Hello, hello, lovelies!
How have you all been these past months? It's been like 10 months since we last read each other, didn't we? I apologize. My only excuse is that I have more work that I know what to do with, but I don't complain. I'm saving up in this 'fat cow' stage of my life, so when the 'ugly cow' stage comes, I'll have enough saved to live comfortably.
I love what I'm doing though! I've been learning a lot and more and new opportunities that I wasn't expecting just presented themselves and I feel so very blessed for it. Here I am, hoping that you're all equally blessed and know that if you're in a tight spot, it won't last forever. I have been there, I've know what is like not knowing what you'll eat the next day, so don't lose faith, you will get there.
My little one is growing up so fast! Next year he'll be able to go to school and the pandemic is still around but here's hoping that in 2023 the classes will allow him to take off his mask from time to time. I can't imagine working for 8 hours per day with a mask on.
Sigh...so many things happening. And yesterday I got a few free hours and said "Let's go! Let's just write the whole chapter!" And I wrote probably half of this yesterday. I have been writing a sentence here and there whenever I had some time, so I hope you like this!
The Pinterest board has been updated and my Ko-fi account is the same.
Thank you all for your kind support!
Ji Hoo still wasn't too sure about this, but he was already there so he might as well just rip off the band-aid.
He had gone to his grandfather's clinic.
To be honest, he hadn't even thought about him again after that afternoon when they had sat down and…talked. Of course, having found out the possibility of being a father that same night had immensely contributed to that. But that morning when he woke up and began going over the list of things he had to do in order to get the Geum family to the city, he thought about Ji Min's illness and how long he had gotten it and how serious it had seemed to be. Not wanting Jan Di to sugarcoat the issue, Ji Hoo decided to go directly to the source.
Just as he was about to open the door, someone else opened it from the other side; a very old lady with a young girl beside her.
"Oh, excuse me, young man! I didn't see you there."
"It's alright, halmeoni. Allow me." He made way for both of them.
"If you're here for the doctor, I believe he's about to close shop!"
"Thank you." Ji Hoo bowed and went in.
Apparently, the old woman had been right, as he could see Yoon Seok Young, former President of Yoon Corporation and head of the family, giving some instructions to a pregnant woman. The rest of the clinic was already empty.
As soon as he was spotted, Ji Hoo just walked to the lobby and sat down, waiting. It kinda reminded him of the night they had rushed there to check on Ji MIn and he couldn't help but feel another pang of anger towards Jan Di. He knew she had done her best, but he believed no matter what, you couldn't play with a kid's health. Of course, Jan Di had had different experiences as a child and she might not have had enough money for it, but again, that was a discussion they definitely needed to have as he was already setting funds for both her and Ji Min. He wanted his son to want for nothing and that meant that Jan Di's pride could go on a hike.
A few more minutes passed and he saw the pregnant lady bowing as best as she could before she left the clinic too. Again, he couldn't help but wonder what Jan Di had looked like while pregnant with Ji Min. He had missed so much and, once more, there was that anger surfacing again. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so tired because of these feelings.
Or well… yeah, he probably could. It had been when Jan Di had disappeared.
"Ji Hoo-ah…" The voice of the last of his relatives pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Hello." he greeted.
"Come in, um…I just need to clean up a bit if you want to talk."
"I actually want to, yeah. Would you prefer to go for tea or talk here?" His grandfather looked genuinely surprised at this and Ji Hoo couldn't blame him. Last time it had been more screams than polite conversation after all. Not that anyone could blame him for it.
"Ah, some tea sounds good. I'll be out in a minute."
Ji Hoo looked at the older man quickly putting some papers and utensils together, hanging up his white lab coat and gathering his things in his briefcase. It looked like he was still using the same old one.
"Shouldn't you get a new one?"
"They just don't make them the same anymore. This one can be ancient but it's still strong."
Ji Hoo drove to a nearby cafe, they exchanged no more words while in the car, but he could feel the tension in the air.
Once they reached the shop and each asked for their beverages of preference, Ji Hoo started to talk.
"You remember Geum Ji Min, the boy you took care of last week."
"Yes, I do. Why? Is he sick again?"
"No, not that I know of. He is back at his home place but I haven't gotten any news about him being sick."
"Oh, good."
"How serious was it? His pneumonia."
"Pneumonia tends to be quite simple if it's viral, but Ji Min had bacterial pneumonia, that's why he wasn't getting any better back where he lived. They didn't have the correct medication for it."
"But he relapsed, right?"
"Well, that's because he didn't finish the antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics work, but people tend to forget that you need to actually finish the prescription to defeat the disease. I explained this to Jan Di, has she run out of medicine again? I told her I didn't mind if she paid later."
Somehow, it felt good to know that his grandfather had taken a liking to both Ji Min and Jan Di in such a short time.
"No, we actually gave her more than she needed, I think, but also threatened her to follow the prescription to a T. I believe she got the picture after that last scare."
"She better have!" Seok Young scoffed. "I gave her a stern lecture after she came with that boy running a fever higher than Satan's throne!"
"But will he be okay? Is he propense to this kind of illness? Does he need to see a lung specialist?"
Ji Hoo saw his grandfather about to answer and then stopped himself. Then, he looked at Ji Hoo's face and sipped his tea.
"Not that I believe you will go to a medical board to have them revoke my license for violating doctor/patient confidentiality, but why are you so concerned about that?"
It was Ji Hoo's turn to stop himself, although not two seconds had gone by when the words simply left his mouth.
"He's my son."
For a moment, Ji Hoo's blood ran cold as he saw his grandfather hand go to clutch the left side of his chest, but after a long exhale from the older man, he saw it had been only a reaction.
"Could you repeat that?"
"Ji Min…He is my son."
He hadn't expected his grandfather's eyes to mist a bit while he clearly tried to fight off a smile.
"Really? Oh, wow…that's just amazing! Truly marvelous." He chuckled and sipped more tea. "That means I have a great-grandson! Aigoo!"
Against his better judgment, Ji Hoo smiled.
His grandfather was the first person he had actually told the news with a light heart. It had been different with Sun Mi as he knew he was going to hurt her no matter what, and Woo Bin knew because of Jan Di's petition. When he decided to speak with the rest of the gang, he knew it wasn't going to be easy, so to be able to share this news joyously gave him a sense of peace.
He was a father.
"Well, I can answer your questions but…could you answer some of mine too?" They were clearly still walking on eggshells around each other, but that was understandable. Ji Hoo nodded, he was sure there would be no harm in whatever Seok Young wanted to ask. "First of all, Ji Min will be okay if he completes the treatment and follows my instructions, but it would be good if he can have a follow up with me or another specialist. I know my clinic is not prepared for fancy exams, so it wouldn't hurt to take him to a big clinic. However, he's pretty strong for his age, I'm sure he'll be completely healthy in just a couple of weeks."
"Thank you." Ji Hoo sighed. He felt much better knowing this wasn't going to be an issue for Ji Min.
"It's funny. When I was treating him I got this feeling, like when I played with you when you were a kid. Way before I saw you again I thought 'This kid looks so much like my Ji Hoo.'. Who would've thought!?" Seok Young laughed openly this time. "So, what is the story with Jan Di? By Ji Min's age, he was born in 2011 but you never acted as a father, just a concerned friend, and you have a girlfriend, correct?"
"How do you know that?"
"Jan Di and I talked, she told me a bit about you though not all. She said I had to do things right and begin to know you again if I ever expected to be forgiven."
Ji Hoo smiled. He knew Jan Di wouldn't betray his trust…although, Ji Min…
"Yeah, she was right. It's a bit complicated to explain but the short version is that when Jan Di found out she was pregnant, I wasn't here. She didn't wait to tell me before she left and I never found out. I literally learned about this a few days ago. We're currently taking steps to bring her and her family back to the city."
"What about your girlfriend?"
"I already told Sun Mi everything but she needs some time to process it. I didn't cheat on her as this happened years ago and she knows it, but it's not easy."
"No, no it isn't. You are between two fine ladies."
"I'm not in between. Sun Mi is my girlfriend and Jan Di is the mother of my child."
Seok Young raised his brow. "And that statement is the same as saying that you are between two fine ladies. If Sun Mi-ssi hasn't run for the hills so far, she'll most probably stay with you and that denotes her character, willing to stay beside her partner until the end. But she will also have to accept that Jan Di will always be a part of your life for as long as you live. You know, that strong willed, intelligent and beautiful woman? And, for what I briefly saw, what you and Jan Di had wasn't just some silly teenage fling, there were feelings involved there, am I right?"
Ji Hoo was a bit put off by his words. "How could you possibly know that?"
"More knows the devil for being old than for being the devil." His grandfather simply said and Ji Hoo looked away. He didn't like being put under the spotlight like that.
"We'll work it out. I love Sun Mi and I would never disrespect her in any way." He stated and his grandfather only looked at him for a while, as if measuring his words so Ji Hoo held his gaze.
Finally, the man sighed again and finished his cup of tea. "I am in absolutely no position to warn you or tell you what to do. Lord knows I haven't done right by you and that we still have more to talk about whenever and if you ever feel like it. I understand you coming to me today was only as a concerned father for his child, which leads me to know you are already on the right path. Again, you have nothing to worry about Ji Min if he finishes his medication correctly but it's not a bad idea that a specialist checks him back here in the city." Ji Hoo was surprised when the man stood up. "I will leave now as I know you must have quite a lot to do. Just…would you let me know if it's possible for me to meet my great-grandson properly one day?"
Ji Hoo felt his eyes filling up with tears. It was partly the emotion of knowing his grandfather wanted a relationship with his son, and partly the unfairness of it all. He wanted to scream 'Why know him and not me!?' but he knew this was still too soon. Tonight had been a step in their relationship, but, as Jan Di had said, they would have to take baby steps.
He didn't think he could keep his voice from breaking, so Ji Hoo simply nodded his head and his grandfather did the same before leaving him alone in the cafe.
Getting to the island was a bit of a trip. It was exactly as the first time he had gone. Of course, this place didn't have an airport and the jet had to stop in a small city that was two hours away by car. Ji Hoo would've usually slept on a trip this long, but there was no way he could do this now. His hands were sweaty, his heart beated faster than usual and his breakfast was still fighting the good fight trying to remain in his stomach.
To say he was anxious was an understatement.
Today was the day he and Jan Di would tell Ji Min about him being his father. They still hadn't formed a real plan about how to tell him, but they have decided to tell him together.
As soon as the car started to slow down, Ji Hoo looked outside the window and saw Jan Di waiting for him.
"Hey."
"Hi."
They awkwardly greeted each other before they started to walk back to her place. At first, neither said anything, but then Ji Hoo told Jan Di about his idea to take Ji Min for a full health checkup when they got to the city.
"Of course, not on the first day but I would like to do it as soon as possible. Just to make sure he's totally healthy."
"Yeah, no, that's a very good idea. Thank you." She said. "Did you think about what we're going to do with school?"
"I believe the best thing to do right now is to get Ji Min to be homeschooled with different tutors until the end of the year. That way, he can be prepared for any school when he starts again."
Jan Di didn't want to admit it, but Ji Hoo was right. The quality of the education on the island couldn't be compared to the one in the city.
"Alright, we can do that. And…about where we will live?" She still didn't like the fact of taking so much from Ji Hoo, but he had insisted.
"I already took care of it. Your apartment will be ready by the time you get to the city." He hesitated a bit but decided to tell her right then. "I actually got two apartments: One for you and Ji Min and another for your parents and brother. If Kang San decides he wants to live alone, I can also help him in the future. And, before you think you'll be too far or something, both places are in the same apartment complex. I just thought you would like a bit of independence and…this will also make it easier for me to visit…"
Jan Di was surprised by the news but this was something she couldn't say she hadn't dreamed about before. She loved her family, without them, she wouldn't be here today, but Jan Di also longed for a bit of privacy, however small this could be, so she was truly grateful for this gesture.
"Thank you. I really appreciate that." She told Ji Hoo. No buts, no conditions. Just her gratefulness.
"Oh, by the way, I can also get you some tutors."
"What?"
"You just finished high-school before you left and then nothing. If you wish to pursue a college degree or anything else, just tell me. I can help you get there."
And at this, Jan Di felt she needed to draw the line. She knew he was doing all of this for Ji Min, it was logical because he was his son, but…for her?
"Ji Hoo-ah…"
"Jan Di, you are the mother of my child, but first and foremost you are my friend. And I always help my friends. Again, if you decide you want to study, I'm here for you. If you would rather work, I'm here for you. Whatever it is you feel you want to do, please, let me help."
She nodded and they kept walking.
Jan Di hadn't thought about herself in a long time. Quite probably, in the past eight years. Her whole life revolved around Ji Min and what she could do to make his life easier. She knew she had failed him as a mother from the get go, denying him the possibility of meeting his father, so she had worked to the bone to save up as much as she could and even in her lowest, Jan Di hadn't touched a single cent of that money. All of it was for Ji Min to go to a better high-school when they moved back to the city as he got older.
Now, Ji Hoo was offering her a chance that she felt she didn't even deserve.
Best to think about that later. They already had enough on their plate for that day.
As they kept walking, they couldn't ignore the looks and whispers around them. Of course, no one was dressed as Ji Hoo or seen such a distinguished demeanor before.
"Is he from one of those famous boy bands?"
"I'm sure I've seen him before"
"What could someone like him be doing here?"
Stopping at a road, Jan Di apologized.
"It wasn't like this the first time I came." Ji Hoo commented.
"Yeah, well, last time you probably came straight to the diner and it was early, so not many people around."
"That could be it, yes."
Just then, a truck went by and Jan Di could see Chul Moo at the wheel. Their gazes locked for a second before the man turned his eyes to the road again, no sign of recognizing her at all.
"Wasn't that your friend?" Ji Hoo asked. "I may have been a bit rough with him last time." He was worried about that, though he wasn't planning on apologizing for his actions. He had asked the man to leave before defending himself. He didn't raise his hand first.
"Yeah, that's Chul Moo. He was okay, don't worry."
Jan Di could remember how worried he was after Ji Hoo left the storage room. Chul Moo tried to soothe her as best as he could and she was grateful for it, but she knew he had to go back and confront Ji Hoo, so she only got to actually talk to Chul Moo the next day.
"So…what? That guy is actually Ji Min's dad?"
"Yes, he is."
"Well, that still doesn't give him the right to treat you that way!"
"Chul Moo, listen to me. I hid the fact that I was pregnant, I left the city and didn't tell him about it. He found out eight years later that he had a son, a whole person that breathes and lives and carries his genes. How would you feel if someone did that to you?"
Her friend grumbled but she knew he didn't have a leg to stand on on this matter.
"So, what will you do now?" he asked and Jan Di sighed. She turned to look at the ocean that she loved so much and knew that this was the thing she would miss the most when she left the island.
"I'm moving back into the city. My family, Ji Min and me, we're all going back."
"What!? You- You're just leaving? Just like that?"
"It's not just like that, Chul Moo-ah…"
"Oh, right, then how is it like? The guy waltzes back into your life and you simply fall back into his arms like nothing?"
"It is not like that!" Jan Di got exasperated with her friend. "I had no plans on seeing him again, probably ever! What were the chances of him finding Ji Min when he got lost in the city the first time we went back there? And even then, I didn't tell him! Do you know just how difficult it was to see him and not tell him about all of this mess? It was my fault, Chul Moo, the least I can do is see this from his perspective and trust his plan!"
"And that plan includes, of course, talking you away from your friends, your home!"
"He is only looking out for Ji Min! He wants what's best for him and you and I know the opportunities in the city are endless!"
"Right, and you agreed to be his side piece while he stays with his girlfriend-"
Jan Di had never punched someone before, but that comment had earned Chul Moo a swift blow to the face. They haven't spoken since and Jan Di didn't even know if she had it in her to deal with the drama right then. She was emotionally spent already.
"This is me." Jan Di knew her home wasn't big, but it was the best they could do for her family of five.
Ji Hoo, of course, knew not to expect much, but this was much smaller than he had thought. Just one floor, 1 room, 1 'bathroom' and then the common area.
"Mom insisted on me and Ji Min keeping the room." Ji Hoo peered inside and saw just one mattress, a cloth closet and some toys scattered around. Now, when he got to the bathroom, he saw something he had never seen and Jan Di had to explain to him how a dry toilet worked.
It was quite ingenious, but not something he hoped to have to experience someday. There was a small space for taking a shower and no actual sink. How her whole family had lived like this for so many years was beyond him. He was truly blessed and lived a privileged life, Ji Hoo had always known this, but never as much as in that moment.
Jan Di, feeling that Ji Hoo may be a bit uncomfortable, offered him some water as she had no tea at that moment. "Ji Min should be here soon. Mom went to pick him up from school."
"Is it really a school or…" He didn't mean to sound judgmental, he just wanted to know how things worked and just how much Ji Min knew.
"Not quite…It's more of a house where some people teach kids how to read, write, math; you know, the basics."
"Would you like him to repeat 2nd grade or would you like him to go to 3rd grade? I just want to know how much he'll have to study to be on par with the rest of his future classmates. Repeating a year is no big deal."
"I-" Jan Di hadn't actually thought that far. She knew her son was way behind compared to a city kid, but she didn't know how Ji Min would feel about it. "What if we see after his first month of tutoring? Would it be best to check and decide then?"
"I like that idea, yes."
Just then, they could hear someone at the door and Ji Hoo immediately stood up. He was that nervous.
"...and then the teacher said that we had to-" Ji Min cut off the conversation with his grandmother as soon as he saw Ji Hoo inside his home. "Ji Hoo-hyung!" The little boy ran immediately and jumped up as Ji Hoo opened his arms and scooped him up. "How are you here!? Did all my uncles come too?"
"Not this time, only me, but I'm sure you'll be able to see them soon."
"That's awesome! Mom, look! Ji Hoo-hyung came to visit!" He told his mom as if she hadn't been there from the very start.
"Yes, I can see. Omma, you remember Yoon Ji Hoo." Jan Di tried a normal introduction but it still felt a bit stiff. "Ji Hoo, this is my mother, Nang Goon Joo."
"A pleasure." He bowed while putting Ji Min on the floor.
"Likewise." Her mother accepted the greeting. "I'll be just around." Jan Di had wanted her mom to stay around to be a bit of a buffer, but she had thought it would be best for them to speak with Ji Min alone.
Leaving the house, Goon Joo left an overly excited Ji Min showing Ji Hoo all he had done that day in school. Ji Hoo, in turn, seemed to be paying every ounce of his attention to every word that came out of the little boy's mouth.
"Do you want to play something, Ji Hoo-hyung? Mom got me this really cool puzzle, it's 250 pieces! And she got me a board on which I can build it, and-"
"Ji Min-ah," Jan Di interrupted him, "I'm sure Ji Hoo would love to see your puzzle but first, there is something that I must tell you, baby."
"Okay!"
"The thing is…" I slept with Ji Hoo seven ways to Sunday, got pregnant, got scared, left the city without telling him about it and deprived you of the opportunity of having a father figure for eight long years. "The thing is that omma lied to you."
"Why would you lie, omma? Lying is bad."
"You're absolutely right, baby; one shouldn't lie and what omma did was a very, very bad thing." It was really hard to hold back the tears because she felt so ashamed and scared of the possible new trauma she was about to cause her son. "And for that I apologize, Ji Min. I'm so, so very sorry that I lied to you."
"But, what did you lie about, omma?"
"I lied to you about your daddy." Ji Min suddenly lost his bubbly demeanor and looked far more serious than before.
"What about him?" He sounded a bit scared now even. "Wasn't he on a long trip?"
"No, baby, he's not."
"Is he dead!?"
"No, no my love.." Jan Di took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind. "You see, when mommy was younger and you were in my belly, I didn't know at first. When I found out you were here," she touched her stomach, "I wasn't sure about telling your daddy, so I left the city but didn't tell him about you."
"So…he doesn't know he's my daddy?"
"He didn't know for a long, long time. But…" Jan Di turned to Ji Hoo for the first time because she was quickly losing the battle with herself.
"But now he knows, Ji Min." Ji Hoo immediately took the baton after seeing Jan Di struggling. She had actually been doing great, but he also wanted to support her. He was still mad, but he also understood the reasons why she had done what she did, and right now the most important thing was making Ji Min understand.
"Do you know him, hyung? Is he here? Does he want to meet me? When can I see him?" Ji Min fired one question after the other and Ji Hoo hadn't realized up until that point how scared he was about telling Ji Min who he really was.
What if he is confused? Or angry? Or is not happy about the idea?
"I do know him, he is here and he most certainly wants to meet you, Ji Min-ah." The smile he received calmed most of his nerves and he decided to simply rip out the band-aid. "I… I am your daddy, Ji Min."
Ji Min's eyes grew big and his mouth fell open. It would've been funny if Ji Hoo and Jan Di weren't so scared.
"Y-You…Ji Hoo-hyung, you're my daddy?"
"I am."
And then Ji Hoo saw himself thrown on the floor from the tremendous strength of the boy's embrace.
"Appa! Appa…" And that was the only word that Ji Min was able to say while he hung tightly onto Ji Hoo's neck, not willing to let him go for the foreseeable future.
Jan Di was silently crying at the scene and at all the emotions coursing through her. Looking at Ji Hoo, she realized he was also shedding tears, firmly returning Ji Min's hug.
For the first time, the family of three was together out in the open.
After a long hour of several questions and some further explanation to Ji Min, plus him saying to Jan Di that he forgave her because she had given him the coolest dad ever, Ji Hoo and Jan Di tried to tell Ji Min about the future changes. For this part, Jan Di called her mom back inside.
"I want you all to come to the city…please. I will love to have Ji Min closer to me and to be able to help you in any way I can. You have taken care of Ji Min for so long and I owe you a huge debt."
"You don't owe us, Ji Min is my grandson, I would've done anything for him."
"Even so, I know this couldn't have been easy and so, I have made all the proper arrangements for it and as soon as you say the word, we can have you moving back to the city."
"If I may ask, will we be living all together or…?"
"You will be living in the same apartment complex, just in different apartments. It will take just a trip down in the elevator to see each other whenever you wish. I apologize if this seems unfair or selfish, I just thought this would be better given the…circumstances."
"Not at all. I really appreciate all this and we are more than willing to change locations."
"Omma…" Jan Di interjected.
"What? Don't tell me you're happy staying here for another eight years. Honesty doesn't mean haughtiness."
"Am I going to move in with you, appa?" Ji Min had immediately changed the way he called Ji Hoo, hadn't even hesitated about it, he was no longer Ji Hoo-hyung, he was 'appa', and that fact both elated and terrified the hell out of Ji Hoo.
"No, you're going to move in with you mother but I promise to go to visit you as often as I can, and if you ever want to see me, your mom or you only have to call me and we can see each other right away."
"But you will move with us at some point, right? Mommies and daddies live together with their children, right?"
And that was the question…
"Why don't we worry first about our moving and we will tackle all the other details later, yes baby?" Jan Di caressed Ji Min's head praying that he would let go of that thought.
Ji Min seemed to think about it for a second and then agreed.
"So, we're moving!" Her mother exclaimed.
"Hi."
"Hi. Would you like some tea?" Sun Mi had called him and asked if they could talk.
"Sure, whatever you have is fine."
He quickly put everything together and then went to sit next to her on the sofa.
"How have you been?" He asked, as they haven't really spoken since he told her about Ji Min being his son.
"I've been…thinking. I can't say I've been fine or okay, I would be lying."
"I'm sorry about that. I know I'm the direct cause for your distress right now but I thought being honest would be the best. Still, I know I'm hurting you and I can't apologize enough for that."
"I understand and, after I thought it more, I realized that you were right, you didn't know about Ji Min either, it was a fluke that you found him when he got lost. You have asked me how I am but I haven't asked that myself. I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now. So, how are you?"
Ji Hoo sighed and slumped against the back of the sofa. "I'm feeling overwhelmed to be quite honest. Beside the feelings of anger or betrayal I may feel towards Jan Di, I also understand her reasons even if I don't agree with them. Hindsight is always 20/20 and she really thought she was on the right. I'm not blameless either but, be that as it may, I now have to learn how to be a dad and that's pretty scary."
"Have you talked to them since?"
"I actually just came back from the island. Jan Di and I told Ji Min I'm his dad."
"And how did that go?"
Ji Hoo told her everything in detail and also about his plan of moving the Geum family back.
"We're all ready, we're just waiting for them to say the word and they'll come here."
"And…are they going to stay here with you?" She remembered he mentioned an apartment but she didn't know if the plans had changed for whatever reason.
"No, I already bought a couple of apartments for her and her family. Ji Min and Jan Di are always welcome here, but I know they would like their own space and, also, I would never bring them here without discussing it with you first."
"Thank you for that." Putting the cup down, Sun Mi took a deep breath and looked into her boyfriend's eyes. She really had thought long about how big this change will be not only for Ji Hoo but for their relationship. She had consulted with her therapist and even some internet forums and had tried to keep a clear and cool head about it. "I have come to a decision about us."
Ji Hoo straightened up and kept his gaze on her. "Alright."
"I will stay with you through this ordeal. I don't know everything that this will entail but I'm willing to learn with you."
Sun Mi was actually a bit surprised when she saw the relieved expression in Ji Hoo's face, the smile that bloomed in his lips.
He went to hug her and whispered 'Thank you' and 'I love you' and, for the first time in days, Sun Mi felt like she was doing the right thing.
It had actually been easier than they thought. It wasn't as if they had much to pack or resignation notices to give. In less than a week, the Geum family was all ready to leave the island they had lived on for almost 10 years…
Jan Di hadn't had a chance to speak to Chul Moo again but she also didn't look for him. Everyone knew they were moving and he owed her an apology, so she wasn't about to go to him. Jan Di did, however, go to his house when she knew he would be working and said goodbye to his mother. She had been a great source of knowledge for her when Jan Di had been pregnant and then, when Ji Min had come into the world.
"I'm really so sorry to see you go, Jan Di-ah. I know Chul Moo is going to miss you guys terribly."
"We didn't expect this to happen either but…" Jan Di trailed off as she didn't know exactly how to call it. The older lady, though, grabbed Jan Di's hands in hers and patted her gently.
"It's life or destiny or whatever you want to call it. I am happy you were able to find Ji Min's father. From what I've heard, he's quite the looker too, huh?"
Jan Di smiled and shook her head. "Well, Ji Min had to take after someone, yes?"
"Oh, child, I always said you were blind to your own charms." The woman said, now waving her hand at Jan Di.
If she was being honest, she was feeling quite good that day. Dressed only in the new clothes her friends had gotten her in the city, Jan Di had to admit she was feeling a bit of a confidence boost running through her.
"Do you really have no time? I could call Chul Moo to come down here."
"No, we don't. The car is already here, I just wanted to say my goodbyes before I left for good. My number won't change though."
"Very well." With a strong hug and a few more words of advice, the old woman let Jan Di go to start the new chapter of her life.
While walking back to the house, lots of people waved at her or once again said goodbye. Jan Di had already let her boss of the diner know about her departure and Jae Hee had cried after knowing her unnie was leaving. Jan Di had also, of course, spent the good part of a night just staring at the ocean in her favorite spot. If there was something she was really and truly going to miss was that. The sound of the waves, the feel of the sea against her skin, the smell that she always woke up to in the mornings. To swim had always been her drug and she had now learned to do so in the ocean, which was infinitely more dangerous than a pool, but in doing so, she had also learned to respect and fear the mighty force that it was.
"Jan Di, would you hurry up? We're all set here!"
"Yeah, noona, come on."
"Mom, look at the car!"
Of course, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin had tried to be discreet but still, their concept of 'going small' was still huge to Jan Di's eyes.
"Did they really have to go with a luxury van?" she sighed to herself, but still, she smiled.
All of her family was already waiting, packed, dressed and itching to leave. They would never take it on her, but the past years had been excruciatingly hard for them and Jan Di owed them at least the comfort that Ji Hoo was freely offering them.
"Well then, Geum family. Let us go!"
They all got into the car and began the ride to their new life.
Although, to be honest, it was all a bit dramatic as they were only driving to the airport to take a plane back into the city.
Her brother and Ji Min were raiding the snack bar while their father bounced his leg nervously, still not sure about what he would do once he was back in the city, when the car started to slow down until it stopped.
"Is something wrong?" Jan Di asked the driver.
"Yes, miss. I apologize, but there's a young man blocking the road."
Jan Di opened the door and got out of the car only to find Chul Moo sitting on his bike, quite clearly, in the middle of the road.
"I'll take care of it. Do not leave the car." She gave a look to her mom and she understood, going to distract Ji Min with something.
She straightened her back and walked to Chul Moo with all the confidence she had in her.
"Would you mind? We're trying to leave."
"Yeah, I know. You couldn't care to say goodbye to a friend?"
"You couldn't care to apologize to me after basically calling me a whore, so no, Chul Moo, I didn't say goodbye to you."
"I never said that!"
"Stop yelling!" Jan Di furiously, but quietly asked him. "I don't want or need a scene right before we leave! What do you want, Chul Moo?"
"I never said that…" he repeated.
"You told me I was accepting to be Ji Hoo's 'side piece' while he stayed with his girlfriend, what does that make me? Besides an idiot the only other alternative is a wh-"
"I'm sorry, okay!? I apologize for saying that. I know you're not an idiot and I know you would never agree to something like that, it was just the anger talking and I shouldn't have even implied it." He said it all in one breath but Jan Di could see he really meant it. This, of course, didn't excuse him, but it at least gave her the satisfaction of knowing he knew he had been in the wrong.
"Thank you for that. Do you want to say goodbye to Ji Min?"
"I already did. I saw him a few days ago with your mom coming back from classes and he told me about you guys leaving…Not that it's a big secret, I think that's the only thing the whole island has been talking about."
"Well, yeah…small town, huge inferno." She joked.
In truth, she was going to miss Chul Moo. He had been the closest friend she had had on the island and she had been hoping against hope that they would make up before she left.
Jan Di was about to open her mouth to tell him as much when he beat her to the punch and left her speechless for a few seconds.
"I love you. I haven't stopped loving you since that first time I kissed you and the only reason I didn't say anything again was because I thought that was best but…screw this. I love you, Jan Di-ah. I know I have nothing to offer you but I know I could make you and Ji Min happy."
She wasn't lying to herself when, in her head, a voice screamed 'No freaking way!' because, really, eight years?! He had kissed her once, true, way back when Ji Min hadn't been even one yet and she had rejected him. After that, he never mentioned it again, not that she had wanted it, but if he had been feeling this, she would've appreciated knowing as for to clear up the air!
"Chul Moo-ah…"
"I know, Jan DI, I know that guy has way more money than me-"
"Chul Moo-ah…"
"And he's offering you so much but I know that in a few years-"
"Chul Moo-ah!" She cut him off and he finally stopped. "Listen to me because I'm only going to say this once. I am not in or planning to be in a relationship with Yoon Ji Hoo. He is the father of my child but that doesn't technically force us to get married or something. Yes, there will always be some kind of bond between us, not only because of Ji Min but because we are friends, but that is it. We are going back to the city because I owe this to him and he has a right to his son. Do you understand that?" Chul Moo looked as if he was chewing sand, but Jan Di waited until he nodded his head. "Great. Now that that's said…Chul Moo-ah, I…I've always cared about you, but if I'm being honest, I could never see us together. I did think about it back when the kiss happened, but still, nothing. And before you interrupt me, yes, I did try picturing us as a couple later down the road, maybe when Ji Min was three and it didn't feel right. I just don't feel that way about you. I'm sorry."
"We could try, Jan Di. I know if you just gave it a chance…"
"Maybe, Chul Moo. Maybe you're right and all we need is a chance, but you waited up to this moment to tell me. How do you think a relationship would work now that I'm in the city and you're here? There's just no way you can go back and forth to the city, what about your mother?"
"I could make it work!"
"And then what? Spend all of your savings? Because, let me tell you, I have no money to keep on coming and going. I barely had enough for Ji Min's medication!"
"You're just not going to accept, are you…?"
"No, Chul Moo, I'm really sorry but, again, I don't see you that way."
They stayed quiet for a minute, an uncomfortable silence that Jan Di felt heavy in her bones. Thankfully, he spoke first.
"I am going to miss you."
"And I you."
"Can I give you a hug?"
"Of course you can."
Jan Di went to her friend's arms and squeezed back feeling really bad about not being able to reciprocate his feelings.
"Call me. I already told your mother I'm not changing my phone number. You can always talk to Ji Min or me whenever you want, alright?"
"I will call. Maybe not soon but…just give me some time, yeah?"
"Yeah…"
"Please, take care of yourself."
"I will. Take care, Chul Moo-ah."
A few moments later, he let her go and quickly turned on his bike again and rode off, leaving the road free.
Jan Di sighed for the fiftieth time that morning and went back to the van.
"We're good to go."
"Dude"
"Yeah?"
"Chill…" Woo Bin clapped Ji Hoo's shoulder and asked him, again, to calm down. Ji Hoo had been a ball of nerves the whole week, he had wanted to be on top of all and every detail about the apartments and specially on Ji Min's room decoration.
"Do you think they'll like it?"
"If what you described as their home is true, then I think they'll be happy with the fact that they'll have running water 24/7, man." Woo Bin had shuddered when Ji Hoo told him how a dry bathroom worked. "Oh look, there's the car."
So far, the only people who knew about the Geum family coming to the city were Ji Hoo, Sun Mi and Woo Bin. Yi Jung was told there had been a delay with the DNA results and that Ji Hoo was going to call them when they were both free, which coincidentally matched a trip he had to Japan and he was only coming the next day, so they were on the clear.
As soon as the door opened, Ji Min came jumping out.
"Daddy!" He exclaimed and went to Ji Hoo's open arms. "I missed you! We're here, you see? Grandma, grandpa, uncle Kang San and omma!"
"I can see, Ji Min-ah. Did you have a fun trip?"
"We sure did! Hi, uncle Woo Bin." The boy said when he realized who was next to them.
"Hey there, little man. I'm glad you're here, you're going to have lots of fun here."
"Really?"
"Really, really." Woo Bin promised and then went to help the Geum's with some of their stuff, although they had specifically hired people for anything they had to carry, which wasn't much. "Jan Di-ah, I will show your parents and brother their apartment while Ji Hoo shows you guys yours, that okay? You can always go up or them down to you, you're literally an elevator stop away."
"Thank you, Woo Bin."
After everyone greeted everyone, they started to move inside the apartment complex.
While Jan Di, Ji Hoo and Ji Min got down on the third floor, her parents would move up to the seventh.
"I'm sorry, I tried putting them in the fifth but the seventh floor has way more space and even Kang San will be able to have a space of his own should he decide to put up some drywall."
"It's okay, Ji Hoo. After all, we really are less than five minutes away from each other. Really, it's fine."
"Okay then. Ready to see your new home?"
"Not really." She joked.
"It will be fine, I promise."
Ji Hoo handed her the card key for the apartment and waited for her to enter.
"Oh, wow."
"This place is huuuuuge!"
While Ji Min ran to the big windows in the living room, Ji Hoo could see Jan Di trying to take it all in.
He had tried to restrain himself in terms of luxury so he was really hoping she liked it.
"So? How do you feel about it?"
Jan Di turned to him with an open expression of joy that he hadn't seen in her in years. "This is…amazing, Ji Hoo! I mean, it is quite big but I know you must have looked at places twice as big." Actually, thrice or more he thought to himself. "This kitchen is perfect, not too big, not too small, and we could even host all F4 and plus ones here!"
His chest filled with pride at having found something that she liked at first. Jan Di was difficult to please, more so in the luxury area, but he had tried his very best to reach a compromise.
"If you go down this hallway, you'll find Ji Min's bedroom and bathroom. Your room is over there."
"I want to see!" Ji Min didn't even ask, he simply sprinted towards his room as was left speechless, although only for one second. "Omma! Come see this!"
When Jan Di ran towards it, she found herself in a nautical themed room: There was the normal desk, bed and closet, but there were also stairs to lead to a hidden play area. Of course, there were toys everywhere and Ji Hoo had the gall to tell her not to worry about the small closet, Ji Min had extra storage in the walk-in closet that was hidden in the hallway.
"Trust me, Ji Hoo, I was not worried about that!"
"Ji Min-ah, come see your bathroom!" Ji Min came down from his hidden play area and ran towards the bathroom. He was also hoping Ji Min liked it. "So, what do you think?"
"This is so cool! Omma, look! It's all the superheroes! Iron Man and Thor and Hulk and Captain America!"
Ji Hoo had gone with a superhero themed bathroom thinking it would be the easiest as the classics would never get old.
"Would you like to see your room?" He asked Jan Di and she happily agreed. He could see she was really trying to hold back, but she was giddy and excited about her new place and Ji Hoo was truly satisfied with his work so far.
Leading her through a different hallway and this time, to a door, he let her watch her corner bedroom.
Two out of the four walls were windows, he had gotten her a queen size bed, a walk-in closet twice as big as Ji Min's and, of course, a master bathroom with a bathtub. Before he could even ask her if she liked it, he saw her sprinting towards the bed and flopping on it while squealing a bit and kicking her legs.
"I love this!" Then, she sprung up and left the bed to run towards him and hug him. "You didn't have to, you really didn't but thank you so much!"
He returned his hug with a huge smile on his face. "You have nothing to thank. I told you, I'm going to take care of both of you. I'm just glad you like it."
"Ji Hoo," she said while pulling back for a bit, "I love it. This house is…amazing!"
"And it's all yours, by the way. This is not under my name but yours. And your parent's apartment is under your father's. Well, technically, you have to sign the papers to pass the property but that's just a formality. This is completely yours."
Jan Di cried a bit, again thanking him because she was aware of all the pain and the lies and the time but Ji Hoo told her he really hoped they could start leaving that behind and start living in the now.
"Come, let's go out, I'll show you how the cable works."
When they got to the living room, they saw Ji Min snooping around the kitchen.
"Omma, I'm thirsty."
"I'll get it, Ji Min." Ji Hoo told him, and also told Jan Di where everything was in her new kitchen. Of course, the pantries and fridge were full and she could cook or eat whatever she wished.
"Appa, when are you coming to live with us?"
And well, not everything could be happiness. Jan Di and Ji Hoo had yet to finish explaining to Ji Min how things were really going to be.
"Ji Min, love, come sit here with us for a minute." They didn't discuss it but they both know it was best if they did this sooner rather than later. "Now, you know that your daddy loves you very, very, very much, right?"
"Yes, and he loves you very much too and he's going to marry you." Both of them were clearly surprised at this new information and Ji Hoo asked him what he meant. "Well, that's how it is in books and movies, right? Mom and dad are married and they live together."
"Okay, Ji Min, I know this is going to be very hard to understand but your daddy and I are not going to get married, and he's also not going to come live with us."
"B-But why?"
Jan Di abhors to see her son in pain, and abhors it even more when she's the cause of that pain. "Remember when I told you I hadn't told your daddy about you when I found out you were in my belly?" Ji Min nodded. "Well, that was a long time ago. Almost ten years. At that time, daddy didn't know where I was or that you existed, so he met someone else and he fell in love."
"Sun Mi noona?"
"Exactly. You remember her, right?"
"Is this like Yu Ri's daddy and mommy?"
Ji Hoo showed confusion about it but saw that Jan Di did understand what Ji Min was talking about so he waited. "You could say that. In Yu Ri's case, her mommy and daddy didn't love each other anymore so they decided to break up. However, even if they weren't together, they still loved Yu Ri very much, right?" Jan Di caressed his hair while trying to explain how things worked.
Ji Hoo decided to give his two cents "I know this must be very confusing, Ji Min-ah, and we are sorry for that. Your mom is right, we are not going to get married or live together, but that doesn't mean we don't love you immensely."
"Don't you love omma?" Ji Min had started to tear up and Jan Di was about to answer when Ji Hoo interrupted.
"Of course I love your mom, I deeply care about her, but there are different types of love in this world and I also love Sun Mi noona, that's why I'm her boyfriend."
"I don't get this!" Ji Min swatted at her mom's hand and went towards his room running.
"Ji Min-ah…"
"Perhaps it is best if we give him some space. I know I don't know a thing about parenting but whenever I'm in a mood, I find it best to have some alone time."
"No, you're okay. And you're right, he needs some time to think about this too. I just…I wish I wasn't causing him all this confusion, this pain."
Ji Hoo wished to comfort her but he really had no words. Jan Di knew she had brought this upon herself so he wasn't about to beat her when she was already down.
"Why don't I show you how the cable works as we intended at first?"
"Sure, let's do that." After Jan Di saw all the equipment in there she kinda got scared. "Do I really need all of these?"
"Well, I don't know? I just got you the basics to be honest. TV, Blue-Ray, recorder, Home theater, an XBox and a Play Station…"
She nervously laughed. "Sure, the basics. Just show me how to use them."
He chuckled and began showing her the works.
After an hour, Jan Di was already an expert at handling all the equipment, and she, just in case, asked Ji Hoo not to throw out the manuals.
"Do you really read that stuff?"
"The male brain is different from a female brain. While you guys grumble for an hour trying to find an answer, we go directly to the source and find it."
"Whatever you say."
"I'll go check on Ji Min, I haven't heard him in a while."
"Is that bad?"
"When you have a kid the first rule to be worried is not hearing them. If they're screaming, loud or making noise, you're good. If they're quiet, then you have a problem."
Ji Hoo didn't quite get what she meant but decided it was best to trust her experience. A quick second later, Jan Di came out with a bit of a troubled expression on her face, but she said nothing and went down the hall to her room. Ji Hoo decided to follow and saw her exhaling and putting a hand over her chest as soon as her eyes saw inside her room. When he peeked behind her, he saw Ji Min sleeping in Jan Di's bed with his plushie toy.
"It's going to take a while to get used to it. We've slept together for years, so although he loves his room, he will still look for me for a while."
"That's okay, I take no offense as to where you guys choose to sleep. This is your home so make yourselves comfortable however you like."
Jan Di smiled and signaled they should go back to the living room again.
"Do you still have time or do you have to go back?"
"Yes, I cleared my schedule for today so I'm good. Did you want to talk about something?" Even though they were here, they still needed to tweak some things in their future plans.
"I actually wanted to show you something. You told me I can connect my phone to the TV if I want to watch my pictures or videos, right?"
"Yeah, want me to do it?"
"Please." Once he did it, Jan Di asked him to sit beside her and she started to navigate through some folders until she found one that was titled 'JM'. "So, this is something I did not knowing when I would find you, but I knew that I wanted to share Ji Min with you in any way I could and that you deserved it, so…here."
She pressed play and Ji Hoo saw the house back on the island and then a heavily pregnant Jan Di appearing in front of the camera and sitting down.
"Hey. So, yeah, I know I'm as big as a whale right now. Feeling like one too." She looked down for a second and then back to the camera. "I'm supposed to be due any day now but this child just doesn't want to come out! Although, can you blame him? Look at the mom he has and the place he's going to be brought to…You know what, enough with the pity party, I'm sorry. I should be telling you about him. Although I haven't gone to a 'proper clinic', the wives here tell me I'm doing okay, that I just need to wait for him to 'drop', whatever that means. They say I will 'feel it' that I'll just 'know it' and that's so cryptic but, whatever. I'm doing pretty good, actually. I'm one of the few women here that's so pregnant and that can still move around. He moves around like crazy, he's actually kicking me right now right around here." The Jan Di in the video grunted while holding her hand where her ribs were. "Sleep is the only thing that's truly uncomfortable right now, but my parents are doing their best to let me sleep as much as I need. Mom says I won't be able to once he arrives." Then she stayed quiet for some time. "I'm scared but I promise you I'll do my best with him. I can't say he'll want for nothing, but I will give him everything I have. I can at least promise you that." The tears had started falling and then she stood up and disappeared from the frame again.
Ji Hoo was shocked. He had often wondered how she had looked when pregnant and now he had been able to see it.
"How long after this did you give birth?"
"Probably two weeks? Ji Min was really late, we were a bit concerned and then he just popped out!"
"Really?"
"Really. I promise I'll tell you all about it one day. I won't show you all of the videos, but there are some you can quickly check."
Ji Hoo was then shown small parts of several videos Jan Di had recorded of Ji Min since he was born.
A tired Jan Di with a small bundle of blue that was Ji Min, telling the camera that he was a good eater and slept almost regularly.
A wobbly Ji Min being called excitedly by a Jan Di a few steps away from him and then finally giggling and taking three quick steps before falling to her lap.
A small Ji Min on her bed playing with some wooden blocks. He's one now and he keeps saying 'mamamamama' and laughing as he and Jan Di play.
A happy Ji Min saying 'My name is Ji Min and I am two!" in a strange baby language.
Jan Di has documented Ji Min's life throughout the years and Ji Hoo couldn't be more grateful. He says nothing though, just turns to her and squeezes her so hard she actually has to tell him to let go.
"I like breathing."
"I'm sorry, I just…Thank you for this. How did you do it?"
"With the phone you gave me after the trials. Kang San knew more about the SD card and he just told me to store it there in case the phone died or something and it worked." She shrugged.
"Can I take it? I'll make a copy and give it back."
"I made it for you, it's okay if you keep it."
Ji Hoo was about to ask something else when they both heard the doorbell.
Jan Di went to get it and it turned out to be her family, all happy and excited wanting to see her new apartment.
Ji Hoo saw his opportunity to leave the family alone for the night, gracefully refusing their dinner invitation but telling Jan Di they would see each other the next day, it was now time to tell the rest of the gang who Ji Min dad was.
"Should I take a first aid kit?" She jokingly asked, but Jan Di knew things would definitely get heated once Jun Pyo found out.
"Let us hope we don't get to that. Worst case scenario, Woo Bin will call the ambulance."
"How fun…"
"Try not to worry about it. Enjoy tonight with your family and I'll call you tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay. Thank you, Ji Hoo."
"Thank you, too."
Jan Di was confused. "For what?" She had literally done nothing he had to thank her for, but then he surprised her when he touched her face and said 'For Ji Min'.