Re-opening an unclosed book…

Minho lazily leaned his hip against the edge of his desk, hoping he looked cool and relaxed when deep inside his heart was thumping wildly upon seeing Krystal again. His heart was overflowing with joy that she went to find him.

He looked at her standing by the door, staring at him first, and then at Yoogeun who was sitting on the floor. She looked as beautiful as before, maybe more, and the memories he had of her face when she had been gone couldn’t even do justice to what she really looked like in the flesh.

Her gaze turned back to him, her eyes asking a million questions.

“Why don’t you come in?” he asked, breaking the silence between them. It was a good thing his voice sounded steady, considering the nervousness and excitement he felt.

She daintily stepped inside and Jinki closed the door behind her.

“You wanted to see me?” he asked again.

He saw her taking a deep breath and then swallowing. She looked unsure and he knew right away that she was nervous, too.

“What is it that you want to talk about?” he calmly asked again when she didn’t say a word.

“I…I…” she stuttered then she looked at Yoogeun. “Is he…yours?”

“Yes.”

Krystal’s eyes widened. Could it be? Could it be that her lost son was with his father all along? “H-how old is he?”

Minho saw the tears threatening to fall from her eyes and mistook it as hurt and sadness. He shook his head.

“I’m just kidding you. No, he is not my son, though I wish he was,” he shrugged. “He’s a child of one of my employees.”

Krystal just kept looking weirdly at Yoogeun. She stepped toward the child and crouched down to face him. Then she caressed the boy’s hair. Yoogeun ignored her.

“He looks so much like you.”

Minho let out a chuckle. “Yeah, a lot of people who saw us together this morning say that. Well, if he’s really my son, considering his age it’s either I’ve found another girl when you left or what happened between us that rainy night…” he trailed off, looking intensely at her.

What he said brought memories of their last night together and she looked away and blushed. “We really shouldn’t be talking about that in front of a kid,” she looked at Yoogeun who was now busy playing with a paperweight.

“If I return him to his mother and there are only the two of us will you allow me to talk about that night?” he asked, smiling and looking at her with eyes twinkling mischievously. He couldn’t help it with Krystal. He just turns into something he usually is not. And just like before, he just loves teasing her.

She blushed deeper. “I don’t mean that. I mean that you should not talk about it.”

His smile disappeared. “Come, Yoogeun-ah. Your umma might already miss you,” he picked up Yoogeun and headed to the door. He turned to Krystal. “I’ll be back,” he told her before he went out of the door.

Krystal slowly sank on one of the couches there, finally giving in to her weakened knees. Somehow the presence of Yoogeun reminded her of her lost baby. Her mind began to whirl. How would she find her child? If he was alive, which she believes he is, he is probably as old as Yoogeun now. Should she tell Minho? Would he hate her if he knew she wasn’t able to protect their child? That she had let her father take it away from her? She leaned back on the back rest of the chair and closed her eyes. Thinking made her head ache.

………………………………

Joo Hyun took Yoogeun from Minho but the little boy clung to him fast.

“Yoogeun-ah, come on. Mr. Choi is busy. Please don’t bother him with your tantrums,” Joo Hyun pleaded.

“I want to play!” he screamed.

“Let’s go home and Umma will play with you,” Joo Hyun prodded.

Yoogeun shook his head, still clinging unto Minho.