“Hello?” Jiro answered.

“Oh hey Jiro have you seen Selina around the office?” Chun questioned. “She isn’t picking up my call.”

“I’m not sure. I think everybody’s left already,” Jiro lied. “I thought you were going to be in a meeting for the next hour or so.”

“There’s no meeting today,” Chun replied.

There was a moment of silence.
 
“Alright man thanks anyway I’ll get back to you later,” Chun said then hung up.

Jiro also hung up and looked toward Selina. What in the world was he doing? If he had told Chun that Selina was still there, but had fallen asleep would Chun have just bought that story? Jiro clearly knew Chun would be suspicious, but Jiro also knew Chun wouldn’t have said a thing. Jiro wanted to smack himself on the head for making the situation worse, if Chun found out he had lied there would just be another argument for them to fight about. Why, why, why? Why was it always Jiro who was always making the lies?

Jiro grabbed his jacket and covered the sleeping Selina with it. He quickly returned to his

desk and continued his work.

*_*_*_*_*_*

“Can I buy a pancake?” Ella asked stopping by a stall.

Ella made her way down the street chewing her pancake. It was almost dark and instead of staying back in her apartment to relax Ella had chosen to go out for once. She just wanted some air and just wanted to be surrounded by people. It didn’t matter as long as there were a lot of commotions around her. Ella smiled as she stopped from stall to stall and bought a few things for herself. She was glad she was still able to enjoy some things even if she was by herself. As Ella stopped by another stall someone quickly ran into her and grabbed her bag of some room decorations she had just bought for herself running off with it. Ella spun around surprised and alerted. Without thinking she began to chase after him.

“Hey you! Stop! Thief! Stop!” Ella screamed.

She pushed her way through the crowds of people, but began to lose sight of him. Scratching the back of her head in frustration as she searched around she bit her lower lip when she spotted him ready to run across the street. With her heart rushing Ella ran after him into the street. She could hear people screaming behind her as the blinding lights of a car stopped a feet away from her. Ella blocked her eyes with her hand to help shield them. The driver quickly got out.

“Are you ok?” the worried voice asked.

Ella turned to look directly at Chun. Ella quickly turned away and began to run into the street again, but Chun pulled her back.

“Are you crazy? Can’t you see there are cars coming?!” Chun shouted.

“He took my things! He stole my accessories!” Ella shouted with tears in her eyes. “Why did he have to take my things?!”

Chun took a sigh and pulled Ella back. After finding a spot for his car Chun brought Ella back to the market, but she didn’t seem to be in the mood. It was the first time in a few years he’d seen her mope around and cry over such a thing. He knew she hated losing her belongings it was only because she’d lost so many things before.

“Don’t you think this is cute?” Chun asked grabbing a stuffed animal toy doll.

Ella walked away from him without saying anything. Chun sighed and hurried after her.

“Hey if you don’t want to be here lets go somewhere else,” Chun said grabbing her arm gently to stop her.

However, Ella pulled away from him mumbling, “I just want to go home.”

Chun stared after Ella’s sorrowful back as she walked away.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Chun opened the door expecting to hear Selina welcoming him back, but there was no one.

“Selina? Selina?” Chun asked running up the stairs to check if she was in her room.
Realizing that Selina hadn’t come back yet Chun tried calling her again, but she did not answer again. Chun gave a heavy sigh and called Jiro again, but he also did not answer. Chun gave a frustrated heave and jumped onto the couch.

-Chun’s Dream-

21 year old Chun had come running over to Ella’s house when she had called him panicking. When he had opened the door to her house Chun saw two people in their thirties and a little boy standing in the room along with Ella’s family. Chun turned to look at Ella whose eyes were red.

“What’s going on?” Chun questioned.

“You understand Chun, don’t you?” questioned Mrs. Chen.

“Understand what?” Chun asked.

“Ella’s just being so childish right now you’ll have to excuse my daughter, I’m sorry,” Mrs. Chen suddenly turned away from Chun and started talking to the strangers.

Ella turned away from Chun’s gaze angrily.

“Then we’ll see you again. Thanks,” the couple said leading their son out.

As the door shut Mrs. Chen turned to Ella angrily, but before she was able to shout Ella ran out.

“No please! Give him back to me! He’s mine! I’ve had him since he was a puppy!” Ella pleaded pulling onto the little boy’s arm. “Please.”

“What are you doing? I’m sorry miss, but your mother has already sold the dog. We’ll promise to take good care of him. How’s that?” the woman said.

“Mommy she scares me,” the little boy said cowering behind his mother.

“It’s alright lets go,” the woman said.

“Please I beg you! Give him back!” Ella shouted.

Chun could feel his heart break at Ella’s loud sobs. He knew she loved dogs. Chun silently walked over to him and gave her a tight hug. He remembered they sat on the stairs and he had covered her with his sweater. They sat the whole night in silence and Chun only stayed with her because he couldn’t bear to see her mother beat her up again. It was also because he was infatuated with her.

-End of Dream-

Chun’s eyes suddenly opened and he sat up with his neck sore.

“Ah…what the heck,” he moaned.

Chun sighed and looked at his watch. 1 in the morning and he wondered if Selina was back yet. Chun slowly walked up the stairs and opened the door to Selina’s bedroom only to find it empty. Chun closed the door and sighed suddenly wondering if this lonely feeling was what Ella always felt.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Ella lay curled up on her bed with her blanket lying next to her. She hadn’t changed out of her clothing and she hadn’t taken a shower yet. She felt as if she had no energy to keep going. Dry tears smothered the make up she had worn. Her heart ached…it always ached. Where was the love she needed? Nowhere.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Selina woke up slowly massaging her neck at the same time. She let out a quiet moan and glanced around the dim room to see Jiro sleeping in his chair with his head tilted back. Selina stared at him for a while and sat up with Jiro’s jacket sliding off her. Feeling surprised Selina walked toward him and covered him with his jacket. Observing his face
at a closer angle Selina smiled and turned to look at the papers in front of him.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Jiro awoke in the morning with a slight yawn as he stretched his arms out.

“You slept the whole night,” Selina commented.

Jiro turned surprised and a bit embarrassed.

“You…you’re still here? I thought you would’ve left in the middle of the night,” Jiro told.

“You make it sound like a one night stand,” Selina joked.

Jiro cleared his throat.

“I stamped most of those for you because they sounded good, but some of them were sort of strange. You can skim them over and stamp them,” Selina told.

“Are you trying to make me look bad?” Jiro asked.

Selina smiled in reply, “You already look bad.”

Selina quickly turned away and stretched.

“I need some coffee!” Selina shouted and walked out.

“Sir, there’s some paper that we need you to look over,” a secretary said coming into the office.

“Oh right, I’ll be there,” Jiro said getting up.

As soon as he walked out Selina’s phone started ringing. The secretary looked around and shrugged when he wasn’t able to find the phone. With that he walked out closing the door behind him.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Chun sighed as he hung up again. Why wasn’t Selina picking up? Did something happen to her? Worriedly he decided to stop by her workplace a bit before heading off to his office.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Selina put a cube of sugar into her coffee and quickly stirred it to get it mixed. Sniffing it Selina smiled.

“Smells good!” she said to herself.

Selina walked out and headed toward her office. As Selina rounded the corner someone rushing out quickly bumped into her. Selina let out a shriek as the coffee in her hand tilted backward and poured onto her shirt.

“I’m so sorry!” he apologized.

“Don’t worry…it’s ok,” Selina replied.

The man nodded and apologized again as he turned to walk away. Selina blew her falling hair away as she picked up her empty coffee cup and tossed it into the bin. She turned to go retrieve some towels, but felt someone tug onto her hand pulling her back. Looking up she was surprised to see Chun standing before her.

“Wait here,” he said and quickly walked away.

Selina waited until Chun hurried back with some towels in his hand. She watched as he cleaned up the spilled coffee and threw the dirty towels away. No words came out of as he began to wipe the coffee stain on her blouse with a damp towel.

“Are you ok? Did you get burned?” Chun questioned.

Selina smiled thankfully, “I’m fine…but what are you doing here?”

“Did you stay here the whole night?” Chun asked not answering her question.

“Well…” Selina slowly began. “I just volunteered to stay over night.”

“Aiish…geez…I need to tell Jiro not to let you stay over night,” Chun said talking to himself aloud.

Selina quickly grabbed Chun’s arm, “No, don’t tell him that. I…there were just a lot of things to do last night, and I’m alright with staying behind.”

“Maybe you are, but I don’t like it. I was worried the whole night,” Chun told.

“I’m fine, see?” Selina said spreading her arms out with a smile. “I look healthy and happy right?”

Chun frowned at her and reached his hand forward to tuck some of her hair behind her ear.

“I wish you wouldn’t push yourself so hard,” Chun said.

“I’m not,” Selina replied.

“Maybe my mom’s right, maybe you should quit working here and transfer to our company,” Chun said.

Selina pressed her lips together.

“I just wanted to see you for a bit I guess I should get going now,” Chun told.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Jiro followed the secretary down the hall and listened carefully as he gave explanations about this and that. As they passed the office to the department that Jiro managed Jiro came to a slight stop as he recognized Chun. Jiro turned his eyes to see Selina who seemed to be smiling at Chun who leaned forward and placed a kiss on Selina’s forehead. Jiro quickly turned away as if he had seen something that had offended him.

“Director?” the secretary called.

“Oh yes I’m coming,” Jiro said quickly following.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Selina turned to watch as Chun disappeared into the elevator lift and wave as the doors closed. With that Selina turned around and returned to her desk.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Jiro sat in the dark room with the power point show of their renewed project being presented, but none of it went through his brain. He knew it was bad that he wasn’t paying attention, but he couldn’t help it. That scene of Chun kissing Selina on the forehead just didn’t leave his mind. Why did he care so much? Obviously he knew the answer himself. Jiro heaved a sigh. Maybe he should really just stop getting closer to Selina like Chun’s mother had advised. Jiro knew he would feel really bad if Chun found out that Selina had stayed with him last night. Especially that Jiro had lied to Chun.

After the presentation Jiro had taken the longest time since he’d started working to eat lunch. After lunch break Jiro made his way up to his office only to find Selina leaning against the wall by his office door. Her gaze was fixed on the ground and he wondered what she was doing. Selina looked up as he got closer.

“You’re back,” Selina said with a smile.

“I just returned from a meeting,” Jiro replied. “What’s up?”

“I was just thinking if we can eat lunch together,” Selina said.

“I’m a little busy and I already ate,” Jiro rejected her offer.

Selina pouted, “But I don’t want to eat alone.”

“But I don’t think we should,” Jiro began.

“Just for 30 minutes,” Selina said tugging Jiro after her.

Jiro sat in front of Selina who was chewing on a sandwich. As soon as she began talking Jiro would turn away and put his attention on something else.

“Hey stop it! Why do you keep turning away?” Selina laughed hitting the table trying to get Jiro’s attention.

Jiro realized that Selina would think he was just playing around, but after a while she’d realize he was trying to ignore her. When they got back upstairs Jiro bid farewell to Selina and quickly walked into his office closing the door after him. Dropping down onto his chair Jiro hung his head back.

Why was he only finally realizing how big Chun’s feelings for her were? Or was it Selina that did not understand it? Did she have any idea that Chun’s mother had already set her as Chun’s future wife? Was it Jiro that was just confusing himself or was it Selina that was also confusing him? Why was she going back and forth between them?

*_*_*_*_*_*

Even after her colleagues left Selina still sat her desk with her head in her arms. When was Jiro going to come out? He wasn’t planning to stay the whole night at the office again was he? Selina sighed to herself. Before she was about to do anything else her phone rang. Slowly taking the phone out of her purse she stared at the caller id with Chun’s name.

“Hello?” Selina answered.

“Are you about done? I’ll come pick you up,” Chun told.

“Ok,” Selina replied bluntly and hung up.

It didn’t appeal to her and she didn’t realize it that she didn’t have any excited feeling about Chun’s call. Selina got up from her seat and stared down the hall to Jiro’s office.  

After giving a knock Selina opened the door to see Jiro with his black framed glasses on reminding her of the first time she had seen him sitting behind the desk handsomely.

“Are you staying overnight again?” asked Selina.

“Yea,” Jiro replied not looking up from his binder.

Selina felt a bit disappointed that he did not give her any eye contact. She didn’t even wonder why she was feeling that way.

“Well…I’m going now. Don’t stay too long and overwork yourself,” Selina said then closed the door slowly.

She stopped in the middle of the hallway and glanced back wondering if he would come out of his office. When Jiro didn’t come out Selina made her way to the elevator.

Getting to the first floor Selina opened the door expecting Chun to be waiting outside for her, but he wasn’t. She waited a bit looking around until blaring lights entered the parking lot and stopped in front of her. The car stopped with the lights now turned off and Selina could hear the driver’s door open. A slim figure stepped out. Selina stood still until she was able to recognize the person.

“Oh Ella…hi,” Selina greeted feeling a little awkward.

“Seems like you’re waiting for someone,” Ella said.

“Well yea…” Selina began.

“I was looking for someone to have dinner with, would you like to accompany me?” asked Ella.