CHAPTER 12

It’s been three month since Kibum stayed at his grandmother’s house and it’s been three month, he ever heard about Jonghyun. He knew that the older had been chased out from the house and he left without leaving a single trace. Sure, Kibum felt a little bad for Jonghyun, but he already swore to himself that he was not going to care about Jonghyun anymore. Moreover, Jonghyun is not his husband anymore, why would he care about that stranger?

Kibum are now living a very happy life, even though sometimes he’s having a hard time to not to think of Jonghyun. He would be lying if he said that he’d already forgotten about Jonghyun, but he’s trying his best to forget the older and all those painful memories that the older had caused.

“Hey, Bummie…Are you there?” Kibum’s little train of thought was interrupted by that voice.

Kibum smiles to himself, knowing perfectly who would come by at this hour. Slowly he stands up from his bed while holding his now big bump, to welcome the intruder.

“Noona…I’m here” Kibum simply shouted to let the intruder knew his whereabouts.

“Bummie, I believe I told you to stay in bed…Look at your feet, young man” Kibum could only let out a small chuckle, hearing his neighbor’s babbling which remind him of his mother.

“I’m okay, Jihyo noona…Where is Gary hyung?”

“Stop saying you’re okay, when you’re obviously not okay. Nice try of changing the subject, but I won’t buy it. Now, lie down before I tie you down!”

Jihyo might sound mean, but Kibum knew she was worried about him. He couldn’t thank her and her husband enough for keep checking on him. Kibum is happy to have them as his neighbor, even though sometimes they could be annoying by constantly arguing over the small things. Even so, Kibum could see that they love each other so much, which sometimes he would be jealous of them.

Jihyo and Gary are married couple who lived a block away from his grandmother’s house. When he arrived at Daegu for the first time, he was lost but thanks to the couple for giving him favor even though he didn’t ask for it. It took Jihyo for the whole two month, to know everything about Kibum and Jonghyun. Kibum smiles to himself thinking of how hard Jihyo cried after hearing his story.

It was hard living without Jonghyun. Of course, he already spent the five years without Jonghyun, but Jonghyun was his husband for 5 months. Jonghyun was there, with him along the whole 5 months of his pregnancy. It was hard to pretend that he isn’t missing Jonghyun. He misses the morning kiss the older would give him every morning. He misses to snuggle up to Jonghyun when his baby decided to move around. Jonghyun was the only one who could calm his baby. Even now, his baby kept moving around no matter how long he caresses his stomach to calm the little one, but she didn’t stop moving.

The baby knew that his father wasn’t there with them.

Now that he in his 34 weeks, it was confirmed that his future baby will be a girl. It was the same as his dream and also Jonghyun’s dream.

A second later, Jihyo came with some fruit and food. Seeing the older woman, Kibum hastily wipes his tears to prevent his neighbor took a notice to it.

“Bummie…No need to hide your tears…” Jihyo simply said while putting down the tray she was holding, she knew her neighbor is having a hard time throughout his pregnancy.

“You saw it?”

“Hmm...I know how you feel, but sometimes it’s okay to cry. No need to pretend that you’re strong.” Jihyo reach out for the younger and put him into gentle and warm hug, while the fresh tears started to make their own way to the younger’s face.

“I miss him so much. So much that it hurt…” Kibum sobbed out.

He couldn’t handle his own heart that yearned for Jonghyun. He missed the older so much that he didn’t care if the older didn’t love him, as long as Jonghyun is there with him.

 It hurt Jihyo to hear the miserable sob of the younger. Sure, they didn’t know each other for a very long time, but Jihyo could feel how much Kibum loves Jonghyun.  Ji hyo couldn’t say anything except, caressing the younger’s back soothingly, to tell the younger to be patient and he’s not alone.

---

Kibum might think that Jonghyun is living a very happy life with his lovely girlfriend, but the reality that Jonghyun had to face is very much different from what Kibum had thought. Jonghyun is a mess. He is living in a very small room of the small café, located in a small town of Daegu. Both of Kibum and Jonghyun are oblivious to the fact that they are living in the same town. Kibum thought Jonghyun still living in Seoul, while Jonghyun thought Kibum is at his parents’ house.

Jonghyun life wasn’t any better than Kibum, everyday he would talk to the picture he brought with him after he being chased out from his own house. He completely shut himself out from outsiders. In short, Jonghyun is punishing himself for hurting Kibum that much. It was as if Kibum is the only one who effected by the separation, when he was a wreck when his father coldly ask him to sign the divorce paper before he left.

“Excuse me, can I have a cup of cappuccino along with chocolate cake?” Jonghyun deep thought was disturbed by that voice, but it wasn’t new to Jonghyun. His day for the past three month had always been like that.

“It’s 5000won” Jonghyun simply said while tapping the order.

Who would ever think that the richest man in South Korea would work as a cashier in a small café? Nobody would ever dare to dream of it, but here he was, working days and night to distract himself from his heartache.

Jonghyun didn’t know how he would manage to live without his father help, but he eventually did it all by himself, without asking for anyone help. When he arrived at Daegu for the first time, he was lucky to meet Taeyeon, the owner of the café. She was the one who hire him to work at the café and it was her husband, Jiyong, who ask him to stay at the second floor of the café when he knew Jonghyun had no place to live.

Jonghyun of course was thankful to the married couple for their kindness. Sometimes Taeyeon would bring her daughter, Kwon Jieun, to the café and Jonghyun would always play with her so well, that she begin to like the older. Taeyeon and Jiyong were glad, seeing Jonghyun treats their princess well. Taeyeon knew something had happened to Jonghyun before. She could see it through his eyes, but Jonghyun would never tell her anything.

“Jonghyun Oppa!” came a little bubbly voice along with a ringing sound of the door, indicating that someone had entered the cafe.

“Jieun-ah…” it was hard to see Jonghyun’s smile for the past three month, but only the princess of Taeyeon and Jiyong, could make the older male’s mouth curving upwards.

“Oppa…Today daddy wants to take me to the amusement park! I’m so excited!” said the little girl while jumping excitedly. She was only 5 years old, yet she could talk really well.

“It’s great! I’m happy for you” Jonghyun said while pinching her cheeks lightly.

“Come with us!”

“Jieun…you know I can’t, right?” Jonghyun hesitantly answered, afraid that the little girl will sulk.

“Oppa, you’re no fun. I don’t want to play with you…” Sometimes Jonghyun wondered, is this little girl are really 5 years old? How come she could talk so well?

“Princess…You can’t said that to Jonghyun Oppa. He needs to take care of the café, so that you could go out with your daddy and mommy” Taeyeon interrupted the conversation, after watching silently. She would be glad if Jonghyun wanted to come along, but she could saw the gloomy look of Jonghyun whenever her little girl asks the older to go out and play.

Taeyeon couldn’t help but wondered, what had happened to Jonghyun before; to make him punish himself like this? She believed no one deserved to be unhappy, but she knew, Jonghyun purposefully make his life unhappy. He was the one who chooses to hurt himself.

Jonghyun is a good guy, and she wished from the bottom of her heart that Jonghyun will find his happiness.

After hearing her mother, Jieun shyly approached Jonghyun, before grabbing his hand and starred the older with her big brown eyes “I’m sorry, Oppa” muttered Jieun.

“It’s okay, baby…you know I couldn’t resist your cuteness” said Jonghyun while sitting down to the level of the little girl and gently planted a kiss against the girl’s forehead.

The kiss caused Jieun to let out a big giggle before walked away to get to her father, probably wanting to tell him about the kiss. Jonghyun couldn’t help but to let a small laugh seeing the little girl. It’s not like he didn’t want to enjoy his life, but whenever he laugh or smile, the image of Kibum, keep showing up. It would be okay, if he remembered about Kibum’s smile, but it was Kibum’s crying image, which kept showing up.

That is why Jonghyun stops smiling. He didn’t deserve to be happy after what he had done to Kibum. Sure, everything was done by force, but it didn’t change the fact that Kibum was hurting because of him.

While Jonghyun keep tormenting his life, he forgot that not only Kibum is hurting, but he is also hurting as much as Kibum. Jonghyun forgot that every night he would cry in his sleep because he is missing to be in the younger’s arms. He forgot that every single day he would look at the ultrasound photo of his daughter while hoping that he would be there when she’s born. He forgot that, even without him tormenting his life, his heart is already beyond repaired.

 ---

 Taeyeon, Jiyong and Jieun are long gone to the amusement park, which leaves Jonghyun and another three workers to handle the café while Taeyeon was away. Things like this had always happen and Jonghyun are glad that his boss could spend her times with her family. Jonghyun was happy seeing that family, they love each other so much, which sometimes caused Jonghyun to imagine that he was happy with Kibum and their daughter.

Jonghyun had always lost in his thought if there weren’t any customers around to keep his mind occupied. It wasn’t new to him, to get startled when a new customer arrived.

“Can I get a cup of Americano?” said the customer

Jonghyun quickly tapped the order, before announcing the price.

“Its 30-” the next words are stuck in his throat as he recognizes the customer’s face.

“J-Jonghyun?” the customer’s eyes went a twice bigger than usual as he saw Jonghyun’s face.

Jinki Hyung?

It took all of Jonghyun to prevent himself from uttering Jinki’s name out loud. He quickly controls himself, before once again announced the price.

“It’s 3000won, sir” 

Jinki had lost his words, he never thought Jonghyun life would be like this. What happen to the richest man of South Korea?

What happen to you, Jonghyun?

Jinki is still unable to utter anything, but he still taking out his money to pay the things he ordered.

While waiting for his coffee, Jinki took that chance to take a look at Jonghyun. He was wondering, did he saw a wrong person? It couldn’t be Jonghyun. It was hard to believe that Jonghyun are working in the small café, wearing an old uniform.

“What happen to you, Jonghyun? Where is Jessica?” after watching for awhile, Jinki decided to ask. He came to Daegu to meet Kibum, but instead he found the ex-husband of Kibum. Fate sure is a strange thing.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Jonghyun simply said. His hatred towards Jessica is too much, that hearing her name was enough to make his blood boils.

“Jonghyun, why did you choose to live like this?”

I didn’t choose it. This is my punishment for hurting Bummie and our daughter

Jonghyun let Jinki’s question went unanswered. He still needs to protect Kibum, since Jessica’s accomplice is still watching them. He wouldn’t forgive himself if anything happen to Kibum and their daughter.

“Jonghyun-”

“This is your Americano, Please enjoy it” Jonghyun cuts Jinki off, before the older could even finished.

Jinki had no other choices but to retreat, seeing the customers are lining up behind him, but there’s no way in hell, he would let Jonghyun go that easily. He wanted an answer. If Jonghyun leave Kibum, because of Jessica, he wouldn’t live like this. If Jonghyun sincerely loves Jessica, then why he was tearing up when he saw Jinki?

He must be hiding something!

---

Kibum is resting, when his noisy neighbor decided to disturb it.

“Yah, Kang Gary! I told you not to sleep ! This is not your house! For god sake!” Jihyo screamed at her napping husband.

It was one of Gary’s habits when he’s sleeping. There was one time when Kibum found him sleeping in his guest room, . He couldn’t help but to scream seeing the man. Since then he never dared to enter his guest room ever again, whenever the couple stayed in his house.

“Noona…Let him be, he must be tired.” Kibum said as he steps out from his room only to find Jihyo is hitting her husband, to wake the latter up.

“I’m sorry…did we disturb your sleep?”  Jihyo said, looking guilty

“Not at all, it was kind of boring to keep sleeping all day.” Kibum denied strongly. He really is boring for not able to do anything except for sleeping and resting all day, prior to what the doctor claimed that it was necessary for him at this crucial time.

“Bummie, you know it was good for you and your baby. You know that you’ll be getting your surgery the next two weeks right?” Jihyo reminded the younger seriously.

Kibum could only nod and went back to his room. How could he forget the day that he’ll be having his baby? It was the day when he hoped that Jonghyun will be there with him and it is also the day when he had thought that his family will be completed, but now it was nothing but an empty wish.

It hurt to keep wishing for the older to be there with him, when he believes that Jonghyun doesn’t even care about him. Why did his life became like this? He wished that Jonghyun would never utter the three meaningful words to him. If the older didn’t, he surely won’t suffer like this.

Kibum never put a high hope that this marriage will last, he already prepared himself, since the first day of their wedding, but things didn’t went as he thought it would be. He never thought he would be pregnant with Jonghyun’s child. Being the father of his child, how could he even forget about Jonghyun?

Then, it crossed to him a crazy idea, but a very good way to forget Jonghyun. Even if he runs away to the end of the world, he will never forget Jonghyun, unless he opens his heart to someone who cares about him. It didn’t sound crazy at all, right?

Kibum suddenly thought of Woohyun, who kept being with him all of the time. Why not he try to love Woohyun? The latter is a very good guy and the best husband anyone would ever dream of.  Besides, Woohyun had always been there for him for this whole three month, which caused Kibum to feel bad for not be able to return his feeling.

---

Jinki still waiting outside the café, wanting to talk to Jonghyun further, his intention to visit his cousin had been canceled, since he met Jonghyun. Jinki immediately stands up as he saw the workers of the café one by one leaving the café, hoping to see Jonghyun, but the latter didn’t came out from the café, as Jinki thought he would be.

Jinki instantly grabs the last worker coming out from the café, making the latter’s heart almost jump out from his body.

“What are you doing?” asked the worker hesitantly.

“I’m sorry for startling you…I just want to ask, is the cashier of this café named Jonghyun?”

“Who are you? Did you know him?”

“I’m his friend, but he disappeared three month ago.” Jinki said, half lying.

“Yes, he started to work here three month ago, but he doesn’t seem very friendly” said the worker.

“Do you know where he lives?” ask Jinki curiously, while hoping this worker would know.

“He slept on the kitchen before, but our boss let him live at the second floor of this café.”

An answer that makes Jinki speechless, he would never imagined this is how Jonghyun managed to live.

“He would lock this café after we leave, you could catch him if you hurry.” Added the worker before going away.

Doing exactly as the worker said, Jinki entered the unlocked café and immediately saw Jonghyun who was about to lock the café.

“What are you doing here? We’re closed” said Jonghyun ever so harshly.

“What happened to you Jonghyun? And don’t give me that ‘I don’t know what are you talking about’ . I know you didn’t leave Kibum because of Jessica” Jinki replied in same tone as Jonghyun.

Jonghyun couldn’t help but to tear up after hearing Jinki. For this three month all he could do is blaming himself without realizing how hurt he was by this. Even his family believes he would do something so cruel to Kibum, not even his best friend would come to him and ask, if everything his said was nothing but an act.

“Jonghyun, please…tell me the truth” Jinki said much gentler than before.

“I…I can’t. Kibum would be in danger if I do so.” Finally Jonghyun spit out the truth, but not everything that Jinki want to know.

“I promise to keep my mouth sealed, I just want to know. You don’t have to bear it alone” Jinki said ever so gently that Jonghyun find himself tearing up even more. Finally he had someone to talk to. Finally he could cry and let everything out.

Jinki had to use all of him to prevent himself to find Jessica and kill her, after hearing the whole story from Jonghyun. Sure he felt like killing Jessica, but above all he couldn’t help but to feel extremely sorry for Jonghyun. Not only he had to hurt Kibum, but he also was thrown out by his own family.

How did you handle this kind of alone, Jonghyun?

Jinki didn’t even had to ask, when he found the picture of Kibum and a copy of ultrasound result of their baby, in Jonghyun’s hand.

That night Jinki swore to himself, that he will make everything right for Jonghyun. He would never thought Jonghyun loves his younger cousin this much, to even endure all those hardship alone without anyone’s help.

Kibum, I will make you laugh again, by reuniting you and Jonghyun again.

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A/N : Guys, Gomnne....

i'm back after more than 2 months...

Good news is...i've completed my studies...

so i'm doing my best to update faster..

since my study won't restrict me any more..

I'm so sorry once again...

enjoy~~

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and for my faithful subscriber...

thank you so much..I love you guys ^^

Till the next update..

Bye Bye~~

Introducing new characters :

Kang Gary and Song Ji Hyo

Kibum's neighbor

Kwon Jieun, Kwon (Kim) Taeyeon, Kwon Jiyong

Jonghyun's Boss and his family