I heard an engine car from outside. Taehyung must have come back.
Actually, I still get a creepy feeling from those photos of mine in his drawer.
I heard him punching the door password, and I quickly looked back at Jihoon and continued playing robot building with him.
Then, I heard the door open and his footsteps.
"Babe, I bought you a kimbap," said he.
I turned to him and saw him putting a plastic bag on the dining table. "Oh, okay," I said, and he continued playing with Jihoon.
I heard Taehyung's footsteps towards me.
"Babe," he called me.
I turned to him and saw him sitting down beside me.
He put a paper bag in front of me.
"I know you lost your phone, so yeah."
"Dad, look at my robot," said Jihoon to Taehyung.
"It's amazing," said Taehyung, ruffling Jihoon's hair.
Jihoon giggled proudly and went back to his robot.
I glanced at the shopping bag and then went back to Taehyung. "Thank you," I said and took it.
I took a look at the phone he bought for me.
"I bought you a new number. I cannot have them get the SIM card with your same number because they need you to be there for that"
"Oh. But I have to do that. Because that number is important. I have important personal business with that phone number," I said.
"I'll send you to the mobile center whenever you want," said he, and he curled a smile at me.
"Um," she said, and then I just remembered about the Nara thing. "Taehyung, what about Nara? Have you settled with her about the photo?" asked me.
"Yeah, I did. Don't worry about it anymore," he said.
I looked him in the eyes. I was curious how he settled with her because his way was sometimes dirty.
"Why do you look at me like that?"
"I am curious, how did you settle with her?"
He could read through her. "Do you doubt my way? Do you think I'm wicked?" asked Taehyung and tilted his head to the side slightly at me.
"No. That's not what I mean. I'm just curious." I rejected his claim, even though it's true that it was what I thought.
"I paid for that photo," he said, and I froze. Our eyes still gazed at each other.
He really could read through me, and I could not lie.
"We deal with money," continued him.
My lips twitched slightly. "H-how much?"
"Very much," said he.
"How much is that very much?" asked me. I was so curious.
"Why do you want to know? Are you planning to pay me back?" asked him.
My eyes flickered, and I began to stutter. I didn't know whether I could afford it. How much could it be? 10,000 won? 50 000 won? Or 100,000 won? What if beyond that? "I-I.. I-"
He laughed and looked at me. "I just tease you, babe," said he.
"You're crazy," I said and smiled. He was really such a teaser.
He laughed again.
Talking about crazy just reminded me of those photos. "Taehyung, I have something to ask you."
"Um, ask me."
I pressed my lips together. I didn't know how to start. "Actually, I was looking for the extra towel in your room. So, I went to open your drawer, and then..." I paused, hesitant. I looked at his face. He was listening to me attentively.
"Hmm. I saw many photos of mine. Have you been stalking me?"
He turned his head away and stretched his jaw. He seemed to be looking for an explanation.
Then he looked back at me. "You saw that?"
"Yeah. I didn't know at all that you were there, watching me along all the time."
He studied her face. No wonder she was so timid with him today, unlike yesterday. Yesterday, she was so comfortable with him that she even kissed him.
"So, what do you want to know from that?" Asked Taehyung.
"You are a stalker," I said, and the situation suddenly turned intense between us.
"Yes. I was jobless because of my scandal. So, I'd been following you," said him.
"Your scandal really affected you that much?"
"Mmm, the company wants me to be off the appearance and any activity for a while.".
"Oh, that's quite awful. By the way, why did you follow me? It kind of creeps me out, you know?"
"I want to know what my love is doing. And because I couldn't take you home, I took your photos home. And it's better to have photos printed out. I felt much your presence," he said, looking into my eyes, trying to find what I thought.
I didn't say anything more and just gazed back into his eyes.
He put his hand on my thigh. "I'm sorry for that."
"It's okay, I just want to tell you," said I, turning to Jihoon and continuing to play with him.
Taehyung noticed very much that she was being cold to him.
I could feel Taehyung's strong gaze on me. I just pretended that I wasn't bothered at all, as I was busy playing with Jihoon.
After a while, I turned my head toward him. I knew he was trying to know if I was angry at him or not. And it's just better if we change the topic. "Can you drive me to the mobile center? I need my old number."
Eunwoo walked out of the grocery store with a plastic bag of food.
"Oh, Eunwoo-ssi!"
Eunwoo stopped and turned back at the voice calling him.
It was Jihoon's teacher, Teacher Yoon.
Teacher Yoon drew a smile on her small face and walked towards him.
"Eunwoo-ssi. I'm sorry to disturb you."
"No, it's okay. I'm not in a rush," said Eunwoo.
"Actually, last week before the holiday, Jihoon hadn't been going to school for one week. I went to your house. Two times. There was like no one living in that house. Is there anything happening?" asked Teacher Yoon.
She noticed Eunwoo was having trouble answering her, and she realized that her question was maybe too personal for him. "I mean about Jihoon. Is there any problem with Jihoon? I am concerned as his teacher," explained her.
He was silent for a while. He wasn't ready to tell people here about his divorce.
"He went to his grandma's house with his mother," he lied.
"Yes?" Teacher Yoon cocked her brow. As she remembered, Y/N did tell her the same reason for Jihoon's absence last month.
To her memory, Jihoon only had one grandma, and it was at y/n's side, who lived abroad. How could they go abroad twice in the near future?
"But Eunwoo-ssi, your wife just went abroad last month with Jihoon to visit his grandma. It-it's.." Teacher Yoon stopped. She didn't know how to say it was illogical without causing a misunderstanding.
Eunwoo noticed that she was trying to arrange her words. In short, she couldn't believe that he could afford the tickets to go abroad twice in the near future. "Jihoon didn't go to school last week because he went abroad. That's only my answer if you really only meant to ask about Jihoon," said Eunwoo, who turned to leave.
He walked away and left Teacher Yoon alone.
She bit her lips. She knew she had hurt his feelings unintentionally.
He went to his house with Y/N and stopped at about a meter. He looked at the house, and like Teacher Yoon said, it was like no one was living here. It was so quiet.
Maybe they had both gone somewhere else. To be honest, he could feel her going back to her ex.
He didn't want to think much about it and ignored those feelings.
He walked towards the gate and looked at the mailbox.
There were some letters. Obviously, she had gone for a while.
He took the letters and started reading them one by one. He sighed. She missed the court settlement letter.
He didn't know whether she knew it or not. Maybe she received a message from the court. But what if she didn't?
If she didn't appear in court next Tuesday, she would be penalized, and this would drag out their divorce process.
He didn't want to care about her, but he didn't have the heart to put her in such a situation.
He let out a sigh again and then went inside. Like he expected, the house looked like it had been left for over a week.
So, she really didn't know about the court settlement.
He threw his head down, biting his lip in thought, to consider telling her.
He convinced himself that he had moved on and shouldn't hold the grudge. Grudge would only hurt him in the end.
He took out his phone and called Y/N.
I was in the car with Taehyung, on our way home from the mobile center.
My phone rang.
"You got a call that fast?" asked Taehyung because she had just retrieved the SIM card.
I didn't say anything and looked at the number that called me.
My heart skipped a beat. I recognized this number. It was Eunwoo's number. My emotions began to become unsteady; I was overwhelmed with guilt.
Taehyung noticed the sudden change in my facial expression. "What's wrong? Who's that?" asked him.
I shifted my eyes to Taehyung. "It is Eunwoo."
I saw his face muscles freeze, but he tried hard to control it. I knew he didn't like Eunwoo at all.
"It must be about our divorce process. Can you please not make a sound?" asked me. I did not want to hurt Eunwoo further.
"Um," said Taehyung without looking at me. His eyes were focusing on the road.
I glanced at the phone screen before answering. "Hello," she said, my heart pounding.
"You missed the court settlement letter."
The first thing that caught my attention was his voice. I felt bad. I felt so bad. "Oh, really? Thank you for telling me."
"I'll snap you the picture of this letter later," said him, and he hung up the call right away.
I pulled my phone out of my ear and looked at the screen. He really ended the call.
I was left speechless when he did that. He seemed to be resenting me.
"How?" asked Taheyung.
"Um? I got the court settlement letter. I think my divorce will be finalized in a short time," said, and then my phone chimed.
I got messages from Eunwoo. I opened his message.
"What is it?" asked Taehyung.
"It is next Tuesday. The settlement," I said, and I continued skimming the letter.
To be honest, it was faster than I thought. And I wasn't ready to settle this. I didn't know how to face Eunwoo anymore. I felt ashamed, guilty, bad, and terrible.
Taehyung took a glance at her. He noticed she looked gloomy.
________
I walked out of the court. The settlement process went smoothly because it was a mutual divorce.
None of us want the alimony, and I didn't claim the matrimonial property. To be honest, I was more like a parasite than a help to Eunwoo.
And my child custody went to Taehyung too because I lost my qualifications. I didn't have a job or any properties. Gosh, so pathetic.
I saw Eunwoo around the door of the court.
Except in court, we haven't talked personally yet.
I kept turning my head at him, as I had something to tell him.
I balled my hands into his fists, took a deep breath, and mustered my courage to approach him.
I let out a breath, and I opened the curls in my hands.
I went to him. He noticed me and gave me a glance.
"Eunwoo, I know our case has settled. But I don't want us to be something like... You know.. I'm sorry," I said, looking up at him.
My hands kept clenching my dress slightly. I was nervous. I was hoping he wouldn't resent me.
"I don't want to have a fight. Just be on your way," he said, and I shifted my eyes away from him.
He sounded so cold to me.
I looked him in the eyes again. "Me too. But I don't want us to act like we're strangers. Jihoon will want to see you," said I.
"I don't know why you're doing this to me, but don't tie me to your son. Just leave me alone.".
My brows twitched. He really resented me. "I don't mean that, Eunwoo. I understand that you resent me. But for five years—I mean, for almost six years—we've been knowing each other; you've been helping me. I am thankful that."
"Exactly, for almost six years," he told me, and I shut my mouth.
His eyes gazed into mine intensely.
"Be thankful because of me, you're still alive today," he said, and he walked past me, leaving me speechless.
I turned to him, watching him walk away.
I sighed. I am very sorry. I am so sorry, Eunwoo-ah.
***