Friendship, does stand the test of time.

It’s early morning after a fun-filled day that is full of surprises. I woke up still thinking about the ‘great reveal’ of Jiyong, finding, buying and reconstructing my newly bought apartment, without my knowledge. He’s naturally sneaky, but this is on another level. And, he even asked Dami Unnie to open a savings account for Yong with the money that I paid for the apartment, which is really a big deal. I mean, technically he got nothing from it. It’s like he gave it to me for free and that is totally insane.

“OMO!”

To my shock, I saw Jiyong and Dami Unnie in the living room, looking exhausted.

“Areumie!” Unnie called out upon seeing me walking out of my room.

Curious of why they’re here early in the morning, “Good Morning guys!” I greeted, making them smile.

“Morning!” Jiyong greeted back, “We barged in” he added, “Hope you don’t mind”

Of course, I don’t. He’s been barging in my apartment since forever!

Dami Unnie chuckled, “He called me around five in the morning asking if I know the code of your door. Told him I do. Next thing I know it, he’s waking me up, asking to accompany him here. So yeah! Here we are!”

I don’t know, but Jiyong is a little weird there. Before, he will just go straight to my apartment without bugging anybody. He should’ve just asked me the door code instead of disturbing his sister.

“Last night as I was going around here…” he sit up straight from a slouch, “I opened your pantry and it’s nearly empty. So, I decided to go grocery shopping to fill it up”

Unnie sighed heavily, “I think we’ve bought the whole store. It isn’t easy carrying heavy bags to the eight floor. I’m soooo tired” she comically said, and I pouted, feeling sorry.

Moved by his thoughtful gesture, I sit beside him and rested my head on his shoulder, “Thank you!”

With a deep breath, he patted my head, “It’s nothing” he said.

I turned to Dami Unnie who is still exhausted, “Thank you Unnie!”

She gave a lame salute, “No problem!”

Funny, but it seems like Jiyong and I are in between normal and awkward. Also, thinking about what happened these past months, I can’t help but to be emotional because I never thought we’ll even be in speaking terms ever again. A lot of firsts came our way. From exchanging extremely harsh words to ignoring each other for two months. If there’s one thing I learned from it, it’s that our friendship is vulnerable.

Brushing my feelings aside and blinking tears away, I patted his thigh and stood up. “What do you want to eat for breakfast?” I asked the two.

Unnie stood up and sighed. “I need to leave now because we’re not yet done sorting the items that we’re going to put on sale at the shop for next week”

Nodding, I looked at Jiyong. “And you?”

He smiled and stood up as well. “I’m the one preparing breakfast for us”

Unnie chuckled, “Enjoy guys!” she pulled me to her for a hug and playfully punched Jiyong’s arm. “No FIGHTING!”

It made me laugh. “I can’t promise that, but I’ll try to stay out of it Unnie”

She smirked. “You only have a few days together. Spend it well”

Oh, it looks like Jiyong is going back to Paris sooner than I expected. Maybe Lena only gave him enough days away from her, just for him to be with his family.

To be honest, I’d rather not have him here alone with me. I don’t know, but the wounds from all that’s happened ached badly again, making me hold back a little.

Actually, I cannot understand myself. I cannot describe what I’m feeling clearly.

“Kimchi fried rice and bacon?” Jiyong is now in the kitchen, trying to navigate his way around.

A little uptight, I joined him. “Pans” I handed him two. “Oil” I put it on the counter next to him. “Cold rice and bacon” I pulled it out from the fridge. “Eggs” I got two. “Seasoning” I reached for the overhead counter in front of him.

“Aigoo” he said when our bodies brushed into each other.

I rolled my eyes. “Since when did you become sensitive?”

Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t me ing out. This is me, joking.

For some reason, the air suddenly become stuffy. Serious. Tensed. is obvious. I guess my loose mouth is to blame.

Jiyong faced me and I looked into his eyes, shutting off strong emotions that might give me away. It’s been a long time since I last stared into his hazel eyes. They’ll forever blow me away, but the emptiness in them is so visible, my heart ached for him.

“Areumie” he moved closer and touched my neck, bringing weird electric waves throughout my body.

“Hmmm….”

Keep calm, woman! Don’t you jump into him! Fight the urge to wrap your arms around his neck! Don’t. Just. Don’t.

“!” I cursed under my breath and roughly claimed his lips.

There’s no way I can hold back. It’s just too hard.

Gosh! I missed him. I missed this. Yes, this is wrong because we’re not together, he’s got a girlfriend, but it’s too impossible to fight my raging system from ‘attacking’ him. My control is too weak.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel as if I didn’t care” he said in between kisses. He even bit my lip after the last word.

To my surprise, he shove all the ingredients I got for him and carried me up on the counter. My legs wrapped around his waist, instinctively.

“Oh!” an egg rolled out of the counter. “One egg, smashed” I joked, making him laugh.

Pushing him a little so I can look into his eyes, “You don’t care about what?” I asked.

He leaned in and gave me a peck on the lips. “About your feelings” then he kissed me again. This time, it’s too deep, I almost lost my breath. “You know when I….kind of…handed you to Dr. Miller and most especially, when I decided to be with Lena” he said, catching his breath.

“So, I’m right! You really gave me to Aden” I said, a bit hurt.

“Not exactly” Jiyong rested his forehead to mine. “I thought maybe you need a ‘tool’ to move on faster”

I smirked. “Tool? Seriously?”

He leaned in closer and wrapped his arms around me. “Stupidity at its finest” he said and I nod my head in agreement.

“About Lena?” I ran my hands on his shoulders, arms and chest. “As long as she’s making you happy, she’s good with me”

He sighed. “I’m looking for a way out”, then he held both my hands and kissed them.

My heart is about to explode. I’m going to be in ruins after this.

“Jiyong” I looked at him intently. “You can’t just go rummaging into someone else’s life just to get out whenever you feel like it”

“What do you want me to do?” he looked lost. Torn. It must be so hard to be him right now.

Silence.

Intense stare off.

Not thinking well, I smiled. “Kiss me”

Yeah. That’s not the answer he needs, but my mind is floating and my body needed something it can’t get from anybody but him.

“Wrong….wrong….wrong” I keep on saying in playful tone, while removing his shirt.

It made him laugh, while roughly removing my loose bed shirt. He pulled me really close, so we’re skin to skin, and whispered in my ear. “Kitchen….couch….or bathroom” he said, making it sound really y.

The sensual side of me is taking over as I pat the countertop, while biting my lip. Kitchen is not my thing, but there’s nowhere we can do it, and I don’t think I can take even another minute of teasing. I’m too hot to wait.

Actually, having with my child around, even when he’s in deep slumber, is so far from imagination. It suddenly made me wonder how married couples do it, given that they have children around. It must be a tough challenge.

“We can’t be long” I whispered back. “Yong will be up soon”

Like clumsy first timers, we started making out and touching each other. I free my head off thoughts. I don’t need them right now. I’m just going to deal with them later.

“No”

Jiyong and I are almost there when Yong started crying.

“Really?” he asked in disbelief.

I chuckled. “I told you he’ll be up soon”

He sighed. “Almost there!” he whined, making me laugh.

I pushed him so that he can pull out of me. “We’re not quick enough” I said, before jumping off the counter.

He pick up my shirt and gave it to me. “I did my best”

After dressing up, I patted his bare shoulder and kissed it. “Your best wasn’t good enough” I said and winked.

We stared at each other for a while, then burst into laughter.

Our morning is steamy, and it could’ve gone the other way around.

But hey, all is cool. It made me realize that there’s really nowhere for me to go but Jiyong’s way. Thing is, going down that road again will definitely be tough.

Oh no, I will not tell him to break up with Lena. I will wait for him to do that by himself. After all, he made the problem alone. He has the code to its solution.

“You hate it?” Jiyong scrunched his nose while asking Yong about his food.

My son is not a picky eater, unlike him who will not eat a boring and bland looking food. I remember Omma scolding him during middle school, for not eating lunch ust because the food doesn’t look appetizing.

“He loves carrots and broccoli. It’s his favorite mash” I told him, making him look at the bowl of baby food in disgust.

“When will he stop drinking milk?” Jiyong got the baby spoon and bowl from me, and started feeding Yong.

I leaned back comfortably in my chair. “He will stop whenever he likes. Possibly before he turns two or even earlier. But, as much as possible I want him to drink milk all the way because you know the wonders it does to our body”

My Doctor hat is on again.

Jiyong rolled his eyes. “It’s going to be great if he continues drinking it, but we both know that once he gets a taste of wine. Of course, once he’s legal” he grinned “He will forget what milk is and will not even think of it at all”

True.

“Look, I will not force him to drink milk until his twenties!” I said in defense. “What I want is, for him to have it maybe….till he’s ten”

“Woah!” Jiyong seemed so shocked. “You mean to say, you’ll pump milk till then?”

Seriously? Where’s his brain at?

Trying hard to control myself not to hit him on the head, I sighed. “There are milk formulas fit for different ages. As a matter of fact, he’s on one now. I stopped feeding two months ago. What do you think will my s look like if I continue to pump till he’s ten?”

Cheeky, he smiled. “Bigger?”

This time, I hit his head. Hard. “Sloppier!” I exclaimed. “I’ll be able to flip them”

Laughter filled the whole apartment. Jiyong’s stupidity can be fun at times.

Still on leave (I got two more days), I spent the whole afternoon with the boys. We opened Yong’s gifts, which Jiyong enjoyed so much. He opened all the toys and played them with Yong who is hyped with excitement.

“Jiyongie” I called from the kitchen. It’s time for dinner and I’m just about to cook. Problem is, I don’t know what to cook. “KWON JIYONG!” I called, louder.

“What?” Jiyong came riding Yong’s new electronic motorcycle. How he fitted and maneuvered the small vehicle, I don’t know, but it’s pretty hilarious.

Not long after, I saw my son crawling to him, drooling and giggling.

I stood in front of them. “You guys are serious trouble” is all I can say.

In the end, we decided to just order food from our favorite restaurant, for it’s been a long time since we ate there. Yong on the other hand, enjoyed his mashed potato and sliced banana that I dared Jiyong to taste. He rushed to the bathroom right away because he can’t even last it in his mouth for a second.

“What time is he going to sleep?” Jiyong asked while watching Yong play with stuffed animals on his own.

Sitting beside him, I looked at my son and smiled at how bright his face is while playing. “Why?”

Smoothly, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “We have an unfinished business”

I smirked and ran my hand up his thigh, making him flinch. “Not in the zone anymore” I told him softly, then stood up and picked Yong up.

“The carpet looks perfect” he said, while I’m heading towards my room.

He will beg me for it. I can already sense it.

I teasingly turned to him. “We’ll see”, then entered the room.

“YAH!”

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