Jiyong stared at the key on his hand. It was the key that Dara always wore around her neck. When he got back yesterday, the heaviness he felt inside when he found Dara gone was crippling. A part of him... a stubborn part of him wished that Dara would defy his words and decided to stay. They would get by. He would just have to be by her side all the time to keep the people who had nothing good to say away from her. Or he would just have to lock her up to keep her away from all the pain those ignorant people will bring her. Or maybe, they would just run away together and go far... far from everyone, far from anything that may hurt her. But Jiyong knew better. His wife's selflessness, her golden heart wouldn't let her be selfish and think for themselves, let alone run from the darkness he brought. She was as stubborn as he that by pushing her away, hiding her was the last thing he could do to protect her.

Protecting her like this kept him from following her yesterday and bringing her back. It kept him from calling her at once and tell her he loved her so much that he cannot not think of her for a second and also tell her that knowing she was far was slowly killing him.

Today was the first day since Dara left and though a part of him was sad because of it, another part of him felt relieved that he could work on things smoothly and without thinking that about his wife's well-being. He had fixed everything for her. Though at the other side of the country, she could finish her studies there without any hassle and without having to hear people saying things about her. She could live freely and do things she wanted. He smiled at the thought of her happy with being free. He also willed himself not to call her at all or maybe at least once in a while because he did, he didn't trust himself for the things he could say. For him pleading her to go home and just be with him instead.

The ringing sound of his phone woke him up from his trance. It was Yunho. He and Yunho had been meeting since the night they reunited and his older brother had been so eager to help him with his problems with their family's business and with Taeyeon. Jiyong was not sure he wanted Yunho to be involved with his problems but other than that, he couldn't help but be glad of his brother's sincere help. With that, he smiled.

“Jiyong, we need to meet.” And the smile on his lips vanished upon hearing the uneasiness in his brother's voice.

–

“Where are you?” Youngbae asked her on the phone. He was the first one to call her and it sadden her that until now Jiyong didn't even bother to check if she arrived safely... yesterday.

“Busan.” She replied. She smiled at the long silence that he gave her.

“You don't plan on attending class?” He asked. And Dara couldn't help but be sadder. Not seeing her friend made her sad even more.

“I'm attending it here now.” She whispered, looking down miserably.

“What has gotten into your husband's mind this time?” He said angrily and hearing it, Dara couldn't help but smile. It always amused her with Youngbae's grumpiness. She didn't respond which brought another long silence between them.

“I'll have my eyes on him here for you.” Youngbae said which made her smile grew bigger.

“Thank you.”

“Call me if you need something.”

“Okay.”

He hung up the phone abruptly which made her pout. Until now, Youngbae's grumpiness still amused yet annoyed her at the same time. As her thoughts drifted back to Jiyong, she let out a long sigh before she turned to the window that overlooked the sea. She wondered what he's doing right now... wondered if he too was feeling the same longingness she was feeling right now.

“Take me back home, Jiyong.”

–

“I saw Taeyeon.”

Jiyong looked up to his brother upon hearing Taeyeon's name. Even though Yunho wanted to help his younger brother about Taeyeon – in any way he can help – the latter talked him out of it. Jiyong was stern when he told Yunho not to get involve with the matters of Taeyeon. Yunho even told him at first that the baby might probably not his but Jiyong won't hear about it. He was set to believe Taeyeon's words and whether it was his or not, the child needed his help.

“Hyung...” Jiyong started but Yunho cut him.

“Jiyong I know you didn't want me to get involved in this. I was not going to at first, not when I saw Taeyeon last night.” Yunho said. Uneasiness filled his expressio.

“Why? What happened?” Jiyong asked in alarm.

“Don't worry, she's fine. I saw her last night with a man.” Yunho eyed Jiyong wearily. Jiyong saw the look on his brother's face and he wondered why his brother's looking at him at such way. What did Yunho expect him to react? He did tell him already that he didn't feel anything for Taeyeon anymore and he was sure that Taeyeon didn't feel anything for him anymore as well... or if she ever did. Jiyong shook his head in confusion.

“I don't understand... why are you telling me this.” he asked.

“Jiyong, with the way I saw them acting last night, it makes me think that probably you are not the baby's father after all.”

The news shocked the life of him. The thought didn't occur to him. It was absurd. He trusted Taeyeon for her not to do such thing to him. Lastly, he knew what he did during his marriage with Dara and he accepted that the consequence of his sin.

Even before Jiyong could say anything about what his brother said, the latter beat him to it.

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