CHAPTER 14

“Uhm.. When are we gonna leave this house, Mrs. Lee?” She asked in a straight face while looking at Donghae’s direction.

Donghae can’t help but shiver as she spoke her sentence while looking at him. It is undeniable that she still has this effect on his system, whether she’s happy, mad, or sad. He heard his mother spoke softly, asking her why. And again, she looked at him with that icy cold eyes piercing into his body while answering.

“We’re just the caretakers of your house. Now that you’re back, don’t you think that it is inappropriate for us to live together with you?” Jessica said, though she really didn’t want to be away from her Aiden. Maybe her defenses are acting up for her so that she won’t experience that pain that she had experienced repeatedly when they were younger. Mrs. Lee didn’t spoke and just stared at Jessica’s face. Cold expression is written all over and she definitely knows the reason why.

Standing by the door, watching the snow fall, Mrs. Lee was in shock after hearing “I like someone, eommeoni.” From a 10-year old Jessica while tears are falling from her face. She gently wiped her tears away before smiling to her.

“Then why are you crying?” Mrs. Lee asked Jessica.

“Because he hates me. And. And. It.. it hurts.. A lot. He… he… hates.. me..” Jessica answered in between sobs, hugging the lady in front of her in the process. The elder, who’s still in shock, tried to comfort the girl in front of her.

“Maybe, he’s just hiding his feelings for you.”

“No. I observe him in any way I can without him noticing, but he’s still distant to me. No, I was never close to him. And it hurts. I even confessed to him yesterday, but he just laughed at me, telling me that it was the greatest joke he has ever heard. Eommeoni~ it hurts so much! I never thought that liking will be like this. Eotteokhae, eommeoni? Eotteokhae?” Jessica blurted it all out while her cries got louder and louder. Mrs. Lee can feel the sincerity of her emotions so she decided to let her cry her emotions out. However, she’s curious on who Jessica is pertaining to. It’s not that Jessica is the type to go out and play. She actually only plays with her son, if that would be even called playing. So she decided to ask who that boy is.

“Aiden oppa.” Was all that Jessica can utter in between her sobs, yet it still created a big impact to Mrs. Lee. Her eyes grew large at the confession, at the same time because she saw his son looking at their way, tears also present in his eyes, looking at Sooyeon. This is the first time she saw his son tear up after his father died. Though they are still kids, she can’t help but think Jessica and Aiden as a couple several years from now. She continued caressing the crying girl’s back as she followed her son’s leaving figure.

The night after Jessica confessed her feelings to Mrs. Lee, she heard Aiden talking to his mother.

“Mom, can we go to Korea?”

“Sure, son. After this semester, we’re going to have a vacation with Mr. Jung and Jessie.”

“Uhm. I mean, for good. Let’s just live there. I don’t want to be here anymore.” He said.

“Why?” However, Jessica heard no voice coming out from her Aiden oppa, tears are already falling from her eyes when she heard her father called him.

“Oh, Jessie, why are you crying?” She snuggled into her father when she felt that Mrs. Lee and Aiden came out of their room to check out what’s happening.

“I- I- I miss Mommy. I want to be hugged by Mommy.” She blurted out to cover up that she actually heard the other party’s conversation. She saw Aiden looking at her, however, she can’t explain the emotion that is currently present in his eyes so she just tugged on to her father to carry her.

Two days after, the Lee’s are gone.

Mrs. Lee was distracted from her thoughts when she heard Seunghyun spoke.

“Let’s talk about this after dinner.” Calm yet stern it is. Jessica just nodded and stood from her seat.

“Sorry, I really don’t have the appetite. Excuse me.” She said then weakly walked to her room and locked up. Donghae, who lost his appetite as well, just followed her by his eyes until she was out of sight. He sighed, confused of what’s happening, and forced himself to finish his food. He can tell that Dara is now looking at her, but he did not care. He’s too busy analyzing his own emotions towards Jessica.

“Thank you for the dinner, Mr. Jung. It was great. I’ll get going. Bye.” Dara said and went out of the house. Jessica, who already went down, walked her out.

“I’m fine. Thanks, Jess.” Dara warmly said. Jessica gave her a small smile then nodded.

“Talk to me if you can’t handle the burden anymore, alright?” Dara reminded which brought a quite wider smile from the other.

“I will. Good night and take care.” Jessica said and went back inside to see her father on the couch.

“Ah. Daddy, where’s Mrs. Lee?” She asked carefully while sitting beside him.

“She volunteered to do the dishes. We have to talk Jessie.” He said in a stern voice that made her look down and play with her fingers.

“Why’d you do that?” He asked, pertaining to her attitude over the dinner.

“I’m.. well, it’s the right thing to do.” She answered, though uncertain.

“Do you want to move out?” Her father asked in a softer tone.

“Yes.” Jessica said as a tear fell from her eyes, his father hugged her immediately, not wanting to see his daughter hurt.

“Alright. Let’s get that apartment beside the Kwon’s.” He said after several minutes. He has always been planning to move to that apartment, but he decided not to cause he felt that her daughter wants to be in a place where her memories of her first love is. However, today is a different situation and he wants to get her out of that place as soon as possible.

“Thanks, Dad.” Jessica lightens up and kissed her father in his cheek. “You’re really the best!” She added then went to her room immediately. His father heaved a deep sigh of relief and smiled, knowing that his daughter is ready to move on.

Without Jessica and her father’s knowing, Aiden eavesdropped on their conversation. He clutched his chest where his heart is and he felt that it is throbbing furiously.