Twenty one

+

“And why are you here today?” Dara asking to Chaerin who is sitting in her living room. “Aren’t you suppose to swimming with Dory and Nemo somewhere in Maldives?”

Chaerin scoffed.

“He cancelled it.”

“Jiyong cancel you honeymoon?”

“Well… good thing I can concentrate to my thesis now…” Chaerin sighed.

“But why?”

“Because he has something to do he said.” Chaerin lean herself to the couch backrest. “Working related.”

“Oh.” Dara gave her a glass of water.

“I want to graduate real soon, I want to help him in the company so he’s not being the only person that is sooo busy.”

“Are you worried or jealous?”

“Jealous of what? There’s no woman at all!” she suddenly think about a name, a name of a woman that keep appear on Jiyong’s screen phone. Park Bom.

“Woman? Who’s talking about woman? I said you’re jealous because he’s busy and you feel less important.”

Chaerin snorted. “No way…”

Dara took her phone that rang.

“Hello Bae.” She answered.

Chaerin knew immediately that its Youngbae who called because next thing is Dara listing all the vitamins she already took and her schedules.

“I only have one photoshot this week, don’t be too nosy okay??” Dara scoffing. “Oh you’re going abroad? When? So should I go check the baby alone next week? We can’t wait for you… do you think its some kind of watching movie that we can postpone? I need to make sure the baby is on the right size. Oh well, I’m going alone or with Chaerin… aha! Yes, I’m going to the doctor with Chaerin, she’s kind of lonely lately.” the she laughs.

“What the heck! I’m not lonely.”

“Do you know that… oh no, Bae, I won’t tell you, Jiyong is your friend after all.” She laughs again and end the conversation,

“Hey! I am not lonely, okay?” Chaerin looking at Dara sharply.

“Alright… alright…”

“So, How’s the baby? The bump is getting really big.” Chaerin pay attention to Dara’s bump.

“Of course! I already entered the seventh month, Chae baby.” She said while pressing number in her phone. “Hello, you can pick up the laundry now.” Dara talked to someone probably the building keeper or the laundry boy.

“Is that mens clothes on your laundry bag?” Chaerin pointed on some shirt.

“Yes, Youngbae’s.”

“He lives here??”

“On weekend, why?”

Chaerin put a confuse face, “Still don’t understand your relationship.”

“We decided to become friends, really, like two bestfriends who happened to have children together and we’ll raise them together. But yeah, till today… still no feeling involved.”

“Can you live like that?”

Dara laughing, “Tell them to yourself a year a go. You are decided to marry a guy you don’t know at all, you decided to live as your parents wants, marry him and having children without love. That’s even worse because at least, me and Youngbae decided to be friends.” She smiled.

“But you said no love.”

“Of course there’s love! I love my friends, I love you Lee Chaerin, I love Youngbae too!” she grinned.

“Oh yeah sure… whatever.” Chaerin rolled her eyes.

Dara giggling.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna try to like him?”

“Who? Youngbae? I told you, we decided to be friends… we don’t know what’s coming next but… we’re gonna take it slow.”

+

Chaerin dialed Jiyong’s number when she got home.

“Hey…” he answered.

“Hi, I just wondering if I made seollongtang, your favorite, will you be home on time?”

“As much as I want it, I can’t be home on time barbie, I have another meeting after dinner.”

“What?? Meeting after dinner? That’s a crime for employees.” She said.

“That’s why every company has this overtime expense.”

Chaerin sighed, “and this has been the nth day you worked overtime… are you sure everything’s okay?”

“Very sure, Chae…”

“Because as far as I remember my father never really works overtime.”

“My father working overtime everyday, and with me handling two companies, don’t you think its normal?”

“Still… you weren’t this busy before.”

“Are you lonely?”

“No,” she said with all her last pride. “Ok, have a good time working. Bye.”

She hung up the phone and sigh again.

Chaerin decided to have dinner outside, she didn’t call Dara, or her other friends, nor she tell Jiyong where she going. She just don’t wanna eat alone again at home.

“Should I go to Paolo’s?” she talk to herself. “Oh, no, Paolo will ask me too many things.”

“Or should I call Soo Hyuk oppa?” she’s thinking, “No, he must be busy and he also will ask me too many things.”

Chaerin doesn’t feel like talking about anything to night, so she decided to go to a private Parisian café in the city, she bet not so many people will go there, she will just grab dinner and go.

After few minutes driving, Chaerin arrived in Le Coin café. She park her car and get off. This café is very tranquil. Of course this is and expensive café, that’s why not so many people came here, just some celebrities and high society people.

Chaerin went in and immediately welcome by a service people.

“May I help you, Ma’am?”

“Yes,” Chaerin still thinking should she eat here or just take away some food. “Hmm… I want a table for one person.”

“One person, come with me.” she said.

Chaerin following the service girl, and she’s adoring the interior so much, its like walking on a clean indoor garden. And suddenly, she saw something she doesn’t really wanna see.

Jiyong.

Enjoying his dinner with a very doll-like pretty girl.

Chaerin holds he breath.

What should I do? What should I do?

She doesn’t know what to do so she just stop.

“Ma’am?”

“I- uh… I think…” she tried to think the best way to act.

Chaerin r