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“Mommy!” A little cherub looking boy ran from his classroom’s door to the open arms of his mother.
“Hi baby, how was your day?” Baekhyun kissed the top of Jisung’s head. Her seven year old boy with his uniform buttons askew, so different from the clean boy that was ushered to school earlier.
“Good. I met a friend.”
“Oh?”
Jisung looked around and walked to a girl his age but with a slight scowl on her face when he clasped their hands and pulled her from their other classmate.
“Baby, don’t she was talking to…”
“Mommy, this is Minjeong my friend.”
Baekhyun crouched down to talk to the cute little girl.
“Hello Minjeong, I’m Jisung’s mommy, Aunt Baekhyun.”
“Minjeong!” An adult voice called. Baekhyun turned and saw a tall and beautiful lady walking toward them.
“Oh hello.” The lady’s voice was even sweet, Baekhyun thought. She’d met some of the other mothers in the school. They were all prim and proper women. This was an upscale neighborhood and the school only accepts children of certain distinct families. This lady was sure to be on the top of that list with the way she walked and talked. Baekhyun was brought up at most middle class. Her husband was in league with these ladies though, walking among this world since birth.
“Hi, I’m Baekhyun. This is Jisung, my son.” Baekhyun held his son’s hand.
“Jinah.” Jinah held out her hand for Baekhyun to shake before looking at Jisung.
“We met yesterday, right Jisung?” Jisung nodded and took Minjeong’s hand in his and they walked ahead of their mothers.
“I usually fetch him after school but I got a bit busy yesterday with work. You always pickup Minjeong?” Baekhyun started conversely.
“You work? I stay at home or manage some foundations but not much thrill in my life.”
“Yeah, I work. I like working before getting married and my husband doesn’t mind.”
“That’s great.” They caught up with their children waiting near the sidewalk where their drivers were waiting.
“We’ll see you tomorrow?” Baekhyun smiled at Jinah.
“Yes, see you.”
The next week, Jinah proposed that they should do a playdate. Baekhyun volunteered to have it at their house, she’s not much of a cook but she’s been baking like crazy. Everybody at their house was sick of the cupcakes and cookies she’s been making.
“When I’m stressed, I take up a new hobby and obsess over it. Cooking, baking, once I took up pottery. Those vases were made by me.” Baekhyun pointed to an array of colorful ceramics displayed in their living room.
Baekhyun’s housekeeper started preparing the table. Baekhyun looked at the time.
“I didn’t realize it’s dinner time. I hope you and Minjeong stay to eat.”
They moved to the dining room when the main door opened.
“You’re just in time.” Baekhyun greeted her husband. She kissed him on the cheek. “We have company. Jisung brought a friend.”
Chanyeol walked and saw Jisung, a little girl, and a long haired lady sitting around their dining table. She looked a bit familiar.
Baekhyun walked ahead of him. “This is Minjeong.” Baekhyun held the little girl’s shoulder and introduced Chanyeol. “This is Uncle Chanyeol.”
“And this is Minjeong’s mother, Jinah.” Chanyeol’s back stiffened. He knew she looked familiar. He nodded towards Jinah.
“Jinah, this is my husband, Chanyeol.”
“We’ve met.” Chanyeol said.
“Really?” Baekhyun looked at him, surprised.
“She’s my cousin’s wife.” Chanyeol looked directly at Jinah. Did she know this was his house?
“Oh? Great!” Baekhyun looked at the children. “Then Minjeong is Jisung’s…second cousin then?”
“Yes, I guess. I didn’t know.” Jinah’s laugh sounded forced and awkward but Baekhyun saw nothing wrong and thought nothing of it.
The children shared at dinner what they did for the day. When it was time to go, Baekhyun gave a box of cupcakes for Jinah and Minjeong to take home.
“Here, nobody here eats them anymore.” Baekhyun then turned to Minjeong. “I’ll see on Monday Minjeong!” Baekhyun smiled and slipped the little girl a cookie.
“Thank you Aunt Baekhyun.” She whispered.
Chanyeol sat on their bed, with his laptop, scrolling through some emails. But his mind was somewhere else. He wanted to know if Baekhyun felt the tension earlier. He wanted to avoid talking about it. What Baekhyun doesn’t know, won’t hurt him…right?
Baekhyun came out from their bathroom in pajamas and slipped in beside him. He watched as she arranged the comforter around her.
“I hope whatever it is, isn’t crawling.” He realized he was still staring when she was already done moving around. “Something wrong?” Baekhyun worriedly put her hand on his arm.
“Hm? No. Nothing.” He closed his laptop and put it away.
“Ok then, good night Chanyeol.” Baekhyun turned off the lamp beside her.
“Good night.”
“Hey, are you busy?” Baekhyun’s voice said from the other line.
“I got time, why?” Chanyeol stopped typing on his laptop.
“Can you drop by Jisung’s school today? There’s a parent-teacher’s meeting but I’m caught up with a small fire at work.”
Chanyeol looked at his calendar. “Sure, I can drop by. What time is it?”
“3pm.”
“Ok.”
“I’ll see you at home, then.”
Jisung’s teacher was smiling as she informed him of Jisung’s achievements. He got good grades and was well-behaved. If they can keep their focus on him, he’ll continue doing well in school. Chanyeol thanked the teacher and went to get his son.
“Jinah.” He greeted the mother sitting by his son and her daughter.
“Come on, Jisung, let’s go. You did good buddy.” He clasped his son’s hand in his.
“Wait…” Jinah grabbed his arm. “Can we grab a ride with you? Our car broke on the way here.”
Chanyeol felt a nagging feeling in his neck that this wasn’t a good idea. He looked at Minjeong and pity for his niece won in the end.
The two kids sat on the back, in their car seats. He thought Jinah would sit behind with them but she sat up front with Chanyeol.
“Should we get ice cream?” She said with a loud voice so the kids would hear.
“Yay!” The two kids yelled. Chanyeol inwardly sighed.
They drove through an ice cream parlor. Jinah wanted to go inside but Chanyeol begged off, he needed to go back immediately and work. They did park for a while in front of the store to help the kids with eating their ice cream. After wiping the kids, the adults held their cones in their faces. Jinah reached out and wiped ice cream off Chanyeol’s lips. He was so shocked, he didn’t move for a minute.
“Jinah.” He warned.
“You’re still like a kid when eating ice cream.” She smiled.
“Stop it.” He waved her off.
After finishing their cones, he began driving towards Jinah’s house. While on a stoplight, Jinah placed her hand on Chanyeol’s thigh. Chanyeol shook it off. She made a fist and sighed.
Baekhyun called Chanyeol while driving back home.
“Hey, how was it?”
“Great, Jisung got good grades and the teacher said he’s a little angel.” Chanyeol grinned a little. His son is so different from when he was younger.
“Definitely your son.”
Baekhyun chuckled. “That’s good then. Maybe you could eat out? Jisung deserves a little treat, yeah?”
“Are you at home already?” After the encounter earlier, he wanted to go straight home.
“Yeah, almost.”
“We already got ice cream with Minjeong. We just dropped Jinah and Minjeong off at their house.”
“Ah, I see. Then let’s have dinner at home. I’ll make Jisung’s favorite.”
Chanyeol parked their car and sighed. He’s not going to tell Baekhyun about what happened earlier. There was no reason to worry him when nothing happened. He did nothing wrong.
“Hey.” Chanyeol wrapped his arms around his wife who was brushing her teeth wearing a bathrobe.
“Hm” She spit the toothpaste and looked at him.
Chanyeol was brushing his nose at the base of Baekhyun’s neck. She smelled so good. As she always does. He could feel a stirring below.
“It’s been so long, right?”
“Well, we’re getting old.”
“Speak for yourself”
Baekhyun was washing her face now. Chanyeol just watched her through the mirror. She has a few wrinkles around her eyes. They’ve let the years pass by. Once upon a time, at the start of their relationship, they were insatiable. Now they had little time and a mountain of responsibilities. Jisung, their work, the company he’d built for their family.
He turned Baekhyun’s head to him and kissed her. He seeked entrance with his tongue and explored Baekhyun’s mouth. Baekhyun moaned.
“What’s with you tonight?” Baekhyun turned her body to fully face him. Chanyeol opened the sash of her robe and cupped her breasts. She’s still so sexy and he’s so achingly hard now. He took off his dress shirt. Baekhyun put her palms on his chest and explored the hard muscles. She went to open the buttons of his pants and zipped it down. Chanyeol lifted her and sat her down on the sink. He bent down to kiss her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck. They were both breathing hard when they came up for air. Chanyeol bent and lifted Baekhyun up to him to suck on one of her nipples, and his hand flicked the other. Baekhyun moaned again. Her desire flared, she wanted more.
“Please, Chanyeol.” She begged and wrapped her legs around Chanyeol’s waist. Chanyeol’s aching hard cock touched her. It was hot and she decided to grab it.
“Don’t, I’ll…” Chanyeol spilled on her hand. Baekhyun laughed. “That was fast.”
“Yeah, but we’re yet not done.” They kissed again.
“Open your legs more, baby.”
Baekhyun did and Chanyeol lined up his cock with her and thrusted.
“You’re tight.”
“Please…more…baby...”
Their moans filled the room. Chanyeol moved faster and faster and kissed Baekhyun until they both came.
Jisung’s birthday came around the weekend. Baekhyun invited Jisung’s friends and their parents.
“Let me help.” Jinah volunteered to help with the set up. Baekhyun let her, she was busy enough checking if they got all that they need.
Chanyeol had a work call before the party. He had just dropped the call when somebody opened the door.
“I was looking for the bathroom.”
“It’s further on the right.” He instructed but the intruder didn’t hear. She continued walking inside, looking around as if in a museum. She stopped in front of their family pictures. She reached out and picked up the frame with a picture of him carrying Jisung on his shoulder.
“Does she know who I am?” She challenged.
“You’re my cousin’s wife, that’s all you are to me.” His jaw hardened.
“You were willing to die for me once.”
“I was young and foolish.”
“You could still be foolish with me.”
“What do you want Jinah? If your husband isn’t important to you, my wife is to me.”
“You don’t love her!” Jinah spit out.
“I do.”
“She wouldn’t love you like I do.”
“Love? That wasn’t love Jinah. Stop deluding yourself. You saw a young gullible kid who worshiped you and you used him as a stepping stone to catch a bigger fish in the sea. Get out Jinah.”
“I can make you want me again.” She flung herself at him and kissed him.
He pushed her.
“Get out!”
He grabbed her by the arms and dragged her out. He was fuming with anger. He sat back down in his office chair.
Chanyeol and Jinah were together twelve years ago. He thought she was the one, sweet, poised, young Jinah. Then she met Chanyeol’s older wealthier cousin. She set out and seduced him. One day, he found them naked together in her apartment and the world he thought was perfect, crashed. He pleaded. He was foolish enough to plead her to come back to him, he’ll forget what he saw. He’ll forgive her. But she didn’t want him. She slapped back the love he offered. He was heartbroken and angry. From then on he kept his heart frozen under hard cold impenetrable ice until he met Baekhyun three years later. Foregoing all his emotions, he focused his life to working hard for his father’s company. He started at the bottom, like his father wanted. Then climbed up. He headed the marketing department and met Baekhyun, the newly hired temp web designer who dressed like a nun. It didn’t help that the little mole near her lips drove him crazy. And those eyes. But as her boss and son of their bosses boss, she ignored all his advances. But he wouldn’t relent. When the project was finally up, she finally gave in. One date. That turned into thirty more. And now they’re married. His sweet wife. His sunshine. The one who melted all his defenses.
Someone knocked and woke up his reverie. The door opened and Baekhyun peeked inside.
“Are you done? Your parents arrived.” She walked up to him and stood between his legs. He hugged her waist and buried his face in her chest. She giggled.
“Let’s go.”
He stood up and she looked up and reach out to pat his hair down. There was something different. What was…She froze. She reached out to wipe his lips. A red hue rubbed off on her fingers and there was a definitely feminine smell on him. She stared at her stained hand. She stopped breathing.
“Baekhyun, I can explain.” Baekhyun closed her eyes. She never thought this day would come to them. Their sex life became stale as the years go by, but she thought they were…content? Happy?
“I…I need to check the cake. I…” Baekhyun started to turn but Chanyeol stopped her by the shoulders and hugged her.
“Please, let me explain. She…she came on to me. I…I didn’t. I wouldn’t.”
She nodded but kept her head down. His shirt felt damp. Tears were flowing from her eyes. His heart hurts so much. How can he make her believe?
Baekhyun felt like she was punched on the stomach. As she cried in her husband’s arms, another woman’s perfume surrounding her, she felt weak.
“Jinah is…”
“No.”
“Jinah is my ex-girlfriend.”
“Stop. I don’t want to hear.”
“She cheated on me with my cousin and married him.”
Tears continued to flow.
“She means nothing to me. That was a decade ago. Tell me you believe me baby. Please.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Because she isn’t important.”
They stood there by his office desk, unmoving. Baekhyun was silently crying and Chanyeol’s heart was crying with her.
“Knock-knock” Chanyeol’s mom knocked from the other side.
“The party’s starting.” She informed them.
Baekhyun straightened her shoulders and stepped out from Chanyeol’s hold. She wiped her tears, calmed her nerves. Chanyeol held her hand and gripped it tightly when she tried to escape his hold. Baekhyun thought at least for this afternoon, for their son, they’ll be his perfect loving parents.
Jinah was seething inside. How dare she?! Holding Chanyeol’s hand, smiling to everyone. He didn’t love her, he couldn’t have. He loved her, only her. He told her so those years ago. His cousin was nothing like him, successful, handsome, strong Chanyeol. While his cousin is wasting away, his money dwindling down. His family wanted nothing to do with them anymore and when the money’s done…no, it’s unthinkable. She has Chanyeol. Always has.
“What are you doing here?” Baekhyun opened the door to a meek looking Jinah.
“I want to talk. Aren’t we friends, Baekhyun?”
“My husband’s not here. And you’re not my friend Jinah. Minjeong is my son’s friend, she’s welcome in our home, you’re not.” Baekhyun almost closed the door before Jinah slammed her hand on the door and she heard a click. A gun was pointed at her.
“We’ll talk, when I say we’ll talk Baekhyun.”
“Why are you doing this Jinah?” They were sitting in the living room. Jinah still had the gun aimed at her.
“With you gone, Chanyeol and I will be together again. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of Jisung like he’s mine. We’ll be a family.”
“How about your husband?” Did she kill him?
“He’s weak, he’ll run when I tell him to.” Baekhyun felt a bit of relief that he’s alive.
“Did you know Chanyeol proposed to me with the same ring?” She pointed her gun at Baekhyun’s engagement ring.
Baekhyun’s heart twinged. Did Chanyeol really?
A shadow passed and Baekhyun tried to move as slow as she can, moving her eyes to see what it was but careful not to alert Jinah. What if Jisung woke up from his nap and was walking towards them? No, she can’t think like that.
Their front door was open and some papers were scattered behind the door. The hairs on Chanyeol’s back stood up. He stepped around the papers slowly. If there was robber, he can’t know he’s home. Then he heard voices from their living room, Baekhyun? And…someone else was here.
He looked and his heart slammed in his chest. Jinah with a gun pointed at Baekhyun. His mind was in haywire. What can he do? What does he need to do?
He moved slowly, their voices drowned with the loud beating of his heart. Jinah was turned away from him, Baekhyun saw him and her eyes were full of fear and tears but she turned away so Jinah wouldn’t look at where she’s looking. He reached the back of their big couch. A little bit more, almost there. Jinah almost turned.
“Chanyeol likes kimchi jiggae a bit spicier than normal.” Baekhyun started, full of tears. Looking straight at Jinah. “Chanyeol likes to drink hot chocolate at night when he can’t sleep.”
“Thanks, Baekhyun.” Jinah laughed. “Already accepting your fate?”
While laughing she turned the gun a bit. Chanyeol saw that as his moment. He jumped on her back and took hold of the hand holding the gun and bent her wrist and the gun fell.
“Baekhyun get the gun!” He shouted. Baekhyun scrambled towards the fallen gun. She picked it up and run to the kitchen to get it as far away as possible from Jinah.
Jinah struggled in Chanyeol’s hold but Chanyeol overpowered her. Baekhyun called the security.
They arrived a few minutes later and after making sure they got her, Chanyeol immediately went to Baekhyun and hugged her tight.
“Baekhyun, baby…are you ok? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.” Baekhyun assured him. She’s fine, her eyes are swollen from crying but she’s alive, they’re alive.
“Oh my god, baby. My life...” He bent to kiss her, assuring himself she’s right there in his arms.
“I’m fine.” She repeated. Baekhyun cupped her husband’s face. “She scratched you.” She brushed his cheeks.
“It doesn’t matter. As long as you’re ok.”
“Mommy? Dadddy?” Jisung’s voice broke into their bubble.
“Baby! Come here.” Jisung, in pajamas, run to them.
They hugged together.
That night, after giving their statements to the police. Chanyeol and Baekhyun spent the night in each other’s arms.
“My only thought was that my last memory of you were all with anger and tears. Us not talking. I was going to die without telling you I love you one last time.” Baekhyun traced Chanyeol’s face.
“I love you Chanyeol. I got hurt. I got angry. But there was never a moment I didn’t love you.”
“I love you too, Baekhyun. When I saw that gun on you, my flashed before my eyes and I prayed for the first time in a long while for more time.” Chanyeol bent his head to place a soft kiss on her lips.
“More time with you, I won’t waste a minute of it anymore and show you how I much I love you every hour every day. God! I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t lose me.”
They showed how much they love each other that night, over and over again.
Jisung and Minjeong slept on either side of Baekhyun. Leaning on her while their arms encircled her growing belly.
“So protective of their younger brother.” Chanyeol kissed her cheeks and brought the juice she had him order.
They were sprawled on the beach with their two children and the third one on the way. Minjeong was officially adopted that morning and they were celebrating. Jinah was ruled as mentally unstable and Chanyeol’s cousin was found dead from overdose. They took Minjeong in ever since and she fit right in.
Chanyeol lifted Jisung into his lap as he settled beside his wife. Minjeong crawled over Baekhyun’s and they watched the sun set together.