Chapter 64

Some people say love means sacrificing for the person we love. But Kris would really like Yeojin to just stop sacrificing for once if that's how she showed her love.

He sighed and placed aside the washed dish when he heard her greeting as she stepped inside the house.

Trying to put on a smile, he came out of the kitchen to greet her. "You're back?"

Yeojin rubbed her nape and lowered her gaze. "Yeah. Sorry I didn't tell you. I went somewhere after the final paper defense." Finally looking at him, she asked, "Have you had your lunch?"

"I did." His gaze darted to her knees with adhesive bandages stuck on them. "Have you?" He looked back at her and she nodded. "What's with your knees?"

At the mention, Yeojin looked down at her knees. "Oh these? I... stumbled when I was walking. Haha." She awkwardly grinned. "It's nothing though. I'm okay." She smiled and Kris sighed closing his eyes.

"Why are you lying?" He softly asked.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

When he opened his eyes, he set them on hers. "Areum told me what happened."

Her eyes grew wide before they darted somewhere else. "I..."

"You didn't have to do that, Jin." He ran a hand on his face. Really! He wished she didn't do it. She didn't need to lower herself in front of anyone just to stand up for him.

"I'm sorry. But what do you expect? Should I just sit down while watching you be burdened with your problems? Well, I'm sorry, but I can't!" She frustratedly told him. "We made a vow! No matter how young and insincere we were when we said it back then, it's still a vow! In good times and in bad times, remember? And I'm not just doing this because you're my husband. Even if you're not my husband, you're still someone important to me! So I—"

Kris pulled her and enveloped her in his arms to cut her off. He held her tight and bended down to rest his chin on the crook of her neck. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you, Yeojin," he repeated while the back of her head. "But please don't do something like this without telling me again. Please. I really dislike it."

Yeojin was silent for a while before he felt her nodding. He pulled away a bit and smiled down at her. "How's the defense?" He patted the top of her head.

She mustered a smile of her own and proudly declared, "I'll say I did great."

"Good then!" He patted her head again. "We should celebrate it. How about a movie marathon?"

"What movie?"

"I was thinking of Lord of the Rings."

"But you don't like them."

"But you do. And maybe I will come to like it. Then, we can watch together if the next Hobbit movie come out."

"Wait." Yeojin narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you still holding a grudge over me going to the movie with Sehun yesterday?"

He looked elsewhere and answered, "...no?"

Yeojin raised a brow then snorted to the side.

Feeling like he just caught doing something, Kris cleared his throat and let her go. "Go change out of your uniform first. I'll prepare the snacks." He herded the laughing Yeojin to get inside the bedroom.

Huffing to himself when she finally entered the bedroom still laughing, Kris momentarily closed his eyes. I'll make you happy.

For the remainder of the day, he knew Yeojin was happy. And he was glad. Though he fell asleep in the middle of the second movie.

Yet the uplifted mood didn't continue the next day when they found out the pictures of him kissing Areum was finally released. They were prepared for this to come sooner or later, but it still managed to drag them down with unpleasant feelings. They both knew that this was just a prelude to another storm when their family called them to the mansion. 

Kris had lived in the mansion all his life until he decided to move out with Yeojin. Never once was he this nervous just to enter the house. His heart was racing just by standing in front of the doors. Kissing Areum might look like a careless mistake to him back then; but no matter what, he knew he had disappointed his family. 

"I'll help explain," Yeojin told him as she gently laid a hand on his arm.

Kris covered her hand on his arm with his. "It's fine. It's my fault. I should take responsibility."

Mr. Ahn opened the door for them and escorted the pair to the living room where Grandpa and the mothers had been waiting. Yeojin fidgeted beside him before they both greeted the elders with a bow; Kris purposely bowing even more as he felt the shame weighing him down.

When he straightened up, Yeojin's mom was already standing up from the sofa and briskly walking to where they stood.

"Mother—" he was stopped with a slap across his cheek. The sound caused the others to gasp.

"Mom!" Yeojin exclaimed in surprise.

"How dare you do this to my daughter?" Her mom raised her voice; voice dripping with hurt. "Why did you do this to Yeojin, Kris?"

Yeojin held his arm while he timidly turned his head to face his mother-in-law. "I can explain—"

"Whatever your explanation is, it's unacceptable! This isn't just about the kiss! Do you know how much trouble you have put her through all this time? You ignored her for the longest time before you two were married. You treated her even more coldly when you were. She was like a ghost to you. I've been holding it in for a long time. I've seen how you treated her before, but I never said anything to you because I know she didn't want me to. She wanted to work it out by herself. And I trusted you! I trusted you will change!

"Did you even know how much tear she had silently shed? How much tear she tried to conceal even from me? How many times I pretend I didn't know anything? My daughter, Yeojin"—her mom choked on a sob; tears streaming down her face—"My Yeojin may not be that special to you, but she's everything to me!" Mrs. Kwon sobbed and covered her face with her hands. "I shouldn't have let her marry you. I shouldn't agree to all this. I should have stopped her! I should have—" The sobs spilled uncontrollably, cutting her own words. 

Yeojin pursed her lips. By how she tightened her grip on his arm and how glistening her eyes had become, Kris knew she was holding back her own tears. "Mom, you should at least listen—"

Kris stopped her by placing a hand on hers. "I'm really sorry," he uttered while bowing ninety degrees again. His body remained bended; he repeated, "I'm sorry. It is my fault."

"No," Yeojin's voice came out above a whisper. "Mom, Mother, Grandpa, this really isn't like that—"

"Even though I have an explanation," still bowing, Kris continued, "Mother's right. It's unacceptable. It won't make sense too, I know. I'm at fault. I can't say anything other than sorry. I'm really sorry. I can't undo the past." He straightened up and raised his gaze to glance at the elders before it settled on Yeojin beside him. Taking her hand in his and with eyes never leaving hers, he continued, "But I need you to know that I love Yeojin."

"If you love her, you wouldn't—"

"Mom!" Yeojin squeezed her eyes shut. "Please stop making Kris the bad guy here!" A drop of tear fell on her cheek as she opened her eyes and looked at her mom. "I'm not all that great myself."

Kris frowned not understanding where she was going with this.

"You may think Kris had cheated on me, but"—she bit then her lip—"I cheated too."

The only reply she got for saying it was widened eyes from everyone else but Kris. He just gave her hand a light tug, silently telling her to stop talking.

"I'm sure you know of those past reports about Sehun and I. Although we have denied all rumors regarding that, it was actually true that I've been in a relationship with him."

"Jin, it was fake," Kris tried to correct her.

"It was." She gazed up at him but soon looked away. "Athough... I... I did grow feelings for him for real."

Mrs. Kwon sighed and lowered her head while trying to wipe away the tears that kept on flowing. Kris could see that her mom might have already guessed Yeojin's feelings for Sehun too.

"So Kris isn't the only one at fault here. I am too. But we are trying to make this work," Yeojin spoke again and tried to smile at Kris. 

"Yeojin, honey," Mrs. Wu stood up from the sofa, and Kris could see the apologetic smile she wore. "Let's take your mom to her room, so she can calm down. Alright, dear?"

"Yes. You ladies go on and calm down. Don't worry, dear," Grandpa finally spoke up. "I just want to talk with Kris."

There was a pause filled with heavy silence before Yeojin finally complied to take her mom with Mrs. Wu trailing behind them, leaving Kris with grandpa alone.

Before going out of the living room, his mom momentarily stopped beside him. "Wu Yifan," she started, and Kris could hear the disappointment in every syllable of his given name she uttered. "You deserve that slap. I'm really disappointed in you." With that, she left the men to talk.

"Follow me," Grandpa told Kris.

For once after few years, he felt like a child again. A child who was about to get chastened for his wrongdoing. He obeyed and followed Grandpa to the quiet library.

"She was your girlfriend, wasn't she?" Facing the window that offered the view of the back garden with hands clasped behind his back, Grandpa asked with his back on Kris.

"Hm?" Kris was stunned by the question.

"The girl in the picture. I had someone to look her up before you arrived. I found out she was attending the same university as you."

"Yes," Kris answered with a sigh and a lowered head.

"I understand."

"Pardon me?"

Grandpa turned to face him and smiled causing Kris to blink in confusion. "I can understand you." His smile turned into a slight frown as he continued, "But that doesn't mean I approve of what you did. I can't lie that I'm disappointed, but I think I can understand. Whatever the reason was."

Kris was a little relieved of his grandpa's consideration, but he didn't want people to continue thinking that he kissed Areum because he couldn't let her go. That wasn't the case. "It's hard to tell you the complete story. It wouldn't make sense, but Grandpa, I did it because at that time I... I wasn't sure of my feelings for Yeojin. I... couldn't accept the fact that I was falling for my best friend."

Grandpa softly chuckled. "Is that so? Really, I don't need to know your reason. I trust you because I know Yeojin has forgiven you. Or else you two wouldn't be all over each other back in China."

Remembering the trip to China and their night rendezvous, Kris could feel heat rising to his cheeks and faked a cough.

"Still"—Grandpa turned serious again—"I wished you were a little more careful. You are not just some guy from some family, Yifan. You know our family has a name to protect. Whatever the reason was, I wished you thought of that before acting on a whim. This news might not be anything to the public in general, but to our business partners, shareholders, and investors, it's a significant news."

"I know." Kris lowered his gaze in shame. He looked up again when grandpa placed a hand on his shoulder.

"That's why I want to ask about that project of yours. Especially knowing that your ex-girlfriend is your partner's fiancée. How did he take it?"

Kris heaved a breath feeling the stress seeping in every fiber of his body again. "Luhan asked to nullify the contract."

Grandpa lightly shook his head. "Park Changsun had gone to far." Surprised that his grandpa mentioned the name, Kris abruptly whipped his head at his old man. "Oh, don't be surprised! You think just because I have handed down the company, I would abandon what I have built with hard work just like that?" Grandpa smiled widely. "I want my grandson to know that I got his back." He patted Kris on the back. 

"Besides, ever since you told me how Yeojin decided to marry you, I knew he meant trouble." He sighed and looked out the window again. "I just didn't think he was this much of a trouble. I didn't know he would come for the Oh's too. I guess he couldn't let go of his grudge."

Now this was news to Kris. He only thought Park Changsun wanted to take him down for the sake of taking over the company. He didn't know a grudge was possibly involved. "What grudge?"

Again, a deep sigh escaped Grandpa's lips. "He might still be blaming your father and Oh Jaehan for his wife's death."

A deep frown adorned Kris face at this revelation. He wondered if Luhan knew about this.

"Tell me more, Grandpa."

"So you're saying this is all Changsun's doing? Even the ones about you and Yeojin?" Oh Jaehan asked Sehun and the son nodded. He sighed and massaged his temple. He didn't think he would come home to this kind of news. "I'm starting to think it was a mistake to join hands with Titan Wu." He groaned while his wife his back to comfort him.

The old Sehun would have replied his dad with "I told you so! Titan Wu isn't all that great. Kris Wu isn't perfect." But now, it wasn't just about Kris or Titan Wu or his family. He had to consider Yeojin too. Thinking about it, he realized he had come a long way to feel this way for Yeojin.

"Changsun..." His dad sighed again. "He's still holding a grudge, huh?"

"What grudge?"

"He thoughr I cause the death of his wife. It was actually a misunderstanding. But he didn't want to believe the truth. Doesn't, apparently."

"What misunderstanding?" Sehun asked again.

"His wife died in a car accident on her way to our construction site on a winter night. She was one of my architects. They were in a bind with debts. He thought his wife went to gain extra payment and blamed me for giving her the opportunity at such wrong timing. But the truth is his wife begged to be sent there because she told me she just had a fight with him. I've told her to go home considering the weather, but she refused and told me work would help her clear her mind. She was going there whether I gave the permission or not.

"Remember when he asked us to join him for golf? I thought he had put the past behind. Tsk. I really thought working with Kris would help boost our name, but it's dragging us down instead." He shook his head with closed eyes.

"What do we do now?" Sheun's mom finally asked. "What about Luhan and Areum's wedding? I've talked to Areum and I believe her. But what about Luhan? He doesn't accept it well, it seems."

"Did your brother say where he was going yesterday?" His dad asked him.

Sehun shook his head causing the older man to groan. "I wonder what he will do next? He must be so confused."

"I'm here!" A voice quipped and they all turned their heads toward the entrance of the living room where Luhan stood. He looked like he had lost a day worth of sleep. "And I've made a decision."