Chapter 10: Dae-Hyun and Eun-Kyung – Part IV
A.N.: Yes, Chapters 7-11 are for Dae-Hyun and Eun-Kyung's mini fanfic. If time permits, there'll be other mini fanfics within this What Should You Do? fanfic ^_^.
Disclaimer: I don't own these BOF characters, other than the new ones.
The main characters and F4 children:
So Yi Jeong and Chu Ga Eul's children: So Dae-Hyun, So Jae Hwa, So Dae-Jung, So Dae-Hwan, So Jae Eun and So Jae Ji. Deceased/Miscarried: So Dae-Ho.
Endearment: Dae-Hyun – Baby (until 7 years old), Jae Hwa – Darling, Dae-Jung – Baby (until Middle School), Dae-Hwan – Hwannie/Sweetheart, Jae Eun – Eunnie/Sweetheart, Jae Ji – Precious, Dae-Ho - Precious.
Song Woo Bin and Ha Jae Kyung's children: Song Eun-Kyung and Song Won-Bin.
Gu Jun Pyo and Geum Jan Di's children: Gu Jung-Hee, Gu Jung-Hwa and Gu Jee Ha.
Yoon Ji Hoo and Yoong Ha Eun's son: Yoon Joo-Won
Published: July 27, 2017
"Won-Won! Precious and Eunnie Noona are here!"
Jae Kyung shouted for her son to come down while Woo Bin cringed at his wife's high-pitched voice.
The So came to visit a day after they came back from New York.
"Won-Won! We bring souvenirs. Lots of souvenirs" added Jae Ji. The two girls immediately entered the Song Mansion. Jae Kyung and Woo Bin invited the other Sos in.
"Oh, Dae-Hyun? Didn't see you there. What a wonderful surprise. Did you come back with the rest?" Jae Kyung hugged Dae-Hyun as Woo Bin patted the young man's shoulder.
"Welcome home, Dae-Hyun. Are you back for good? Hmmm, on a break?" asked the Head of Song family.
"On a break, Uncle Woo Bin."
"How many months more?" asked Woo Bin.
"6 months."
Woo Bin nodded as he watched his wife hugged Ga Eul, Jae Hwa and the two So boys.
"Wow, you must be super busy. Eun-Kyung is missing you like crazy. I'm sure she's going to be ecstatic to see you."
He then placed a hand on Dae-Hyun's shoulder.
Dae-Hyun just kept quiet but slowly nodded. He glanced at Jae Hwa and his Omma, and they glanced back at him.
"So, you didn't tell Eun-Kyung that you're coming home? To surprise her?" It was Jae Kyung. She was all smiles and grins.
"Yes… yes, Aunt Jae Kyung." Dae-Hyun answered with a small smile.
"Aunt Jae Kyung, where's Unnie?" Jae Hwa asked when she saw Won-Bin alias Won-Won came running down. The boy immediately hugged the two sisters and together, they skipped jovially to the living room. The rest then followed the children.
"Unnie went out since this morning. She said something about meeting her group. They're working on a project."
"When is…"
"Sorry, Dae-Hyun. I don't know when she'll be back."
Dae-Hyun silently sighed and lowered his head.
"Hey, why don't I call and ask her to come home now?" said Jae Kyung.
Yes, please, Aunt Jae Kyung.
"No… that won't be necessary, Aunt Jae Kyung. Don't want to disturb her. It must be an important meeting."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Aunt Jae Kyung."
Jae Eun and Jae Ji, excitedly and animatedly, shared stories about their vacations with the Song. Won-Won awed and oohed. Once in a while, he voiced out his frustration and jealousy for not going too. He suddenly was down with chicken pox two days before the departure date although he, Appa and Omma had planned to join the So family. Eun-Kyung Noona could not go since her part-time job at the publishing company had started.
Everybody exchanged stories and questions and all. Dae-Hyun, however, was quiet. His heart beat wild at the anticipation of seeing Eun-Kyung. Every few minutes or so, he looked at the door and focused his hearing on the sound of footsteps or door or voices. Unfortunately, she had not come home.
Two hours later, the So family were about to leave when a car arrived. A young man about Dae-Hyun's age came out from the driver's side and went to the passenger side to open the door. Eun-Kyung stepped out and bowed a little to the man. She also thanked him and smiled.
"Sweetheart!" called Jae Kyung.
Eun-Kyung turned to the direction of the door and immediately stiffened.
Her family and all the So family members were looking at her and the man. Her eyes widened when she spotted the one man. What is he doing here?
A few seconds later, "Omma, Aunt Ga Eul, Darling…."
She then motioned the man to come with her. She hugged all the So ladies and nodded at the men. When it came to Dae-Hyun, she offered a small smile. If only they could hear the loud-beating sound of her heart.
"Eun-Kyung."
"Oppa."
"Eun-Kyung, I…"
But before Dae-Hyun could say a single word more, Eun-Kyung introduced the guy.
"Everybody, this is Shim Il Dong. He's my course mate and one of the directors for our new volunteer work project. He offered me a ride home." The Song family driver sent her to the meeting this morning.
"Annyeong, everybody. I'm Shim Il Dong. Nice to meet you all." He bowed to all and shook hands with the men. Dae-Hyun gripped the guy's hand a little tighter. Jae Hwa stared at Shim Il Dong while her younger sisters looked at him, star-struck. He was a handsome man and looked like Omma's and their favorite actor Kim Bum. Dae-Jung and Dae-Hwan chuckled at their sisters' expression.
"Dae-Hyun, Ga Eul, Yi Jeong, since Eun-Kyung is here, do stay. I'm sure there's a lot to catch up." Jae Kyung smiled wide and nudged her daughter. Eun-Kyung flinched and lowered her head while Dae-Hyun offered a nervous smile.
"I… I'd love to but it's up to Omma and Appa…" replied Dae-Hyun. Eun-Kyung looked up at him, a frown on her forehead.
Ga Eul exchanged looks with Yi Jeong. They knew that their son needed to have a long heart-to-heart talk with their best friends' daughter but having Shim Il Dong there made the talk impossible. They hoped that the latter would not stay long.
"We're going back but you can stay if you want, Dae-Hyun. Appa will ask Mr. Kwon to come fetch you later," said Yi Jeong.
"Uncle Yi Jeong, Aunt Ga Eul, Oppa, I'm sorry. I don't want to be rude or disrespectful but I'm going out after this. Our group is having dinner at one of the benefactors' house."
"Oh. That's alright. We'll see you next time then, Sweetheart," said Ga Eul. She glanced at her first born and could see that there was frustration in his eyes.
Jae Hwa continued to look at her Oppa and Eun-Kyung Unnie. She knew that Eun-Kyung Unnie was still very much hurt by what Dae-Hyun Oppa had done and she did not blame her Unnie.
"Jae Kyung, Woo Bin, thanks for the lunch. Our place next time, alright? Goodbye."
"OK, Yi Jeong. Goodbye."
The Songs waved the Sos goodbyes.
Dae-Hyun gave Eun-Kyung the last look before entering the car but she just lowered her head.
Once the Sos had gone, Jae Kyung invited Shim Il Dong in. Eun-Kyung went straight to her room to change and her parents accompanied Shim Il Dong in the living room. They asked him a lot of questions.
Not only that Shim Il Dong was blessed with a handsome face, he was kind, nice and polite. His family was from Daejeon. His father worked as an engineer and his mother, an accountant. He was the eldest of two. His sister was the same age as Dae-Jung.
Jae Kyung swatted Woo Bin's thigh when he took out his hand phone and started texting. Jae Kyung did not need to ask. She knew that Woo Bin was sending information about Shim Il Dong to one of his men. He was doing a background check on the guy. Jae Kyung then rolled her eyes. Some things never changed. Then again, he was Woo Bin and he wanted to make sure that their daughter was with good people, and one thing for sure for both of them, Shim Il Dong liked Eun-Kyung very much.
Meanwhile upstairs, Eun-Kyung sat at the edge of her bed. Seeing Dae-Hyun there opened up the never healed wound in her heart. She was surprised to see him there and Jae Hwa did not mention anything about him coming back with them.
Since his unanswered phone calls that day and countless messages afterward, asking to talk to her and pleading for her forgiveness for his cruelty, Eun-Kyung could not help but be curious about his reasons. She wondered why the sudden change in him. What happened to that girl? However, she could not bring herself up to any talk with him. No. Not yet.
Eun-Kyung shook her head, wiped the tears and headed to the bathroom.
"Annyeong, Aunt Jae Kyung. Good morning."
"Good morning, Dae-Hyun. This is a surprise. Are you here to see Eun-Kyung? Have you had breakfast? Come in. We're having breakfast."
Jae Kyung pulled his hand and linked her arm with his.
Woo Bin and Won-Won were there.
"Hyung…" greeted Won-Won with a mouth full of food.
"Won-Won, don't speak with food in your mouth," scolded Jae Kyung.
"Sorry, Omma." Still with food. Jae Kyung ruffled her son's hair.
"Good morning Uncle Woo Bin, Won-Won. Sorry to come in unannounced and this early."
"Good morning. That's alright, Dae-Hyun. Come. Here, have a seat. Hope you can swallow your Aunt Jae Kyung's eggs. Mmmm. Delicious... Ouch!"
Jae Kyung had slapped his forearm, hard. "Don't mock me, Darling. I know I'm not a good cook like Ga Eul and Jan Di."
"What? It's true. The eggs are delicious. Right Won-Won?"
Won-Won just laughed out loud at his parents' banter.
"Hyung, how are Precious and Eunnie Noona? Why aren't they here too?"
"Eunnie has an art class at 10 and Precious is not feeling well."
"Oh? Precious was fine yesterday. Omma, Appa, can we go visit Precious later?" Won-Won was worried about Precious. She must have had her asthma attack again.
"OK, Won-Won," replied Woo Bin.
"Omma, Appa, Won-Won, good…"
Eun-Kyung stopped in her track. "…morning… Dae-Hyun Oppa…"
"Good morning, Eun-Kyung." Dae-Hyun smiled at her but she slowly approached the dining table and sat next to Omma, opposite to him. She averted her eyes.
"Sweetheart, Dae-Hyun is here to see you." Jae Kyung nudged her daughter.
"I… Let me take you to class," said Dae-Hyun.
"I don't have any class today. We're on a break," stated the girl.
"Oh…" Dae-Hyun's face reddened in embarrassment. He did not know that piece of information.
Of course not, you idiot. You were busy with Carmel. He scolded himself.
"Eun-Kyung has a part-time job. Assistant editor. At her professor's friend's publishing company." Jae Kyung proudly said.
"But, didn't you say that Monday is work-from-home day?" Woo Bin further asked.
Eun-Kyung groaned inwardly.
"Yes, yes. Monday is work-from-home day," affirmed her mother.
"Well, that's good then, Sweetheart. Go out with Dae-Hyun before he flies back to New York." Woo Bin then winked at his daughter.
"Appa…" Eun-Kyung blushed crimson while Dae-Hyun pretended to be interested in the odd-looking egg rolls on his plate.
"Oh come on, Sweetheart. You've been waiting for Dae-Hyun to come back soon. Now he's right here in front of you." Jae Kyung wiggled her eyebrows and cheekily smiled at her daughter.
Eun-Kyung groaned again. Her parents spoke as if Dae-Hyun was invisible.
"Can I go with Noona?" asked Won-Won.
"NO!" cried the parents.
"We're going to visit Precious. Remember?" Jae Kyung gave Won-Won a 'warning' look.
"I'm just kidding, Omma. So serious," teased the boy.
"Why you…" Jae Kyung scrunched her nose at her son and reached out to pinch his cheek.
During the remaining of breakfast, Jae Kyung and Woo Bin did most of the talking, further asking Dae-Hyun about his study and that they were touched by Dae-Hyun's decision to undertake another Master degree. They commented that the So Museum and business will continue to be more successful when he joined his Appa.
Half an hour later, Dae-Hyun and Eun-Kyung went out. It was awkward and uncomfortable for Eun-Kyung. She kept her eyes on the road in front.
"Eun-Kyung, where would you like to go?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Where ever you want to."
Dae-Hyun cleared his throat. Not once that she looked at him.
"Eun-Kyung, I'm sorry. I've been a royal jerk."
He braved himself and took her hand but she quickly pulled away. His heart felt like it was slashed with a sharp knife.
"I missed you."
Eun-Kyung froze for a brief second then held her head high and steadied her hurt heart that started to beat wild from his words. She also reprimanded her tears for swelling up.
"I'm really, really sorry, Eun-Kyung."
She turned her head to the other side and watched the scenery outside of the window. Dae-Hyun heaved a sigh.
Twenty minutes of uncomfortable silence, he stopped the car at a park. He went to open her door but she had already beat him to it. They then walked, an arm's apart, until they came to a pond in the middle of the park. They sat on a bench, under a large oak tree, facing the pond. A few ducks and their ducklings paddled through the pond, happily. It can still be considered early in the morning and there were not so many people yet.
Five minutes of silence later, "Eun-Kyung, please say something, anything." He pleaded.
The girl inhaled deeply and exhaled. A heavy sigh left her lips.
"What do you want me to say? What do you want to hear?"
She dropped the word Oppa for it only added to the hurt in her heart.
"Anything. Scold me, hit me, curse me… anything. I deserve them all for what I've done to you."
Eun-Kyung lowered her head. His words and actions in New York came rushing and taunting the deep wound.
"I'm not that kind of person." Her voice, a whisper.
"But I've hurt you."
The silence was her reply. She kept her gaze on the dried leaf that had fallen on her feet. There were little holes on the leaf. She wondered if the leaf felt hurt when it was unfairly attacked by whatever insects that fed on it.
"Seriously, why are you here?"
She finally asked though her gaze was still on the lifeless leaf.
"Just to apologize? And then what? Why the sudden apologies? Because you hurt me? Why apologize when you deliberately hurt me?"
Her throat felt dry. She suddenly felt angry and she needed to vent it all out.
"You looked at me like dirt when I was there. You treated me like dirt. It's like I'm some kind of a lowlife stranger who came to disturb your wonderful happy life."
She wiped away the tears but were immediately replaced by new ones.
"Years of love… gone in a few months, or was it in a day? A second? When you landed eyes on her? It is just so easy for you to throw me away."
"No, Eun-Kyung. I…"
"I don't know why you're here apologizing. Aren't you happy with her? Why isn't she here with you? Aren't you two inseparable? Aren't you here to officially break up with me? But why after all these long months? No. In your messages, you asked for a second chance? What second chance? To be your girlfriend? Your second girlfriend? Wouldn't that make me the evil one? The third wheel? The bad one who's trying to break you two up? I'm not that kind of person."
Her face was now buried into her palms and tears strained down the cheeks.
Dae-Hyung felt ashamed and guiltier but he, too, wanted to embrace her. To hold her tight and say sorry over and over and over again until she forgave him. He brought up a hand to touch her but stopped midair. A few seconds later, he went with his heart and placed a hand on her arm.
"Please don't touch me."
Although he did not blame her, it still felt like lightning had struck his whole being. It was all his stupid faults. If only he did not fall for another girl. If only he did not follow his weak lonely heart. He cursed himself for not being able to withstand the trial of separation, distance and time.
"Eun-Kyung, I am so sorry. I really am. I am ashamed of myself for hurting you. I am sorry. I am so, so sorry. I… I don't know how else to tell you that I really am. I realized my mistakes now. Please forgive me. Please tell what to do so that you will forgive me. She... I broke up with her. She's not a good person. I was too blind to see that before. Still, even if she was a good person, I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have swayed from you. It was all me. I'm the bad one. The evil one. Please forgive me, Eun-Kyung."
Eun-Kyung froze.
"Please give me another chance to make up to you. Please tell me what I should do for you to forgive me."
"Please take me home."
"Eun-Kyung, please…"
"If you can't take me home, that's alright. I'll call Appa." She wiped the tears and reached inside her handbag.
"No. I… I'll take you home."
The drive back home was again filled with uncomfortable silence. Dae-Hyun kept glancing at Eun-Kyung but she fixed her eyes on the road outside. Occasionally, she wiped the falling tears.
Dae-Hyun felt guiltier and guiltier. He had terribly broken her heart. So he prayed and prayed that she would forgive him and give them another chance to start anew.
About half a mile from the Song mansion, he pulled over.
"Why are we stopping here?"
"Eun-Kyung," he turned to her. "Please give me another chance. I still love you, Eun-Kyung."
She closed her eyes. Her heart hurt to hear the word love coming from him.
"You don't love me. Not anymore. This is just your guilty feeling talking."
"No. I mean it. I love you, Eun-Kyung."
"Please don't say that when you don't mean it."
"Eun-Kyung…"
"Please don't come and find me anymore."
"Eun-Kyung!"
"Whenever I look at you, the pain deepens. I… I can't live like this anymore."
"Eun-Kyung, I am sorry. How else can I do to make you believe that I am?"
She did not answer.
"But our families. How will it be possible for me not to see you when our families…"
She sighed heavily.
"It'd be hard for our families. Uncle Woo Bin and Aunt Jae Kyung will start asking if you avoid me."
She kept quiet.
"I will tell them the truth if that will make you believe that I'm seriously sorry."
"No!" Don't!"
Dae-Hyun did not understand why.
"Appa and Omma don't know what happened in New York and I want to keep it that way. You don't want to know what they'd do if they knew about it and I don't want our families to fight."
"Then give me another chance."
She went quiet again as he watched her thinking hard.
"Please take me home."
"Eun-Kyung."
"Please."
With a heavy heart, he obliged.
Fortunately for them, her parents were not at home since their car was not there. They must have gone to visit Jae Ji.
"Thank you."
She was about to open the door when he held her wrist but she pulled her hand away.
"You don't say my name, Eun-Kyung, or call me Oppa. Is my name too filthy for you to say? Do you hate me that much?"
His voice was sad. Eun-Kyung's eyes widened and she forced the building tears to stay where they were.
"I… I…"
"I am very sorry for what I've done. I wish that I can turn back time and not let this happen. I am very, very sorry. I hope that someday you'll forgive me and give me a chance to wash away all my sins, to rectify all my wrongdoings and to show you that I love you. I was an idiot, a jerk, a scumbag for being so weak and easily wavered. Maybe I don't deserve your love anymore, but I still hope that you'd give me the chance, Eun-Kyung."
Eun-Kyung wiped away her tears, opened the door and ran into the house.
In the car, Dae-Hyun screamed and knocked his forehead on the steering wheel repeatedly, crying his heart out.
"Why? Why? Why?"
Eun-Kyung buried her face into the pillows. Her heart ached like never before.
Why did he come and say that he loved her when she was trying to heal her heart and move on with her life? When she was trying to pick the shattered pieces of her heart and face the world as the new Eun-Kyung. A life of Song Eun-Kyung without one So Dae-Hyun, the man who was once her boyfriend.
She had prepared herself for the life of not having him beside her. She had told herself not to feel weak if they met. What happened? Seeing him yesterday and today crumbled all those resolves, all those walls that she had built surrounding and safeguarding her heart. She promised herself that she would not cry in front of him, not to cry because of him anymore but one look at him and she lost the battle, the battle between her mind and her heart.
However, she could not deny one fact. She still loved him. Song Eun-Kyung still loved So Dae-Hyun no matter how hard she tried to stop from loving him. She reminded herself of what he had done and said. True. What he did was unforgivable but he was her first love. She loved him since they were young. This love had consumed her whole being. This love needed time to fade away and vanish, to be gone from her life. But his presence now was making it complicated and hard.
"Oppa, I hate you, Oppa. You hurt me…I hate you. I hate you. I hate you."
"Dae-Hyun?"
It was 11 in the evening. Yi Jeong came into the house mini bar to find his first born nursing a shot glass of vodka. He was passing by the bar when he heard a faint voice and decided to check it out. The young man's eyes were bloodshot.
"Hey, since when did you drink?" Yi Jeong took away the glass from his son.
"Since New York."
"Dae-Hyun?
Dae-Hyun turned to look at his father.
"Appa, I've become a changed man in New York. I've become a monster." He knocked his head with a fist.
"I neglected Appa, Omma, everyone and Eun-Kyung. I've hurt her. I've betrayed Eun-Kyung and now she doesn't want me back, Appa." He cried out loud.
Yi Jeong took the high chair next to Dae-Hyun.
"Son, Appa does not condone and agree with what you've done to Eun-Kyung but Appa am glad that you have finally realized that all those are wrong and you want to go back to being our old Dae-Hyun. True. Omma and Appa were shocked that you and Carmel… and Eun-Kyung…but what happened had happened. We can't turn back time. No power and money on earth can do that. But what is most important is what you learn from all these."
"But Eun-Kyung won't forgive me, Appa."
"She's still hurt. Give her some time. She'll forgive you."
Dae-Hyun searched his Appa's eyes for any sign of assurance in the older man's words.
"Dae-Hyun, tell me your feelings right now."
"Mad, angry, furious, hate, frustrated, sad, crushed… all at my own self, for my stupidity."
"Are you giving up on her?"
"Appa?"
"Since you're almost drunk here, can I say that you're giving up on Eun-Kyung?"
Is he?
"I've tried, Appa. For a second chance and for her to forgive me but she… she… she hates me, Appa."
Yi Jeong let out a sigh. It was hard to see his son this way. What father would be happy to see his child miserable?
"So you really are giving up on her." It was a statement rather than a question.
No answer.
"Do you really love her?"
"Of course, I do, Appa."
"Appa don't blame Eun-Kyung if she finds it hard to forgive you or to give you another chance but you, you must not give up on her. You must try your best and all to win her heart again. It does not matter if it takes weeks or months. You need to do your best. But if she still doesn't accept you, then maybe it's time to let her go. Let her move on, and so should you. But you won't feel regret because you've done your best and everything. Remember that, son."
Yi Jeong placed a hand on Dae-Hyun's shoulder.
"You don't want to live in regret. You won't find peace with regret. Thanks to Omma, Appa learned that the hard way. Twice. Believe me. Regret is so painful."
"Regret…. I feel regret, Appa."
"Appa won't tell Omma about this, this time." He pointed to the shot glass.
"Appa."
"Yes, son?"
Dae-Hyung suddenly stood up and hugged Yi Jeong, startling the father but he, soon, hugged him back and patted the young man's back.
"I'm so sorry for making Appa worried and sad. I've been a bad son. I promise I won't be that again."
"I know, son. I know."
"I love Eun-Kyung and I will not give up on her. I will try my all to win her back or I will regret this for the rest of my life."
"Good. Good. Now come on. Let's get you to bed. You need to have a good night sleep and then plan ways to win Eun-Kyung's heart again."
"Hey, Jagiya."
Yi Jeong climbed on the bed and kissed Ga Eul's cheek.
"Hey, Honey." She gave him a light kiss on the lips. "Where have you been?"
"Checking up on the kids."
Ga Eul nodded. She put the book that she was reading on the bedside table and snuggled to him.
"Honey, have you ever thought about this?"
"About what?" He tightened his arms around her and feathered some kisses on her neck.
"Yi Jeong Sunbae…" she squirmed, ticklish.
"Yi Jeong Sunbae?" He 'attacked' her more.
Ga Eul laughed louder. "Stop… stop… I'm ticklish," though another feeling was also building up. "Honey…"
"You were saying?" He finally stopped his 'torture' and played with her hair.
"How long are we going to keep checking up on them at nights?"
"Oh?"
"Yes."
"As long as they live under this roof."
Ga Eul gave him her gorgeous smile. He wanted to kiss those lips badly.
"You're such a good, loving, caring Appa." She pinched his nose and rewarded him with a long kiss.
He protested when she pulled away.
"Do you want me to stop?"
"No. I love that you feel that way. I feel exactly the same."
"Jagiya, do you think the kids will stay here after they marry? I don't want them to leave the house. I want them, their children, their grandchildren, grand grandchildren and everybody to live here forever. We can also extend and add new rooms."
Ga Eul laughed out loud.
"Add new rooms is a great idea, but how do you suppose you're going to make them stay?"
"Hmmm. Come to think about it, who do you think will stay with us?" asked Yi Jeong.
Without hesitation, "Dae-Jung, Hwannie and Precious."
"Oh? Why? And what about the other three?"
"Well, Dae-Jung is so attached to you. He worships you. If possible and allowed, he'd tie a string to you and follow you everywhere."
Yi Jeong laughed and nodded. "Yes, I can see that happening."
"Hwannie… He can't leave Omma for a day. He's Omma's boy. Do you remember when we sent him to the Art Camp when he was 7? He cried every day although it was him who wanted to attend the camp. He missed Omma too much."
"I remember that. What did you do to my boy? A boy doesn't cry, you know."
Ga Eul playfully slapped his forearm.
"And Precious?"
Ga Eul turned sad. "Precious needs you and me. I need Precious with me."
"Oh, Jagiya." He kissed her forehead.
Jae Ji's condition worried them the most. It would be hard to find someone who would look after her and care for her like how they did. Still, they prayed that one day, there will be that one special man for their Precious Jae Ji.
"What about Eunnie, Darling and Dae-Hyun?"
"Eunnie. She's the independent one. I think she'll be the first one who leaves the house. Her dreams, remember? She wants to be internationally known and the only way to do that, her words, not mine, is to live overseas. London to be precise."
"Aish, Eunnie. Doesn't she love Appa? I don't want her to leave the house, what more the country. She can still be a famous international designer by staying here. I need to talk to this girl. Please remind me, arasso?"
Ga Eul laughed at his pout and whines.
"Now Darling. Hmmm. Knowing Jung-Hee, if they get married, he'll take Darling with him. They might stay at Jan Di's place."
"I still can't believe that they are together. What weird couple."
"Honey."
"Yes. Weird."
Ga Eul pinched his pointed nose.
"Hey, do you remember Darling's first smack down?" A memory suddenly came to him.
"When?"
"When she was a baby. Her first smack down. On Jung-Hee. Oh my god. It was love at first smack down. They are destined together."
"I guess so," and Ga Eul laughed for the n-th time tonight.
When the laughter died down, Ga Eul looked at her husband.
"Honey, I'm worried about Dae-Hyun."
Yi Jeong nodded.
"Did you see Eun-Kyung that day? She's still hurt, Honey. I can see that in her eyes. I hope Dae-Hyun will get the chance to talk to her and work things out. I hope Eun-Kyung will forgive him, some day. Oh, Honey, what should we do?"
"Jagiya, he needs to be patient and keep trying to gain her trust and win her heart back. What happened between them had thrown away that trust. But we don't interfere. Only when we feel so then we do. I've talked to him and told him the same. He must not give up on her."
"Honey, I love Eun-Kyung like my own. I want Eun-Kyung to be part of our family."
"I want that too, Jagiya."
"Should I talk to Jae Kyung Unnie?"
"Not yet. Let Dae-Hyun solve his problem but we'll keep an eye on him and see how this goes."
"Aish, this kid. I hope he really regrets his mistakes and learns from them."
"Yes, he does, Jagiya."
"Like how you regret not…"
"Like how I regret not chasing after you when you left me on those Namsan Stairs, Jagiya. That's one valuable lesson for me. I wasn't living after that. I'm glad that I chose to follow my heart and confessed to you, and here we are now."
"I'm glad too, Honey."
"Thank you, Jagiya."
Ga Eul's heart thumped faster when she saw how his gaze moved from her eyes to her lips. It would always be this way. Even after 6 children with 3 of them being young adults, his gaze never failed to make her heart went into frenzy. Each kiss felt like their first kiss. She closed her eyes when he leaned down and captured her lips.
"I love you, Ga Eul-yang."
"I love you, Yi Jeong Sunbae."
Dae-Hyun only had a week before his flight to New York. He had to act fast. Every day he waited for her at her workplace, followed her to her volunteer work meetings and from those places until she was safe back at home. Every day he sent her a bouquet of purple hyacinths, bachelor's buttons and red roses to say that he was sorry, regretted his mistakes and wrongdoings and that he loved her. Every day he sent her messages, emails and called her number but she never once replied and answered.
He knew that it would take a miracle for her to easily forgive and accept him back but he must not give up. He had learned his lesson well.
A lady's heart is not to be hurt, betrayed. Once that happens, trust will be the first thing that is deleted from her vocabulary and replaced by suspicions and everything negative. Even if she forgives a man, she never forgets.
But Dae-Hyun badly needed Eun-Kyung's forgiveness. The trust can be built again, with time.
Woo Bin and Jae Kyung started to notice changes in Eun-Kyung since her meeting with Dae-Hyun. She began to go out more with Shim Il Dong and talked about him more. The Song couple asked their daughter why she did not go out with Dae-Hyun while he was still here in South Korea but she answered that she was busy with her part-time job and volunteer work. Furthermore, she did not want to disturb Dae-Hyun. He surely wanted to spend time with his family more.
Unfortunately, Woo Bin and Jae Kyung did not really believe so. Woo Bin's men had been reporting about Dae-Hyun's appearance at almost all the places where Eun-Kyung was but at a far distance from the girl.
"Darling," called Woo Bin.
"Yes, Darling," Jae Kyung turned to look at her husband.
"I think we need to really talk to Eun-Kyung and Dae-Hyun. Something is not right between them."
"I know. It's not like Eun-Kyung to be this way."
"Do we talk to Yi Jeong and Ga Eul too?"
"Hmmm. Not yet. We'll talk to the kids first. It's always best to talk to the source of the 'problem' or 'issue'."
"You're right. So, I'll talk to Eun-Kyung and you talk to Dae-Hyun."
"Hey, handsome. I was about to suggest the same."
"That's because great minds think alike."
"Wow. Darling. I totally agree. So, do you know what I'm thinking right now?" She gave him her special smile.
Woo Bin raised his eyebrows, then leaned forward to place kisses on her neck and shoulder. His hands started to wander on her arms and waist.
"Darling? I wasn't thinking about this, you pervert!" Jae-Kyung protested, pretend that was. Familiar pleasurable sensations spread throughout her whole being.
"Really?" His lips moved up her jawline and earlobe.
"Yes, I was thinking of going to Eun-Kyung's room." Nevertheless, she tilted her head to one side to gain him more access. Her hands were already on his broad chest.
"Yeah, right, you were. You're a pervert too."
Jae Kyung lightly smacked his chest but smiled and enjoyed her husband's teases and kisses.
"Darling, at least lock the door. Don't want Won-Won to get the shock of his life, do we?" said Jae Kyung, breathless.
Won-Won had a habit of barging into their bedroom whenever he felt so.
"Hey, Sweetheart, may Appa come in?" Woo Bin peeked his head from outside Eun-Kyung's door.
"Come in, Appa."
"What cha doin'?" He playfully asked, like how he did years ago when she was little.
Eun-Kyung softly laughed.
"Some paperwork for our new project. We're organizing a writing competition for high schoolers." She showed him some papers and articles on the table.
"Can Appa talk to you for a while?"
"What is it, Appa?" She slowly put down the papers. Her heart, though, began to beat a hundred times faster.
"Do you like Shim Il Dong-shii?"
"Appa?"
Woo Bin nodded.
"Yes, Appa. I like him. He's kind and helpful and smart. He has a lot of brilliant ideas, Appa. This new project is one."
Woo Bin nodded again.
"More project and work. Just make sure they don't disturb your study, OK?"
"OK, Appa."
"Sweetheart, Dae-Hyun's flight is the day after tomorrow. Why don't you go out with him before he leaves?"
Blood rushed out of her lovely face.
"He must be busy preparing and packing his things. I don't want to take his time."
Woo Bin looked at his daughter. She was nervous, he could tell.
"Sweetheart, you're forgetting something. This is Appa you're talking to." He smiled at her and she froze.
"You're avoiding him, Sweetheart. Omma and Appa can see that. Why so? Is something wrong between you? Did he do something to you? What did he do to you? Appa and Omma can just ask Uncle Yi Jeong and Aunt Ga Eul and also Ahn." Ahn was the bodyguard who went to New York with her. "But Appa want to hear it from you. Please be honest with Appa."
Tears started to gather though she tried to calm her wild-beating heart. She had forgotten that Appa was great at getting information and pulling out the truths from practically anybody.
"I… He…"
"And you haven't said his name or Oppa since he's back."
… and she could no longer hold the tears.
"I want to forget him, Appa. I love him but I can't be with him anymore."
"Sweetheart?" Woo Bin was surprised.
"Did he hurt you? Do Uncle Yi Jeong and Aunt Ga Eul know about this?"
She lowered her head and sobbed. Woo Bin was getting crazy. What was going on?
Then, she told her Appa everything.
"SO DAE-HYUN!" Woo Bin was already standing up.
"I'm here, Uncle Woo Bin."
"Oppa?" Eun-Kyung's eyes widened.
The said young man had already entered her bedroom with her Omma following close behind.
"SO DAE-HYUN! YOU!" cried Woo Bin.