The Bonds Between Us

Chapter 8

Hyerin's POV

"You look tired. Go to sleep." I said after tucking Daehan to bed. He was so happy with his new buddy. So I had to set Ppalgang on the beanbag beside his bed. I was worried if our son could get sick from the pet but Jungkook stated that it will be fine if we regularly bring him to the vet.

"Five more minutes." Jungkook said picking up a gift to look with a small smile, feeling happy to know that his son got so much loved. And one by one, he read all the birthday cards.

"Uncle Mint? Again? I wonder who he is." I read the name as I found it was familiar. Every year, Daehan got a gift from Uncle Mint but we never knew him.

"He's one of my friend. Some day in the future, you'll meet him." Jungkook said smiling at the card.

"Why can't we know him now? And do other oppas know him, too?"

"It's complicated and it's not the right time."

"Wae?"

"Let's go to sleep." He finally got up and I stopped asking. He didn't want me to know then I couldn't do anything.

"Let me see your arm." After he took the shower, I grabbed his wrist as I found his forearm was wrapped by a bandage.

"It's not serious." He claimed lowly and I found tiredness in his voice.

"At least, change the bandage before going to sleep." I said pushing his shoulder to sit on the bed before going to take the first aid.

"How did you get hurt?" I asked, tried not to show my worry too much, focusing on treating his wound.

"Too busy to notice, it's just a scratch from a sharp thingy."

"Just a scratch? It's getting bad though."

"You can be my assistant's partner, he said the same thing."

"And that was his treat." I said

"Eo."

"I'd like to meet him one day."

"Why?" He asked looking at me at the same time I darted my eyes to him.

"Just..."

"Why?" He tried to tell me through his tone that he didn't like it.

"Aish." And I couldn't stand that.

"Answer me." As I was about to walk away, he grabbed my wrist pulling me back to him and I landed right in his embrace.

"Stop playing, it's almost midnight." I said pushing myself away from him. But it seemed his injury arm didn't even give a tiny pain to him as he still had so much strength to keep me still without even trying hard.

"Who said I'm playing? You know when it comes to jealousy, my temper is very short." He said staring into my eyes and I sighed.

"You're childish..." I mumbled staring back straight into his orbs.

"I was just saying, ok. I didn't really mean it. Happy now?" I let it out and he smirked.

"Yes, I am happy. I just found it's fun to tease you."

"Jerk..." But I strangely found his teasings never get us old, it felt like I could see those young love experiences through ourselves in those kind of moments, even it's a bit childish.

It's almost half past 12 when we both got in bed.

Quietly, Jungkook drifted to sleep as I turned the lights off.

It was such a long tired day. I wondered if I should let Wonhee and Eunnie stalked him. But no matter how many times I looked at him, he's not that kind of guy who likely to cheat on his wife. Perhaps, he really tried to complete his work because he's always diligent to his job.

I should trust him, right? My mind went round and round until I felt his arms wrapped around my body pulling me to him gently.

"It's very late now. Close your eyes." He mumbled on my head as I stayed still in his arms with my wide eyes, he got me surprised by his sharp sense again.

"Arraseo." I murmured lowly.

"Sleep tight."

**********

"Omma, can I bring Ppalgang to school?" Daehan asked early in the morning while preparing to school.

"You can't, Han-ah. When you're studying Uncle Kim will bring Ppalgang to grandma's house and you can play with him there when you leave school." I tried to explain slowly, combing his hair.

"I'll miss him so much. Ppalgang-ah, come here." He said and Ppalgang ran to him with his swaying tail cutely. Aish, that puppy was so cute.

"Han-ah, get your backpack and Ppalgang's bag, arraseo?"

"Ne, Omma." Daehan then played with his puppy while I went to check on Jungkook. He often needed help with his tie.

"You should learn to tie it though." I said walking toward him and reached for the tie.

"I thought about learning it before, but not anymore." His teasing mode was back again.

"Then who helped you when you were in Busan?" I got into the topic I wanted to dig.

"I didn't use it back then." That's a relief answer.

"Wae? You're thinking I had someone else to help me with it?" I hoped he couldn't get it.

"Ani, just curious."

"You're thinking about what make you jealous."

"Who? Me? Why would I?"

"Your eyes are shaking. They shake when you lie." He stated smirking at me as I looked up to him directly into his clear brown eyes.

"We're late." I tried to change the topic and walked away. Sometimes, I was scared when he knew me that much.

"Daehan-ah, let's go." I yelled for him as Jungkook followed behind.

"Ne!" Daehan came out of his room with Ppalgang in his arm, his backpack on his back and Ppalgang's bag in his hand. That was ridiculous adorable.

"Aish, that's so cute." Jungkook chuckled at his son's appearance.

"Appa, will Halmonie take care of Ppalgang well?" He asked worriedly.

"Of course, but you have to be nice to her, too. So that she will love Ppalgang as much as she loves you." The father explained slowly.

"Jinjja? Then I'll give Halmonie a candy every day." That earned our laughter as Jungkook picked him up.

"That will do." He said pecking Daehan's chubby cheek and I took Ppalgang's bag from his hand.

********

"Sir, you've got an invitation." Woohyuk said putting an envelope in front of his boss.

"Thanks. And about Chief Choi..." Jungkook lowered his voice and Woohyuk leaned in.

"I want you to hack some files from his server..." Upon hearing request, Woohyuk widened his eyes.

"But..."

"Aniyo?"

"Ani, I just can't do it. I'm not that good at it."

"Hm, you thought I don't know about your hidden talents?"

"Ne? Boss...you're scaring me."

"Will you do it or not?"

"It's dangerous and illegal."

"Aren't those the reasons why you learnt it?"

"How far you know about me, sir? You really scare me to death already."

"Not that much..."

"Boss..."

"You know there're some files he's trying to hide so I can't find any related information for some cases. That's why...Arraseo, if you don't want, I'll do it myself."

"Boss..."

"You'll do it?"

"I...fine."

"That's my assistant. Here." The boss smiled giving his assistant a piece of paper and Woohyuk slowly took it with his worried face.

"Don't worry. Use that account in the paper, you'll never get caught."

"I hope." The younger bowed and got out of the room. Jungkook put his pen down as his eyes darted toward the invitation letter. A soft sigh escaped his nose when he found the one who invited him.

His hand reached for his phone before texting someone.

********

A text came in and Hyerin pushed her glasses up.

'We're going to join a party in the evening.' Said the text from her husband.

'Do I have to go?' She sent it back.

'Yes, bring Daehan there, too.'

'Is it that important?'

'Not really, but I'll be able to come back home early if we go together or they will keep me there forever.' His text didn't fail to make her smile. He sometimes texted her to complain how the elders always keep him with them just to drink and got drunk all night.

'Arraseo'

'Thanks. See you.'

Hyerin sighed putting her phone down. It would be the first time they go to a party together in six years of marriage. It would be a big surprise for those who never know her husband.

Whenever she joined an event, her friends from school and college would brag about their great life with their husband while she was there and listened to them showing off.

It was not a big deal to her but sometimes it hurt her as they kept asking why her husband never went along or accompanied her out.

And some other times, she felt so uncomfortable when there were some guys trying to hit on her. Even though she tried to tell them she's married. Of course, she's still young, beautiful, rich and even looked sexy without trying, who won't give her a second glance?

**********

In the evening heat, Jungkook's car slowly stopped in front of his wife's workplace which was his father's company. Talk about that place, he could count the times he went in, he hated to go in there since his father always complained and dissed him for not giving any help in his business.

His lips curled into a smile as he saw Hyerin walking out with her colleague.

"Your hot husband is here, Hyerin-ah." Jiwoon teased nudging her shoulder gently. She rolled her eyes before waving a goodbye and walked toward the car as Jungkook opened the door for her.

The sun finally down and the moon came up slowly. Looking through the window, in white shorts and a tucked in buttons down shirt, little Daehan was sitting on his small beanbag with little Ppalgang on his laps while his mother doing his hair. Hyerin was coming his soft hair back before putting some hair gel and blown it gently by a hair dryer. Lovingly, she tilted her head to look at him with a smile and he looked up at her with a wide grin. He was just so obedient and docile.

"Omma, please be quiet, Ppalgang is sleeping." He whispered making his mother to chuckle. Ppalgang was really sleeping on his hands.

"Ready?" Jungkook asked walking in. And Daehan quickly put his finger on his lips to tell his father to be quiet.

Jungkook shrugged at Hyerin as she shrugged back. Like father like son, they wore matching clothes and even hair styles, warm and gentle. Jungkook had white pants with buttons down shirt which was tucked in neatly.

"Here, Appa will help you to put Ppalgang in his bed, arraseo? Omma will go and change." She said trying to be quiet and went out as Jungkook squatted down in front of his son who didn't even dare to move because he's afraid that he will wake his puppy up.

"Chaa, let me help you." Jungkook said trying to take Ppalgang from his son's hands as gently as possible.

"Appa, should we leave some food for him? He must be hungry when he wakes up." The boy said looking at the sleeping puppy. The father agreed, feeling amazed by his son's thoughtful and kindness.

Before the clock hit 8, the small family finally left for the party. Daehan hopped in the backseat as his parents got in the front.

For the time ever, the family went out for a party as a whole and it felt different. Jungkook enjoyed the drive as much as Daehan while Hyerin looked so calmed as usual. For Jungkook, he found each value of a family's happiness each time they were together. Daehan never failed to make his parents chuckled as Jungkook never failed to make Hyerin fluttered with his joke and Hyerin kept shaking his heart with her bright smile whenever their son said something cute and funny. Well, that was such a family goal.

For the first time also, they both felt the same way there, they never wanted that moment to stop. It's true and pure happiness of a family indeed.

It didn't take too long to reach the destination. And as expected, all eyes turned to them as soon as they made an appearance in the party.

"Aigo, my bias finally arrive huh. Come on in. Come on." An old man came up and welcomed them comfortably. Hyerin bowed and Daehan did the same.

"Wah, this is your wife? And son? Wow, daebak, such a great family." The man kept rambling proudly as they were the center of the attentions from everyone. But it made Hyerin to felt uneasy although she tried to keep her small smile on.

"Let's go." Jungkook whispered wrapping his arm around her waist.

Some were unfamiliar and a few seemed familiar to Hyerin and she bowed politely as she found that they were her mother's friends. And finally, her eyes met a pair of orbs which she didn't wish to see.

Her old life, this life and next life rival, Oh Hwahyung, a rival, a bully, forever enemy, and a virus.

She was the only one in the world who seemed to laugh seeing Hyerin falls. She would the one to smile evilly if Hyerin faces problems and she would the first one to throw a party if Hyerin dies. Never ever, she would pass by her without saying something awful.

Meanwhile, Hyerin wished and prayed not to across that girl's path.

But there, she was standing proudly, looking at her with her already mocking eyes.

Something bad is gonna happen for sure...