Chapter 22

 

Yuri walked down the stairs quietly & look around like she hasn’t seen the place for ages. She was feeling much better. Actually, she wasn’t even sick, even from that nasty fall caused by Yunho. No fever. No cold. No nothing. She feels great.

 

She walked into the kitchen & saw Yunho looking over the chef’s shoulder. They were cooking something but really, Yunho was doing the annoying part of learning how to cook! He was adding more salt then the chef have wanted him too, & that cause her to scold him. Little did they know, Yuri was behind them, laughing silently to herself.

 

“What are you two cooking?” She asked. Yunho dropped the salt shaker into the pot, surprises. The chef jump up, making her chubby stomach bounce up & down & the big spoon that she throw up into the air hit Yunho on the head. He whined in pain by the hit & the hot soup. They both turn around to look at Yuri. On Yunho’s head, chicken slide down his already comb hair & onto his deep black alfani westin slub striped shirt.

 

Yuri opened to apologize but the chef stopped her with a hand in the air.

 

“It’s alright. No one got hurt.” She said.

“Expect me!” Yunho grumble, through his teeth. He was trying to hold back the burning of the chicken soup & not cry out by holding his fist by his side. His position look hilarious but Yuri dear not to laugh, instead she gave him an apologetic smile.

 

Yunho give her a small smile & then grumble again, “I will go change now!”

 

Yuri stop him with a hand on his shoulder, “I’m so sorry. If I can make it up to you I can help you change.” Yuri could swear she saw satisfaction in his eyes but then he quickly grumble again, “No, you stay here! I will be back down!” His eyes look alert then, “Hey. What are you doing down here? You are supposed to be in bed.”

“I feel great now. I’m not sick.”

“Still, you were supposed to be in bed.”

“Go change Yunho Oppa.” Yuri grunted. She wasn’t a baby.

 

Yunho gave her one last look before he went unwillingly out of the doorway. He wasn’t done dealing with her just yet.

 

“So, you two were just making chicken broth?” Yuri asked the chef, after Yunho was gone.

 

“Yes, until you interrupted us but I can make more before Mr. Jung comes down again. He ruined it more than you did.” Chuckled the chubby chef. Yuri laughed along with her & agreed that Yunho did ruin the broth more than she did but she didn’t agreed on one thing, eating broth again.

“But you have, too. You are sick & Mr. Jung demand it.” Said the chef.

“No, I don’t. I have been eating broth for one whole day yesterday & today I’m not eating it again.”

 

“You only ate three bowls, Mrs. Jung.”

“Still, I won’t eat it again, & call me Yuri like I had told you a thousand of times already.”

 

“Mr. Jung won’t like it.” The chef warned.

 

“Don’t worry. I will deal with him.”

“Deal with whom Yuri?” Yunho asked, walking back into the kitchen, all clean up.

 

Yuri turn around with a smile that will make any guy fall head over heels in love with her & surely she did that to Yunho. His heart melted but that didn’t mean he was going to let her get away with the broth. He has been listening to their talk for only one minute.

“Were you eavesdropping?”

 

“No, I wasn’t. I just overheard.”

 

“How much?”

 

“As much as to tell you that you are going to eat the chicken broth.” He said, & walked past her.

“No fair! I’m well now! I wasn’t even sick!” She exclaimed, & turn to only face Yunho’s back.

 

“You are sick.” Yunho turned his head around to looked at her, with the biggest grin on his face & then added, “Mentally.”

 

“What?”

“You heard me.” He said, & turned back around, walking over to the chef who justs look at the two couples. She could feel anger boiling up inside of her, “I’m not ill you stupid pig head!”

 

Yunho spun around & lock eyes with hers, “& that sentence just added some pig sop into your broth.” Yunho said, trying not to laugh at Yuri’s face but his eyes gave it away.

"You can do just that but I’m not eating it. I will add some pig brains into whatever you are eating & make you think like a damn dirty pig!”

“Language Yuri. Language.” Yunho said, & laughed at the same time, wondering how Yuri got the idea of putting a pig’s brain onto his bacon this morning.

 

“Humph.” She cross her arms over her chest. Then she said stubbornly, “I want some pancakes for breakfast &...”

“Pig’s sop on top.” Yunho finished it off for her.

 

Yuri glare at Yunho, “You will regret saying that Oppa.”

“& you are not having dessert for breakfast Yuri. You will eat only chicken broth.”

“No, I’m not.”

 

“You are.”

 

“Fine. Make it if you please but I’m not eating anything until I get my pancake.” She said stubbornly.

 

“Then you will starve yourself?”

“I will.”

“Starve then.” Yunho said stubbornly, like Yuri & walk past her.

 

‘He’s imitating me.’ Yuri thought.

 

She walked after Yunho & stopped him in front of him.

“Wait, you can’t be serious.” She said.

“I’m always serious, Yuri.”

 

She hesitated, “I will do whatever you want me to do only if I get my pancake.”

 

Yunho raises his thick eyebrows. He was just playing around with her about the pig stuff but he still demand that she eat nothing today but chicken broth. He was still worry about her. She look skinnier than usual & weaker from outside but inside of her, he could see that she was pretty strong.

 

‘She said that she will do anything, right, Yunho?’ He thought, ‘Yes, she did & I want a kiss. That’s it Yunho, you want a kiss & you will get it.’

 

He smiled at his smartness. Leaning down to whisper into her ear so the chef wouldn’t hear him, he said, “I want a kiss from you Jung Yuri.”

 

Yuri wasn’t at all surprised. She knew he had ask for that.

 

“You give a me kiss & then give me my pancake. Is that the deal?” She asked.

 

“No.”

 

She look up at him, frowning, ‘What does he mean by no?’ Yuri ask herself .

 

Yunho sensing her question, he smiled. Didn’t she listen to his part of the deal? “The deal is, Jung Yuri, you kiss me & then you can have your precious pancake.”

 

Impossible. She doesn’t kiss any guy. They kiss her. She had never kissed a guy before.

 

Yunho saw the fear in her eyes. His arrogant smile grew bigger! “Deal or no deal Jung Yuri?”

 

She swear if he kept on saying her name like that, she will smack that damn arrogant smile off of his face! Damn his arrogant smile, too! She wanted to melt every time she sees it. She wanted that pancake, too. Oh, which one to decide?

 

“Yes.” She quickly said, before she change her mind, “I will do it.”

 

Yunho smile & then waited for his kiss. He didn’t close his eyes; instead, he was looking into her eyes, just waiting.

 

‘Damnit! Make him close his damn y eyes!’ She curse, under her breath. She was nervous & even blushing. This was harder than she thought. She move her eyes, looking for the chef but she was gone already. Oh, god. Closing her eyes, Yuri stood on her tiptoe & brushed her lips against his. When he felt her lips against his, he closed his eyes quickly, rounded her waist with his left arm & pulled her closer to him. Their clothes was the only thing separating them. With his right arm, he brought it behind her head as he deepened the kissed. At first, their kiss started out passionately then hunger overcame them. Yunho wanted more & he knew that Yuri wanted more, too. Her arms were around his neck, bringing him closer.

 

When he was halfway ing her black vanity fair short sleeve pajama top & touching her skin underneath her shirt, Yuri came back to reality of what they were doing & stopped him. This was going too far. Way too far. She push him away slightly with both hands on his chest.

 

“Only a kiss Oppa. Only a kiss.” Yuri reminded him & herself breathlessly.

“Yeah, but this kiss can continue.” He said, smiling. Bending his head down, he brush his lips against hers but before he could continue, his cell phone rang.

 

“Sorry.” Said Yunho, irritated at the person who’s calling him.

 

“Go answer it.”

 

He nodded & walked out.

“Hello.”

 

“Yunho. Hey, my man.” Said the cheerful Keunsuk. Then he shouted, “We are sue!”

“What?”

“We are sue. Jessica didn’t go to the meeting yesterday.”

“What?”

“She didn’t go to the meeting.”

“I heard you.” He ran his hand through his hair, “Damn her! Didn’t she know this meeting was important? & how can those damn American sue us?!”

“We got a runner here Yunho.”

“What do you mean Keunsuk?”

 

“I mean, someone heard about our meeting.”

“How?”

 

“I have no clue but I think that when I was asking Jessica to go to the meeting, some greedy bum heard about it.”

 

“How can that be?”

“We were outside the mall.”

“The mall?”

 

“Yeah, the mall! Jessica had an earlier meeting! I couldn’t call her but I remembered that she had a meeting at the mall with one of the clients so I went there & located her outside the mall! You know there could be bums waiting to beg & stuff! I’m not trying to be mean but damn this smart bum!” Keunsuk exclaimed.

“How can those stupid Americans not know my face?! They have seen me more than once.”

“I know but…”

 

“My name. My signature. How can this bum know my name?”

“He might have heard me mention your name.”

“But my last name.”

“I don’t know. Maybe those Americans said your full name.” Keunsuk guess.

“Oh, gosh.”

“You have to come to work today Yunho.”

“I guess you are right.” Man, he was planning to stay home with Yuri but things never work out the way he wanted them to.

 

“I’m coming & tell Jessica to meet me in my office. I need a word with her.” Yunho said, & hung up.

 

He sighed & walked into the kitchen, hoping to hide the weariness in his eyes. He had planned to spend the day with Yuri.

 

When he got to the kitchen table, Yunho saw Yuri eating her pancake, ‘So cute.’ He thought. She won the pancake that she has wanted so much. She had one fork in each hand & was the right fork that she held. She looked up at him & that was when he knew she heard the conversation. Her face was full of sorriness & regrets. Those eyes were watery.

“You heard?”

“Yes.” She said, as tears started rolling down her cheeks. He ran to her & kneel down beside her. He gathered her in his arms & hugged her close.

“Why are you crying Yuri? Was it something I said?”

 

She shook her head against his chest & choke out, “I’m sorry you almost lost your job because of me. I...I shouldn’t have gotten so...I always am sick. I’m sorry. So sorry. For...Forgive me please?”

 

His heart fell. She was blaming his fault on herself. It wasn’t her fault. Never her fault. It was his. His entire fault. He wanted to stay with her & take care of her. He shouldn’t have asked Jessica to attend the meeting. He should have told Keunsuk to ask someone else. God, Yuri shouldn’t blame this on herself.

 

“It’s not your fault, honey. It’s not your fault at all. Listen to me Yuri. Listen. I wanted to stay with you & I did. I won’t blame this one on you. Not anyone. I blame it on myself for asking the wrong person to go to that meeting. Do you hear me Yuri?”

 

She nodded her head. He pulled away from the embrace & looked at her tearstained face. He wipe the tears away & smiled.

“I have to go to work now. You stay home okay?” He said. She nodded her head but he still didn’t feel good about leaving her. Then an idea pop into his head, “Tell you what. I will take you to the beach when I get home at five & then treat you out to dinner. How about that?”

 

She smiled & nodded.

“Good. I will be going now.” He kissed her on the lips & pull back to look at her once more, “Bye.”

 

Yunho stood up, ready to go when Yuri stopped him, “Aren’t you going to change into your suit?”

 

“No. Why would I want to be handsome when my beautiful wife is at home?” He teased, but knew that that was the truth.

 

She smiled at his sweet talk, “Bye. See you at five then.”

“Yes, at five & you better finish that pancake.”

“I will.”

“Good. Bye.” He kissed her one last time before going out to start the day at work.

 

She stood there by the window, looking out into the dark night, waiting for Yunho. Her heart had been crush. It was all a lie. Yunho had lie to her for the first time since their marriage. He had promised to take her to the beach at five & then to dinner but it already past midnight. She had no idea where he is now but one thing came to her mind, Jessica. He was probably with Jessica when he was supposed to be with her.

 

A tear came rolling down her cheeks. Yesterday & this morning, he have showered her with a care in his heart but it seems like his old self was back. She thought that they could start over & live a better life together. She thought she had saw a caring look in his eyes. Not love but caring. That was all that could change her mind into thinking that they can start a new life over. Just a caring look in his eyes but she was wrong.

 

Yuri brush a threatening & burning tear away from her cheek with her long finger & came down to touch her glossy pale pink plump lips. She closed her eyes & visual image of Yunho kissing came back to her. His lips were so warm when she was so cold. She had let him kissed her because she didn’t want to deny the kiss she so wanted. He have kissed her so passionate. Unlike when he had stolen kisses from her. She has to admit it that she miss his kiss right now.

 

Her head snapped back up to look out of the window from the living room. Why is she thinking of him now when she had just started to know the inside of him? The inside of him where lies & deceits lays. It’s usually where most women hate about guys’ guts but she had this feeling inside of her, telling her not to give up yet, “Are you alright Yuri?”

 

She turned around & look at Taeyeon through her thoughts of stupid tears! She tried to smile & did it perfectly, “I’m fine Taeyeon.”

 

The maid nodded.

“I guess I might as well go change out of this useless dress, right?” Asked Yuri, looking down at her dark olive ruched tank top dress with pity.

 

Taeyeon only stood there, feeling sympathy for her mistress.

“Good night Taeyeon.”

“You are going to sleep already without your dinner?” Taeyeon asked worriedly.

 

“I might as well.” She said, & look down at the dress lifelessly. She has no idea why but this dress was getting on her nerves, ‘It might be because it live a night with this lie, too.’ She thought.

“Okay then, if you say so. Do you need help with the dress?” Yuri shook her head, “Goodnight then.” “Goodnight to you, too.” Yuri said, & walk up the stairs. When she got to her bedroom, Yuri took off the dress & change into a empire waist with sheer lace panel, thigh-length, azul blue honeydew marti rayon & lace chemise. She got into bed with a book & started reading but after a while, her mind couldn’t concentrate on the book. Yuri set the book down on the nightstand & cross her arms over her chest, “Damn!” She cursed softly, too soft as she can’t stop thinking about what happened this morning.

“Sweet talk.” She said, & turned off the light.