Taeyeon woke up to another headache. He continued drinking after Tiffany left him on the bar. He felt like celebrating because finally there was closure between him and Tiffany. All that's left was to fix his life and stop feeling guilty towards everyone.

He stretched his arm towards the bedside table and frowned when his hand came up with nothing. Blinking sleep away, he furrowed his brows at the empty bedside table. Jessica never fails to put painkillers in there.

He peeked over his wrist watch, noting that it was already eight in the morning. Remembering he needed to attend a meeting at nine, he hastily moved out of bed and went to the bathroom, catching the sight of an empty desk on his way.

After dressing up with much difficulty because his tie doesn't seem to go with his shirt, he walked out of his room silently. Passing by the second door in the hallway, Taeyeon stopped, his hand ghosting over the doorknob before retracting. He wanted to check on Jessica but he thought it would be invading privacy.

Is Sica sick? He asked internally before hesitantly walking away.

The living room was empty and the house was eerily quiet when Taeyeon descended from the stairs. He looked around some more and found nobody. It was odd since he was used to see Hyunoo running around the house in the morning, his laughter filling the confines of their home, with Jessica running after him.

Taeyeon smiled. Hyunoo was always active, contrary to how he and Jessica were when they were kids. They would always spend the afternoon snoozing off in their tree house.

His phone went off. It was Sunny, reminding him to hurry for the meeting. Taeyeon mentally cursed, running to the front door and his car.

**

Krystal looked at Jessica's back thoughtfully as her sister unpacked her suitcase. For someone who was staying over for the weekend, Jessica sure packed a lot.

“Are you running away from home?” Krystal joked, making Jessica stiffen.

Krystal furrowed her brows. “Unnie, what’s wrong?” she said, crossing the room to stand in front of her sister.

“N-nothing,” Jessica lied, closing her now empty suitcase.“I just – I wanted to spend time with you.”

Krystal knew that wasn't just the case. She can sense it in her sister's edgy form. But she also knew Jessica will tell her when she's ready so she just nodded and hugged Jessica comfortingly.

“Does Taeyeon oppaknow that you and Hyunoo are here?” she asked, letting go of her sister.

Jessica shook her head timidly, making Krystal draw her own conclusion.

“Thank you for letting us stay for the weekend,”She kissed Krystal’s forehead. “You're the best, Krys.” Jessica smiled before lying on the bed. She was tired from crying, good thing Krystal didn’t notice her puffy eyes and the bags under it.

**

Taeyeon stared at the letter Sunny gave him a week ago –three days after Jessica and Hyunoo disappeared. His brows were furrowed, trying to make sense of the words that were written in a neat penmanship. It was Jessica's.

Taeyeon,

The past seven years had been a happy memory for me, although I know I can't say the same for you. I had been so selfish for so long and I figured now would be the right time to pay you back for your kindness towards me seven years ago. Although you did not have to run after me that day; you did, and that was enough to prove how kindhearted you are. You deserve to be happy, Taengoo. I want you to be happy again.

I’m letting you go, run after your heart this time.

Jessica

It had been a week since Jessica left and none of them heard from her yet –or at least that's what Sunny claims. Hyoyeon also threw him out of her bar one night when he tried talking to her, hoping she could give him some information. He didn’t want to ask Jessica’s parents yet.

Taeyeon was beyond confused with his cousin’s behavior. They had always been close.

He took a deep breath before carefully folding the paper and putting it inside his desk drawer. He didn’t like going home; it just reminds him that he was going to be alone from now on. He misses Hyunoo, and he misses Jessica much more than he ever thought he would.

“Taeyeon?” Sunny peeked from the door of his office and Taeyeon beckoned her to come inside.

Sunny sat across from him, face void of expression as she looked intently at the family picture behind Taeyeon before shifting her gaze to her boss who looked like a hobo with his stubbles growing. Her eyes softened. She never saw Taeyeon this miserable.

“How have you been?” she asked in a soft voice.

Taeyeon shrugged, twirling his pen around his fingers.

“Heard from Sica yet?”

Taeyeon shook his head.

“What did she say in the letter?”

Taeyeon took a deep breath. “To run after my heart this time,” he furrowed his brows. “Whatever that means.”

“She meant for you to persuade Tiffany,” Sunny bit her lower lip. “She saw you in your cousin’s bar,” she looked at Taeyeon’s eyes. “Together.”

Taeyeon shook his head. No, they didn’t do anything that night but talk. Nothing happened that could make Jessica think—

“Hugging,” Sunny added.

Taeyeon’s face turned thoughtful before his mouth fell agape.

“T-That wasn’t what it looked like,” he straighten up on his seat. “She’s engaged.”

Sunny stared at him with hard eyes, not quite believing his statement yet.

“We talked about Jessica,” Taeyeon said. “And there’s nothing going on between us, Sunkyu.”

“You have to believe me,” he added. “I would never cheat on Jessica.”

“Then, aren’t you going to go after her?” Sunny said.

Taeyeon shook his head. “She doesn’t want me anymore. She said she wanted me to be happy,” he looked away from Sunny. “But would my happiness make her happy, too?”

Sunny looked at him with a confused expression.

“I want to run after her,” he cleared. “But I don’t know if that would make her happy, too.”

Sunny’s eyes softened. “She loves you, you know.”

“We’re best friends, that’s understandable.”

Sunny shook her head. “She loves you. Like, really love you.”

Taeyeon fell silent, processing what Sunny had just said. It never occurred to him that Jessica felt something for him besides close friendship. Jessica was good at concealing her feelings.

“But I thought—“

“Why do you think she stayed with you for seven years?” Sunny cut him off. “You have to open your eyes, Taeng.”

If you were to repeat the past, would you still go after Jessica or stay with me? Would you change anything?

Taeyeon knew he would still run after Jessica no matter how many times the past repeats itself. He would always run after Jessica.

**

Taeyeon sat nervously inside the huge office, waiting for Jessica’s father to arrive. It had been a while since he last saw his father-in-law. He never really attended family dinners with the Jungs.

His eyes roamed around the luxurious office, stopping at their family portrait hung beside the Jungs’. Jessica was smiling sweetly while a four year-old Hyunoo was cradled in her lap and Taeyeon stood beside her, arm resting around Jessica’s shoulders. They looked so happy in the portrait. A perfect family to the spectators.

“Taeyeon,” his father-in-law’s voice had Taeyeon rising up from his seat and bowed at the elderly man. Mr. Jung nodded at him before signaling him to sit down.

“What a surprise,” Mr. Jung said with a stoic face. “What brought you here?”

Taeyeon gulped, finding it hard to look at the man’s face.

“I—” he cleared his throat. “Dad, do you know w-where Jessica is?”

Mr. Jung’s face didn’t falter as he momentarily looked at Taeyeon before twirling his chair to the right, facing the window.

“Why?” Mr. Jung said. “Why are you looking for her now when she didn’t matter to you before?”

Taeyeon’s blood boiled at the accusation but stayed calm, reminding himself that this was still Jessica’s father and his father-in-law. But why would the man think Jessica didn’t matter to him? Of course Jessica mattered to him more than he could ever show. Jessica was his anchor. Jessica is his wife. He chose to be with Jessica when he could have just run away from her seven years ago.

“I don’t like seeing my daughter sad,” Mr. Jung turned to look at Taeyeon with stern eyes. “You should know that, you’re a father too.”

Taeyeon hung his head low, too embarrassed to look at his father-in-law. He makes Jessica sad? Besides being the reason she was forced into a marriage she probably didn’t want, he makes her sad? How can he ever make things right for Jessica now?

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, head still hung low. “But I can’t let Jessica go.”

Mr. Jung looked at him with scrutinizing eyes before the elder man sighed. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes.

“Don’t you think it’s for Sooyeon to decide?”

Taeyeon looked at his father-in-law with questioning gaze.

“If she wants to come back to you,” Mr. Jung opened his eyes. “She’ll go back to you.”

Taeyeon shook his head vigorously. “We have a son,” he his drying lips. “We have a family together; I can’t just sit around and wait.”

Mr. Jung’s eyes softened at the determination in Taeyeon’s voice. Hoping that, maybe, there was still hope in his daughter’s family.

“Why are you doing this, Taeyeon?” he asked. “Why are you running after Sooyeon when you didn’t do anything to keep her before?”

“I don’t really know,” Taeyeon admitted. “But I know that I’m incomplete without her and Hyunoo.”

**

Jessica looked at the paper inside the manila envelope, tears welling up as she makes the biggest decision in her life yet.

“Are you going to be okay?” Krystal asked, diverting Jessica’s attention from the divorce papers.

She sent Krystal a small smile before nodding her head. This was the right thing.

“How about Hyunoo, will he be okay?” Krystal’s eyes shifted to the boy playing on the floor.

Jessica followed her sister’s gaze and tears fell down from her eyes when her son smiled at her. He reminds her a lot of Taeyeon.

“He can still see his father,” Jessica took in a deep breath. “Nothing will change between them. He is still Taeyeon’s son.”

Krystal shook her head. “I hope you think about this thoroughly, unnie.”

“I’ve thought about this, Krys. I’m just making things right.”

“Are you really? Maybe for you and Taeyeon,” Krystal looked at Jessica. “But how about Hyunoo?”

Jessica didn’t answer. She looked down at the papers before signing it.

**

Taeyeon stood outside Krystal’s house, waiting for someone to answer the door. He had a hard time begging his father-in-law to tell him where Jessica was but he didn’t mind. He’s here now, a few steps away from Jessica, determined to change his wife’s mind.

Jessica might not want anything to do with him anymore but Taeyeon was here to tell her that she belongs in their home. That Jessica belongs in his life. That she makes life bearable for him and that he.. loves her. Like really, really love her.

Taeyeon doesn’t mind if Jessica would feel incredulous towards it. He just needs to tell her.

“Oppa?” Krystal said, surprise written in her face when she opened the door.

“Soojung,” Taeyeon scratched the back of his head. “C-Can I talk to S-Sica?”

Krystal stepped aside, opening the door wide for him to step in.

“She’s not here, though. She went to buy something for Hyunoo.”

“I’ll wait,” Taeyeon said, taking his coat off.

They walked to Krystal’s living room and Taeyeon was beckoned to sit on the couch. A minute after settling down on the couch, Hyunoo emerged from the kitchen. Looking so cute in his Toy Story shirt that had splatters of what looked like paint.

“Hey buddy,” Taeyeon said, rising up from the couch and crouching down in front of Hyunoo. “How have you been?” he brushed a paint from his son’s cheek with his thumb.

Hyunoo smiled shyly at him. “Hi, Daddy.”

Taeyeon wanted to cry. He rarely heard his son call him that.

“Come here,” he scooped Hyunoo in his arms awkwardly. “You’re heavy!”

Hyunoo laughed. “I’m seven, Daddy.”

Taeyeon chuckled. “Right, you’re a big boy now,” he walked them back to the couch. “Did you take care of Mommy while I was away?”

Hyunoo nodded his head yes.

Taeyeon sat back on the couch with Hyunoo straddling his lap, facing him. He brushed all the paint away from his son’s face.

“What were you doing?” he stuck his tongue out in concentration while Hyunoo just stared at him. “Why do you have so much paint in your face?”

“Your little Picasso was messing with the wall at the back,” Krystal pointed a thumb towards the backdoor as she stood in the archway.

Taeyeon smiled at his son, pinching the boy’s cheek.

“So, you like painting?”

Hyunoo nods sheepishly. “That’s why Mommy went to the mall. I asked her to buy me more paint.”

Taeyeon nods. “How come I never saw you paint at home before?”

Hyunoo bit his lower lip before answering, “Y-You were busy.”

Taeyeon felt guilty, his heart breaking.

“But that’s okay,” Hyunoo said comfortingly. “Mommy said you were busy because you want to buy toys for me and that you work hard for us.”

“She said that?”

Hyunoo nodded with a smile.

“What else did she say?”

Hyunoo looked away from his father, too shy to look at him. “She said you l-love me,” he admitted, his ears turning bright red.

“I do,” Taeyeon said with certainty. “I do love you.”

Hyunoo’s lips broke into a smile before he climbed down his father’s lap, pulling him by the hand.

“Do you want to paint with me?” the seven year-old boy asked with expectant eyes.

Taeyeon nodded without second thoughts before he was pulled to the kitchen, sending Krystal a grateful smile as they passed her by.

**

The sight of a half- Taeyeon and Hyunoo sleeping on the couch greeted Jessica as soon as she stepped inside the living room, traces of paint splattered all over their body and hair. Hyunoo was wrapped inside Taeyeon’s arms while the boy snuggled close to his father’s body. It was an endearing sight.

“He helped Hyunoo finish his painting at the back,” Krystal said from behind Jessica.

“He did?” Jessica whispered.

“And he told Hyunoo he loves him.”

Jessica turned to look at Krystal with incredulous stare. “H-He did?”

Krystal smiled and nodded, taking the paper bags from Jessica.

“I prepared tea,” Krystal turned to walk to the kitchen. Jessica’s eyes lingered on Taeyeon and Hyunoo before she followed Krystal.

Krystal and Jessica sat across each other on the dining table, both lost in their own thoughts.

“Did Taeyeon sign the papers already?” Krystal asked her sister, effectively snapping the woman out of her trance.

“The attorney said he didn’t return the papers yet,” Jessica answered.

“Do you think he will sign it?”

Jessica nodded. “He will.”

Their conversation ended there. Neither of them talked again, choosing to sip on their tea instead.

“Are you here to pick us up?”

Krystal and Jessica’s head whipped towards the archway when they heard Hyunoo’s voice.

A chuckle resounded in the quite house before Taeyeon asked, “Why? Do you want to go home now?”

Hyunoo didn’t speak after that but Taeyeon chuckled again. Jessica assumed the boy nodded.

“Then I’m here to pick you up,” Jessica heard Taeyeon speak and her heart skipped beats. Wasn’t Taeyeon here to sign the papers?

“Can we paint on the wall of our kitchen, too?” Hyunoo said and Jessica could hear the eagerness in her son’s voice.

“Of course, whatever you want.”

Krystal caught the smile in her sister’s lips, making her smile too.

“I think I have my answer now,” she said and Jessica turned to look at her with flushed cheeks. “I’ll let the both of you talk since that was what he came here for,” Krystal said before walking out of the kitchen.

After a few moments later, Taeyeon walked inside the kitchen; his upper body still bare, giving Jessica the view of his toned abs.

He stood in the archway, looking at Jessica with longing eyes. God, he missed her so much that he could have hugged her right there and then.

“Hi,” he said, taking careful steps to the dining table before sitting across from Jessica.

Jessica smiled before looking back down at her cup, resisting the urge to look at Taeyeon’s body but not missing the stubbles on his chin and the bags under his eyes.

“How have you been?” Taeyeon said, trying to start a conversation with Jessica.

“I’ve been good,” Jessica said. “How about you?”

“Horrible,” Taeyeon admitted just like how he did before.

Jessica chuckled nervously, eyes still fixed on her cup.

“You don’t look so horrible, though.”

A hand came to her chin, making her look at Taeyeon.

“I’ve always been horrible without you,” he smiled sadly. “You know that.”

Jessica gnawed at her bottom lip before voicing out the question she had been dying to ask Taeyeon.

“H-How are things.. with you and T-Tiffany?”

Taeyeon frowned, furrowing his brows, not understanding where the question came from until he remembered what Sunny said.

“We broke up a long time ago, remember?”

“B-But she’s back.. isn’t she?”

“Yeah, because she got engaged,” Taeyeon said nonchalantly.

Jessica stared at him incredulously. “E-Engaged?”

“With Kwon Yuri. Remember him?”

Jessica snorted a laugh. “Weren’t they like mortal enemies in high school?”

“That’s what love does to people,” Taeyeon grinned.

“Love,” Jessica whispered. “I can’t believe she’s marrying him.”

Taeyeon hummed before reaching out to take Jessica’s hand in his.

“Sica, I’m not signing the papers,” his voice was serious and resolved.

“I-If it’s about Hyunoo, don’t worr—“

“It’s not just about Hyunoo,” Taeyeon cupped the left side of Jessica’s cheeks, brushing his thumb against her cheekbone. “I don’t think I can live without you.”

Jessica’s looked away from him, her cheeks blushing at Taeyeon’s words.

“I-It’s not right,” she let out.

“Why?” Taeyeon said. “Aren’t you happy with me?”

Jessica bit her lower lip. Everything was overwhelming for her.

“I know I haven’t been the best husband for you,” Taeyeon squeezed her hand. “But I’m going to change that.”

Jessica looked away from Taeyeon.

“Will you give me another chance?”

Jessica thought for a moment before gingerly nodding her head yes. Who was she kidding? She couldn’t let go of Taeyeon, much less live without him.

Taeyeon smiled, rising up from his seat to pull Jessica for a hug.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t know you were struggling. I should have been more sensitive.”

Jessica nods against his bare chest, finding it too hard to speak when her senses were filled with Taeyeon’s scent.

“Do you still feel the same for me?” he said, voice hinting of mischief.

Jessica detached herself from Taeyeon, a tinge of red showing in her cheeks.

“Krystal said you like me since we were kids and Sunny said you love me,” Taeyeon grinned. “Is it true?”

Jessica avoided his gaze, choosing to walk away from him instead.

“Is that why you always followed me around when we were kids?” Taeyeon asked, following Jessica closely.

“No,” Jessica said. “I don’t l-like you.”

Taeyeon chortled. “Really? Then why are you blushing?”

“I’m not,” Jessica fanned her face. “It’s just hot in here.”

Taeyeon scoffed before pulling Jessica against his body again, enveloping her in a back hug.

“I think,” he whispered. “I love you, too.”

Jessica scoffed. “You think.”

Taeyeon shook his head. “I love you, too,” he said, correcting his previous statement.

Jessica didn’t answer, forgetting how to breath for a moment. Here she was, wrapped around Taeyeon’s arms as he declares her love for her. It all felt surreal. This was something that only happens in her dreams.

“Would you like to have dinner with me, Mrs. Kim?” Taeyeon said in a very, very sinful voice.

“Can I come?” Hyunoo’s voice came from behind them. “Please?”

Taeyeon smiled at his son as he turned them around so they were facing Hyunoo, still wrapping Jessica in his embrace.

“Of course,” he said. “Where do you want to go?”

Hyunoo put his index finger on his chin as he tried thinking of a place before his eyes lit up.

“Little Prince!” Hyunoo said, making Taeyeon groan.

“That’s for kids!” Taeyeon scrunched up his face.

 “He’s a kid, Taengoo,” Jessica giggled, unconsciously putting her hands above Taeyeon’s that were resting on her stomach.

“Alright, jagiya,” he whispered seductively, making the hairs on the back of Jessica’s neck stand up.