Chapter 43

The ringing of his mobile took Yunho from his muddled mind. He walked towards the coffee table next to the sofa where he put his mobile. He cleared his throat & answered the phone, “Hello.”

There was a sound of giggling from the other line, “Hi lover boy. Am I disturbing your wedding night? Have you finished yet or are you still in the middle of doing it?”

Yunho sighed deeply, pressing his emotion down. His best friend, Jaejoong was going too far with his joke in this critical time, “What do you want?” He sounded cold & a little bit angry.

“Wow, hang on, man. What’s the matter? Without a hello, you just snap at me. I know you are busy right now with your wife.” He paused & started to laughed hard, “But I just want to make sure that you’re doing it right, lover boy, or do you need my advice?”

“It’s not funny!” Yunho said immediately, raising his voice.

“My gosh, Yun. Don’t be so cranky. I know that I’m wrong to be calling you at this time. Did she reject you? Or she said you’re not good enough?” Jaejoong teased words again, & then laughed uncontrollably.

Sighing deeply, Yunho closed his eyes. His bad temper rose up. He wasn’t finished dealing with Yuri & his best friend had given him another nuisance.

“Look, I don’t want to talk to anybody right now, including you. In three seconds I will hang up this phone. You don’t have to give me some stupid advice about wedding nights because there’s no wedding night! Do you hear me?” Yunho gasped, trying to catch his breaths. His voice was shaking.

Hearing Yunho’s harsh words, Jaejoong kept quiet, “Is something wrong, Yun? Are you okay? Where’s Yuri?” Jaejoong asked in a low tone.

“I don’t know what happened, Jae. My happiness is destroyed in one night. I’m desperate. I feel like I want to kill myself.”

“What? What happened? Don’t make me confused. Are trying to scare me? You’re telling me this only to fool me, right? You’re telling me a big joke, aren’t you?”

Anger ate him up. Yunho’s eyes flashed in disappointment, “If you said this is a joke then I really regret choosing you as my best man. Goodnight.” He turned off the phone & threw it harshly to the sofa.

He turned his head to see the bathroom door. It was still closed even though he couldn’t hear the sound of the water anymore. Suddenly, he realized that he hadn’t put his clothes on as he felt the coldness of the night. He only wore a toweling dressing gown. Turning the heater into high position, he asked himself in despair, “Oh god, what should I do? Do I have to go out or stay here to clear this mess up?” Sighing deeply for the hundredth times already, he took his navy short sleeve mesh tie dye stripe polo shirt & black plain front straight fit no iron chino pants & got ready to go out before Yuri came out from the bathroom.

Taking in a deep breath several times, Yuri put on her nightwear after a long-suffering shower. Then she took the white toweling dressing gown with the mandarin oriental initial on it, same liked Yunho’s. Her eyes were swollen & red. She looked at her image in the big mirror in that exquisite bathroom. Her eyes turned to see a vase of red roses on the dressing table. Even her favorite flower couldn’t help ease her pain.

‘Yuri, you should think clearly. Jealousy & anger are only causing you sadness & misery.’ Her heart told her mind. Tears were flowing down on her cheeks. She remembered his serious face when he said his wedding vows. She remembered his loving & tender look when she said yes to be his wife. His eyes were gleaming with tears while he gave her his best smile ever. She sobbed silently, “Was it all a misunderstanding?” She asked her image, on the mirror but the image of Jiyeon & him spending their nights at Taiwan together haunted her mind. What if it was true? & he did confess that they were kissing although he said that it was nothing.

‘It’s better to end it now before I fall into his love trap deeper.’ Her mind told her.

Slowly, she turned the doorknob & came out from the bathroom. She looked around & her eyes couldn’t find any sign of Yunho in the room. Her eyes were gleaming with tears again. She felt lost, lonely & desperate. She needed him. She didn’t know what to do without him in her life. She sighed deeply. The delicate room was empty liked a big hollow in her heart, ‘He’s gone.’ She thought. He didn’t even want to give her anymore explanation. Maybe her mind told her the right thing to do, ‘Just let him go, Yuri.’ She said to herself.

She turned around & stopped at the king-size honeymoon bed. The beautiful Irish linen cover was still folded. It hadn’t been touched. She closed her eyes, allowing the tears to flow down her pale cheeks, ‘It would never be touched.’ She said to herself. She walked towards the bed slowly & found the pieces of the card that Yunho had torn still on the floor.

Despite the heat from the central heating, she felt cold & numb, ‘He’s gone. What should I do?’ She asked herself.

“Yul.”

The soft tone brought her back to reality. She turned to the direction of the voice. Standing at the balcony doorway was Yunho. He looked awful, troubled & very serious.

“I told you to leave! Why are you still here?!” She snapped at him. She gave him a glare, yet her heart was screaming lightly, relief as he didn’t leave her alone, ‘Thank you god he hadn’t left.’ She said silently.

“We must talk, Yul.” He said pleadingly.

Yuri watched him but didn’t answer him. She turned her head to another direction, avoiding his deep eyes. Her heart was beating faster, ‘Should I give him one more chance to talk about this matter?’ Her heart reminded her mind.

“I know I was wrong. I should have told you everything. Please don’t break my heart with this.” He said gently.

“Do you still have a heart?”

“Yes. I gave you my heart.” He said in a gentle voice. Looking at Yuri intensely, Yunho walked closer, “I want to tell you everything about my past & myself.” He stopped, looking at her expression, “Everything so you will know about me completely.”

Yuri kept silent. She played with her fingers.

Taking in a deep breath, he said softly, “I was a good boy before. I studied hard to fulfill my dreams to attend the best school in USA. I got my dream when Walden accepted me. I went to USA to get a hold my teenager dream. When it was semester break, I went out with some friends to have some refreshing air after fighting with those thick books, stressful assignments & hard exams. I met Yeonnie in New York when I watched her performance at the catwalk. My eyes caught her eyes & then I asked for her phone number to pursue her. She answered my proposal & we started dating.” He stopped, watching Yuri’s face. He sighed when he didn’t see her give any reaction.

“In the middle of the mid-semester exam, I heard my parents would get a divorce. Mom was crying when she called telling me about the news. I love my parents & I didn’t want anything to happened to them. I immediately went back to Korea but I was too late. Mom had left dad & me. I was frustrated & angry with dad when he refused to tell me where I could find mom. Then I started to destroy my life with drinking, smoking & having affair with many different girls to disgrace dad’s big name. I wanted him to feel my pain. I wanted to take revenge for separating me & my mother.” He sighed, recalling his hardest moments.

Yuri stole a glance at him. She watched his handsome face turned gloomy. Although he tried to smile, he couldn’t hide his pain.

Turning his body to the open balcony, he continued his story, “I started to date different girls every week & dumped them easily. I became famous in hot gossip column in magazine & newspaper. I did it on purpose to hurt dad & force mom to come back. I was smoking, drinking & playing with girls hearts but I’d never touched drugs. One day, one of my friends at the nightclub gave me the drug to try. However, I just kept it in my pocket. Then I met you.” He let out a big sigh. He bit his lower lips & turned his head to look at her. Smiling weakly, he said, “You know the rest of the story. I used it to drug you & myself. I’m sorry.” He lowered his eyes, trying to hold back his tears.

Yuri stared at him in silence. She didn’t say a word but her eyes told him that she was listening. She could feel his pain.

“I was a bad boy, Yul, until I met you. You’ve changed my life & that time I swore to change my bad habit. I wanted to prove to you that Jung Yunho isn’t a bad guy.” He paused & lifted his head up to look at her in the eyes. His eyes were glittering with tears, “I did a lot of bad things but betraying you isn’t one of them.” His voice was gentle, yet firm. The way he looked at her made her heart beat weakly.

“I’d like to believe that.” She said, almost a whisper.

“You have to. I’m telling you the truth.” He moved closer & sat down next to her.

“Tell me, if it’s not because of Chunghee then you wouldn’t marry me. You would have marry Jiyeon.” She started to sob.

“It’s not true, Yul. I thought I loved Yeonnie but then I realized that I only liked her, not loved until I met you. You’re my true love.” He said firmly. His face was serious, yet troubled.

“Don’t tell me you love me if you have many passionate nights with Jiyeon. You did it with her & all the other girls since a long time ago. Don’t think that I don’t know.” She said, between her tears.

Yunho closed his eyes, “It’s all lies. I’ve never slept with any girls before.”

“Please don’t lie to me anymore, Yun Oppa.” Her voice was soft, pleading.

He turned his head, staring at her intently. He put his hand under her chin as she looked away from him. He locked her face with both of his hands & forced her to look at him, “Look at me, Yuri. I’ll tell you my biggest secret.” He paused, gasping for air, “I confess I have kissed many girls before but I’ve never slept with any of them except you. I remember my mother telling me at the airport when I was ready to go to America to pursue my study. She said I have to keep my pride to give myself only for the one I love. So that night it wasn’t only you who lost the ity, I lost mine, too.”

Yuri was stunned in shock. So the famous playboy Jung Yunho had never slept with any girls before? She narrowed her eyes, trying to find a lie in his eyes but they were sincere & truthful. Her heart screamed in delight, ‘So, he only gave himself to me?!’ She lowered her eyes, avoiding his intense look, “What about Jiyeon? Did you sleep with her after that night?”

Yunho sighed deeply, “Yuri, why are we fighting about this ridiculous thing? Please don’t throw away what we have got together hardly. Not over something as stupid as this! Even after that night, I’ve never slept with anybody. Believe me.” He said in a stiff voice.

She stared at him behind her tears.

He wiped her tears away gently, without taking his eyes off of her, “Don’t cry for this stupid thing! I love you. You have to believe in our love.” He said gently, almost a whisper.

Looking at him lovingly for a moment, she finally nodded. Yunho sighed in relief & smiled weakly behind his teary eyes. They looked at each other intently. He gave her his dazzling smile & when she replied back with her beautiful smile, he hugged her tightly. She sobbed hard in his chest with tears of happiness & relief. His confession had melted her heart & stubborn mind. Between her sobs, she punched his chest playfully, “You should have told me about Jiyeon before.”

He smiled & whispered into her ear, “I didn’t know that you were jealous of her. Forgive me, Yul.”

She didn’t say anything. When he pulled back, Yunho looked at her affectionately. He bent his head down & kissed her tears away gently. Yuri closed her eyes & let him kiss her face. He kissed her forehead, eyes, lowering down to her cheeks & finally captured her lips. She kissed him back with her whole heart. When they broke the kiss, gasping for air, he said to her, “Where did you get all those nasty thoughts about me? I meant, those ridiculous things which has poisoned your mind?”

Yuri hesitated to answer. She remembered her agreement with Jiyeon to deal with their matter alone without Yunho.

“I don’t mind if you don’t want to tell me.” He said gently.

Her heart melted. She stared at him, feeling guilty for not trusting him, ‘Thank you, god. He has a heart full of love to handle my childish act.’ She prayed silently. She lowered her eyes, “Jiyeon said all those stuff to me by herself.” She said weakly.

“What? I mean, what was she trying to do with those lies?”

“I don’t know, Oppa.” She lifted her face up, meeting with his inquiry look, “When I eavesdropped on your conversation with her on Chunghee’s birthday, you said you needed her & she said that she couldn’t do that behind my back & also.”

Yunho put his hand on her lips. He said gently, “You misunderstood my conversation with Yeonnie. I said yes I needed her in the meaning of her help to support you to take over my company. I was preparing to transfer my ownership to your name since I was sure that you would say yes that night to accept my wedding proposal. I even prepared the details to reveal to all the guests on Chun’s birthday who’s his lovely mother but that plan failed. You cried at the back garden & I thought you were sad to be with me. I thought you only loved Yoongi, that’s why I encouraged you to go to Sydney, to catch your dreams. How stupid I was, Yul!”

“I was more stupid, Oppa!” Her face turned red in embarrassment.

“No, you’re not. You were jealous, sweetheart. It’s different with stupid!”

“But you can’t blame me. I heard you said that you needed time to talk to me when she said that ‘we can’t do that behind her back’. If you were in my position, what would you think of that sentences? People usually do something bad behind someone’s back.” She pouted playfully.

He laughed a bit, “You weren’t listening from the beginning. I said that I needed to talk to you in the matter of transferring my shares & Yeonnie said that she & I couldn’t do that secretly without your approval.”

She turned red again. She punched him again, playfully “But I saw with my own eyes, you both were hugging each other & she said that you only wanted Chunghee.”

“But you know it’s not true. I guess you didn’t listen until the end. I said to Yeonnie firmly that I wanted both of you & Chun. You know how much I love you & Chunghee. As for the hug, she locked her arms tightly around my neck which made me hard to breath. It’s the same situation as in Taiwan. I swear, Yul. It’s not what you think.”

“I believe you. Please forgive me, Oppa.” She said immediately, smiling at him tenderly, “But if you were in my position then my husband’s ex-girlfriend said that she had a great life with him, would you still keep calm?” She challenged him. Her eyes stared at him in a questioning way.

He sighed. His eyes darkened. His anger rose up, “Did she talked to you about it?” When he saw Yuri nodding her head weakly, his emotion blew up, “I will have a talk with Yeonnie now & ask for her explanation. I can’t believe she would do such things to us. I thought she’s my best friend. How could she do that to me?” He got up, taking his mobile phone from the sofa.

Yuri put her hand on his when he was ready to dial. She touched his face gently, “Calm down, Oppa. You can do it later when we get back to Korea.”

He turned his head to looked at her. He nodded & smiled in gratitude, “Yes, you’re right & I don’t want to think about anything else tonight except you.” He bent his head down to kiss her again.

However, she put her hand on his lips before he could proceed with his kiss, “I want to know your explanation of that card.” She pointed at the card from Jiyeon which had turned into pieces on the floor, “How could it be in your luggage?”

“My god, Yuri. I feel like a criminal tonight, answering so many questions. Honestly, I don’t know, Yul, but our luggage was put in the concierge desk during the reception. She could have slipped it in mine to mess up our life but I swear I didn’t know about it.”

She smiled at him, looking at the darkness of his eyes. Her fingers drew a line along his jawline, “I believe you, Jung Yunho.”

“Thank you.” He said, with a deep voice. He caught her hand & kissed it. His eyes were full of love, relief, bliss & cheerfulness, longing for desire now. He looked at her with a fast beating heart. He closed his eyes as he bent down to kiss her.

Closing her eyes too, Yuri circled her arms around his neck & replied to his kisses when she felt him deepening the kiss. He groaned while his hand starting to touch her delicate body, “Yul.” He said, when they paused from the kiss.

“Yes?” She lifted her head up & looked at him in the eyes which was as deep as the darkness of the night.

“Our honeymoon bed is waiting, shall we?” He asked in a husky voice.

Her face turned red. Smiling shyly, she nodded weakly. Her mind was occupied with desire like him.

He pulled her closer & stared intently into her mesmerizing eyes. Slowly, his hand reached up to cup her lovely face &