Chapter 69. Confessions

After confirming an afternoon appointment with her doctor, Seohyun decided to give him a surprise of her own by going to his office. She was intending to call once she got to his building but before she could even step inside, a familiar voice called out on her. Seohyun spun around to see Jonghyun standing by the sidewalk smiling at her. With a small wave, she waited for him to get to her.

“Hi,” Jonghyun greeted, “You here to see Yonghwa?”

She nodded almost shyly as if she was caught doing something illegal and he was quick to see that since he chuckled. Looking away for a bit, Seohyun tried to divert his attention by pointing out her observation of his clean appearance considering the time of the day, “You just got in?”

His eyes narrowed but grinned, “Yep. Arrived this morning from a business trip in Japan.”

“Uhm, I’m sorry…” Seohyun found herself smiling guiltily.

“What? You thought I’m a slob?”

“No, it’s not that…” she laughed then looked at the entrance once she remembered that promise she made to him. Looking back at Jonghyun, she her lips before speaking, “Actually, oppa doesn’t know yet that I’m here…”

“Oh, a surprise?”

“Sort of. But since I made this awkward initial thought, maybe I should make it up to you.”

Jonghyun bit back a laugh then shook his head dismissively, “You don’t have to—”

She was expecting that so she added, “Also, I have this standing promise of lunch, right? Perhaps I can buy you coffee? Since it’s still early for lunch.”

“A woman after my heart,” he theatrically put a fist on his chest then grinned stretching an arm in front of them, “All right then, lead the way.”

“Do you have a place in mind?” She asked as they walked along the pavement.

“Hmmm… just anywhere far from the office,” Jonghyun chuckled when she laughed softly beside him understanding what he meant. Then, he leaned close and fake-whispered, “We don’t want him seeing us.”

Seohyun shook her head in amusement then raised a brow at him while they passed one more building, “Why is that? Why don’t we want him seeing us?”

“Well, you know,” he shrugged, “I’m his bestfriend and you’re his…”

“I’m his…?” She grinned when he looked over his shoulder to raise a brow at her. Shaking her head, Seohyun replied, “I honestly don’t know where I qualify. His fake girlfriend? Fake being the operative word?”

Jonghyun laughed, “You are funny.”

“What makes me funny?” She asked but he just gave her another lift of his shoulders. Jonghyun stopped once they reached a posh shopping complex then signaled for her to walk ahead. He remained quiet as they made their way into a café at the farthest end of the atrium. After they chose a table, she waited for him to be seated before asking what he wanted then went to the counter.

Seohyun took her seat after placing their orders and met his own smile. They were quiet for a moment. She knew that it would really be like this awkward and she initially agreed when he invited her because she could bring Euna. But without a buffer, Seohyun realized that he could actually give him a glimpse of Yonghwa that she wanted to see.

Once their cups of coffee were laid in front of them, she started threading as carefully as she could, “Until now, I still can’t figure out that promise you asked me to make…”

Jonghyun chuckled taking the cup in his hand as he looked at her playfully, “Really?”

“I shouldn’t stop whatever I’m doing…” she repeated with her eyes lingering on the dark liquid, “There’s some philosophy to that and probably something relating to oppa but I cannot really wrap my head around it…”

He sighed putting back his cup after taking a small sip. The small clink somehow made Seohyun look back at him so he explained, “I’ve never really seen him happy like this.”

She watched him and registered the sincerity of those words. Seohyun may have never known how Yonghwa was like before so she believed that whatever his friend meant, it should be true. She maintained her silence though hoping he would continue until he did.

“You’re making him happy.” Jonghyun shook his head when he noticed that fraction of second she looked surprised until that shock turned skeptical so he went on, “Whatever it is that you do for him to be like that, don’t stop…”

Seohyun swallowed. The thought of being the reason for his apparent happiness cause her heart to tumble but she looked away murmuring her thoughts, “It could be Euna…”

“It could be Euna…” he nodded thoughtfully before adding, “But she could only be a part of that happiness.”

“I don’t really know what to say to that…” she shook her head with that small smile. That said a lot considering that the promise was made months back. So Jonghyun had noticed him to be ‘happy’ way back then?

What could it say about now? Seohyun sighed, she didn’t want to speculate— she didn’t want to get that false hope. But there was this nagging feeling in her chest and it took a while before she could find her voice, “You said you’ve never seen him this way. How about with his other, uhm, girlfriends?”

Jonghyun laughed shaking his head, “He never had a girlfriend…”

She raised her brow thinking that this was probably a brotherly pact made between the two, “That’s difficult to believe somehow…”

“Somehow,” he nodded in agreement but added earnestly, “But yes, he never had any serious relationships. He was more focused on his work—”

“But he dated a lot,” she interjected too late to realize it until he gave her another hearty laugh.

“Those…” Jonghyun coughed twice, cleared his throat then went on, “Those are— were only to, let’s just say, fill some needs.”

Seohyun looked away still processing this information, “So there was never a woman he was in love with…”

He shook his head contemplating. It was understood that neither him nor Yonghwa had been open to this possibility of falling in love and they were both satisfied venturing out in the world. However, what separate them both was that Jonghyun believed that he just needed to find the right woman while Yonghwa frowned at the thought.

Funny that his friend would find it sooner than him— although too oblivious to realize it.

But then again, Yonghwa was probably like him, deep inside searching for that right one. A recollection came to him that he found himself saying absentmindedly, “On second thought, he was obsessed with this woman before you and Euna came—”

Seohyun’s attention was piqued by that especially since he stopped abruptly and realized that he didn’t mean to reveal that. “I see…” she only nodded as she dropped her gaze. It would be impossible, of course, not to have fallen for anyone remembering the fact that he did meet a lot of women.

“But— but, it was only one time,” Jonghyun quickly added, “He never met that woman again.”

“Because we came along?” She asked almost feeling this rush of guilt and pain that washed through her.

“No, not like that…” Jonghyun shook his head vigorously then swallowed. He must have said the worst thing and he needed to salvage whatever he could, “Actually, you seemed to have been a distraction. He stopped talking about her, and talks a lot about you instead.”

Seohyun smiled because he was obviously trying to divert her from the thought of another woman. It hurt somehow to know this. It was painful to know that there was someone who probably owned his heart that was why she was only a distraction for him.

Is he going to be with her after t