from me to you. → kth | ✓

48.

chapter forty-eight: worthy

AS MY TIGHT grip remains just as tight on the small, ripped sheet of paper containing the Silver-Tongued Devil's phone number scribbled in his handwriting, I debate with my mind and heart whether I should go through with what I'm planning.

I haven't had much dating experience, but one thing I'm sure of is two exes must keep their dignity no matter what. He ran out of my house, so does that mean I drove him out?

No. I remember now. He used me. Maybe it's time I use him. With his knowledge, of course.

I take one look at my burbling son playing with his toys and the house we're living in and say 'What the heck'. I dial the number.

It rings twice, quite thoroughly as if the device is trying to taunt me for being so desperate, but I try to act as if I don't care.

"Hello, this is the BSB Company and you're speaking to Jennifer." A dainty, enthusiastic voice exclaims. "How can I help you today?"

"Can I speak to Mr Dong?" I ask, trying not to sound as nervous as I actually am. I hope my voice isn't as shaky as my hands. "Please. It's really important."

"That would be fine so long as you have an appointment. Could I get a name, please?"

"I, uh, I don't have an appointment scheduled."

"Well, it's gonna be a bit hard to help you now. Would you like to schedule an appointment?"

"I-I'm sorry, is there a way I can just talk to Mr Dong directly? It'll be really quick. He's a client of mine so-"

"I can't really help you till you make an appointment, ma'am."

"Please, it's really important," I repeat, clutching my phone even harder.

"Ma'am, you'll have better luck reaching him if you make an appointment. So unless you are ready to do so, as he is a very, very busy man, I would like to suggest that you have a wonderful day. Goodbye."

Before I can even respond, she cuts the call off.

I groan in frustration and attempt to restrain myself from punching the wall. I need to talk to him quickly enough if I'm going to get this damn notebook. Who knows what will happen? Mark surely won't destroy it, but he might hide the book if not himself. As it's been mentioned, it's highly desired.

I'm in the middle of my mini meltdown when I hear the intercom at my front gate go off.

Annoyed, I mutter little curses under my breath as I grab my slippers and outdoor robe. I let the visitor in and await their presence at my doorstep.

Much to my surprise, it's Taehyung, and he has a mysterious object in a brown paper bag.

He walks up to me, thankfully not with some creepy smile on his face, but hands me the bag nonetheless.

"Can I...come in?" He asks.

I say nothing, just eyeing him for a brief few seconds before letting him walk in.

"Don't forget to take your shoes off." I point out. Funnily enough, he's in the middle of doing so.

"I'd never forget."

"Whatever. I'm not in the mood for it right now, Taehyung." I say, sitting at the mini table area in the living room, near Haneul of course, and hitting my head on the table.

Before coming to me, he visits my- our - son and plays with him for a bit. Haneul giggles and laughs and smiles till it looks like he might burst before Taehyung leaves him for me.

He rests a gentle hand on my shoulder but I shrug him off immediately. It's at this time of my life that he decides he wants to be nice. I've never been the type to think like this, but is it because of our son?

"I'm sorry." He says, clearing his throat and slowly retracting his hand.

"You better be," I say. "Don't you dare touch me ever again."

"I'm sorry." He repeats and I can't help but feel even the slightest bit sorry for him. In the case that he may be trying to be genuine, I might be being a bit too harsh.

Either way, he was just as harsh with me.

"How have you been? Are you doing okay?" He looks around the room. "Are you being taken care of?"

"Wow, Mr Police Officer."

"I'm just trying to be nice."

"Well, stop! You were never this nice to me from the beginning, so why be nice now? Is it pity because of how I look? I gain a little weight, get a bit grumpy, lose sleep and now you decide to be nice?"

"No, no! Why would you even think like that?"

"Really?" I sneer. "Are you actually asking me that right now?"

"Look-"

"No! I'm done with this Taehyung, I'm done!" I say as my hand hits the table. As soon as I do so, I manage to startle Haneul and he starts to cry.

I go over to comfort him but the idiot in the room goes at the same time and we slightly bump into each other.

This did lead to us hitting heads. In other words, it led to me letting a giggle slip.

"Did you just laugh?" He smiles, rubbing his head.

But I already came back to my senses, and out of irritation, I slap him across the face.

"You absolute, stupid piece of-"

"Not in front of the baby!" He warns.

"Get out of my life!" I yell, walking to the kitchen. I set my baby into his high chair and start whipping up his lunch. I was too busy speaking to his dad to realise the time.

He uses this moment to play with him and I can't help the warm feeling that settles in my chest. I want my son to grow up with a father but at the same time would that make me a bad mother, keeping him away from a man like him? From any man, to be fair?

"You're so hot and cold with me," I murmur. "I tried too hard in the beginning-"

"And I'm sorry. I wish I could take it back but I can't. I don't even recognise the man I was then. I was just so-so blinded by what I had planned that I forgot to actually treat you like a human being. That's why I'm trying to redeem myself."

"What, so you can get in my good books only to leave me behind again?" I scoff.

"No," He says softly. "So I can make myself worthy of wearing this ring."