“Let's take a break for a while. Please be back at 2.” Soeun stood up and told her staff to take their lunch for the mean time. It's almost 12 and the discussion with her Financial and Location managers wasn't done yet.

Her assistant entered as her two staff left her office. “Done with the meeting, manager?” Soeun shook her head.

“Not even halfway.” She sighed and placed her hand on her forehead – still thinking of the work that is yet to be done. And yes, right now, she was not in the mood to think about Jonghyun. She'll think about it after the work is done, she thought.

“Oh yeah, Manager. Someone's looking for you outside. I told him you were in the meeting and he said he'll wait in the lobby.”

She nodded – not even asking who the person was. “I'm going then. Take care of these files over here and I'll be back by two.” She took her purse and left the office.

She looked around to see who was looking for her – but found no familiar face on the number of people going in and out of the company. She frowned and doubted if her assistant was just making fun of her. That assistant usually does that when she notices Soeun being so into her work again.

She rolled her eyes and decided to go back to her office. “Seriously.”

“Jung Soeun.” From a far distance but called loud enough, Soeun heard someone said her name. She turned again only to find Jonghyun standing few meters away from her. His hands in his pockets – looking a bit cocky as he wore that mocking smirk on his face.

She froze, and couldn't do anything but wait until he was closer. Soeun swallowed a couple of times. Her nervousness couldn't be hidden at that moment. “What are you doing here?” She asked – but that almost came out as just a whisper. Even her couldn't hear her own voice and her abnormal heartbeat was making her feel worse.

“Don't you think we need to talk again?” Jonghyun asked. Unlike how he looked last night, it was obvious that Jonghyun thought things over. And now, facing Soeun like this, he was sure about his plans and future moves regarding the matter. Soeun didn't reply. “Follow me.” He ordered and started walking out of the company. She had the choice not to follow him, but Soeun didn't know how on Earth she actually started walking behind him.

Jonghyun and Soeun sat opposite each other at the round table. They have ordered nothing but a glass of juice and a cup of brewed coffee for the both of them.

He sighed and took a sip on his coffee before talking, “It's funny how I was clueless of his all these years.” He started. “And that's because you hide everything.”

“I have reasons.” Soeun said.

“False reasons. Reasons that can never be considered as right. Reasons, that perhaps, were just excuses.” He shrugged his shoulders when Soeun looked at him – being so unaffected on the mixture of surprised and confused expressions that were clearly shown on her face. “What?” Jonghyun asked and looked directly to her.

“You can believe what ever you want.”, was all that Soeun could utter. She smiled bitterly – didn't even know how to explain everything. They were not the same as before. She couldn't simply say she did it because she loved him very much that she wanted him to continue on with his dreams – for the love which was the sole reason why she lied and kept a secret was already gone, with the fact that Jonghyun belongs to someone else now.

If she could, then she would definitely say I did this for you... I thought more about you than my sake , but the right of her to talk that way was gone right from the moment when she decided on leaving him alone.

“I believe I can sue you for parent alienation.” Jonghyun suddenly revealed, causing Soeun to look at him in so much panic and disbelief. Her eyes grew bigger as she tried assessing if what she heard was right. “I'm serious. I'll seek legal advice, so I can get Yoogeun's custody.”

“No.” Soeun said as calm as possible. “You can't do that, Jonghyun-ah.”

“I can. I have evidences.” He was calm as well – but his hardened expression made his words even more alarming. “You intentionally hid your pregnancy from me and raised Yoogeun for five years without telling anything to me. And though we did see each other again, you didn't introduce us to each other and was eager not to tell the truth up to the last minute possible. I can use that against the court. I have witnesses.”

Soeun let out a bitter laugh. “You can't do this. Really, Jonghyun, don't go up to this extent.” She said – still calm.

“Then can you give me Yoogeun just as easy as this? I'm going to take him, are you willing to give him up for me?”

“What are you saying?” Soeun's expression changed. She threw the same hardened expression towards Jonghyun. “Not because you figured out he's your child means he's only yours. You can't decide on your own about what's best for him.”

“Oh, look who's talking?” Jonghyun leaned on his seat comfortably while sarcastically laughing as he crossed his legs together. “You're even worse. You dictated what's going to be My and Yoogeun's future. You manipulated us – and acted as if you knew what's going to be the best for us.”

Soeun was speechless. She didn't know how to answer Jonghyun back. He has the point, yes, but that doesn't change the fact that he cannot just take Yoogeun away from her. She's his mother, and that's the most important thing of all.

“I'm his mother.”

“So?” Jonghyun asked with the same mocking expression. “Do you mean he can live withous his father, but not his mother.” He shook his head and took another gulp of his coffee, “Well, you thought maybe Minho could do the work anyway. But he did a great job. Yoogeun likes him so much that he even calls him appa. Anyways, don't worry too much about that. Yeojin can be his mother.”

“You're telling me you're completely taking him away from me? You can't do that, Kim Jonghyun. Yoogeun has been with me for five years. You can't just sudddenly erase me from his life.”

“We'll see.”

Soeun sighed, “Let's settle this properly. Fine. I'll introduce you to Yoogeun and I'll let him acknowledge you as a father. You can visit him anytime and you can go out with him. I will give you all the right that you want.

He shook his head. “I think the best way to settle this properly is to take legal action. Don't worry. I'm sure they will let you have your own lawyer.” Jonghyun looked at her seriously – as if no one could stop him from doing what he intended to do. “I'm sorry if I sound so mean telling this to you, but I need to take what's mine, that you've deprived on giving me for five years.”

Her tears suddenly feel as Soeun was struck by the realization that Jonghyun was being serious. But since she didn't want to look weak in front of him, she wiped it immediately – and didn't let another tear fall. She breathed deeply, “The five years I took from you, it's never equal to the fact that you want me to stay out of his life forever. I know you don't need me. You're happy because you achieved what you want, and now you're with someone that you really love. You have Yeojin, Jonghyun-ah, but all these years all I have is Yoogeun.” She chuckled bitterly. “You're mad and hurt because you weren't able to be with him for five years, but that's not the same as when you take away the only precious being that's making me completely happy for five years.”

She stood up, gathered her things, and looked at him again, “Do what you want if that will please you now. I hurt you, right? I caused you a lot of pain. I hope by the end of this, you'll still be able to feel happy about what pain you've given me... again.” She bowed a bit before going away. As soon as she was out of his sight, Soeun's tears fell freely.

But no, she won't let him have Yoogeun for himself. Yoogeun needs her more than anyone and she knows that. She can't be replaced by anyone – not even Jonghyun's wife. And by the time she got out of cafe, her stand of keeping Yoogeun has become stronger. Yoogeun doesn't deserve to suffer as well. He'll get devastated and confused if someone else try to replace someone that has occupied his being since the day he was born.

Chapter 20 - I'm Back