Their faces turned pale and worry struck him when the carefree joy drove itself from her eyes. He had gone too far. What was he thinking?!

“Oh…good night,” Namjoo awkwardly said before turning to head into her room.

Sehun watched with a yearning heart as the door closed and wished he could turn back time. Maybe it was the wine that had done him good. Why had he let those words slip?

Swiveling around he walked into the bedroom closing the door after him. Whining and complaining he jumped around flustered before landing on the bed face down. He was such an idiot.

§§§§§

“We can sit and talk like normal now. On evenings, we watch TV and laugh together. Sometimes I think he feels bad that he doesn’t have a job anymore, but he doesn’t talk about it. I tell him to just relax since the semester will resume soon. I think he listens.”

“How does that make you feel?” her therapist asked.

“Well, good, I guess. I’m just happy he’s not stressed or pressured,” Namjoo admitted. “Like when I was pregnant, I felt like I made him work a lot. Thinking of our future…all that, and that he would have to support us. He doesn’t have to worry about that now.”

“You don’t have to feel guilty about it.”

“I know,” Namjoo nodded. “I know we’re ok now, but it kind of feels like we’re there – being regular friends – but we’re still so far from it.”

“You said you two talk like normal now?”

She nodded again. “At times there also feels like there’s a void that exists. Like times when he lets things slip.”

“What kind of things?” Jakyung wondered.

“Like…when he says I love you.”

The therapist gently smiled, “And how do you feel about that?”

Namjoo countered with, “Do friends love each other?”

“A husband and a wife can be best friends, I don’t see why not.”

“It’s weird, considering we cried once together as babies,” Namjoo reminisced. “And then we shared toys at one point. Fought over toys, food, and forks. We were always just like that, knowing each other like we’d be friends forever. Never did I see him as my potential. He said the same thing, too.”

“You fell in love with him though?”

Rubbing her ring finger, “Yea.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Is it normal for him to feel like a stranger from time to time, even though I’ve known him my whole life?”

“My husband used to say that when you think you know someone, you don’t really know them at all.” Jakyung shared. “But Namjoo, have you realized that you’ve been avoiding my questions?”

Digging nails into her fingers Namjoo stared down at her lap guiltily.

“Is something else bothering you?”

“We reverted to friends,” Namjoo reminded. Lim Jakyung nodded. “We’re supposed to friends now.”

A moment of silence.

“I read a book that at certain point in our lives, we come to understand things, but I’m still confused,” Namjoo shared. “I fought a lot against my feelings until I was hurt enough to forgive all my difficulties. I thought I have my resolve…or at least had it, but why am I so confused?”

“What are you confused about?”

Now nervously flicking her manicured nails against each other, “I’m falling in love for the second time.”

§§§§§

Not yet prepared for him to enter that part of her life, Namjoo had asked him to wait outside for her. After admitting that she was seeing a therapist Sehun was quite intrigued in this woman Namjoo was talking to weekly. Namjoo had only told him this doctor’s name, but nothing else about her or what they talked about. He really wanted to meet this Dr. Lim.

After watching the street for some time Namjoo finally emerged from the building. He straightened up when she entered his car.

“Did the talk go well?” he wondered. Namjoo nodded in reply. Did she talk about him? A lot? He hoped so. It would be a good thing to know that he was constantly on her mind like she was on his nearly 24/7.

“Do you want to go eat?” he asked.

“Where to?” she wondered when he started the engine.

“Anywhere you want.”

“You paying?”

He glanced over to see her playfully grinning. He had some money saved up but not that much.

“Lets go to a buffet,” Namjoo suggested. “They’re cheap around lunch time.”

“If you say so.”

They grew quiet for a moment. Namjoo spoke, “My cast is coming off Monday.”

That was bad news. Her car was also being released from the garage soon and that meant he’d no longer be able to be her personal chauffeur. It was his only means of being around her time after time, hour after hour.

“Do you want to go with me?” Namjoo asked.

He glanced at her. Previously during an argument Namjoo hadn’t wanted him to.

Sehun eagerly nodded, “I do.”

§§§§§

The usual night silence crept in like it did every night. Not Sehun by her side but the quietness that droned in after nightfall, when she turned the lights off, settled in bed by herself, and told herself it would be all right, that this was right.

It wasn’t true.

She was lonely night after night. Missing the often times when Sehun was available next to her and the times when she could turn to touch him, settle her head against him. Those nights were comforting.

Sehun didn’t drink much with her anymore. Not after the night when he mistakenly said “Good night. I love you.” Guilt dawned on her when she walked away that night. After closing the door she remained there with an unsettled heart. Sehun would have most likely welcomed her back into bed, but she didn’t know if she was ready to feel him beside her.

Though there was no more Seona in their lives, that woman had left an undeniable scar. Hearing Sehun tell her his feelings were a pleasure to her ears, but memories were still a thing that didn’t perspire. But tonight, she missed him a teeny bit more.

Reaching for her phone she turned it on and scrolled through her gallery. Sehun may not be with her physically, but her phone held remnants of their memories. And it had plenty of him in there. She could recall the moment each photo had been taken. Dates, outings, their wedding, and so on. After marriage, there had been a little less but Namjoo had been able to take some candid shots when Sehun wasn’t paying attention. The normality of him in those moments were heart rendering. All of it brought a smile to fulfill the emptiness on her lips.

In those moments Oh Sehun had been hers.

§§§§§

“Shouldn’t you be worrying about graduating instead of finding a job?” Lee Chul wondered making another shot before running underneath the hoop to catch the bouncing basketball.

“I feel bad doing nothing.” Sehun panted chasing after his friend.

“I don’t know, man. A lot of people would think you’re lucky,” Chul bounced the ball before making another shot. “I’d like it if I could just relax daily.”

“That’s laziness.”

“I suppose, but I’m not married,” Chul teased running around to catch the ball again.

“That’s why I need a job,” Sehun added.

“I hear Namjoo doesn’t mind.”

“She only says that to make it ok.”

“You sure?” Chul asked. “It isn’t what Yunyeong tells me.”

“Yunyeong again,” Sehun groaned. “She doesn’t know everything.”

“You sure about that again?” Chul wondered dunking the ball this time. He let the ball roll toward Sehun who made no effort to go for it.

“Of course I’m sure.” Sehun confidently replied.

Chul handsomely smiled as he walked by to grab his water bottle. “Is it because you want another baby?”

“What does that have to do with wanting a job?”

“Well,” he said matter-of-factly, “you need money in order to have a kid.”

Sehun nearly smacked him. Sitting on the ground, “Namjoo took the semester off and now she’s just working. What if she never goes back to finish school?”

“Why wouldn’t she?” Chul asked.

“If she has to support me continuously, she’ll forget about herself. And things will just happen all over again,” Sehun worried. “I don’t want that. I want her to get out there and do something for herself. I mean, after all this time, she should do something without thinking about me. Then after that, I want her to come back to me.”

§§§§§

The first thing Sehun noticed upon his return was the pair of heels by the front door. Namjoo was supposed to be at work, so who was in their house? Walking further in to investigate he discovered Namjoo on the couch in a fetal position. Her eyes were closed but he noticed sweat forming around her hairline.

Concerned, he walked around the couch to shake her, “Are you not feeling well?”

Namjoo opened her eyes before sitting up but kept her arms crossed over her belly. “I’m just having cramps.”

“Oh…” he mumbled. “Have you taken some pills?”

“I forgot to buy some on my way home,” Namjoo muttered painfully.

“I’ll go get some for you,” he offered. “Have you eaten? Do we have something to eat? If not, I’ll get something for you. Do you want ice cream? Chocolate? You don’t need pads, do you?”

Namjoo glanced up at him funnily before snorting. “Just buy everything then.”

“All right. Just lay down and rest. I’ll be back,” Sehun promised. Heading back out still drenched in sweat from the earlier play he got back in his car and drove toward the mart. He effortlessly skimmed the aisles, went through the food and dairy section, checked out, and returned to the car. He did everything without a hint of embarrassment.

Namjoo was lying in bed in a t-shirt and sweats when he got in. He handed her some snacks and pills before hurrying downstairs to make lunch. Halfway through meal preparation he hurried back upstairs to ask if she needed anything. By then Namjoo was back under her blanket trying to unsuccessfully nap.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” he worried. “Do I need to get anything else for you?”

Namjoo rose to look at him irritated. “I’m not dying,” she scolded. “I’m just waiting for the medicine to kick in. Go back downstairs and make sure you don’t burn the house down.”

He watched her lay back down annoyed and with a deep sigh. She was certainly doing well if she was angry with him. Without saying anything he went back downstairs. Namjoo was already asleep by the time lunch was finished cooking. Putting the food aside he decided it was finally time to wash. While waiting for Namjoo to wake up from her nap he the TV to keep himself busy. Not before long he grew bored of a documentary and fell asleep. Today, his dream was relatively good.

They had gone back in time – he and Namjoo – and they were at Soojin’s birthday party. The beer bottle was spinning, everyone watching intensely. His heart pounding heavily. His lungs constricted, shortening his breaths when the bottle spun faster and faster before slowing and landed on him.

Soojin grinned. The crowd made up of their high school friends, faces he didn’t know, and their parents included cheered loudly.

“Kim Namjoo and Oh Sehun…” Soojin began in that loud echoing voice of hers that he could still remember in that moment of hushed silence.

Suddenly, they were no longer the foolish high schoolers they had been. They were grownup, adults. And he knew himself. Deep inside his heart who was there and who he wanted to be with. He knew who he loved more than anything.

Hands around Namjoo’s face he pulled her toward him, kissing her as hard as he could. Every hint of romance inside him burst alive.

Withdrawing a breath away he whispered, “Lets get married.”

The enchanting smile that spread across her face as she smiled shot his heart toward the sky. Embracing him around the neck Namjoo leaned up to intimately kiss him.

§§§§§

It was somewhat darker outside when Namjoo finally awoke. She was 100% better when she sat up to look around groggily. She had slept too much and probably wouldn’t be able to fall asleep later. What a bummer.

Getting up she started down the stairs, her stomach empty and growling for food. The television was running. Assuming Sehun was watching she walked into the living room to find him asleep. She wanted to inquire about what menu had been for lunch, but instead found him knocked out on the couch. He looked unconscious when she neared.

Grabbing the remote she turned the television off and began to shake him awake but paused. Running eyes over him she absorbed his masculine shoulders, his pretty face, and long lashes. He had bought a bunch of junk for her earlier and even the right pads, although she already had some in stock.

Oh Sehun was no longer the rowdy kid who threw things at her. Today he was a different person.

Cautiously sitting down by him she turned to look at him again. She had often stared, watching him with admiration. Still infatuated as ever she listened to her heart beat like a giant drum. Could Sehun hear it even through sleep? Did he know?

Namjoo hesitated before settling her head against his shoulder and waited for him to wake. He didn’t. Relaxed, she let herself lean against him and took a deep whiff of his musky scent. This was nice. It was paradise. Would be even more perfect if he was awake to hear her feelings through the tranquil peace.

That she was no longer hurt. Her arms were ready and wide open.

§§§§§

Disappointment shook him when he heard pots clattering from the kitchen. Stretching as he woke Sehun groaned. The dream had ended too soon. Darn it.

Getting up he walked into the kitchen to find Namjoo setting the table. The microwave was heating up the food he’d earlier cooked.

“You slept long when you did nothing all day,” she commented.

“I thought I did a lot,” he said walking over to sit down.

“Sorry for being mean earlier,” she apologized.

“You always yell at me,” Sehun told. “I’m used to it.”

“I do not.”

“You do. You can’t live without raising your voice at me at least once a day.”

Namjoo scoffed before sitting down. He smugly smiled before taking a bite of the food. “Tastes good.” he complimented himself.

“What were you watching earlier?” Namjoo wondered.

“A National Geographic documentary about Atlantis.”

“That’s interesting.”

“I fell asleep because it bored me.”

Namjoo made a face at him. Reaching for her glass of water she gulped half of it down. “I was thinking…do you want to sleep together tonight?”

Sehun nearly choked on his food, spitting parts of it out as he struggled to maintain his surprise.

***YES!

***this is the last update for this week. I begin my night shift the entire week so I'll be back next week. I may complete the story next week if things go as planned! Celebrity Girlfriend is up! Go subscribe if you're interested :)