Chapter Text
Considering the number of goodbyes they have exchanged to-date, one would think by now they would be accustomed to separation. But plethora of sadness still sank its begrudging claws deep into the scars renewed with every heartbreaking farewell.
He held her slight physique close against his chest, recommitting every subtlety and nuance of the woman he loved into memory. As the remaining minutes allotted drew closer, twin pair of arms tightened with unspoken desperation. Nothing could soothe the acute despair burgeoning with every reverberation of their heart.
The former Captain didn’t need the chaebol heiress’s tears soaking into his jacket to remind him how unfair life was to them. One up North, the other down South; so near, yet so far. Out of 365 days in a year, two weeks was all they were allowed to share together. How could that ever be enough?
“…Final boarding call for Swiss flight LX1622 to Milan…” The boarding announcement came down on the star-crossed lovers sharper than a guillotine.
Steeling himself with unyielding self-discipline, Ri Jeong Hyeok pried away with doleful reluctance ,“…Se-ri… They are calling your flight now…You have to go…”
“… I don’t want to…” Yoon Se-ri whined, still trying to bury her head in his chest. He didn’t need to see to know that her eyes were bloodshot, swollen red from all the crying.
Lovingly patting her on the head, he recognised the familiar pattern of their departure with twinge of fondness. He knew that her being coquettish was her way of hiding her embarrassment, but he couldn’t help finding it endearing.
Stooping down to drop a kiss on her crown, “I’ll walk you to your gate…” he whispered.
Taking her hand in his, he led her through the throng of travellers along the busy corridors of Zurich airport, - just as he had the last two times they spent their precious two weeks in Switzerland.
They stopped verbalising their goodbyes for words only made parting more difficult to bear. Only sorrow in their eyes spoke the words unsaid. Forlorn gaze remained locked on each other, - through gates that divided them, through glass that separated them.
And he would always remain until Se-ri was out of sight, until her flight pushed-back from gate, taxied down the runway and took off.
Only then would he allow the tears he held back, unreservedly cascade.
It would be another 351 days before he could see her again, he reminded himself.
But the consolation did very little to alleviate the despondency of being apart from her.
-.-.-.-///-.-.-.-
Three months came and gone uneventfully.
Despite doing what he loved now, despite being named the star pianist of the National Symphony Orchestra, - without the regimented lifestyle drilled in him during his civilian military days, Ri Jeong Hyeok has absolutely no idea how he got through a day like any other normal human being. His everyday was carried out with the same mechanical precision, it was mind numbing. Day in, day out he commuted to and fro his parents’ abode to the symphony halls where he spend endless hours on the piano perfecting masterpieces after masterpieces. Have meals on schedule but never truly tasting what he ate; it was just simply eating for the sake of eating. Sleep, and then repeat.
The only time Ri Jeong Hyeok showed any interest in life was when he catches glimpse of Se-ri in the news, - albeit news that was probably days, if not weeks old. On routine, he would check the news online twice a day, - once in the morning as soon as he awakens, and once again in the evening before he sleeps. Se-ri knew of his little habit, so she was sure to make headlines at the very least quarterly as her way to keep him updated on her wellbeing.
But it was coming to the end of the third month since they parted in Zurich, and yet, not so much as a peep from the usually newsworthy heiress!
‘That cannot be right,’ he thought to himself as the former Captain resorted to slightly unscrupulous methods picked up in his uniformed days to satiate the gnawing uneasiness. His former self would never condoned to this, but if he could trespass the demarcation line and infiltrate into the South for Yoon Se-ri, what was hacking into heavily scrutinised, ’authorised personnel only’ system, just for the sake of using the internet?
Ri Jeong Hyeok scoured the net for even an iota of news of the heiress. All mainstream news seemed to be void of her news for the past three months. It wasn’t until further down pages he found a tabloid article with her name in it.
‘Multi billionaire heiress, Yoon Se-ri in the hospital again?’
Ri Jeong Hyeok’s hand tightened around the mouse till his knuckles turned white, reading the headlines.
Ignoring the dread sinking in his stomach, he scrolled down to read further, -
‘Although neither Se-ri’s Choice nor Queens Group made any public comments of this, private vehicles of Queens Group’s matriarch, Han Jeong-yeon and wife of Yoon Se-jun, Do Hye-ji were seen pulling up in front of Taeheung Hospital earlier this week. Both women seemed to be distressed and in a panic as they hurried into the hospital. While arguably it could be any one of the Yoon family, both father, Yoon Jeung-pyeong and eldest brother Yoon Se-jun were seen in good health at public events, days before and after. Second brother, Yoon Se-hyung and ex-wife, Go Sang-ah are both currently still serving their time in prison, hence the remaining possibility left was Yoon Se-ri, who has been elusive in the recent months. She was last seen in public two months ago, upon the return from her annual two weeks holiday in Switzerland at Incheon Airport.’
He knew he should probably take the tabloid with a pinch of salt. But he had no way to validate or even disprove of what was written! Worst of all, the news was one month old!
What if Se-ri was really admitted into the hospital?
What if she was really ill?
What if she was still ill?
God help the man, for wildest of imagination filled his head with dismal scenarios more terrifying one after another. Memories from the time she got shot and the time she laid unconscious battling sepsis did not help either; until now, the disturbing recollection continued to plague in his mind like a bloody nightmare, relentlessly.
For peace of mind, he would give anything to anyone who could tell him anything!
And this time around, he was not above begging his father to pull ranks for favours.
However, contrary to expectations, not even the great Director of the General Political Bureau could put his worries to rest.
“I’m sorry but none of our South channels could provide us with any concrete news of Yoon Se-ri. She just hasn’t been seen,” his old man told him with a grim frown. If Ri Jeong Hyeok had any humour left in him, he would say that his father was not used to being left bereft. And while Ri Chung Ryeol was not particularly exhilarated by circumstances pertaining his son’s love life for obvious reasons, there was no denying that the old man had a soft spot for the woman who gave back the meaning of life to his son.
“She couldn’t have possibly vanished into thin air… Someone must have seen her somehow! Hasn’t she been spotted at work? Or even her home?” The desperation in his words was heartbreaking to hear.
The older man shook his greying head regretfully, “Stakeouts reported that she hasn’t been seen within the vicinity of her office. While it was inconclusive if Yoon Se-ri had been at home all these while, as there were no signs of her entering or leaving, - her mother on the other hand, has been seen frequenting the building. One could only hypothetically conclude that she was there to visit Yoon Se-ri…”
But not conclusive enough to explain why the heiress has not been seen in person. If she truly was at home, it made completely no sense as to why she hasn’t been to work or left the building! And if she was well and able, why would her mother needed to visit her at home?!
Ri Jeong Hyeok had more questions than answers and was on the very verge of exploding from all the built-up frustration. Only helplessness kept him from; because he knew that even if he lost his head now, there would still be no one out there who could tell him what he wanted to know so badly.
All he was left now was faith.
Blind faith that no harm has befallen upon Yoon Se-ri.
And he would soon hear from her.
His jagged sanity was precariously held together only by silent prayers to Gods above to keep his Yoon Se-ri safe and sound.
-.-.-.-///-.-.-.-
With another month fleeting away into nothingness, it was inevitable for irrationality to finally drive home.
“I’m going down South…” The piano prodigy’s preposterous pronouncement one morning startled his parents into temporary silence.
“For all the smarts you had, is this the best you can come up with?” His father refuted incredulously. But the stubbornness set in his son only made the older man sigh with exasperation.
“Explain to me how do you propose to get to the South this time. Have you forgotten that you are no longer an outpost soldier? ... And just in case your muddled head really have forgotten, records of your past digression might have been discreetly taken care of here, but the same cannot be said for down South. There is no way they would let you roam the streets of Seoul as freely as you had before. The NIS would have you taken in before you could even reach Yoon Se-ri. And this time, saving your ass wouldn’t be as simple.”
“Then tell me what is it that I can do! I just can’t sit here waiting not knowing what has happened to Se-ri…!” Ri Jeong Hyeok blowing up was not anything new. After all, this was still comparatively mild compared to the time he thought the woman he loved was killed by his own father.
But the argument so juvenile and absence of forethoughts in a plan ridden with holes, - had the Director fear that his son’s sanity was barely hanging on its last shred.
“Jeong Hyeok, pull yourself together… Your father is right. Risking yourself now will not help Se-ri in any way. Furthermore, it might not be as dire as you think… Have patience, my son…” consoled his mother.
“…The patience I have is running thin! If I don’t hear another word from Se-ri... the horror of what might have happened, could have happened to Se-ri will sooner drive me insane...”
Ri Chung-ryeol was a battle-hardened military man. He had seen much in life, seen more deaths as well, - including the death of his own eldest son. He thought by now, he had seen it all. But to see his only remaining son so broken, he was forced to remember that he was a father first, before a soldier.
“In the past, you withstood three years of being apart from her. Today, all we are asking for is just another eight months till you can be reunited with Yoon Se-ri in Switzerland... Have patience... Have faith in the woman...”
-.-.-.-///-.-.-.-
The former Captain once prided himself for his uncanny ability to hunt in the dark. But now drowning in the proverbial abyss, being lost no longer described the mental state of mind he was in.
Gone were his habitual mechanism, the Ri Jeong Hyeok right now was a mere shell of his former self. Not eating right was a foregone conclusion. Sleep, too was treated with indifference, for if he could spend another minute searching for leads online, he would readily sacrifice the need for rest. Hence the multi-coloured discolouration under his eyes. 5 o’clock shadow were perpetually spotted on the normally clean-shaven jawline as well.
To say she was shocked by his unruly appearance was an understatement. The depressing state Seo Dan found her ex-fiancé in, banging away on the ivory keys with unspoken vengeance within the walls of the reverent symphony halls, - was about the worst she has ever seen of the man.
“Ri Jeong Hyeok-ssi, what on Earth has gotten into you?”
Lifting his head to spare her a fleeting glance, he reigned in his temperament to be civil to her at least, “Seo Dan-ssi, you have returned from Russia…”
Was that a statement or a question? - she couldn’t be bothered to distinguish. “I was invited to perform in the upcoming concert….And you? What is wrong with you?”
The rare display of petulance reared its ugly head as he turned away from her. “I’m fine,” he tersely replied.
“You’re fine, my foot,” she scoffed in return, followed by a momentary silent standoff.
“Did…” Seo Dan started, more tentative this time, “… Did something happened between you and…”
Tired eyes fluttered close as Ri Jeong Hyeok expelled a heavy sigh, “… Not between us… Something must have happened to Yoon Se-ri… but there’s no way of finding out…”
Her delicate brows furrowed at how defeated the man looked, “Have you tried contacting her?”
“In the last six months, I have tried every possible method there is to try. I had my father use his contacts in the South. I tried getting the Chinese mercenaries both from China and the ones I got to know in Seoul to look her up…. I even got in touch with the NIS officer, who in return wrote back to tell me that a chaebol heiress going AWOL is not a national threat…” he sneered contemptuously at his own last remark. Even he found his own state of desperation laughable.
In the past, she would never have understood his disposition. But losing Gu Seung-jun was a lesson on helplessness, Seo Dan would never forget.
“I once got a message to Yoon Se-ri through a contact. I will get my uncle to search for the guy. If he is still in the country, my uncle will find him. Then it’s up to you to deal with him…”
Hope, however small it was, finally flickered in those bleak eyes.
“Thank you, Seo Dan-ssi…” he thanked with gratitude overflowed sincerity.
“Too early to be thanking me, yet. You can thank me when you find Yoon Se-ri…”
-.-.-.-///-.-.-.-
It wasn’t until two weeks after their conversation, did Seo Dan’s uncle, Go Myeong Sok find the guy. Then another week for the guy to establish contact down South. And then back to waiting, until any news would return to them.
At this point in time, seven months had already lapsed without so much a word.
But no news is good news, right?
As Ri Jeong Hyeok was beginning to resign to the fact that he might not hear anything of Yoon Se-ri, the same tabloid that caught him and Se-ri in the hospital before, released another unsubstantiated report of the heiress.
‘Se-ri’s Choice’s Yoon Se-ri finally spotted!!!’
He was on the verge of his chair reading the headline.
‘After months not being in the limelight, one might fear Queens Group might have to make another foreboding public announcement of her death. But fret not! According to the eye witnesses, Yoon Se-ri was seen at Incheon Airport leaving for Zurich, although the timing does differ from her annual trips to Switzerland. More importantly, the heavily disguised heiress was seen escorted by her mother at the airport, in a wheelchair! So, earlier reports of her being possibly ill or incapacitated might not be too far off. An unnamed source also reported hearing Yoon Se-ri’s sister-in-law, Do Hye-ji at church praying for Yoon Se-ri. She was heard saying, - “…Se-ri has it tough already, please give her the strength to see this through the end…”’
But God, - Yoon Se-ri wasn’t the only one that need strength. Ri Jeong Hyeok was ready to succumb to despair himself, reading the article.
Trembling fingers flitted over the words on his screen again and again, refusing to comprehend what he had just read.
Yoon Se-ri leaving South Korea for Switzerland?
Yoon Se-ri in a wheelchair?
Yoon Se-ri possibly ill or incapacitated?
Could any of this be true?— Only one way to find out.
“Jeong Hyeok…?” He didn’t realised that tears were steadily streaming down his face until his mother’s voice startled him back to his senses, bring all misgiving thoughts to a grinding halt.
Looking up to where his mother stood by him, “… I think I have found her… I’ve found Se-ri…” He fought to put words together but he managed to choke this out at the very least.
“Oh, my boy…” Overjoyed for her son, she enveloped her son in a hug, “… You have painstakingly waited for so long…finally…”
He could only nod into her embrace. But he couldn’t bring himself to tell her that it wasn’t tears of joy he shed.
“I have to go to her…” he said, holding his wavering voice as steadily as he could.
Confounded, Kim Yun Hee pulled back to seek answers in her son’s visage, “Where is she?”
“Switzerland…” was his one word reply.
-.-.-.-///-.-.-.-
Strings were pulled; favours were called in. Nothing short of jumping through hoops just to ensure his expedition remain inconspicuous before prying eyes.
From getting an official invitation from his former institution in Switzerland to participate in a three-year-long masterclass, to using his father’s influence to expedite approval for his visa, - no expense was too great. But it still took a good month before Ri Jeong Hyeok was allowed to fly.
And his first destination upon touchdown, was the home they shared in Lungern.
“…Se-ri… Yoon Se-ri?…” he called out even before his boots could even cross the threshold of their cabin.
Hurried footsteps covered every inch of their home in hunt for the one woman who had plagued his mind, held his heart hostage and stole his soul for days he had lost count of, now. But she was still nowhere to be found.
Yet, there were traces of recent inhabitation. Someone has been residing in their cabin. However, the only two people who had the keys were Yoon Se-ri and himself. Strangest part was, the room they shared seemed to be untouched, but the guest room was lived in. His only guess was her mother had been occupying the spare room.
But if her mother was here, then where was Se-ri?!
His questions remained without an answer until Han Jeong-yeon walked through the door later that afternoon, - surprised to find a restless Ri Jeong Hyeok waiting apprehensively in the living room.
“Ri Jeong Hyeok-ssi… how…? …When did you get here?”
“This morning…” he duly replied. But before he could ask of Yoon Se-ri’s whereabouts, he was stopped short by an incoming call on her handphone.
Stealing a quick glance at the phone, her face turned grim almost instantaneously. “Hello?” she answered in English, followed by a long period of silence.
“I don’t care what it takes, do what you must,” He heard her finally said to the caller obstinately before she rang off without so much a goodbye.
Turning towards him with seriousness that was unsettling, “Your timing could not be more impeccable. But we must go now,” she said hastily, wasting no time to the sedan parked outside in the driveway.
The urgency laced in her voice left him no room to argue as he followed close at her heels. But as soon as they got into the car, he had to ask, “Ma’am, where is Se-ri…?”
She took a moment to compose herself, as though trying to figure out the best way to break the news to him.
“… Se-ri is in the hospital… That was her doctor just now. She’s showing signs of preeclampsia. They will have to perform an emergency C-section on her… At 34 weeks may be a little premature but the doctors are confident that it wouldn’t affect the babies if they were to be delivered now…”
Wait, — WHAT?!
Rendered dumbfounded, “…Wh- what did you just said?…”
Looking at the man dead set in the eyes, “Se-ri is moments away from delivering via cesarean… And you, Ri Jeong Hyeok-ssi - are the father of her twins…”
-.-.-.-///-.-.-.-
Considering the number of times he found himself waiting countless hours beyond the operating theatre doors, the wait this time was mercifully short. Before the hour had passed, the doors threw open with a team of doctors and nurses leading Se-ri followed by two incubators out of surgery.
The doctors met them with all smiles,“Congratulations, both mother and twins are doing perfectly well. The surgery was a success. While the twins will still need to be observed in neonatal for a period of time, we do not expect further complications…”
Approaching along side Se-ri’s cot, the visibly worn-out heiress’s eyes widened disbelievingly at the sight of the former Captain.
“Once was already one time too many…,” Ri Jeong Hyeok whispered through undeniable distraught, “…but having to experience helplessness as you tethered along the verges of death’s door twice, was more times than I care to repeat…Must you put me through the torture the third time, Yoon Se-ri?”
Silenced by the overwhelming sense of relief, tears welled and spilled down her temple as she struggled to lift her anaesthesia leadened arms for a hug. She needed the physical contact to ascertain that all this was not a dream, that Ri Jeong Hyeok was really there in person, beside her.
Carefully lowering himself to be within the reach of her embrace, he breathed in deeply her scent,
“You’ll be the death of me, Yoon Se-ri…”
The new mother was swiftly moved into a private room that was commensurable to a luxury hotel suite. The queen-sized bed was more than wide enough to accommodate two.
And that was how they found themselves in, half an hour later after all the medical staffs and her mother left the room; - on the bed together, with Jeong Hyeok being mindful of Se-ri, ensuring that she was comfortable on her back while he slept on his side with arms carefully wrapped around her. Her head nestled snugly against his broad shoulder, while his own rested atop hers.
“… I was so afraid… For months of end, I couldn’t find anything on you…” the former Captain ultimately admitted as he grappled with the lump in his throat.
“… I’m sorry… I had no way of reaching you…”
Mindlessly caressing the side of her abdomen but carefully avoiding the surgical incision, - he was slightly saddened at the reminder that he hadn’t been with her through the journey of motherhood. “… Did you have a tough time…?”
She quieted for a long while that he thought she might have fallen asleep, but when Se-ri finally spoke again, she spoke in muted tones, “… Falling pregnant was unexpected… but in a good way,” she added the last bit quickly.
Brows knitted in a pensive frown. “Did… did you feel that it was too early? …Or was it because we are not legally married?” He broached the matter tentatively. For the longest of time, he had been guilt-ridden for not being able to properly marry her. And discovering the fact that their twins were born out of wedlock, hardly lessened the remorse.
“No…! No… Don’t let thoughts stray that way. I have always dreamt of having a family with you… And to bear the twins you wished for, - I don’t know if it’s you who is lucky or I’m the one who’s lucky that with this, my work is done… Ah, but I didn’t get my girl; both twins turned out to be boys…”
He recognised the deviation from his earlier question, but he would let it slide for now as he pressed a kiss firmly on top of her head and held her a tad bit closer, “Boys or girls, they are ours… I love them, regardless…”
Silence blanketed comfortably over them. The steady sound of his heart beating in his chest against her ear lulled Yoon Se-ri into a well deserved rest. She fell so deep asleep that she didn’t rouse again until the sound of hushed voices talking, trickled in and out of her subconscious.
“… Se-ri will probably try to hide it from me… but I don’t want to take what she has gone through for granted. I want to know… no, I need to know —”
“ — had severe case of morning sickness very earlier on during her first trimester. Hyperemesis gravidarum it was called. For someone who was pregnant, she loss a lot of weight and had to be on constant IV drip. She also had chronic fatigue from the ordeal… Furthermore, the stress —”
“What stress?”
Deciding that she had better awaken before her mother spilled all the unnecessary beans, “Mom…” she called out with a sleep roughened voice, “… he doesn’t need to know all the nitty-gritty details… It will just scare him needlessly …”
Before she could even finish talking, the ever efficient Ri Jeong Hyeok was instantly by her side from where they were sat on the sofa at the other end of the room, - helping her up to a sitting position.
“I don’t care if it’s the good or the bad; I’ll take all of it…Tell me, Se-ri… please…” he pled.
The heiress bit on her lower lips, contemplating extensively if she should tell him or not.
It was her mother who spoke out instead, interjecting upon her indecisiveness, “It was in her sixth week… before she found out that she was pregnant with twins, she experienced heavy spotting, severe cramps and headaches, so much so that Se-ri had to be hospitalised. At that point in time, she was in a state of immeasurable distress and worry that she miscarried. Her emotions became terribly unstable. Although the doctors had reassured that the babies were progressing well in spite of the bleeding, - every little alarm, every beep, every noise on the foetal monitor, sets her off into a panic. And because of her restlessness, she was put on bed rest for two weeks…”
By virtue of common knowledge, he understood that child-bearing was never the same from one woman to another. And he knew that he was the one who demanded to know. But listening to the harrowing experience she went through, tore his bleeding heart right out of his chest. He could only imagine whilst he scavenged day and night for even a sliver of news of her, she was helplessly alone battling fear for their unborn children.
Hooking a finger under her chin, he tried to turn her attention towards him. But her refusal to meet him in the eye saddened him immensely.
“… Se-ri… look at me…” he coaxed, thumbing the lip she was bitting on, “… What if I told you that I too, was the same? I was driven to the point of madness when I couldn’t find you. I was so overwrought with wretchedness, my mind refused to think straight… I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep…”
“I’m sorry… I knew you would be worried without a news, but I… I didn’t know what to do… I didn’t know if I was going to lose our babies… I … I… —“ Choking up, her words were mangled by onslaught of sobs.
His already broken heart shattered further into innumerable pieces at how the experience tormented her still.
“Hey…” Sliding down to sit by her side, he cradled her head close against his chest, “… I’m the one who should be sorry. You must have been terrified… God, — I should have been there for you, with you…”
“… you didn’t know… not your fault, Ri Jeong Hyeok-ssi…” she said through teary eyes. Yoon Se-ri was just too forgiving for her own damn good.
“Inconsequential… I wasn’t there for you when you needed me most. When you weren’t feeling well, when you were all alone, when you were afraid, — I wasn’t there when you went through all the hardships… But above it all, what I couldn’t forgive myself the most, — was that I couldn’t be there with you for our first borns…” he reflected remorsefully, - a tear slipping pass unchecked down his own cheek.
“… But you are here now… Never in my wildest dream did I think that you would be here… But you are, - here with me, with our boys… right now… And that, - is all that matters…”
Yes, — that was all that truly mattered.
He linked their fingers together where their gold bands met in a clasp and pressed his lips on the back of her hand, “From the moment you descended into my life, I have never had more purpose to live. You became the reason I look forward to tomorrow. And now, you have given me twice the motivation to do so. For that, I cannot tell you enough how much I loved you…”
Looking up to him, her eyes glistened with more tears threatening to spill over. “And I, too love you with all my heart…”
He leaned in to capture her soft lips for the sweetest of contact, — a kiss to seal their vow for one another.
There would not be a grand ceremony to celebrate their love; no priest nor officiant to witness their proclamation. But to the both of them, all those were immaterial…
-.-.-.-///-.-.-.-
Engrossed in their own world, they didn’t realise that her mother had slipped out of the room earlier to pay her new grandsons a visit in NICU. Her husband was absolutely green with envy over the fact that he couldn’t be there sooner, albeit scheduled to take the first flight out of Seoul next morning. Until then, this grandmother would monopolise every possible second she could get with the twins. Oh, they would be spoiled so rotten…
Elsewhere in Seoul, Yoon Se-ri resurfaced on mainstream headlines.
‘Se-ri’s Choice’s CEO Yoon Se-ri on Sabbatical Indefinitely’.