5: "The family is a haven in a heartless world." - Attributed to Christopher Lasch
Hyunjoong's hours were mostly spent in the practice room and studio, rehearsing, singing, recording. The smell of sweat was already making Hyunjoong heady and nauseous. There were other places he longed to be, other places he would rather spend an entire day in. His day usually started with a smile, but when afternoon comes to a close, he becomes impatient and sensitive to every mistake Hyungjun makes, every complaint Jungmin quips, every break Youngsaeng asks for, every change in dance sequence Kyujung suggests. He was like an Ahjumma suffering from dysmenorrhea, as Hyungjun said when Hyunjoong hurriedly left one day after practice. The rest of the members knew something was up, but they knew better than to meddle.
The ride home was long. Traffic was building up. Hyunjoong kept staring at his white Tag Hauer, mumbling to himself at times, eventually catching the driver's attention.
"Should we take another route, Hyunjoongsshi? It's rush hour and you seem to be in a hurry to get home.", he politely suggested. Hyunjoong was taken aback, he had not realized that he was too loud.
"Oh, yes please. I need to go home before dinner", he smiled at the balding man.
It took another 30 minutes before they arrived at the building. He jogged towards the elevator not bothering to thank the driver. He was not usually rude, he was just in a hurry.
His heart raced when he reached for the knob of his apartment door and took one more deep breath before finally sliding it open.
The house was quiet, but the lights were turned on. The curtains danced as the soft evening winds blew. He did not remember putting up curtains, but the apartment looked like a real home now. The patio's glass door was open. A light fading tune was playing then a spark of childish laughter filled the area. He stepped out not knowing what to expect. His heart started to race at the sight of two of the most precious people he had been dying to see each and everyday.
A smile was strewn across the child's face as he watched Hyunjoong coming out from the open glass door.
"Annyeong, Appa!", Munhee ran across the small patch of green to meet the older man with a hug. By then, Hwangbo, who was diligently working on the barbecue grill, turned around.
Watching her full lips twitch upwards to a beautiful radiant smile was like watching the sun rise from the east. It was brilliant and amazingly infectious. And boy, was he happy to see her smile at him just like that again.
"Are you hungry?", she asked him.
"Hyunjoong, are you hungry?", still no answer. He was just staring at her.
"Appa, Omma is asking if you are hungry..", Munhee tugged at his jeans.
"Hmmm, what?", he asked feeling self conscious.
"Are you hungry already?", she asked again.
"A little.."he answered feeling a bit shy after realizing he had been staring at her and a bit excited to taste her home cooked meal.
Hwangbo immediately turned to face the hot grill. Her cheeks were burning and she felt like melting under Hyunjoong's stare.
"Why don't you wash up? This will be done in a few minutes", she muttered turning the meat on one side.
Hyunjoong nodded and headed towards the glass door.
"Can I come with you Appa?" Munhee asked.
Again, Hyunjoong just nodded.
~~
He suddenly felt self conscious when he realized he was not the only one moving up and about his room.
"So, what did you and Bui--Omma do today?", he asked the little boy.
"Hmmm, we watched movies today.", Munhee answered, "Then we went out to buy fabrics to make curtains wearing hats and sunglasses"
'So that explains why I suddenly have curtains', he smiled at the thought that he found himself a good pretend wife.
"We were supposed to go grocery shopping, but Jaejoong Hyung came by and brought us some food. Omma thought you would like to have some barbecue." Munhee continued to explain.
"Jaejoong?" he asked, his friend had the time to see Munhee and Hwangbo, but he had no time to see Hyunjoong when he called him.
"Yes, we played in the afternoon. I think Omma and Hyung talked when I fell asleep.", he answered.
"Omma and Jaejoong talked? About what?", Hyunjoong asked him a little too loudly. He was suddenly nervous at the thought of Hwangbo and Jaejoong talking. Who knows what he could have mentioned to Hwangbo. He was even more 4D than Hyunjoong was or will ever be.
"Appa, like I said, I fell asleep, so I do not know", the child was quirky.
Hyunjoong smiled, Munhee kind of reminded him of himself.
"Food's ready guys!", Hwangbo called out from the glass doors.
"Let's go!!", Munhee jumped from the bed then ran out holding his Appa's hand.
~~
"So Jaejoong came? Why?", he asked in a very possessive tone. Hwangbo was surprised to hear this. Hyunjoong stared at his feet, embarrassed at how he asked his question.
"He just wanted to see Munhee, and we talked a bit", Hwangbo explained.
'Talked?', that suddenly sparked his interest, "What did you talk about?", he now asked her in a very conspicuous manner.
"About Munhee. He was just thanking me, Hyunjoong", she muttered, focusing on washing the dishes. The truth was, other than thanking her for agreeing to do this for Munhee and bringing the food, he talked about his dearest best friend and that she misunderstood Hyunjoong. Jaejoong even asked her to think about it and sort her feelings out.
"It was nothing, he just randomly dropped by", she explained further, hoping to end the topic.
"Oh...", Hyunjoong answered, he knew better than that because Jaejoong does not just randomly pass by his house or any of his friends' houses, but seeing Hwangbo so uneasy, he just let the topic slide.
~~
After they finished clearing up the patio, they joined Munhee inside who was watching TV.
"Omma, who is Junjin?", the little boy asked.
"Park Junjin?", Hwangbo asked.
Munhee nodded.
"He's a singer and an actor", she explained
"Just like Appa?", Munhee looked at Hwangbo
"Yes, just like your Appa", she answered after stealing a glance at Hyunjoong who like Munhee was waiting for an explanation. Rumors about a budding romantic relationship with Junjin was widespread just before he entered the military, and Hyunjoong has been wanting a confirmation.
"He and I were schoolmates. We have been very good friends since then, just like Appa is with Jaejoong.", she continued hoping to send a message to Hyunjoong who was able to sit comfortably on his side of the couch after hearing her explanation and let out a sigh of relief.
"I'd like to meet him, Omma", Munhee said.
Hwangbo laughed, "Not this time Kim Munhee, he's still in the military. Once he comes out, I'm sure he'd like to meet you and is dying for an explanation about all these"
"Are you friends with Uncle Junjin?", he turned to face Hyunjoong who was pretending not to listen to the Mother and Son conversation.
"Err, we're sort of friends", he answered. Hwangbo burst out laughing. She knew about a little stare down match at the Award Ceremony's After Party three years ago. Junjin concluded the reason for her absence and for walking out after the show. His friend could read her like a Paolo Coehlo novel. He called her afterwards, and told her he did not like how she looked when he saw her heading out the door and that there was no other reason for her to look so devastated. He also mentioned about the look he gave Hyunjoong. When she said Junjin was a bully, her best friend reacted and said it was only a warning message to the pretty boy.
"It's late Munhee, you should get some sleep already!" Hyunjoong announced suddenly, a bit afraid of the questions the child might ask next.
"Yes Munhee, you should go to bed already", Hwangbo told the child after finally controlling her laughter.
The child obliged despite the frown pasted on his face.
~~
The following morning had been stressful for Hwangbo. She could not find anything good to cook for breakfast and she could not go down to buy something. All there was left in the cupboard were 2 eggs, ramen and coffee.
"We seriously need to go grocery shopping Hyunjoong. We have no more food", she told him as he sipped his coffee.
"Okay.", he answered, his expression was blank.
Hwangbo started to wonder if her idol husband was really awake already. She turned around and pretended to wash the pots. She rolled her eyes thinking how immature Hyunjoong could be sometimes.
"I'll call you later" he just said and left.
'Call me later? What for?', she wanted to ask him, but he was, as always, hurrying for his rehearsals and his work.
~~
The doorbell rang just as Hwangbo and Munhee were preparing to get out of the house.
"Hwangbossi, it's me Haneul, you still remember, right?" Haneul spoke into the receiver. It's been days since she visited the apartment.
The door swung open and Hwangbo with Munhee stood by the doorway.
"Oh good! You're both ready..." Haneul said, "Let's go?"
Hwangbo stared blankly at the younger woman.
"Go where?", she asked.
"The store. You're grocery shopping with Hyunjoong, right? He's meeting you there.", she explained, "Oh, that's right. Maybe he did not have the time to call you. I'm sorry Hwangbossi, he's extremely busy today, so he asked me to fetch you and Munhee."
Hwangbo was too shocked to say anything. All the while she thought Hyunjoong did not hear what she said this morning. Sometimes, she forgets just how detailed he is.
~~
"Omo, but this store has too many customers, they might recognize us.", she panicked when the driver parked the van in front of the store, "Has he gone out of his mind?"
Haneul smiled at the fretting Hwangbo,"Don't worry Hwangbossi. The store owner is a friend of ours, Hyunjoong asked him to shut the store for a few hours so that no one else will see you, and the employees are sworn to secrecy. Other stars with families do this all the time"
Hwangbo's jaw dropped. She was impressed, but she tried to hide her smile, "But you said he was busy today?"
"The boys usually take a break from 11 to 2 in the afternoon. Hyunjoong asked our friend to shut the store at those times, so that he could go shopping with you guys.", Haneul continued to explain.
"He'll be waiting by the store's entrance", she added as Hwangbo and Munhee stepped out of the van.
True indeed, Hyunjoong stood there with a wide smile pasted on his pretty face.
"Let's go?", he asked the stunned Hwangbo. He flashed her a very delighted smile. It was something he thought he'd love to do with her, something he thought he would do if he had a family already. In fact, when she told him about buying groceries this morning, he was excited and could not keep his mind off from planning how to do it safely with his 'son' and 'wife'.
"Impressed?", he asked Hwangbo as he walked beside her pushing a cart with Munhee inside.
Hwangbo nodded.
"Happy??", he knew he was pushing his luck, but he just had to ask.
She tried to hold back her smile, but when she was truly happy, it just shows on her face. Finally, a smile broke out on her face.
Again, she nodded with a smile on her face and cheeks burning. Because she truly was happy to be doing this with him and their 'son', and she was happy that despite all that happened between them, he still listens and remembers the things she says.
~~
"Don't wait up for me tonight. Rehearsals will end later than usual.", he told Hwangbo after loading their groceries in the same van that picked them up. Haneul was not there this time.
"Dinner? What about your dinner?" Hwangbo just blurted out, then regretted asking later on.
"Don't worry, the manager usually orders food for us." he answered not even bothering to hide his smile. It amused him how surprisingly random Hwangbo can be.
"Okay", she said before he closed the van's door.
~~
The idol tried to go home at the earliest time possible, but knowing their tight schedule, the earliest time meant 11PM. He assumed Hwangbo and Munhee were both asleep by then. The lights at living room and kitchen were turned off. He walked through the hallways as quietly as possible, and decided to check on the guest room where Hwangbo slept, but to his surprise she was not there. He checked on the patio, but the lights were off. He headed to his room and found out Munhee was not in there either, but a faint light came from the bathroom where the door was half closed. Hyunjoong walked quietly and went in.
"Appa!!!" Munhee shouted from the tub, splashing water and bubbles everywhere. Hwangbo sat beside the child, stunned.
"Omo!", he blurted out when he saw Hwangbo inside the tub with the child. Although not a single part of her body was revealed except her shoulders, he still turned around. "I'm sorry, I'm soo sorry. I did not know you're in here"
"It's alright", Munhee answered for his speechless Omma.
Hwangbo realized she was covered in bubbles, and she was not completely naked under those bubbles either. "It's alright. We spilled some juice earlier when we ate dinner, and thought we should wash off. I thought you'd come home later, so we kind of went ahead and used the tub. I'm sorry"
"No, that's alright", he answered with his back still facing Hwangbo and Munhee, only stealing glances at Hwangbo through the mirror. 'She was still the same', he thought, 'she looked gorgeous even under those bubbles'
"Appa, why don't you join us?" Munhee happily suggested and started splashing water on him.
"Erm, I don't think so", he quickly replied fighting temptation to hop inside the tub with them and went outside as fast as he could.
~~
Hwangbo was tucking in Munhee to sleep, when Hyunjoong came out of the bathroom in his Pajamas.
"Good night, Munhee", she kissed him on the forehead and started leaving.
"Omma, did you and Appa fight?", he asked her.
"No...", Hwangbo and Hyunjoong answered in unison.
"Then, why are you not sleeping here tonight?", he asked not knowing that it has been their set up since the beginning. He always slept earlier than Hwangbo and Hyunjoong.
Hwangbo was not prepared to answer that. Besides, what was she supposed to say? That they were just pretending to be married until Munhee finds his real parents? She looked at Hyunjoong to save her.
"Omma was just getting water for Appa.", was Hyunjoong's response.
"Right, water...a glass of water...", she muttered.
When she returned from the kitchen, Hyunjoong was already lying in bed beside the still awake Munhee.
"Thank you", he said curtly when she placed the glass on the bedside table.
"Let's sleep now Omma", Munhee said opening the duvet cover for her.
Hwangbo was caught off guard. She looked at Hyunjoong, who just nodded, "Let's sleep now, Buin"
She carefully slipped inside the covers and lay beside Munhee, who was giggling happily between her and Hyunjoong. The clever little boy then took his Appa's left hand and her Omma's right hand, and made them hold each other's hands on top of his belly.
Hyunjoong lay still just feeling the softness of Hwangbo's hand. Munhee started to fall asleep, but when Hwangbo tried to wiggle her hands free from Hyunjoong's grasp, Munhee stirred a bit. Hwangbo sighed, closed her eyes and gave up on trying to free her hand from Hyunjoong's.
"Buin? Are you asleep?", Hyunjoong whispered, but there was no response.
"Buin?", he asked again.
"Not yet" she answered blinking her eyes.
"I need to tell you something", he said.
Hwangbo stared at him, something she was not able to do for a long time now.
"I'm sorry", he started
"Sorry? For what?", she asked taking her eyes off him.
"For what I said at the Awards night, for not telling you about the management's decision, for not trying to understand how you felt and being a jerk three years ago..." he held her hand tighter.
Somehow, she could feel the sincerity in his voice.
She forced a faint smile, "It's alright now. Besides, that was three years ago. That was a long time ago. It's all in the past"
"But still, I could have been man enough, or at least a better man for you." he choked a bit
Hwangbo closed her eyes, and interlaced her fingers with Hyunjoong's. She opened her eyes again and found Hyunjoong staring at her. Her heart thumped as if letting her know that it was still there, that it could still beat, that he could still make it beat ever so wildly.
"I know", she reassured him and gave him a smile. She was not feeling very comfortable with what she was experiencing, but like before, it made her happy.
They fell asleep soon enough after stealing glances at each other.
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