Jong Dae came back to his clinic and was greeted by Mrs. Choi and Jin Ri. Jong Dae just showed bitter smile as he left his car and walked into his room.

“Mom, what has happened? Why is he so drastically changed?”  asked Jin Ri, but everyone knew her mother couldn’t have any answer for her question. So they chased Jong Dae. Mrs. Choi knocked the door.

“Come in.”  Jong Dae sounded so weak. They came in and saw Jong Dae hopelessly sat on his bed. His coat had gone onto the floor. His shirt was crumpled. His hair was messy. For short explanation, he looked destroyed and devastated.

“What happened, dear?”

“Oppa, what happened? Why are you so sad? Don’t you suppose to look happy?”  Jong Dae smiled again but everyone knew he forced his smile, “no. Nothing happened. Everything is fine.”

“If everything is fine like you said,”  Mrs. Choi replied, “then why are you here? You should celebrate your girlfriend’s coming by staying with her until the end.”

“She doesn’t need it.”

“Why?”   Jin Ri asked curiously.

“It’s because she has somebody else to stay with her until the end.”  At first, the mother and daughter didn’t get the message but then they understood. Jin Ri approached Jong Dae, “oppa, what really happened? Tell us. We are all your family too. Is she coming with another guy?”

“Is that true, dear? Is what my daughter just said true? Is she betrayed you?”

“Nobody is betraying or betrayed, Mrs. Choi,”  Jong Dae said, “I am just a fool thinking that she is still remembering our promise when the truth is not.”

“She forgets it?”

“It’s more like she thinks that it is just a childish promise. Beside, none of us declared that we would get married someday. Being together doesn’t have to be married. She maybe think that ‘being together’ is living side-by-side with each other family, become friends and make our future children as childhood friends like us.” 

“What do you mean?”

“She doesn’t even figure out or even know my feeling for her, so she is okay to bring another guy into her life. I can’t get angry to her.”

“Dear, you should be angry.”

“To whom, Mrs. Choi?”  Jong Dae yelled. It seemed like he couldn’t hold it anymore. Finally someone told him that he deserved to be angry, but the question was still the same: to whom?  

“She doesn’t know my feeling, I have never told her, none of those who know have told her. So, to whom I should be angry at? I can just be angry to myself. I am a fool for thinking and dreaming, hoping that everything that I have dreamt of can be happened, but in the end, I have to face the reality!”  Jong Dae then gave up and cried. His hands covered his eyes.  Mrs. Choi rubbed his back in order to try to calm him down. Jin Ri bit her lips. She thought and yes, she didn’t even know how to answer Jong Dae’s question. It seemed like he had already answered his own question.

“Dear, please do not cry. You are a handsome guy; there are a lot of girls who want you. If she is not the one for you, I believe the time will come when the right girl comes for you.”

“But I only love her. She is the one for me.”

“But she is not for you according to this story,”  Jin Ri spoke, “you can move on; you should move on. Is that what you told me when I found out that he left me with his unborn child?”  Jong Dae smiled to Jin Ri. She obviously tried to cheer him up, but with her way. Jong Dae did tell her that seven months ago, when they found out how her bad boyfriend was.

Jong Dae then thought.

He then smiled to those two women. The smile was sincere.

“You are right, Jin Ri-ah. I should forget about it.”

“It’s not instant, dear, remember it,”  Mrs. Choi hugged him, “but please remember also that we are here for you. We will help you as much as we can.” 

“Thank you, Mrs. Choi.”   But Jong Dae didn’t think this could be hard; it would be the hardest thing he had done in his life. But he knew they were right, if Li Yin had chosen Jun Su to be with her, he couldn’t ask more. He definitely wouldn’t want to become the ‘third guy’ in their relationship, and if with Jun Su brought happiness to Li Yin, that simply put everything. Jong Dae just wanted to see her happy.

Sometimes when you love a person, it doesn’t mean that you have to own her. Love doesn’t demand to be loved back. Jong Dae agreed with these. He had to move on, for everyone’s happiness. It was for Li Yin’s happiness.

But maybe for several days, Jong Dae didn’t have to meet Li Yin. It would break his heart even more. He needed some time to heal the wound.

Li Yin did get confused with Jong Dae’s attitude for the next days. She was eager to know how he had been living for the past twelve years, but he always reject her ask to meet. Even when Li Yin opened her new bakery shop (with Yi Xing’s help and Jun Su’s parents’ big help) Jong Dae didn’t come. He said he was so busy in his clinic. How busy could he be?

“I need his address.”  Li Yin asked to Yi Xing, who ate his jajangmyeon enthusiastically.  She pulled her hand and asked Yi Xing to give her something. Yi Xing, with mouth full of jajangmyeon, just looked at his older sister strangely.

“What?” he mumbled.

“Eat your jajangmyeon first.”  So that was what he did. He swallowed hard and then hit his chest.

“Do not puke.”

“You are the one who is responsible when I get into the hospital because swallowing too fast. What do you mean, jie?”

“Jong Dae’s address. I need it.”

“For what?”

“He has been disappeared and I don’t like it. He must forget about us!”  Yi Xing wanted to knock some consciousness to his sister’s head but he knew he couldn’t. Jong Dae told him about the fact that he gave up in order for Li Yin to get her happiness, and everyone could see her happiness was with Jun Su. Yi Xing couldn’t deny Jun Su was somehow compatible with his sister. He also was crazy for Li Yin; he would do anything for Li Yin.

However, Yi Xing hoped that Jong Dae didn’t give up. He should be fighting for his love.

But he knew Jong Dae’s reason: he didn’t want to make Li Yin sad and hurt. She would be torn apart if Jong Dae kept fighting. He let her go so that she could live peacefully.

Sometimes Yi Xing didn’t understand how love could make someone crazy and illogical. He had never gone through it; his love life was overall good and logical for normal people.

“He doesn’t forget about us. He is just busy.”

“You have talked to him, right? Then he must forget about me!”  Yi Xing rolled his eyes. His sister pouted and her arms were crossed.

“Don’t be ridiculous, jie. Jong Dae will never forget you, ever. He is just busy. He is the only doctor, reachable doctor, I might add, at his area. You know that kind of doctor will have hundreds of patient to be dealt every day.”

“That is why I asked you for his address. You must know it.”  Yi Xing shook his head, “sorry, jie, but I don’t know. I haven’t asked that to him. I just know his phone number, both his phone and home phone.” 

Li Yin stared to him sharply, “are you trying to lie to me, Zhang Yi Xing?”

“Why am I? Why do I have to do it?”  This part was true. Yi Xing didn’t know Jong Dae’s address.

”Why is he closing himself from us? Is there something we do wrong?”  Yi Xing just shrugged his shoulders and continued eating jajangmyeon. He was in dilemma between telling his sister the truth or just keeping it like Jong Dae wanted.

“Oppa! Wake up!”  Jin Ri’s shout was heard well by Jong Dae. That means, Jin Ri was next beside him and shouted directly into his ear.

That day was Saturday. It was the day for Jong Dae and the mother-daughter gank to rest and have a break from running the clinic. Jong Dae rubbed his eyes and smiled to Jin Ri. She was really looked like a puppy.

Jong Dae rubbed her hair, “what is it, Jin Ri-ah?”

“Today is the day Doctor Park said I can check my baby’s ! We have arranged this long time ago! Please oppa, I want you to come too! Mom is coming too! All of you should come!”  She cheered and jumped. Jong Dae had to calm her because her bump was so big and he was afraid she could fall down. But Jin Ri was still Jin Ri. She was carefree and cheerful. If Jong Dae compared her pain over his, he was grateful he wasn’t Jin Ri. At least, he didn’t have to suffer for nine month and carried the baby who would definitely remind him of the pain-in-the- guy.

“Okay, I will come. Let me take a shower first!”

“Mother has made some bibimbap for us so that we can eat it once we arrive at the hospital!” 

“You need the power. Stop jumping around and go downstair, Jin Ri-ah! I will meet you two at the kitchen!”

“Oppa! You are the best!”  She did thumb-up and got out from his bedroom. Jong Dae then prepared himself to go with the gank. He was excited about Jin Ri’s baby too. He was like its protector and he would be glad if Jin Ri asked him to be the role of father for him. The baby needed it, because his own father was a real….jerk.

Once they got into the hospital, Jin Ri happily went to the examination room and they were greeted by Doctor Park, who was none other than Jong Dae’s senior back in medical school. Doctor Park smiled widely, as it was his speciality.

“So, are we ready?”  Jin Ri nodded and the doctor did the magic.

“So, how is it?”  Mrs. Choi asked. She looked really nervous.

“Congratulations, the baby is healthy, and he is one healthy baby boy.”

“Mom! Oppa! Did you hear that? Doctor Park said it was a boy! He is a boy!”  Jin Ri cheered. Jong Dae could see Mrs. Choi’s tears on her cheeks. She must be happy or maybe sad because it would remind her about how hard their lives for protecting this baby.

Jong Dae rubbed her back to both calm her and congratulate the grandmother-to-be. Then he approached Jin Ri and held her hand, “congratulations to you, Jin Ri-ah. Thank you, Chan Yeol hyung.”

“Don’t be. I am glad to be the part of this happy thing. Do you have any preparation to name him, Miss Choi?” 

“I want to name him Jong Dae!”

“What? No!”  Jong Dae reacted, “I don’t want to run here and there because you call him instead of me!”

“But why?”

“I don’t want it! It will bring confusion.”  Jin Ri pouted but Jong Dae let her do that. Chan Yeol held his laugh because he saw their fight was like a childish fight between siblings.

“I still will name him Jong Dae! His name will be Choi Jong Dae, and oppa can’t stop me!” 

Because of the constant childist fighting, Mrs. Choi had to separate it by telling them that it was the best time to walk around the city. At first, Jong Dae didn’t understand it as Mrs. Choi was a type of a woman who disliked going out, but after some rounds, he finally understood. They wanted to make him relax by walking around the city. They wanted Jong Dae to feel some fresh air, since he had locked and buried himself at the clinic and work for the past last days.

They went to every tourism places and where Jin Ri could still be safe with her pregnancy. They tended to walk around the park and enjoyed the scenery, as it was summer about to be autumn. It wasn’t so hot like usual, but it hadn’t been so cold and windy like in autumn. They walked by locking their hands, and all people could see them as one happy family.

“Oppa, stop! I want to eat some bbobki there!”

“What?”

“Yeah, the baby want it too!”  She literally ran toward the stall and asked the seller to make some for her. Jong Dae and Mrs. Choi followed behind as Jin Ri was still waiting her bbobki to be finished.

“Mom! Oppa! Try this!”  She got for them one piece each and they started to eat them. They were laughing happily until one voice cracked it.

“Jong Dae? Is that you?”  He turned around and saw Li Yin and Jun Su together. They were in their usual date and that day they decided to walk at the same place as the trio.

Jong Dae gulped. He was not so ready to meet Li Yin again, and she was with Jun Su too. They were the people he didn’t really want to meet.

“Oh, hi…..noona, Kim Jun Su-sshi.”  He greeted them. Jin Ri and her mother knew instantly that the girl who just called him was his ‘noona,’ the girl that he had been waiting and broken his heart without herself knew.

“What are you doing here?”  Li Yin took a peek and saw Jin Ri and her big bump, “are you—“

“Hello there!”  Jin Ri cut her, “my name is Choi Jin Ri and I with my mother here are helping Jong Dae oppa at his clinic!” 

Li Yin smiled, “oh, is that so? Jong Dae-ah, I thought she was your girlfriend. I was about to accuse you about not telling me regarding her—“

“Yes, I am pregnant.” 

“I am so sorry that I was rude.”

“No, that’s okay. People can acknowledge this instantly.”

“How long is it?”

“It’s about seven months, and the baby is confirmed to be a boy.”

“Congratulations!” 

“Jin Ri,”  her mother held her hand, “maybe we should go first. We have eaten enough here.”

“Okay, mom.”  Jin Ri said good bye to the couple and Mrs. Choi patted Jong Dae’s shoulder. Li Yin smiled to him, “so, how are you?”

Jong Dae looked uncomfortable; everyone could see that, “I am fine, noona. How are you…two?”

“We are fine,”  she answered, “I have met oppa’s parents and I have opened a bakery shop! You should go there, also take Miss Jin Ri with you. She seems a cheerful girl.”

“She is.”  Jong Dae looked straight to Jun Su. Jun Su could feel uneasiness at Jong Dae’s gesture. But he just assumed that Jong Dae worried about Jin Ri and her mother. After all that girl’s pregnancy was almost at the end.

“Jong Dae-ah, what happened? Why do you seem to avoid us?”  Li Yin asked with soft voice. Jong Dae showed his not-so-sincere smile.

“I have been so busy at clinic, noona.”

“And yet you are here now.”

“Today is my break day. Also, Jin Ri just checked her pregnancy at the hospital. I am the driver.”

“But you could’ve called me or Yi Xing. We can go walk together, you and them, Yi Xing and his girlfriend, and me with Jun Su oppa.”  Jong Dae’s heart was scattered. He was really broken but he couldn’t show it. So what he did was just smiling bitterly.

“I am sorry, noona. I didn’t think of that.” Li Yin pouted, “you should. We are family; you are my other little brother.”

“I am so sorry.”  Jong Dae could only say that because frankly, his head was empty. He was hurt to see how intimate Li Yin and Jun Su were.

Suddenly, Jun Su’s phone was ringing. He asked to go to pick it up, leaving Li Yin together with Jong Dae.

“He is working now.”

“Uh, excuse me?”

“Jun Su oppa. He is working now; he is about to take over her father’s company.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. They are having company in clothing line. That is why he went to France to study. We met at the annual party at the Korean ambassador.”

“Oh.”

“Are you not interested at my life in France? You used to be happy just to hear any stories from me,”  Li Yin tilted her head, and smiled, “I guess people do really change. You are now a mature guy, Jong Dae-ah.”  He came back smiling bitterly.

“You too, noona. You are a mature woman too. You even are about to get married.”

Li Yin smiled sincerely, “we have planned everything. Three months from now on, we will be getting married.”  Three months. Three hell months. Jong Dae couldn’t think how he could go through this.

“Jong Dae-ah….”

“Yes, noona?”  He still tried his best to show a usual Jong Dae to her. She looked radiating; she looked so happy. Jong Dae must learn that this was the best for Li Yin, even though this was not the best for him.

“I want you to become my maid of honor.”

“What? But I am—“

“Why? Are you busy?”  Jong Dae gulped. It would be weird for him to reject it, since, face it, Jong Dae was the closest person in this country for her beside her parents, Yi Xing, and this time, Jun Su.

“No, but—“

“There is no one who can understand me more than you, Jong Dae-ah,”  she reached his hands and held it tightly, “please. I will not bother you again. I will not even try to hook you up with girls that I know. Please. I need your help. I need you.” 

Jong Dae lost words.

“O…okay. I am okay with that idea.”

“Really?”  Her eyes were sparkling again, “thank you so much Jong Dae-ah!”  She suddenly hugged him, and for instant the strawberry aroma entered Jong Dae’s nose again. How he missed this aroma; how he missed his noona so much. She was this time close yet so far from him.

“I guess this means Jong Dae-sshi accepted your offer,”   Jun Su talked as he came back. Li Yin released her hug and smiled to him as she walked back to be with him.

No matter what happened, she would always choose him.

“You don’t have to get worried about the venue,”  Jun Su said to Jong Dae, “we have gotten the reservation. But the rest of them, Li Yin said she would be needed your help. I hope you can help us.”  Jun Su asked politely and calmly. Jong Dae could do nothing. Jun Su was a kind guy; he could make Li Yin happy.

“Okay. Thank you, Kim Jun Su-sshi.”

“Just call me Jun Su hyung, since I will marry your big sister here.”  Jong Dae felt bitterness on his mouth and his heart. He couldn’t take this anymore.

“Well, we should go. My company just called and I need to go there.”

“Okay, good bye, Jong Dae-ah! Thank you so much!”  And then they were leaving, leaving Jong Dae with scattered heart around.

Then someone poked him. The seller of bbobki was doing it.

“Yes, sir?”

“Be cheerful. There are lots of women who deserve you better than that girl.”  Even stranger like this old man could detect the truth. Jong Dae smiled back and said thank you before leaving the stall. He approached Jin Ri and Mrs. Choi, who looked so worried about him.

“How was it?”

“I am officially their maid of honor, or what? I don’t know what to call it properly, since—“  He was cut by Jin Ri’s hug. Jong Dae felt thankful for them who were beside him at this time.

“Oppa?”

“Yes?”

“I have decided something.”

“What?”

“I will name this kid Se Hoon.”

“What? Your baby? Why?”

“It’s because that kind old man who cheered you up before is named Se Hoon. I want you to remember about someone who cheers you up no matter what happened.”  

a very long chapter, I think.

Okay, this is the end of the three chapters that I have promised you guys! I will take my hiatus period in order to finish my other stories, please wait patiently!

@chocophins: oh my.....so is this story good? Choose wisely hehehehehe :))))) and about chen, his misery will continue for almost every part of the story :) I really like torturing him here. 

and for all, thank you for subscribing, upvoting and commenting! Please, I need your comment hehehe.....so with that I know what you all think about this story. 

and I want to ask, I want to publish this story into tumblr, do you think it is okay? I am afraid of doing it. 

PS. Do you all get curious about little Sehun's real father? Can you predict who he is? kekekekekeke

thank you 

XOXO