Chapter II

     “Wah.”

Leaving his eyes from surveying his surroundings, Sueng-hyun turned to see the woman beside him, who, just like he was, was surprised by what was happening in front of them.

They were at a market fair, already in full swing, full of people going through different stalls, and sellers doing their best to attract buyers and sell whatever products they have.

“Wow,” was all he could say, his eyes back to scanning the place.

“I know, right?” Sohee turned to him, her eyes round, clearly not expecting the same thing he did. “I didn’t expect it be this crazy.”

On their way, they thought it would be just a small market fair. Well, at least that’s what a lady on the bus told them. But from what’s happening around them, they clearly have a very different definition of small. There were about more than fifty stalls, scattered around the area. And they were not just the ordinary stalls or booths in market fairs that they were used to. They’re the same size of an average store in a building, some were even bigger. It was like they just took out their stores from their commercial building and brought it outside. These didn’t even include the ones that just laid their products on the grass. It was like a night market in Seoul in full swing. It seemed that they almost have everything.

“So, where do you want to start?” he turned to look at her.

Sohee, clearly excited after looking at the high energy going on around her, grabbed his hand, which took him off guard, and led him to one of the booths. She seemed to not like what she saw because continued to drag him with her into the other booths.

He was still looking at their joined hands while he was being dragged from one booth to another. A little smile appeared on his lips. He liked it. It felt strange. This was not the first time they held hands. They were even intimate in some of the projects they did together. Yet those didn’t bring out any strange feelings. Maybe because this was more personal.

Seung-hyun shook his head and wondered what the hell was going on with him. This was Sohee. s’ best friend. He has known her for a long time but why the sudden strange feelings?

He was supposed to be in his hotel, packing for his flight that afternoon. Instead, he was at a market fair being dragged around by the woman who made him restless ever since her saw her peacefully sipping her coffee at the café window. Seunghyun didn’t know what came to him when he decided to call his manager and ask him to arrange for him to stay for another two days. After his manager told him all was set, he couldn’t help but sigh. What was he supposed to do in two days that he was there? As much as he didn’t want to admit it, there was a part of him that was hoping he could spend that recklessly decided two-day vacation with Sohee.

Until now, he was still amused at how they bumped into each other miles away from Korea.

Last night, while in bed, Seung-hyun still couldn’t believe how the night went. It went a lot better than he expected. He was worried that they would be awkward around each other.  And he was sure that Sohee had the same thought and worries like he did. But he wasn’t complaining though. It was a great surprise. He had always enjoyed working with her but last night, he enjoyed her company. A lot. Another thing he didn’t expect to happen last night. Or between them. It wasn’t that Sohee wasn’t a boring person. He just didn’t expect them to be that open and outgoing with each other, things they weren’t back home.

When he first saw her through the window at the cafe two days ago, he was really shocked. Who would have thought that they would bumped into each other in a big city like far away from home? Surprised at himself, he didn’t know what went into him that made him invite Sohee for dinner. Without even thinking about it, he just blurted it out. Until now, he was still relieved she agreed. Or else he would have made an idiot out of himself. To think that they have never went out together, just the two of them, after such a long time of knowing each other.

They’ve know each other for more than ten years. His dongsaengs and fellow Bigbang members, Deasung and Seungri, were her best friends since their trainee days, despite training for different companies. Aside from working together, with his group Bigbang and when she was still part of Wonder Girls, they also worked together with a shoe brand as ambassadors for a shoe brand two years ago and did some shows together. But even after knowing her for that long, they still weren’t that close. Seung-hyun never thought about the reason or gave any thought about it before. They were friends. Not as close just like his dongsaengs but they were friends, at least he liked to think so. Now, thinking hard about it, they didn’t really have the chance to be close. Having common close friends, having dinners or gatherings together was not uncommon for them. But they rarely sit next to each other or had the chance to really talk with each other. Sohee always sat with his dongsaengs and Hara and Nana, other common friends of theirs, while he always sat with the others, away from her. When they did have the chance to talk, all they shared were some casual conversations, mostly about work.  It wasn’t intentional. It was just how it always had been.

She was also a very quiet person like himself. Compared to her other friends like Nana and Hara, Sohee was never really outgoing. Yes, she goofed around and did silly things but from the time he knew her, he saw that she was more comfortable and showed her real self with her close set of friends, privately. And never really wanted to go outside that circle. Sure, she makes friends but she was never the type to go and talk to you and start a conversation. She was contented with the circle she belonged. Just like he was.

Working with her was very easy. Seung-hyun had been very comfortable, a rare thing for him when working with other female colleagues. It was always like that with her as far as he could remember. When they were together, there was no awkwardness. Despite not being really close with her, he felt easy around her. He always thought it was because he was practically part of his family, as his two younger member’s best friend’s.

It had been a while since they saw each other. Sure, they bumped into each other from time to time but they only they only exchanged hi’s and hello’s. And those dinners didn’t happen often lately either. All of them were having crazy schedules the past year.

Seung-yun always thought that even though they were both introvert and the silent type of people, they were very different from each other. To tell the truth, he always thought Sohee found him weird. Surely, not in a bad way but in a way that she couldn’t understand and connected to. And he was fine with that. Seung-hyun loves to goof around his friends and has a really weird sense of humor, one he was sure never really understood, just like most people around him. One of the reasons he thought they weren’t able to get really close was because of their different sense of humor.

But last night, during their dinner, it was different. The awkwardness between them which he knew they were both expecting, wasn’t there. He was waiting for it to happen but it ever came. Last night, they were just like two close friends who went out for dinner, like it was something they always did. They never went out together, just the two of them, yet from their conversations and the way they acted together last night, in a place far away from home, he felt like they did, a lot of times. They’ve had conversations before, but it had been mostly about work. But during their dinner, they talked about everything except work. Although thankful that he was worried for nothing, he felt that their dinner had been comfortable. Too comfortable. And it felt great. Strangely great. And he enjoyed the whole night, talking with her. Being with her. He meant it when he told her that he had a good time. Because he did. He really did. Whether what recently developed between them was a good thing or not, he wasn’t sure.

He shook his head, trying not to think too much about it. It was what he had been doing the night after he entered his hotel room. Even before he closed his eyes and sleep took him away, he was still trying to think about what just happened between him and Sohee. And whether he wanted to admit it or not, it was the reason he suddenly wanted to have a time off.

As much as he wanted to tell himself that he had been very busy these past few months and needed a time for himself that is why he needed the two-day break he suddenly requested form his manager, he knew himself that it was more than that.

After their tour, he had been very busy with photo shoots, his exhibit, a movie and also a Japanese short drama. He had been all over the place the last few months. His body and mind was exhausted. Last night, he was able to really relax and laugh, let go of himself- something he had no time to do these past few months. Talking with Sohee, being with her, made him wanted more. Of what, he still wasn’t sure. Maybe of that carefree and relaxed feeling. He hoped that he would be able to find out during two days he was there.

And now he was here, being dragged by her from one stall to another. He silently patted himself in the back for having the courage to call her this morning. He had been staring at Sohee's name on him at his phone for a long time and after debating with himself and before he could change his mind, he pressed the dial button. It took her six rings before picking up her phone.

“Hello?”

Suddenly realizing that he didn’t know what to say or even the reason he called her, he just uttered her name. “Sohee.”

What a complete fool.

“Oh, Oppa,” she seemed a little surprised for the call for a moment but she recovered in a few seconds. “Good morning.”

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

Better.

Her question earned him a laugh. “As a matter of fact, I did. With a very full stomach. How about you?”

Relieved that she didn’t sound awkward about the phon