16

Jiyong has been pinching himself for last few minutes. It looks like a dream to him. He was having breakfast with Seungri at his house while Dara serves them breakfast. It doesn’t make any sense to him. And the worst is that Seungri was acting like it was something normal. And for Jiyong it was far normal than anything.

He woke up with a terrible headache and stuffed between two strong arms that morning.  At first, he didn’t know where he was but after a while, he realized the owner of those arms, and he couldn’t help but smile. He missed that warm embrace. He terribly missed waking up beside his lover. He looked at Seungri’s sleeping face and it looks so peaceful. He didn’t remember how he got there. But that was not something important at the moment. His sole focus was on the sleeping beauty beside him.

Seungri has grown up to the finest. Seungri was always handsome in his eyes but now he couldn’t put a word to it. Seungri was beyond his imagination with all those manly features which he had grown in the last few years. Even though Jiyong was elder between those two but now Jiyong seems much younger than Seungri in terms of physics. And Jiyong loves it how he fits perfectly in Seungri’s arm. He felt safe and secure like nothing bad will going to happen.

It has been almost an hour since Jiyong woke up and staring at Seungri’s sleeping face, Seungri was still in deep sleep. Jiyong wondered how much Seungri was deprived of his sleep because he has been sleeping peacefully despite the movement Jiyong has been making since last one hour.

He heard knock on the door along with a women voice to tell them to wake up. It was a waking call and it brought him to the reality. The sleeping figure beside him was no longer his lover but a family man who has a beautiful wife and an adorable daughter. It hurts like hell. He felt like hundreds of knife has been poking into his heart and it was making him hard to breath. He has to leave before he sees more of Seungri’s loving family. Jiyong was sure he won’t be able to survive if he didn’t move from that place soon.

He didn’t want to cry but his eyes betrayed him. He couldn’t stop his tears and tried his best to hold his sob. Because it was unbearable for him to know that his Seungri was not the Seungri he used to know. He was a father of a child. Even though how to despise he feels, he was not cruel. He wanted Seungri but he didn’t want to make Gwihan Sad. It was like a lose-lose situation to him. He didn’t want to lose Seungri but also he didn’t want to make a sin to break a loving family.

Jiyong tried to break away from Seungri’s embrace which made Seungri to wake up from his slumber. Jiyong faced his back towards him so that he could hide his tear but before he could move away from bed Seungri held him tight. It was a loving gesture and Jiyong love it but he could ignore the reality. So he tried to get away from that warm embrace.

“Jiyongie where are you going. It’s still early.” Seungri said. He was still sleepy.

Jiyong didn’t answer because he was scared that Seungri will know he was crying. So he kept quiet.

“Stay like this for a while… I missed this…” Seungri said while giving a soft kiss on Jiyong’s head.

But their beautiful moment was broke when they heard Dara’s Voice from the other side for a breakfast.

Seungri just realized that Dara will be leaving in a few hours and he has to send her off to the airport. How could he forget something important like that but when he looked at Jiyong looking at him with sad puffy eyes, he felt bad. He knew he hurt Jiyong and the situation was painful for Jiyong as he didn’t know anything.

Seungri kissed Jiyong’s forehead and said: “let’s have a breakfast.”

Jiyong didn’t want to go. He wanted to stay alone so that he could cry out loud but he couldn’t do anything. Seungri gave him pajama to wear while he did the same and dragged him to the kitchen.

American Style breakfast was set on the table and it looks delicious. But Jiyong was not hungry. He wanted to go anywhere. He just wanted to leave from there. He didn’t want to see Dara, who was serving them breakfast. He knew she was kind and even if he tries he can’t hate her. He envies her. He wanted to live her life where he can hold Seungri’s hand whenever he wants or touch whenever he feels like. But he can’t do anymore and it kills him inside.

“Jiyong, would you like some coffee or you prefer juice?” Dara asked while giving freshly brewed coffee to Seungri. She didn’t even ask him how much sugar he needs or how much milk he would like to add. It was like she knows Seungri so well.

“Black coffee would be fine,” Jiyong said. He didn’t want to be rude to her. and also Black coffee always makes him calm.

Dara gave him black coffee and left the kitchen. Seungri was peacefully having breakfast and Jiyong kept on staring at Seungri while sipping his black coffee. He didn’t know when will he get to see Seungri like that ever. He was sure it was his last time. Even though he kind of feel like Seungri loves him from the gesture he showed this morning but he can’t do this. He can’t break a family.

“You are making me self-conscious. Stop staring me like that.” Seungri said with a hint of amusement in his tone.

“I’m sorry,” Jiyong said.

“Why?” Seungri was confused.

“Sorry that you had to come to pick me up in the middle of the night,” Jiyong said. He apologized to bother him in the middle of the night although he didn’t remember anything.

“I’m glad that I was the one who picks you up. You know how worried I was when I couldn’t get you last night.” Seungri asked and Jiyong heart swelled with happiness that his Seungri looks out for him.

“Never disappear like that,” Seungri said while he held Jiyong’s hand on the table. Jiyong was startled by his bold action and quickly take away his hand under the table. No, He can’t do this. And at the very moment, Gwihan enters the kitchen. She looks so fashionable in that short skirt, long boot, and leather jacket.

“Good morning Dad” she shouts from the door. And when she saw Jiyong with her dad she got so excited.

“Good morning uncle Ji. Did u sleep here.” She asked.

Jiyong was hesitating to answer as he just realized he slept in her parent’s bedroom.

“Good morning Gwihan. Yes, I slept here last night.” Jiyong answered

“Are you going somewhere, honey?” Seungri asked as she was fully dressed up.

“Yes to the airport to send mom,” Gwihan answered.

“Jiyong, I have to go to the airport to send Dara. Will you wait for me here? I need to talk to you.” Seungri said with pleading eyes. He can’t wait for anymore. He wanted to clear their misunderstanding.

Jiyong didn’t want to hear what Seungri was going to say. He knows if he listens to Seungri it will become more difficult to move on and he doesn’t have any other choice than moving on. He knows it will be a journey of hell but he can’t get in between Seungri’s happiness. He has to let Seungri live happily even though it will be torture for him.

“You don’t need to come with me,” Dara said, she was all ready to go.

“Why? I just need ten minutes to get ready.” Seungri said and left to get ready.

“Seunghyun ah…” Dara called after him but he was already inside his bedroom.

  “I think I will take a leave,” Jiyong said

“No No…  Stay please,” Dara said. She didn't want them to leave. She wanted them to talk and clear everything between them.

“I will talk with Seungri later on. You guys carry on. Happy journey.” Jiyong politely said

“He is not going to the airport. I’m going with someone else. And I’m taking Gwihan with me so that you guys can this apartment to all yourself.” Dara said with a smile.

Jiyong was confused. He didn’t know why Dara was acting like that. He doubts whether she knew about their past. It was very strange.

“Uncle Ji, you are my dad’s special friend right?” Gwihan asked.

This morning when Gwihan was getting ready, she heard Jiyong’s voice from outside her room and asked Dara why Jiyong was here. And Dara told her that the special friend of Seungri she mentioned when they first come to Seoul was none other than her uncle Ji.

“Yes, he is a very special friend of mine,” Seungri said from behind. He put simple jeans and V-neck sweater.

“You’re not coming with us,” Dara told Seungri

“Yes, dad… stay home and take care of uncle Ji. He looks like he is sick.” How could a five-year-old girl order him like that?

“Excuse me!” Jiyong couldn’t believe what he just heard. All was chaos. They are forcing Seungri to stay with him and it feels so strange to Jiyong. Why would they do that? He was not sick for sure. Although he was lean and thin, he was definitely not sick.

“How are you going to go? And what about Gwihan? How will she come back alone.” Seungri asked. He understood their intention. He knew Dara wanted him to talk with Jiyong but he can’t let Dara go alone and also she was taking Gwihan with her then how would she come back alone. An international airport is at Incheon which is a two-hour journey from where they live.

 Sudden doorbell makes them stop their argument.  

“I’m not going alone,” Dara said and left to open the door.

They moved to the living room as they had already done with breakfast. Although Jiyong didn’t eat anything apart from that black coffee.

Seeing Youngbae here in Seungri’s apartment was expected but seeing Youngbae hugging Dara was something Jiyong has never dreamed.

Yes, Youngbae came to pick Dara. After all, he was her official boyfriend. He was in his simplest clothes. It was Dara who called him last night and asked whether he could accompany her to the airport and also babysit Gwihan for a day so that Seungri could have whole day alone with Jiyong. Youngbae was very happy by hearing that. He wanted them to get back together as soon as possible and also he like Gwihan a lot.

“Hey Jiyong, I didn’t expect you to be here,” Youngbae said while giving him hug and silently saying everything will be ok.

“Neither did I,” Jiyong said with a faint smile

“Jiyong, meet my girlfriend Dara. And Dara, this is my best Friend, more like a brother Jiyong.” Youngbae introduced them.

Jiyong was shocked. He couldn’t comprehend what he just heard. He looked at Seungri and he gave him smile. Smile? Jiyong was puzzled. How could he smile when his wife was introduced as Youngbae’s girl.

“Jiyong, you must be surprised. Sorry, I didn’t tell you earlier and also this idiot is not my husband. We Are childhood friend and we are like family.”  Dara said while pointing her index finger towards Seungri.

“Let go... we are getting late,”  Dara said.

She hugged Seungri and whisper “All the best” and kissed his cheek.

She said goodbye and left with Gwihan and Youngbae Hoping everything to be ok when she comes back next time.

***********************************************************************************************************************************