"It's already 10.30. Where is she?" Ah-Yeong's mother was talking to herself while calling Ah-Yeong. The phone wasn't being picked up and she had a slight idea of where her daughter could be.
'Even after slapping her, she didn't stop meeting that guy?'
"Did she pick up the call, son-in-law? Did she even tell you where she was going?"
Sang Hoon gave a nod and replied "Yes, she told me that she has some work at school. So, she went there."
"Then why did she not arrive yet?"
"She will come soon. Don't worry, mother-in-law."
When Ah-Yeong's mother saw a gentle smile on her son-in-law's face, she understood that her son-in-law does not know nothing of Ah-Yeong's affair. She inwardly scolded her daughter for cheating on a man who was very good from the inside and also from the outside.
"Then, let's just cut the cake. You guys can celebrate later also. Let's cut the cake and we will leave after that." Sang Hoon's mother instructed and they all walked towards the table where the cake was kept.
It was a round vanilla cake with fruits and nuts toppings.
Sang Hoon held the knife in his hand to cut the cake but he didn't wanted to. He wanted to have this birthday with his wife and everyone present. There was everyone but his wife was the only one who wasn't present.
Before slicing the cake, he took a glance at the main door hoping to see her enter. But he didn't see anyone. He slowly took the knife and placed the knife on the cake, hoping that she would enter any time soon.
He was really stupid to have allowed her to go. He shouldn't have let her go. 'What if she was meeting that man?' He asked himself. Again, his mind began to doubt on her. Then again, he shook his head and sliced the cake.
His parents and Ah-Yeong's parents wished for him but Sang Hoon wanted to hear a wish from Ah-Yeong. Knowing that it wasn't going to happen today, he again shook his head.
Taking a slice from the cake, he fed his parents and then her parents.
It was already quarter to eleven and Sang Hoon thought that he would not see Ah-Yeong today despite of him telling her to come early. Then another thought crossed his mind and he muttered to himself "Why would she even listen to a man who is just a husband on paper and there was nothing in between them?"
Upon thinking this way, Sang Hoon felt like cutting himself and throwing his brain away which was giving him stupid thoughts.
As he was just keeping a slice of cake on a plate for Ah-Yeong so that he could give her later when she comes, he heard the door open and saw her coming in with a bouquet of pink rose and a bag in her hand.
****
After making love with Dae-Hyun, Ah-Yeong had slept for a while. When she woke up, it was already ten. So, she rushed out of Dae-Hyun's house to the shopping mall to get Sang Hoon a gift.
How sarcastic it was... She just wanted to laugh at herself.
She said that she wanted to forget about Sang Hoon but here she was thinking of what to buy for him. And after finding a good jacket and a wallet, she decided to leave. But when her eyes fell on the bouquet of pink rose, she just wanted to buy them.
Well, they were great for expressing joy and thankfulness. And the man who was with her for three months, she wanted to express her joy and thankfulness to him. She soon was going to leave him. So... she had to do something to make his day memorable.
And thanks to this all, she reached the house by 11.15.
"I am sorry! I am late." She quietly apologized and walked towards Sang Hoon amidst the angry glare given by her mother and her father.
Seeing her father's angry glare, she realized that her mother had also told her father about her affair. Well, it didn't matter anymore now. Because the thing with Dae-Hyun was going to become official once she took a divorce from Sang Hoon.
Ah-Yeong shrugged her shoulders and walked towards Sang Hoon.
"Happy birthday, Sang Hoon!" Calling his name for the first time; it felt really weird. She gave the gifts to him and Sang Hoon was very much surprised to even take the gifts from her. So, Ah-Yeong placed the gifts on the table.
He was so surprised to see her here. All hopes of Sang Hoon had shattered but the opening of the door surprised him. The birthday wish and his name being called from her mouth also surprised him.
And the gifts made him smile like a young teen in love. He immediately asked while pointing at the gifts placed on the table "Shall I open them?"
Ah-Yeong took a glance at her parents and then his parents. Well, if she was to say no... she didn't wanted to hear another lecture from her mother.
"Yeah! They are not much but just something which I found good." She replied in a low voice.
"I am happy that you bought me a gift, Ah-Yeong!" Sang Hoon whispered and opened the box.
It felt different to hear her own name from Sang Hoon's mouth.
Seeing a denim jacket and a brown wallet inside, Sang Hoon gave a smile and commented happily "It is really nice. Thank you, Ah-Yeong!" He again said her name. He was enjoying the feeling of calling her by her name.
Noticing her eyes on the cake, he quickly took the slice of cake which he had kept for only and only her.
"Err... I forgot!" He took the slice and began to feed her when Ah-Yeong stopped him. "I will...." She stopped her sentence midway when she saw him looking at her with his big brown eyes just like a puppy.
"Umm..." She eyed her parents. They were glaring at her. Sighing inwardly, Ah-Yeong took the slice from his hand and fed him. It was better to feed rather than be fed. "Once again Happy Birthday!" She didn't have any more audacity to call him by his name.
Ah-Yeong again eyed her parents and took a deep breath of relief. Ah-Yeong thought that she would be free once she fed him but it all seemed that her plan failed when she was fed back by Sang Hoon. She took a bite of cake and felt the cream on her upper lip. She secretly licked it.
The cake was tasty, actually.
Sang Hoon was surprised to be fed by her. He was elated. It was the beautiful moment of his life...
A big smile crossed over his lips and he also wanted to do the same. He understood that she was reluctant to eat from him but he still tried his best to feed her and he succeeded in feeding her.
"Thank you very much, Ah-Yeong!"
As he fed her, he saw her licking the cream which was on her upper lip, secretly. Witnessing this scene in front of him, his throat felt dry. He remembered the kiss which he had stolen that night when she was drunk.
He could still feel that alcoholic taste. And he now wanted to taste her lips which had cream on them. Apart from his brain having doubtful thoughts, Sang Hoon felt that his brain was having dirty thoughts.
He chuckled due to the clashes of doubtful and dirty thoughts in his brain. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the latter one.
Sang Hoon then came back to his senses. While he did so, he noticed his parents who were eyeing at him weirdly. He quickly cleared his throat and escaped to his room while taking the gifts in his hand. All this while, he had forgotten about the people present except for Ah-Yeong.
What could he do? Her looks were like that which made him forget about everything which was happening around.