Jiyeon just arrived at the hospital. The interns and nurses were looking at her weirdly because Jiyeon was humming as she walked out of the locker room. She was oblivious to the weird stares and just stayed in her own little world.
She barely got three hours of sleep but she was nowhere near cranky. She kept on getting flashbacks of what happened last night…or rather until early that morning. Jiyeon recalled the first time she made love with Jaejoong. It was so intense, they were both silent, as if talking to each other through their eyes and their bodies were in sync. Jaejoong kept her up all night and didn’t even let her rest between lovemaking. Jaejoong told her that all those months that they slept together on the same bed without anything happening should be enough rest for Jiyeon. She started complaining and asked Jaejoong to get off her but Jaejoong would kiss her until she conceded and gave in to her own urges. Their lovemaking was exhilaratingly different. They showered each other with soft kisses and then they start laughing for no reason and then they’d kiss passionately again. It was nothing Jiyeon ever experienced in the past. It was special.
Jiyeon went to the Nurse Station where her interns were waiting for her. She puts her hand out and asks for her patients’ charts. She looks at each chart carefully. She hands a couple of charts back to them. Both interns look at each other dumbly and then their eyes trail back to Jiyeon.
“Look at it closely and then correct the mistake. Get back to me when it’s done.” Jiyeon said calmly. The interns looked like a bucket of water was splashed on their faces. They were baffled because Jiyeon wasn’t scolding them like she normally would. Their heads turned as Jiyeon walked away from them humming along a tune.
“Is the world about to end?” One of the interns asked in a whisper.
“I think so.” The other intern replied.
*****
Jiyeon went out for her lunch time to accompany Chaerin and do her maid of honor duties. She met up with Chaerin in the Vera Wang boutique in Seoul. Chaerin conceded to a royal blue color motif even though she really wanted pink, just so Jiyeon would wear a gown on her wedding.
“So what am I supposed to do here?” Jiyeon sat down on the couch beside Chaerin. She tossed her bag on the side and put her feet up on the coffee table. Chaerin pushed her feet away.
“Unnie, please behave a little. This isn’t some cheap boutique.” Chaerin scolded her. Jiyeon just shrugged and closed her eyes and placed her feet back on the coffee table.
Jiyeon tried on her gown and checked herself in the mirror. It suited her fine. It wasn’t flirty, slutty nor was it revealing. It was elegant, classy and yet sexy. Chaerin smiled at her in approval and took pictures of her so she could document it in her files.
“Unnie…” Chaerin murmured and smiled at Jiyeon, and the moment Chaerin batted her eyelashes Jiyeon knew that Chaerin was up to something.
“What is it?” Jiyeon asked Chaerin. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.
“Uhm… you know what they say about brides trying on their wedding dress is bad luck, right?” Chaerin bit her lip and looked at Jiyeon hopefully.
“Oh no, Chaerin. Please tell me you’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking right now…” Jiyeon immediately picked up what Chaerin wanted. She was frantic.
“Unnie, please….” Chaerin pleaded, holding on to Jiyeon’s arm dearly.
“I am absolutely not trying your wedding gown!!! Absolutely not!!!” Jiyeon declared vehemently.
“I would rather die!!!” Jiyeon glared at Chaerin. But the moment Chaerin looked at her with her sad eyes and pouting lips, looking like she’s been wronged, Jiyeon knew she couldn’t just say no to her.
“Oh god, this is why I hate having girl friends… they fuss about everything, they make you feel guilty… they make you do things you don’t want to do… thank goodness you’re the only pain in my ass.” Jiyeon nagged but was already walking inside the dressing room to try on Chaerin’s wedding gown.
“Thank you, unnie! You’re the best maid of honor in the world!” Chaerin squealed.
“Shut up, Chae, I’m the only maid of honor you have. Of course you’ll say that.” Jiyeon fired back.
Chaerin was waiting for Jiyeon to come out of the dressing room when she thought of a bright idea. She got her phone out and made a video call to Seung Hyun.
“Baby, are you at the office???” Chaerin asked smiling at Seung Hyun on her phone. She was whispering so Jiyeon wouldn’t hear her.
“Yes.” Seung Hyun answered.
“Go to Jaejoong oppa’s office. Quick!” Chaerin whispered. Seung Hyun complied and went to Jaejoong’s office. Chaerin instructed them to just be quiet and wait. Chaerin switched the camera towards the area where Jiyeon is to come out. Chaerin fixed herself and acted as if she was just texting on her phone.
“Unnie, are you done?” Chaerin asked, calling Jiyeon.
“Shut up, Chae, don’t be so impatient. I’m not even sure if I should come out. We’re not even the same size, your body is fuller than mine and I look ridiculous.” Jiyeon complained.
“Come out, unnie, I want to see my wedding gown to see how it looks.” Chaerin replied sweetly.
Jiyeon eventually came out. She stood in the center platform, lifting her dress so she wouldn’t step on it. She was muttering incoherent complaints all the way through and didn’t even notice Chaerin’s awestruck expression.
She let go of the dress and it feel beautifully around her, the tail of the dress gracefully cascaded behind her. Chaerin chose a lace tube wedding dress.
“What!?” Jiyeon looked at Chaerin impatiently. Her brows furrowed, looking at Chaerin’s open mouth noticing the phone she was holding out.
“Don’t even think about taking a picture of me in a wedding gown using your phone Chaerin because I swear to god I’m going to make you regret it!!!” Jiyeon seethed.
“I was just… I was just… wow, unnie… you look absolutely breathtaking… wow…” Chaerin said absentmindedly. She was still admiring Jiyeon. Meanwhile, Jaejoong immediately grabbed the phone, shoving Seung Hyun away, he looked at the screen and kept on capturing the video for a photo of Jiyeon in a wedding dress; his heart doubling its beat, seeing Jiyeon so beautiful in a wedding dress.
Jiyeon got off the platform.
“I’m taking off this damned wedding dress. It’s making me itchy.” Jiyeon walked towards the wedding dress.
*****
Seung Hyun and Jaejoong were asked by Chaerin to pick up the wedding invitations after their work. Jaejoong saved all the pictures on his phone, making one of the pictures a wallpaper on his phone. All the time they were together, Jaejoong just kept on looking at his phone every minute, smiling at the picture.
Seung Hyun and Jaejoong went and had dinner together at their favorite Italian restaurant. Seung Hyun just shook his head, amused by Jaejoong’s behavior.
“You know she’ll kill you as soon as she sees that picture on your phone.” Seung Hyun warned Jaejoong. The latter just shrugged and smiled at his phone again.
“She won’t find out. It’s not like she checks my phone. Jiyeon’s not that type of girlfriend.” Jaejoong responded. Seung Hyun raised his eyebrow at Jaejoong.
“Girlfriend? So you’re actually calling her your girlfriend now. Hmmmm…” Seung Hyun looked at his hyung in amusement. Jaejoong just kept silent.
“So does that mean you two are officially a couple? Is Jaejoong finally officially taken? Officially whipped?” Seung Hyun mocked him some more.
“I’m not pressuring Jiyeon into a commitment… I know she’s weary when it comes to attachments and relationships… I don’t want to scare her… but we already took our relationship to the next level.” Jaejoong hedged.
“You guys finally did it.” Seung Hyun concluded, knowing Jaejoong too well. Jaejoong’s embarrassed reaction confirmed his assumption.
“I am quite disappointed that it took you this long…” Seung Hyun goaded.
“I didn’t want to rush Jiyeon, okay. I had to wait for the right time and right moment…” Jaejoong replied.
“Yeah, you’re definitely whipped... and I will not be surprised if you’re the one thinking of wedding bells and family.” Seung Hyun leaned on his chair and crossed his arms over his chest chuckling at Jaejoong. He knew his hyung too well.
“It’s like you’re the girl in your so called ‘non-commitment relationship’ with Jiyeon… she’s the one wearing the pants in the relationship…” Seung Hyun continued.
“Jiyeon’s definitely your karma for all the girls you played in the past.” Seung Hyun cackled.
“Shut it, Seung Hyun.” Jaejoong seethed.
“I won’t deny that I’ve thought of marrying Jiyeon… I’ve never really thought I’d get married. It was never my goal to get married at all… but with Jiyeon everything changed. I want to marry her. I want to have kids with her… I’d like us to have a dozen of mini Jaejoongs and mini Jiyeons running around our house… and when we get married, I’d want us to move to a big house… my penthouse isn’t suited to raise a big family…”
“Wow… you already planned that far while here I am… I barely know how many kids Chaerin and I want. Tell me, hyung… does Jiyeon even have any say in this?” Seung Hyun asked. Jaejoong shrugged.
“She’ll just have to agree… I didn’t use any protection when we made love… and I don’t plan on using any… I’ll get her pregnant and we get married… and we will…”
“Live happily ever after?” Seung Hyun supplied in sarcasm.
“I don’t know where you got this idiotic idea, hyung… you don’t even know if Jiyeon is using any kind of contraception… being a doctor and having been pregnant once must have definitely taught her a lesson in not having an unplanned pregnancy. But I am absolutely baffled on how desperate you are to have her. Wow. You love her that much…”
“I just… you must know how I feel… you feel that same way for Chaerin too…” Jaejoong sounded as if he was asking sympathy and understanding from Seung Hyun.
“Believe me, hyung, I know where you’re coming from. But you have to be careful with what you’re doing… you shouldn’t manipulate Jiyeon like that…”
*****
Jiyeon goes back to the hospital after her meeting with Chaerin. She was still not in a very good mood after trying on the wedding dress. She was at the resident’s lounge, taking a coffee break. She rested on the couch and closed her eyes, planning to take a power nap.
She got distracted by someone nudging on her coat and thought it was Minho.
“Minho, I’m tired. I’m not in the mood to tolerate you right now.” Jiyeon murmured but the nudging didn’t stop.
“Yah!!!” Jiyeon opened her eyes and looked to her side, she was ready to scold Minho but she immediately froze when she saw the person beside her. It wasn’t Minho… it was Jessica.
“What… what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in your room?” Jiyeon asked. She tried her best to keep her cool and hide the indescribable feeling she had that moment.
“I’m bored.” The little girl replied.
“Well, this isn’t a place for amusing bored little girls. This is the residents' lounge. The hospital has a playroom. I’ll ask the interns to take you there.” Jiyeon replied. Like how she did with Won Bin’s youngest kid, Jiyeon didn’t speak to Jessica as if she was talking to a child. Jiyeon was talking to her like she talks to everyone else.
“No.” Jessica said stubbornly. Her brows furrowed, her lips pursed and her small arms crossing over her chest. Jiyeon looked at her and felt this lurch in her heart seeing Jessica like that.
“Well, if you’re so amused here, I’ll just leave you here. I have work to do.” Jiyeon declared. She was about to get up when Jessica touched her hand.
Jiyeon froze. The warm feeling of Jessica’s hand on hers stopped her.
“I don’t want to be alone… mommy and daddy are out… Shin Hye unnie and Minho oppa are busy… and my boyfriend is not here…” Jessica said innocently.
“Boyfriend? You have a boyfriend?” Jiyeon raised her eyebrow.
“He’s a lawyer. He visits me every day. I’m going to marry him someday.” Jessica said proudly. Jiyeon laughed, suddenly getting that the little girl was actually referring to Jaejoong.
“Well, best wishes to you kid.” Jiyeon said mockingly.
“It’s true! He’s going to marry me!!!” Jessica protested, pleading Jiyeon to believe her.
“Whatever you say.” Jiyeon dismissed. Just then, Jiyeon’s two interns came knocking in the residents' lounge. Jiyeon asked them to come in and they both handed her the test results for her two patients. Jiyeon put her feet on the couch and looked at the test results, oblivious of the fact that Jessica was copying her every move. Jiyeon handed the results to the interns and asked them to look at it.
“Base from the results, what do you propose we should do?” Jiyeon quizzed her interns, her arms crossed over her chest, brows furrowed and her lips pursed, still oblivious of Jessica copying her moves.
“Uhmmmm….” The interns were too nervous to be amused at Jessica.
“You should’ve learned this in your third year of med school. Look at the results. Don’t expect me to spoon feed you with my diagnosis. Look at the results and analyze it!” Jiyeon commanded. One intern looked at the results again, the paper shaking in her hands.
“She doesn’t seem to have any problem with the heart… her blood pressure is normal…”
“Tell me something I don’t know… I’m asking you what you think should be done based on the results…”
“I think we should do a Neuro-consult…” The intern finally answered.
“Since the result is negative, we have to rule out other possibilities with the same symptoms… we should also consult Oncology…” The other intern answered.
“You guys are finally growing some brains. Go ahead and do what you suggested.” Jiyeon dismissed the interns.
“I’m hungry.” Jessica declared, her tone as if commanding Jiyeon to give her some food.
“You are really something else, kid.” Jiyeon shook her head. She brought her to the cafeteria and bought her a warm chocolate milk and a bagel while she ate a bagel herself and bought herself a latte. Jessica looked like a little Jiyeon as they both bit on their bagels and drank their respective drinks almost at the same time.
“Hey, kid…” Jessica looked up at Jiyeon.
“You’re happy, right? Your mom and dad love you so much, right?” Jiyeon asked.
“Yes, they do. I love them just as much. I love them this big…” Jessica spread her arms wide. Jiyeon smiled at her faintly and then ruffled her hair.
“That’s good…” Jiyeon murmured.
“Jaejoong oppa!!!” Jessica suddenly squealed. She placed her bagel down and immediately went towards Jaejoong, showering him with her kisses. Jaejoong gave Jessica a hug while his eyes looked intimately at Jiyeon.
“I missed you, little girl…” Jaejoong murmured, kissing Jessica’s temples. He carried her and brought her back to Jiyeon's table. Jessica sat on his lap, her arms wounded around Jaejoong’s neck.
“This is my boyfriend. He said he’s going to wait for me until I grow up. In the meantime, while waiting for me… since you’re pretty enough, you can have him until I grow up.” Jessica said, as if she was giving Jiyeon a big favor.
“No, thank you.” Jiyeon replied sarcastically making Jaejoong laugh.
*****
That night, Jiyeon and Jaejoong stayed at his penthouse. Jaejoong cooked dinner for them as he usually did when they were still housemates in Jiyeon’s apartment. After dinner, they were both watching a random movie, lazily sprawled on the couch while drinking wine. Jaejoong was playing with Jiyeon's hair, running it through his fingers; Jiyeon's head, resting on his chest.
“Sometimes it still amazes me how much I see you in Jessica… the little things she does… the purse of her lips… her attitude….” Jaejoong murmured.
“I’d like us to have little Jiyeons and little Jaejoongs in the future…” Jaejoong felt Jiyeon stiffen with his declaration.
“Hey… I’m not saying we should start a family right now… I’m just saying that we’ll have our own family someday… I know Jessica is happy with her family now… someday she’ll eventually find out and I know she’ll understand why you did what you did… I just want to tell you that once you’re ready… we’ll have a family… I want us to have a family… I want to be the father of your kids…” Jaejoong said sincerely.
“I’m never going to have a family, Jae… it’s really not for me… I’m never going to be a mother…”
“Shhhhhhh….” Jaejoong interrupted her. He sat up and held her shoulders, giving her a passionate kiss.
“I’m not in a hurry… I’m willing to wait until you’re ready… however long it takes…” Jaejoong murmured in her lips.