+interlude part 2: continuation. quite long again. i hope you don't kill me
"how are you, haine?" his voice rang, it felt so foreign against her ears and yet she couldn't hide the fact the she missed the way her name rolled off of his tongue.
it had been about four years ever since she had news about the man seating beside her.
they sat on a bench side to side as they carefully watched the twins have fun on the merry-go-round, just across of them.
haine felt weird, for the first time in four years, she felt alive again. the woman felt as if the sun shone brighter, the birds chirped quite merrily and the children laughing was a beautiful melody she could never grow tired off.
"long time no see" the boy spoke once more as he shifted in his seat, gaze lingering on the woman beside him. ever since they first met, haine kept silent all along, he had wanted to hear her voice so much. he had wanted to hear her voice, he missed her more than anyone could've even imagined.
jeongguk stayed with them throughout the day ever since, the twins were quite fond of him as he was also a teacher in their school – their favorite mapeh teacher to be exact.
i wish you would speak, i missed you love.
his eyes were fixated on haine and he was sure caught defenseless of her appearance. in the span of four years, in jeongguk's eyes haine grew even more breathtaking.
the man observed the way she looked matured, her hair was a glorious locks of red velvet, her cheekbones became well defined, her eyes – even if they looked swollen, it was still beautiful and most of all, her lips, he wanted to kiss it to death.
haine looked so independent and fragile at the same time, he wanted to protect her, embrace her together with the twins.
but he knew he couldn't.
"y–you look well" the boy muttered, his voice staggering, trying to compose himself from letting unnecessary emotions slip. the words that escaped on jeongguk's lips seemed to ring a bell in haine's ears and their eyes met, when she finally looked at him.
i'm not okay, jeongguk.
He whispered inside his mind.
you're so breathtaking, haine.
jeongguk felt his breath caught up inside his throat, his heart was thumping so fast, as if he was in a run.
you look so beautiful, haine.
he looked so mesmerized by the woman infront of her.
i want you, haine.
"y—you look fine, too" haine squeaked, her voice seemingly small as she couldn't tore her gaze away from the man.
she was drawn on him.
jeongguk, a lot has changed in him as haine would've quoted. haine observed how the man grew even more muscular, his biceps were almost popping out of his long sleeves. he looked dangerously hot even if he was only clad in a simple all black smart casual clothes. his features became even sharper and he was sure an eye catchy specimen who screamed attention.
she couldn't find any words to say, a lot has changed and she felt so small as soon as she found the courage to look away. in the span of four years, a lot has changed.
for four years, there was no trace left of him, no clues and news. jeon jeongguk disappeared for four years and haine was still in shock when he magically appeared right infront of her out of the blue and in an amusement park – of all places, how were they able to meet?
isn't it fishy to suddenly meet in the amusement park?
"mama! kookie!" the two little kids beamed at haine and jeongguk as they ran towards them.
a heartfelt smile spread across haine's lips as she carried the two and placed them lovingly on her lap. she hugged the twins and the two snuggled closer, it was truly an adorable sight even jeongguk felt himself weaken.
he wished to entrap them in his embrace.
but he couldn't and the ring on haine's finger is the proof of it.
"mama" the little girl started to yawn and haejung suddenly cupped jihye's cheeks before facing haine's face "we wanna go home mama, ji is tired"
haine nodded, it was already about sunset, no wonder the two were already tired.
haine sighed, "okay, let's go home my little monsters" she softly spoke and jeongguk saw how adorable they looked.
my family, my family is just right beside me and yet, i can't touch them.
jeongguk saw haine slowly stand up, carrying the little girl as the boy held his mother's hand tight.
no, don't go just yet.
jeongguk wanted to be with them even for just a little while longer. is it bad to be selfish once in a while?
"i–i'll get you three home" he found himself speak as he suddenly held haine's arm. oh, how they missed how warm they both felt against their skins.
their eyes met and both held yearning.
please. just please say yes.
haine hesitated, just wanting to go home and be away from jeongguk as soon as possible. she had intended to decline but the moment her little boy started to tug on jeongguk's sleeves, haine couldn't help but agree.
"please carry me"
jeongguk's eyes shifted on the boy, he was a splitting image of him and it made him so soft. haejung was adorable and knowing for a fact that he was his son, didn't help but make him bend.
haine saw how the little boy wanted to just sleep and she couldn't argue even more.
"okay, we'll take the lift" jeongguk could've sworn he thanked the heavens thousand fold.
;
"haejung, don't sit there. come here sweetie" haine inquired, wanting the little boy to move at the backseat rather than in the frontseat but he was quite the thickheaded one.
"no. i want here" he whined before holding jeongguk's hand, tight. "i want to be here, close kookie"
jeongguk felt himself weaken at the gesture of the boy. "i– haejung, i'm warning you. come here"
haine threatened the boy but what caught her off guard was when the boy climbed on jeongguk's lap and snuggled close on his biological father.
"i want here"
"haejung–"
"mama, i want to be at the frontseat" the girl beside her suddenly woke up as she suggested something that haine internally screamed no.
"but baby—"
"i wanna be close to jungie. let's seat at the front, mama" haine sighed, before carding her hair, eyes shifting to jeongguk.
"i'm really sorry–"
jeongguk hid the reddening of his cheeks as haine saw him staring. "i—it's okay. please, you can seat here" the man tapped the passenger seat
haine got out of the car before plopping inside it again on the frontseat with jihye in her arms.
"haejung, now come here" haine spoke once she was settled and haejung couldn't help but comply, retracting from jeongguk.
"are we ready?" jeongguk asked as he beamed and couldn't help but have his voice be tinged with excitement.
"yes, we're all good"
the ride on their way home was quite silent, jeongguk had asked haine to press the address on the map sensor so that it wouldn't be much of a hassle to ask haine for the directions, every now and then.
truth be told, jeongguk already knew where the family lived but he was just too afraid to voice it out. the man was afraid to know what haine's reaction would be if she knew that they were almost even living in the same neighborhood.
four years, four years and you've grown into a fine woman.
jeongguk thought, finding it hard to stop the urge to just take them home into his flat that was just a few blocks away from haine's humble home. his own family was just right beside him, they were just a hand's reach but even if they were so close, they were still far away.
in the span of four years, many things had changed.
i became a businessman while you became a well-known model and volunteer worker, you even sing.
jeongguk strived. in the past four years, he had wanted to become something of worth. right after that fateful night – when he was just a minute too late, jeongguk picked up all his courage and continued his course. he started his company overseas, eventually setting up his own corporation and here he was, a successful man, internationally.
we're different worlds.
jeongguk swerved through the lane, the ride on the way home was quite long. the amusement park was a two hours ride away from home and as much as it would look like he was being selfish, he liked it. he liked the idea of them being together even if it was just for a ride home.
his eyes shifted from the road to the angels beside him and the sight couldn't help but make him feel vulnerable – they were sleeping peacefully, they looked like they were his family.
was it worth it? was it worth, today?
it was no coincidence when he met the family this afternoon. there was one time when he had heard the twins being giddy and excited of their day out, it took him a lot of self-debate to walk and decide to cancel all his corporation's appointment for this day.
yes, it's worth it. if it meant i'd be able to see them without taehyung, i'd grab the opportunity.
he knew that it was wrong of him to associate himself with a married woman but . . . who is he to be blamed? who is he to be at fault when he can't move on even if four years had already passed?
everynight, he would cry himself to sleep thinking of the things he could've done, thinking of the things he could've be doing together with his precious family.
his life was just full of what ifs and regrets – what if he chose to not stain his hands and regret that he let the only woman he ever loved, go.
he wondered what it would've felt if only he didn't choose to be rash and idiot. he wondered if this precious people who sat beside him on the passenger seat would be his to keep, would he be able to have them if only he didn't kill?
a tear brimmed in his eyes and he tried so hard to hide them but failed miserably, shifting his gaze he had to stop for a while in driving, to compose himself.
tears pooled in his eyes, he should've made them stop but memories came flooding inide his mind and he couldn't help but break. cupping his face, he let his forehead rest on the steering wheel, painful sobs escaping his lips.
"what's wrong?" his ears heard the beautiful melody that he had been dying to hear for so long and he slowly lifted his head up.
a worried haine came into his view, "a—are you hurt somewhere?" she asked again before her hand reached out to touch his left cheek. he missed this hand, this warmth and most of all, the person who had it.
"s—sorry" the word left his mouth before he could've even processed anything.
"i—i'm so sorry, haine" he cried even more before touching haine's hand, letting himself drown into her even for just a brief moment.
haine hinted of why jeongguk was apologizing. the woman's heart suddenly felt so tight, breathe caught up inside her throat, as much as she wanted to tell him and beg him to take her away together with their children it was impossible – the ring on her finger is the proof of it.
dragging the painful words, she bit the insides of her mouth to stop the tears from spilling. "i forgive you, it's all in the past now"
;
he turned off the engine once he pulled off infront of an average-size manor, "haine, we've reach—" he found his voice faltering when his eyes shifted on the angels on the passenger seat – they were sleeping peacefully. the two little angels embraced their mother lovingly, hands tightly clutching the cloth of haine's jumper while the twins' heads were resting on their mother's shoulder, haine's arms entrapped the two in a protective hug – it was a perfect family picture.
they were perfect, too perfect.
and they were supposed to be his to keep.
silence enveloping the car, he noticed that it was already dark and yet the beauty of the angels beside him seemed to illuminate even in the darkness.
jeongguk's eyes trailed on haine's face. she's so beautiful—her eyes, nose and lips, everything just—
jeongguk brushed the thoughts away, he wanted to reach out and wake the mother as he was afraid to do something he might regret but before he could've touched haine's shoulder, the words that escaped haine's lips as a single tear cascaded on her cheeks caught him off guard.
"d—don't leave . . . je—jeongguk"
eyes widening and heart shattering, jeongguk's brown orbs started to pool once again.
why, why can't we be together? why can't i have you? you're – you're the only one i've ever wanted.
countless of questions rummaged his mind and as much as he wanted answers, he knew that no one would ever tell him why. no one would ever tell him why they can't be together, why must they yearn for the other, why must they keep on hurting.
and why must they be apart even if they were meant to be.
jeongguk's selfish side ate his heart, he wanted haine. he wanted to be with the twins, they were all supposed to be his and yet . . . yet why?
can i be selfish even for just one last time? can i? can i be selfish?
slowly leaning in and pushing all the rational thoughts on the back of his head, his face slowly descended towards haine. even for just one last time, i want you. eyes shifting on haine's plump red lips, his hot breath tickled the woman's skin, closing the gaps between their faces, his lips delicately pressed on her soft ones.
i love you.
a tear dripped on haine's skin and the coldness of it made her eyes flutter to open. eyes widening at the sight of jeongguk kissing her, she immediately pushed the man away from her before deliberately wiping and covering her lips.
"wh—what are you doing?!" she whisper-yelled afraid to wake the kids as the tears flowed in her cheeks.
jeongguk's heart shattered.
"i—i'm so—"
"don't! i don't want to hear your apology! i'm sick of that! all you ever do is apologize but never even make any effort of doing things that'll make me forgive you! i'm a married woman and what you did right now annoys me! we recently got a closure before and now i see you—"
Closure. The word seemed to ring a bell for jeongguk. He didn't want a closure and even if they did such a thing, he would never accept it.
"i still love you and i can't help it!" jeongguk broke the news to the girl before he inched closer to her again and almost held her hand but she slapped it away.
"don't touch me!"
jeongguk sniffled, "no! i'm dying to be with you, i still want you. i love you and it pains me to see that ring on your hand! it breaks me to know that i can't ever be with you when you're supposed to be mine! when you three are supposed to be mine to keep and my fami—"
"no. you were the one who left me! you were the one who wanted me to marry taehyung, you pushed me away! you let me go even if i begged you to take me, even if i swore that i would still be willing to wait for you even how long it might be. you left me! you never saved me from the marriage. do you know how hard it was without you?" the girl sobbed, a broken voice escaping her lips.
"i have to pretend to be fine always, i have to pretend to smile every single day. i wished for your return, i wished that there would come a day that you'll magically appear and take me from taehyung. i waited for you for three years. i wanted to move on with tae, i wanted to love him but why? why must i still love you even how much you hurted me? i'm so tired"
"please haine i—"
"i've had enough of you!" the woman screamed and the twins suddenly woke up.
"stop hurting me" haine muttered and the twins were bewildered upon seeing the tear-stained face of their beloved mother.
"m—mama?" the twins simultaneously spoke before cupping the face of their mother. worry edging their small features, haine saw how conflicted the two were.
"we're leaving, thank you for the ride" no. jeongguk wanted to apologize once more as she saw haine hurriedly grabbed their things before opening the car door.
"no. haine, please don't go. i—i know they're mine!" jeongguk was desperate and the words that escaped his mouth made haine feel light.
Jeongguk was pertaining to the twins.
"they were, but not now or ever again."
heart torn into pieces, jeongguk sat frozen on the driver's seat as he let haine go, once more.
;
"honey, you okay?" taehyung's voice rang on haine's ears and their eyes met. she felt like crying once more as she couldn't still love the man who laid beside her in the bed.
it was bedtime and she was still disturbed of what happened with jeongguk.
"you're eyes are swollen" the man hummed, delicately cupping her cheeks before giving a chaste kiss on her nose. "is it the kids?" the man asked, worry painted in his face.
no, it isn't. it's about the past.
she wanted to tell him about jeongguk but was too afraid to break his heart even more, haine felt so bad for taehyung. it's been four years and she still couldn't move on, taehyung didn't deserve her.
haine really wanted to love taehyung but her heart wants someone else, her mind can't dictate what her heart wants.
"i love you, haine" every night, taehyung would never fail to utter those words that would always leave haine speechless. every time taehyung speaks of those words, she would see the glint of hope and expectant glitter in his eyes. She knew taehyung wanted her, she knew taehyung was dying to hear the l-word from haine and yet, every night she would disappoint him and the man would hide the pain with his fake smile.
maybe this night, he doesn't have to be disappointed once more.
"i—" taehyung's eyes glowed with excitement but before he could've heard the words escape, a call on haine's phone broke the two's intimate session.
INCOMING CALL
"sugarbear"
ACCEPT | DECLINE
"yoongi what—"
"haine! jeongguk! Jeongguk, oh god. I don't know what to do—" haine felt her breathe become caught up inside her throat, worry eating up her poor heart.
"c—calm down—"
"I can't calm the fucking down! jeongguk! jeongguk was caught in an accident and he is badly injured and was rushed to the hospital! help me! oh god, haine! help me, i don't know what to do!"