Chapter 37         Love is a Battlefield…
                            What is Love without Jealousy…                                   

Point in time:     Last Quarter of the Year…
                            4^th Week of November…

Location:            KPK Headquarters….

Natalie’s Grandparents Visit
Minho at Work…

Inside the conference room, the meeting has already ended. The previous endless discussion of business language of the world that occurred has muted down – for a few minutes as he listens to what Onew, the chairman of the meeting is saying.  

A pang of guilt injects his veins as Onew looks at him as though talking through their eyes the latter conveys the message of concern and worry – feels embarrassed realizing that all throughout the meeting, he hadn’t participated in the discussion, and, in fact, had not even said a word up to this point. Minho bows his head, lifts it up again smiling back at Onew suggesting he is fine so that the other responds in the same manner and thus, finally, wraps up the business meeting. 

Minho steps out of the conference room, walking along in silence inattentive of his office colleagues tapping his shoulders and greeting as he sees him. Suddenly, Onew calls him with a tone of uneasiness…

Onew:             (taps his right shoulder) Minho-ssi, are you all right…?
                       You don’t look seem well… What is bothering you…?

Minho:             (quickly turns his face) Oh…hyung…
                        I am so sorry by the way during the meeting.
                        You noticed me spacing out the entire time…

Onew:             (nods and smiles) Yeah… I kept on glancing at you
                        but it seemed that you have not noticed me until the last part…

Minho:             (sighs) I felt so embarrassed.
                        Good thing, I did not have any issue to discuss and
                         share but even so, I should have participated…

Onew:             (shakes his head) Naahh... It is alright…
                       You are good…although I would say;
                        it was pretty rare of you to act that way.
                        At a certain point, I wanted to call your attention
                        but then I retracted as I didn’t like to put in a bad light…

Minho:             (smiles) Thanks hyung… I greatly appreciate it…

Onew:             (convincing tone) Tell me… you can trust me…
                       what is bothering you…?

Minho:             (looks at Onew with a distressing face) Hyung…
                        I am trying to be strong but Taemin shatters
                        every time my walls thicken…

Onew:             (curious tone) What are you saying…?

Minho:             (defeatedly sighs) Taeminnie sent me a message saying…
                        He is in a bliss excited about the engagement rings
                        he bought for him and Bummie…

                        (looks at Onew) What do you think…
                        will wedding be next…?
 

Onew:             (astounded) Hah…? So was he really serious…
                       I thought it was a joke or something…

Minho:             (surprised) Did he tell you about it too…?

Onew:             (breathes heavily) yeah…
                       He was excitedly saying it over and over again…
                       I thought he was only joking…

                        (rubs Minho’s back) Minho-ssi…
                        have faith you see anything can happen
                        before the so-called wedding…

Minho:             Hyung… you know how Taeminnie loves Bummie…
                       heaven and earth…

Onew:             Yeah… I know I could see right through him…
                       (looks at Minho) but you know what…

Minho:             (looks back at Onew) what hyung…?

Onew:             Previously when we were together
                       (opens hands and raises them)
                       I mean living at my place for company
                        – he was not so into pursuing Kibum so much.
                       
                        He was also happy when he was with me
                        though once in a while he would mention Kibum
                        but otherwise most of the time…
                        we would talk about just anything under the sun…
 

Minho:             (smiles) Oh… I see…

Onew:             At first I was his confidante but later on he was kind
                       of asking about what I do… so I thought…
                       there might be a possibility that…

Minho:             (curious) What possibility…hyung…?

Onew:             That he might try to divert his attention away from Kibum…

Minho:             Let’s say almost…

Onew:             (nods) yeah… except that moment of opportunity –
                       he grabbed it or rather stole it from you…
 

Onew seeing Minho bowing his head in sadness – empathizes with how the other feels, like him; he too is lonely and hoping for some sparkle of light of opportunity that his wish may be granted.  Suddenly, he sees Minho opening both of his eyes, with a warm glow; he smiles thinking that Minho can always find a way to lighten hisself up – something like this is so natural for Minho – still as ever, has been open to possibilities of optimism. In fact, he like this kind of character about him and thus he says…

Onew:             Minho-ssi… don’t lose faith…let today pass by…
                       tomorrow might be a different episode…

Minho:             (nods and smiles) Yeah… Hyung…
                        I will try my best to get back what should be mine – ours…
                        Bummie and I.

Onew:             (chuckles) Ggeezz…
                       you really have that kind of fiery spirit…?

Minho:             (smiles) Yeah… this is all what I have been fuelling myself
                        eversince I have known Bummie….

Onew:             (eyebrows furrow) Really…? Why is that…?

Minho:             (smiles) Eversince we were kids…
                        Bummie has been adored by many and
                        I was like a lone soldier fighting alone
                        in a battlefield from clamoring Bummie’s admirers’ boys and girls…
                        it was really crazy…

Onew:             (laughs and nods) Well… that is no longer a surprise for me
                       because I was like one of them and still am …
                       hey not like that way with you feel but admiration …yes…

Minho:             (takes a deep breath) the first one was,
                        I thought would be painful … yeah it was, I admit…

Onew:             (curious) Minho-ssi what do you mean first one…?

Minho:             (gasps for blurting up a situation) Oh… hyung…
                        during school days…

Onew:             (chuckles) Silly…
                       were you that already serious of Kibum…?

Minho:             (nods) yeah…hyung… very serious…

                        (voices deepens) but with the situation with Taemin
                        – I have never thought to be as much harder
                        that it was before…

Onew:             (blows airs) Yeah… Taeminnie is unyielding…

Minho:             (nods) That sometimes it scares me
                        what he can do to become Kibum only his…

Onew:             I agree…
                       (looks at Minho and taps his shoulder)
                       Well…
                       Minho-ssi, look at it in a different angle or brighter side…
                       there might be or shall I say…
                       you are not giving others an opportunity to know you and be close to you…

                       (shakes his head) well… not me… of course…
                       I am referring to others
                       perhaps another Kibum not exactly like him…
 

Minho:             aaaiisshh… Onew hyung… silly…

Onew:             (taps Minho’s shoulder) well… ok…
                       but give yourself a chance… come let’s go…
                       it is no use sulking…fighting Minho…

Minho:             (laughs and starts to walk) same with you Onew-ssi…

Onew:             What do you mean…?

Minho:             (looks at him in questioning eyes)
                        Remember you mentioned… for yourself – a possibility…?
                        I wonder who is it…? I need to find that out…interesting…?
                        Is she pretty…?

Onew:             Forget it Minho-ssi…
                       (walks in a different direction when reaching
                       the junction part, says) see you later…
                       call me if you need anything ok…

                       (waves hand) bye… have faith and be strong always…
 

Minho:             (smiles and waves hand too) Bye Hyung… thank you…

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