puzzle piece | jeong jaehyun

19

"Oh sorry...I didn't mean to interrupt your date" Yunhui said, her apology sounding more fake than genuine as she shot Jaehyun a slight glare. He awkwardly scratched the nape of his neck before clearing his throat

"It's not a date..it's a work meeting. Soojin is my new co-writer" Jaehyun said, his eyes communicating something to her although she was far too annoyed at him to even process her own thoughts properly

Co-writer my ass.

"Yet I don't see you guys writing anything" she said with a fake smile, tilting her head a little. He raised his brows, feeling challenged by her petty statement

"Anyway, my apologies. I'll let you both get back to...co-writing" she said, giving another smile to Soojin who seemed a little more uncomfortable with the increasing tension

"Please don't misunderstand—it really is a meeting. I respect your guys' marriage" Soojin said awkwardly, her own eyes noticing the one tiny detail Yunhui's eyes had missed ever since she woke up again this morning, groggy and disoriented from her disturbed sleep.

Jaehyun's eyes flickered down to the shining band on her left ring finger, one that she was slowly starting to become aware of herself. He felt a tinge of betrayal burning in his stomach for reasons that he wasn't exactly in the mood to discover why

"Oh—us—no, no we're not...this is my—"

Oh fucking hell. What am I meant to say?

'I'm divorced. This is my old wedding ring, I put it on this morning and now I can't take it off'—God could I sound any more desperate?!

Or I could say, 'it's just a normal ring that goes with the outfit'—yeah because every normal person in the world decides to wear an 18 carat white gold to tie together a fucking outfit—and it doesn't even match!

"I have a husband." Yunhui said, pursing her lips into a thin line, realising that there was no other normal way she could've gotten out of the situation without looking like a complete loser

I could've said it was my grandmother's—and I really had to think of that now?!

"Oh..." Soojin said awkwardly, a sheepish look on her face for misunderstanding the situation

"Yunhui, let me walk you and the kids out" Jaehyun said, clearing his throat as he stood up from his chair, keeping Jinah by his side and Yunhui bid a quick goodbye to Soojin, dragging Minhyuk out with her. Jaehyun held the door open for her, an irritated expression resting on his face, albeit, still a calm one.

"Thought he wasn't in the picture anymore?" He said with a smile, trying to play it off lighthearted although his mind was really wondering why she was wearing her wedding ring again

"He's not...I just put it on and now it won't come off—and I also completely forgot about it until now and I didn't want to sound like a literal loser in front of her" Yunhui said quickly in one breath, hoping to clear the situation

"Okay...why don't you take the kids home or do some more shopping and we can talk when I'm back" Jaehyun said, pursing his lips into a thin line before Yunhui sighed, extending her hands out to take Jinah into her arms instead

"Fine...enjoy your date." She said and Jaehyun let out a sigh, not wanting to argue with her any further

"See you at home kiddo" Jaehyun said, ignoring her statement before pressing a kiss onto Jinah's head and ruffling Minhyuk's hair before disappearing off into the busy café once more. Yunhui gave up her own fight, taking long strides towards the SUV with the kids by her side.

Yunhui buckled the kids into the car seats and slipped into the driver's side, letting out a frustrated breath as she leaned back against the headrest. She shut her eyes, but Jaehyun's expression kept flashing in her mind—calm, yes, but with something simmering underneath. She couldn't shake off the way his gaze had lingered on the ring, almost like he was daring her to explain it.

Why did I even wear the damn thing?!

She also knew she had no real right to feel annoyed about the whole date ordeal, but watching him there, talking and seeming comfortable with Soojin—it had rubbed her the wrong way. He didn't owe her anything, and she didn't owe him anything either.

But God would it kill him to just be honest and tell me he's going on a date—does he fucking pity me after what I said about my dry sex life?!

And to make matters worse for her overthinking, admitting that she had a husband infront of his 'co-writer' when he knew she clearly didn't—that was another level of embarrassment.

Of course he would pity me. I probably sound so fucking desperate!

Stupid fucking ring!!

Maybe she should've ripped it off right then and there—proving that, like she said, her ex-husband was no longer in the picture, nor did she even want him to be. She was completely fine by herself and capable of being alone. She didn't need a husband or any type of partnership.

She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, sighing as she glanced in the rearview mirror at Jinah and Minhyuk, now both engrossed in their own worlds. Get over it, she told herself, pushing the thoughts away.

"Alright, kids" she said out loud, glancing back at them with a faint smile.

"Let's get home and see what we can throw together for dinner." She said, trying her best to move past the situation so they could leave the busy shopping district

When they got home, Yunhui headed to the kitchen, picking out groceries from the fridge as the kids wandered off to play in Hyuk's room. Her mind was still racing, so she threw herself into preparing dinner, peeling vegetables and chopping them with more focus than necessary. The sounds of the knife hitting the cutting board gave her something rhythmic to concentrate on, something steadying in a day that had felt anything but.

She took a deep breath, her hands pausing as she watched the broth simmer. The smell of food slowly filled the air, calming her nerves bit by bit with every second that passed. Still, she kept glancing over at the clock, wondering when Jaehyun would return. Would he bring up the ring again? Or worse, would he ignore it, leaving her to stew in her own overthinking?

As she stirred the soup, she pictured him teasing her again, like he usually did when she would make a fool of herself, daring her to admit she'd been jealous of him who was clearly able to move on from his past love life and start fresh—while she was holding onto the past like an emotional wreck.

But I'm not jealous, she mentally protested, almost like she was telling him directly.

I'm just... What? Irritated that he lied...Protecting myself from whatever feeling im feeling right now?

"I'm hungry!" Jinah's voice broke her thoughts, snapping her back to the present. She turned around, smiling faintly as she ladled the broth into a bowl with noodles, setting it on the table for her along with one for Minhyuk.

But, somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn't deny that when the door would open later and Jaehyun would walk in, a part of her was already bracing for another round of pity, concern and patronising.

And she hated the fact that she was probably just 'the sad poor woman next door who is still hanging onto the marriage with her ex-husband' to him now.