JENNIE

I'm tired.

"We'll get back to you in a few days, Mrs. Manoban Thank you for coming." Aaron Spencer said to me and nods. I had come in for an interview at MBC Publishing. I had thrown my red blazer on under a white v neck shirt that I tucked into my red pencil skirt with my red high heels, my high ponytail hair styled to perfection by Rosé who was currently at home relaxing.

I had told Rosé to rest, I would pick up Luca from school. I had answered all the questions CEO, Aaron Spencer had asked me as honestly as I could. I really needed this job if I was planning to move on with my plans.

I shakes Aaron's hand and gives him a bright smile before walking away. I made my way to the elevator and got on. Fortunately, it was empty. The last I needed was for someone to see me cry.

It's something that has been happening a lot ever since the ordeal with Lego and Lisa a week ago. I quickly wiped my tears away in time for the doors to pull open.

I don't know it but my eyes and nose were red, it made a few people stare and another few point. I ignored them and made my way to my Escalade. It was almost time for me to get Luca. The school was about half an hour away from MBC Publishing, twenty minutes if the traffic was little.

When I got into the car, I instantly connected my phone to the car's Bluetooth and called Rosé.

"So how did it go?" She asked, a loud crunching sound following after.

"Are you eating my potato crisps?" I asked as I pulled out of the parking lot.

"Answer my question and i'll answer yours." She retorted.

"It went okay, I guess. Aaron said he'll give me a call in a few days." I replied. I winces when Rosé lets out a loud squeal that was deafening.

"You got it!" She screamed. "Aaron always says that whenever he made up her mind about something. YOU GOT THE FREAKING JOB!"

I perked up at that. I almost slammed the brakes in my happiness. The smile on my face felt too big and I let out a loud cackle.

"Oh my god, Rosé!"

"Go pick up Luca and I'll get the cake and wine! We are going to celebrate!"

"I'll see you soon, Rosé."

The call ends after that. I flips on the radio and 'You Never Know' by Blackpink flit through the speakers. I sang to it as I drove, all my pain and insecurities pushed to the back of my mind for a little while. I had completed the first step of my four step plan.

1. Get a job

2. Send Lisa the divorce papers

3. Move

4. Be happy

It was a short plan but a strong one nonetheless. I had done one with three more to go. I could do this. I had savings and could even look around for a house with the kids this weekend.

The thirty minute journey from MBC Publishing to Luca's school turned into a fifty minutes one. I had received a call from the Headmistress' secretary, telling me that Luca was the only child left in class. I had promised her that I was three minutes away from the school gates.

Immediately I parked the car, I got out of it and ran inside the school, down the hallway leading to Luca's class. The school was empty and since it was a Wednesday, there were no after school activities going on.

I pushed the door to Luca's class open and stood in my track when I sees Luca seated on the carpet with a large coloring book spread out and crayon in his hand and spread out the book. His teacher, Mr. Song who had been happily coloring Winnie the Pooh neon green, looked up when he heard me walk into the room.

"Ms. Mano- I mean Mrs. Manoban"

"Miemie!" Luca screamed, pushing himself up.

"Mr. Song, I am so sorry abou-"

"It's okay. I heard about the traffic from other parents." Mr. Song said with a smile. The teacher pushed his hands into his pants and watched as Luca ran to meet me. I gives Mr. Song a grateful smile before I bends down to pick Luca who let out a loud squeal before bursting into laughter.

"Thank you so much." I said.

"Again, it's fine." Mr. Song said as he walked over to his chair to grab his bag. I nods and grabbed Luca's bag too.

"Let me help you with that." Mr. Song said, reaching for Luca's bag. I stared at the bag and then at Mr. Song. It's been a while since someone had offered to do something as simple as this. I hands the bag over to him and together we walk out of the room.

"Were you on your way back from work?" Mr. Song asked after a few seconds of silence.

I adjusted the grip I had on Luca who had fallen asleep on my shoulder, his thumb in his mouth.

"I was on my way back from a job interview." I finds myself saying. I looked over at him. He had on a white button up shirt and fitted grey slacks.

"How did it go?"

I was tempted to shrug but I didn't want to wake Luca. Plus there was the 98% chance that I had gotten the job but I don't want to jinx it yet by telling an outsider.

"It was... good?"

He nods. Once we got outside, I led Mr. Song towards my car. I gently strapped Luca in, takes the bag Mr. Song handed to me and then shut the door.

"Mr. Song, tha-"

"Mino. Please call me Mino."

I gulped. There was something in the air. Something I hadn't felt for a long time and it freightened me. Mino was staring at me with these wide honest amber eyes.

"T-thank you, Mino."

Mino's answering smile was bright. "Anytime, Mrs. Manoban" He gave me a little wave before turning around. I wasn't sure what possessed me to say what I did in the next second.

"Mino wait!"

Mino stops in his tracks and turned around.

"Do you have a ride?"

He shook his head, one hand reaching up to run his finger through it. "No. I took the bus today."

"Can I give you a ride then? To say thank you?"

He doesn't reply quickly. He watched me, how he was nervously playing with the sleeve of his shirt. "Sure. I live near Gangnam." He replied as he made his way closer to me.

I nods and smiled shyly at him. He walked past and opened the drivers door. Did he want to drive the car? I thought to myself, my eyes a little wide.

Mino chuckled. "Get in." He says, gesturing to the car. My lips formed an oh, my cheeks flushing a light red. Mino rests his hand against the top of the car in order to keep my head from hitting it mistakenly. Once I got in, He closed the door and made his way to the passenger's side.

Little acts like someone opening the door for me shouldn't make my heart beat this fast, I think to myself. But I can't be blamed can I? It's been months since Lisa had done this for me and nor had she even had the much attention focused on me.

I told to Mino to type his address into the GPS.

"You can just drop me at the nearest bus stop, so you can get home earlier. Luca is tired and I'm sure he's going to wake up hungry." He said as I pull out of the parking lot.

"It's fine, Mino."

"I'm sure you are tired too. Did you have lunch?" He asked.

"I was a little busy."

Mino doesn't say anything but the look he gives me conveys my thoughts on the matter. His droll look startled a laugh out of me.

"Fine. I'll drop you off at the nearest stop."

"Thank you."

Silence falls between us. Feeling a teensy bit awkward, I flicked on the radio and Coldplay's Yellow came on. I grew still.

Our wedding song.

This was my favorite song. It has always been.

Look at the stars

Look how they shine for you

And everything you do

Yeah they were all yellow

I gripped the steering wheel tightly. I remembered the way Lisa had held me close as we danced. My hands had been around her neck as we moved.

I looked at the ring on my hand. It was a simple band with small specks of diamonds on each side of the ring and a large cut one resting at the center.

Your skin

Oh yeah, your skin and bones

Turn into something beautiful

You know, you know I love you

so You know I love you so

"Your ring is gorgeous." Mino said quietly.

"Thank you. My wife picked it."

"You didn't pick it?"

"She... um... surprised me with it."

"If I were to pick something for you, I'd go with a gold band with diamond woven around it, kinda like a vine." He said.

The traffic light turns red and I slammed on the brake, one hand instinctively reaching out to Luca, just Incase. I turned to stare at Mino whose face was stoic, the tip of his ears giving him away. I opens my mouth but words do not come out.

My heart was going berserk, my palms sweat. I look down at my ring and I could imagine what the ring Mino had described would look like on my finger.

No. I shouldn't be doing this

I shouldn't be thinking about this.

I'm a married woman for fuck sake.

Mino had basically confessed his feelings.

"I'm sorry for making this awkward. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Do you mind forgetting the last few minutes?" He asked, his hand reaching up to scratch the side of his neck.

I wasn't sure what to do. I had the urge to pick my phone and call Rosé so she could at least tell me how to behave and what to say.

Not trusting myself to not say something I'll regret, I nods. The ride to the nearest bus stop for Mino was filled with music, no conversation and no eye contact.

"Thank you for the ride." He said to me as he got down.

"You're welcome." I said, my voice low. I gives Mino an awkward wave before driving away. Thankfully, the ride home was short. I pulled into the driveway of the house, unbuckled Luca -who woke up the instant I killed the engine-, and then took Luca I walked to the door.

Rosé opened the door, a big smile on her face.

"Rochie!!" Luca screamed.

"My baby!" Rosé screamed, reaching for him.

I walked into the house and closed the door behind me. "Are my kids home? How was your day?"

"Kuma went straight up to his room, Lego is helping Lily practice her poems." Rosé replied as we headed straight for the living room. I pulled of my blazer before falling into the couch.

"Why don't you get washed up while I get Luca ready?"

I nods. All I could think about was Mino and his sweet words and sweet acts. I knows I shouldn't focus on the man but I can't help it. I pressed a kiss to Rosé's cheek before making my way upstairs. I cleaned up in record time and pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants and a matching grey shirt. I left my wet hair fall over as I made my way to the kitchen.

Lego and Lily were still engrossed in their recitation. I pressed a kiss to their heads before going to the back of the house. I pulled my phone from my pocket and scrolled through my contacts.

"Mr. Mendez."

"Jennie! It's been a while." Mr. Shawn Mendez attorney-at-law said.

"That's true. How have you been sir?"

"Don't worry about me. I just keep aging like fine wine."

Shawn chuckled. "Do you need something?"

"I...um need you to draw up divorce papers."

The line went silent. I don't break the silence, I just walks across the edge of the covered pool.

"Christ! Did something happen?"

"She's cheating, Shawn. She's cheating on me." I blurted out. I wasn't sure why but I was feeling numb.

"Holy shit!"

"Would it be possible to send me a copy? Then if I approve, you can forward it to Lisa."

"Jennie, why don't you think about this? There's couple therapy for things like this." Shawn added.

Couples therapy would not heal the broken heart I had. It wouldn't cure the broken promises. It wouldn't fix the broken heart of my children. So Lisa could take the couple's therapy and shove it up her ass.

"Shawn, please."

"Alright Jen. Just email me your demands."

"I have none. I don't want her money or any of her houses or her cars. I've got a job and a lot saved up. I'll be fine. We'll be fine."

"Jennie..."

"Shawn, please." I repeats.

"I'll send you an email in a few hours."

"Thank you."

Step two was done. And... I still felt numb. I had cried too much, questioned myself too much and thought about it for even longer. It felt like I was in shock. I had cried this morning so maybe I truly was done crying.

I was startled by a loud knock on the back foot. I turned around to find Rosé waving a cup in one hand and a big bottle of champagne in one hand.

Yeah. I'm going to have fun with my best friend and family. I'm not going to think about forward teachers and cheating wife.

~~~~~~~~~~