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Kyungri's babysitter, Park Minji (or Min) cancelled again that week because of her grandma. She explained that the doctor diagnosed the frail woman with an aggressive case of pancreatic cancer, which debilitated her organs and was slowly doing its damage. Min had to look after her.

"Darn it, Kyungri," he frowned as the phone went silent. Picking his daughter up wearily, Kyungsoo held her close to him. "I guess you're off to Ara again."

Those words caused her to squeal in joy, squirming out of her father's hold and running out of the room.

"Wait!" He followed after her. "Let me unlock the door first."

Unlocking the door, Kyungsoo allowed her to roam free through the landing, and he watched her knock excitedly onto Ara's door. The door remained closed. She knocked again. And again. Nothing. Kyungri desperately turned back to him and frowned, her single–lidded eyes glassy with tears. It seemed she was anticipating the time she'd be having with Ara; not anymore.

Once Kyungsoo scooped her into his arms, she sobbed fervently on his shoulder, the wetness beginning to seep through his clothing. He matted her hair down gently to console her and bit his lip. God was testing him again today.

He put the sniffling Kyungri down and kneeled down to her level. "Today we're going to explore the world, okay?"

Although the 'world' was Kyungsoo taking her to Juhyun's. But it stopped the child from crying and a smile etched onto her cute face. She ordered him to pick her up all the way downstairs and to his (rarely used) car. She was being awfully clingy the whole drive to Juhyun's house, and Kyungsoo was almost sure that her clinginess would cause a car crash if she wasn't careful.

Luckily the house was nearby and only took a quick ten minute drive. The house didn't even deserve to be called a house — it was more like a small town. The property expanded through several acres of land to be a luxurious, six–bedroom home that Kyungsoo used to live in once upon a time. The cozy apartment he called home suddenly felt as small as him.

Knocking on the door, he hesitated and waited for his ex–wife to open the door. She did; the normally made up woman bare–faced and fresh. Kyungsoo recalled the days he used to see this face first thing in the morning, the praises spilling out of his lips when she felt insecure about the spots dispersed around her face — the imperfections and flaws making him love her even more.

Juhyun smiled wanly at the two, widening her arms to let Kyungri hug her. Afterwards, she faced Kyungsoo. "Hey."

"Juhyun, I'm sorry for imposing at such a random time. It's just that I really need to go to work and nobody's able to look after Kyungri. Is that okay?"

"It's fine, and you're just the man I wanted to see," she explained. "Come in."

Kyungsoo uncomfortably looked at his watch — the limited edition gold watch given by Juhyun on their first year anniversary as a married couple — and shook his head. "I--I really can't. I need to be at work."

She shrugged all of his worries off, just like she always did. "Don't fret, Kyung. I'm only stealing you for five minutes or so. Junmyeon can give you a ride to work if you're so scared about being late."

A car with Junmyeon and Kyungsoo was like putting a tiger and a piece of succulent, raw meat in a small room. Someone was going to die.

"No, that's quite alright," Kyungsoo attempted to sound nice, but the tone of annoyance and a slight tinge of jealousy was evident. "I've got my car anyways."

"That old thing? It's like driving a freaking cardboard box. Junmyeon's got a sport's car!"

"And I have ten minutes to get to work!"

Juhyun wouldn't have it. She dragged him into the house, her arm still draped around Kyungri, and locked the door behind him. The house was as elegant inside — the marble tiles and unscathed white furniture. It was a miracle that Kyungri didn't ever ruin them when she stayed over every other week. She jumped onto the sofa and hugged one of the pristine cushions decorating it.

Junmyeon sat on the platinum sofa expectantly. Clad in an expensive outfit, one leg was crossed over the other and a knowing grin was on his face. Standing up, he outstretched a hand.

"Kyungsoo," he uttered, expecting a handshake. But Do Kyungsoo was never going to touch Junmyeon for as long as he lived. So he pretended the hand wasn't even there and just nodded. Junmyeon, humiliated, retracted his hand and cleared his throat.

Juhyun wasn't impressed. She slapped the back of Kyungsoo's head lightly. "Be polite!"

"Sorry," he mumbled under his breath. "Anyways, what did you want?"

"Oh yes! Junmyeon wanted to thank you for saving our butts. Darling?"

The word darling was cringe–worthy enough. On cue, the wife–stealer stood up and bowed awkwardly at Kyungsoo. He cleared his throat yet again. "Y--yeah, what Juhyun said. Thanks, Kyungsoo. I," he put an arm around her shoulders, "no, we are very appreciative of what you're doing for us even though we've had a...turbulent relationship."

Kyungsoo nodded. "You could say that."

"Anyways, we're just really grateful," he continued softly — he then turned to Juhyun and gave her a sweet smile. "Even after the divorce, you're still able to help us."

The shorter was beginning to get really uncomfortable at the public display of affection shown in front of him. But nonetheless, he etched a smile on his face.

"No, no. It's fine," he waved off the praises thrown to him. "It's the least I could do." Although it felt like it was the hardest thing to do ever.

Sometimes when Kyungsoo lay on his bed late at night, he thought about the memories shared between his ex–wife and him. Ocasionally he reflected on their current relationship; did he still have feelings for her? Of course, he missed her so much. He tried to deny it, but whenever her face came to full view, Kyungsoo's heart beat abnormally fast, his hands shaking and teeth biting into the soft skin of his lips. But he couldn't be a homewrecker. Even if Junmyeon practically was.

Juhyun clapped her hands before detaching from Junmyeon's arm. "Anyways, I'm going to boil the kettle. Kyungsoo, at least stay for some tea. It's crysanthemum. Your favourite!"

Little moments like that were the worst for him; the moments where she continuously surprised him with the small tidbits she remembered of him. It almost felt like nothing changed. When everything did.

Kyungsoo sighed briskly, taking a look at his watch to see how late he was. Ten minutes...maybe he should message Jongdae to cover for him. Junmyeon's eyes darkened scarily as the previous innocent beam was replaced by an evil smirk. He tapped his perfectly polished shoe onto the laminated wooden flooring.

"So..." he trailed off. "I hope you do end up coming to the wedding. Though I won't blame you if you don't — I wouldn't go if I were you."

Kyungsoo was appalled at what he was saying. "Are you being serious, Kim Junmyeon? Is this another way of you getting one over me?"

Junmyeon just knowingly shrugged. "No, just telling you the truth."

That was the last straw for Do Kyungsoo. Picking up Kyrungri who was admiring the soft lining of the cushions, he marched straight out of the front door without even having some of Juhyun's amazing crysanthemum tea. He put the now snivelling Kyungri in the back seat of his car and strapped on the seatbelt.

Juhyun became aware of his disappearance and left the house, shouting his name. "Kyungsoo! What's wrong? I told you to stay for the tea at least!"

"I'm not thirsty," he answered in monotone.

"What about babysitting Kyungri?"

"She wants to stay with me."

Juhyun wasn't convinced, however. Years of education towards a law degree meant she was sharp and conniving; extremely skilled at reading peoples' facial expressions and vocal tones. But when there was nothing she could do, so she turned on her heel and entered the house.

—

"Kyungri, stop eating the paper!" Kyungsoo scolded from the front seat when the pair were getting back from his workplace. She was especially annoying today; her shouts and screams beginning to irritate Kyungsoo's fellow workmates. Even Jongdae rolled his eyes numerous times at him when he'd failed to quiet down his daughter. Kyungsoo left that workplace embarrassed and pissed off. Kyungri just ignored him, happily crunching the inedible pieces of paper found sprawled around the backseat.

There was a surge of rain pouring down central Seoul that late afternoon, people sloshing about outside because of the large puddles being formed. The windshield wiper pushed back and forth to clear the window. The depressing weather just added to Kyungsoo's depressed mood whilst he drove through the violent rain.

Suddenly his eyebrows furrowed driving past a bus stop. Was that Ara? A shivering girl stood at the stop holding her arms and drenched in rain. Slowing down, he took time to analyze the freezing cold girl to confirm his suspicion. As usual, he was correct. There, Kyungsoo parked in front of the bus stop and opened the car window.

"Need a lift?" He quipped in concern at her probably battling frostbite state. Ara's eyes softened quickly and she complied.

"Thank you," she muttered once Kyungsoo began driving again. He shrugged his shoulders like this was a usual samaritan thing he did.

"It's fine. Where were you today, anyways?"

"I went to visit a friend downtown...I didn't expect the rain to be this crazy."

A little chuckle left his mouth. "Agreed. It's pissing outside."

Kyungri, who was silent, squealed upon seeing her new friend. She attempted to jump off her seat to squash Ara with her love — however, the three year old was restrained by the handy invention of the seatbelt. She'd not learnt to unbuckle herself just yet, to Kyungsoo's relief.

"How come you haven't bought a car yet?" Kyungsoo questioned curiously. He thought it was purely essential to have a car by the time you were of age to drive.

Ara frowned. "I'm currently struggling to make ends meet with the expense of living in Seoul. With the bills, I have just enough for leisure. Not including a car, though."

"You go to university, right? What are you studying?"

"A degree in teaching currently," Ara answered. "I'm looking to become a teacher one day."

"Teaching whom?"

"High school hopefully. Maybe younger. I'm not really sure at the moment; I'm still thinking."

A small silence filled the car after her words as Kyungsoo swerved through their neighbourhood. The rain had began subsiding to their relief. Afterwards, he parked the car in the apartment's private car park and locked it once everyone was out. Kyungri was desperately hanging onto Ara, refusing to let go. Kyungsoo watched awkwardly. She's never been so willing to hug me, he thought bitterly.

They walked side by side into the apartment complex and upstairs to their floor. Kyungsoo's phone vibrated in his pocket so he picked it up in confusion.

"Hello?"

"Kyungsoo!" It was Juhyun. "Because you left so early, I didn't even get to tell you about the pre-wedding luncheon. It's in two days, and I would love if you came. Take your friends with you too."

Biting his lip, he sighed. "Where is it?"

"Junmyeon rented a really swanky room in a high–end hotel downtown. I'll send you the address."

"Alright. I'll check my schedule and get back to you."

"Thank you! Hope to see you there!" Juhyun logged off, leaving him to contemplate whether to go or not. He looked at Ara who then initiated eye–contact with him.

"You sounded pretty down," she joked.

"Yeah, going to wedding luncheons isn't exactly how I'd like to spend my Saturdays," Kyungsoo admitted lightly.

"Ooh, a wedding. Someone close to you is getting married?"

He tiled his head, hoping not to break out in a smile. "I guess you could say that...my ex–wife."

The new information was probably huge to Ara because her normally big eyes expanded further. "You've been married? I didn't know that."

"How else does Kyungri exist?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I thought you've been a bachelor your whole life. I didn't really see you as a divorced man."

Kyungsoo didn't know whether to be offended or pleased. "I get that a lot."

They both reached his door and he unlocked it to let them all in. Kyungri was still hanging tightly on Ara, and he didn't want her to have another screaming fit.

"Where does your ex–wife live?"

"Oh, you know those big houses at the end of the neighbourhood, the ones everyone knows?"

"Seriously?" She gasped. "She must be really rich."

"Her dad's really rich," Kyungsoo corrected tactfully. Juhyun was always a very spoilt child — what ever she wanted she got.

"If you don't mind me asking, when did you guys divorce?"

She was now sitting carefully on the lounge sofas, her hair still wet and clothes damp from the rain. Kyungsoo sat across her.

"A year ago we seperated. She began dating one of my close friends then, so we decided to divorce with shared custody of Kyungri. It was finalized two months ago."

"Wow. She moved on really quickly."

Hearing that was quite painful. "Yeah..."

"Are you still friends with the guy?"

"Not really," he cringed. "After she began dating him, our relationship just kinda tattered in pieces."

Kyungsoo wasn't very sure why he was telling Jung Ara, a girl who he never really paid attention to unless one of them needed milk or eggs, his life story. However, he felt somewhat safe talking to her — it was almost like second nature spilling out all of his miseries that occured throughout his agonizing twenty–six years of living.

Quiet overcame them before he quipped up. "What about you? How come you live alone even though you're twenty–one?"

"Uh, I don't know where to start. My dad...he's suffering from early onset Alzheimer's. He got it when he was just forty–five after a lot of stress related problems. One of the reasons why I ruled out ever owning any sort of business seeing what my dad went through."

Kyungsoo stomach whirled in sympathy and compassion towards Ara, who's demeanour completely changed. Her shoulders hunched up and her eyes teared up a little.

"After that, he retired and my mom and older sister currently look after him at home. My mom is paid as a carer for him, whilst my sister also works. I was offered a place at a Seoul university so I took it as soon as I could. I want to make enough money and send it home, so we can get specialist treatment for my dad."

Ara sighed sadly before continuing. "Forty–five is way too young to die, you know? My dad's always been there for me since I was young and this is the least I could do for him."

"You're really brave," Kyungsoo replied comfortingly. He couldn't ever imagine something tragic like that happening to his family. "I really wish that your dad does recover."

"Yeah. I wish too."

—

An hour later filled with talking and warming up to each other, Ara stood up to leave. Lucky for her, there wasn't a clambering Kyungri begging her to stay because she fell asleep ages ago, her small self bundled up in blankets on the sofa.

Kyungsoo walked her outside of the apartment. "It's been great getting to know you, Ara. At least I don't know you only for somehow charming Kyungri and giving me groceries when I'm in need of it."

She let out a laugh, agreeing. "Same to you. I'll see you around?"

"Yeah, and please tell me the days you're free so I could drop Kyungri off when I have work."

"Sure," Ara complied. "Have fun at the luncheon. I'm sure you'll enjoy it more than you let on."

"Impossible. But thank you. By the way, if you're free on Saturday, you should really come. It's open invitation and I was told to bring my friends. I guess we can class each other as friends now, right?"

"Yeah, we can," she grinned. "And I do believe I'm free on Saturday. But only on one condition."

A smirk slowly grew on Kyungsoo's face. "What is it?"

"Kyungri has to come along. I can't ever imagine going to my first ever luncheon without her."

"I think I can make that happen," he chuckled.

"Then I'll be there."

—»

An update after more than a week ugh. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter, so please vote and comment.