PROMISE
A/N : This story is all about Yunho, Erika & their parents. I'm sorry I have to tag along Yamapi name here because he will be in later in this story. I got his name in mind not because I really like him, personnally but it is beacuse his name came up after I watched Code Blue, Yamapi acting along Erika. I think she is so cute. This is one of my longest written chapter. I was surprised, I can write this length. Ja, enjoy the rest of the story.
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Yunho POV
As I woke up this morning, my mind still hearing Jae Joong’s voice, the sweet voice which I have missed for 6 years.
He said he was sorry for everything but I’m the one who supposed to say that. Yet, I believe that he is still my Jae Joong I know, the warm hearted & beautiful Jae Joong. He doesn’t change at all and even more beautiful now.
He is not ready to see me but if I have chance, I want to say that I really regret leaving him and agreed to my parent’s stupid plans. Off course the more I got regret to marry Erika who I don’t have a pinch of love.
Speaking of Erika, I should call her to settle what has been postponed.
Pick up my phone and dialling the number…
“Moshi moshi, Yunho-san. Is that you?” I heard someone else’s voice on the other phone.
“Hai! May I speak to Erika, Yui-chan?” I knew that is Erika’s PA.
“Gomen, she’s having photo shoot now. Can I ask her to call you back?’ Yui’s friendly voice makes me smile. Erika has good PA because just like her own sister, who taking care the most of Erika’s needs.
“Off course Yui-chan. Tell her I’m now in Seoul and I’m waiting for her call. Is there any chance that she will be finishing her photo shoot soon? Because I will be having important meeting about one and half hour” I said again.
“Maybe but I’m sure I will pass this message as soon as she finished the shoot. Is that okay Yunho-san?” she convinced me.
“Emmm…yeah. I’ll be waiting. Ja, I have to go now. Thank you Yui” thanking her.
“No problem at all, Yunho-san” she replied.
The phone cut off.
That was the only a small situation between me and Erika. I never had the chance to speak to her directly even I am her husband. We seldom see each other at home either because she is too busy with her modelling and acting. I only have the chance to be closed to her when we have something on or our parents come to visit us.
I am so pathetic because I have to make an appointment with my own wife when I need to discuss. Every morning, I would wake up earlier and make my own breakfast and not to disturb her because she is still sleeping. Well, that is because she will be only reached home midnight almost everyday. Everything will be handled by Yui and the maid.
One morning, “Ohayo gozaimasu, Yunho-san” Yui greeted me once she came in the house. Yui got the copy of our home keys because she had to prepare things for Erika early in the morning.
“Ohayo, Yui”, as I was checking things on my working table.
“Have you taken your breakfast yet?” she asked me.
“I bring extra food today, you can have some because I know you never had proper breakfast everyday” she told me as arranging the food to the plate on the table.
Why would the outsider preparing food for me but not my own wife? This is too much different from what I had back in Korea. These remind me of my Jae Joong who will wake up early and prepared food for the family.
“It’s okay Yui. I’m in hurry. Just save it for Erika. She may need more than me” I arranged my paperwork, put it in my briefcase and walked to the door.
“Chotto!” Yui hold me back. “Take this! You need breakfast Yunho-san. I know you have tight schedule everyday and you always skipped your meals. Eat it when you reach your office. I will take care of your stubborn wife” as she winked at me with a smile.
“Thank you Yui. I appreciate it. I will eat them” took the meals with me as I opened the door and closed it behind me.
I think I will have the second thought of taking Yui as my wife….hahahaha. That is ridiculous of thinking.
Another part of the story between Erika and me are, keeping these secret from our family except for Yui.
We live in a big house located at the Tokyo city centre and it was our wedding present given by our parents. When first we came to the apartment, I was only sleeping on the couch outside the bedroom and the bedroom was fully occupied by Erika.
I remembered how the arrangement on the first day after our wedding dinner.
"Yunho-san, I need to discuss something" Erika stopped in front of our house door after the driver sent us to the house after the dinner.
"Erika, don't we need to change first or something?" I couldn't believe this is happening on the day one when we were officially declared as husband and wife.
"Yunho-san, I understand that but you already forgot about our promised before I agreed to marry you?" Erika shot out.
"Oh! Yeah!" I recalled back the secret discussion we had before we decided to agree to the marriage.
"Yunho-san, I don't think I want this to happen. I never think about marrying someone in my early age and furthermore, someone I don't know" Erika told me.
"You think I agree too? Erika, honestly speaking, if I knew this is going to happen I won't be following my parents’ instruction to come here in the first place. I have my own plan back in Korea. Erika, if we don't want to do this then we don't have to. We can explain to our parents" I just wanted to be a diplomacy discussion between us.
"But...if I don't want, my parents will send me to college for my further study in business so that I can heir their business. Yunho-san, my dream is to be a professional model and actress, what I'm supposed to do. I already accepted to be spoke person for a cosmetic product & now I'm on my last stage of the preparation for my new movie & on going drama series. I can't just simply breach the contract. My parents made this agreement so that I have to accept their offer" sadly said.
'Then I will agree to this in one condition" now she was so serious.
"We just get married then we live in our separate way" yeah..great suggestion.
"What do mean with live in our separate way?" just to get more explanation.
"Do you mean we have to live separately? What I'm going to explain to our parents? ,to live separately with my own wife?"
"We don't have to live separately, just live in our home but you just keep your distant from me. We can sleep in different rooms & if our parents come to visit us...just act like what suppose to be” she really good at it...I mean acting like she always do.
"What is supposed to be?" I try to get the clear picture.
"As husband & wife" she smiled at me..
Now I got it...so that was how I got myself into trouble
After all I got confused with my own feeling, living with this troublesome. The next few months going so smooth, just that I struggled to get more business contact and thank you for Erika’s helped too. She got more customers for our business, indirectly. Since our business line is fashion, Erika used her position as one of top artistes in Japan to grab the chance to promote our product and it was going well.
But when it’s come to our personal life, we seem so unfamiliar to each other.
I remember one day when our parents invited us for a dinner....
“Good evening Mr Jung, Mrs Jung” the captain of the restaurant greet us after seeing us entering the door.
“Good evening” as I bowed and followed by Erika with smile on our face.
“Please come in, Mr & Mrs Jung and Mr & Mrs Toda are here, waiting for both of you”, he said to us as he led the way to the hall.
“Yunho-san!” Erika pulled my hand.
“Uh!”
“Don’t we think we need this?” she cling her arm around mine as she winked.
“Oh! Off course” I tighten the grip as she tagged along me.
Like usual we have to act....
We made our way to follow the waiter and from afar we could see our parents are already seated at the corner of the hall.
As they saw us, “There you are!” my mother-in-law waved at us.
Erika released my hand as she bowed, “Otosan! Okasan! Appa! Umma! Good evening”
I followed her, “Good evening, Mr & Mrs Toda”
“Yunho, why are you so formal. Call us okasan, otosan. We are your parents too” Mr Toda responded to my action.
“Sorry sir, I used to greet my clients like that no matter how close you are” I actually didn’t know how to react because I’m not that close to my in law family.
“Wah! My son in law is so handsome but why are you look so skinny? Erika you don’t take good care of your husband. Look at him!” Mrs Toda looked at her daughter.
“You see, your father is healthy until now because I give him good care since the day one I married to him” scolded her daughter again.
“It’s okay okasan. I’m fine, Erika do care for me, just that I’m too busy with works and not taking my food properly”
AHH...I have to lie again
“Yunho! Erika! You wouldn’t want to stand there all night and listen to your okasan lecturing. Please be seated” Mr Toda gave a glance to his wife.
My parents only smile, “Erika dear, please seat” finally my mother voice out.
I pulled Erika’s chair and then mine as we seated.
“Erika, how are you?” umma asked her.
“I’m fine umma, appa. Yunho-s......Yunho take a good care of me too” her turned to lie now.
“Well, these days I’ve been busy. There are few new contracts I just signed & that means I’m totally lack of free time from now onwards. My drama still on going too” Erika now revealed her own problem and this actually will come back to me.
“So, you’ll be going too busy to take care of your husband” her father voice out.
She gave a glance to me as I was sure she needed my back up.
“Okasan! Otosan! I’m okay with it. I’m the one who gave her my blessed to received all that”
I was sure digging my own grave to give that answer but that was all in my head at that moment. That was troublesome...
The waitress sent us food as we chatted and enjoyed our food.
But umma so curious about Erika’s acting thing.
“Erika, do you will be the leading actress for drama?”
“Yeah umma. I’m so happy because the leading actor is Yamashita, Yamashita Tomohisa-san” she was happily to mention the name.
“Oh! That Yamashita-san, umma really adore him acting. That will be great drama since my beautiful daughter in law will be acting with him, ne” ah.. umma don’t exaggerate.
I once heard that the rumours saying that Erika is a big fan of that Yamashita guy. And she was always hoping that she will have a chance to act along with the guy after their first drama together. Also the rumours says that Erika actually falling in love with him since then. Now my umma is his big fan too?
I totally ignored it because rumours only rumours and in entertainment business, there will be always story spreading around whether it is true or false.
Why would I care though if she really loves Yamashita-san because we don’t love each other, for sure and off course, I love someone else..too.
“Yunho!” I was surprised by my father called up my name.
“Yes appa” I turned to my father.
“Don’t both of you have plan to have baby?”
I felt something choked inside my throat as Erika’s hand squeezed my hand under the table.
Erika’s blushed as she looked down. What a question, out of the blue moon....
Well, that was my really worry when we have this kind of gathering.
“Eh! Uhm!” I couldn’t answer either.
“Yeah! Both of you should plan to have baby besides planning for your business and works. Furthermore, you both still young and that will easy for both of you to plan for your future” Mr Toda agreed to my appa opinion.
“Appa! We need time for that. It doesn’t mean we don’t care. I have to settle down with this new business. I may not have much time to take care of Erika when she gets pregnant. Further more, Erika still young and she still have more space to pursue her dream of being a model and actress” I explained even though I didn’t sure that was really the right answer but better than nothing.
I continued, “Unless….” I looked at Erika and patted her palm
“She’s willing to take the break and be a mother” as I kissed her hands.
Such a good actor....I smiled.
Erika widens her eyes, as she shocked with my words than smirked at me.
“Erika, you can still be a model and actress even though you have kids. There are few actresses like that” Mrs Toda cut my conversation.
“Yeah! Umma agreed with it too”
Now we both have nothing to argue..speechless.
“Otosan, Okasan, Appa, Umma, it’s not that I don’t want to but for now I’m not ready yet. My agency wants me to be free from the commitment because there are few contracts need me to be outside the country for promotions & tours” Erika seriously explained. Still she looked at me, need my support.
“Yes, I will be supporting whatever to her decision. As long she’s happy and she’s still my wife. I can wait”
Yeah! That’s great, supporting to what I’m not willing to do.
“Then, that will be 3 to 4 years from now. By then you’ll be 25, 26 years old” Mr Toda looked angry to Erika.
“It’s okay Mr Toda, I’m sure Yunho can wait. 26 years old is not too old to have a child for modern parents. Yunho still have much time to give the Jung’s generation. He is still young and manages to run the company for now. I’m still around to help out with the business”
My appa patted my shoulder as he smiled at me and I returned his smile weakly.
Yeah, off course...
“Take a break both of you, go for another honeymoon. Makes baby as much as you can, then we your old folks will be happy” My appa & Mr Toda laughed happily.
Erika blushed as she looked at me again but I kept my eyes to my plate as I chewed the food tastelessly. I hope this dinner comes to it end but it felt long enough for my heart stop beating.
I could feel Erika holding my hand under the table, her cold hand shivering as I patted her hands to calm her.
Later that night, our parents chatted happily about business, about the future but Erika just nodded to what ever they said. I gave a glance to our parents, they seem so happy but they never knew what inside us.
She’s a good girl, I swear it but she never loves me. I felt pity for her because she & we are just the victim of this situation. She was unwillingly to be my wife but further then that I would never hurt her feeling even though I don’t love her.
I’m sure myself; I will take care of her as long as she needs me.
Thinking back of what our parents said about having baby. It’s all depending on Erika. I’m her legal wedded husband but I believe she’s not ready to have the “husband-and-wife” relationship because she seems not interested to live like husband and wife supposed to be.
I don’t want to force her; I don’t want to touch her. If she is ready to be touched by a man, then the man is the one who she really loves and I know that “he” is not me. I can sense.....
“Yunho! Yunho!” the soft voice whispering to my ear.
“UH?” I realized that I was way too far away with things in my head.
“Appa and umma, want us to excuse them” Erika said again.
“Already?” I asked with shocked.
“Yeah, umma and me have to make a move because we need to take our flight first thing in the morning tomorrow” appa confirmed.
“That is so soon to leave” I looked to umma.
“Yah Yunho, you don’t need us to take care of you. Your wife is here. Erika-chan will be there for you if you need anything. Actually, we already arrived here early this morning and Mr & Mrs Toda had accompanied us to do some shopping and visited your in law relatives before we came for dinner: Off course, umma and appa don’t want to disturb you both at home. Today is Sunday and I’m sure there are lots to do together” Umma winked to Mrs Toda as they both laughed, sarcastically.
“Umma you should inform me earlier then I will arrange my time with Erika to accompany both of you” a little sad and relieved too or else our “little secret” will be revealed.
“Ja, Mr Toda & Mrs Toda, we have to make a move now. Yunho, take care of Erika. Umma & appa will come again to visit some other time” Umma hugged me tightly & then Erika.
“Umma, when I have time I will visit you in Korea”
“NO! I mean, don’t bother to do that because you have so much to do here. Just take care of your things here. Appa will take care things in Korea, my son”
I knew that already, they really don’t want me to go back to Korea. I sighed deeply.....
“Take care appa, umma. Oh! Yunho-s....Yunho where is our gifts for appa and umma” Erika looked for the paper bag.
“Oh! Yeah here they are. Appa umma, this is from Erika as souvenirs” I handed the bag to them.
“You are so sweet Erika. You don’t have to do this” Umma pinched Erika’s white cheek.
“It’s small matter umma. Nothing bothers at all”
“Thank you so much Erika. Come honey, we need to go already” Appa looked at umma.
“We will see you all again some other time. Take care!” Umma and appa waved at us as the walked out from the hall.