CHAPTER 17

 

 

Yuri finally arrived at her apartment. She was dead tired but she wanted to check on Yoona and Ara first. She went straight to her

bedroom to find a still sleeping figure of Ara with Yoona beside her. 

 

She was happy that Yoona kept her baby company the whole night, another reason why Yuri certainly is in debt with Yoona. 

 

She decided to freshen up first before she plunges onto her bed. Yoona might have been woken up by the noises coming from the shower so she stood up to check who it was.

 

“Yuri?!” she called as she leaned closer to the shower door.

 

“Oh Yoong! Yes it’s me I’ll be out in a minute!” she shouted from inside the shower.

 

“Arasso. I’ll make breakfast!” Yoona exited towards the kitchen.

 

 

Yuri came out of the bathroom and sat next to Yoona who was now eating the pancakes she made for breakfast.

 

“Where did you sleep?” Yoona asked facing her.

 

“Uhm. I haven’t slept yet but I stayed the night at Yunho’s.”  she said coolly.

 

“WHAT???!!” Yoona gasped almost choking. Yuri helped her with a glass of water.

 

“Yah! You’ll choke yourself!” she scolded handling another glass of water.

 

“So, does that mean you and Yunho Oppa are finally back together?” she asked anticipating the other’s reply.

 

“No.” she said bluntly. 

 

“Too bad.”Yoona pouted and continued eating. Yuri can’t help but smile at Yoona’s childishness. She’s prettier when she pouts.

 

 

After a few more moments Yuri told Yoona that she would be taking care of Ara the whole day since Minho gave her a day off from work. Yoona excused herself since she has to check on her business which she hasn’t been paying too much attention to lately but is still glad to be of help for Yuri.

 

When Yoona left, Yuri positioned to sleep beside Ara who was still engrossed in her deep sleep. She kissed her chubby cheeks before dozing off. Not long enough she was already deep in her sleep. The events from last night surely drained the energy off of her.

 

More than an hour passed Yuri was woken up by a series of knocks coming from her door. She blinked her eyes before standing up and motioned through the door. 

 

‘Aish! Who could this be now?’ She thought.

 

She was a bit pissed off that she has to be woken up from her sleep and whoever was behind that door would really get a beating from her.

 

She swung the door open only to find a grinning Yunho who was dressed on his casual clothes holding two large grocery bags on both hands. Her eyes widened earning a small chuckle from the guy standing outside her door.

 

‘What’s he doing here?’ she thought as she fixed her gaze at him.

 

“Yah! What took you so long to open the door?”  Yunho whined. Yuri was still glued on her feet thinking how she would treat her sudden visitor. She stood almost blocking him from entering.

 

“Aish! What are you doing here?” she asked nervously.

 

But Yunho seems to not hear her statements instead he gave her a nod and said, “Thank you for letting me in.” and passed through her while grinning widely leaving her standing irritably at the door. She sighed in defeat as he successfully entered her home.

 

She closed the door and saw him placing the grocery bags on the kitchen. He doesn’t seem to mind the unwelcoming aura Yuri is giving him and just proceeds to what he was doing.

 

“Yah! Why did you buy all those?” she said with one eyebrow raised.

 

He looked at her and gave his cheerful smile. Yuri looked down trying hard not to blush on his oh-so-cute smile.

 

She swears she definitely looks like some teenager receiving a wink from a playboy crush. He’s so carefree at the moment totally different from the drunken one from last night.

 

“You told me to visit the grocery store so that’s what I did.” he replied and continued unpacking while she stood there motionless.

 

“I told you to fill YOUR fridge not MINE!” she growled at him but he seems to not mind and didn’t answer.

 

“YAH!” Yuri finally let it slip earning chuckles from the man who suddenly stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

 

“Look. I wouldn’t mind not filing my own fridge as long as I fill yours. Besides I’m the one who should be feeding you and my daughter.” he sounded pretty earnest. 

 

She felt dumbstruck when she heard him say those words. She could’ve retaliated but his words were just too moving. She decided to just let him do what he wants but never let her guard down.

 

“Thanks for taking care of me last night.” he said without looking at her and just continued unpacking the groceries one by one.

 

“Just don’t do it again alright. You were an last night.” she replied coolly with an obvious concern with her voice.

 

She suddenly remembered the cause of his drunkenness was their fight back at the hotel. She felt responsible about his actions and felt the urge to finally explain why she had said those.

 

“Uhm about last night. What I said about me and Minho, I hope you do not really believe those…..  Have you?” her trembling voice didn’t escape Yunho and that was enough for him to believe that she was telling the truth. 

 

God knows how hard he prayed that she was just bluffing and he can’t help but to rejoice upon hearing that his expectations were true. But he didn’t regret having been drunk last night for it confirmed that Yuri still cares and loves him.

 

“I almost did but I was hoping that you were just bluffing. Although waiting for you to get back what you said made me end up swimming in alcohol at a bar, I didn’t regret anything…..” he paused and looked at her directly in the eye.

 

Then he continued, “….because I have confirmed to myself that you still love me.” 

 

He gave her his best smile before he continued what he was doing while she was still glued to her feet watching his every move.

 

She didn't dare to fight him since they both knew they still love each other badly but it is not her love that he needs to gain but her trust. 

 

There was an awkward silence but it was not for long till they heard a loud wailing from her room.Both of them dashed to her room and attended to Ara who seemed to be awoken by their bickering.

 

“Hush now baby, are you hungry?” Yuri said while she carried her.

 

“Can I carry her?” Yunho suddenly asked. She almost forgot his presence.

 

Ara slowly opened her cute puffy eyes and seems to have heard a familiar voice. Slowly her wailing stopped and was replaced with excited giggles as she opened her cute little hands for her dad to hold.

 

Yuri was stunned at the beautiful sight in front of her. She knows her daughter misses her father just as she misses him.

She moved closer to Yunho and placed Ara in his arms. 

 

“Woah! You’ve grown heavier my baby.” Yunho happily teased. 

 

Ara was giggling non-stop as Yunho tried to sway her from left to right. Yuri slowly leaned beside the door of her room with her arms crossed over her chest as she admires the view.

 

‘I miss this.’ She thought to herself with a sigh.

 

This was exactly the sight she will wake up to when they were still together at his home. Yunho playing with Ara and with her, lovingly gazing at her family. She misses those days and wished she could still wake up to those.

 

“I miss this.” Yunho interrupted her daydreaming.

 

Yuri averted her gaze to the side and replied coldly, “I don’t.”

 

Yunho let out a small laugh. He knows when Yuri is lying and she’s definitely lying this time. 

 

“I knew you’d say that.” he said while chuckling.

 

Yuri returned her gaze at him. ‘Am I that obvious?’ she thought.

 

“Uhm, I’ll go get Ara’s milk and then I’ll start making lunch. It’s almost lunch.” She said trying to change the topic. 

 

She hurriedly rushed to the kitchen to get Ara’s milk. 

 

She returned with the milk and moved closer to them to give Ara her food. She kept a hold of the bottle while Yunho carries Ara in his arms. 

 

Yuri could feel a pair of eyes looking at her while she feeds Ara and when she looked up, there she met the owner of the pair of eyes. 

 

He was looking at her lovingly like he was holding on to dear life. He can’t help but to admire her face. She was still stunning even is she’s pulling a serious face on him. 

 

“What?” she asked returning him to his consciousness.

 

“Uhm, nothing. I was just admiring the view.” He smirked at her.

 

“Whatever.” she rolled her eyes at him.

 

She turned away from him trying to hide her face which was already slowly turning red from anger—or maybe from blushing.

 

“There, already finished. I’ll go make us some lunch.” She tried to make an excuse to get away from his melting stare.

 

When she was about to go, he pulled her wrist and pecked her lips. It was as if the world had stopped revolving. 

 

His kiss was the only thing in the world that could keep her to the ground even though she was feeling high. It was her drug. It was so addictive that she almost felt like dying when they parted and she can no longer have her daily dose of it. But now she has to go under rehab.  She needs to restrain from taking her drug to give him a lesson.

 

“YAH!” she whined hitting his arms.

 

“What? I always do that!” he said while laughing at her whining.

 

“I broke up with you! That’s reason enough for you to ask permission before kissing me!” she shouted.

 

‘Wait, did I just say ask permission?’ she suddenly thought but it was too late to get back her words.

 

He giggled at her remarks and flashed her one of his most dazzling smile.

 

“Arasso. Ms. Kwon Yuri, can I have that greatest privilege of kissing you?” he asked politely.

 

“Not a chance! Get that?” she said firmly but he was beyond fast and won’t take no for an answer.

 

He locked her head with one hand and he captured her lips once again and sealed it longer this time and ended it with a wet slurping sound. He looked at her stunned expression and smiled at her. It was a good thing that Ara still can’t understand ‘adult stuff’.

 

“YAAAAAAHHHH!!” she shouted that even Ara was starled with her sudden outburst.

 

“Stop shouting or I’ll kiss you again.” he teased and moved his face closer to hers. She kicked his foot before storming out of the room, mumbling words he can’t understand.

 

Yunho was laughing like mad as he watched her stomp her feet out of the room.

 

 

With her stomping feet, she finally reached the kitchen and stood beside the counter. Her eyebrows were furrowed obviously because of anger and shame.

 

“Jung Yunho! You jerk!” she groaned childishly. She needs to stop him from kissing her again before she ends up packing her bags and ready to go back to Yunho.

 

She could hear loud giggles from Ara and Yunho inside her bedroom. She lifted her head lightly to take a glance of what’s making her daughter so happy and found him swaying Ara up and down. 

 

It was such a magical sight. She remembered how she would wake up to that scene and somehow it pains her that since she brought Ara to her apartment to leave with her, she had never heard her giggle like that. Not until today. 

 

She sighed at the realization that Ara needs her father. And what’s more painful is the truth that she too, misses him just as much but she needs to steel her heart for him after what he has done. She’ll give him a lesson. Yes, that’s what she’ll do. Give him a lesson.

 

 

 

Minho arrived at his office feeling different than usual. There was no Yuri to offer him coffee and a precious smile every time he sets foot in his office. They may not be close friends but it was safe to say that they were already friends. Sure Yuri was kind of an aloof person so it was an achievement to whoever could pass to be considered as her friend.

 

Ever since Yuri worked for him, she would arrive earlier than he would. She said that it was appropriate for the secretary to arrive sooner than her boss but he knows that she’s doing it to avoid him from offering her a ride.

 

He took a sit on his swivel chair but didn’t immediately start working amidst the pile of papers resting on his table.

 

The events last night was still occupying him. He badly wants to ask Yuri about her relationship with Jung Yunho but he’s afraid he’ll piss her off. Yuri is quite a reserved person and even though they’ve been working together for quite some time now, she barely talks about private matters. 

 

‘I really need to know what their relationship is.’ he thought to himself but still oblivious to what move he should make to fish out details from her without scaring her out.

 

Suddenly an idea popped out from his mind making him straight up on his on his seat.

 

“Why haven’t I thought about that before?” he mumbled with a small smile while he tried to pull his phone to type a message.

 

The smile didn’t leave his precious face.

 

 

To: Yuri

 

Yuri-ah, have you gotten enough sleep? I hope you did. I wanted to ask you out for dinner later. You can bring Ara with you. I’ll pick you up at around 7:30 pm. 

 

See you later.

 

 

“Sent.”,he murmured as he put aside his phone and rested his head on his swivel chair.

 

‘I’ll befriend you Yuri-ah or even make me your best friend. That way, you’ll be the one to tell me your problems directly.’ he thought to himself with a light smirk. 

 

His gaze drifted to the clock near his table and he almost jolted up with his eyes wide open when he realized the time.

 

“Oh shoot! Aish! It’s really hard working without a secretary.” he uttered before starting to work on the pile of papers in front of him.

 

 

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I'm up for another chapter!

 

classes are officially starting from where I come from so I guess I can't update too often. i hope you could all bear with me.. 

 

thanks for reading :D