Chapter 34

Graduating with flying colors, Yuri smiled at the camera. Her father was taking her picture with her graduation attributes. She scanned around to find someone whom she wanted to be standing with. Yunho had promised her to come with Chunghee on her graduation day. She suddenly felt cold. Although Seoul had almost finished its winter, the coldness in February was still surrounding them. She was supposed to fly to Sydney fifteen days after her last presentation, however, she found another reason to delay her departure. She wanted to attend a graduation ceremony in February. After that, there would be no reason to delay her flying to Sydney.

She turned her head, looking at the other graduates who were laughing happily with their partner. Big smiles was on their faces when their family took their picture. She felt alone. What would she feel if Yunho was by her side when she got her degree? She blinked several times, fighting back her tears as she didn’t want her family to see her cry again. She had promised herself to be strong especially when the day of separation came which was only a few days. She let out a big sigh, ‘Life is too cruel.’ She said to herself.

Suddenly, a tap on her shoulder brought her back to the present. She turned around & saw Yunho grinning happily, holding a big bouquet of red roses. She let out a little laugh when meeting his eyes.

“Mommy.”

She lowered her head to see Chunghee holding a single red rose in his right hand. She knelt down to be one level with him. She gave him a beautiful smile, “Is that for mommy, Chun?”

He nodded with his cute grin liked his father. His eyes were shining brightly.

“Thank you. You’re my good boy.” She hugged & kissed his chubby cheeks several times. He shrieked in delight. She gave her degree inside the tube box to Mimi & pulled Chunghee into her embrace. Chunghee grinned in joy. He put his tiny arms around his mother’s neck & lay his head on her shoulder.

Yunho smiled. He moved closer & kissed her cheeks gently. He stared at her lovingly, yet proudly of her achievement, “Congratulations, Yul. I know you would be the best graduate. We are so proud of you. Chunghee & I were clapping hard from the back when they called your name, right, Chun?”

Yuri stared at him in disbelief, “Are you saying that the both of you were here since the beginning of the ceremony?”

He nodded, still smiling dazzlingly.

She felt her eyes gleaming with tears again. She smiled in gratitude & whispered, “Thank you, Yun Oppa. It’s so nice of you.”

His smile suddenly disappeared. He stared at her deeply. She stared back at him. Both of them could see sadness in each other eyes even though they were trying so hard to hide it with their fake smile.

“Come on, take a picture.” Mimi’s voice brought them back to the present.

Yunho moved away as if he knew Yuri wouldn’t want to take pictures with him. He respected her decision. If her fiance found their picture someday, she would get into trouble which he didn’t want.

“Oppa! Move closer, will you?! Geez, why is it so hard to make both of you smile at the camera naturally?! Look! Even Chunghee is ready!” Youngmi protested, grumbling to herself.

Yuri didn’t turn her head to look at him. When she felt him moving closer & putting his arms around her shoulder, her heart started beating weakly. This was the end.

‘This might be the first & last picture of the three of us together!’ Her heart screamed out. The day of separation was approaching. Yoongi had sent her a one-way ticket to Sydney. He actually wanted to attend her graduation ceremony & go back together with her to Sydney after that. However, she refused him with a logical reason. Fortunately, Yoongi agreed as he wasn’t aware of Yuri’s mind. In fact, she wanted to spend her last three days with Yunho & Chunghee before she left them forever.

That night, Yunho had taken her family to dinner, celebrating her graduation at Arirang Folk restaurant. He tried to joke around but he couldn’t fool himself. He was bleeding inside as he knew that their separation was in front of his eyes. Finally, he lost her. He lost her to Yoongi, his rival of her love whom he had never met in person. He sighed deeply, secretly several times as he didn’t want Yuri’s family to see his pain. He stole a glance at Yuri. She was quite busy that night, pretending to feed Chunghee & avoid his gaze. He could see her eyes shimmering with tears every time their eyes met. She was nice to him; putting food first in his bowl, pouring tea & serving him liked a real wife. She was caring to Chunghee, too. He noticed that Yuri didn’t eat her meal.

Yuri’s parents exchanged looks several times as they knew the couple in front of them was only pretending to be happy. They didn’t want to get involved as they respected their decision. Maybe it was the best for them but it wasn’t fair for Chunghee. He was too young to understand. What if he couldn’t let his mother go liked his father? Could Yunho handle him without Yuri? Every night Chunghee saw his mother, cuddling with her. Every night he would played with her, hearing her voice, ‘Oh god, was their decision the best for their life?!’ Her heart cried out. In her old eyes, she believed that they loved each other but...She let out a big sigh again.

It was five o’clock in the morning already; however, Yunho still stared at the paper in front of his eyes. He read for the hundredth times again, “Petition for divorce between Jung Yunho & Kwon Yuri.” He clenched his fist until it turned white. He drank his wine again. Why couldn’t he move his fingers to sign it? Obviously, he couldn’t sign it as this letter was his last wall of protection to keep her from Yoongi’s arms.

Yunho got up as he had enough to drink. The alcohol wasn’t helping him anymore. His mind was full of Yuri. He glanced at Chunghee who was sleeping peacefully in the other side of his king-size bed. Chunghee was so grumpy tonight. He was crying hard when Yunho took him home. He usually cried for a while & ended up with a wide grin to wave Yuri goodbye, however, tonight he didn’t stop crying. Yuri finally took him to her bedroom & locked the door. Yunho didn’t know what they were doing inside her bedroom. He sighed in relief when he heard Chunghee stopped crying. After waiting for a few minutes until Chunghee fell asleep, he finally took him home.

He had to get some sleep since he would send Yuri off to the airport after taking Chunghee to his mother’s place. Yuri begged him not to bring Chunghee. It was painful to see how his son would lose his lovely mother in his early age. He had lost his mother before & he could still remember the pain. Would he be able to see Chunghee’s happy grin again, when his son couldn’t find Yuri? He reminded himself that it was for the best. He couldn’t force her if her heart belonged to somebody else. The white paper was still being neglected on his computer desk. Even the plastic protection was still intact. It felt like decades to wait for the sun to rise, “Yuri, I just can’t get you out of my mind. I’ve never felt so much in love before but as a man, I have to let you go so you can catch your dreams & happiness but you will forever be in my thoughts, my love.” He said weakly. Taking in a deep breath, he finally took the pen & signed his name on the paper quickly. Without looking back, he put their divorce paper in its envelope. He finished his last glass of wine & lay down beside his sleeping child. He closed his eyes, trying to catch up on a few hours of sleep before the sun rose. However, her beautiful face was flashing across his mind liked a movie, making his heart bleed again.

Yuri couldn’t close her eyes for the whole night. After Yunho & Chunghee went home, she sat on the chair & stared blankly at the sky. Her eyes were red & droopy as she had cried so hard after they were gone. It was her last time seeing Chunghee. She could still remember how he was crying when Yunho took him home. He usually grinned & wave her goodbye but tonight he was so grumpy. He might have felt the same pain as her. Yunho had promised her not to bring him to the airport. She didn’t have a heart to wave him goodbye.

Sighing deeply, she opened her drawers & pulled out all the cards & gifts from Yunho. She wanted to keep all of his gifts & lovely cards for a reason that had been very important for her heart. She would put