Present

“Serious, bro.” With the sound of the ball brushing pass the racket, Jung Taein missed the last point, tossed the racket aside and gasping with both his hands on his knees. “You think you can fool me? I know that look.”

“What look?”

His friend walked toward and brought him a bottle of water. “A man whose desire is not satisfied, especially u…”

“Shut the up.” Taein glared at him and grabbed the bottle over.

“Oh, so you don’t deny it.”

“Wipe that smirk off your face, Lee Soohyun.”

Soohyun laughed. “You know, if you need advices, all you have to do is ask.”

“Me asking for your advice? Stop joking.”

“As I recall, you are the one who keeps saying you envy my marriage life. Here,” He took out a wooden case from his bag. “Wanna have one? I just received them yesterday.”

“Wow, H. Upmann cigars…Thanks, but not today. I’m gonna take my wife out for lunch, she doesn’t like the smell of smoke.”

“…You never cease to surprise me.”

Soohyun sat down beside him while putting a cigar in between his lips. “One more week, huh? Old man’s coming back.”

“Yeah, and hell.” Taein sighed. “I start to feel the pressure already. All the works I’ve done these years are exactly what he demanded, I worked my off to prove that I am the one with potential and capability, but I still have no idea what’s in his mind and if he’s satisfied.”

“I feel bad for you, bro. But if common people see your success, he must have seen it too. Didn’t you say he came back because he wants to personally participate your new project planning?”

“Yes, but he left me no comments. What if he comes back and vetoes everything I did? What if….” He rubbed his temple with testiness. “I’m acting like a coward again. It would be a big shame if the press finds out the CEO of the largest high-tech company is worried sick because of his chairman old man.”

“Then stop thinking about him, think of something that would make you feel good, or someone.”

The moment Soohyun finished his words, Nayeon’s face appeared in his mind. To him, she was no doubt the most beautiful thing in his never-ending struggle life. The time she walked into his life was exactly the time when he tried his best to build power, to show everyone his fate was glamorous without being penetrated. She captured his heart and made him forget all those tragic feels, made him unable to stop thinking about her and eager to have her all. Her features, her smile, the way she speaks and acts, he loves her everything. Everybody would think of him when mentioning her name, she’s his now, he knows that too, but he always feel she has not completely belonged to him. Soohyun saw his expression and quirked his brows.

“You will absolutely need comfort in the next…at least three weeks. Are you sure you don’t want any of my advice?”

“Serious, unnie,” Chaeyoung picked up a package of frozen vegetables and grimaced: “You’re really gonna prepare ALL of these? Does it worth?”

“I’m sure it does.” Nayeon smiled. “Taein’s father is a highly respected elder, he’s now my father too, so it is my duty to make him feel welcome and free at our house.”

“More likely a highly scary elder.” Chaeyoung murmured a little too loud. Nayeon sighed mentally and squatted down to check the sauces bottles at the lower part of the shelf, didn’t discover someone was coming to her.

“Chaeyoung-ah, can you go grab some bread for me?”

“Sure.”

She then focused on what she needed to pick when a voice appeared from her right side. “Excuse me, are you…” She turned her head and saw a familiar face. “Nayeon? It’s really you!”

“J-Jaebum oppa?” Her bunny teeth showed with both surprise and pleasantness. “It’s been a long time, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I don’t think we have met ever since we graduated.” He grinned and stepped closer. “I heard you got married, I know it’s kind of late but still…Congratulations! How’s everything?”

“Oh, I’m doing well, thank you. And you?”

“Well, I’m working at my dad’s company, nothing tough but nothing interesting either. Life is quite dull now compare with college, I think I’m getting old already.”

He faked a sad expression which made Nayeon giggle. Before she could ask what field was he in, “Oh, I almost forgot. Our company got a chance to cooperate with your husband’s enterprise, you aware that?”

“Really? That’s great!”

“Yeah, this could mean a large benefit, I feel excited too.” He laughed. “We will do a briefing in the near future to see if he wants to choose us. So, if I’m lucky, you might see me soon.”

“Then I wish you all the best.” Her phone rang and the name showed it was Taein. “Sorry, I have to go now.”

“No problem. See you.”

“See you.”

Nayeon smiled at him one more time before pulling the trolley with her and picked up the phone.

“Hey, I’m almost done here…”

Chaeyoung walked to her with few bags in her hands, Nayeon pointed at the place where she and Jaebum met, Chaeyoung followed but saw no one particular. She threw her a confused look, Nayeon also frowned in confusion, but she simply shrugged it off since it wasn’t a big deal and her attention was diverted by her husband.

“I don’t think she knows any of it.”

At the corner, Jaebum talked to a man wearing baseball cap in a low voice: “But this is better. Keep following her, she will be the breakthrough.”

“Got it.”

“Be extra careful, surnamed Jung are not from good classes.”

The man nodded and soon disappeared between the aisles. Jaebum watched as Nayeon walked to the counter with her small friend, past memories, current assignments and hidden sentiments came across, his eyes were full of complexity.

After leaving the supermarket and said goodbye to Chaeyoung, Nayeon went back home to drop the stuff and change clothes. Soon after, Taein arrived too.

“Here.” He put a thick folder on her lap. “These are the business proposals about our resent land development. The manufacturers and companies that participate, the consents and contracts, related laws…all in it. You should read some.”

Nayeon browsed for a few seconds. “These are…a lot. Do I have to memorize all of them?”

“No, but you have to answer something if the media asks you about the development, right?”

She sighed. “You should give me this earlier.”

“Sorry, there’s too much work to do in the past few weeks so I forgot.” He chuckled. “Anyway, I give it to you now. You have one hour to read until we get there.” He put on his coat and held her hand. “Come on, the car is waiting outside.”

If her interest and talent in music and songwriting are 10/10, it must turn minus when it comes to commercial affairs. Nayeon put down the folder and slightly rubbed her sore eyes. Reading in a moving vehicle was never a comfortable thing for her, sometimes she even got car sick because of that. She looked out the window, the grizzle sky she saw when they left their house was getting darker, she could see some lightning in the far horizon. Seemed like a thunderstorm was coming.

She remembered messaging Jihyo the day before yesterday, Jihyo told her they had performed ambush at the outskirt for many days.