Given Up

Chapter 4

Jiyeon: Shannon, I'll be heading over to your place in a bit.

Shannon: Yay! I've already prepared your room and also lots of movies for us to watch!! See ya! ;-)

Jiyeon sighed as she looks at her text messages with Shannon. She's now on the way to Shannon house, to stay over as she realised that she'll feel lonely and suffocated in that huge house without Myungsoo.

Speaking of Myungsoo, she remembered the moment they had just now.

FLASHBACK

"How could you?" Jiyeon whispered.

"It's for the best Ji. You will know it sooner or later. There's no difference in telling it now or later" Myungsoo replied as he touched her shoulders.

"What the fuck. There's no difference? Look, I'm sick and tired of you living for your business trip secretly without telling me. It's like you're having an affair with somebody else! I just, don't want you to go there." Jiyeon yelled, almost in tears.

"I'll be back soon, I pro-" "No! Don't you get it?! All I want is for you to be here with me. Is it so much to ask? Who cares if I have a better life. Cause my life isn't great without you in it. I need you Myungsoo-ah, please don't go I beg you."

"Come on Ji, one year will pass by really quickly. I'll call you 3 times every single day and update you on my well being." Myungsoo replied as he wiped her tears off.

"It's one year we're talking about. Not 3 days, not 30 days, not even 300 days. It's 365 days! Why are you doing this to me?" "I love you, and I promise I'll be with you and stay with you once I come back. Now smile for me princess." He said as he lean in to give her a goodbye kiss.

AT THE AIRPORT

"I'll be back soon Ji, I promise." Myungsoo said as he gave her lips another peck. "Okay. Wait!" Jiyeon said as Myungsoo was about to go. Tugging on his blazer tight, she leaned in for another long kiss, with Myungsoo immediately responding to her kiss.

"I'll miss you," She said, unwilling to separate herself from him with tears running down her cheeks. "Me too, love."

With that, Myungsoo went in to the custom without even turning back.

END OF FLASHBACK

'Come on Ji, you can do this. One year will pass by fast.' Was what she was trying to convince herself. But she knew better than anyone else that she can't handle it.

***

"Mrs Kim, you have a call waiting for you." Junhoe mumbled as soon as Jiyeon picked up the phone. Jiyeon isn't in her best mood today because of sleepless nights and she accidentally snapped at Junhoe when she heaed the piercing ringing sound. "Okay then, thank you Junhoe."

"Kim Jiyeon here, how may I help you?" Jiyeon said with her tired, annoyed voice.

"Well, I don't know actually." A husky voice could be heard from the other side of the line. Sensing the playfulness in the other person's tone, Jiyeon smiled widely.

"Now are you sure you don't know? Cause I'm gonna hang up on you right now." Jiyeon challenged playfully.

"Alright alright, I surrender. You caught me." Myungsoo replied playfully. "So how are you?"

"Well you know, the marketing and stuffs. Meeting a whole lot of annoying clients every morning." Jiyeon answered grumpily. "You don't have enough sleep do you? Why is that so?" Myungsoo asked. "Because you're not here with me. That's why."

"Come on, I thought we've talked about this. It'll pass by fast, I promise. I have to go now love, I'll call you back soon. Love you." Myungsoo said as he gave a weird smoochy sound on the other line before hanging up.

"I love you too....... and you don't even wait for my reply." Jiyeon whispered to the end line.

***

"Junhoe, I'm gonna give myself an off day today. I'll be back tomorrow to settle every single thing." Jiyeon said as she walked pass his table.

Taking out her phone, she punched in her husband's number and waited for him to answer patiently.

"Ji, I'm in a meeting right now so I can't really talk. Is everything alright?" Myungsoo whispered. "Yes, everything's alright. I guess I got used to calling you everytime I leave work." Jiyeon replied as she wiped off the tear that's threatening to fall from her face.

"That's what I love about you Jiyeon. You know what they always say, 'Old habits die hard' . I've really gotta go, the people here are giving me the stares." Myungsoo said. "Oops, well call me soon okay. I love you."

"Love you too pumpkin."

***

Jiyeon's arm goes numb. She refused to turn over to the other side as that's the side Myungsoo always sleeps on. She glanced at the table clock beside her and was annoyed by the fact that it's already 3 in the morning.

She unlocks her phone and went to the clock section, hoping that her husband is still awake. She then went into the message section and sent a message to him.

Jiyeon: Hey, you asleep yet?

Myungsoo: Nope, why are you not asleep yet?

Biting her lips, she felt disappointed by his reply. Nonetheless, she punched in her reply to him in a swift.

Jiyeon: You should know my answer. Anyway, can I talk to you? I miss you x

Myungsoo: I'm busy right now. Maybe some other time.

Jiyeon: You're joking right? You can't be that busy..

Myungsoo: I don't get what you're trying to say. Anyways, say hi to my family for me yeah? I've got to go.

A long sigh escaped from her lips. Her husband doesn't seem delighted to receive a text from her. It feels as though he was pushing her away. Throwing her phone on the table beside the bed, thinking that her husband is too stressed out because of work, she brushes that disappointing feeling off. She closed her eyes and hopes for a better tomorrow.