“So, should we have a talk?”

Jinri nods. She knows the conversation need to happen. She is feeding off of him right now.

“Tell me about your cousin and why would he gave you a fake address?”

“I don’t really know. He is nice. At least I think he is.”

She sighs.

“You know, here is dangerous. I don’t even want to think if you bump into people who will use you.”

Minho shows a disgust face and Jinri flinch.

“Sorry.”

He raises his hand and then pushes his plate a bit so that he can puts his hand on the table.

“Tell me if you want anything. Give me the details of your cousin so I can trace him for you.”

“It’s okay Minho. You had done much with providing me a job and a place to stay.”

“Hey. I need someone to help me around chores and you happen to come. I’m sorry that you have to clean.”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to be sorry. I am the uninvited stranger but you are treating me really nice.”

“Okay. I hope you are comfortable. I’ll be leaving at 7 everyday but today is an exception. I’ll leave at 10. The passcode is 101010 and do you have a phone?”

Jinri shakes her head. She left with few of her clothing and some pocket money. Her phone, she throws it out of the bus.

“I have a phone in my office; use that if you have anything to ask. I will leave my phone number.”

“Sure. Thanks.”

Minho smiled.

“Can you cook?”

“Yes.”

“Great. Cook anything edible from that fridge and make sure you eat okay. You don’t eat that much too last night.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Jinri smiled. She is so thankful that she met Minho out of all people. She knows how scary Seoul is. Not that Busan wasn’t but she was not allowed going out from her house. So she is safe.

“Okay. Watch TV if you are bored. Make yourself at home.”

He stood and took his plate with him but Jinri stops him. She smiled when he looks at her.

“Let me. I’m working for you.”

“Oh but I can was these.”

“You got yourself a maid now.”

“Oh hold on. You are too pretty to be called one.”

He laughed and let her took the plate and glass to the sink.

“I will just call you a friend. Can I?”

She glances at him a bit. She smiled.

“Sure.”

Minho smiled too. Jinri did not smile a bit last night and she is smiling a lot today. She is still someone mysterious to him but weirdly, he is comfortable.

“Goodbye Jinri.”

“Bye Minho.”

She replied, and cocked her head to see him. Minho waves and grabs his coat, and look at her again before he leave the house. Today, he reluctant to leave to work and he was fascinate at himself that he let himself think of other woman instead of his work.

“Something is wrong.”

He mumbles and unlocks his car.

+++

Jinri was cleaning the dust on the coffee table when someone rings the bell. She frowned but went to check on the monitor, smiling when she saw Yuju.

“Hi unni. I was going to barge in but since you are staying here, I am being considerate and ring the bell. What are you been doing?”

She asks and places the things she brought on the kitchen table, wiping her sweat with a tissue, running to a bin to throw it away. She then jogs to Jinri and smiled.

“I talk too much don’t I? I’m sorry unni.”

“No, it’s okay. I was cleaning.”

Yuju gasps and looks around. She nods, impressed.

“Unni. The things are on place. You are too good.”

She praises, and Jinri smiled. She used to clean and cook and this is never a thing for her but this is the first time someone praises her and she kind of liking it.

“Unni, you can continue what you do and I’ll go and clean my dress. Let’s go out for lunch. You are new to Seoul right? I’ll bring you to good eatery.”

“But.”

Before she can answer, the friendly Yuju had disappears inside a room beside the one she is using. She heard her humming and stops to talk to herself and Jinri chuckles. Yuju is likeable and she thinks that she had grows fond of her.

Jinri is planning to clean again when Yuju called her and she ditched her work and went to the room.

“Unni, do you mind if I want to give you these? I just wear them for twice or once and I didn’t even wear some of it.”

“Oh, you are giving them to me?”

Yuju bobbed her head way too quickly. A grin spread on her face. Jinri smiled.

“Of course I want them. They are lovely. Why don’t you want them?”

“I have a bad habit. I love to shop but then, I leave them here. If omma find out, she will nag and nag so the best solution is raiding one of oppa’s rooms to store them.”

She chuckles and Jinri too smiled.

“Wear this one when we go out later okay. It will look good on you.”

Jinri look at the outfit and she nods. It’s beautiful and she has to give it to the siblings. They have good eyes for fashion.

“Leave it. I’ll tidy them up.”

“No. It’s my mess. I’ll clean it. You just do what you have to do unni. Don’t exert yourself.”

Yuju pats Jinri’s hand and smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Not accepting that. I didn’t do anything to deserve a thanks unni.”

She then continues to sing and hang the clothing so Jinri took the chance to resume her work too.

+++

Minho is packing to go home when Kai stops him.

“What?”

He asks shortly, keep shoving the papers he just printed out into the briefcase, turns to take some files and put them together with his things.

“Why are you leaving so early?”

Minho glances on the PC. It’s 5.00 p.m.

“Why did you consider 5.00 p.m. as early?”

He asks as he stood up, shutting down his computer and proceed to walk home.

“Eyy hyung, stay back.”

“I have to go.”

“Why? It’s not yet your curfew. Hear me out.”

Minho sighs. He sat on the edge of the table.

“What now?”

Kai grins and shoves his hand inside his pocket. Acting all shy and coy.

“Yah. Just speak up.”

“I think I want to throw a surprise for Naeun and I want you to comment if it’s worth it or not.”

“Of course it’s worth it if you do it for your wife.”

Minho stops from rolling his eyes on his buddy. Kai is clueless every time, he wonder why Naeun wants to marry this guy.

“Look, what are you planning?”

“I plan on buying her a new car. A pink one like she wished to have one.”

“That you screwed off and buy a white one instead.”

“Heyy hyung. I am enchanted then. I didn’t hear.”

Minho made a face and stands up.

“I have to go Kai. Buy her the car. She will love you more than she is now.”

Kai grins widely and shout a thank you. Minho smiled, shaking his head. It’s been long since he smiled to his close friends and he might have to thank someone for smiling today.

As he was walking to the elevator, he once again was stopped but this time by Kibum.

“What is it now? I’m rushing.”

“It’s so not you to go home this early. Do you really had find a replacement?”

“What replacement Key? Don’t play with words.”

“That lady from last night. Where did she come from?”

“Do I have to explain?”

“No. But if you had move on, it’s great.”

“I moved on long time ago Kibum.”

“That’s what you think. By the way, the model for the advertisement. Should I find one or you think she will do it?”

“She who?”

“Your partner.”

“No. Not her. Find someone else.”

“Why?”

“Just no.”

“Okay I get it. Stop getting worked up.”

“I’m leaving.”

Minho said when the elevator dings and quickly went in. Kibum crosses his arms and smirk.

“I’m finding out who she is. You can’t hide her forever.”

Of course, there will be a lot of questions and answer. I hope you guys will stay patient. I’ll solve them one by one.

Good day everyone.

Love, Cherrykaieun.