“What should I cook for lunch…” Ri In checks the time on the clock hanging on the wall. “Or, is it a brunch?” She got an idea moments later but her almost executed plan was interrupted by a phone call.

            She smiles reading the ID. “Jonghyun-ah…”

            “I thought the chances for you to answer the call are twenty percent.” He stops. “It is boring to be at the roof top alone… I just can’t wait…to sit here with you again…” Ri In can imagine how he leans forward to see the scenery from the rooftop of their faculty.

            “I am sorry, Jonghyun-ah…”

            “You can make it up to me.” The pause draws quarter notes. “My company already finalized the date for my official debut. I won’t have free time starting tomorrow.”

            Ri In leaned against the fridge. “Jjong, I just married yesterday…”

            “So, it is a no…” It was a statement rather than a question.

“If you can pick another date…”

“My debut is in ten days, Ri In-ah… I didn’t tell you yet, but tomorrow they will start to release the member teasers on TV and YouTube... I can’t freely walk with you anymore…”

Ri In was trapped, but her heart already decided which one is her priority. And she hates herself for that. “My honeymoon supposed to start today...”

A heavy sigh could be heard before a reply. “I am sorry, I am pushing you too go out with me…”

“Jjong…”

“Congratulations on your marriage, Ri In-ah… we will just meet later…in class maybe?”

Her reply stuck in when JongHyun hung up on her right after he finished talking. She knew it by heart how she has hurt her best friend.

*

Yunho went downstairs and he was welcomed by a nice smell of pancakes coming from the kitchen. He walked closer and from the kitchen entrance he could see his wife who was eating alone.

            Last night event replays in his head. He already touches her, taking away the most important thing in her. He wants to be a good husband to her by fulfilling all of her needs, but he forgot that love is also counted as one of woman needs…

            Yunho cleared his throat and it managed to get her attention. “Yunho-sshi…good morning…”

            He returned her wide smile, before sit in front of her. “Pancakes?” She offers. “I am thinking about cooking lunch, but I thought you might want to have more rest.”

            Yunho look at his wife, “Are we going back to Seoul after this, Yunho-sshi?”

            “Yes, but after we visit omma and appa…Thanks…” He said while accepts the plate as his body frozen for a while with the sudden mere contact of their finger tips.

            “You are welcome, Yunho-sshi…”

            It was weird, he thought, for a couple to still address each other with formality, more over after having their first night. “Yunho…just call me Yunho, Ri In-ah…”

            A small smile finally creeps on her face, thinking that this might be a good start for them both.

            *

            Jonghyun hated to think that Ri In has already married, and his chance to be more than friend has totally…vanished.

            “J-JjongHyun-sshi…”

            He looked over his shoulder and saw a small frame girl, with a pair of glasses in the shape of square covering her eyes, standing behind him holding a small packet in her hand.

            “I…I heard that you’ll debut in f-few days…” She stuttered.

            “How did you know?” He asked coldly, still letting his back facing her.

            “I…I got a friend working in the same company you training now… So, I heard about your debut news…”

            Jonghyun turned around almost instantly once he heard her reply. “Can you please stop stalking me? Are you not tired, eyeing someone that won’t reply your feeling?”

            Se Kyung’s hand fall limply on her side, the present stays on her right hand. “You…you know I like you…”

            “But can’t you understand I don’t like you? Can’t you understand I only have Ri In in my heart, Se Kyung-sshi?”

            The tears she holds finally fall on her cheek, his repeated statement since a year ago stabbed her heart deeply.

            “Maybe we can be friends, Jonghyun-sshi…”

            “I am irritated, I feel disturbed with your present near me. I really hope, if you can stay away from me, I really don’t want to hurt you more by keep rejecting you like this.” He looked directly inside her eyes, even though he feels sorry looking at her crying figure, he needs to stop this craziness of her, forever.

            “Maybe…Maybe you feel irritated, disturbed and maybe you hate me…” She wipes her stained face with the back of her hand. “But I sincerely like you, Jonghyun-sshi…”

            She took his left hand and handed the present. “Please at least take a look of this present before you throw it…”

            JongHyun follows her back figure until it disappeared behind the closed door, as he heaved a very heavy sigh; he was troubled between the woman he loves, and another woman that loves him.

*

            “Oppa!!” Ji Hye squeal before come running to her brother before ended in his tight hug. “Oppa, I miss you…”

            Yunho flicked the pout on her face, “Oppa left you for the whole six months for Japan promotion, and you just see me yesterday you already said you missed me?”

            He ruffled her hair before walking inside the house; unconsciously he was leaving Ri In behind. “Omma, appa…” He bowed politely to his parents. “Where is grandfather?”

            “He is inside his room, resting since yesterday. He definitely drained all his energy for your wedding, son…” Her mother explained. “Eh, where is your wife?”

            He looked to his side and noticed she is no where beside him. Yunho strides to the entrance, and saw Ri In was circling awkwardly the old tire swing at the side of his house.

            He walked closer to her; it was obvious she was mesmerized with the item before her.

            “Yunho-ah, is this yours?”

            “My grandfather makes it for me when I was seven...” He slowly rubbed the old rope while replying her.

            Yunho looked at Ri In who was touching the old tire with her fingers, a small pout form on her face. “You never see something like this?”

            She quickly shook her head. “I really want this when I was child, but appa never had time to make one for me…”

            Yunho turned to see her side figure; he was surprised to know how a simple thing as tire swings could make her looks so happy. “Yunho-ah, can I play this swing?”

            “You are so rich, yet you can’t have this thing in your house?” Both of them looked at the same direction and saw Ji Hye, who was standing not far from them, with her hand folded in front of her chest.

            “You afforded to force a guy into a marriage, yet you can’t have a tire swing, who do you think you are fooling?”

            “Ji Hye!”

            Ji Hye was surprised to have her brother raised his voice on her, so do Ri In. “You should apologize, she is your sister-in-law…”

            “It is not like you yourself like this marriage…” Ji Hye replied, her eyes were piercing through Ri In.

            “I am going in…oppa…” She continues before her brother starts speaking.  “You better come in fast; it is not like you have a whole day to hear her story about tire swing.”

            She stomped in right after she finished talking, leaving Ri In and Yunho, speechless. “I am sorry, Ri In-ah…I really don’t know what has gotten into her…” He turn look to her direction, and he didn’t fail to notice her pale face. “Ri In-ah…”

            “You better go inside first, Yunho-ah… I’ll come in one minute…”

            Yunho didn’t know what he needs to say to her anymore, he didn’t know what to do. “O-Okay…don’t take too much time…”

            Ri In needs to hold at the swing for support once Yunho left, her eyes brimmed with tears. Ji Hye words keep playing in her mind, it was as painful as the harsh words her sister always said to her. Why everybody didn’t want me?

*****

            Yunho’s family for sure is a happy family, it was obvious with the way everybody treats each other. She can feel the awkwardness between her and Yunho’s parents, but she was grateful they were trying as hard as her to fix it. Grandfather Jung, on the other hand, treats her as if they know each other for years, and she can’t bring herself to eat the meal when he keeps staring at every single thing she do.

            “Now you really look like your mother…”

            Every body stops eating after he said that. “She died when I was five…do you know my omma, grandfather?”

            Grandfather Jung slowly shook his head lightly; it was like he was day dreaming while talking to her. “You really look like Ra Im…”

            “Ra Im? My mom name is Da Ji, grandfather… Lee Da Ji…”

            Grandfather Jung seems like waking up from his dream after she finished talking. “I am sorry; I mean…you really look like someone like I know…What did I say earlier?” He let go a small smile before asking for the Kimchi plate.

            The lunch almost turned back to the normal state when Ji Hye suddenly blurted out, “Maybe grandfather asked a wrong girl from a wrong family to married Yunho oppa…”

            “Ji Hye!” Everybody on the table, except Grandftaher Jung and Ri In shout her name.

            “How you can be so vulgar with your words, Jung Ji Hye?”

            Ri In was surprised to see Yunho’s father raised his voice like that, as he abruptly put down his rice bowl. “Apologize to your sister-in-law, now!”

            “Why is it everybody really protect this girl? I thought we all were against this marriage at first, even though finally omma and appa agree with Grandfather Jung order.”She replied her father with a nonchalant tone, as her soft yet challenging gaze roamed on each of her family members, and finally it stops at the TV that could be seen clearly from the dining table. “I thought we all prefer Ji Hyun unnie…”

            “Ji Hye!” This time it was Yunho. “Go back to your room, and don’t eat your lunch before we finish!”

            Yunho’s father and Yunho seems already lost their appetite, but Grandfather Jung was opposite. “Ji Hye is just a normal 17 years old girl who is still naïve with her surroundings… Don’t get too harsh on her.” He pats the back of her hand before continues, “My beautiful granddaughter-in-law doesn’t mind, isn’t?”

            Ri In was not recovered from the shock yet when she nodded her head to Grandfather Jung, and later her gaze fall on the television, that was showing Jeon Ji Hyun new film promotion.

*****

            Ri In arrived at her apartment; they traveled back to Seoul separately since it will be much safer for both of them to avoid the stalker and paparazzi. They haven’t decided, yet, but she believe they will live separately too, until when, she don’t know.

            But an hour later, she was surprised to see a fully disguise Jung Yunho was in front of her apartment door.

            *

            Ri In watchedhim siphis latte; she was sitting in front of him with the coffee table between them. He holds the cup between his hands, and slowly raised his eyes to look at his wife, for a second he drawn in her rich black eyes.

            “I am sorry for Ji Hye’s behavior just now. She never did something like this before.”

            “It is okay. I understand.”

Her short reply was expected. “But I- I don’t think you are okay with it. You even cry when she scolds you about the tire swing…”

            Did he need to be this blunt? Is he always like this, or maybe after 8 years become the leader for DBSK he develop an ability to look everything thoroughly and easily reprove any error he saw? If that so… does he saw me over the years?

            “Sometimes people were easily offended with new people they didn’t know. Ji Hye wasn’t an exception.” She let go a small, weak smile before decided to change the topic.

“Are you going back home after this? Want to stay here for dinner?”

            There was a hesitation in his ‘yes’, but it is still a yes nonetheless.

*****

            Ri In never this happy while cooking, and she didn’t mind even a bit when she almost feel herself melting in the hot kitchen for approximately two hours cooking samgyetang, one of his favorite. She didn’t need to ask about his favorite, everything already permanently printed in her mind.

            But maybe her happiness was all for temporary.

            She was finding her chopsticks at the furthest shelf; near to the kitchen entrance when she accidentally overheard Yunho’s phone conversation with someone she know wasn’t his group members.

            “I am sorry, Ji Hyun-ah…

            Ji Hyun…

            Ji Hyun…

            “I got something to do, some business I can’t avoid…” He slowly sighed. “Yes, I am on two days vacation…”

            Ri In tries her best to listen the almost whispering conversation until she could feel her cheek on the cold wall tiles, despite the pain that gradually built in her heart.

            “Love, please… I’ll promise, a day after tomorrow…” She could feel her heart finally stops a beat. “Okay, I’ll go to your place.”

            She quickly went back to the stove, didn’t mind to check her samgyetang anymore as she clumsily transfer all the food in her clay pot into the bowl, partially because of the tears pooling in her eyes.

            “Ri In-ah…”

            Her breath stops again for the second time in ten seconds, as she can’t bring herself to look at her husband right behind her.   

            “Ri In…”

            “Yunho.” Ri In quickly cuts him; she didn’t know where she got the courage. She wipes the tears on her eyes, pretending she was wiping the sweat on her face. “I just finished cooking dinner.” She turned to face her husband, with a fake smile on her face, something she already develops for almost half of her life. “Let’s eat.”

            And the guilty expression on his face was stabbing her inside.

            “I got something urgent.”

            “But today is your vacation. I don’t think your manager gave you work today…” She reasoned, with a wider smile than the previous one.

            “I am really sorry, Ri In-ah…”

            She looked into her samgyetang, trying to find more valid reason to make him stay. But she found, nothing.

            “I’ll leave now. I’ll try my best to come here as often as I can…”

            How often?

            “Sorry… I’ll leave now…”

            “Wait, Yunho.” Their gaze suddenly locked, and Yunho could feel his heart stirred for a second.

            “Could you please taste this samgyetang? A spoon, maybe?” She didn’t know how low this might sound, but for an extra second to be with him, it is okay…

            “S-Sure…”

            He reached for the spoon on the counter, and Ri In used that moment to shake the pooling tears away, and her lips drew a bigger smile when they face each other again.

            Ri In didn’t miss each of his action, she even mesmerized the sound he made while sipping the soup.

            And Yunho was surprised with how perfect the taste with his tongue.

            “This tastes nice. Next time please cook this again for me…”

            Ri In weakly nodded to his statement, and she almost drops down the samgyetang bowl when she heard the sound of the closed door.

            To finally know that her husband was already has someone else in his heart is not a happy thing to heard on a day after their marriage.

*****

HYE…. Sweetie….

Sorry for my late update… class finally started, and I didn’t have much time to write… bad things happen, it saddened me but I take it as a motivation to move forward…

I hope u’ll enjoy the story, n I hope u will see a new way of feeling pain and sad of being hurt by someone u love, compared to IIHtLM?…

N maybe U girls didn’t realize I already change the last chapter of IIHtLM (the double post) to a new one…

Anyway, thanx for reading, comments and subscription is always appreciated and loved!