a/n: Lengthy chapter after a long time

“How long have you been together?” Sungmin asked Sunny, his wife.

She held her head low. How was she going to answer that?

“Don’t make me repeat my question, Sunny!” He snarled, raising his tone way higher this time. It was full of force, hatred and authority that she jerked her body hearing his words.

Again, she couldn’t answer him. She clamped her lips tightly together to not let herself create a sound that would irritate him more. She didn’t want to cry to him now. But she can’t.

Soundless it may be, a tear fell.

“Bullsh*t, Sunny! How long have you been screwing other guys behind my back?” Getting impatient, he couldn’t help but let out his anger. He stood up ranting all profanities he could come up with while harassing the walls of their home – the house that they built together.

She, on the other hand, didn’t know what to do or even feel. Mixed emotions – insulted, does he think of her that lowly now? – disgusted, yes. She must admit it’s her own fault – ashamed, how can she have the courage to face their child? – defensive, well it’s his fault for not paying attention to her – satisfied, now she got his attention. She felt them, all at the same time.

Sungmin (grew a little tired) and stopped from his havoc. Leaning his back on the wall and his forefingers on his temple, he asked. “Why, Sunny?” His voice hoarse and his eyes pleading.

Why?

It was just a single word yet it requires a lot more information to equalize. Her answer would either make or even break everything they have.

She turned to look at him and realized how red his eyes were beginning to become, just like hers. And the moment her gaze was caught by his, she swears she would give up anything just to dive in his arms -  invited.

She shuts her eyes closed, as if allowing all the welled up tears to fall freely. “I’m sorry, Sungmin. Please forgive me.”

No, she couldn’t explain anything to him. It was that hard. That was how wrong she realized what she did.

Look how troublesome you are, Sunny. Now you can’t even stop your husband from leaving.

He wanted to forget what he learned today. He wanted to just forgive Sunny but things aren’t always as easy as they sound. He couldn’t stop thinking why did she do it? When did it happen? How long has she been doing this to him? With whom? How many of them?

“One more, please.” He asked the bartender for the umpteenth time he himself couldn’t even remember. Once the bartender complied, he took the glass in his (ball formed) fist, swirling it as if hypnotizing himself with the circles forming inside.

He chortled, amazed how he found a new interpretation to what he was going through.

He was like the ice melting in wine, in love. Is he willing to be consumed entirely by a bitter substance he knows wouldn’t do anything to him but let him drown?

His head was now throbbing but he was nowhere near quitting his drinks. “One more.” He mandated the bartender.

Shot after shot, he began to feel lightheaded. It might’ve numbed his senses for now, but surely, the pain still is inflicted in his system.

When he had had enough, he stood from his seat (wobbly) as he takes something from his wallet – skilfully eyeing his cash by their colors despite his burry vision.

How he managed to get on his car and drive safely to their house will be a question he knows would remain unanswered.

She was suddenly awakened (or just disturbed from her trance) by his noisy entrance. Stumbling on the stairs, he kept banging on the walls.

“Sungmin, are you drunk?” She hurried up to her husband’s aid. The caring wife lifted her other half’s body in her shoulder (struggling) to walk him to their bedroom. Every step she takes (with him) felt like a mile-long walk but she managed.

Once they (or she) reached their bed, she let him lie. After then, she took out his garments as to let him sleep more comfortable in his white cotton shirt and short. She stepped in their bathroom to get him a hot water and a towel, wanting to give him a sponge bath, for him to freshen up.

He stirred. “Sunny-ah”, he mumbled. “It hurts.”

She stopped.

Trust her, she, too, was in pain. Seeing how a tough man, like her husband, suddenly becomes so vulnerable. Just how much of an evil wife was she?

Morning arrived and Sungmin can now feel his hangover. How many glasses did he drink last night again?

Ugh, thinking deeper just made his headache worse.

“Sunny,” he called her out. But the moment he heard himself, he remembered the reason behind this headache, his heartache.

He took a glance at his side and when he saw no one, he smiled bitterly. “Of course.”

“Let’s end this.” Sunny announced aloofly – no emotions, no life in her eyes. They were comported inside a cafe and having a ‘friendly’ coffee date – as what they referred to at first.

“Did Sungmin-hyung find out already?” Kyuhyun asked his forbidden love. He looked up to meet her eyes after sipping an ample amount, nearly chocking.

She nods. “But you do know we can’t continue this even if he didn’t, right?”

“We can, Sunny.” He blurted out, much to her disbelief. “Now that he knows, what are you so afraid of?” He explained further.

“But this isn’t right.”

He laughed in comic. “You did know that right from the start.”

“And I want to put an end on it now.”

It was his turn for disbelief.

“Let’s leave everything behind, Kyuhyun. It’s over.”

Playtime is over.

“Where have you been?” Her husband welcomed her by avoiding her kiss. Who knows where those lips went? (lol)

He waited for her to arrive in their porch, careful not to let their little prince hear anything.

Still keeping up her sunny face, she maintained her smile. “From the office, my dear.”

My dear. How cringe-worthy.

They fell silent until he spoke again.

“Until this time? It’s way past nine in the evening! Sunny, when will you stop lying to me?”

She was about to speak but it seems like he wasn’t going to let her.

“Is that even why you strongly refused to resign? Is it because of this? Is he the reason why you wake up every morning? Does seeing him give you a reason to stay there?”

Ah, this issue again about her work. How adamantly he convinced her to quit already and just focus her attention to being a perfect housewife and mother but she kept reasoning out how her parents paid hefty tuition fees just to let her finish. Add the fact that she graduated with flying colors, and now, she’s one of the best when it comes to competencies out there.

He understood what she was saying to him. Understood, as in past tense.

Now, it makes his blood boil.

And for seemingly becoming her habit, she stood there unspoken.

Shock would be a wrong choice of word to describe how he felt when he saw her at their kitchen cooking. Wasn’t today Thursday? Isn’t she supposed to be still at work? And does she really know how to cook? He wanted to laugh, amazed seeing her in an apron and holding a ladle had it not been for the rift that is keeping them apart – which is a no laughing matter.

Her back figure just invites him to give her a back hug – it was a torture not to. This was what he always wanted. Had he not told her before? Yes she heard, but did not listen.

“Oh, you’re home.” She greeted him, keeping herself altogether from his curious gaze. She couldn’t read him. Was he trying to suppress a smile that’s why she’s feeling embarrassed?

The husband composes himself as he asks his wife, “What are you doing here?”

“Um, cooking.” Due to the fact that she was unsure, her answer sounded like a question.

He could see that. “I mean, aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

Oh, Sungmin. Last night, you yelled at your wife for going home late and now she’s home early, you still are mad. What is she to do now?

Taking a deep breath and smiling a little, she gave him a shock-worthy answer. “I resigned.”

It was a simple cause driven by much more complex reasons. Everything was too much to just give up but in order to save their love, for him. For them, she did.

Much to her anticipation that he was going to finally give her a warm embrace, (which she misses so badly now) to welcome her in his arms and just give her a peck on the forehead, he acted so coolly like it was nothing for him.

She’d give up anything to dive in his arms – invited.

Ouch.

She watched him as he passed by her like unseen wind.

You should’ve known by now, more of this will happen soon. Just as you ended your game with Kyuhyun, you lost. You have to face the consequences. And that is the probability of the beginning of the end with Sungmin.

When was the last time he had seen her first thing in the morning as he wakes up? Long time ago. And now that he was actually getting what he wanted all along, he couldn’t bring himself up to cherish and nurture them.

His fingers brushed her cheeks as lightly as he could. As if an extra pressure would make her disperse in the air. How he hated the sight of the weariness in her eyes, even in her sleep.

What time was it now? Too early to get ready but he wasn’t too sleepy to drift back to his slumber. He lay on his side, facing his wife’s direction – unconsciously curling his lips upward.

He decided to just look at his woman on her sleep, peacefully like an angel. This would be the