Downpour | Kim Taehyung

chapter 14

"Kyungmin! Taehyung and I are going out for lunch. Do you want to join us?"

I tore my attention away from the screen and saw Hyeri poking her head just above my work cubicle.

With a calm and uncertain look, I replied, "Hmm? I'm busy. Maybe you could go for lunch without me."

Trying to ignore her presence, I went back to my screen. I just wasn't in the mood for anything in general; much less for her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I mumbled. "Besides, I think Taehyung would appreciate it more if I didn't go."

That aside, I'd probably just find more reasons to dislike her. Don't get me wrong, I was giving her the benefit of the doubt, and I assumed it would be best to interact less with her to carry on with it.

"Will he? Oh, there he is!" Her eyes sparked up, and she waved her hand. "Taetae, your wife said she isn't going with us."

I glanced upwards and a bewildered Taehyung appeared beside Hyeri. "You aren't?"

"I'm not," I clarified. "Enjoy lunch together." I darted my eyes back to the papers on my desk. Before I could flip another page, Taehyung spoke up again.

"But you haven't eaten yet." His voice sounded upset, concern lacing around them.

"Oh don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I smiled assuringly.

"She says it's fine. Let's go Tae," Hyeri piped in, pulling Taehyung with her arms around him.

She reminded me so much about Taehyung's past girlfriends. Geez, did all of his past girlfriends act this way?

But whatever. I reminded myself that I should focus on keeping myself on the borderline, not stepping out of it.

Letting your husband go out for lunch with an old friend wouldn't be bad right? Let's just say I was being professional about it.

~*~

My shift was almost over and I was famished. Of course, what did I expect? I hadn't even left my work post the whole afternoon.

I left the office despite a few more minutes to kill, and messaged Taehyung that I'd be heading out first. I added a smiley so at least he wouldn't think it would be something like last time.

After messaging him, I called Somi-ajumma telling her that I'd be home soon and we could fetch Minsun, her grandson, together. I was also planning to take Aeri with us and we could all eat together.

"Oh! Halmeoni, you're with Kyungmin-noona." Minsun gave us the brightest smile I had seen today as he ran towards us. "And her baby, too!"

Somi-ajumma patted his grandson's head as the latter reached for Aeri's stroller, waving his hand and talking to Aeri.

When Minsun first met Aeri, he told me that when he grows up, he'd protect Aeri like his own little sister.

Minsun wanted siblings, but things didn't work out so well with their family. His father died and his mother had to work all day. As a result, Somi-ajumma had also made efforts to help her daughter. At first, she worked with Mina-unnie as her assistant in the hospital which was how I met her. I guess it was way back sometime after the incident.

We became close since I conversed with her a lot whenever I dropped by Mina-unnie's clinic in the hospital. Which was also how I met Aeri's pediatrician.

"Minsun, is it okay if we go to the mall?" I cheerfully asked and his face lit up in excitement. He bounced in place nodding his head.

"Behave okay?" instructed Somi.

"Halmeoni, I'm a big boy now so I'll be good and I'll also watch Aeri in the mall," he said, and I found it cute.

Minsun had thanked me for letting him go with us before we hailed a cab to get to the mall.

Since I was really hungry by the time we got there, we first went to a restaurant to eat. Minsun kept the atmosphere lively by telling us how his day went. The best part of it was when he told us that today, he found out that his crush liked somebody else.

"It sucks, but it's okay. If she's happy with her crush, then I'll be happy too," was what Minsun had said with a very innocent smile before he had taken a spoonful of his food.

It kind of amused me how a child like him already thought that way, and how it was so pure, and carefree. I somehow wish my problems were as small as his, but then, I was still thankful of what I have right now despite the negatives.

But more over, Minsun's story made me think about Aeri in the future. What would she do when she gets her first heartbreak? I'd make sure to be with her along the way.

After eating, we went to a children's playroom. Aeri was still too young for it, so it was only Minsun who went in. We stayed at the waiting area inside the playroom, and I let Aeri watch from the glass divider. She kept pointing her hand towards the colorful toys and wall prints, and made baby sounds, like she was telling us something.

There was a time when Minsun had approached a kid, younger than him, when the kid fell on the ladder of the slide. Minsun didn't leave him until he had stopped crying, and they went up the slide together; Minsun helping the kid.

Obviously, Somi-ajumma and her daughter had raised Minsun well, even if it was only the two of them. And just with that, it gave me confidence I could also be a good mom to Aeri.

There wasn't anything exciting today, but spending time with Aeri, Minsun and Somi like this was enough for me to relax. At least I felt much, much lighter for now, and the empty feeling inside me had been filled up again. Somehow.

Minsun giving me a tight hug before he went for his shoes and saying, "Thank you, noona! I really enjoyed going out today with you, halemeoni and Aeri. Next time let's bring mom." also made me realize that the setbacks were just temporary and there were other reasons to be happy.

"Somi-ajumma?" I suddenly called out as we headed out of the playroom.

"Yes?"

"Am I being a pushover? Am I crossing the line with Taehyung?" I asked, the feeling of frustration and uncertainty surfacing again, and I pushed them back with a sigh.

"What made you think so?" Somi gave me a questioning look.

"I don't know, I just feel like it." I shrugged, eyes landing on Minsun who was currently entertaining Aeri.

"Are you having doubts with your agreement?"

I pursed my lips inwardly, giving Somi-ajumma's question a thought. Was I? No, I didn't think I was. Even with how the events had been happening lately, not once did it occur to me to break the agreement with Taehyung. Actually, it never even came into my mind, and only at this moment did I consider having our deal involved.

"I'm not," I responded after a minute or so. "But I think Taehyung is."