Thy Art | Park Seonghwa

10.2

A/N: I hope this chapter would make sense! I tried my best to convey everything that were in my head. Anyway, I'm going to start a new ATEEZ fic called Fallen Petals. This one would include all of them so please do check it out as well! I'll start writing them once this one is finished which would be really soon.

( 🎵 Davichi – Just the Two of Us )

Yunhee carried her daughter up from bed, struggling a little as she was getting bigger as the day goes by. She proceeded to take Seonghwa's hand into hers after, dragging him out of the bedroom and into the living room, asking him to take a sit on the couch and watch her daughter for a couple minutes just so she could quickly cook something up for him.

There was no rice left on the cooker and she could only find leftover side dishes in the fridge that would probably not be enough. Opening up the cabinet above her head, she realized her only choice was to stir something delicious out of a packet of instant black bean noodle.

It took her a couple of minutes before appearing in front of him again with a plate of cooked up black-bean noodle topped with egg and cheese. "This is the fastest thing I can make for you," she said as she handed him the plate. He sat himself straighter up on the couch while still being careful not to wake the little girl up. As she saw him struggling a little, she placed the plate that has yet been taken by him, on the coffee table and take Eunbyul into her arms. "It'll be easier if we exchange like this."

He gave her a small smile and took the ceramic into his hand. "Yeah." Seonghwa always eats his food in an enjoyable manner. It's a fact that he could finish a cup of ramen in merely 3 bites but it never seemed rush. But this time, she could see him toying with the noodle slightly, taking small bites and chewing it so slowly.

She breathes out a small sigh, turning to the side and avert her gaze away from the TV and to him. "Hwa, seriously," she began asking, "what's wrong?" The man placed the plate down on his lap, the food residing on it looked like it was barely touched.

He looked over to her and placed his hand on her hair, stroking it gently as to reassure her, "nothing's wrong, I'm just exhausted."

Normally, he wouldn't have kept anything away from her. But judging by how determined he was as to not tell her what was wrong, she knew better than to push him to. Unbeknownst to her though, he wasn't purposely keeping her under the dark of his concerns. Seonghwa didn't know what would happen if he were to tell her his mother has yet to give her blessing. He was terrified to say the least, he didn't want her to leave again. So he'd rather carry it all alone.

"Stay over, tonight," she told him which sounded more like a command than anything else and so he smiled and nodded. "And you're going to shower after eating. If it's possible, we'll sleep right after that. I don't care if it's only 9PM, you need to get all the rest that you can."

Seonghwa couldn't contain his giggles upon seeing how adorable she looked as she blabbered but he nodded again, "alright, princess."

~

Just like the last time he slept over her place, she woke up the next morning, to him already gone but he would leave her a message, telling her how he went home to change. That morning however, she found herself reading a text for which she received from someone she didn't think would ever want to associate themselves with her. Nonetheless to that, she realized how it was an invitation to meet during lunch break.

Yunhee sat on the edge of her bed, phone in hand and mind contemplating through her decisions. But at last she decided to agree, typing out a 'yes, sure' with shaky fingers.

She knew it should be different this time. The feeling, where she stood on, what she had planted in her mind, all of them are different. But still, the dread pulled on all the way until lunch time rolled around and she could only curse at the clock for moving so quickly. She didn't know what to expect from the conversation, what would come out of it at the end. She too, was afraid she'll have to leave again but if this was to be anything, this would be her chance to fight for their relationship from her end.

The sound of the bell chiming send shivers down her spine, recalling each of the time she had to push that door open. There were not a lot of people and she could easy spot who she was going to meet, in only a split second. The lass walked closer towards the table placed a little beside the corner and pulled the seat out.

"Mr. Park," she greeted, bowing a little, "it's been a while."

"It indeed has been a while, Yunhee," he responded, "have you grabbed your lunch?"

She was about to answer but he had beaten her to say something, "wait that's a stupid question, you lunch break has just started, of course you haven't."

An awkward laugh made its way out of her lips. She felt slightly uncomfortable by how friendly he sounded, knowing how him and his wife wanted nothing but for her to be away from their son. "Would you like to order anything?"

"No, sir," she quickly replied, "I'm not hungry."

"Well then," he noted, "let's make this conversation quick, shall we?"

"Sure."

"Seonghwa came to his mother yesterday, telling her how he proposed to you?" the second part to his sentence sounded more like a question than anything and so she nodded.

"Yes, he did," she affirmed. There was a moment of pause, the awkwardness dominating the air as it got thicker. Yunhee looked down on her lap, looking at the pattern of her pants as if it was one of the most interesting piece of design. It clicked in her head then as well how he must've acted like how he did yesterday, after having a conversation with his mother.

"Yunhee," the older called, making her look up, "my wife and I never particularly like you."

Yunhee didn't know whether she had to feel offended or hurt after hearing that directly. Even after knowing it for years, to have it said to her immediately as he looked into her eyes, the feeling differed. "I know," her voice was barely audible.

"And that's because if Seonghwa was to go with you, he would've needed to do everything from scratch," her head tilted, slightly confused at his statement. "Meaning, he would only have the company but as you have no influence and the contract with the last company is about to end, he would need to seek partnership and gain the trust of other executive directors, all by himself. The company would've needed to flourish without any help, meanwhile if he went with Eunji, that wouldn't be the case."

"I, along with my wife, had started from the bottom," he continued, "we've lived through hardships before becoming successful. All we wanted was for our son to live his life easy, with everything served for him on a silver platter. But it all worked out at the end, even without the marriage."

Yunhee didn't know what to respond with, and so she sat quietly, listening to the older. "I realized halfway through the process of them cancelling their marriage that, it would've worked out even without the two getting married as well. Because my wife and I had done the part where we gained their trust and their will to be Treasure's partner. Throughout these years, we have successfully convinced them that amalgamated, our companies would be able to thrive."

"And halfway through, Seonghwa had repeatedly shoved it down our throat as to how unhappy he was all these years," he paused for a moment, heaving out a sigh, "he kept telling us how he was unhappy even when we've done all these so he could be happy with his future."

"Mr. Park, what are you...," she trailed, not knowing where he was going with this.

"I know you might think that I only want my son to be happy now that I know nothing fell out of its place," he remarked, "but again, I have always wanted him to be happy. I just didn't know he would only be able to be if he's with you."

The lass still didn't know what to say, she didn't know where this way going. She could only hope he was going to say what she thought he was. "Yunhee," he began, "before anything, allow me to apologize for all the times my wife looked down on you and for all the times, I've indirectly made you wanted to leave Seonghwa behind by how determined I was to keep their marriage."

"Mr. Park, I-."

"I hope a blessing from me as for you two's relationship, would suffice as an offer of peace."