Chapter 3

 

By the time Yuri went home, it was already late in the afternoon. Today, her lesson had ended later than usual and also, she had to stay behind to do some research on a report the teacher had assigned everyone.

 

"Mommy!" Yuri called out loud, searching around the house for her mom's shadow.

 

"Miss Kwon." A young maid said, walking out from the kitchen.

 

"Micha, where's my mom?" Yuri asked.

 

"Mrs. Kwon is at Mrs. Kim's place." Micha answered, "She told you to go over there after you come home."

 

"No dinner today?" Yuri asked, as she noticed the kitchen was speck and clean.

 

"Mrs. Kwon said today's dinner will be at the Kim's so she instructed us not to prepared any dinner for tonight." Micha answered respectfully.

 

"Okay, thanks. You may go." Yuri said.

 

After a bow, Micha left to go finished her work.

 

Climbing up the stairs, Yuri walked towards her bedroom, deciding to take a shower to wash her fatigue away after a whole day at school. Changing into a rich black belted pleat front crop pants and black lush split neck woven tank top, Yuri was ready to walk to the house right next to theirs.

 

After a few seconds of pressing the doorbell, a middle-aged servant immediately walked out from the house and welcomed her promptly, "Miss Kwon, Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Kwon had been waiting."

 

"Thanks uncle Kangdae." Yuri said, giving him a grateful smile.

 

"Mom." Yuri said, walking towards her mom who was sitting on the sofa with Mrs. Kim and pecked her cheeks, "Auntie Kim, good evening." Yuri said respectfully, with a sweet smile.

 

"Good evening, Yuri." Mrs. Kim greeted gracefully.

 

Taking a seat beside her mom, Yuri asked, "Mom, where's dad? And why did you ask Micha not to cook dinner today?"

 

Only at home with just her parents and with Tiffany that she called her parents mommy and daddy. They were the only people that she allowed to see her childish side.

 

"Mr. Kim and your dad had an appointment with their business partners, leaving Mrs. Kim all alone so I was thinking of letting us have dinner here so we can accompany her so she won't feel so lonely." Mrs. Kwon said, making Yuri nodded understandingly.

 

"You don't mind, do you, Yuri?" Mrs. Kim teased.

 

"Of course not. It's my pleasure."

 

"You also know that son of mine, especially today is friday, he won't be back before midnight." Mrs. Kim said, sighing "Seriously, I feel having a daughter is better, especially a daughter like Yuri! Why do I have to give birth to a son?!" Mrs. Kim grumbled.

 

"Aecha, you are so lucky." Mrs. Kim said enviously.

 

"Eunsook, Jaejoong is a good son, too. He is handsome, filial; his studies are good and he has a bright future ahead. Not that bad. Also, you have an heir to the family business. My husband and I have been worrying about ours. Also, we are worrying if Yuri will ever find a dependable husband who would marry her not for money and to whom we can trust to hand over our business."

 

"Filial? Until now, I haven't seen him having any steady girlfriends. Every month he changes one. Today, I heard one name and the next day, I hear another. You see like now, I would be alone if not for you and Yuri and where do you think he goes? To the club, having fun with his friends." Mrs. Kim said indignantly.

 

"Yuri, you are in the same school and even in the same class as him. Does he still change his girlfriends regularly?" Mrs. Kim questioned.

 

"Uh." Yuri said, at a loss for words.

 

"Guys are like that. They will settle down sooner or later." Mrs. Kwon said, patting Mrs. Kim on the back.

 

"I wish."

 

"Now that Yuri is here, we can start dinner before the food turns cold and Yuri, later, you have to try the new dessert your mom and I made today."

 

"Sure. I will give my most honest comment so don't blame me for being rude if I criticized it." Yuri said lightheartedly.

 

"We won't." Mrs. Kim promised, with a laugh.

 

"What?! You are going back now?! It's only eight-thirty!" Jeongsu exclaimed, shocked "The party had just started not too long ago."

 

"I have no mood to stay any longer. I want to go home and rest." Jaejoong explained.

 

Soon, people started to crowd around him and began questioning him, especially the girls, trying to persuade him to stay longer. However, all efforts were futile.

 

As if this wasn't shocking enough, Jeongsu added, "I'm going home, too. Since Jae's not staying, I don't see the point of continuing."

 

Hearing what Jeongsu said, Jaejoong threw him a glare which he got a grinned in returned.

 

"Sorry everyone. Keep partying. You guys don't have to send us off." Jeongsu said, grabbing the chance that everyone was still in a state of shock. He waved them goodbye and left with Jaejoong before anyone could speak up, "Leeteuk, when you want to leave, just say it outright. You don't have to beat around the bush or uses me as an excuses." Jaejoong said, when they were in the black lamborghini murcielago car, frowning seeing Jeongsu grinned.

 

"You are the one that agree to go and drag me along. Now, you are using me to escape. If its like that, you shouldn't have agree in the first place." Jaejoong continued to lectured.

 

"I agree on your behalf too, so naturally you must go." Jeongsu said.

 

"Who says you can make decisions for me?"

 

"Me." Jeongsu declared proudly, with a smirk.

 

"You want me to take you home first or are you planning on going somewhere else?" Jaejoong queried. Since Jeongsu's white audi car was under repair, Jaejoong was left with the responsibility of driving the both of them to the party and now back.

 

"Home."

 

Stepping onto the gas pedal, Jaejoong started driving way faster, catching Jeongsu unaware and if not for his safety belt, he might have hit his head on the windscreen, "Are you in a hurry?!" Jeongsu voiced out, his protestation, "Yes. In a hurry to get you away from me."

 

"Hey."

 

It was one and a half hour later when Jaejoong got home. Standing outside the door, he was surprised to hear laughter coming from within since this morning his mom had been complaining that she would be left all alone at home, where was her son when she needed him and why she didn't have a daughter instead like Mrs. Kwon, "Mom, I'm back!" Jaejoong announced, when he stepped into the house and saw Mrs. Kwon sitting beside her.

 

He walked over to his mom's side, giving her a hug before greeting Mrs. Kwon.

 

"Auntie Kwon, glad to see you here accompanying my mom. This morning she was complaining about being all alone and no one to keep her company, nagging me to find a girlfriend and settle down sooner. Seems like she already has plan and her complaints were just an excuses." Jaejoong said teasingly, "Please do so more often. It will spare my ear from any further noise pollution. I don't want to be deaf at such a young age."

 

Hearing what Jaejoong said, Mrs. Kwon couldn't help chuckling while Mrs. Kim glared at her son murderously, "Where's your manner? Is that how I teach my son? Wait until your dad comes home. I'm going to tell him about it."

 

"Just joking, mom. Didn't you see I came back earlier just for your sake so you won't be so lonely?" Jaejoong said pleasantly.

 

"More like there isn't much pretty girls and that's why you feel its no fun and decided to come home. You don't have to make it sound so nice." Mrs. Kim snorted.

 

"I promise you tomorrow, I will accompany you wherever you want to go and cancel all appointments I have with my friends." Jaejoong coaxed.

 

"Eunsook, see, your son isn't that bad. At least he's willing to compensate. Accept it." Mrs. Kwon encouraged, "Seeing that Aecha's pleading for you, I agree. Tomorrow, remember."

 

"Sure, mom." Jaejoong said, grinning "I'm going up for a shower. I have to wash away the alcohol and the perfume stench you hate, right?"

 

"Yes, and quick. You know how I hate those smells. Have you ate?" Mrs. Kim asked, when Jaejoong was on his way to the stairs, "I can ask Eunbyul to prepare something for you to eat."

 

"A bowl of fire chicken would be fine. Thanks mom."

 

Sensing like she forgot something and by the time she remembered, she wanted to tell Jaejoong but seems like he was already gone. Five minutes later, when Jaejoong was on the way downstairs, he passed by the balcony and noticed a very familiar shadow. Taking another few more steps, he immediately recognized who it was.

 

"Yuri?" Jaejoong called out softly.

 

Yuri, who was in her own little fantasy world, was brought back to reality by the calling of her name. She turned her head around quickly and saw Jaejoong standing behind her. What she didn't realized was that the chair she was resting on was off balance until she felt herself falling but Jaejoong caught her in time before she hurtled herself.

 

"Thanks." Yuri said gratefully, regaining her composure, "How unexpected. Auntie Kim said that you wouldn't be back until midnight."

 

"I was feeling tired so I decided to come home early and take a rest." Jaejoong explained, "Why are you here?" "Auntie Kim invited us over for dinner." Yuri answered simply.

 

"Why are you here alone?"

 

Not answering him, she turned around with her back facing him before looking up at the night sky, letting the breeze blow against her body.

 

As Yuri's back was facing him, she didn't see his expression changing. The two of them were deep in their own thoughts as silence filled them.

 

Jaejoong gazed at her back bitterly. It had always been like this.

 

Ever since junior high when he started noticing her.

 

On the other hand, Yuri was trying to push away the weird feeling she had at that instant moment when Jaejoong had caught her. She could still clearly feel his warmth around her slim waist, despite the cool night breeze.