Gu Junpyo and Geum Jandi: Gu Seong Min (age4)), Gu Seong Hee ( age 2)
Yoon Jihoo and Oh Hani: Yoon Eun Hee ( age3 )
So Yi Jeong and Chu Ga Eul: So Dae Jeong ( age3 )
Song Woo Bin and Ha Jaegyeong: Song Hae Ryung ( age 3)
Ps. The ages are in approximate values and the words in italics in the conversations are the words that were emphasized by the speaker. If a whole sentence is in italics then it means a thought.
This is going to be a long chapter, but hope you'll enjoy...
Chapter five: The silence that bothers ( not in Song Hae Ryung's perspective)
Three years and six months ago...
The darkness was what first registered in Ga Eul 's mind. As even the bedside lamps were off, if not for the faint light creeping through the heavy curtains which disclosed over the large windows , the room was mostly dark. She felt an arm around her waist and Yi Jeong's chest rubbed against her bare skin. Though it was a long time since their first, it still gave a ticklish sensation down her spine, when reminiscing their activities. She felt his eased breath on her neck and thus assumed that he was still asleep. The early hours of that day may have been tiring for him, and the activities, though they really enjoyed the hardly-ever time they got to themselves.
She slowlyunwound his arm, not interrupting his sleep and grabbed a night robe from the bedside drawers to drape around herself. She switched on the bedside lamp and let the yellow light spread across the room allowing her to see the cloths lost on the floor. Not long after she found her self picking them up and gathering them in to a pile on the armchair while a little blush painted her cheeks. As Yi Jeong was yet fast asleep, Ga Eul decided to wash herself before waking him up.
After the bath and after she dried her hair, she bended beside Yi Jeong, whispering to his ear,
" Sunbae... it is already night... adal might be waiting for us..." there wasn't any response,
" Sunbae..." she called again, yet again, there wasn't any response... she tried shaking him,
"Sunbae..."
Just then she felt something pull her wrist towards them; the wrist that held her weight while her fingers of the other hand were busy running through his silky hair. The sudden lost of support, made her collapse on to his chest and found herself trapped in a hug.
"Sunbae..." she complained.
" Let's stay like this for a minute..." Yi Jeong murmured in a sleepy tone.
" Sunbae..." it was lower than the last time.
Yi Jeong chuckled, " Still blushing?" he was answered with silence. His chuckle continued, " it has been a long time... though it still gives the same excitement..."
" B..boh?" Ga Eul managed to ask out, despite the fact her face being squeezed in between his arms and his chest. She was partly happy though , as it covered her crimson cheeks.
" An embarrassed Ga Eulyang..." he stiffly uttered. And a smirk followed, " Jagiya... what were you thinking?"
" Ani...Anniyo.." Ga Eul struggled to free herself from the embrace and Yi Jeong let her go with a chuckle. Once freed and able to sit on the bed, Ga Eul made a threatening face and shot him a glare which only widened his grin.
" We are late already!" she tossed a night robe at his face and stood up. Yi Jeong managed to catch it though. And the failed attempt made Ga Eul even more angrier as she left the room without bothering to spare a glance at the giggling Yi Jeong.
It seemed that the parents might have been too much entertained of their rare moments together alone, as they had clearly lost track of time. When they entered the clinic it was only Dae Jeong who was left. He was playing with the child speech therapist who was a lady in her mid thirties and a 'very good friend ' of Jihoo.
Dae Jeong looked up from the many toys that he was offered and giggled seeing his parents. The therapist smiled as well, welcoming the couple.
She offered them a seat and let Dae Jeong be engaged in his playing. The three adults smiled seeing him.
" Dae Jeong.. I must first say..." she began. " is a wonderful child..." she collected her sheets before putting her glasses on. " especially his smile..." she added with a smile which was returned by the couple. " I examined him... and according to my analysis... there isn't any 'physical ' obstacle that bothers his speech..."
" doctor...what does that suppose to mean?" Ga Eul 's worry was obvious as she exchanged a look with Yi Jeong who was silent, yet not in an expression dissimilar to his wife's.
" I meant... that it is... rather mental than physical.. the problem with Dae Jeong..."
" What do you mean?" Yi Jeong awaked his voice though almost inaudible as low as a whisper.
" I mean... that it is something psychological that stops him from speaking ..." she looked up from her papers at the confused parents who exchanged another look. " it.. could be a shocking incident...or perhaps a fear..." she hesitated. " It is quite often for us to diagnose children with these kind of problems in families which have issues...such as..." she exhaled and hesitated even more, "domestic violence maybe.." she spared another look at them.
Ga Eul's expression turned from confused to shock, " ani.. anniyo.. sunbae and I _"
" _Anniyo Mrs. Ga Eul, "The doctor interrupted as for noticing the unusual addressing. "It isn't something like that I meant... it's just that it was the more common reason...for this kind matters...As for Dae Jeong..." she spared a moment to give her attention back to the boy who was busy building a construction out of some building blocks. " Mr. And Mrs. So, could you.. recall something unusual that Dae Jeong might have been subjected to?"
" Well.." Yi Jeong began, " there was this once that an incident happened..." and he told what had happened at the museum, months ago, as the doctor listened patiently closing her eyes. And at the end of the story she leaned back in her chair, as if processing the facts in her brain.
" So... you mean there wasn't any record ?"
" Ani... it had been only adal, who had entered the cellar that day..." Yi Jeong explained, as Ga Eul remained silent. " And he was..." he hesitated.
" he was?"
" Chasing after something..." Yi Jeong exhaled again. " and it wasn't clear... in the footage, what he was chasing..."
" You said it was few months ago?"
" Ye.." Ga Eul exchanged a nod with her husband, " six months.. to be exact..."
" And Dae Jeong was already.." she looked at her papers again, " was 'three years and two months old ' ?"
" Ye" Ga Eul nodded.
" Even by then , he hadn't uttered a single word?... I mean... it was certainly the age for him to start speaking.."
" Ye.." Ga Eul's head lowered as if in disappointment and Yi Jeong's hand reached for hers and gave it a squeeze.
" Mr. And Mrs. So, have you noticed anything prior to that incident ?"
The couple went silent for a moment and Yi Jeong awaked his voice at the end, " adal... often has these nightmares..."
" nightmares?"
" Ye... he rarely sleeps alone... he always wants one of us to keep him company.."
" Hmm.. I remember" the doctor smiled, " how much effort you two had to give, to make him stay...at first... it was really hard for me to gain his trust..."
Ga Eul chuckled for the first time since the beginning of the conversation, " ye... it seems he likes you...after all..."
The doctor returned the smile, " maybe ... or maybe he is just getting used to it..."
" I hope so..." Ga Eul smiled again.
" Since when he began insisting to only be with either of you..."
" He was like that.. ever since I could remember... " Yi Jeong answered thoughtfully.
" Ye.. even when he was a little baby, when we left him in the nursery he began crying... sometimes he cried all night... so we had to move his crib to our room... " Ga Eul explained. "Even when I went to the kindergarten, yaeobae had to take him to the studio... if he was ever kept with a nanny he cried all day till one of us would come..."
" It could be because of the nightmares couldn't it?" Yi Jeong looked at the concerned doctor with a questioning expression.
" ye... it certainly could be..."
So you are telling that ever since you could remember Dae Jeong was like that? Having nightmares and insists to be in your company?
Ye...
Even when in the ride back home those thoughts about the conversation conquered Ga Eul 's mind. It was obvious on her face as it always wore a lost-in-thought expression, even when Dae Jeong sat on her lap, playing with his appa's hand , the fear never let her go. Though Yi Jeong kept smiling with the little boy and tickling him or teasing him, deep inside, he as well, harboured the same fears. So, if not for a toddler's occasional giggle the ride back home was silent, as the chauffeur drove to their little manor.
As well as the ride, the dinner was mostly silent. Dae Jeong was first fed and while Yi Jeong and Ga Eul had theirs, he sat besides Yi Jeong engaged in shaping a little clay ball which Yi Jeong had given him to practice. He occasionally stretched his hand and brought it near Yi Jeong's eyes, as if for asking if he had done it right. He was mostly appreciated by a grin or a few adjustments to his fingers or his wrist. Ga Eul was silently enjoying the sight , yet she asked the toddler several times to let his appa have his dinner, which was, as always answered by Yi Jeong with a grin and an " it's alright..". And as for the habit, that came 'ever since they could remember ' Dae Jeong slept in his mother's embrace while she was in her husband's.
The next day was a busy one, not because it was a Friday but because it was the birthday of one of the Korea's most attentive babies or more precisely, toddlers ; The ShinHwa 's heir, : Gu Seong Min. As for his appa, he was one of the most famous after all, yet as for his omma, his birthdays were more modest and only the closest were invited. The closest included: the family members of both of the families, the closest business associates and of course the other three of the F4 and their families. As the parties were held in the evening, as a custom, Ga Eul and Yi Jeong had plenty of time to complete their work; Ga Eul at the kindergarten and Yi Jeong at the studio, before attending to the party. The dressing up was fun for both of the parents, as Ga Eul treated Dae Jeong as a one year old and Yi Jeong, as always teased them addressing the little boy as 'omma's precious ' . Yi Jeong dressed in one of his black suits as Ga Eul had asked him, telling that black suits him well, and Ga Eul dressed in a long midnight blue evening gown, her hair worn down with faint curls.
The party was a warm and a humble one, with Jandi and Junpyo themselves greeting the guests at the door to the ball room at their own premises. As soon as Jandi saw her old friend, her voice raised with a loud Anyeong and Ga Eul was greeted with a tight hug. The two women giggled at seeing each other from a long time while their husbands shared a grin when looking at their overjoyed wives.
They were greeted by Woo Bin and Jihoo along with their respective wives as soon as they entered the party and were offered glasses of champagne or wine as all the other guests had . The room was filled with the sound of adults laughing and complimenting. At a corner of the room Madam Kang and her husband were chatting with one of their business associates, probably about some financial matter despite the fact that it was their grandson' s birthday, and at another corner, there was Jandi's parents, especially Jandi's mother, bragging about the jewellery and dresses her son-in-law had brought her. Geum Kang seong as for being in his twenties, by then, had brought a date whereas Junhee had come alone, without her husband. As for the rest of the guests, they were mostly business associates.
The F4 and their wives had their own chats as Dae Jeong kept clutching onto his appa's trousers. His sight was fixed to a mini playing area where all the other toddlers were, including the three daughters of the F4 and the birthday boy. His awkwardness was obvious as for being the only little person among the tall adults, yet he was too shy to move along with his own aged. So, he simply kept clutching on to Yi Jeong 's trousers.
Ga Eul grabbed his other hand and bended low to meet his eyes,
" there are a lot of friends at this party..." she told in a sweet tone to her son who was staring back at her, " let's... see... if we could make a friend..." she smiled at the still confused boy.
Jandi bended low, accompanying Ga Eul, " see over there..." she pointed at the little playing area, " there are a lot of friends over there..."
Dae Jeong 's eyes found a certain curly haired toddler who was only a few months older than himself and who sat in the middle of the playing area with a big balloon on his lap pinching it to make weird sounds. As for the balloon, a finger nail or the pinches , made it blast with a loud sound , which made all the toddlers cry except for the one who did it and the three certain girls who stared at him with a frightened face; one of them, his own two year old sister, one with a mini game player and the other sat beside a fish bowl which contained a gold fish.
Dae Jeong though frightened, did not cry as well, but flinched and buried his face in his appa's trousers. Though most of the parents had to go to the playing area to soothe their crying children, the F4 didn't have to. As for Woo Bin and Jaegyeong, just about few minutes after the balloon blast they saw their Hae Ryung, returned to her game. Eun Hee did not cry though she kept staring at Seong Min, or more precisely, glaring and returned to feed her new gold fish hoping that it would come out of its little castle. As for Seong Min, who was showered with glares, was hugged by his aunt, Junhee .
It was after the birthday cake was cut and the dinner had ended, that Dae Jeong agreed to release his appa. By then most of the guests had left and as an idea of Jaegyeong, the shy boy was introduced to the girls. Hae Ryung and Eun Hee were both at the pet corner where the bunnies and puppies and kittens were. Hae Ryung was cuddling a ginger kitten while Eun Hee managed to still stare at her goldfish, partly because she liked it and partly because to protect it as Seong Min dumped all the possible toys inside the fish bowl.
Dae Jeong found to be interested, not in the girls but in a black fluffy puppy, at last giving some space for his parents. Jandi given the chance, had dragged Ga Eul out to the garden for some catching up while Hani and Jaegyeong admired the latest kids' fashion and chatted about their daughters. So, the F4 who were left, gathered around a table with a flute of champagne while their wives and children were engaged in their own work.
" It seems... SeongMin is close to Junhee noona..." Yi Jeong pointed out which made all the young fathers look at him.
" doesn't it remind the day he was born..?" Woo Bin commented with a smirk. " she didn't even let Junpyo to touch him..."
" Hmm..." Junpyo let out a sigh, which was an unusual thing, ""He even told that she's his favourite..." Junpyo uttered in a low tone.
" are you jealous?" Yi Jeong asked and Woo Bin joined him with the smirk.
" You should be with him more often..." Jihoo broke his silence.
" What do you mean?" Junpyo gave him a look.
" Neither one of you stays with him..." Jihoo continued.
" Ah... what did he ask for the present?" Woo Bin asked in an attempt to change the subject but it only shadowed Junpyo's expression even more...
" A trip.." the answer made all the four of them go silent for a minute as it clearly confirmed Jihoo 's words.
" Aish... he certainly is Geum Jandi 's son..." Woo Bin commented.
At the end of the silence, Yi Jeong smiled, " And where do you wish to take him?"
" I was thinking... " Junpyo's lips twisted in to a smile, " What about.. new Caledonia?" He stood up abruptly, his smile broadening every passing second, " This weekend..." and he went to Seong Min to lift him up, with a howl, " what do you think? Do you want uncles to come too?" He asked from the boy who was overjoyed to be in his appa's hands.
" YE..."
" Arasso.. then.. " Junpyo grinned at the other three who were staring at him, " You guys, better won't be late!"
" YOH! JUNPYO .. " Woo Bin screamed out, " Haven't you grown up yet?"
And Junpyo, as usual ignored him and left, probably to find Jandi.
" Agh! He hasn't changed a bit.." Woo Bin leaned back in his chair " if he'd put that idea into Jaegyeong.. I am dead..." He let out a sigh.
" Same here..." Jihoo took a sip from his champagne, " seems like I'd have to shift my patients to doctor Kim for the weekend..."
At the end, it was only Yi Jeong who managed to even smile the faintest of smiles. " Don't you guys feel like history being repeated?" and gulped the last sip from his champagne.
When they arrived home, it was certainly late, and Dae Jeong had already fallen asleep on his appa's shoulder. Yi Jeong carried him to the bed where Ga Eul changed him in to a pyjama, before changing herself into the night wear. Though the night was too weary that Yi Jeong fell fast asleep, hugging his son, Ga Eul had troubles sleeping. She stayed awake for hours maybe, staring at her husband and her son. How they shared all the looks, the silky black hair, every single feature on their faces and even the dimples. She recalled the moment when she first got Dae Jeong in her arms, how she complained, that he only looks like his appa and nothing like herself. A smile drew on her face when reminiscing those days. She planted a soft kiss on each of their cheeks before sliding down from the bed. She walked in silence out of the room in to the small lobby and literally collapsed on to the sofa and buried her face in her palms. From the little movements of her body it could have been told that she was sobbing. At the party, though Yi Jeong never told her she saw everything ; how he first tried to introduce Dae Jeong to Seong Min, and how he pushed Dae Jeong away , stating that " he doesn't want to play with a mute.." Yi Jeong was clearly taken aback, and Junpyo was shocked. Jandi came storming and almost slapped her son if not for JunHee who reminded that it was his birthday after all.. Although Ga Eul pretended not to hear anything and Yi Jeong as if he did not care, discarded all of Junpyo's apologies with a simple smirk, it would have been better, if they were simply stabbed in the heart.
" Mind if I join in?" His voice made her uncover her face and see him placing two wine glasses on the coffee table in front of the couch. He got a bottle of wine from the mini pantry at the side of the lobby and filled the glasses for them. He sat besides Ga Eul and gave her a glass before taking his.
" Jandiya.. told me that Kindergarten is starting from next month..." Ga Eul began. " Sunbae... do we really need to send him to Shinhwa?"
Yi Jeong smiled, having a sip from his wine but chose to be silent allowing Ga Eul to continue. " Jandiya... she was just a commoner... and..." she smirked and had a sip herself, " that was what made her a loner... uri.. adal.." she hiccuped trying to block a sob, " What would happen to him?..."
Yi Jeong again smirked, " Agh.. that little rascal... he surely had got some of his abeoujji's genes... much like Junpyo... his jealousy might not have any parallels..." he again had a sip.
" Sunbae... you_"
" _ Jagiya... doesn't have to worry about that...they are still just kids..."
" But Sunbae_"
"_ even if we would send him to Shinhwa or not... I am sure he would turn out to be one of the best potters in Korea..." He smiled, " Probably even better than me..."
" Sunbae..."
" Jagiya.. doesn't have to worry...we'll be able to find a way..." he squeezed her arm and let another silence follow.
" But Sunbae... what is wrong with him?... what bothers him from speaking... I don't understand..." Ga Eul let out a sigh, " Sometimes it makes me think... that it is all my fault..."
" Ga Eul!" Yi Jeong gave her a look.
" remember that time when he was two months old.. ?" Ga Eul sniffed, " He was crying all day when we left him with my parents and omma had to call Sunbae because I was on a school trip!" She wiped a tear strolling down her cheek. " And even omma..." another tear rolled down, " Why am I never there when someone needs me?" and another.
She sniffed, turning back to the subject, " Sunbae... when I thought about that... wasn't it the start?"
" I don't see any connection... and besides, he was too small back then , how could it be something_"
" Why shouldn't it? Sunbae don't you remember.. how his temperature dropped? how ice cold his whole body went? And what was I doing ? Was I by his side ? Ani.. I was in a school trip!" She broke in to tears. " What kind of an omma am I?" she cried and cried until Yi Jeong went an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer ro make her head rest on his chest. He then whispered in her ear, " Jagiya... calm down..."
" Anniyo... I can't!... Sunbae, we've already lost one of our children and it was all my fault, I'll sure go crazy if something would happen to Dae Jeong... " her wailing continued and Yi Jeong had got nothing to do but let her cry hoping that would give her relief.
After a considerable time her wailing depreciated in to hiccups and sniffing. " Sunbae... it is why I decided.. that I'd better resign..." she looked at him to meet his eyes. Another very long silence followed in which at the end, Yi Jeong let out a sigh. He planted a kiss on her forehead before smiling warmly at her,
" Do whatever you want... I won't object... "
Ga Eul gulped the rest of the wine that was left in her glass in a single sip. " good.. as I've already submitted the resignation letters..." Yi Jeong smiled though wearily as those words reminded him of the boldness of Ga Eulyang, and his smile grew to a grin when he saw Dae Jeong coming towards them rubbing his eyes with sleepiness.
He stood up with a smirk, " better if we'd all go to sleep now.." he lifted the sleepy boy and looked at Ga Eul smiling, indicating her to come as well.
" After all it could possibly be a long weekend..." and the three of them headed to sleep.
A/N:
I was really worried that this story would be abandoned by its readers as it is not that typical kind of next generation story for BOF. The characters are different as well as the plot. I was first having the idea that I would never change the plot, but as the story proceeded I was having doubts myself.
davian11, myrslayer ,Sldney- blue, Lucecita2786 and the guests ,
thanks to your lovely reviews I was inspired to write more...
Well, it is a daughter that Woo Bin and Jaegyeong have, means Song Hae Ryung is a girl, but don't worry though, she would like it when she 's treated as a boy, because I believe being a girly girl is what she dislikes about Eun Hee :)
It was mostly inspired after seeing that the actor Kim Joon himself has got a daughter...
Oh! And yeah, she is a bit not-following – the-orders type, as if you had noticed she is a yellow belt in Karate and a brown belt in taekwondo... :) ( have you seen the cover photo of this story? I imagined her like that... though it is anime.. )
As for Eun Hee and Seong Min they'd develop skills as well...
About Dae Jeong, it would be a bit different...And a bit complicated... the story will explain...
And there will be scenes about their families..
There are a few hints needed to the future chapters in these ' prior to the main story' ones but I promise, the next chapter, the story will come to the present time at least at its end... answering all of your questions.
Till then,
Take care :)
Khashya.