It is finally the closing date for Vogue contest, and Ri In was working her heart out for the remaining three days she had. She sleeps approximately only three hours in a day; she wanders around Seoul to capture pictures between her class schedule, working hard taking the models picture on the evening, and struggle for her essay at night, about the theme for her pictures.

“Nice work, Ri In-ah…”

Mrs. Lee smile in contentment looking at her final product, something that absolutely has Ri In’s identity on it.

She looks at Ri In who looks so worn out and tired, there must be a reason behind her crazy hard work, and curiosity fills her when she saw the title of one of her picture.

“Leaving memories for love?” Mrs. Lee irked an eyebrow, trying to find an answer from the pictures; it was a picture of two women - one of them was wearing a wedding gown, and another one wears a normal dress but holds a ring, with a guy standing so close with the one who holds ring, and his hand barely touch the girl who wear the wedding gown.

“Who is leaving, for whose love?”

Ri In just let go a weak smile, she wasn’t planning to answer the question about her personal favorite picture.

“It is just a theme, Mrs. Lee…”

The woman only nods her head, knowing Ri In’s secretive behavior so well.

She shrugged and closed the file, before grabbing her bag. “I am going to send your applications, and I am planning for a cup of coffee for breakfast… Join me?”

Ri In quickly shook her head, she feels like her head is ready to explode; she needs a good sleep to cover all the hours she missed.

Both women bid a simple goodbye, and Ri In was fighting to keep conscious all her way home.

She waddled inside her house, and she slumped herself into the long couch at the middle of her house, her energy finally drained.

 

*

The five boys were doing the final check for their comeback. Yes, DBSK is having a comeback in three days, and after their crazy training it is time for them to restore their energy, and all of them were given a day leave.

“I can’t wait for the comeback, hyung…” Yoochun said while looking at his reflection on the mirror, trying his suit for the performance.

“So do I… so let’s use this chance to revive our energy for a great performance.” Yunho replied, he was just finished a discussion with a staff.

Their check up ends half an hour later and the five men finally got inside their car at the parking base, they were all planning to spend the day off with their family.

They leave one by one, and only Yunho and Jaejoong were left. They didn’t speak anything; a cold atmosphere was built between them since the last conversation they have inside the practice room few days ago.

Jaejoong walked to Yunho’s car and leaned his back against his door, he wasn’t invited but he wants to sort everything before their comeback date.

“Our conversation last time…”

“I don’t want to say anything about it.” Yunho sternly cut, it makes Jaejoong turned his face to face him.

“Don’t say you are still angry. Come on Yunho, don’t be so childish…”

Yunho just sighed, before bring his body next to . “I am not angry, it is just…”

“Realization hits you?”

“Stop reading me, Jaejoong-ah…” He grunted, he hates it when Jaejoong shows off his ‘omma’ skill; looking through him as if he is a naughty son that need to be advised for stealing cookies.

“I am not forcing you to love your wife, but don’t you think it is kind of stupid for you to waste someone who is willingly to married you despite knowing your heavy schedule, over protective Cassiopeia, crazy fan-girls, anti-fans…” He pushed his bang away before continue,

 “And secret lover… don’t you think it is enough proof to see that she is actually in love with you?”

“Then what about me, Jaejoong-ah? Just because, okay, let say if she really loves me… then what am I supposed to do? Love her back? Sacrificing my love towards Ji Hyun?” He asked directly, confusion was clearly written in his eyes.

“This is your problem…” Jaejoong calmly said before looking at his face.

“Soo Man himself personally said if you are going to marry Ji Hyun or even Eugene noona, it is nothing to worry because Cassiopeia has known your admiration towards them both, plus fans seem like happy having their idols married to another idol. Basically no problems at all, if you want to get married with Ji Hyun…”

Yunho keep his blank face, and he almost eat Jaejoong’s palm for keeping that expression.

“You always told me how you hinting her about marriage, and how she replied with a big NO with thousands of reasons. Do you really believe she was honest with you?”

His expression start to stiff and Jaejoong know he is walking on a thin line.

“I don’t want to mess your head with this thing right now, but it is kind of annoying to see Dong Bang Shin Ki leader is dumber than a junior high when it comes about love…”

Yunho shoot him a sharp glare, and Jaejoong is lying if he said he didn’t feel a shiver was running down his spine.

“Are you saying I am stupid?”

“Not literally…” He stuttered, I am really crossing the line…

Yunho heavily sighed, he already thinks about this for three days, and somehow he didn’t like the result.

“I want to focus on our comeback first before anything else…” Yunho slowly said, and Jaejoong weakly nodded, he was thinking that Yunho is going to cut his head off for keep pushing on this matter.

“But Jaejoong-ah… I really love Ji Hyun…”

Jaejoong just look at his almost desperate face, he knows so well his love towards that girl. Patting Yunho’s shoulder, “Maybe this one day off could help you ease your mind, Yunho-ah…”

They exchanged a brotherly hug before went inside their car, and left to their destination.

 

*

Ri In weakly opened her eyes, trying to focus on the blurry white ceiling above her, the sound of a ringing phone was disturbing her healing sleep. She took a glanced at her wrist watch, groaning silently noticing she didn’t catch even an hour sleep yet she already wakens up.

She stumbled to the source of the sound, and her heart skipped a bit, Jung’s residence?

“Hello Ri In-ah…”

She nibbled her lower lips, afraid to guess who is on the line. “Yes, Ri In’s speaking…”

“Are you busy now? Omma calls you many times already…”

Ri In quickly shook her head, even though she was obvious her mother-in-law wouldn’t see. “I am just…sleeping…”

Silent swept them for a second, before Mrs. Jung starts her words. “Ri In-ah…the last time you visit our house…”

Ri In’s body frozen, she wasn’t ready to remember the bad memory again. She leaned her tired body to the wall before slowly chimed in, “Are you doing well, omma? Is grandfather already okay?”

Mrs. Jung stopped the words she planned earlier listening how she avoid to speak about what happened a week ago.

“Ri In-ah… you know right DBSK is going to make comeback in 3 days?”

She throws her gaze to find the calendar on the wall, finding the forgotten marks she carved when she read about their comeback last week.

“Dae… why omma?”

“Yunho is coming home today; it is a usual thing for him to coming home few days before their important performance…”

Ri In slightly nods her head. Not really understand the meaning behind the sentence. “It is kind of family gathering… My daughter-in-law for sure needs to be here…”

And as slow everything registered her mind, a small smile gradually formed on her lips. “Family…gathering?”

“Yes…” Mrs. Jung cleared , before continue, “Yunho appa didn’t have any sibling, but omma have a cousin, and I think it is not proper to not introduce you to her, in fact she is the only family I have…”

“Is it okay if other people know about the marriage, I mean, won’t it effect Yunho?”

Maybe this is the reason appa likes her so much, she cares about my son…

“I think it is okay… your grandfather suggested this… and knowing her daughter, I think she prefer Big Bang or the new one, SHINee?”

Ri In smiled alone, she always imagined herself in a happy family gathering, the girls cooking together while the guys chatting in front, never once in her life she experienced it.

And Mrs. Jung’s voice on the other line stops her imagination.

“Quickly come here, they are coming for lunch…and we could have a long chat until night, and maybe tomorrow…”

As if all her sickness was gone, she replied yes without hesitation, and in a blink of eyes, she is already inside the elevator.

 

*

 

“Oppa!”

Ji Hye ran to her brother who just arrived, helping him opened his door. He ruffled her hair before walked in, as Ji Hye pouted when noticed he didn’t bring anything else with him.

“You said you’ll bring me SHINee’s album…”

“So you are excited of my arrival because of SHINee’s album, hmm?” He pinched her cheek as she yelped, before pulled the CD from his back.

“Oppa is the best!” She exclaimed happily before running inside their house, not waiting for her brother.

Yunho walked straightly to his mother at the kitchen who was excited cooking, and he was surprised to see the amounts of side dish. “Omma, who are coming today?”

“Omo, Yunho-ah… you surprised me…”

She gestured her son to sit before bringing him a glass of water.”My cousin and her family…” Yunho nodded before sipping his drinks. “And Ri In too…”

Yunho choked his drinks, coughing hard with almost all it contains smeared on his clothes. “Are you saying Ri In is going to have lunch with us, with Uncle Shin’s family?”

“Yes, Yunho-ah…” His mother spoke calmly while helping him with his mess.

“But…”

Mrs. Jung glared at this son, “Your grandfather is so delighted when I asked if Ri in can join this lunch. And just think this as the second chance from him… he is very upset with your attitude last time, he never disappointed with you as much as last week…”

“But, people will know…” He stuttered.

“It is not like she is bringing paparazzi with her, and don’t act like you don’t know her, she cares less about entertainment…”

They both keep silent, as Mrs. Jung continues her cooking before she spoke again.

“Son…”

He looked at her back figure that already stops her action and turned around to face him.

“Don’t you think Ri In is kind of nice girl?”

Yunho irked his eyebrows; the sudden outcome was rather unexpected.

“When I called her just now, I tell her about introducing her to my cousin’s family… and she was hesitating…”

Mrs. Jung observed his son who was looking seriously at the glass in front of him, he was thinking her words.

“She was thinking about your image…”

Yunho put down his glass, and his mother noticed it. “Omma knows about your feelings towards Ji Hyun, but, she is your wife, Yunho-ah…”

Yunho was about to reply when his sister walking in, bringing together few plastic bags with her. “Ji Hye, what is that?”

“Ri In unnie has arrived, she bring all this on her scooter…”

Yunho looked over Ji Hye’s shoulder and saw Ri In who already has her face red struggling with another bag, and later their eyes connected, it did make her lose her grip.

“OMO!”

Yunho rushed to Ri In that was squatting down, picking all the fruits that scattered on the floor. He tried to help, but they both startled the moment they have their finger tips touched.

“Why are you buying all this?” He slowly asked.

Ri In looked down to the bag in her hand, avoiding his gaze. “Omma told me that there will be family gathering… that’s why…”

Mrs. Jung come from behind and ordered Ji Hye to take the plastic bag to the kitchen, as she quietly obeys. “The Shin family is such a small family… no need of all this…” She chuckled in her heart, looking how naïve her daughter in law could be.

“It is okay… I didn’t bring anything last time I came…”

Yunho rubbed her nape when she said about ‘last time she came’ as all the unpleasant memories came rushing onto his head.

Mrs. Jung cleared , “Yunho, why don’t you bring her to your room? Maybe she wanted to change or rest before our guest come?”

Ri in quickly shook her head, “It is okay, omma… it is okay for me to help you at the kitchen.”

“What nonsense…” Mrs. Jung frowned. “It is not you are nobody, you are a family too, Yunho’s wife…”

Ri In shook her head harder, she don’t want to go to his room, she don’t want to remember Ji Hyun’s image in Yunho’s hugs, she don’t want to ruin Ji Hyun’s specialty to be the only one that invited to be there. She doesn’t want to hurt anymore.

She picks the plastic bag and stride to the kitchen. “Omma… let me show you my special dish…”

 

*

 

It is almost like a cooking competition at the kitchen, Mrs. Jung already prepared few plates before Ri In arrived, but Ri In insisted to cook more for the family. And the situation is almost like what Ri In always imagined.

Yunho, Mr.Jung and Grandfather Jung was at the living room, talking about any topic they could while Ji Hye continuously sending plates of fruits to them. While them, the females cooking dishes at the kitchen.

Ji Hye observed her sister in law, who looks very comfortable moving in their kitchen. She knows her background, she was definitely rich. But unlike from what she watched in drama tv about spoiled rich kids, Ri In looks completely...different.

“Ri In... Erm…” Ji Hye stops her words, wondering what she should call the older girl.

Ri In turned to look at her sister in law, she knows her problem.

“You can call me anything you please… if you don’t want to call me unnie, then don’t…”

Ji Hye could feel her face getting red from embarrassment; she is still nice even though she was so rude towards her.

“Ouch….”

Ji Hye turned her attention back towards Ri In who was holding her hand closed to her chest, blood start dripping from her finger.

Ji Hye instantly grabbed her hand, but it wasn’t her cut that make her surprised.

“Unnie, are you normally this hot?”

Ri in tried to pry off their hands, but Ji Hye is a girl with faster reflection.

“Omma!” She cried.

Mrs. Jung rushed to their spot and surprised to see Ri In’s bleeding finger.

“Omma, touch unnie’s forehead, she is having a fever!”

Mrs. Jung touched her forehead with her free hand, and her reaction was as fast as her daughter.

“Ri In! You are burning!”

“Omma…” Ri In tried.

“You should’ve rest! And you drive from Seoul, buying fruits, and now cooking? What are you thinking you are? Superman?”

Ri In laughed to her exclamation, and Ji Hye founds she looks so… innocent.

“Omma… I promised I’ll rest after the lunch finished…I already recover actually…”

“Already recover? Why don’t you call me before? Omma will just come to take care of you…”

Ri In abruptly stops laughing, and stare to her mother in law with a suprised gaze. “Will you, coming for me?”

“Of course! All parents will do the same…”

Ri In was trapped in her trance when Yunho come to the kitchen.

“Omma… Aunty Shin and her family have arrived…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I keep on writing, n I suddenly screamed looking how long this chapter... it shouldnt be two chapters actually...

Today, for the whole day I keep reminding international cassies to vote for Yoochun-JYJ-SKKS in Korea.Com in Facebook, before 16 august...

I didnt left my laptop for the whole day, yet I feel so tired...

writing this chapter while listening n watching to the best fancam of JYJ In Heaven performance, their voice gave me goosebumps..

N another promotion... I already start a new, third yunyin fanfic... heehee...

'It is not like I love you...' not yet updated, but I already post its forewords...

ok, enough ranting! happy reading chingu~~~

by any chance, if u saw fb with id Hartini Parapat at fb, that was mine~~**~~