The atmosphere is now alive with playful giggles and Hoonie's jovial antics, causing everyone to laugh along. Despite being engulfed with guilt and uncertainty, Chaeyoung feels an overwhelming urge to claim every little moment he missed with his son. The desire to strengthen their bond emerges strongly within him.
The ambiance in the house makes him feel like he used to belong there, as if it's familiar to him. Sometimes, when he looks at Mina, he's still bewildered by the fact that they used to love each other. Deep inside, he wonders what happened between them. Did he break up with her before the accident? Was that break up what caused Mina to no longer care for him? What led to Mina and their friends and child disappearing from his life, leaving only Sana and his mom? These questions weigh heavily on his mind.
"Chaeng, Sana. It seems like you both still can't get enough time with Hoonie yet, so would you mind staying for lunch? Just thought it would give you guys more time with Hoonie," Tzuyu suggests, amused by how Hoonie clings to Chaeyoung and how Chaeyoung handles his son's antics.
"Sure,why not? lunch together sounds good. I could use some time to catch up with you guys too," Chaeyoung replies eagerly.
Tzuyu looks at Mina, who gives him a bewildered stare, making Tzuyu chuckle and gesture for her to go to the kitchen.
Mina rolls her eyes and forces herself to rise from her seat. "I'll be in the kitchen now, preparing lunch," she says, walking away from them.
"Don't forget a table for 5, Mina-ssi," Tzuyu calls after her, triggering her annoyance to increase as she turns around and gives Tzuyu a deadly stare before disappearing into the kitchen.
"That's definitely scary, don't you think so? You're such a teaser, Tzuyu-yaa," Chaeyoung interjects, noticing Mina firing a glare at Tzuyu, which surprises him.
"What do you mean? You're more of a teaser than me, especially when it comes to Mina. You were always the expert teaser back then, Chaeng," Tzuyu chuckles, looking at the clueless Chaeyoung.
"It sounds like I'm always getting under her skin," Chaeyoung grins, imagining how it would be to tease Mina. He smiles at the thought of Mina's cute, mad expression. "But maybe I should try teasing her next time, like I used to, if you don't mind, Tzuyu-yaa," he suggests playfully.
Tzuyu's eyes widen. "Why should I mind? If it can help you feel back how you used to live your life before, then go for it, Chaeng. I'm more supportive than forbidding you. Who knows, maybe it can help you slowly remember everything. Just give it a shot," Tzuyu says reassuringly as he walks closer to Chaeyoung and pats his shoulder.
Mina busies herself preparing lunch, boiling yukgaejang soup, stir-frying some meat, and now taking out her handmade strawberry tart from the oven. The aroma of the freshly baked strawberry tart fills the kitchen, creating a delightful blend of strawberries, butter, and sugar that wafts through the air, enveloping the entire space in its sweet fragrance.
"Wow, what's that delicious aroma? I could smell it all the way from the living room," Chaeyoung exclaimed as he entered the kitchen, his toothy smile and sparkling eyes lighting. "Oh my goodness, is that a strawberry tart?" he added, his eyes shining with excitement as he approached Mina.
Mina couldn't help but smile, touched by Chaeyoung's compliment. "Yup, it is. Hoonie loves the strawberry tart I make. The last time I made for him, he finished all in the blink of an eye and asked for more. Your son is crazy about strawberries, just like his daddy," she says, her gaze lingering on Chaeyoung as she admires how his eyes light up at the sight of the tart. But as soon as their eyes meet, she quickly averts her gaze.
Chaeyoung rubs his nape, "He really does take after me, I guess," he says with an awkward chuckle. "Can I have one?" he asks, extending his hand towards the tarts. But before he can grab one, Mina quickly brushes his hand away, stopping him in his tracks.
"Hey, it's still hot. Just wait until it cools down a bit. Be patient, no one's going to steal this from you, Chaengi," Mina scolds him in a slightly motherly tone.
Chaeyoung feels like he's been scolded by his own mother, his eyes blinking rapidly. "Uh, fine.." his tones out almost whisper. Though he's a bit upset and pissed off but he has to obey Mina.
Mina suppresses her smile as she watches the slightly upset Chaeyoung, maintaining her poker face. "Weren't you playing with Hoonie just now? Where is he? And where's Tzuyu?" she asks, her eyes and hands busy with the dishes.
"Hoonie is playing with Sana now. As for Tzuyu, he's out on the balcony, smoking," Chaeyoung replies casually.
Mina steals a glance at him. "Why didn't you join Tzuyu for a smoke? I thought you said you had a lot of things to catch up with him."
Chaeyoung clicks his tongue. "Tsk, well, I don't smoke, but I'd still like to chat with him. Maybe after this, during lunch. It's better to gather around and bragging about lot of past things."
Out of all the words that Chaeyoung utters, something catches Mina's attention. "You don't smoke? But you used to smoke, remember?" she asks, her forehead creased with curiosity wrinkles.
Chaeyoung suddenly chuckles. "Yaa, the word 'remember' can't be counted on right now. I lost my memories, remember?" He mimics the last word to Mina.
Mina gawks, guilt suddenly engulfing her. "Ehh, sorry Chaeng, I forgot that..."
"It's okay, Mina-yaa. I'm used to it. Sana also keeps mentioning the word 'remember?' to me. It pissed me off at first, but eventually she turned it into a joke and I just went along with it," Chaeyoung grins, looking at Mina, who looks almost pale with guilt.
Mina just smiles guiltily, unsure of how to reply, and continues her business with the food. Until Chaeyoung breaks the awkwardness again.
"But I actually wish to say yes to that 'remember?' question," Chaeyoung's voice hints at a bit of frustration. He looks at Mina, noticing her slightly regretful expression. The need to shift the slight sorrow atmosphere escalates, prompting Chaeyoung to playfully ask, "Since you said I used to smoke, maybe I should join Tzuyu smoking now, right?"
His question makes Mina flinch. "Yaa, don't...just don't start it again. I like it better now that you've stopped...I-uh, I mean, I like it because it's good for your health..umm," Mina stumbles over her words.
Chaeyoung lets out a small laugh. "Yaa, do you think I'm serious about that? Calm down, Mina-yaa, I'm just kidding around," he exclaims, observing Mina's reaction.
Embarrassment washes over Mina as Chaeyoung fools her. She takes a deep breath and then gives him a deadly smirk. "And I'm just kidding that I worry about your health. You can go around smoking and die anytime soon," her remarks are sarscatic, deeply cutting Chaeyoung's feelings.
"Aww, that's...harsh?" Chaeyoung playfully clutches his chest. "But if I died, do you want to see our child lose his daddy again?" he teasingly asks, but suddenly a loud thud echoes in the kitchen as Mina knocks his head with the ladle.
"What are you talking about ? Drop the nonsense, Son Chaeyoung," her remarks are sharp and stern, far from a joke as her gaze becomes a bit tense, mixed with sadness. Trying to hide her turmoil, she turns around, avoiding Chaeyoung's gaze.
Chaeyoung rubs his head. "Yaa, you are hurting me...I feel like my head is spinning right now...I can't stand any more blows to my head after the accident, you know?" he whines.
Mina abruptly turns around, nervously looking at him, but suddenly she stands frozen, feeling as if under a spell as Chaeyoung's idiotic smile, one she hasn't seen in five years, appears before her. 'Hmm, that smile??.. After all this time, you never changed. You are still that idiot with your idiotic smile,huh ?' Mina silently reminisces, a flicker of uninvited warmth passing between them.
But nervousness and worry seize her again. Her breath grows heavier, but she tries to keep her emotions in check. "I-uh...you said that your head is spinning, but why are you smiling like an idiot? Are you going crazy because I hit your head?" Mina stammers, her words tumbling out spontaneously.
"Yaa..." Chaeyoung takes a few steps back, distancing himself from her. "I hate to break this out to you but actually...I'm fooling you again," he says while laughing and like what he expected, Mina's ladle swinging again in the air, but he manages to dodge it this time.
"Swear to god, you are so annoying, Son Chaeyoung," Mina rolls her eyes, annoyed. But eventually she bursts out a little nonchalant laugh, though her heart flutters at his antics but she needs to play it cool.
"What's happening here, guys?" Tzuyu emerges in the kitchen out of nowhere, wearing his clueless expression while looking at both Mina and Chaeyoung.
Mina rolls her eyes again. "Nothing...it's just that your friend is about to make me set fire in this kitchen," Mina says, giving a side glance to Chaeyoung.
Tzuyu's jaw drops. "Yaa, it hasn't been a day yet and you're already getting on Mina's nerves, Chaengi-yaa? Your teasing behavior never left you, huh?" Tzuyu chuckles in amusement.
"Well, I guess my blood type that's running through my body is 'teaser' instead of the normal A, B, O types," Chaeyoung suppresses a laugh at his own joke.
"Yaa, yaa, that's ticked my alarm..my bro never changed," Tzuyu bursts out laughing while swinging his palm in the air for a high five, and Chaeyoung reciprocates while laughing along with him.
Mina lets out a heavy, annoyed sigh. "Now I know how you feel, Jihyo-yaa. Handling these two guys who act like kids isn't easy," she whines to herself, hopelessly put herself into Jihyo's shoes when Chaeyoung and Tzuyu used to get on Jihyo's nerves back then.
Tzuyu averts her gaze to Mina. "Uh, Mina-yaa, actually I spoke to Jeongyeon on the phone just now. He, Nayeon and Jihyo are around town, so I asked them to join us for lunch. Are you cool with it?" Tzuyu asks suggestively.
Mina nods in agreement. "Sure, but Chaeyoung..."
"I didn't tell them about Chaeyoung yet. Just thought I'd want to surprise them," Tzuyu flashes a smile while looking at the clueless Chaeyoung. He knows Chaeyoung might be asking himself who Jeongyeon, Nayeon and Jihyo are, but he decides not to tell him beforehand. The idea of letting others introduce themselves to Chaeyoung during lunch lingers in his mind.
Chaeyoung listens silently, not bothering to ask further, his eyes fixed on what unfolds before him.
"Hey, isn't this the same strawberry tart you made the other day?" Tzuyu asks excitedly, his eyes and lips smiling together.
"Yeah, do you want to taste it?" Mina suggests, taking one of the tarts and blowing it to cool it down. "Here," she says, offering it to Tzuyu.
Tzuyu chuckles and opens his mouth wide as Mina feeds the tart straight into his mouth. His eyes sparkle as he munches on the tart. "Mmm, it's good," he nods in contentment.
Chaeyoung stands still, his bewilderment gaze alternating falls onto Mina and Tzuyu repeatedly. Seeing Mina blow on the tart and feed Tzuyu somehow makes his heart feel like it's being squeezed out of nowhere. He feels a strange pain tugging at his heartstrings, and he couldn't comprehend why he feels like that.
Chaeyoung blinks, trying to hold his grip 'Why do I feel like this? She's clearly Tzuyu's wife, and I have no right to feel jealous. Get a grip, Chayeoung..she's not your girlfriend anymore and you don't even remember anything about this woman..' his mind speaks his feelings. He knows something is wrong with him and decides to leave the kitchen while Tzuyu and Mina are minding their business.
Without saying a word, Chaeyoung turns around and walks away, but accidentally kicks the door frame of the kitchen, making his toe bleed. "Ow!!!... W-what the..." he almost curses, hopping on one leg and trying to suppress the pain as he bites his lower lip.
"Chaeng!.." Mina startles as her eyes trailed Chaeyoung. She immediately tries to approach him, but Sana comes to him first before her, making Mina freeze in her place.
"Yaa!! Chaengi!!" Sana exclaims, covering her mouth, surprised to see her friend in pain. She holds onto Chaeyoung for support. "Yaa, why are you so clumsy, Chaeng?" she babbles, pouting her mouth, her eyes glassy, almost crying as she sees Chaeyoung in pain.
Tzuyu steps closer. "Yaa, idiot... are you holding a grudge against this door frame?" Tzuyu mutters, laughing a bit, "Come on, let me help you," he says, holding onto Chaeyoung and trying to guide him to a seat in the living room.
As they settle Chaeyoung on the sofa, Sana returns to the kitchen. "Mina-yaa, do you have a first aid kit?" she asks urgently.
Mina nods and immediately opens one of the kitchen cabinets. As she retrives the kit, she extends it to Sana, but to her surprise, Sana doesn't take it and left her hand hanging in the air.
"Uh... Mina-yaa, could you help Chaeyoung with his wound? Don't worry, I'll take care of the rest of the cooking," Sana pleads, clasping her hands together with her big, glassy eyes shimmering.
Mina chews her inner cheek, feeling a bit hesitant but she unable to deny her own worry for Chaeyoung. She offers a faint smile. "Sure, I'll help him, and as for the cooking, I've actually already finished everything," she says. "I'll go to Chaeyoung now," she adds, then leaves the kitchen, making her way to Chaeyoung in the living room.
As soon as Mina departs, Sana silently starts a small jumps joyously, her small giggles filling the kitchen. Her heart flutters with satisfaction as her plan to have Mina treat Chaeyoung is successful.
Mina walks over to Chaeyoung in the living room, finding Hoonie standing before him. His small fingers are gently caressing Chaeyoung's hair as he speaks, "Does it hurt, daddy? Daddy, don't cry, okay? It's just a little wound there." His voice carries a tone of purity and innocence.
Mina observes Chaeyoung chuckling in response to his son. "No, daddy didn't cry. Daddy is strong like my strong boy here," he says, pinching Hoonie's nose, eliciting laughter from his son.
"Your daddy is a strong man, Hoonie-yaa. He won't cry unless it's for mommy," Mina interjects, taking a seat beside Chaeyoung.
Chaeyoung's gaze shifts to Mina, his curiosity piqued. "What does that mean, I cried for you?" he asks, watching as Mina opens up the first aid kit.
Mina shakes her head with a playful smile. "It's just a silly reason I made up to make you appear strong in front of your son, Chaeng," she says while retrieving some medicines and a bandage.
Chaeyoung clicks his tongue in amusement. "Tsk, you don't need to come up with a reason that makes me seem weak for you," he chuckles incredulously.
"You used to, Chaeng," Mina mumbles softly under her breath, almost as if she's speaking to herself.
Chaeyoung furrows his brows in confusion. "What... did you say something?" he asks, sensing that Mina uttered something.
Mina quickly shakes her head, adopting a nonchalant and defensive demeanor. "No, I didn't," she insists, her expression innocent. "Hoonie-yaa, did you hear mommy say anything to daddy?" she asks, turning her attention to her son, knowing he couldn't have heard her muttering.
Hoonie places the back of his hand on Chaeyoung's forehead. "Daddy.., mommy didn't say anything, and...you don't have a fever.. to be hallucinating, daddy," he stammers out.
"Uhh?" Chaeyoung is bewildered by his son's teasing. He then lifts his son onto his lap, holding him close. "Yaa, where did you learn to be this savage, huh, little boy?" He giggles prominently while pulling Hoonie into a tight hug. "Tell me, son"
Mina couldn't help but her heart melts looking at those two. Her gummy smiles radiate as she watches them and her heartily laugh filled across the room.
"Mommy, help me... Daddy doesn't want to let me go," Hoonie stammers between laughs as Chaeyoung tightens his embrace.
"Yaa, let him go now, Chaeng," Mina urges, gently attempting to remove Chaeyoung's hand from their son, her laughter still lingering. "Come on leg him go, Chaeng, we need to treat your wound now," she says softly while continuing to assist their son.
"Oh, you're safe now because Mommy's helping you, Hoonie-yaa," Chaeyoung says, loosening the hug and his son swiftly hops off his lap as soon as Chaeyoung releases him.
"I'm not scared of you, Daddy," Hoonie taunts, starting to run away from his parents, wary of Chaeyoung catching him again.
Chaeyoung and Mina chuckle at their son's playful antics. Chaeyoung playfully grimaces, "After this, I won't let you go, Hoonie-yaa. You better run," he growls in jest, prompting his son to run even faster until he disappears into the room where Tzuyu is.
"Papa, help me!" Hoonie shouts to Tzuyu as he runs.
Chaeyoung clutches his stomach, "Seems like the 'teaser' blood type runs in Hoonie too. I guess I'm the dominant one while we making him before, Mina-yaa," he muses out of nowhere, causing Mina's cheeks to flush pink.
She says nothing, instead straightly pulling Chaeyoung's leg with the wound up onto the sofa. Her head hangs down, trying her best to conceal her flushed face from Chaeyoung. If only she had a mask, she thinks, it would be plastered on her face for the rest of the day.
"By the way, Chaeng... Didn't you say you need time to accept the truth about Hoonie? But now you seem more certain about him... It's not like I don't like it, but it's quite confusing with your sudden acceptance," Mina hesitantly asks while caressing Chaeyoung's toe, avoiding eye contact.
Chaeyoung remains silent for a moment, suppressing the pain from his wound. "It might sound nonsensical, but actually, I'm still confused about everything, Mina-yaa. I've been living with a lot of questions about myself. Somehow, looking at Hoonie, I can see myself in him. It makes me want to believe that he is my son," Chaeyoung expresses his thoughts. He knows something about that kid really connects them, convincing him that Hoonie is truly his son, even though he's still uncertain about it.
Mina's gaze falls onto him, "You know what, Chaeng? He resembles you a lot..." she pauses for a while. "Take all the time you need, and don't worry, I'll help you with everything you need to know about him," Mina's lips curl into a soft smile. Deep inside, she feels glad that Chaeyoung is slowly accepting their son as his own, and a part of her is happy to see him still the same as before, filled with empathy and love.
"Um... And will you help me with anything I want to know about us too? I-uh.I didn't mean to reopen the old, broken love story between us. But I just wonder what separated us when we already have a child together..." Chaeyoung questions her with something that has been bothering him for a while now. Even though it feels a bit guilty to ask, the urge to know beats everything else now.
Mina is caught off guard by his question, her heart suddenly sinking with a tinge of gloom. Lost for words on how to answer, her eyes linger on Chaeyoung's face, layered with reservation. She notices how Chaeyoung is still waiting for her answer as she sighs. "One day, you will learn and remember everything, Chaeng... you should just wait for that day to come," she sternly says while rising from her seat, trying to escape the edgy atmosphere.
Chaeyoung's eyes trail her, completely speechless. It seems like Mina's rejection of his request makes him slightly nod in dissatisfaction.
Before Mina could completely leave him in the living room, the doorbell rings. She takes a short glance at Chaeyoung before heading to the door. Chaeyoung can't take his eyes off her, his feelings all mixed up inside him.
Mina takes a deep breath and wipes away the tears clinging at the corners of her eyes, which emerged out of nowhere before opening the door. As she opens it ajar, Jeongyeon, Nayeon, and Jihyo are revealed behind it. She puts on a warm smile, welcoming them inside.
As soon as they step into the living room, Jihyo's eyes widen in disbelief at what's revealed before her. Her lips tremble. "C-Chaeyoung?" She stands frozen for a moment.
Meanwhile, Jeongyeon dashes closer to Chaeyoung. His face reddens till his ears, his heart slowly burning as he looks at the familiar face he hasn't seen in a long time. He balls his fist and straight away pulls Chaeyoung's collar, throwing a punch at Chaeyoung's face, making him fall onto the floor. "Yaa, what is this bastard doing here?" Jeongyeon's rage bursts out of nowhere, shocking the others.
"Yaa, what are you doing, Jeong!!?" Mina shouts in disbelief as she rushes to Chaeyoung's side on the floor, who is now clueless about everything, while caressing his face.
"W-who..." Chaeyoung's words stick as his head starts spinning and his sight start to blur. He barely able to stand up properly.
"Mina-yaa, what is this motherfucker doing here?" Jeongyeon raises his voice and grabs his collar again, makes Chaeyoung weakly stands before him, their faces just inches apart. His heavy and hot breath meets Chaeyoung's skin.
"Babe, stop... why did you hit him?" Nayeon intervenes, trying to break her husband from hitting Chaeyoung again.
"Stop it, Jeongyeon! Are you crazy? Let him go!" Mina tries to remove his hand, but her energy isn't enough to loosen Jeongeyon's grip on Chaeyoung. "I said let him go, Yoo Jeongyeon!" She raises her voice as best as she can. Jeongyeon gives Mina a glaring stare before releasing his grip on Chaeyoung's collar.
As Jeongyeon let go Chaeyoung's collar, Chaeyoung's vision blurs further, everything feel like spinning around him. In a split second, he collapses onto the floor, completely unconscious.
"Chaeng?!" Mina's voice rings out in alarmed surprise as she sits down on the floor, cradling Chaeyoung's head in her lap. "Yaa, what happened? Wake up!" She nervously pleads, her heart filled with worry and concern for him.
"What's with all the noises? I can—" Sana abruptly emerges from the kitchen, her eyes widening in surprise as she takes in the chaos before her. Her gaze lingers on each person, all of whom are now looking at her. Then, it fixates on Chaeyoung. "Chaeng, what happened?" Her voice carries a mix of worry and surprise as she swiftly approaches him laying on the floor.
"What's happening here? Why are Sana and Chaeyoung here, Mina-yaa?" Jihyo asks, her tone tinged with confusion. She's still stunned by everything unfolding before her, the situation seeming surreal.
"Yaa, tell us what this rubbish is doing here," Jeongyeon demands, his voice thick with anger. He takes another enraged step closer to them, but Nayeon restrains him, holding onto his torso to prevent him from moving.
Mina's eyes blaze with silent anger and frustration. "Unnie, take your husband to my room now. I'll explain everything later," she says, shooting deadly stares at Jeongyeon. Her heart unknowingly firing to Jeongyeon as he punched Chaeyoung out of nowhere, making Chaeyoung collapsed.
Nayeon complies, pulling her husband away from them and leaving them in the living room.
"What happened, Mina-yaa?" Sana inquires, her gaze shifting to Chaeyoung. "Why did Chaeyoung faint? What happened to him?" Sana bombards Mina with questions. "Did he fight with Jeongyeon?" She rushes to ask.
Despite her nervousness and sadness, Mina manages to gather her composure to answer. "Jeongyeon suddenly threw a punch at him, and he suddenly fainted," she groggily explains, feeling a sting in her heart for Chaeyoung.
"Shit, why did he do that to Chaeng?!" Sana exclaims angrily. "Help me lift him onto the sofa, Mina-yaa," she sternly says, slowly snaking her hand onto Chaeyoung's body while Mina assists. However, Chaeyoung is too heavy for just the two of them to lift. "Jihyo-yaa, I know you might hate Chaeyoung now, but could you please give us a hand?" Sana sarcastically requests. Jihyo says nothing but helps them nonetheless.
Sana gazes at Chaeyoung's face for a moment, her expression tinged with gloom as she speaks, "Just so for you guys know, Chaeyoung isn't a punching bag for your friend to hit. He's already punished enough for everything, and if you hate him, please don't ever lay a hand on him. He can't withstand any more blows to his head after his accident. Look what happened now," Sana firmly asserts, not bothering to look at Mina and Jihyo.
"I don't know, Sana-yaa. I had no idea Jeongyeon would suddenly hit him," Mina says, feeling guilty as she chews her inner cheeks. But her words hang in the air as Sana offers no reply.
Jihyo suddenly breaks the tension. "I never hate anyone, not Chaengi too. But I don't understand what's happening here," she sighs
"I'll tell you guys everything, then," Tzuyu announces suddenly as he emerges in the living room. He had actually heard everything but decided not to come out from the room because Hoonie was with him just now. He didn't want the little kid to witness the chaotic events, so he stayed with Hoonie to help him fall asleep.
"Mina-yaa, just stay here and look after Chaeyoung," Tzuyu orders them, his tone firm. "Sana, come with me, help me explain everything to them. And Jihyo-yaa, come with me too if you want to know the truth," he adds. Sana and Jihyo don't object, simply following Tzuyu. Mina's eyes trail them until they disappear into her room, where Jeongyeon and Nayeon are already waiting.
AUTHOR'S NOTE ;
Heyyo..I'm back !! Sorry for the late update again🥺