Playing House 6

6: "The bad things in life open your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before." - from the movie "Good Will Hunting"

“I know it's just four days, but I have never had random rest days as long as that one”, Hyunjoong happily announced to Jaejoong when the latter called to check on him and his 'family'.

“Nice to hear you aren't so grumpy these days, Kim Hyunjoong. Does someone by the name of Hwangbo Hyejung have anything to do with your sheer happiness?”, Jaejoong teased his friend.

“Yah!!”, Hyunjoong, who was not too keen about his jokes, yelled.

Jaejoong laughed. But Jaejoong was right, it did have something to do with a gorgeous woman named Hwangbo Hyejung.

“So, where are you planning to take them?”, the other man asked.

“Huh? Take who? Where?”, Hyunjoong was confused.

“Where are you planning to take Noona and Munhee on your vacation, you i.diot?!!!”, Jaejoong's voice raised a decibel higher

“Oh, I have no plans yet...”

“No plans? Dude, seriously? You're really frustrating me!” Jaejoong never had a problem letting his friend know how he felt, and right now, he was just too frustrated with him.

Hyunjoong stayed quiet, seriously contemplating and coming up with a plan.

“How about going to the beach in Busan or Seunghyun's parent's beach house in Anmyundo?”, he suggested knowing Hyunjoong's brain might be hurting right now thinking of some getaway with Hwangbo and Munhee.

“Right, that beach house in Anmyundo!” Hyunjoong finally smiled.

“Do you want me to call Seunghyun and arrange it for you, young master?” Jaejoong continued teasing him.

“Yah!! I can do that myself.” he scowled and then hang up.
~~
“Let's go to the beach this weekend! In A! Town..” Hyunjoong suggested as they ate dinner together.

Munhee nodded his head and clapped his hands in excitement.

Hwangbo stared at him and gave him a questioning look, “Beach? This weekend?”. She knew he was not really a beach person, and in the three weeks they have been together, he rarely had weekends off much less any rest days.

“Unless you have work, of course..”, he said, almost frustrated at Hwangbo's initial reaction.

“No, I don't have work for the next few weeks, but you on the other hand are always busy on weekends. Do you have time to go to the beach?”, she asked

“We were given four days to rest by Manager-nim since we'll be starting promotions for our album soon. They always give us some time to breath before and after the storm, and I thought it'd be good to take a vacation away from the city like I always do”, he explained.

Hwangbo scoffed, “Oh yeah, like the vacation you took in Hong Kong with those women a few years back?”, she muttered under her breath.

“You knew about that? Anyway, those Noonas are our friends”, he reassured her after sensing some jealousy in her words.

She just scoffed again, “Yeah right.. So, where are you taking us?”

“Anmyundo!”

“You're not making us pay for that like Crown J did, are you?”, she giggled remembering good ole We Got Married days.

“Just leave it all to me. I've everything planned out already”, he made a hand gesture and stooped low in a bow.
~~
“Omo! This is beautiful! Are you sure T.O.Pssi's parents wouldn't mind?” Hwangbo asked when she entered the beach house. Her eyes wandered through beautiful structure. Everything was white including the furniture and linens which contrasted the perfect blue ocean outside. “Please thank T.O.P for me. You can also ask him if I can come back here alone..”, she added.

For a moment there was silence. Hwangbo walked around some more, oblivious that the two other people in the room were hurt by her words.

“You're planning to come back here without us?”, Hyunjoong broke the silence.

“Omma, are you coming back here without me and Appa?” Munhee asked, his eyes a bit sad and tears ready to spill.

“No, no. That's not what I meant. We'll come back here together, as a family of course”, she tried to convince the innocent child.

“Just make sure of that”, Hyunjoong smirked.
~~
Munhee started to frolic under the sun with Hyunjoong. Hwangbo sat peacefully on a beach chair watching the two boys.

She never really imagined that she'd go to the beach with Hyunjoong again. Her heart started to beat wildly when he waved at her. Although she had lots of inhibitions and she was trying to avoid getting hurt again, she could not stop the feeling that was starting to re-grow. The day she saw him panting heavily from all the running at the studio, she was showered with confusion and felt like she was given a big puzzle she had to solve all by herself, but now seeing her so-called family enjoying some time together, seeing how good he was to her the past few days, seeing how much he has matured, seeing how good he was at fatherhood, it felt like the pieces of the big puzzle were just falling into their rightful places.

The little boy ran to her and gave her a big hug.

“You're wet!”, she complained as he snuggled in her arms. He continued to hug and giving her kisses wiping off the salty water on her skin. “Kim Munhee, that tickles!!”, she yelped failing mercilessly as she tried to tickle the boy, too.

Hyunjoong approached the two of them trying to walk slowly, fighting the urge to jump in and join them. He smiled at them, his heart was at ease just seeing Hwangbo laughing without a care in the world. That's how he always wanted her to be. That's how he always wanted to see her. That's why he fell in love with her from the very start—her happy aura has always been and will always be contagious.

When the two's laughter died down, Hyunjoong sat beside Munhee. The little boy leaned towards him staring at some parasailers. His eyes lit up with awe.

“Can I ride that Appa?”, he asked Hyunjoong.

“You want to parasail? Hmm, maybe when you grow up.” Hyunjoong told him.

“Will you take me, Appa?”, the little boy asked, anticipating Hyunjoong's reply.

“Of course!”, he promised.

“Omma should come with us...”, he flashed Hwangbo a huge grin.

“Of course! Are you boys thinking of leaving me here while you go parasailing?” she responded.

Munhee was excited, he started giggling then quipped, “Oh boy, I cannot wait to grow up!!”

For a moment, reality was forgotten. For a moment, they were a real family making future plans together. Just like the reality show they were in as a couple, Hwangbo and Hyunjoong forgot about the thin line that separated pretense and reality. Again, it was blurry and hardly ever noticeable.
~~
They sat still on the beach, just staring at the wide blue ocean, enjoying each others' company, enjoying the feeling of being a family.

Munhee flailed his hands and circled it around Hwangbo's right arm. He smiled adoringly at her then took a deep sigh.

“Omma, I love you”, he said flashing her a heart warming smile.

Hwangbo stared lovingly at the child, “I love you, too Kim Munhee”

Munhee giggled then reached over and gave his Omma a peck on the cheek.

“Appa..”, he called Hyunjoong's attention after letting go of Hwangbo's arm. He settled himself on Hyunjoong's lap. “I love you”

Hyunjoong laughed, “Me, too. I love you, too!”

He wrapped Munhee in an embrace, smiling at himself and thought how this child could make him mellow. Again, Munhee gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Your turn”, he said, waiting for something.

“Hmm?”, Hyunjoong asked him

“Your turn to say you love Omma”

Hyunjoong was dumbstruck.

He hesitated, but the child was persistent, “Go on, Appa!”

He glanced over at Hwangbo, his heart was pounding. She on the other hand was pretending she did not hear anything, and was looking at her feet buried under the white sand.

“I love you, Buin”, Hyunjoong blurted out then swallowed the lump forming in his throat. It did not come out as sincerely as he wanted to say it, but that was the truth.

“Omma?” Munhee called Hwangbo's attention.

She just looked at the child, her eyebrows did all the talking.

“Your turn!” he was giddy to hear his Omma say it.

Hwangbo could see Hyunjoong's waiting expression. She wanted to say it, but her insides were melting and she was suddenly feeling shy and fluttery inside.

“Ooomma?”, Munhee called her again.

“Srng-e”, she muttered under her breath, not even daring to look at Hyunjoong.

“Say it properly Omma”, Munhee's tone was commanding.

She looked at him in surprise. “Alright, alright!”

Hwangbo turned slightly to face Hyunjoong and Munhee, “Kim Hyunjoong, Saranghae.”

There, she said it. It was as clear as daylight. Hwangbo turned away immediately even if she wanted to see Hyunjoong's reaction.

Munhee was not done yet, “Bobo, where's the bobo?”

Hyunjoong and Hwangbo were surprised with their son's demands.

“Bobo!”, he insisted.

Hyunjoong caught Hwangbo's eyes. She gave him a shy nod.

“Alright, you little brat”, Hyunjoong joked then bent a little to meet Hwangbo's cheek.

“Lips”, Munhee demanded. Hwangbo made a sudden movement, shocked to hear his next demand. Hyunjoong jerked a little. His lips landed on hers. Both were shocked and unable to move. Their lips stayed glued on that spot.

It was the most unromantic kiss ever, but they could not understand why their hearts were beating rapidly. Hwangbo closed her eyes, and Hyunjoong moved his head forward, pressing his lips hard on hers. Soon enough, they were lost in their awkward kiss until they heard giggles and a pair of little hands clapping to the owner's delight.

Hyunjoong backed away a bit. Hwangbo touched her lips, trying to recover from the embarrassment.

Munhee continued giggling and clapping. He was happy.

“I'll go get some lemonade”, she announced then made her way to the house.
~~
Hyunjoong found Munhee sleeping on Hwangbo's lap that evening.

“I'm sorry about the...the bobo earlier”, he told Hwangbo.

“That was a bit awkward, wasn't it?”, she smiled trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Yeah, you have a naughty son”, he teased her.

“Well, I am not the one with a four dimensional personality”, she retorted, then they both laughed.

“I really did not expect to feel this way, but Munhee gives me so much joy.” Hwangbo confessed.

“Me too. These days, I have two reasons to go home and never overwork myself.” Hyunjoong cleared his throat, then continued, “My apartment used to be just an empty space for me or a place to crash. Before, I used to wonder why I bought it, but I am glad I did. When Munhee and you came, I unexpectedly found a reason to go home after work everyday.”

He smiled at her. “You know I'm not very religious and all, but I am convinced He sent Munhee to us. That little brat may be an unexpected angel”

Hwangbo nodded, “I think so, too. One day, I hope I will be given a son like him”, she said brushing her fingers through Munhee's thick mane.

He smiled, hoping one day the father of the son she had been praying for would be him. “If we couldn't find his parents, do you think it'd be possible for me to adopt him?”, he asked her, ideas playing around in his head.

She gave him a sincere smile, “Why not? Based on the way you treat this little angel, you'd make a good Appa..”

His face brightened up even more. Hearing that from Hwangbo was more than a compliment, it made him even more determined to strive harder and have his own family.

“Maybe because you've been behind me on this and helping me out.”, he thought maybe it was time for a confession. “Everybody knows you're going to be a good mother, but more so, you'll be a better wife”

She flashed him a smile, “You really think so?”

“I don't think so, I know so...”, Hyunjoong took her hand that was brushing Munhee's hair. His grip was firm, but it was not in anyway hurting her.

Hwangbo was supposed to take her hand away from him, but she did not want to.

“Hyejungah, there are so many things I want to tell you.”, he looked at her in the eye not even bothering to blink. Hwangbo stared right back at him with waiting eyes.

“Remember what I said about the way I feel for you during We Got Married?”, he asked her.

Hwangbo nodded, she could clearly remember that day he confessed like it happened yesterday.

“The way I feel has not changed, not one bit, even after three long years.”, he swallowed the lump in his throat, “But things did not quite happen the way I wanted them to happen in the past. Things happened one after another, and things between us went from bad to worse”

“And I am sorry that I did not know how deep I have fallen for you until you walked away during the Award's Night. I should have gone after you or tried to do something to save what we had left, but I was stupid and immature and a coward.”

“When Munhee came and you agreed to Jaejoong's suggestion, I felt like I was given another chance to make things right again. It would be really dumb of me to let it go again, to let you go again. So, Hyejungah, will you give me another chance?”

Hwangbo took her hands from Hyunjoong, “But there are so many things we have to consider, Hyunjoong. And it won't be easy”

“But nothing is ever easy in this world, Buin. Only one thing is sure, I'm not letting you go so easily this time”, Hyunjoong took her hand again

The silence that followed was deafening. No one spoke. There was only the loud thumping of two hearts and the winds that howled loudly.

“If I agree to do this, whatever this is, let's just take it slow this time, okay? One step at a time, Hyunjoong?”, she finally broke the silence.

He pulled Hwangbo for a hug forgetting that Munhee was sleeping on her lap. Hwangbo held Munhee tighter using her free hand as she was being wrapped in Hyunjoong's sweet embrace. They stayed like that for a moment.

“We'll take this slow, Buin! Even if that means I'll have to court and woo you all over again. I am willing to do everything to regain what we lost before.”, he whispered in her ear.