Chapter 20

“Come on Hyunnie.” Yuri said, as she opened the door to her mom’s hospital room, “This way, not that way.” She caught his hand before he could turn around the corner, “Mina, you go ahead. Tell mom I will be there in a bit.” Her sister nodded & entered the room, closing the door behind her. Yuri sighed & kneeled down to Taehyun’s height. She patted his head, “Sweetie?”

“Yes?” He said, looking down at his navy adidas.

“Look at mommy.” He looked up with a pouting face, “Now, you will have to promise mommy you will be good or I will take you back home, alright?” He nodded & she got up. Holding onto his hand, Yuri opened the door again. They walked over to the bed with Taehyun still looking at his shoe, “Hi mom.”

“Hi, darling. Where’s Hyunnie?”

Hearing his name, Taehyun lifted his head up & grinned, “Here I am.”

Mrs. Kwon looked down & chuckled. The bed was almost blocking her way of seeing her grandson, “Come up here & let granny see you.”

Taehyun looked up at Yuri. She smiled & picked him up & onto the bed, “Don’t worry. Hyunnie’s shoes isn’t dirty.” Mrs. Kwon laughed again, & sat up with the help of Mina, “Are you my granny?”

“Yes, I am.” Mrs. Kwon said, “Come here & let me take a good look at you.” He bobbed his head up & down & sat down on her lap gently. She examined his features, “You have your daddy’s eyes.” She said, looking up at Yuri. Yuri looked down & turned away, walking over to the window. Never does she want to hear his name or hear that her son looked like his father, “Yuri.”

“I’m alright, mom.” She said, with her arms crossed.

Mrs. Kwon nodded with a concern look & turned back to her grandson, “You know my daddy?” Taehyun asked excitedly.

“Yes, I do. He came here this morning.” Mrs. Kwon said, once again, looking over at Yuri.

She shivered & bit her glossy pink lips. Why was her mom trying to bring him up? “I need something to eat.” Yuri said. If her mom wants to talk about him all day, that was fine but she wanted to be out of earshot. The name was enough to ruin her life again. Yes, she doesn’t care about him anymore but she couldn’t stand it.

“I will be back later.” Yuri exited the room & left them.

Mrs. Kwon nodded in understanding. She shook her head, “Now, where were we?” She asked Taehyun, who was playing with her gray hair all the while.

“Granny said granny see daddy but mommy said that daddy was up there.” He said, as he pointed to the ceiling with his tiny finger.

Mrs. Kwon let out a breath. Yuri was lying to her own son & as her mother, she disapproved. The little boy doesn’t deserve this. Being fatherless was enough.

“His spirit was here, sweetie.” She tried to explain, “Your daddy’s looking over me. He’s protecting me from the evil & I gave him a gold medal for it.”

“Really?” He asked, excitement growing in him.

“Really.”

“Can Hyunnie have one, too? Hyunnie will be a good boy for mommy, aunt Min, uncle Yonnie, gramps & granny.” He said, having all five of his fingers up in the air, “Promises.” Taehyun added.

“Alright. You have a deal.”

He grinned, showing his teeth, proud that he had won another deal of gambling.

Yuri leaned forward, cupping her chin at the palm of her hand. She shouldn’t be here in Korea. She shouldn’t be having this much trouble. Why? she asked herself over & over again. Why does he still have to be here? “Hell with him!” She swear, an oath. Why does she just have to trouble herself with the thoughts of him meeting her son? It was going to be enough meeting him. Her mom had said it to make her feel worses. Now, she has to admit it. Taehyun does look like Jaejoong. He talks like him, always trying to be funny & more, he hates broccoli just like his daddy.

Taking in a deep breath, Yuri looked up from the table. She leaned back & scanned the people in the cafeteria. They all had sorrowful look on their faces, just like her. She averted her face to the left where the elevators were located. Her eyes widened as she caught his face.

“Can’t be him.” She whispered. He turned his back & entered the elevator as the door closed. Her heart beat paced. Where was he going? She looked around the cafeteria as if looking for help to stop him from going any further. Where was he going? She couldn’t get her head to work. To her mom’s room? No, he couldn’t be. Her mom said that he visited earlier this morning. Why is he back? She blinked her eyes, “Hyunnie.” Said Yuri, out of breath. Getting her senses back, she quickly stood up from her seat & ran towards the elevator, “Oh, god. Hurry up, dammit!” None of the elevator doors opened when she needed them the most. She ran towards the staircases. Every step she took, every sweat she broke, every risk she took of leaving her son there, “Let him not be there god.” Yuri managed to whisper.

She pushed the door open & ran down the hall. Nurses & doctors looked at her weirdly. Yuri took hold of the doorknob & turned it as if in a slow motion process. The door flew opened & faces turned to look at her. One face she caught among all the others, Jaejoong. Her lips began to shiver seeing her son’s laughing face with him, “Mommy.”

“Come here, Hyunnie.” She said strictly.

“But mommy, I…”

“Taehyun! I said, come here!” She shouted again. His laughing face disappeared as he walked over to Yuri. Jaejoong stood up at Yuri’s raising voice & took Taehyun’s hand. He picked him up & walked over to Yuri. Her face reddened & heartbeat increased more seeing her son with the father.

“Hi Yuri.” Said Jaejoong, “You know Hyunnie?” She glared at him, unable to move, unable to take her son away from him, “You were yelling at a kid.”

“She’s my mommy, Jae.” Taehyun said, pouting.

“I see. Why was she yelling at you?” He asked Taehyun, then turned to Yuri, “Your son?”

She bit her ugly words back & snatched Taehyun away from Jaejoong. Turning around, Yuri walked out of the room, leaving a surprises silent. She stiffed her scared tears back & got into the elevator. That was worst than what she had expected & that was that, he had seen their son. She wanted to cry but yet, she couldn’t. She was scared. Scare of what he would do next when he finds out that Taehyun was his son. Bloody hell! She hated herself for leaving Taehyun there. If only she could turn back time. If only she could had yelled at him when he was holding her son. If only...If only…

Getting into Doyeon’s car, Yuri slammed the door shut, “Mommy.” Taehyun spoke up, “You mad at Hyunnie?” She let out a breath & shook her head. Starting the car, she drove off, back to the house. She wasn’t mad at her son, she was mad at herself, ‘Why the hell did I not yell at him for ruining my life?’ She asked herself, ‘Why the hell did I ever marry him?’ But if she didn’t marry him, how could she have had Taehyun? Taehyun, her son, who had saved her life from the sorrow & emptiness, who had always brought that smile to her face & happiness.

Standing face to face with her ex-husband wasn’t easy; it was especially a heart full of sorrows. The reason it took her so long to grab her son away from him was because she was afraid of skin contact but there was nothing to say to him, except snatching Taehyun away from his arms. She ignored his question, his eyes on her & his body but yet, she had failed from seeing the way in which he had changed. His hair & clothes style had changed. His jaw had grown more muscular. His voice had grown huskier & his eyes, they were more than of anything else.

Yuri shook her head. By god, she had already taken a risk. Did she want to take another risk again, of noticing how handsome he is? Damn her thoughts! She was going nowhere with it. Parking the car, Yuri looked over at her son. He was dreaming already. How sorry she was yelling at him. She didn’t mean to. Everything then had just gotten all mixed up in her mind. Practically, she had never yelled at him before until now & that was only when she call him by his full name.

“I’m sorry, honey. Mommy didn’t mean to yell at you.” She said, then kissed him on the forehead. Getting out of the car, Yuri walked to the other side & took Taehyun out. She unlocked the door & walked up the stairs to put Taehyun in bed.

Jaejoong tapped his knuckles against his jaw. The thought was disturbing him too much. That little boy, he could swear he had seen him somewhere before but what disturbed him the most was hearing him call her mommy, ‘Did she remarry?’ He asked himself, over & over again, but yet, he couldn’t bring his mind to believe that she was a mother already. Why did her family never tell him than? & surely, he was sure; that he thought she would never remarry again, after what he had done to her. Just thinking about her with another man...never mind that.

Her yelling voice was still throbbing in his head. He rarely hear her yelled four years ago but it seemed like her son had done something wrong or was it him there that made her like that? Taehyun was the most cheerful kid he had ever seen. His smile seemed to brighten Jaejoong’s day a little more. His cute laugh touched his heart like no other kid had ever.

“Hyunnie.” He whispered the name, “Taehyun?” He asked, with a questioning look. He swore he heard that name before & yet, he loves the sound of it, “What a name.” It matched the delightful boy so much. Taehyun seemed hyper every time he makes a joke & still, he couldn’t get enough of his laugh.

“Her face.” He whispered in thinking thoughts. His breathing had almost stopped in mid-way when he saw her at the doorway. She looked so beautiful with her cheeks flushed & her black hair was all around her face. With all the details of those, he could tell that she had been running for some time. Her body was more of slender & slim than the usual body she used to have. Even though her hair was up, he could see the mid-back length hair she still has. She kept her promise not to cut it & she fulfilled the promise. Just as he wished that she wasn’t back, he was quite glad that she was. A smile lifted at the corner of his lips but then he shook his head. Did she remarry while he was engage?