Chapter 43. Standstill

When everything else got harder to deal with, Joohyun found a sense of peace beside Euna. The pressure was getting heavier to take that she found herself in the mall with the little chatterbox who distracted her away from her vile thoughts.

“Is your heart hurting?”

That little voice was seriously the diversion she needed. She turned to look at Euna who was walking beside her. However, the little girl’s her question brought a twitch in her chest, “Huh?”

“You said this is a good medicine if my heart is hurting. Is that why we are shopping?”

Joohyun managed a small laugh not knowing how to explain. How could she lie knowing too well that her heart was really hurting? She led Euna towards one of the waiting benches then explained in a manner that a six year old could understand, “Not necessarily, remember when we came here with Appa? Nobody’s heart was hurting then, right?”

“But we came here with him because we were really happy…” Euna tried to argue as her brows furrowed in concentration. Then she let off a big sigh before muttering, “Okay, I don’t know… I cannot understand why you have to buy shoes and bags and these dresses for me… it’s too many! I only have two hands!”

Instead of the discomfort that could have been fitting to Euna’s innocent observation, Joohyun laughed, “Oh baby, I thought you’d enjoy shopping with me…”

“Hmp!” Euna pouted.

“Fine.” It was her turn to sigh realizing that the little lady was gradually losing patience so Joohyun suggested, “Why don’t we take all these shopping bags to the car first then we’ll come back here. How does a movie sound?”

The little girl’s eyes widened as well as her smile, “We’re gonna watch movie?! Now?!”

“Yes, now,” Joohyun nodded and congratulated herself. At least, she could still keep her baby beside her for a little bit longer. She then shrugged and added nonchalantly, “If you want…”

“I want! I want!”

“Okay, let’s go!” She declared but stopped when the little girl’s lips protruded, “What’s wrong, princess?”

Euna shrugged, “I wish Appa can come too. It’s more fun when it’s me, you and appa together.”

“Me too, sweetheart,” she mumbled not really a hundred percent sure she wanted Yonghwa around but for Euna’s sake, she had to lie. “But Appa is—”

“Busy,” Euna supplied with a sad face, “I know that.”

~~~

Back in the office, all she did was pretend that her dark thoughts weren’t there at all but something in the way he looked at her says that he noticed.

And she is powerless to do anything about that.

Instead, Yonghwa would be extra clingy during their ‘unguarded moments’ in the office, especially during their walks in the park after dinner. She, on the other hand, just took advantage of being that close to him knowing that soon enough she would decide and it would be something she’d probably regret for the rest of her life.

Joohyun decided to bury those thoughts at the farthest back of her sanity. She was too used to pretending all the time and it wouldn’t matter if she continued doing so. When she came into the office, the next day after her shopping spree with Euna, she didn’t notice at first but his enthusiasm seemed too much until she realized something— Ha In’s picture was no longer where it was before. Everything was still the same except for the absence of that single picture frame that it was too obvious since there was this huge empty space between Euna’s pictures.

She hated herself for thinking that he didn’t even bother to arrange the pictures just to fill the gap.

Instead of being relieved, Joohyun was irritated.

Despite it all, she managed to set aside her irritation and helped him study some proposals sent to them from the President’s office. Joohyun found herself standing close beside him, hunching over his table to peruse the documents.

“So what do you think?” Yonghwa finally looked up when she straightened and leaned her back on the edges of the table.

She puckered her lips thoughtfully, “As far as I can tell, it’s going to be a good deal but I still think the legal department should check for the ramification of some of the provisions. We don’t want any legal battle over the acquisition of some of the private lands in the area.”

“That’s right,” Yonghwa nodded contemplatively. The demanding course of their daily office life was a good diversion to their personal relationship. Instead of thinking more thoroughly about the papers sprawled on his desk, he could not stop his mind from changing its direction towards the ‘unspoken’ between them.

Somehow, they mastered the trick of avoidance.

They have become so good with that kind of play they were doing. As if everything was alright. As if the night that caused them to spiral within themselves was like a far-away nightmare that both of them had. But no matter how they tried to divert everything, it was still there—afraid to be spoken about.

They went on with the charade they willingly engage in, just as long as they are together.

“Anyway, the Chairman already agreed to it; only that he wants us to study this more…” Joohyun added as she slid on his table to get comfortable.

“Hmmm yeah.” Placing the documents on the folder, Yonghwa then put it on the other corner leaving the table free of any objects. With a grin that promised mischief, Yonghwa slid his revolving chair a little to open a space for her. He then lifted his forefinger and curled it towards him that she rolled her eyes knowing exactly what he had in mind, “Come here, Joohyun-ssi.”

She laughed, “Don’t call me that. It sounds as if I’m about to get harrassed…”

“I doubt you could be harassed,” he added with a lift of one brow then smiled when she finally took a step closer to him. Grabbing her by the waist, she was on his lap in record time. Yonghwa ran both hands on the lengths of her arms as if rubbing the coolness away while her own rested on his shoulders.

“I thought we agreed not to be cheeky while working?” Joohyun murmured watching those eyes grow hungrier until she tilted her head and gently her lips along the seams of his.

He smiled sliding one hand on the small of her back and another massaging her nape. Yonghwa opened his lips to accept those delicious lips. Although he was taking his time with that almost languid kiss, lust had been burning within but he lamented on the idea that this was a