Haneul’s POV

“Skye~” Jace grabbed my hand, stopping me from starting the engine when we were in the car.

“Let go, Jace. I’m not in the mood for talks.” I said, trying to control myself.

“If not now, then when?” He asked.

“Fine. What is it?” I asked.

“Don’t you think you’re being a little too harsh on Junhyung? I mean, he did what he did for the sake of his friend, and the fact that he had came to me and accepted help..” I cut him off before he could finish.

“So are you saying I should go back in there and present him with an improvement award? At least this time he did not go straight into the arms of death. He accepted a little help from the angel. Wow, Jace. Wow~” I said.

He sighed and looked away.

“I would have appreciated it better if I was informed beforehand. I mean, did you think I would stop him from getting his friend out of it? Do you think I am upset because of this?” I asked.

He looked at me, not saying anything.

“This is going to sound very mean but you wouldn’t understand because you aren’t married. Your life partner is not someone who gets hurt so often to the point every waking moment is like horror. Don’t even talk about the sleeping moments. I can’t even close my eyes properly without knowing he is next to me. Do you have any idea how many times I wake up every night just to check if he was still next to me, or if he has came home? I don’t sound like Skye, am I right? Skye was never this paranoid. But look at me now. And don’t you dare ask me to chill because , if you were me… but you’ll never be me so forget it.” I said.

“You never told me any of this.” He muttered, but loud enough for me to hear.

“And so you could worry as well? What’s the point? Another person worrying for that idiot wouldn’t make a difference. He would still act in that way.” I said.

“I’m sorry, baby girl. I should have told you.” He said.

“Yea. I would have appreciated that.” I said.

“I’m sorry.” He said softly.

I did not give him an answer. I drove him back to his place.

“Are you going back to him?” He asked as he got off the car.

“I made myself clear just now, didn’t I?” I said.

“But he needs you..” He said softly.

“And how about me? Are my needs important?” I asked.

“Of course.” He said.

“I need sleep. I’m so tired I want to sleep forever, and I mean it. My only wish for now is that the moment I close my eyes later, I’ll never have to open them again.” I said.

I shut the door on his behalf and drove off, leaving him standing there.

When I arrived back home, I saw Minji dozing off on the couch. I had asked her to help me look after Ji Eun and Tae Hyun when I received the call from Jace telling me something had happened to Junhyung.

“You’re back.” She said, waking up at the slightest sound.

“Sorry, I woke you up.” I apologized.

“It’s fine. I wasn’t exactly asleep. How is he? Is he okay?” She asked worriedly.

“A little hurt, but alive.” I said.

“Thank God. Do you want something to eat? Are you going back to the hospital?” She asked.

I stared at her, not saying anything.

“W.. what’s wrong? Are you.. alright?” She asked.

I shook my head.

“I’m not alright. I want to die.” I said.

She ran towards me and pulled me into her embrace.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, caressing my back lightly.

I ended up crying like a baby in her arms.

“I’m very tired, Minji ah. I’m so tired of having to worry about him. I said really harsh words to him but why does no one understands the reason behind my words? I don’t want to lose him forever. I rather be mean to him than lose him.” I cried.

“Come.” She said, dragging me up to my room.

“Sit down.” She said, gesturing me to sit on my bed.

She cleaned my face, helped me get dressed, and then tucked me into bed.

“Haneul ah~ You’re so tired. You look like you’re going to pass out. You need a lot of rest, Haneul ah. Tonight, sleep in peace. I’ll be here all night. You don’t have to worry about a single thing. Just get a lot, a lot of sleep. Tomorrow will be another day. I don’t know if it’ll be better, but it’ll be a brand new day for sure.” She said as she smoothed my hair.

“What if I fall asleep and when I wake up, something happened to him?” I asked.

“Nothing will happen to him. He’ll be safe, and so will you and everyone else. Close your eyes, Haneul. Close your eyes and let yourself rest. You’ve been tired for too long.” She said.

I hugged Junhyung’s pillow and closed my eyes, drifting off into sleep, feeling his presence close to my heart.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt unusually rested. I did not wake up with a headache as I thought I would. I looked at the clock. It was noon. I had slept throughout the night without waking up, which was very rare. I looked around to find myself alone in the room. Minji was not beside me anymore. I washed up before heading downstairs where I heard laughter coming from the dining area.

“Oh! Look who’s awake?” I heard Seungho say.

“Umma!!” Ji Eun hugged me when she saw me.

“Slept well?” Seungho asked as he tried to balance Minki who was trying to stand on his shoulders.

I nodded.

“Good. But I didn’t. You claimed my wife.” He said with a slight pout.

“I’m sorry.” I said.

“Just kidding.” He grinned.

“WALK, DEEDEE!! WALK!!” Minki stomped her foot on his shoulder.

“Ahh ahh! Don’t moveeeeee!!” He whined.

“Oh! You’re awake! Look! Your son is cooking!” Minji pointed at Tae Hyun who was at the stove, stirring a pot of something.

“Umma!” Tae Hyun smiled.

“What are you cooking?” I asked as I walked closer to him.

“Porridge for Appa and you!” He said proudly.

“I can understand the porridge for Appa, but why me as well?” I asked.

“Because Umma you look sick.” He pouted as he cupped my cheeks.

“I’m not sick.” I laughed.

“Just now you looked sick. Now you don’t. Because you’re smiling!” He squeezed my cheeks.

“And your porridge is burning~” I smiled at him.

“OMOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” He squealed like an ahjumma.

“How was sleep?” Minji asked.

“One of the best ones ever.” I said.

“Good.” She smiled.

“Did you manage to get any sleep?” I asked.

“Do I look like I have slept?” She asked, pointing to her eyes.

“Me too! I did not sleep too!” Seungho said, trying to look cute to his wife by pouting and sticking his face close to hers.

“Aye~ Your dark circles are permanent.” Minji said, pushing Seungho’s face away.

I laughed loudly at that statement, earning a glare from Seungho.

“Are you going to visit Junhyung later?” Minji asked.

I nodded as I ate the porridge Tae Hyun ‘cooked’.

“What are you doing?” I asked when Ji Eun kept adding bits of bread into my porridge.

“Bread porridge!” She grinned.

“Are you sure there’s such a thing?” I asked.

She nodded and pointed at my bowl.

“Right~” I muttered, pinching her cheeks.

“When is Appa coming home? Can we go see him?” She asked.

“He’ll be home soon.” I said.

“So we can’t go see him?” She asked.

“Not today.” I said.

“Ouh.” She pouted.

“Maybe tomorrow?” I asked.

She smiled and nodded.

She grabbed my phone and took a selca of herself.

“What is this for?” I asked.

“In case Appa forget my face!” She giggled.

“As if your face is something easily forgotten.” I said.

She just kept laughing, not saying anything at all.

“Pass this to Appa!” Tae Hyun said as he handed me a heart-shape Tupperware.

“And this too!!!” Ji Eun ran over with a can of Coke.

“Do you need me to send you over?” Seungho asked.

“Nope. I’ll drive.” I said.

“You sure?” He asked.

“I’m sure. I’ll have to go somewhere first anyway.” I said.

“Alright then. Leave the kids to us. We’ll take good care of them.” He said.

“Thank you so much. You two little monsters, please be good.” I said.

They nodded innocently, but I could tell behind their smiles were devilish plots.

***
Junhyung’s POV

I opened my eyes to find myself in the room. Haneul did not come back. She was serious.

I sat upright thinking it was Haneul when I heard a knock on the door, but I was disappointed when I saw that it was the nurse instead.

“You’re up. Your friends came by just now but you were still asleep.” She said.

“My… fri… ends?” I asked.

“Yea. The five guys.” She said.

“Oh.” I muttered. No Haneul~

She took my blood pressure and temperature, and then proceed on to checking on my wounds.

“The doctor said that you may want to try eating porridge or anything soft. Do you want something?” She asked.

I shook my head.

“Alright then. But you got to eat at least a bit today. Can I serve you food later on?” She asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. She sighed and smiled before leaving the room. I heard her talk to someone outside the room, and then the door opened again. I smiled at the sight of the person. Haneul. But she did not seem happy.

“How are you feeling?” She asked.

“Go.. od.” I said.

“The nurse said you refused food.” She said.

“Not.. hung..ry.” I said.

“Right. You’re never hungry.” She said sarcastically.

“Because… it’s.. pa…inful.” I said.

She looked at me, her expression softened.

“But you still got to eat at least a bit.” She said.

I nodded.

“Tae Hyun cooked, or rather, stirred porridge for you. Eat it later when you’re hungry then.” She said, placing a Tupperware onto the table.

“And Ji Eun wants me to pass you this,” She said, putting a can of Coke down too.

“But I don’t think you can drink it yet. Then again, if you want to drink, it’s your choice. Your life, after all.” She said.

I looked at her sadly, but she looked away.

“And this too.” She said, showing me a selca of Ji Eun.

“She said she was afraid you would forget her face.” She said.

I chuckled at Ji Eun’s cuteness. How could I ever forget her face? Is it even possible?

“One more thing.” She said.

I looked up at her. She was clutching onto something tightly in her bag, and then she pulled it out. A brown envelope. She stared at me, not saying anything.

“What’s… that?” I asked.

She pulled out a stack of paper from the envelope and placed it in front of me. I choked on my own breath. Divorce papers?

“What…?” I muttered.

“Did you think my words yesterday were simply out of anger?” She asked.

I shook my head.

She pulled out a pen from her pocket. I grabbed her hand, not letting her sign on the paper.

“Don’t.” I cried.

“Let go.” She said coldly.

“Please… Is this.. nece..ssary?” I asked.

“I said, let go.” She glared at me.

I let go of her. Tears flowed over my cheeks as I watch her sign on the dotted line. My heart ached so much I could hardly breathe.

“Don’t worry. I’m keeping to my promise. I said I’ll forgive you for the last time, and I would.” She said as she put the papers back into the envelope.

I looked at her, confused.

“Keep this well. The next time you try to kill yourself, I don’t think you need me to tell you what to do. You will sign above your own name and hand it to the lawyer yourself.” She said.

“Why… are you.. doing this?” I asked.

“Why? Ask yourself why.” She said.

“Do you… hate me?” I asked.

“Hate you? I wish I could. I really wish I could.” She said.

“Please..” I pleaded.

“Eat and rest well. Don’t let your kids’ efforts go to waste.” She said as she grabbed her bag.

“You’re.. leaving?” I asked.

“There’s something I have to do. But I’ll come back later.” She said.

She walked out of the room, not even turning back. I stared at the envelope and cried my eyes out. Haneul is serious this time. She is not being softhearted. I am just one-step away from losing the love of my life. Why did we have to end up like this? What have I done? If I cried hard enough, would I be able to soak the whole envelope with my tears and thus smudging her signature?