Serendipity

Chapter 9

"Oh my! This is far better than I expected." Rosé chokes out causing me and the hairstylist she chose to break into a simultaneous laughter. Truth be told, I don't think any hair colour could ever do justice to her as blonde hair did. As she had mentioned earlier, it's very definitely worth taking the risk. If she was like a bright star earlier now she glows like the sun itself. On the other hand, my hair is dyed in a dark shade of brown. Not much noticeable, but refreshing nevertheless.

It turns out that bonding over a shared salon appointment is not bad either. As we finished with our business in the salon, We found ourselves in a small cafe she loves, sipping on a strawberry smoothie. We talk a lot and I come to learn many things about her. She's a twenty-four-year-old business graduate who was born and raised in Australia and is looking for a fresh start in South Korea because she loves to be here with her grandparents. She's currently single, which might bring Jimin to cloud nine if he comes to know that by any chance. And when I told her about my baby, she could not hide her surprise. A delicate hand goes to cover her opened mouth.

"No way " I smile showing her a picture of In-Su, missing him even though it's only for a few hours I have left him with his nanny. Nowadays we don't have much time to spend with each other like we used to. So, I am trying to dedicate my weekend only to him and no one else. But if I'm being honest, I am enjoying this more than I had expected.  never have I ever realised how much I miss my carefree college days until today. I had got married just after graduation and nothing has been the same since then.

"He's so adorable" she coos. "I will definitely come to visit him one day." To that, I can only give her a tight smile. "Of course." I lie, fully aware she'll never ever going to find out where I live, let alone give us a visit.

"So your husband-"

I don't think any of my mother’s calls have given me such a relief. "Excuse me."
I withdraw myself, reaching a corner, and when I am sure Rose is out of earshot, I answer the phone.

"Mrs. Kim", I am surprised to the core when I hear my mother’s assistant speak. I  don't think this has happened before.

"Yes?"

"Your mother is in an important meeting but she had told me to inform you that she expects to see you next weekend at Jeju Island."

I groan into the phone. So much for spending all my weekends with In-Su. "And why is that for?" I expect her to say a business trip, a charity or anything but a family outing? That got to be the most peculiar thing I heard for this whole week. Pushing my thoughts about her I approach our table.

Luckily, when I return, the topic of my husband is long forgotten. So for another hour, we talk about most random things, and when I climb the familiar spiral staircase back at home in the hope of getting a glimpse of In-Su, I swear everything is a little bit lovelier than when I left home.

All of a sudden, a rich and thick sound of laughter mixed with In-Su's baby laughter reaches my ears like soothing music when I am about to pass the balcony. Watching the scene in front of me I can’t help but let out a dreamy sigh. In-Su is cradled like a newborn in Taehyung's arms. The resemblance between the father and son is crazy; both are almond-eyed with the exact same boxy smile.

Taehyung's a man who occasionally smiles and seldom laughs. But when he does, I am awfully reminded of how beautiful and youthful he is. Not handsome or sexy. He always looks like a model stepping out from a magazine, with coiffed hair in designer wear.

  So engrossed in shamelessly checking him out, I don't even notice that In-Su has already spotted me.

"Mommy"

I  almost choke on my smoothie. Taehyung's eyes widen a fraction when he notices me looking at him. Embarrassed, I Wear a tight fake smile walking to their side.

"Here", I hold my hand up, showing In-Su a cup of smoothie. " I brought you something." His eyes brighten, and he starts to wriggle out of Taehyung's arms. He laughs abruptly settling him on the ground.

"Someone would think you are not feeding him."

In-Su grabs the cup from my hands and runs into the house, not hearing either Taehyung or me screaming not to run; for a moment, Taehyung and I are alone. Though it's almost twilight, the balcony is bathed in sunshine, causing his fair skin to glow like gold.

"Here", I hold out my half-drunken smoothie. It's my second one anyway, and it will be so rude if it is apparent that I have brought only two, although I didn't even know he was in Korea until I saw him here. He was supposed to fly to the States in the morning. He stares at that for a moment. A tiny wrinkle appears on his brows in the process.

"Is that your lipstick?"

I roll my eyes. Clean freak. "I didn't even know you were here in Korea. You can hardly expect me to bring you one. It's either take it or leave it."

It's his turn to roll his eyes. "It got cancelled, and I would have it"  He nearly gives me a heart attack, leaning in and taking a sip when the cup is still clutched to my hands. Some people seriously have no idea about personal space whatsoever.

"It's good" His eyes are slightly raised to catch mine.

"Of course. It's strawberry." I shove the cup into his hands and refuse to show him. I am almost flustered. If I knew one thing about him clearly, that would be his love for strawberries and any strawberry-related products.

"Your lipstick?"

"What?" I am not sure, I heard him correctly.

"Nothing. I heard you are ignoring your mom's calls."

I huff. Someone would think he's her biological son, while I am her daughter-in-law.

"It's only one call while I was in the salon, and later, I answered."

"Great. So we're going on a trip to Jeju I guess."

How casually and easily he agrees with everything my mother is saying is truly concerning.

"Parents are not going to live forever Jisoo. You got to do some simple things to please them even if they are the last things you want to do if you don't want to have any regrets later."

I wonder if he is talking about his mother.

"She loves you and I know you love her"

Of course, I do. The sole reason I ended up getting married to him was to see her being her normal haughty self and Snapping me, nevertheless not scared about anything.

"By the way, nice hair." 

He has no right to say that with the most carefree smile after being serious as hell a second ago. Not when I am supposed to wrap my head around my relationship with my mother. Heck! I should probably check with my doctor because there's no way my heart rate is going high just because my husband for six years told me my hair looks good.