoona said.

“What?” Yoonhee asked in disbelief.

“He doesn’t even know me anymore. I’m different person.”

“You’ve matured, you haven’t morphed,” Yoonhee said.

“I don’t expect you to understand.”

“I talked to Tiffany,” Yoonhee said softly.

Yoona sighed. “Figures.”

“She’s worried about you.”

“I’m a big girl.”

“Yeah? Well then put on your big girl and tell your husband you still love him!”

“It’s not so easy,” Yoona said.

“Yoona, I love you. Wow! That was hard,” Yoonhee teased. “Exhausting, I might even need a nap now.”

“Stop being so overdramatic!” Yoona said laughing. “So, you’re leaving tomorrow, huh?” she asked changing the subject.

“Yeah,” Yoonhee said softly. “It was great spending time with you.”

Yoona reached across the table and took her sister’s hand in one of hers. “Yeah, it was,” she agreed. “And I loved meeting my new nephew.”

Yul froze in his tracks at the sight of Yoona and Yul Jr. II. She was lying on the couch, fast asleep, with her nephew also asleep on her chest. He felt like he’d been transported back five and a half years in time. He could just as easily have been walking in from basketball practice in college and Yoona could have been asleep with Yul Jr. on her chest. He blinked back the onslaught of tears that threatened, then walked up the stairs and put his suitcase in Yoona’s... or for now, their bedroom. After taking a shower and changing he went back downstairs and into the living room. He walked softly over to the couch and gently lifted Yul Jr. II out of Yoona’s arms. She opened her eyes slowly then sat up quickly at the sight of him. He smiled at her. “Hey,” he said sitting down beside her after she swung her legs over the side of the couch so she was sitting up. “I’ve missed you,” she said.

“I missed you too,” he said leaning over and giving her a kiss on the forehead. “Where’s your sister?” he asked.

“Oh, she went out with some old high school friends,” she told him. She sighed, watching him hold her nephew. “I forgot how handsome you look holding a baby,” she teased.

He grinned. “It does make me look kind of masculine, doesn’t it?”

She laughed. “Yeah, especially when you have a burp cloth thrown up over your shoulder,” There was a slight pause as Yul studied the baby he was holding. “So, three years?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said.

“What made you change your mind?” she asked.

“I told you, it’s about coming home, Yoong and not for just a year. I want to come home forever,” he said earnestly. “And I want you to come home with me,” he said.

“Yul, I...”

He lifted a finger to her lips. “Don’t say anything right now. Just... promise me you’ll think about it, Yoona.”

She looked into his eyes, unable to tear her own away at the sincerity she saw in them. She swallowed past the lump in and nodded uncertainly. Yoona wasn’t sure anymore that when the time came, she’d be able to leave him and that thought was enough to terrify her.

THE NEXT DAY

“It’s going to be fine,” Yul said from behind Yoona. She was standing at the front door, watching Yoonhee drive away.

She swallowed past the lump in . “I know it will,” she said sadly. “I’m just going to miss her.”

Yul grinned. “Yeah, I caught that while I was mopping up your flood of tears,” he teased.

Yoona sighed and then turned around, moving away from the door and closing it behind her. “Do you know it was the first time I’ve seen her in almost a year?” she asked moving to the couch.

“Really?” Yul asked surprised. “You and Yoonhee have always been so close.”

“I know,” Yoona said softly. “But I’ve just been so busy, and ... that’s not an excuse is it?” she said as she sat down.

Yul sat down beside her and shrugged. “That’s not for me to decide,” he said.

Yoona nodded. “Yeah, I know, but the truth is it’s not an excuse.” There was short pause. “Did you ever think you’d be this busy?” she asked. “I mean... when you were younger. It seemed like you had all the time in the world, and now, there aren’t enough hours in the day to fit everything in.”

“Like lovemaking?” he asked, leaning over and kissing her on the neck. She shivered involuntarily.

She giggled. “Yul, my sister has been gone for all of five minutes!”

He rolled his eyes. “I know! She almost overstayed her welcome,” he teased.

“Stop! You loved having her here!” Yoona told him.

“I did,” he admitted. “I love how happy she made you.”

Yoona smiled at him. “Thank you again for flying her in.”

“You’re welcome,” he said softly. He took her hand in his and laced them together, then lifted their hands to his lips and placed a kiss on hers. “So, Kwon ‘Im’ Yoona, what do you want to do with the rest of the afternoon?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “What do you want to do?”

His eyes took on a wicked gleam and Yoona laughed. “You are so predictable Kwon Yul.”

“Yes, but am I about to get lucky?” he asked.

She bit her lower lip and cocked an eyebrow at him. “You bet.”

“So, was your manager surprised when you told him you wanted to sign for three years?” Yoona asked pulling the sheet up under her arms and leaning her head on Yul’s shoulder. He immediately wrapped an arm around her, pulling her as close as possible.

“Oh, yes,” Yul told her. “He tried to talk me out of it.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that this only signing for one year at a time thing was making me the most sought after player in NBA and that I could make more money that way.”

Yoona nodded. “He was probably right,” she said.

“Yeah, he probably was, but it’s like I said. It’s not about money, Yoong.”

She nodded in agreement. He looked down at her and couldn’t resist. He placed a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes and smiled at the contact.

“So, what did you and Yoonhee do while I was gone?” he asked. He was supposed to have been gone for five days, but he’d gotten home after three, keeping his promise to Yoona. He’d flown home as soon as possible. That was yesterday. Now Yoonhee had just left.

“We just talked and admired the baby,” Yoona said.

“He was gorgeous,” Yul said.

“He was and she does a great job with him. Sometimes I still can’t believe she settled down.”

“I know. It seems like yesterday she was sleeping on our couch.”

“Us walking into the living room meeting a new guy every morning?”

“Ewww!” Yul said. “I hated that. I am so glad she’d changed.”

Yoona laughed. “Me, too,” she agreed.

“Yoona?” he said quietly after a minute of silence.

“Yeah?” she said, looking up at him.

“Will you tell me who you were meeting at the restaurant the day of your accident?” he asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

Yoona shook her head no, letting him know that she wasn’t willing to share that information with him.

He decided for now to let it go. They lay there for a few minutes neither one saying anything, and then Yul heard Yoona sigh. It sounded like a sigh of contentment, but he couldn’t be sure and he didn’t want to read too much into it. “Yoong?” he asked again.

“Yeah?”

“What were you thinking just then?” he asked.

He watched as she chewed on her lower lip, seeing the indecision play across her face. She sighed again. “Honestly?”

“Always.”

“That I could get used to this,” she whispered.

“I could get used to you getting used to this,” He sat up, forcing her to sit up, too. “Stay with me, Yoona. Stay with me always and forever,” he said looking into her eyes.

She looked back into his not saying anything.

“Stay with me Yoona,” he said again with more conviction.

She bit her lower lip and did the only thing she could. She nodded.

He took her face in his and leaned down, giving her a fierce kiss. “I love you, Yoona,” he said when he pulled away.

“I love you, too,” she said huskily.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest onto her tightly.

“Yoona?” Yul said the next morning through the shower curtain.

“Yeah,” she asked, and peek her hand out.

He placed his toothbrush back in its holder, then leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I’m going to the gym with Jesse and then we’re going to play at the River court,” he reminded her.

“Okay, has fun,” she told him closing the shower curtain again.

“I will,” he said. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye,” she said. She screamed when he unexpectedly threw the shower curtain open and leaned under the streaming water to give her another kiss.

“I love you,” he told her, water running down his face and neck.

“I love you too,” she said breathlessly.