CHAPTER 8

 

______________________at Yunho’s condo_____________________

 

 

 

Yunho has never felt this heavy in his life. He always projected a strong image in front of other people to show that he is capable of protecting the ones he loved but right now that even the two persons that he wanted to protect already turned their backs at him, there’s really no point at acting strong right now. 

 

He went back home after a marathon with the taxi but he didn’t feel exhaustion or the numbness of his feet right now because the sadness is more tormenting than physical pain. 

 

He reached for the door and carefully opened it now feeling regret that he did not prepare himself for what is about to come. The house where he and Yuri resided for more than a year is now nothing more than a big box full of beautiful memories, well at least before the incident lately.

 

Yunho managed to make heavy steps towards Ara’s room.

 

The smell of Ara’s baby cologne was all over the room. Before he knows it, he was now gripping the small plastic rattles that he always uses to stop Ara from crying.

 

‘I miss you baby.’, he thought as he proceeded on her crib. Images of how Ara would try to stand with her fragile legs came

lingering on his mind. 

 

He then went out of the room still carrying the small rattles of his daughter. Yunho knows where his feet are leading him. Once inside the now messy and empty bedroom he swear who could feel Yuri’s scent hugging the whole place—hugging him. 

 

He closed his eyes feeling all what’s left of her in this room……….

 

 

 

……………“Baby! How was your day?” Yuri said teasingly upon seeing Yunho enter their haven and kissed him fully on the lips.

 

…………….“Are you hungry baby? What do you want to eat?”, Yuri asked while the hair out of Yunho’s eyes while he rests on her lap.

 

…………“I love you baby.”, Yuri  playfully smacks his lips upon uttering those three words. 

 

 

 

Then he opens his eyes.

 

‘Memories. They’re all memories now.’ He thought not being able to resist his tears. 

 

Yunho sat on the bed with his head down and with his arms around his neck.

A few moments later he was interrupted by the sound of his phone. He jumped off the bed and jolted to where his phone is.

 

“Yuri?!!”, he was hoping that it was Yuri’s voice at the other end of the line that he didn’t even bother to look at the name of the caller.

 

“Uh Oppa it’s Yoona. Is everything okay? The guard told me Yuri left with Ara? What happened?” Yoona’s voice was full of concern and worry.

 

Yunho sighed in disappointment upon not hearing Yuri’s voice at the other end of the line.

 

“Nothing’s okay. She left me. They left me.” Yunho forced a reply and Yoona could only detect sadness in her cousin’s voice.

 

Yoona is living at the same building as Yunho only that her place is located two floors below Yunho’s floor. The guard, along with everybody else in the lobby, has witnessed what happened and told Yoona about the commotion that morning.

 

“Oppa don’t do anything reckless okay. I’ll be there in a minute.” ,then Yoona hung up. She knows how his Oppa loves Yuri and knowing Yunho, hurting his own self is not too far of an option when he’s extremely down. 

 

 

 

____________________at Yuri’s new ‘home’__________________________________

 

 

 

Yuri had just finished unpacking her things and placing them in her closet while Ara is busy playing with her cellphone. She was so much in a hurry that she forgot to grab a toy for Ara. 

 

The place is almost the same when she left it except for some dust that had formed on some areas of the room. She wanted to clean the place but figured she won’t be able to clean thoroughly since her mind is still drifting off. Her place is smaller than

Yunho’s but this would do since there’s only her and Ara together.

 

She checked if all the appliances were still working and found out that they were still in good shape. She wanted to just lie in bed with Ara the whole day but with the fridge empty, she possibly can’t.

 

“Hey baby, do you want to go to the grocery with mommy?”, she asked playfully — as in trying hard to be playful-- as she lifts Ara to lie in bed. The little Ara chuckled as if in agreement.

 

“Let’s go then so we could grab lunch.” Yuri carried her in her arms and pulled her bag and head for the door. 

 

 

 

Minho had just finished taking a bath and began to dress up to have lunch alone. This is almost a daily routine for him since all he could cook is fried chicken, fried meat, fried fish, and fried anything.

 

He rarely eats at home and when he does it’s either he fried something or he ordered outside. Now he wanted to eat lunch and take a quick stroll in the park. It’s been a while since he had visited the park and judging the weather, it was the perfect time. He puts on his hoodie and grabbed the door knob.

 

As soon as he was able to fully come out of his pad he heard another sound coming from the door next to his. 

 

The figure he saw earlier this morning is moving its way out its room still with the cute little baby girl on her hands. He figured that it was really a baby girl judging from its pink dress and her few strands of hair tied in a pigtail.

 

He stood frozen examining every graceful move of the woman. He finds her every move graceful and elegant but what’s dragging him is the look on her face. They are nothing near happiness although it was calmer than the last time he saw her face. 

 

He stayed on that position until she met his gaze. He quickly snapped out of his thoughts and carefully bowed on the woman almost beside him to show his pleasantries in which the girl responded with an obviously forced smile before turning her back at him.

 

‘Now is the time.’,he thought as he moved his legs forward to reach for the girl and stood in front of her.

 

“Uh hi.”, Minho greeted her. She looked at him with annoyance but didn’t respond to his greetings.

 

“I’m Minho. I live beside your unit.”, he continued and extended his hand but her cold stares and annoyance is now growing very evidently on her face and left his hand hanging. Minho removed his hand looking like a complete fool. The cute little baby girl made a chuckled sound making him look more pathetic.

 

The girl removed her stares at Minho and without a word continued her journey towards the elevator. 

 

“PABO MINHO!!” he exclaimed once the girl was out of his sight into the elevator.

 

‘I was just being friendly.’ He thought to himself as he makes his own journey down the tall building. He was inside the elevator still thinking of those cold stares the unnamed woman has given him.

 

“She was cute though.”, he blurted out to himself causing the other passengers to look at him and they started moving away from him.

 

Minho felt his cheeks redden as he met the frightened gazes of the other passenger and realized he was being an yet again. He bowed to every person inside the lift totally embarrassed from his sudden actions.

 

 

 

 

_________________at Yunho’s place_______________________

 

 

 

Yoona was breathing rapidly when he reached Yunho’s condo obviously she was running on her way to his unit. 

 

“Oppa! Where are you?”, Yoona screamed as she reached the empty living room. The room was a mess, far from its usual shape.

 

“Yoona!” she heard his voice. A sigh of relief came out of . ‘At least he’s alive.’, she thought to herself. 

 

She hurried her pace and went directly inside the bedroom. Her heart crushed at the sight of her closest cousin in this shape.

 

He was miserable. Yes that’s the best description to Jung Yunho right now. Yoona pulled her cousin into a warm and concern hug. 

 

“They left me. Yuri left me. I’m alone now Yoona.” He managed to let out the words as Yoona was his back.

 

“Shh. Oppa we’ll get them back. Yuri loves you so much.” She uttered hoping her words could somehow ease his worries.

She broke the hug and looked directly at Yunho.

 

“Can you tell me what had happened Oppa?” Yoona finally asked. She knows it might be hard for Yunho to talk about it but she needs to know where he’s coming from but before she could let him speak she stood and held her cousin’s hand.

 

“Oppa you need to eat. Let me make you lunch and let’s talk about it while you eat.” Yunho nodded grateful that his cousin is here with right now.