Chapter 8: To My Mother!

The next morning, Bella woke up to the smell of pancakes and coffee coming from her kitchen to her room. She walked out of her room and saw Jiwook making breakfast for both of them in the kitchen. What a sight to behold! A guy who can cook and make a woman swoon over him like crazy is what Bella wanted all this while.

Jiwook: Oh, breakfast will be ready in five minutes! So, go and get ready.

Bella smiled and nodded her head. She turned back and walked back into her room. She closed the door and smiled more like a crazy person behind the door. She started to jump up and down in the air for no reason out of excitement. Bella hopped to the bathroom happily as she hummed her favorite song. She took her bath and got dressed fast. She walked out of her room and pulled out a chair to sit at the dining table. Jiwook came with a plate of pancakes in his hand and two cups of coffee after that. He sat across her and smiled at her charmingly. Bella was hooked by his dimples and his ever-glued smile on his face.

Jiwook: Slept well last night?

Bela: Yeah, I did! How about you? Hope you did not have any backache on that sofa.

Jiwook: Ah, no! I slept well last night.

Bella: These pancakes are really good. You can cook well and I am impressed!

Jiwook: Well, I have to cook for my dad who is almost bedridden and always on a wheelchair so I kind of learned cooking from my late mom and social media.

Bella: Late mom? Oh, I am sorry! I did not know this.

Jiwook: No problem. I miss her sometimes but due to heavy work and schedule at my office, I have no time for myself.

Bella: Oh, speaking of work, don't you have to get ready for work?

Jiwook: I called in today. I want to take you somewhere. Remember I told you that day?

Bella: Oh, yes! What should I wear? Formal? Informal?

Jiwook: Something comfortable and casual?

Bella smiled again at this because Jiwook always wanted her to be comfortable with him. He did not mind Bella being casual and comfortable. She nodded her head and drank up her coffee. Jiwook volunteered to clear the plates and wash them but Bella felt bad for letting Jiwook do all the work. So, Bella washed up the plates and the cups in the sink as Jiwook helped her to place back the plates and cups on the rack in the kitchen.

Bella: I will get ready now. Just give me a few minutes.

Jiwook sat in the hall and smiled at Bella. He did not mind going to the place where he promise he would take Bella in casual clothes, just his hoodie, and his black jeans. Bella came out wearing her casual hoodie and her white jeans as Jiwook looked up at her from the hall.

Jiwook: Still beautiful...

Bella was flushed by his reaction and could her cheeks go red and the heat was radiating from it. She did not know why she felt like that suddenly but chose to ignore the feelings just to be on the safe side.

Bella: Where are we going?

Jiwook: You will know soon.

Bella: Don't scare me by bringing me to someplace to kill me or something.

Bella and Jiwook chuckled at this in the car as Jiwook drove to the place. As they reach the place, Bella learned that it was a huge cemetery and Jiwook pulled a bouquet of flowers from his back seat. He walked over to Bella and smiled.

Jiwook: I hope you are not disappointed that I brought you here. It is my mother's second death anniversary. I wanted to visit her.

Bella: Oh, no, no! Don't say that. I am glad that you brought me to see her.

Jiwook: Shall we then?

Bella smiled and nodded her head slowly as she followed Jiwook to his mother's grave. Her name was written on the tombstone in front of her and Jiwook placed the flowers on the tombstone.

Jiwook: I hope my mother is not upset that I faked a relationship just to trick my dad.

Bella: Oh, no! I am sure she would be more impressed that you successfully faked a relationship and won the game with your dad.

Jiwook smiled shyly at this and kneeled down in front of her tombstone.

Bella: I will just give you some time. I will wait there.

Bella pointed at the bench behind them and walked over to it. She sat on the bench looking at Jiwook kneeling at her tombstone. She knew how he felt missing someone he loves the most in his life. Tears rolled down her chubby cheeks as she wiped it with her palms. She misses her parents too but she knows that she cannot be weak now as she needs to be strong for Raynie. She saw Jiwook walking towards her and taking a seat beside her.

Bella: have anyone told you that you look exactly like Ji Chang Wook, the Korean actor?

Jiwook: I can't really count how many people have said that to me though. A lot!

Bella: Yeah, you do! When I saw you the first time at Melinda's guest house, I thought you were Ji Chang Wook but then I saw that you were different than him.

Jiwook: Different how? In a positive or negative way?

Bella: In a neutral way. You were just someone with an ignorant attitude at first so I knew that you weren't the Ji Chang Wook I know.

Jiwook: Ignorant person? That is too much to say about me...

Bella: I said at first. My first impression of you was this and then it slowly changed when I got to know you.

Jiwook adjusted his hoodie and sat closer to Bella this time. Bella did not mind the closeness they were in at that situation. Jiwook smiled and looked up into the sky above him.

Jiwook: So, is it possible to fall for me?

Bella looked shocked at first at this question from Jiwook but decided not to show too much reaction on her face.

Bella: I think it is a no from me. Impossible.

Jiwook: Wae?

Bella: Because-

She couldn't continue when both of them noticed a car approaching them. Hae Rae got down from the car and Bella quickly got up from the bench. Jiwook followed Bella from behind and greeted Hae Rae.

Hae Rae: I see you brought her.

Jiwook: I just wanted her to see just in case people ask her about mom.

Bella looked at Jiwook and learned that that was Jiwook's purpose of bringing her there. She was a little hurt but she knew she cannot be affected by this because all of this is just an act. Bella smiled at Hae Rae walked away from both of them.

Hae Rae: Did you piss her off or something? What is up with her?

Jiwook: Maybe she misses her parents too. Let's just visit mom first, shall we?

Jiwook pulled Hae Rae to his mom's grave and Hae Rae placed the flowers on her tombstone. Jiwook looked back at Bella who was looking at the view of the city. Jiwook noticed that Bella and Hae Rae have some friction between them but Jiwook just couldn't make out what it was. Hae Rae and Jiwook walked over to Bella.

Jiwook: Are you okay there?

Bella: Yeah, I am fine.

Hae Rae: Well, you did a great job last night. His dad bought the lie from you.

Bella: Why is it just me? Jiwook is also involved, right?

Hae Rae: Oh, yeah, yeah. To both of you, I would say.

Bella rolled her eyes at Hae Rae and continued admiringly the city view from above. Jiwook nudged Hae Rae to stop but Hae Rae wanted to have some fun instead.

Hae Rae: How much do you charge for a kiss?

Bella: What?

Hae Rae: How much for a kiss?

Jiwook: Just stop it, will you?

Bella: I don't do that...

Jiwook: You don't have to answer him. He is crazy.

Hae Rae: Don't be like this. Be a little sporting here, will you?

Jiwook: Hurting someone is not being sporting, Hae Rae! So, just stop it.

Hae Rae: Okay, okay! Fine then! It is not that she is your girlfriend or something. She does this for money.

Bella looked at Hae Rae and glared at him for saying that. Even though Bella needed the money by doing this, she never once went low and was desperate. Bella just walked away from both of them and looked back at Jiwook.

Bella: Shall we go now?

Jiwook came running to her as Hae Rae was still looking at both of them. He shook his head in disbelief that Jiwook acted weird with Bella. Hae Rae thought Jiwook was so hooked up with Bella that Jiwook would rather side Bella than Hae Rae. Hae Rae thought Jiwook has to come back to his normal self so he thought of a plan to bring him back. Melinda was the right person to bring Jiwook back, Hae Rae thought. Hae Rae looked after them as they took off from the cemetery.