STAY
Jungkook
Jimin is ready to leave. He will be transferred back to Seoul to get a better treatment that close from home. I had to tell his brother since I have no choice. I tell him that I need to stay in Gwangju more for some reason.
The door is open, a lady I was expecting from an hour ago came in with her uniform and document in her hand. She walks in a hurry even though she reach her destination. I am proud that she is always passionate with her job.
"Sorry I'm late, have you waited too long?" She came approached me and give a quick hug.
"It's okay, how was your flight?"
"Rush, but I'm glad I reach on time." She walks toward Jimin.
"How are you, Jimin?"
"Good, I guess I'm going home?"
"Technically, but you have to stop by the hospital to make sure you're ready to go home." She check out his bandage. The nurse came in with the doctor, smiles plastered on their faces.
"Good afternoon Mr. Park."
"Good afternoon, doctor."
"I see your doctor is here to pick you up?" He mentioned Amy. She step closer and shake her hand with the doctor.
"I'm Amy, nice to meet you."
"You're quite young than I expected." He gave her flirtatious look to her but she smile taking all the compliments for herself.
"I've already read the report about Mr. Park here, I can see that physiotherapy is highly recommended for his treatment."
"Yes, the fracture wasn't that bad as it looks. He will recover in two weeks or a month."
"You're his doctor now, take a good care of him."
After those chit chat, the goodbye is near, hospital provide him the ambulance to have a secure drive to the airport. I hug my cousin genuinely and pat his back.
"Get well soon," I whisper to him.
"Behave, cuz, stay away from trouble." He advice me and I just nod. There's nothing he should be worried about, I'm well aware of what I do is not a problem.
Amy look at me as she smile, it's been a week and she's really bright with those expression in her face. Like she was in love.
"Come back home soon as you're done whatever business you'd do." She said as she also hug me.
"Take care of Jimin."
"I will."
They enter the ambulance finally. The door was closed, and those sirens were sounded loud along the street. I look at that white car went away, sigh in relief that I could finally into the plan. I walk away to my car and headed to the airport.
°°°
The parking lot was filled with cars. I found one empty spot to park and it's too far from the entrance. I squinted my eyes to find the person I was expecting. She's walking with her daughter, her husband, however, he left for a couple of days in a business trip.
The little girl I adore because of her cuteness noticed me. She ran towards me after asking her mother's permission, she spread her arms, an instant brightness coating me as I kneel down to wait for her to come to my arms. I lift her weightless body to the air, causing her to giggles with excitement. I feel ease when I hug her, especially her mother see us.
I put her down, she still hold my hand and not letting them go. Speaking to her mother that I will stay at their house to keep an eye on them.
Y/n showing her unsatisfied reaction about her husband's plan. He asked me directly to stay with them because he didn't feel good leaving his wife after what happened.
Even after we reach her home, I gladly enter their house, feeling familiar but not too happy about it. I was holding back not to seem obvious. Taena asked me to play at the swimming pool when her toys and plushie are there in the small tent, she's showing no tiredness after the ride.
Her mother came, she already changed to her loose green dress that makes her bump almost invisible. Walking towards her tent, she bring her daughter lunch on a cute pink bowl with healthy portion of meat and vegetables.
"Taena, baby, it's time to eat." Her angelic voice came closer like the most beautiful melody to my ears. I look at her with my admiring gaze.
"Can I play five more minutes, mommy, barbie has to take a shower after swimming." Those cheerful begging voice of this little girl make me smile. I caresses her soft hair when she's just bathing the doll. She remind me of five years old Irish.
"Come on, baby, it's getting cold." She stand there not dare to approach more closer. As we both get out of the tent and walking towards her.
"Yeah."
The little girl sit next to her, and she feed her daughter awkwardly. Maybe because I was there watching when she silently begged for privacy between mom and daughter.
But suddenly she look up to me with those smile.
"Woojin prepare your lunch, you can have them on the dining room." She informed. I just nod.
"You're not eating with us?"
"I ate earlier because I was hungry. You can enjoy the meal."
I know she's is trying to avoid me. But I couldn't just leave. I may changed my mind and leave soon but I won't.
"Taena, don't chew your food like that, that was impolite." She warn her daughter cutely, her daughter pout but do as her mother say obediently.
"Yes, mommy."
I decided to leave them alone and have some food at the dinning took on my own. This is really awkward, I feel like the uninvited guest.
Y/n come in shortly after a few minutes. Seems like her daughter is finish eating. Taena sit on her chair and playing with her feet under the table. She gave her favorite desserts and she joyfully look at those fluffy pudding ready to eat them. Y/n joined on the dinning room with us, seeing this, feels like I was the husband and not V Hyung. I enjoy that thought more than I should but it did. It gave me butterflies to think of her being the mother of my child. And it's not just one time.
"The food is good, you cook this?" I mention the delicious skillet roasted duck breasts with plums sauce, which is too fancy for simple lunch. If it wasn't her, I doubt anyone could made this food better taste and served knowing how much she learned from Europe for this type of dish.
"Yeah." She simply answered.
"It's so delicious, yet so fancy, I could have happy with simple dumpling and cold noddle for lunch."
She smile, finally let me see her happy face. I don't understand why she sometimes try to avoid me and next time she act so friendly, way to friendly like first time we dates.
"You're our guest, my husband asking you to stay here and look after me, I should be treating you like one." She made it clear her status one more time.
"You don't have too, Y/n, you'll get tired."
"I'm not, I know my limits, my husband is really over react. He left for his business trip sometimes to leave me at home alone and I'm still didn't get a single scratch yet he is so worried." Again, she do that again.
"He just love you, don't blame him, especially you're pregnant." I painfully voice out the words as if it didn't hurt me. The thorn from the roses I picked bleeds me. The beautiful doesn't always treats good.
"Did he tell you to stay in this house too?"
Why would she question me that? I look at her and wait for her to continue, because I know her sentence is not finished yet.
"If he does, I already told Woojin to prepare the guest room, you can stay there to rest."
The guest room which I stayed before in my unknowingly visit. Yes, I know where it was.
"You can tell me if you feel uncomfortable when I'm around, Y/n, I will stay until after dinner and I can go back to the hotel. V Hyung didn't tell me anything about staying, but he want me to make sure you're safe."
"Lucas is here 24/7 to guard the house, he had his security protocol to make sure the house is protected from any harm." I smirked at how much she try to make me leave softly. She could have just asked me and I'll do it.
"Like I said, he loves you, I will do the same to my partner when I'm away, I want someone I trust to take a good care of her."
She looked taken a back at how much this might offended her. She look away and pay attention to her daughter now. The little girl yawn cutely as she pushed the empty plate. She look at her mommy with pout.
"You sleepy?" She ask, caress her cheek.
"Yes, mommy, but I can't go to bed slightly after eat, I need to wait a moment." I raise my brows I disbelief of how she educate her daughter to be this good-mannered.
"Yes, sweetheart, why don't you watch TV while waiting, your favorite show is starting."
She get down the chair and bring the dirty plate to the kitchen sink, washed her hand and walking towards the U-shaped sofa, she took the remote and turn on the TV and sit back in front of it to wait patiently. When the show she wanted to watch appear on the screen, she cheerfully 'yay' yo her mommy, causing me to smile even wider.
I give my attention back on Y/n who is now staring at her daughter. I've finished eating and tidy up the dirty plate, doing exactly the same her daughter does. But she stop me immediately.
"Hey, no, let me do it." She gets up in such a hurry to stop me but I look at her.
"It's alright, Y/n, is not like I'm stranger here, just sit down with Taena and I'll join you two after washed dishes." She frowned and not satisfied with my answer.
"You're my guest, you weren't supposed to clean at all, just put it on the sink, I'll clean it later." She managed to stand up straight, her sudden move must be pained her bump considering the way she rubbed the lower stomach causing her dress to showed her baby bump. I look at her seemingly uncomfortable and I put down the plate and going to her side.
"You alright?" I ask, trying to hold her arm but she raised her hand up to the air telling me that she's fine.
"I'm okay. I just need to breathe."
"You want to sit down?" She nod without any rejection and I hold her hand and slowly walking her to the sofa where her daughter are. As she look up to her kok, she slightly changed her expression and smile at her daughter. She doesn't want to worry her.
"The show is fun, mommy, come watch with me."
I let them both have the fun. I know Y/n is not fine since that day. She just pretended to be strong as if nothing happened, but she knew she's broke and needed her husband to be with her.
I push that uneasy thoughts away and head to the kitchen and starts cleaning. I glanced at them a few time, her daughter lean on her chest and she pats her head to put her to sleep.
When I check on them, Taena sleep in her arms and she kept pats her back to make her sleep better. I sat across to her and she look at me.
"You want to bring her to the bedroom?" I offer the help because I know she will have a sore neck if she sleep like that. Y/n nod, she didn't complain when I carry her daughter and take her to her bedroom she leads.
Open the door, I smells vanilla and orange mixed together at her room, the scent bringing cheerfulness like a little girl, her room was painted white and so much decoration was included, even those cute cabinet where she can put all the plush in display. Her bed was pink and blue printed bed covers, I gently put her body and support her head to make her lay down in the soft mattress. She squirm a little to have a better position to sleep. I put the blanket over body to keep her warm.
When I turn around, Y/n was standing by the door step. She move aside and I step out, closing the door behind me.
"You're really made a good dad if you had your own daughter." She said weightlessly at her word, as if she's meaning to let me know it.
"You think so?"
"Yeah." She lead the way to the living room, gesturing me to sit down, she wanted a conversation.
"I was almost get married, Y/n." I starts, seeing her reaction is a bit shock. But recover by the soft breathing.
"You did?" She's calm but I can see the anxiousness in her voice.
"Yeah, I was ready to make Nara my wife, but, she hasn't the same thought as mine." I lean back and cross my legs, she pays attention the way I like her to be.
"What happened?"
"She's not passionate in our relationship so she decided to leave for good,"
Something going through her mind, her face radiated happiness hearing the story. She hesitate whether asking more further about the issue. I respect Nara with her decision, and it's not my place to exposed her to Y/n.
"She found another person?" She ask anyway and I smile at her and lean forward.
"Yes."
"And Amy?"
I smirked, how much I want to tell her about Amy and me. But I wasn't so cruel to this beautiful pregnant woman.
"We're just friends, Y/n, if that's what you curious about."
I know she catch the glimpse of lies in my eyes, she saw us, or rather heard, us fucks while she was there once, and I don't mind telling her the rest of the detail if she want to her it. But like I say, I'm not that cruel.
"You just give me the new description of friends like." She said bitterly, loving her reaction that she actually still care about who I date recently.
"I'm sure you heard of friends with benefits, Y/n, she and I didn't mind with each other as we both agree."
"I think it's feeling abused, what if one of you catch feeling?"
"It's the rejection consequences we must take,"
Y/n looked taken a back a few times, thinking what she put herself into this dangerous conversation, but she willing to take that risk put of her curiosity.
"Amy is having crush on her fellow surgeon, she tell me that she really like him."
She's smiling, having herself a thin wall to separate what's not her business. I look at her with admiring gaze, having a good idea.
"Are you tired?" She shook her head as she look at me.
"You have a very good scenery at the back yard, did you ever think of having maternity shoot?" I brought my camera, and since she never saw me working except watching the results, I'd like to show her what I do.
"No, I never had or thought of making one."
She shyly lean back at her seat, cutely responding to my offer.
"Oh, you should have some time for yourself instead of busy with works." I get up and going to the living room where I put my stuff earlier.
"Wait, Jungkook, where you going?" She shout slowly but follow me to the living room. I turn back and show her my camera.
"You wanna take them?" She ask, noticing the camera in my hands, I excitedly nod at her.
"But, wasn't it supposed to be with the partner?"
"Not really, that depends of what you like, if you want to do it alone it is okay, so this photograph will only focus on you and the pregnancy." I explain the concept but she crossed her arms and stare at me.
"And what if I take that photoshoot with my husband? What will it be?"
"A family, Y/n, you and your husband expecting a new member in your family, simple as that. But since your husband is not here, I guess you should pick the first choice."
From where I was shaking in nervousness to bold changing habit towards her, and now I'm being professional force photographer. She is so beautiful and the scenery urged me to take a picture, she's always the best object.
Her face soften, giving in. She lower down her arms, caresses the belly and walk closer.
"Should I do this?" She asked for my approval.
"Yes,"
"What should I wear? Should I change my clothes?" I look at her up and down without willing to. But it was gorgeous. Her toned body, the soft skin and she was glowing. I can't help it but didn't realize that I bit my lip.
"No, this dress is perfect."
Y/n sighs, hoping that she is not regretting her decision.
"Let's go." She walk first to the back yard.
The wind softly blesses us with the warm breeze on the afternoon. The sun is not really feel hot since the winter is near. The rest of the cherry blossoms flower were here somehow brought by the wind. She walk elegantly and stopped at the center of the yard. The empty green space for all sights can see the perfect city view. The sky was blue, clear and no clouds. I only need a few more tools to make her picture perfect.
"So? I never take a picture because mostly I became shy whenever I stand in front of it. Tell me what to do?"
He smile and voice showing the excitement making me want to keep her. I was eager to do that, but now. I came closer to help her pose. First I go behind her to tied her hair in a messy bun, the strands left hanging on her forehead and cheeks. I saw her soft skin and clear neckline from this near, I can't help taking a deep breath to take her intoxicating scent, they drove me crazy for a moment. LI go front to look at her beautiful features. Fixing those strands to make a little cover on her left eyes, those eyes looking at me longing and softly, I can feel that she is trying to control herself.
"Can you put your hands on the lower abdomen? Try to sit down?"
She does what I told her obediently. She took off her sandals and those soft feet touches the grass. The dress lift up due to her movement, showing her gorgeous legs to her thighs. I pull down the hem of her dress to cover the skin. She look up, grateful that she's being taken care of. Our eyes meet.
"Arch your back and look up to the sky, close you eyes, hold you belly and make the bump visible," I tell her next. She's nod and I back away from her to take her picture. Suddenly the breeze blown in such a perfect time. She's closing her eyes, her dress is flowy, her hair too, she's smiling while posing and I waste no more to take her picture.
I do the shot a few times in a different position and angle. Woojin came to the back yard and bring us tea and snacks. We both sat on the bench and checked the results.
She look satisfied with my work, and I am proud of myself when she's a few times compliments my work.
"This one is good." She pointed to the third pose, I look at her and agreed.
"I'll sent it to you when it's ready. I need to bring this to my studio." I put the camera and focus on her.
"You have a studio?" She ask in excitement disbelief. I chuckles in response.
"Yes, I have, Y/n."
"Where? In Seoul? Or Italy?"
"Not both, I have it in my apartment where I live."
"What about when you work overseas?"
"We're managed. Mrs. Spencer is really kindhearted."
"I heard she's married."
"Long time, she hide her status and stay single because I heard her husband is not from common people, he either politician or actor."
"Was that fair decision for both?"
"It's their choice, Y/n, sometimes people got their happiness in the most thrilling and cringe way."
I spoke about it to my self as well, because I'm happy spending time with her which she is my best friend's wife. Who is also the love my life. And I'm happy with what I do.
She drink her tea for a bit and look away to the scenery. Breathe calmly and smile genuinely. Something in her triggered a happiness to appear. Whether it's because of me, or just her.
"Long way to Paris, it's night there now, he may reach the hotel and rest." She mentioned her husband. I understand that she's worried but don't want to show it.
"He doesn't call yet?"
"No, I told him to rest and call me when he's free."
I don't answer no more. She's leaning back to her chair again. And then he look at me, our eyes meet and she smile at me.
"It's funny that he told you to stay with me, without considering the past, he trust us way too much. What if we end up betraying him?" She chuckles, probably being too carried away of the comfort I have her.
"Were you worried?"
"Cheating never considered age. They want it and they will do it. And I do worried I may lose control if you stay close to me." She seriously look into my eyes, speaking her heart out. And I listen to what she wanted to tell me.
"Just before everything, Y/n, I'm worried too. That I may not good enough, that's why I hold back. I never got my chance to prove myself, and you're already left. What's wrong with waiting a little bit too long and I will reach you. You know I will."
I swear, I never want to give her stress, but I need to let it out.
"I was lost in guilt, Jungkook. Going back with you is a mistake because I don't deserve you after what I've done to hurt you." She's in the edge of falling in tears, it was already there filling her eyes, she blinked and they will stream down her cheeks. I regret that I lead us to this topic which surely very sensitive for her.
"Y/n, it's okay, it's not your fault, you never hurt me, remember that, alright?"
I can't help it, I reach her hand and hold them to calm her down, I shouldn't be this breaking the wall of my limits, but this is better than I done nothing.
"I'm sorry." She whisper painfully. I get up and kneel down in front of her, holding her hand still and rest them on her thighs.
"Stop. Don't apologize."
Those tears escaping her eyes. They look down to mine.
"I am so relief that you are moved on. I'm so happy that you're well and alive. The thought of losing you under the threat was too painful, losing you could have killed me too."
When everything goes down, I have the strong urge to take her lips into a deep, loving kiss, longing for her embrace, paying all of those time I deserved while I'm waiting. But I don't move an inch and just look at those tears, I wipe them with the back of my hand. Kissing would make this looked so wrong, as if I used her vulnerability for my own benefit.
Oh, my love!
"Y/n."
"Promise me that you won't leave. Just stay, even though you're not with me, just stay, you deserve a happiness, Jungkook."
"I'll stay, you know I would. I never regret coming back, Y/n."
She's nod, I let her cry until she's relief.
"I know Butter didn't tell you about staying or leaving, but," she look at my eyes and I sat on her eye level.
"..can you stay for the night?"
A smile appears follows with satisfying nod from me. She smiled too, relief that I'm still around even though I'm not hers.
Someday, or maybe someday she will be mine. No matter how long I'd wait. I will stay here for her.