Playing House -- 3

3: "The only thing that should surprise us is that there are still some things that can surprise us." - Francois De La Rochefoucauld

Hwangbo heard a child screaming for his Omma, and thought perhaps, a child was lost somewhere in the studio. Normally, she would stop to comfort and/or help the child, but she was not up to doing any good will today. She has been cranky since the sun rose, and very uneasy, like something was going to happen. The day did not start right for her, she ran out of cereals for breakfast, Jins pooped on her expensive Persian carpet, and she had to try a dress she did not like again for a certain event making her come all the way and walk through the studios at this very hour. She walked on until she heard the scream just a few inches away, then her leg suddenly felt heavy.

She looked down, and saw a boy hanging on to her leg, like his life depended on it.

“Omma!”, he said and hugged her leg even tighter then started to sob.

“Shhh.. Don't cry...”, she said in a gentle voice, patting the child's head. She smiled at him, and at the fact that she's never been called Omma before. The truth is, she liked how that sounded.

“I'm not your Omma, but we'll look for her. I'm sure she's around here somewhere”, she whispered, wiping the tears that ran down his red chubby cheeks.

“Omma, omma”, he continued calling her.

Hwangbo stood up straight trying to look for someone who could help her and the child, a security guard perhaps.

“Munhee!!!”, a woman's voice came from behind her, she turned to see who it was.

The other woman was shocked to see Hwangbo.

“Omo, Hwangbossi. I'm sorry. I am so sorry”, Haneul said. “I am so sorry for bothering you”, she continued trying to whisk away Munhee who was holding on tightly to Hwangbo's leg, but the child would not budge.

“Omma! Omma!”, Munhee continued to call Hwangbo, which really amused her. As they struggled, she recognized Haneul, SS501's stylist.

“She's not your Omma, Munhee...”, she grunted and tried to pull him away from Hwangbo's leg, but the boy started squirming, catching everyone else's attention.

Upon noticing the watchful eyes of passersby, Haneul stood up straight and smoothed her hair and shirt. She gave Hwangbo a bow and said almost in a whisper, “I'm sorry Hwangbossi, but I think it would be best to settle this inside”

Hwangbo nodded and followed Haneul to the nearest dressing room after untangling Munhee from her leg and letting him hold her hand instead.

“I think I should call my manager first”, Hwangbo announced then took her phone.

“Oppa”, she started, “I have some issues to settle, can I go to the studio later instead?”

“Alright, thank you”, Hwangbo hang up the phone and looked at the nervous Haneul waiting for an explanation.

“Hwangbossi, I'm so sorry about what happened earlier.”, Haneul looked at her feet, embarrassed to have bothered the celebrity.

“That's alright, it's not like a big scandal or something” Hwangbo smiled hugging Munhee who was now seated on her lap. “I am just curious as to why he thinks...you know...I'm his..”

“I really do not know how to explain this, I am still confused myself ---”, Haneul was about to say something else when her phone rang.

“You have to come here this instant Kim Hyunjoong. Munhee thinks Hwangbo unnie is his Omma”, she gritted her teeth.

“Munhee.. The little boy. Aish, you don't even know your son's name. Pali, you better be here in one minute!”, she almost shouted.

Hwangbo looked confused, “Kim Hyunjoong? Is he? He has a----”

“I am as confused as you Hwangbossi........ All I know is that I went up to Hyunjoong's apartment this morning because he was late for his photo shoot again, and Munhee was already there hugging his leg like he did with you earlier.”, Haneul explained after setting her phone on the table.

Hwangbo's eyebrows crossed, “Really? Was there anyone else with him then?”

“Jaejoong, just Jaejoong.”

“No woman?”, Hwangbo asked then took it back after realizing how badly and extremely nosy that question sounded, “I mean, you know how in the movies, women drop their illegitimate children by the man's apartment....”she explained feeling more absurd, then went on to stare at Munhee who was already playing in front of the full length mirror.

“I was thinking the same thing, but he got all worked up when I suggested that to him, and forgive me for saying this Hwangbossi, the first thought that came to my mind was that you were Munhee's Omma”, the other woman confessed.

“Me? Why me?”, Hwangbo questioned her.

“You dated him back then, didn't you? And I knew he was you know, he sorta, kinda you know---” but before Haneul could finish what she was saying the door flung open.

Hyunjoong came in with his hand on his chest, heaving and sweating in his black dress shirt and tailored pants.

“I came as quickly as I could”, he heaved even more as he spoke oblivious to the fact that it was not only Haneul and Munhee in the room.

Haneul was startled and Hwangbo became very self conscious. It has been three long years since they stayed in such small space together, and the last time was not a very good encounter because all they did was bicker and argue.

Munhee jumped for joy and smiled to this heart's content when he saw Hyunjoong. “APPA!!”, he shouted in glee. “Omma is here, too.”

Hyunjoong looked around and saw Hwangbo sitting on the couch with Haneul. He smoothed his hair and wiped the bead of sweat that trickled down his forehead then moved his head sideways to acknowledge Hwangbo , which she did not respond to.

“Why does he think Bui—Noona is his Omma?”, he whispered to Haneul, but it was loud enough for Hwangbo to hear.

“I honestly don't know...”, Haneul answered. “Oh wait, I know. I was watching WGM clips, the 100th day wedding photo shoot, Unnie was in a wedding dress and you were in your tux... Munhee must have concluded things.”

Hyunjoong unconsciously gazed at Hwangbo only to catch her staring at him, too. They immediately turned away.

“Can we go home now, Appa? Omma?” Munhee asked after sitting close to Hwangbo then circling his arms around her waist.

A spark of anger caught Hyunjoong off guard. It felt weird watching someone hugging her like that, but he shook it off right away. 'He's a child for chrissake!', he told himself.

“Munhee, come here. There is something I have to tell you.” Hyunjoong said as gently as he could.

Munhee obeyed after much hesitation. He sat beside Hyunjoong.

“Hwangbo Noona is not your Omma.”, he told the child, but Munhee wailed and managed to wiggle his way out of Hyunjoong's embrace.

Munhee ran back to Hwangbo like a helpless confused little boy. “Is it true? Omma?”, his voice started to break and his nose was red. Hwangbo stared at the child, her eyes filling up with tears. Her lips started to quiver. She bit her lips not knowing what to say. She was heart broken for the boy.

“Omma?”, Munhee asked again. Tears started to flow down Hwangbo's cheeks. She hugged him as a mother would hug her hurt little boy.

Hyunjoong and Haneul stared at them. They were in awe at how gentle she was to Munhee and how much she cared for people she did not even know.

“Is she an angel or something?”, Haneul whispered to Hyunjoong, almost crying to see the mother-and-son-like scene before her.

Hyunjoong kept mum. His heart was also breaking that he had to do that to a poor little boy.

“Can I talk to you in private, Hyunjoong?”

“Can we speak privately, Hwangbo Noona?”

Hyunjoong and Hwangbo both said at the same time.

“Munhee, let's get some ice cream first while they talk” Haneul immediately understood and took the boy outside.

“I'm sorry to have dragged you into this, Noona”, he spoke first.

Hwangbo scoffed after wiping her tears with a tissue Hyunjoong pushed across the table.

“I didn't know you had a son...” her voice was low, but Hyunjoong heard her perfectly.

“He's not my... he's not my son,” he answered sternly “I have not dated anyone else after you”, he confessed.

Hwangbo's cheeks turned red and hot after his sudden confession. She wanted to say something, but words left her and she was tongue tied.

“He just came this morning. Jaejoong and I were shocked when he just barged inside my apartment. Jaejoong thought he was a fan who wanted my signature, but he called me Appa. He thinks I am his Appa.”

Hwangbo still kept quiet, not wanting to believe what he was saying, but deep inside her, she knew she believed him.

“Ahhh, what's the point of explaining to you, you won't believe me anyway...” Hyunjoong gave up.

“It's just too hard to believe, Joongie”, she answered, cursing herself when she called him Joongie.

The way she called him lingered in his ears, it felt nice to hear that again.

“I know...”, he whispered.

The silence was awkward after that. Both of them did not know what to say to each other much less solve or iron out the situation.

The sudden shrill of Hyunjoong's phone startled both of them.

“What?”, he answered, a trace of irritation in his voice.

“Yes, she's here. “

“Suggestion? What suggestion?”

“Speaker phone? Why?”

“Yahhh! Fine!”

Hyunjoong looked at Hwangbo, “It's Jaejoong, Noona. He said he has a suggestion.”

“Noona, can you hear me now?” Jaejoong asked.

“Annyeong, yes, I can hear you now”, Hwangbo said after clearing her throat, a smile spread across her face.

“How are you? I have not heard from you in three years, and Yunho and Micky are not giving me details about you, and I really cannot ask Hyunjoong about you since you know, you're falling out”, he said trying to sound jealous.

Hwangbo laughed and clapped her hands which made Hyunjoong smirk, “I am fine. And you?”

“Same old, same old.. I'm a big hit in Japan, haven't you heard?”, he quickly answered.

Hyunjoong was irritated now, “Yah, stop the small talk and give us your suggestion”

Hyunjoong's reaction amused both Jaejoong and Hwangbo.

“Whatever! Don't worry Kim Hyunjoong, I am not a threat. But Yunho, Micky, Eunhyuk, Kibum, Heechul, Chansung, Nichkhun, Seung Hyun and Seungho and practically the whole idol community are the people you should worry about.” Jaejoong teased.

“Yaahhh!”, Hyunjoong was angry now.

Jaejoong gave him a hearty laugh, “So, my suggestion. I know this is weird and taboo, but this is the best I can come up with and I bet neither of you and that including Haneul has come up with any idea.”

Jaejoong paused as if trying to collect his thought, “You have to report this to authorities or the Social Welfare, you know that right? But in the mean time and while his parents have not been found, what if you play parents to the child. I mean both of you can't just leave him on the streets, right? Besides, Haneul told me he thinks you're married for real and that he is your son. It would not hurt to play house, right? You did it before and with cameras, at that. So, why can't you guys do it again?”

“For an innocent child who thinks you are his Appa, Hyunjoong?”, he said pleading to his friend.

“a lost, parentless, homeless little boy, Noona?” attempting to convince Hwangbo.

Jaejoong knew he convinced both of them after the long silence and series of heavy sighs from the ex-pretend couple.

“I gotta go now. Yunho just arrived. If you don't agree with this Hyunjoong. I'll ask Yunho to take care of the child with Noona” he teased him before hanging up.

Jaejoong laughed like a mad scientist after hanging up. His plan to bring them back together just might work with the help of the unintentional angel. He himself was curious to know the possible outcome of the unfinished love affair if DSP did not intervene and take Hyunjoong out too suddenly from the show. His thinking was four dimensional and alien-like, he knew that, but he could not help but gloat over his latest brilliant idea.

Meanwhile, Hwangbo and Hyunjoong stayed quiet.

“What do you think?”, Hyunjoong asked hoping she would agree to the set up.

“I am not sure..”, she answered, her reasons for hesitating piling up in her brain.

“Do you have any other ideas? Because I do not want to break the child's heart anymore.”, he said staring aimlessly at the carpeted floors.

“Me too. Oh, what the h.ell. Let's do this, just until he finds his real parents, right?”, she asked him just to clear things out and ease her very worried mind.

“Yes, until Munhee finds his parents”, he answered, suddenly thinking maybe he can win her back in that span of time they will be together.