Hyun Bin POV
"So, I'm going to win my wife back. You're going to get your girl?"
"My girl?" Youngjae raised one eyebrow.
"For second night together?" I sipped my coffee and stared at the window across the street.
"Second.."
"I know you asked for three rooms back in Madrid but one bed left untouched. That's just you trying to impress her, acting like a gentleman. What am I? Five?"
"I am, I don't need to act. But guess what? score! She came to my room."
"Score then disappear. We're both fooled," I studded my cigarette and stood up.
"Do you have binoculars here?"
"Pervert, of course not."
Suddenly Youngjae choked on his banana and pointed his fingers down to the street. The ladies were outside, hugging each other. Shinhye was in a warm coat while Yejin was in a simple house dress.
"Shinhye is about to leave!" I shout to Youngjae who was already at the apartment door ready to leave.
So he ran downstairs and tried his luck on Miss Park, and I saw Yejin waved goodbye to her, then went back inside. So she was staying at her flat while Shinhye walked down the street away from their apartment building.
I grabbed a paper bag and put in every healthy snacks and fruit I could find from Youngjae's grocery shopping last night. I took my coat along with the now full of food paper bag, stepped outside to go to Yejin's place across the street.
Room 219.
I knocked on the door while wishing that Yejin won't peek from the door hole that it was me, but of course, she will.
I repeatedly knocked on the door and waited patiently, started to get desperate on the sixth attempt.
"Baby... Baby, it's me, Bin. Yejin...please.."
"Are you looking for Miss Son? She is downstairs, at the laundromat," said a woman from behind me.
"Oh. Thanks," I nodded.
"No problem."
I put my grocery bag in front of her door and left.
"Sir, are you seriously going to put them here?" asked the woman.
"Yeah, why? That's her groceries."
"Oh. Let me keep them for her, I'll give her later when she's back. And what's your name?"
"Bin."
Her eyes widened hearing my name. Well, was I famous around here? I half bowed to her, and she opened her door, exactly next to Yejin's. I saw a little girl peeking from the door. Oh, so this was the mini neighbor who met Youngjae yesterday.
"Look, Mom, another guy looking for pretty aunty."
"Sssh. Not our business. Get inside!"
I smiled at the little girl. She might be my way to get closer to Yejin. I went heading downstairs and looking for the laundromat. There she was. Sitting in front of the washing machine, scrolling her phone. She was in a plain housedress, pure beauty just the perfect housewife I always dream of.
Don't get me wrong, I love those all the glamorous jet-set life but at the end of the day, I always want a peaceful place to come home. It would be nice if we were destined. I just realized what I have wasted yesterday, and still hope for the second chance to make it up to her.
I groggily walked down, closing the distance between us. She must have been reading something so exciting, and maybe the noise from the washing machine was blocking her hearing too. Suddenly the washing machine stopped and made a clinking sound. She stood up looking at the machine in front of her.
"Yejin," I called her.
She turned her head to me and slightly smiled, "Hi," then back to the washing machine, pulling out the laundry to the basket.
Hi? hi?
She ignored my presence and fill the dryer machine above with the damp clothes, swiped her card, and back to her seat, busy with her phone.
Really?
I took the seat beside her and tried to start a conversation.
"So, this is your new routine?"
She nodded but eyes focus on her phone.
"Yejin, I came from afar looking for you, can you at least appreciate me by stop looking at your phone?"
She diverted her eyes to me and smiled again, "I'm not that hard to find, you have eyes and friends everywhere."
"I miss you."
She just smiled and again, looking back at her phone.
"Can I have your number? maybe by texting through the phone you will pay more attention to me?" I asked, slightly annoyed.
"I am sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I need to browse on something here. Besides all you said were just simple questions and I believe I have answered them."
"Oh."
She just winked.
"Have you had breakfast?" I asked.
"I don't have the appetite for."
"Is this because of the morning sickness? The hormones?"
Her fingers suddenly stopped scrolling the screen, looked surprised, but then answered, "I'm fine."
"Why are you being so cold to me? Are you still mad?"
"No, I'm not. I have forgiven and let go."
"Then why did you leave me in Madrid and move here?"
"I believe you have known why."
"I want to hear it from you."
"Maybe another time. I'm not in the mood. I should go."
"Where do you want to go?"
"Outside."
"Babe? Can I walk with you?"
"This is a free country. Do what you want to do."
She was still nice, willing to answer my questions, but from the way she answered, clearly she didn't want me around. But I am a persistent man.
I walked next to her, keeping up with her fast pace. She entered a boulangerie and walked around looking out for some bread. I took a tray and walked behind her. When she finally choose one, she took it and I quickly said, "Put it here."
She looked at me and hesitantly put the bread on the tray. She picked for some more and proceed to the cashier. Thank God I was quick enough to pull out some cash and gave it to the cashier. There was no way I would let her pay for the bread.
She took the paper bag and nodded to me, saying, "thanks."
I chuckled and followed her out, but then I snatched the paper bag from her hand and slide her hand in mine. She looked surprised but not letting go as we walked passing a punk gang with some booze. I could feel her insecurity, so I put my hands on her back and pulled her closer. Those men did nothing but stare, but I thought she must be a bit uncomfortable.
Few meters away from them, she pulled her hand out of mine and walked back inside the building, back on the laundromat. I didn't immediately follow her, but I stopped outside and waved at my bodyguard from afar to come closer.
"I need you to guard her, my wife, not me. She is inside. Tell your partner too. But do it from distant, she doesn't need to know. I am with Youngjae so no worry on me. Around here is quite safe but she likes to walk around the neighborhood and there are some punks, I don't want to risk. Got it?"
He nodded. I came back inside, and she was collecting the laundry, put the clothes in the basket. Once she's done I pulled the basket away from her.
"Let me. Don't lift anything heavy,"
"It's not."
"It is, not good for the baby."
She gasped, stared at me wistfully, but then let me carrying her basket. We entered the elevator and I couldn't hide my smile. I walked with her until we reach her door. She took the basket from me but I didn't let it go.
"Let me put this inside," I said.
"Just put it down here, and thanks," she opened her door and closed it in front of my face.
What the hell?
I repeatedly knocked on her door but she didn't open it like until around ten minutes, then finally it was opened.
"What? I can get trouble from the neighbors if you keep knocking! Noisy!" She looked unhappy.
"How can you...? Ah, shit. Can we talk inside?"
I asked impatiently.
"No. I have to get my self ready. I need to go somewhere."
"Let me take you. I have a car here across the street. I'll drive you."
"I'm going to take the tube."
"Tube? Okay, I will go with you."
"Don't."
"Why? You said this is a free country. Where are you going anyway?"
"Work."
"Work?"
"Yeah, why? I have bills to pay. I have to pay the rent."
"Alright. I know you will say no but just consider to move with me to our place. Our place. I have bought it for you, for us, you can live there comfortably. No need to pay rent, no bills, everything has been taken care of."
"No."
"You are my wife, my responsibility, and you're carrying our child. At least think about it. What kind of job do you have anyway? You have no working visa here."
"Oh, so now you feel like having a wife? Sorry, Bin. I can't. Yes I don't have a working visa here and I'm being paid hourly so please go, I don't want to lose more pennies."
She closed the door.
I exhaled, stretching my patience, and walked away. I waited for her from across the street and followed her, sticking to my bodyguard as he knows how to keep an eye on me from a safe distance without annoying me.
She was heading to Oxford Street and entering a lingerie shop. What was she doing? Was she trying to seduce me? Oh, I'm in.
I entered the shop but I didn't find her inside. There was a shopkeeper greeting me and asking if I look up for something, in this case, a woman's lingerie.
"Yeah, I think I just saw my wife entering this store."
"Ummm...we're just open, Sir. Maybe the next store?"
"No, I'm sure she is here, an Asian woman."
She just smiled and shook her head.
"Alright. I'm sorry. I'll be back later."
I stepped out of the store and thought that maybe she was working here, but hiding inside when she saw me entering the store. I decided to cross the street and asked my bodyguard, luckily he was in disguise, to enter the store and checking out on Yejin. I just hope that she didn't remember his face as one of the PSS agents.
Just when he was about to cross the street, I saw Youngjae walked down and stopped just in front of the store. He was looking at the phone, then put it on his ear, just like making a call. To me.
"Where are you? I got an info that Yejin is working in a lingerie store in Oxford Street."
"Oxford Street. Across the street. Look here."
I waved my hand and so did he.
"Are you going inside?" I asked.
"Yeah, just want to check it out. Should I? You already know anyway."
"Just go inside. I came to her this morning but her response was pretty harsh. I put my bodyguard on her, just to make her safe."
"What should I do?"
"She refused to talk to me, how if you try your luck? You know her longer than me, I never deal with these antics of her yet."
"Yeah sure, but what should I ask? Does she want to reunite with you?"
"Maybe? Whatever. I just want some bits of advice for my next moves."
He stepped inside the store and a few minutes later, he went out with a smile all over his face. He walked across the street to me and we walked away at a fast pace, avoiding being caught by her from the store's window.
"She agreed to meet me later after work for dinner, in the Pret down this block. I think that's the place," Youngjae pointed at Pret a Manger next to a toy store.
Great. She refused my company but said yes to dinner with my half brother.
"That's a sandwich shop, not a dinner, does she seriously wants a cold sandwich for dinner? She is pregnant not on a diet! But, whatever. Does she know that this was me asking you?"
"Of course she knows. She said that she isn't ready to talk with you. Remember, what I told you was she bought a pregnancy test pack kit in Madrid, don't draw a conclusion about being pregnant. Well, I need to buy a few things before going back, where will you go?"
"Of course she is pregnant, that is the most logical reason why she dealt with my Dad. I'm going to Barclays then back to the apartment. I need to settle some financial things. I'm planning to stay here, permanently, if she agrees, of course."
"She doesn't even agree to have a talk with you," he chuckled. If not because he was into Park Shinhye right now, I must have hit his face.
"Today. But who knows about tomorrow? Where is your girlfriend, anyway?"
"She is heading back to Spain. Later when you don't need me here, I'm going to meet her in Granada."
"Let's see how the dinner is going tonight. Thanks, by the way."
Youngjae was about to go out when he got a call. He was talking with a serious tone and his face turned very tense as he ended the call. He quickly stepped back inside the guest room and out with his backpack on.
"I need to fly back to Seoul as soon as possible. Something bad is happening to my Dad, and I need to take care of it. Sorry, I'll catch you up later."
"What? What happened to your Dad? is he sick or something? Wait, I'll call a cab to Heathrow."
"He had a heart attack while he was giving his speech, but with him running for an election, I'm not so sure that was a heart attack. If so, that was his first, he is in a good health condition with no heart disease record, as far as I know. I've seen so many murder attempts to your Dad."
"Oh, that's a strong possibility, but hey, he will be fine. He must be in good hands now. Just go, and call me later when everything's alright. I'm calling the embassy now and see what I can do, maybe I can borrow the government's jet."
"Thanks. Oh crap, I forget about Yejin. Are you going to replace me or should I call her to cancel it?"
"She gave you her numbers? Unbelievable. I'll go to Yejin, just text me her numbers. Be safe!"
I stepped inside the sandwich shop and spotted her on the corner. She was playing with her cup and looks like already finished her food. I walked to her table and slowly she looked up meeting my eyes.
"You... where is Youngjae? Are you setting me up?"
"I'm sorry. Choi Jaewook has just had a suspicious heart attack while giving a speech, so Youngjae took the first flight flying back to Seoul. We're not setting you up. I'm just here to give you a company, but if you don't feel like to, then I'll just walk you home."
"No need to. I can ask my roommate to walk me home."
"Come on. Your roommate is in Granada now."
"No, thanks. You already put a bodyguard for me anyway. That's really unnecessary but, then you don't have to walk me home because someone is already guarding me."
"How did you know..?"
"I've been working for your father for more than four years, of course, I know every agent in the house."
"Please, or at least stay for a while here? I haven't had any dinner. I'd be very happy if you're willing to sit with me here."
"Maybe next time," she smiled, the got up carrying her bag.
Without saying anything else, she turned her body and stepped out of the shop. I was annoyed, but I followed her out. When I was about to grab her arm, she stopped in front of the toy store and looking at a mini riding horse for toddlers. Her eyes were fixed on the horse then she bit her lip, caressing her stomach.
"We really need to talk, Yejin. That's my child in you."
"Don't. I'm not ready," she shook her head.
"Why everything has to be this complicated? But..whatever. Just let me walk with you. I insist."
"Don't. Just leave me, please."
"Really? If you really don't want me in your life then why from all flats in London you chose exactly the one in front of our place? You know very well that I will come and stay there."
She didn't answer but looked down at her shoes.
London at night was very windy and even though we were in thick coats, I could still feel the cold wind blew on us. Instinctively, I stepped closer to her. I really wanted to hug her, but I didn't think that she will let me.
"I'm here for you now, but if breaking up is what you want, just tell me."
"No, it's not that."
"I know you're still mad at me, I know that will take a hundred years for you to really forgive me not just on your lips, but in the meantime, can we still hang out together?"
She dabbed her watery eyes. I closed the distance between us and took my chance to hug her. She didn't push me, and slowly I felt her hands on my back. I caressed her hair and told her,
"I don't wanna be, so don't treat me like your ex."