CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Jaejoong was sitting upright on the bed, looking at the sky turning from dark to light, he spent the night just staring at the walls around the room. He just could not sleep. He felt Shae stir beside him and put her arms around his waist and bringing herself closer to him. This was not helping, he thought, this is not how things should be, I shouldn’t feel guilty. But he was…he was very guilty. He asked her to stay to make himself remember that she was the one he loved, to make him forget _____, _____ in his bed looking delectable in that lingerie, to make him forget the feelings he did not want to acknowledge, he did not want to name.

“Oppa. Goodmorning.” Shae said as she looked up to him.

“Morning.” He replied with a kind smile.

“What’s wrong? You don’t seem so well.” she said as she sat up beside him.

“Shae I don’t want to sound rude but, you should leave.” Jaejoong told her. “_____ said she would be returning home ASAP today. Yunho and Changmin are driving her here first thing this morning.”

“What’s wrong with me here? She knows about us anyways. You made that plenty clear to her right? Plus, she should start getting used to me, especially Yumi. I’m going to be her new mama, I have to start bonding with her.” She said and kissed his cheek tenderly. “I’ll go cook us some breakfast.” Shae said and left the room.

Yes, what she said was true, he knew it was true. Shae was his future, but still…he could not imagine Yumi in the arms of Shae. Shae walking around the house in a cute apron and vacuuming or cooking dinner.

With a heavy heart he got off the bed and went to the kitchen only to find it empty. He found Shae in the living room scowling at her phone.

“I have to leave.” She said as she walked to him. “There seems to be a problem in the Shanghai account, I have to rush to the office. But I’ll see you soon.” She tiptoed and gave him a light kiss before heading off.

Jaejoong looked around himself once Shae left and just fell on the couch. Crap. I feel guilty, he thought. He stood up and started gathering ingridients to cook a nice brunch for _____ when he heard the door being opened and Yumi’s cry enveloped the house.

Jaejoong turned towards the kitchen door to find _____ rushing in and the next thing he knew he had Yumi in his arms and _____ was calling out from the hallway “Jae calm her down. I just need to use the bathroom real quick.”

Jaejoong shuffled the baby so that he could grip her by the armpits and that they were at an eye level. “Princess stop crying.”

Yumi stopped crying and looked at her dad with her big round eyes. They spent a few seconds staring at each other and when Jaejoong was ready to give a sigh of relief Yumi screamed with all her might and fat tears started pouring out.

“Oh baby no.” Jaejoong said as he carried Yumi out of the kitchen and into her play area in the livingroom. “Lookie at Mr Bear. Don’t cry please stop. Daddy’s deaf already.” He pleaded.

“Woah! Someone’s mad.” Yunho said as he entered the living room behind _____. Yumi’s cries were so loud Jaejoong didn’t even notice that Yunho came in. “Yumi, come to uncle. Lookie at Mr. Star.” Yunho said as he picked a star plushie and made it walk on Yumi’s chubby arm.

Fascinated the baby stoped crying and observed the star dance on her arm. She started to reach out for it only for Yunho to , a frown started to emerge, fat tears were starting to form on the corners of her eyes and before she could start crying and shrieking again Yunho took her from Jaejoong’s arms and danced Yumi around making the small girl giggle.

_____ smiled and said she would go and make some brunch for them before disappearing towards the kitchen.

“Yumi come to appa.” Jaejoong said as he opened his arms for Yumi.

“Can’t let go of Yumi hyung. I can’t promise I’m not going to punch you if my hands are free.” Yunho said seriously eventhough he was happily smiling at Yumi.

Jaejoong was confused at his friends behavior. Minutes passed without the two of them talking, the only sounds in the room were Yumi’s cooing or giggles.

“Ok. What is this about?” Jaejoong asked the younger man.

“How could you Kim Jaejoong. You have a beautiful wife who loves you.” Yunho tells him.

“I still don’t understand what you are talking about.”

“Shae. I saw her in the parking lot. Are you going to tell me she isn’t the reason why you rushed home? Was it planned? That you would bring _____ out and leave her there. What if Changmin and I weren’t at the SPA. She would have been alone at the resort while you are out with Shae.”

“It’s not as it looks like.”

“Really? You know what, I’m so sick of you Jaejoong. I can’t even muster the respect to call you hyung anymore. I’m so pissed at you. I’m even more pissed now than when you woke up from your coma. You claim Shae as your girlfriend and set aside your wife. When Shae is not around, you go back to _____. You raise her hopes that you could love her again. Everytime there seemed to be a moment between me and _____ you would look jealous. But now I see what that was all about. You’re just petty. You don’t want _____ but you don’t want anyone else to have her too. Or are you like those men who can’t live without a woman by their side? Just pick one woman or leave them both alone.” Yunho said frustratedly.

“You are overstepping your boundries. What goes on between me and _____ is between me and _____.” Jaejoong said as he picked a struggling Yumi. “_____! Yunho said he’s leaving.” He said as he made his way to the kitchen.

“ Yunho’s you’re leaving? At least eat something before you leave.” _____ said as she came to see Yunho.

“I don't have an appetite right now, but thanks.” Yunho said and then bid his goodbyes.