Chapter 5

Yuri took one last glance at her apartment, stripped bare of any comforts & any evidence that someone has been living in it. She had lived there for three years. Three beautiful years, years that went by so fast that they all seemed to merge into a blur but some moments stood out, funny how they all had Yunho in them. In her hand, she had clutched a container of steaming hot pork rib soup. She drove by early to put the container in Yunho’s mailbox. Yunho’s apartment was still & silent. She studied every aspect of it in the lobby. She hadn’t told Yunho that she was leaving today, he had thought that she was leaving tomorrow. She felt the taste of iron fill the back of mouth, it was the feeling that she got every time her tears flooded her but no. She wouldn’t cry, she wasn’t going to be selfish! They had their family & one day, she will have hers. No need to be sad about it, one day, she will have hers.

Taking in a deep breath, Yuri turned around & walked away slowly before breaking out into a run to get out of the apartment. This lobby held a memory for her that stung deep. One halloween, she spent the evening at Yunho’s, just the two of them watching old horror movies. When she left to go home in the lobby, she was egged by a group of kids, then Yunho quickly came to her rescue & not only egged the kids back but threw a bag of flour over them. He then looked at her, gave her a hug & laughed. It was a simple gesture, just to hug her & laugh but his laugh made everything bad go away, it made the world exciting, yet serene, the world was perfect but mischievous. The world was about her & him but those days was gone. It was no longer a world of just her & him.

Today was Yunho & Jessica’s wedding day. Yuri had left for San Francisco five weeks ago. Yunho was so nervous, standing there at the alter. He couldn’t understand what he was feeling, he was so nervous, he was also happy but something was missing, He didn’t know what. He had been looking forward to this day, he could see all his family & friends sitting there, watching him, smiling at him. He suddenly really missed Yuri; he wanted her to be there. To tell the truth, he didn’t know which role he would like her to be, the close friend in the audience or the blushing bride.

*Flashback*

“Who are you calling, Yunho Oppa?” Jessica asked, coming out of the kitchen after she finished setting up the table.

“I’m trying to called Yuri but the line kept saying that its disconnected.”

“Maybe you dialed the wrong number.”

“I’m going over to check on her. Maybe something happened.” Yunho stood up & grab his car keys.

“Aren’t you going to have breakfast first?”

“No, its alright. I’m not hungry.” After giving Jessica a kiss on the cheeks, Yunho walked out of the house, closing the door behind him.

When Yunho got to Yuri’s apartment, he met Yuri’s landlady who told him that Yuri had already left for San Francisco.

Feeling hurt & sad, knowing that Yuri had lied to him, he left to go home to find the container of soup left by Yuri in his mailbox.

*End of Flashback*

His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened & the wedding song from the piano began. There she was, his Jessica glowing with happiness, wearing a beaming smile & gorgeous dress. Watching her, he subconsciously smiled. He knocked all doubts & uneasiness out of his system & smiled. Today was his day. The beginning of a new life with Jessica & their son. Jessica had an ultrasound earlier on, showing a healthy little boy. This was it. The beginning of his married life.

Jessica & Yunho had shared twenty-five years of comfortable marriage. The passion had mellowed down but they felt comfortable together. They had their share of good times. They also lost contact with Yuri after her workload got heavier & heavier as the days went by. She never did get to meet Seungheon Jung, Jessica & Yunho’s son. Jessica & Yunho had watched their son, Seungheon, grow up; & from an early age, he had wanted to pursue a job in law.

“Mom, dad, I’m back.” Called Seungheon, into the silent house.

“Mom. Dad.”

Then the sound of footsteps running down the stairs filled the house.

“Seung. You are back so soon.”

“Mom.”

Seungheon gave Jessica a big warm hug. Then Yunho came down the stairs, with one hand in his pocket & the other on his hips. Staring at Seungheon & Jessica.

“Honey, where’s my hug?” He asked, with puppy-dog eyes. Though framed with wrinkles still achieved the same effect as they did when he was younger.

“Honestly Yeobo, jealous of your own son. You should be ashamed.”

“Welcome home, son.”

“Hey dad, still looking good.”

“So, how long do you think you will stay this time?” Asked Jessica.

“About a month or so until I move into my new flat, it’s closer to work.”

“Work?”

“I thought I had surprises you. Yeah, your son is now Jung Seungheon, trainee solicitor at Kwon & Hwang law practice. Following in the footsteps of the great Kwon Yuri. Mom, dad, I wish you could have met her. She is so amazing. She’s around the same age as you & she has such a strong spirit. I can’t believe that I will be working at her firm.”

“Kwon Yuri? Honey, isn’t that Yuri, you know, your old friend? The one who moved to San Francisco. What happened to her?”

“Yeah, the law firm started in San Francisco & is now expanding to Seoul. You knew her dad?”

Yunho was lost in his thoughts. Could this really be Yuri? The Yuri that left for San Francisco those twenty-five years ago? The Yuri who he lost contact with through time? His Yuri. His best friend.

“Son, is she going to be working with you?” Asked Yunho, the eagerness in his voice was detected by both, Jessica & Seungheon.

“No dad, she’s retired now but she now does charity work. Why?”

“Nothing, Just that she uses to be a really good friend of mine. She’s your godmother, you know?”

“You are lying. The Kwon Yuri is my godmother? Wow. You must be kidding.”

“No, I’m not, she really is.”

Then Yunho turned around & left the room. The name brought back memories. Memories that were always hiding in the back of his mind. They all resurfaced now. Bubbling with life, memories of days with Yuri.

He then went up to his room & turned up the volume on his cd player. A certain song always made him remember the old days. Then he went to his desk & opened a little wooden chest with the key he kept around his neck. Then he took a sealed letter, yellowed with age. He unwrapped it as he recognized his own handwriting on the paper, written in swift black ink, now fading were.

‘Dear Yuri,

My own most cherished.

Yunho’

He stared at the letter & closed his eyes to the familiar song; a song he wrote twenty-five years ago.

Still with his eyes close, his mind brought him back to the last time he ever talked with Yuri before he lost contact with her.

*Flashback*

“How is work there?”

“Work is going great that I can’t stop to imagine how big it will get in a couple more years.” Yuri said excitedly over the phone, while looking over some cases.

“Are you happy, Yuri?” Yunho asked, but silence answer him for a couple of minutes before Yuri reply back with a, “Yes, I’m happy & I couldn’t be happier. What about you, Yunho Oppa?”

“If your happy, then I’m happy as well.”

*End of Flashback*

Yunho opened his eyes back up to look at the setting sun with teary-eyes. He never regretted marrying Jessica because without Jessica, he wouldn’t have Seungheon & the beautiful family they had created but he always wondered what might have been if he had ended up with Yuri. He loved Jessica, he was sure of it but until this day, he was still in love with Yuri. The girl who had stole his heart away that day in the library back in Chungang University as she slept with open & tongue sticking out. The Yuri that would always be a part of him.

A/N: first off, i would like to say sorry to everyone for a sad ending because i know some of you guys want me to make yunho end up with yuri but as one of my readers aka subscriber said, 'Every story doesn't have a happy ending' (you should know who you are, hahaha).

second, i would like to thank everyone for your upvotes & for subscibing & reading my fanfic & to those that comment also ^^ 

last but not least...erm, i think this is all, hahaha, so stay tuned to my new fanfic call '25 minutes too late' starring the yunri couple again :P