Chapter 2     

“Let’s go home Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo raised his brow as he put down his champagne, “But I thought you just said you wanted some time alone,” Kyungsoo said but he still obey her as he led her out of the noisy ballroom to the serene lobby hall.

Daeyoung neither replied nor looked at him. In no time, their car arrived and Kyungsoo opened the door for her.

“So, to the mansion?” Kyungsoo asked as he offered her a bottle of mineral water along with a piece of tissue. Instead of replying, Daeyoung just stared at her hands.

Kyungsoo didn’t bother to do further questioning and he took back the water awkwardly, “Okay, let’s just go back to the mansion, besides it’s dark already.” Kyungsoo nodded at the driver and the car set off.

“...ver” Daeyoung muttered.

“Hm?” Kyungsoo pushed his body forward a little to get a clearer answer.

“I-, I want to go to the Han River,” even for Daeyoung, her voice sounded hoarse.

“Fine,” Kyungsoo answered and arched his right brow suspiciously, but judging from Daeyoung’s hard expression, he didn’t dare to ask her, even if he did, that would just light the fire. So, picking the wisest option, Kyungsoo kept his mouth zipped.

Daeyoung walked slowly as she felt the cool night autumn breeze, she shivered and tightened Kyungsoo’s tuxedo which was hanging on her shoulders. The river was so surprisingly quiet that night, just a couple of people could be spotted, but somehow that was what Daeyoung needed now, a calm place to clear her mind.

From behind, Kyungsoo followed her. Judging from her strange gestures after the party, Kyungsoo didn’t need a genius to figure out that something was off. However, after spending such a long time with Daeyoung, Kyungsoo knew that if the girl didn’t utter anything about her problem, neither should others.

Kyungsoo cut his thought as Daeyoung stopped walking. In front of him, he could see a small playground. It’s actually a secret place Kyungsoo and Daeyoung found when they’re still primary. Kyungsoo felt nostalgic at the sight of the playground. It’s the place where we used to hide from Shim ahjumma. Daeyoung took a seat that faced the traditional jungle gym, she then looked at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo smiled and slowly took a seat next to her. Well, when the time comes, she will tell you.

“We broke up.”

Kyungsoo’s smile turned to frown gradually. He looked at Daeyoung who lowered her head and he himself laid his back to the cold metal of the bench and stared at the jungle gym. Kyungsoo should have been happy, but he couldn’t feel any spark of joy, instead he felt hollow. Kai had been a good man, they looked so compatible. Even if Kyungsoo wanted to insult him, he couldn’t. He just couldn’t understand.

“But... why?” Kyungsoo blurted out as he looked at her.

Daeyoung looked at the sky and answered, “He cheats, that’s all,”

Kyungsoo’s confusion soon turned to anger. At that moment, his mind formed thousands of sentences to detest Kai, but he calmed himself down and nonchalantly said, “Ah... What to do? So you just directly dumped him?”

Daeyoung hummed a weak ‘Hm’ and added, “I don’t know whether I’ve taken the right decision, that’s why I need your help.”

Kyungsoo knew that when Daeyoung told him her problem, his position to her was not a butler anymore, but just simply a friend, yeah, sadly that’s what he could achieve. He also realized he should have helped her, but he didn’t feel like doing it. Cursed his egoistic self.

Kyungsoo stood up and went to the jungle gym. Effortlessly, he climbed it up and sat on the highest spot, “Maybe he doesn’t love you?”

Daeyoung looked at him with a hint of disbelief, “I’ve known him from primary grade.”

I know you since we’re on diapers. Kyungsoo thought and looked at her straight to her eyes.

“We’ve shared a lot of secrets”

We’ve always go through every sad and happy moments together.

“I love him and I believe he does, too.”

With that, Kyungsoo’s lips formed a thin line. He studied the figure in front of him. She didn’t look like the Wonder Woman anymore, that time, she looked so brittle, like a lost puppy who was holding herself to let out a heart-breaking whimper. Kyungsoo hated that sight. So, throwing away all his bad thoughts towards Kai and heaving a very deep sigh, he hopped to the ground and walked to Daeyoung. This time, I’ll back off. Just like always.

“Then, if you guys love each other, go talk to him tomorrow, discuss everything well before the two of you take the final decision. Trust me, everything will become much better. Come on, let’s go home. How come our little princess is so sad,” Kyungsoo stuck his hand out and smiled dearly.

They arrived at the mansion and headed straight to Daeyoung’s room.

“I’ll ask the maid to prepare a hot steamy bath for you just like what we’ve agreed just now,” Kyungsoo said and smiled cheekily.

Daeyoung rolled her eyes and chuckled, “Yeah, a hot full-of-steam bath.” Daeyoung muttered as she recalled their early joke in the car about steam boat, steamed crab, and well, steam bath.

Daeyoung placed back her handbag to the closet and took off her coat and tossed it to a basket. She then sat on her back and took a look at a fashion magazine.

“Agassi, it’s ready.”

The maid’s voice echoed through the walk-in closet. Daeyoung entered her grand bathroom and maiden bowed before went out silently. Kyungsoo definitely had requested a really hot bath. She turned the lights off and lit an aromatherapy candle beside the bathtub. Then, she stripped off from her clothes and stepped into the Jacuzzi-like bathtub. The warm sensation immediately crept into her skin, she drowned her body leaving only her head, let out an ‘Ah’ and closed her eyes. Yeah, she needed this.

Daeyoung finished the last touch of lotion on her face and smiled faintly at her reflection.

She walked out of her closet and saw Kyungsoo sitting on the chair at the coffee table. His face was serious as he typed on his phone, he had changed his black suit to a white tee along with black pants, his hair was quite damped signaling he had just taken a bath.

“You need to dry that hair at this moment,” Daeyoung commented as she put her hair-dryer on the coffee table in front of Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo widened his eyes and stood up abruptly, “I wanted to stay here but Shim ahjumma volunteered to wait for you.” Kyungsoo said, ignoring what his agassi had just said.

“Or rather, she forced you to go away,” Daeyoung said and she could see Kyungsoo’s ears turned red.

Daeyoung then stared at Kyungsoo’s hair and at her hair-dryer. Kyungsoo, who received the silent message answered, “Don’t worry, it will dry very soon. Just go to sleep, it’s extremely late now,” Kyungsoo stated worriedly as he glanced at his watch. It’s almost midnight.

“No, I won’t sleep until-“

“No, you go to bed,” Kyungsoo argued back.

“I won’t.”

“No, you should.”

“I won’t.”

Kyungsoo sighed and raised his hands, “Fine, it’s up to you, but you go to sleep, I won’t disturb you again.” Kyungsoo then assured Daeyoung had laid on her bed, bade her ‘goodnight’, closed the lights, and exited the room.

Daeyoung smiled victoriously, but that smile just stood for a second, for she needed to close her eyes and forget everything.

One minute had passed...

Five minutes...

Then twenty minutes...

Daeyoung opened her eyes and she immediately regretted why she had sent Kyungsoo off just now. Daeyoung groaned silently as she idly wore her slippers walked to the door.

She opened her door as silent as possible and she was faced with Kyungsoo’s bored face. He was leaning at the wall and was just standing rightly after he saw Daeyoung.

Kyungsoo ran his fingers through his already dry hair and sighed silently. He knew it. Daeyoung felt herself blushing again, what’s this? She’s acting like a teenage girl all over again. She had just broken up with her boyfriend, her heart couldn’t possibly start to find new replacement. Or maybe your heart is smarter than you? Wait, is that me just sounding that thought? Daeyoung frowned and shook her head only to look at Kyungsoo again, now with an awkward air hanging.

“Told you.”

Kyungsoo closed the door with a ‘click’ sound and started to lecture Daeyoung.

“Yes, mister,” Daeyoung muttered and laid her tired body on her bed.

Among the darkness, Daeyoung could make out Kyungsoo’s sigh. But the man sat slowly walked to the bed and sat on the side. His hand slowly made its way to Daeyoung’s head, caressing it softly. Kyungsoo then started to hum a lullaby, just as usual.

Daeyoung muttered something inaudible before slowly drifted to sleep.

Kyungsoo continued humming as he looked at his agassi. Daeyoung always had insomnia when she had problems. What he did actually had been done for years. Every time Daeyoung felt down, Kyungsoo would sing her to sleep.

Kyungsoo felt Daeyoung’s breath had gone slower and steadier. He stopped his humming and wished her a goodnight before silently went out of the room.

Kyungsoo closed the door and rested his head on it, “You shouldn’t have suffered so much....

If only he’s me...