To My Dear Lalisa Manoban [JENLISA] (1)

321-325

Kim Soo-Hyun was momentarily stunned before he speedily turned in the direction of the other voice. He realized that it was Jennie who had called out to Jun Ji-hyun. He was startled and watched blankly as she headed towards Jun Ji-hyun.

“Mother,” Jennie glanced at Kim Soo-Hyun after calling out to Jun Ji-hyun. “Father?”

Why is he here too?

“What...what are you doing here?” Kim Soo-Hyun appeared more flabbergasted than she was. He stared at her and then at Jun Ji-hyun. “You...the both of you...”

“Soo-Hyun, let bygones be bygones. I’m very content with the way things are now.”

Jun Ji-hyun gazed in Jennie’s direction as she spoke, wringing her own hands. She seemed helpless. “Jennie, I originally wanted to pick up your birthday cake. It’s...”

Jennie had already espied the cake on the ground as well as Kim Soo-Hyun’s presence.

She had not expected to bump into Kim Soo-Hyun when they were only out for a meal. She looked at the contrasting and peculiar expressions on Kim Soo-Hyun and Jun Ji-hyun’s faces and then at the box of cake on the ground.

“It’s alright, the box is rather sturdy. It seems that no damage has been done to the cake.”

Jennie stepped forward to pick up the box of cake from the ground. She looked at Jun Ji-hyun again. “Mother, both of you...”

Kim Soo-Hyun was suddenly aware of the cake and finally recalled that it was Jennie’s birthday. “Jennie, it’s your birthday today?”

Jennie grossly lacked the ease and closeness she felt Ji-hyun when she was with Kim Soo-Hyun. “Yes, it’s my birthday today.”

Kim Soo-Hyun suddenly stood motionless, because he saw the look of utter disbelief and consternation in Jun Ji-hyun’s eyes.

He was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Mother.” Jennie instinctively felt the curious change in the atmosphere. She held up the box of cake in her hands. “Lisa is still waiting for me. Both of you can continue chatting. I’m heading back into the dining room first.”

She threw a look at Kim Soo-Hyun again as she spoke and then headed in the direction of the private dining room with hurried footsteps.

Jun Ji-hyun had not yet recovered from her state of disbelief and hence she pinned her glare on Kim Soo-Hyun. The shock in her eyes was slowly clouded with disappointment.

“You were not even aware that it’s your daughter’s birthday today?”

Kim Soo-Hyun’s question had revealed much to Jun Ji-hyun about his relationship with and his regard for Jennie.

She thought of Kim Soo-Hyun’s family portrait. She thought of Kim Soo-Hyun standing beside Seo Yea-Ji, smiling. She thought of him having children of his own.

She also thought of how Jennie’s birthday celebration today only consisted of her and Lisa. On the contrary, she had seen the grandeur of the dinner party full of extravagantly-dressed people from the photograph that depicted a beaming Jiwon.

Her daughter’s birthday, in contrast, was a modest and quiet affair. On top of that, Kim Soo-Hyun, as a father, was not even aware of his daughter’s birthday?

“Ji-hyun,” A look of panic flashed across Kim Soo-Hyun’s face. He wanted to explain himself. “I...”

“Kim Soo-Hyun.”

Jun Ji-hyun pursed her lips into a hard line. Her aging demeanor fully reflected her feelings of disappointment, criticism, regret, and contrition. “I am to blame. I have really made a mistake. I should have kept her with me. I should have taken her away. I shouldn’t have given her to you.”