Jung Sook responded immediately, “Please. Stay for a while. I promise not to mention Yeo Wool if you don’t want me to. Stay for tea. And we shall talk of other things. Actually,” her face brightened, “I was hoping to get your input on some lesson plans.
“Besides,” she continued, “your girls are having a blast playing with Bo A. And she simply adores them.” She furrowed her brow. “She’s known so little joy in her life. I try to provide it for her wherever I find it. And Se Ri definitely satisfies her need for a best friend. And I know she dotes on your tiny Se Yeon.”
“Well, who doesn’t?” that little girl’s mother smiled.
She glanced around. She was safe. Yeo Wool had left with Soo Ho. She could sit back and relax. Enjoying her own best friend’s company.
“How did you and I become such fast friends?” she queried suddenly.
Jung Sook’s lips twitched. “We have so much in common. How could we not?”
As her eyes slid over the young teacher’s face, Sam Sook wondered to what similarities she was alluding. Perhaps they would remain a mystery to her for a while longer. Mostly, the young mother was cognizant of their differences.
Jung Sook had been raised by an abusive father. And married a husband with like qualities. Of course, now she was married to a doting husband. So they had that in common, at least. Although Soo Ho was decades younger than her own husband had been.
And the young hwarang was full of fiery passion. Sam Sook had interrupted the unveiling of such ardor by accident one day when a servant had failed to announce her presence. And she’d felt a pang of longing pierce her heart as she’d seen the delight on Soo Ho’s face. He clearly worshipped the ground upon which his wife walked.
How wonderful would it be to be adored like that?
Suddenly, Yeo Wool’s face appeared before her consciousness. And the words he’d spoken – the ones that had burned themselves into her memory – bubbled up. Unbidden.
“My grandma wasn’t my only refuge.
“So were you.
“I feel like…you still are.
“I’ve never been able to get you out of my heart. Nor would I want to.”
She swallowed as she felt her heart doing another funny, little dance. Was it truly possible that – given enough time and attention – Yeo Wool might fall in love with her? And desire to make her his wife?
She shook her head. How could he?
Once he got to know the real her, today’s Sam Sook, the overburdened, single mother – the woman who hid manifold fears behind a fierce façade – he couldn’t possibly want to sign up for a life that revolved around a traumatized woman and her two daughters. Could he?
Wouldn’t he want to find some uncomplicated girl a few years younger than he?
If he thought she was strong and brave, he was quite simply wrong. The older she got, the more things she found to fear.
These thoughts troubled the back of her mind as she first went to check on her girls and then as she sat down to tea with her best friend. They were disturbing her still an hour and a half later as she prepared to walk her daughters home.
Just then, the object of her thoughts walked through the door. With Jung Sook’s husband. Alarmed, Sam Sook glanced up at Yeo Wool. And their eyes collided. And she could feel his pain. Tangibly.
Jung Sook smiled at him. “Yeo Wool? You returned with Soo Ho?” She slid a surreptitious glance at Sam Sook.
That young woman turned towards her. “Thank you, Jung Sook. I will be taking my girls home now. We’ll see you in the morning at school.” She smiled at her before turning towards the door.
As she stepped through its doorway, she could feel his eyes following her. She drew a deep breath and proceeded down the hallway towards Bo A’s bedroom. A few moments later, she had gathered both of her daughters and was heading for the front door when she passed him again. She heard him behind her quickly taking his leave of the Kims. Then he jogged ahead of her and opened the front door for her.
She glanced up at him in surprise, inclined her head towards him with a whispered, “Thank you,” and slipped out the door with Se Yeon in tow. And Se Ri walking just behind her.
Then he followed her outside. Closing the door behind him.
“Please,” his gentle voice was borne on a sweet zephyr, “allow me to escort you home.”
She turned back towards him. But it was Se Ri who responded to his offer.
“Oh! Would you?” Her elder daughter gazed adoringly up at him. “Thank you, kind sir.”
Sam Sook’s lips twitched in humor at Se Ri’s polite reply. Then she watched in consternation as her daughter’s quite perceptive eyes traveled from the kind man’s face to her mother’s countenance. And back again.
Just what was that little twerp thinking?
Sam Sook quirked a dark eyebrow at her daughter. Questioningly. The girl met her gaze, and her face went blank.
“Eomma, let me hold Se Yeon’s hand.” She stepped forward to try to remove her sister’s hand from her mother’s grasp.
But this met with the little one’s disapproval. “No! NO! No!” she yelled, clinging tightly to her mother’s hand.
Se Ri’s voice sounded, “Come, my baby.”
Sam Sook released a deep sigh before wiping her free hand across her weary brow. She had not slept well last night, and the emotionalism of this evening had been fatiguing. “Girls. Stop.” She peered down at her older daughter. “She is tired, Se Ri. Leave her be.”
Just then, a friendly, masculine voice bent to whisper into the tiny one’s ear. “Princess Se Yeon, may your knight in shining armor carry you home?”
Sam Sook felt her heart melt. Instantly. The man had stepped forward and hunkered down before the little child. Bending the full force of his sweet attention upon her.
Se Yeon glanced up at the man who had shared his food with her on more than one occasion. She had watched him thoroughly enjoying his dumplings at one such tea. Yet he had stopped to give her one when he’d noticed that she’d already eaten the two her mother had given her. She had decided in that moment that she liked him.
Now full of those sweet memories, she beamed up at him and nodded her head. Her feet were already tired of walking. And her head seemed to weigh more tonight too. She wanted nothing more than to rest it against his broad shoulder. So she let go of her mother’s hand and gratefully leaned into him as he picked her up in his strong arms. She pillowed her head over his heart a moment later. Its strong beat a comforting tattoo which would, over the next several minutes, woo her to sleep.
If only it were as easy for that heart to woo her mother to his side.
Yeo Wool stood up and glanced down at Sam Sook. She was gazing up at him now. Her eyes slid from his face to her tiny daughter before finding his own gaze again. She looked a little disturbed by this turn of events. But he also noticed the evident relief that was now spilling across her countenance.
“You work too hard,” he murmured instantly. Wanting nothing more than to pamper her for the rest of her life. And carry her burdens so they wouldn’t weigh her down anymore.
She laughed suddenly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She stuck her nose in the air. “I am a woman of leisure. All my needs are met before I wake up each morning. I have only these two daughters to take care of.”
“And your mother,” he muttered.
Her eyes careened into his once more. And she wondered if he saw more than he should.
“And don’t make motherhood out to be a piece of rice cake. I know that it is not without its challenges.”
His eyes caressed hers again. And she swallowed. And looked away.
“Thank you for carrying her. I am a bit fatigued tonight.”
He wanted to draw her close. Slipping his arm around her waist and lending her his strength too. But he had the sad feeling that she would bristle at him if he tried such a maneuver.
“Why are you tired?” he spoke in a quiet voice. He could feel Se Yeon relaxing completely against him. He was certain that if she wasn’t already asleep, she soon would be.
Sam Sook shrugged. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”
His eyes traced hers in concern. Fine lines crowned those lovely eyes today. Her face hadn’t appeared that pinched when she’d first arrived at his home earlier today. Had he distressed her? Had his grief upset her? Or his admissions?
“I’m sorry,” he murmured quietly.
Startled, she locked eyes with him once more. “For what?”
“For upsetting you.”
“Upsetting me?” she queried as her eyes slid away from his.
“Mmm.”
“What makes you think that you upset me?” Then she castigated herself for allowing those words to flow from her lips.
If she were trying to hide from him, she’d just done a terrible job of it. Running out to confront him.
His compassionate countenance shined upon her. His soulful eyes resting on her face. She dropped her gaze, and that sensitive mouth of his suddenly drew her attention. For reasons which she couldn’t even begin to fathom. Those sweet lips were not curved into a smile. They were set in a troubled line. As though he were worried about her.
“I know I did,” those lips spoke.
And her eyes found his once more. As they widened. “No, I…” But she let her voice trail off. For she couldn’t honestly speak those words. “It’s just…you do not know me any longer, Yeo Wool.”
“I think that you are wrong,” he uttered softly, and Se Ri closely studied this interaction between the handsome hwarang and her mother.
“So much more has passed under the bridge since you saw me last. So much more than you would ever guess.”
“Then take me into your confidence and share it with me.” His voice was a low rumble. Aggravating – or soothing? – her nerves.
It was aggravating something, all right. Making her want to turn towards that gentle voice and bury her face against his strong chest as her tiny daughter now was. As her eyes slid her way, she felt a sudden sharp dart of jealousy pierce her heart. Its ache shocked her. How could she be envious of her baby?
But she was. She wanted to be held securely in those strong arms. Sheltered from every storm by someone so much wiser and stronger than she. There wasn’t a single storm in Se Yeon’s life that Yeo Wool couldn’t handle. But the same could not be said of Sam Sook’s life.
She released a deep sigh.
And they walked the remainder of the way home in silence.
She wasn’t willing to unburden herself to him. Especially not in front of her girls.
And he knew it.
