Chapter 14

The sudden flip over of the child that made her little arm hits her father’s face wakes up Jiyong from his sleep. His opened eyes quickly turn to Sandy as his hand reaches for her. The child is still in deep slumber and has not really waked up. He plants a kiss on Sandy’s forehead and pulls the cotton sheet to cover her whole body then sits and looks around. The whole room is dimmed lighted by a lampshade on Sandy’s side table. He remembers that the child has slept crying because of worrying much about his condition. He glances back at Sandy again. She moves a little but still continues with her sleeping.He puts his one hand on his stomach and felt no aching from it anymore. The medicine did its work already. Maybe because of his constant drinking and skipping of meals lately made it act up again. And so because of his negligence he has worried both Sandy and Dara.

Dara! He gasped. He turns to look at the table watch on his side. It’s 4 o’clock in the morning already.Where is she might be now? He is sure that after she left him and Sandy to prepare their food she didn’t come back again. Or if she did come back, he had slept already. He and Sandy, he guessed.How he wished she really never left the mansion and had just made an alibi earlier to leave. He knows that she is still pissed off at him but he hope that she could have granted Sandy’s request from her for both of them to sleep with him. But knowing Dara---for sure she‘s gone back to her townhouse now.Slowly, as not to awaken his daughter, he jumps off the bed and searches for his slippers and robe.Any of the house helps might be raised already; he will check her from them.

Yawning, he walks to the door but is quickly taken aback when he sees a glimpse of movements from the sofa. The low lights coming from the lampshade has not reached that area so he didn’t immediately notice that there is somebody there.He turns left and takes his steps lightly, like he doesn’t want to create any noise from his walking.There is also a lampshade beside the sofa so he turns it on and so surprise to see the sleeping figure lying soundly on the seat.

“Dara, what are-?”He stops at his words. He has covered his mouth and closed opened his eyes as he looks down at her.His heart leaps!Dara is wearing his oversized T-shirt…and it damn touches him!She is in a curled sleeping position---- some of her hairs were covering her very serene face, her lips closed looks like she’s giving a smile and her breathing is so calmly. His oversized T-shirt on her almost covered her whole body----and gawd she is very beautiful on it!His stares caress her face. Oh, how could he really wake up a sleeping angel? He bends down and picks her up.Silly girl, he thought as he shakes his head and lets out a smile----sleeping on the sofa yet she could have slept with them on their big bed. Carefully he walks back to the bed and lays her down beside Sandy and shares with her the cotton blanket covering their daughter.He sits beside her. His sight again lingers at her. As if touching a very delicate object, he slowly feels her face with the back of his hand and then removes some of her strands on her face and looks at her tenderly.She’s very angelic! This is the first time again to see her so peaceful like this. So soft, so fragile, so delicate---that he can’t helped and be mesmerized at her!Unable to control his self and stay contented on merely looking at her, he leans and softly kisses her forehead.And just like in the fairytale, when Sleeping Beauty is awakened by the kiss of his Prince Charming----Dara slowly opens her eyes and calls his name, 

“Ji…”

He moves his face an inch from hers and locked her eyes with his.

“Good morning, sweetheart.” He told her in his husky voice.

“Ji, a-are y-you okey now?” she asks, her eyes wander on his face.He gives her his very sweet smile.

“Yes, and I’m strong like a horse already. Look, I had carried you from the sofa without an ease.”She looks around then looks back again to his face, timidly smiles.

“Oh! Yeah, I had slept on there. I-I was supposed to transfer on the guest room but-” He put his point finger on her lips to stop her from talking.

“I’m really sorry that I had worried you last night, Mrs. Kwon. I promised not to behave like that again.” He says keeping his stares at her and his finger moves tracing the contour of her face.

“How could you not take care of yourself, Ji?” she asks him softly.

“If something happens to you…I – I don’t know then what to do---Sandy’s very afraid.”

“I know”, he looks down, “my shortcomings. I’m really sorry,” then he glances back again to her. For a minute---for some minutes, they both remain speechless. Both are just contentedly staring at each other….tenderly staring at each others eyes and faces. No uttered words are heard between them---only meaningful stares are exchanged.Jiyong hand lingers on touching her beautiful soft skin face. 

“Go back to sleep, sweetheart it’s still very early to rise.” He told her so sweetly.

“It’s you who waked me up.”He softly chuckles,

“Oh, I didn’t.”

“You did.”

“I did not. I just kissed you.”

She muttered an “oh”.

“And what’s that ‘oh’ means, huh? Want me to do that again, sweetheart?” He asks teasingly and leans closer to her.She turns her head on her side, stopping him from what he wants to do,

“I returned here last night after I prepared you your food,” her hand reaches for Sandy, “but saw that you both are already soundly asleep so I thought of not waking up you anymore.”He sighs and let go of his leaning on her,

“And decided to slump your self in the sofa instead of sharing with us on this bed.”

“I didn’t really intend to sleep there. I know I just sit on there.” She said, reasoning out.He stands up on his feet and takes a step.

“Where are you going?” he heard her asked.He looks back at her,

“I need to take some fresh air outside.”

“Huh? Are you really sure your fine?” She moves to sit down. Her face worries again.Jiyong bends over her again.

“Go back to sleep, sweetheart,” he helps her lay down and gives her a quick kiss on her lips that surprised her, “we’ll talk again when you wake up.”Dara stunned, keeps her look at him. He widens his smile as he straighten up still looking down at her,

“My heart is beating so fast right now Dara and I felt like I’m running of air to breathe----because of you.”

She smiles innocently at him.He loudly groans at his sight of her smiling like that!He bends again and quickly steals kisses on her lips once more! Then hurriedly takes his pace towards the door.

“I’ll see you later, sweetheart. Good morning!”Her eyes sent him to the door.

----

She heard some murmuring from somewhere and sensed some light coming over her, slowly, she opens her eyes.The sun’s rays coming from the window is the first that caught her attention. Immediately, she sits up and turns to look for her daughter---but her eyes just landed on an empty space beside her.

“I already sent her to school, sweetheart.”She turns her head to look for the owner of the voice.She saw Jiyong on the sofa, a laptop on his lap, a phone on his ear.The handsome man looks even better on his gray pants and pink long sleeve with a red tie with it. 

“W-why didn’t you wake up me? What time is it now?” She gets out of the bed and walks towards him barefooted.Jiyong finishes talking on who ever on the other line of his cell phone and turns his eyes on her. “It’s 11 o’ clock already,” he said, dazed as he saw Dara walking towards him while tying her hair--- her both hands doing it, making his over- sized shirt on her moves up to the middle of her shapely legs----showing off her creamy skin. 

“Huh? Eleven o’clock but why didn’t you-” she stops her words, her self. She blushed as she saw how Jiyong eyes are staring at her----mesmerized is understatement, she could say.

“Jiyong!”

Jiyong quickly shakes his head, hides his mischievous smile with him.

“I’m sorry, you caught me on that, sweetheart.” He closes his laptop, puts it aside and stands to reach for her. 

“Why you are still here, aren’t you supposed to be in your office at this time?” she asks again, ignoring Jiyong eyes.

“Let’s greet each other a good morning first, sweetheart!” With that his lips lands again on her cheek.

“I’m sorry if I over sleep. I forgot to even help Sandy before she went to school.” She says, placing her palms on his chest, trying to keep her distance from him.Jiyong eyes look down on her hands, he holds it and places it on the right side of his chest then catches her sight again. She tries to look down but Jiyong holds her chin up with his other hand. He locked her eyes with his.

“I want us to talk a-about our marriage, Dara.” She looks at him as if assessing his words.

“What is there to talk else, Ji? I already give you the papers you just need to sign it then that is it. You have got out from this marriage.”

“Dara….” His hands move to hold his both shoulder.

“Please, you know that it’s not what I want to do.”

“I don’t know what you want to do, Jiyong,” she answered him straightly.He fills his lungs with some air then goes on,

“I-I want us to give our marriage a second chance. Let’s forget about that divorce. I really don’t have any plans of having it with you Dara.”She gently pulls her self from him.

“Y-you know that things aren’t easy as that, Ji…” she walks away from him and picks up his robe and puts it on her.

“I-if I’ll give you this chance, what is my guaranty that you will never ….that you will not walk away from us again.” She faces him.

“I’ve been through a lot Ji… because of what had happen to us,” her voice cracks a bit, her eyes starts to glow as some tears begin to form in it.

“I don’t think….” She looks down to her feet, “I could still handle another more of it, if I have you back again but then again left us.”Jiyong is nailed to where he stands. Her words pinched his heart.

“I- I know I have so much things to make up with you---with you and Sandy…but I’m willing to do everything, Dara. I’ll prove to you that coming back to this family is the only thing that I wanted to do in my life right now.” He has choked a sob.

“Please I’m begging you to give me chance, Dara. I want this family to be complete again.”She lifts her eyes back to him----he studies his face…tries hard to look for his sincerity.

“I know my faults here Dara…and I’m really sorry about all of it. I know…I know it isn’t easy to forgive me and trust me again….but I hope you could still give this chance---please consider Sandy…I-I realized that it been hard for her to grow up in the situation that we have for years. I-I thank you for raising a good child out of her…but I know it would be best if could both do it together.” 

“How could you think of these things only now, Ji?” She asks, hurting… Jiyong bows his head.

“I’m sorry Dara…I really am.”

“Do you know that making this family together is what I also wished for Jiyong…” tears now flows down her cheeks.Jiyong looks up to face her again. 

“Y-you just really know how it pained me to see Sandy growing without us together at her side.” she bits her lip.

“While the other children are raised in a complete family, how my only child is in this complicated situation…” she breaks down.He walks towards her and embraced her. He let her brings out all her sufferings from her heart.He didn’t utter a word---he just wrapped his arms around her and stands firmly for her. Her break down weakens him but he willingly gives her all his strength to support her. 

“Shhh, Dara…” He caressed her back, he kissed her hair and he dried her tears…

“Ji…” still sobbing she asks, her eyes wanting an honest reply, “do you really want to come back to us?” Jiyong holds her face with his both hands and looks straight to her gaze, “yes I am,Dara.” He answered firmly, nodding his head.

“C-can you promise not to leave us again, Ji?”

“Yes I promised, Dara.”

“Ji…” tears flows down again from her eyes, she looks down, “I-I don’t know…I don’t know if I have to trust you again. I can’t decide, Ji…I’m afraid…I’m very afraid…” like a child she tugs her polo and cries harder at him again.Jiyong lifts up her head and with tears forming on his eyes already, he tells her,

“I promise that this will be the last time you’ll cry because of your hardship from me. Give me this chance, Dara, I will make up with you.”

“Ji…”

“I promise…” now he is crying like her.Her bright eyes look at him for the longest time----then she nods her head.

“O-okey, I’ll give you your s-second chance, Ji. But prove to me…prove to us that you are sincere about this reconciliation.”

His face shows relieve and lightens. He planted a kiss on her forehead, “thank you Dara….thank you so much…” he had closed his eyes in so much gratefulness and happiness.Her crying slowly stops…and she finds her hands willingly embrace him.

“Dara…” He envelops her again in a tight hug----never wanting to let go.