'I'm sorry?' I asked, as I was about to spit out the coffee from my mouth. 'Earthquake?'
Oh damn, Kim Tae Pyung! That was a heck of a hole in one.
'I think so, but maybe I am wrong, Appa,' Pooh said as he ate his cereal. Yejin, who was beside me, was stopping herself from laughing, while I was searching my suddenly-clouded mind for answers for my little boy.
'Maybe you were dreaming, buddy,' I said, diverting his attention, and memory, away from it. He nodded and continued eating.
'Appa, will Yoo Yoo and noona come?' he asked. Oh, thank God.
'I guess so. Eomma might have made a swimming date for you I think?' I said, as I looked at Yejin, finally letting out a smile I knew she had been holding for far too long. It made me smile too, even when I really wanted to dissipate into the unknown for a moment and come back thereafter.
'Yes, babylove. They will come this weekend. Are you excited?' she asked, and as I looked at Pooh, he was smiling from ear to ear. Sure we had a lot of friends from the business, who also have kids, but he is exceptionally close to these two. I don't mind, they are a nice family to begin with.
'Eomma, can we make sandwiches?' he asked. My wife was more than glad to cater to his request, not because he still needs to eat some more, but more inclined to make him feel better after what he experienced last night.
The anteroom was built for a reason and it should be used for that particular thing. Only.
'Appa, let's play horsey,' Pooh asked as we were in the TV room while a cartoon show was on. I gladly got on the floor before he rode on my back, pulling the hem of my shirt as a leash. We went on playing while Lilo was with her eomma, and both were somehow talking too. Our daughter blabbers every now and then, and even when her words were still incomprehensible we understood what she wanted to say. Probably.
My phone rang as we were done playing cowboy and as I looked at it, a private number was calling me. I told my wife I needed to take the call and head on outside, as Sesame Street was on.
'Hello?' I said as I took on the call.
'Tae Pyung,' the voice on the other line replied. It was my colleague back in the marines, Major Gong. 'I'm sorry to have missed your call the other day. We were at camp, you know how it is.'
I smiled. 'It's okay, sir. I understand,' I replied as I took bigger steps to get to my study immediately.
'How are you? How is married life doing to you?'
'Oh I am well, sir. Very well.'
'That's good to know. Well, what brings you?'
'Sir, I remember you told me before that if I need anything, I would just call you,' I stated. He asked for me to continue. 'I might be needing that now.'
Saturday came and Pooh was too excited while waiting for his guests. My wife was likewise busy in the kitchen with Ahjumma and Shin Hye so the two little chubby balls stayed with me. I took them to the pool first, but I asked Pooh not to dive in just yet. Instead, I took out a coloring book for him and we started doing an activity together. After a few minutes, we were then called since the Hyuns had arrived. We went down right away to greet them. The lovely afternoon was spent at the rooftop outdoor pool, with the wives swimming with the kids while my friend Bin and I were discussing something important.
'What's your plan now?' he asked. He was one of the people who knew what we were going through, and I knew I had to keep him on the loop since I sought the help of his cousin.
'Well, we have to catch the man and his lookout,' I said. 'I couldn't make this take longer than it should be, especially that my wife is set to do a drama in the next two months.'
'Does she know who the accomplice is?' he asked as we took a swig of the scotch, on the rocks.
'Not yet, but I am planning to tell her either tonight or when I have the bait laid out,' I replied.
Just as we were having that serious conversation, my son and Joo Joo came from the pool to pull us and join them. We didn't budge since we both wanted to be in there likewise, especially when the wives were looking really something else. At least for me.
'Baby,' she called while we were driving to the country club where we were enrolled for golf. Pooh was with us, as well as Lilo and her nanny.
'Yes?' I replied casually.
'Who are those people in the other car?'
I looked up at the rearview mirror before I replied.
'I hired them,' I said. 'They are our bodyguards.'
'Without informing me?' she asked. 'You didn't tell me about this.'
I took a glance at her, who by now was turning to face me. I gave out a small smile, even when I knew that she wouldn't be satisfied with my answer.
'Please let me explain later when we are at the range.'
As we arrived, I got down from the car first. Opening the backseat, Pooh was already smiling and quite excited to jump out of the car and get ready to play. I took him down and Lilo and her nanny came down likewise. Taking out the small golf club bag for Pooh, I placed it on his back and was looking too cute wearing it. I smiled and as I closed the door, my son was practically dragging me to get inside the club.
'One moment buddy, I have to open Eomma's door too, remember?' I said. Pooh then placed his hand over his mouth and came with me. I did open her side of the door, but then it looked like she wasn't ready to come down yet.
'Buddy, why don't you go with Nanny Shin Hye to the other car first?' I told him, and gave out instructions for Kwang Soo, my trusted bodyguard. They went, and it was time for me to talk to my wife, alone. I went back inside the Linc and started talking to her.
'Binssi, why didn't you say anything?' she asked casually. From the looks of her, she was neither annoyed nor sad. It looked like it was a normal conversation.
'Baby look,' I replied. 'I cannot compromise anything right now, especially your safety and the kids. Min Woo is not the man we thought he was. He is not mentally challenged, he is as sane as a normal person. From what I know, it looks like he is out to take revenge on you or something,' I said, looking at her seriously.
Her eyes that were somehow emotionless almost instantly changed. She was determined to know how the other man was, and why I was saying those things.
'Min Woo has an accomplice from one of your friends, and that is basically the reason why I didn't allow people to come into our house, except for family and close friends.'
She allowed herself to think for a few moments before saying something, weighing on the things she is supposed to ask.
'What else do I need to know? Please Binssi, tell me everything you know.'
I took a deep breath before I replied, ready to lay out all the cards we have right now.
'I called a former colleague from the Marines to investigate it. Since I am not allowed to, I asked him a favor, informing him of the danger it would pose to us. What he found out shocked me, and made me believe that he was after something. Min Woo is the type who would get out of his way to attain the success of his plans.
The reunion was actually concocted by him, and approached a few of the teachers and alumni of your school. He made sure you came and contacted Mi Ri, even when he knew that you were already married. Major Gong, who happened to be related to a staff member of your former school, knew that this was not a part of the annual school activity. Have you ever wondered why it was too timely?' I asked, which actually made her think about it too.
'Yes, I even told you it was more than two decades since we saw each other,' she said.
I nodded. 'Yoo Min Woo is known with many various names, but his mistake was using his real one when he tried to approach you,' I said, slowly taking her hand and holding it in mine.
'I know I decided instantly on getting back the bodyguards, but it's because I can't let anything happen to you. You are due to be filming another drama in the next two months, so I figured this is a good way to have you protected while I am not there. Please don't worry about the kids, since they will be with me, and we will fetch you every single day, whatever time it is. Just like you were filming Cross,' I said, smiling at her. She nodded, and gave me a smile likewise.
'Now can we play golf and have your little chubby boy play it likewise? He is too excited about it,' I said.
'When will these people stop, baby?' she said as she straightened up. I got out of the car and went over to her side. As was custom, I opened her side and when she got out, I gave her a kiss on the forehead.
'You know they can never get near you as long as I am here,' I said as I gave her a hug. Recalling all the things that has happened to her long before we got together - the fans who went overboard, the stalkers, those creepy moments only a few people knew about, among others that she had already told me - it had become a unspoken vow for me to protect her from all of it.
When you really love someone, you have to go to all ends just to make them feel safe.
'Good job, buddy!' I called out to our son as he made another shot on the practice game with the kids' coach. Pooh demonstrated another swing and was mimicking a player who was looking at where the ball would land, with his cute hands over his eyes. He came back smiling and felt proud at what he just did.
'Thank you, Appa,' he said, as we went to the clubhouse and waited for his eomma to come back after playing with her coach on the ladies' tee. Since it was exclusive to members only, Kwang Soo and his team were on standby outside. Lilo and the nanny were in the nursery, having the same precautionary measure.
As we were eating sandwiches, Pooh told me that he wanted to play golf one day on the bigger field.
'Well, you certainly can. Eomma and Appa loved this sport, buddy,' I told him as I wiped his mouth which was smeared with ketchup.
'Appa can I go to school too?' he asked. What he didn't know is that Yejin and I had already visited Yongsan International School, where his noona was attending likewise. I gave him a smile, and raised my eyebrows comically. He was more than happy.
'Hi babylove,' Yejin came out of the blue and greeted Pooh, who instantly stood up seeing his mother. I looked up at her and smiled.
'Hi baby, how's the game?' I asked as I stood up and offered her my seat, but not without giving her a forehead kiss.
'Hi, babe. Oh, it was really great. Coach said I got better already and taught me some other points to practice. By the way, look who's here,' she said as she looked at the direction of the one she was talking about. Following her lead, I trained my eyes to look at the person.
Instinctively, my hand clenched as I saw who she was referring to.
*****
A/N:
In the next chapter, we will use a third person POV.
Who could this person be whom Bin was talking about?
See you on the next fic!