Chapter 281 - The Truth About Us (1)

It took KJ a few seconds to realize what Mirae had just said.

"What?" he asked. "You know that he can talk?"

"I do," she affirmed.

"S-since when?"

Mirae bit her lip before replying, "Since the night at Sunny Daze. He was the one who led me to you after overhearing Junhyung's plan."

KJ stood up, feeling fearful. Mirae knew about Jade and she was going to question him about the timelines. How will he explain it to her? What if she is devastated after hearing the truth? Or...what if she leaves him?

"KJ?"

She was waiting for his reply. He lost all color on his face upon hearing that she knew his secret. Was he scared? But why? 

"KJ, Jade is really upset," she went on. "I want to help him but I don't know how! I don't understand anything and I won't unless you tell me the truth. I wanted to wait for you to tell me but seeing Jade's condition, I don't think I can hold back."

She stood up and touched his shoulder. "Let's save him," she said. But KJ was as still as a statue, too shocked to speak. He wanted to save Jade and yet...yet he was afraid of telling Mirae the truth. She was waiting for his answer.

"If I tell you the truth, you will hate me," he finally said. 

"Why would I hate you?" she asked. KJ turned away from her, unable to face his wife's questions. She sensed the hesitation within him but it was a question of Jade. The cat had been his friend and companion for years and without knowing the truth, she would not be able to save him.

"Why do you think I will hate you, KJ?" she asked, going around to face him. He tried to turn away again but she held him, not willing to let him escape. Her green eyes were stern, demanding him to speak up.

"Because…" he began. "You're involved in this too."

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"The decision I made all those years ago also affected your life," he went on. "I made that choice...to escape from you."

Her mind tried to grasp what he was saying. His decision involved her? He was escaping her?

"I don't-"

"I'll tell you everything," he said. "But you'll have to go somewhere with me. It's where we spent a big part of our lives."

"Our lives?" she echoed. 

"Our first meeting was not at our apartment," he revealed. "It was at my grandfather's funeral."

Before she could fathom his words, he grabbed her hand and led her out of the mansion. She followed him without a word to his car. Whatever he wanted to tell her, was going to affect their relationship.

But how?

….

An hour later, he parked in front of a cheap apartment complex. They did not talk all throughout the ride. Mirae quietly watched her husband's face. It was as if his heart was breaking with every second as they neared their destination. She never saw him like that and with great difficulty, she fought back the urge to pat him. She wanted to assure him that everything would be alright but his words were haunting her. What sort of terrible secret was he hiding?

She got out of the car, studying the building in front of her. It was almost five storey high and was a low rent unit for those with low income. Yet, the place was empty. None of the lights within the units were turned on and it was desolated.

"Why are we here?" she asked. 

He took a deep breath and said, "Follow me."

He led her inside. She looked around the building, bewildered by the turn of events. Even though she had never been in that building, it felt oddly familiar to her. It was as if she had forgotten that she was supposed to visit that place but simply forgot.

KJ walked ahead, unable to meet his wife's eyes. Would she believe him? Even if she did, what would be her reaction? Would he lose her again?

They walked up to the fourth floor and stopped in front of an apartment. Apartment number 412. 

"In here," he said. He opened the door and let her in. 

It was a small unit with only one bedroom, a living room and a small kitchen. Compared to the other apartments, this one looked as if someone lived there. The little furniture in it was spotlessly clean and the floors were scrubbed. 

Mirae was scanning around, trying to focus. She felt a sense of dejavu but her brain was blank. There were no memories of that place but the sense of familiarity was strong. 

"This place…" she muttered. "What is this place? Who lives here?"

KJ watched his wife as she tried to figure out where they were. But the words would not come. How was he going to explain it to her? What if it affects her badly? He did not want to lose her again but the secret he held for over a decade was going to ruin their relationship.

Mirae waited for him to speak. He could not avoid her questions anymore.

KJ closed his eyes, trying to gather his thoughts. It was now or never.

"This was our home," he finally said. "This is where we lived. You and I."

"What? I don't-"

"There are two timelines, Mirae," KJ pressed on. "As Jade said to you. I did change time. And when I did, I erased a very important part of both of our lives."

Mirae stared in shock as he continued.

"In the original timeline," he said. "My grandfather's death and the audition for EXOTIC were on the same day. I abandoned the audition to be with my grandfather. I did not join EXOTIC nor become an idol. Instead, I chose to fulfill his last wish. Which was to-"

"Marry me," she finished for him. "Secretary Lee had mentioned it once after our wedding."

KJ nodded. "You were there too. And both of us had decided to get married to keep grandfather happy."

"But I hid something from you," he said. "I hid the fact that your parents were killed. You had no idea. Instead, you chose to follow me as I left behind my grandfather's wealth and house. Both of us left that world to start our new lives."

He looked directly at her. Confusion and shock was all over her face as she tried to understand his story.

"What I could not leave behind," he said. "Was my obsession for revenge against the Cartel for murdering Ms. Sohee."