Page 27 of Perfect Happiness
“Noah, say you’re sorry to your big sister.”
Noah’s face turned bright red.He looked at his grandma.There was clear betrayal in his eyes.He had trusted his dad to take his side.Noah’s grandma answered Noah’s plea for help and quickly went on the counterattack.
“You, too, Eun-ho?It’s not like she has a broken bone.”
Eun-ho put his hand on Noah’s shoulder and pulled him away from his grandma.
“Are you not going to say you’re sorry?”
Noah hugged his ball even tighter.His mouth wasn’t opening.His stubborn eyes were making his intention clear to Eun-ho.No.
Eun-ho felt his Adam’s apple swelling to the size of a soccer ball.This wasn’t the first time this had happened.In fact, this happened every weekend Noah and Jiyoo got together.Usually, it was just small skirmishes.But according to Wife’s analysis, Noah was just as irritable and sensitive as his father, so it was Noah’s fault.But it was really Eun-ho’s fault.He was the one who spoiled Noah.His son’s condition made it impossible for Eun-ho to discipline Noah.And Eun-ho was always trying to make it up to Noah for not being able to be a good father and raising Noah himself.
And yet, Noah had never been as misbehaved as he was right now.He usually accepted his wrongdoing and apologized.His current behavior had to be related to the fact he had the support of an unconditionally loyal teammate.Eun-ho needed to separate Noah from his grandma if he wanted to handle this.
“Noah, Daddy needs to have a talk with you.”Eun-ho grabbed Noah’s hand.“No one come in.”Eun-ho said this to prevent his mother from coming along as back up.But all the way to the study, Noah dragged his feet and glanced back at his grandma.
“Why are you scaring him like that?”Eun-ho’s mother called from behind.
Eun-ho closed the door, shutting everyone out, and locked the door so no one would interfere.
Eun-ho sat Noah down on his chair and kneeled in front of him.He explained to Noah why he was wrong and why he needed to apologize.But Noah wasn’t listening to what Eun-ho told him.He just glanced toward the door as he fiddled with his soccer ball.
“Noah, do you understand what I’m telling you?”
Noah shook his head.Eun-ho couldn’t tell if this meant that he didn’t understand or that he understood but disagreed.
“Should I say it again?”
This time, Noah shook his head again.
“Then are you going to say you’re sorry to your big sister?”
Noah shook his head even harder this time.In fact, his denial was so strong that he had to hold onto the armrests of the chair so that he could twist his whole body in refusal.
“She’s not my big sister,” Noah finally said.“Tell her to go back to her home.”
What did I just hear?Eun-ho couldn’t believe his ears.
“Why does she always come to our house?Like a homeless person.”
Something snapped inside Eun-ho’s stomach.He stood up suddenly and grabbed Noah by the shoulders.
“Noah Cha!I think you need a time out.”
“No.I don’t want to.Don’t let her come here.”
Noah burst into tears.This started what was an uncontrollable wave of emotions.First Noah started screaming.Then he began contorting his body and thrashing his legs so violently that he rocked the chair back and forth.Eun-ho had never seen Noah act like this; he didn’t know what to do.He risked hurting Noah if he grabbed him and tried to restrain him, and he risked Noah hurting himself if he did nothing.
“Noah Cha.Stop this right now.”
Eun-ho decided to hug Noah and pushed him back into the chair.But Noah didn’t stop thrashing.Eun-ho’s heart plummeted as a realization hit him: Noah was having an asthma attack.His lips were blue, his breathing was a wheezy whistle, sweat was dripping from his forehead, his eyes were full of tears and half-closed, and his body was beginning to go limp.
Noah had had asthma attacks before, but that never made it any less traumatic for Eun-ho or Noah.
Eun-ho threw open the study door and called out to his mom to bring the emergency inhaler.
The minute it took for her to find and bring it to him felt like an eternal hell.They forced the inhalant down Noah’s throat, and immediately Noah started coughing as he gasped for air.When Noah finally was able to breathe again, Eun-ho almost dropped to his knees, which would have been a mistake.He wanted to prostrate himself and beg for forgiveness.Had Eun-ho’s mom not snatched Noah from Eun-ho’s arms, he really would have done it, too.
