NOVEL WEB Chapter 11: ¹¹:to be mine
💐chapter 11: to be mine
The way Taehyun caught me staring at his father like a lovesick fool.
The way I clung to Seojun's arm during that spooky ride—like he was the only solid thing in a world full of haunted illusions.
And God... that moment when he was playing with the little dog at the café. He had this childlike smile, so unguarded. The kind of smile you rarely get to see on adults. He looked so soft. So heartbreakingly adorable.
Ughhh!
No, no, NO. Jiwoo, stop it.
We just met yesterday. This is nothing. Nothing but... temporary kindness. I'm just confused.
Besides—he has a kid! That man is way out of bounds. He's probably just being nice. That's all.
Jimin's words echoed in her mind like a ghost.
"Jiwoo, I think he likes you."
She buried her face in her pillow with a muffled scream.
What nonsense! That Jimin always talks rubbish! Seojun probably doesn't even think of me like that. We've never met before, remember? We're practically strangers.
Still… he's so… cute.
"Ahhhh Jiwoo, you dumbo, just go to sleep!" I groaned aloud, slapping the pillow over her head.
But my heart… my heart didn't listen.
----
Meanwhile, across the city…
The lights were dim in seojun's apartment. Taehyun had long surrendered to sleep, curled up under his blanket like a burrito, with his tiny hand still clutching a small plush dragon he got at Disneyland. A peaceful sigh left the child's lips, his chest rising and falling in soft, steady rhythms.
But seojun couldn't sleep.
He stood barefoot on the cool tiles of the balcony, the breeze tousling his hair as he stared out at the distant city lights. In his hands, he held a photograph—its edges slightly worn from years of being held, hugged, kissed, and cried on.
It was their wedding picture.
Jiwoo—his Jiwoo—stood beside him in the frame, laughing with her head tilted back, her veil fluttering in the wind. He was staring at her in the picture the way he had always looked at her—with a quiet devotion that went deeper than words.
That day had been the beginning of everything.
And somewhere along the way… it all slipped through his fingers.
Seojun sank into the balcony chair, fingers trembling as he gently caressed the photo's surface.
"Jiwoo… You may have forgotten our promises," he whispered, his voice breaking in the night air, "but I haven't. I still remember every word we said to each other beneath that sky."
He clutched the photo to his chest and closed his eyes. The silence around him was thick, except for the muffled sound of his heart breaking all over again.
"Every morning I woke up without you beside me… it was like reliving the same nightmare over and over again."
His voice quivered, barely audible now.
"But now that I've found you, I'm not going to let fate win this time. Even if your memories are lost… I'll bring them back to you. I'll help you remember… us."
Tears welled up in his eyes—hot, uninvited, unstoppable.
"I'll fight for you, Jiwoo. I'll remind you what it felt like to be loved. To be mine."
He kissed the photo gently, pressing his lips against the image of her smile.
"You once told me our love would conquer anything. I just have to believe you meant it."
Then, silently, he pulled the blanket tighter around himself and looked back toward Taehyun's sleeping figure inside.
"I promise, baby… I'll bring your mom back to you."
---
The Next Day...
The morning sun gently filtered through the lace curtains of his apartment, casting a soft golden glow across the kitchen where Seojun stood in his loose grey shirt, sleeves rolled up, trying his best to feed Taehyun. But the little boy had one thing on his mind—and it wasn't breakfast.
"Appa," Taehyun pouted, arms folded across his chest as he sat at the dining table, barely touching the spoon in his bowl. "I want momma to feed me."
Seojun sighed, setting the spoon down with a gentle clink. "Baby, we can't just keep showing up at Jiwoo's place every morning without a proper excuse. We'll look suspicious."
Taehyun's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Give me your phone, appa. Taehyun will fix everything."
Seojun arched a brow, amused by his son's confidence but curious nonetheless. He handed over the phone. "Alright, little genius. Let's see what you've got."
Taehyun expertly navigated the contacts and pressed the call button. Within seconds, the cheerful chime of Jiwoo's voice filled the speaker.
Jiwoo: "Hello?"
Taehyun: "Mommaaaa!"
Jiwoo (warmly): "Yes, baby?"
Taehyun: "Taehyun wants to buy new clothes and toys! I'm staying in Paris now, and I need cool stuff. Will you take me to the mall?"
There was a soft gasp and excitement in Jiwoo's voice. "You guys are staying in Paris? Really?"
Taehyun: "Yes, momma! Please come with us. Appa doesn't have fashion sense. He always picks boring clothes. I want to look handsome like him but cooler!"
Jiwoo laughed, her musical giggle bringing a smile even to Seojun's face.
Jiwoo: "Omo! You know about fashion already? Wah, today's kids really are something else."
Taehyun: "Momma, you have good fashion taste. You'll make me look the best!"
Jiwoo: "Aigoo, my little charmer. Alright, I'm a bit busy right now, but how about we go shopping in the evening?"
Taehyun: "Okay! I'm a good boy, so I'll listen to momma."
Jiwoo (softly): "Aww, my cute baby. Momma will see you this evening then. Bye for now!"
Taehyun: "Bye, mommaaa!"
The call ended with a soft beep, and Taehyun looked up at Seojun with a proud grin.
Seojun chuckled and shook his head in disbelief. "You really turned it around on me, huh?"
Seojun: "You made fun of me and got what you wanted. But hey, good job. High five!"
Taehyun: "Because I'm intelllii—"
Seojun (cutting him off with a laugh): "Yeah, yeah. I know. You're intelligent."
Taehyun: "Ah, right."
Seojun watched his son with a soft smile, ruffling his hair as the little boy finally started eating. Despite everything, he felt a strange sense of peace—a growing hope that maybe, just maybe, things were slowly falling into place again.