He waited it out and thought he might run into her the following day, but Namjoo wasn’t at work either. Sehun wondered if she’d taken sick leave to be with her in-laws. He set the curiosity aside but it nagged him, so he ended up contacting Mina for lunch. He’d use whatever means he had to learn through her since Mina had been his source of information all along. And he realized, he still didn’t know Namjoo’s number.

Mina looked brighter when they met up.

“Hi,” she chirped. “I was about to call and ask if you wanted something, too. I guess we really do think alike.”

“Do we?” he wondered.

Smiling broadly, she leaned forward, “I was wondering, my friend is having a birthday party. Would you like to go with me?”

“I’d have to look at my schedule.” He excused. He wasn’t sure he was still into those kinds of things.

“It’s on a Saturday evening. I’m sure you’re free then,” she said.

“Oh…a Saturday?” he repeated. “I might have something going on.”

“Just a few hours,” Mina insisted. “Please?”

Sehun quickly tried coming up with another excuse but time was over when the waiter came back with their meals.

“Then Saturday,” Mina confirmed. “I’ll text where to meet.” Grinning sheepishly, she picked up her fork to delve into her food.

Sehun reluctantly picked up his utensils and glanced at her again. “Have you contacted Namjoo? At least let her know where you are.”

Mina shrugged. “I haven’t thought about it.”

“So you haven’t talked with her?” he probed.

“No, I haven’t,” Mina replied.

Well, there was his source of information. He returned to work and sat at his desk thinking and debating for a long time. After what Namjoo said to him he hadn’t dared go up to her again. Namjoo had even acted like he didn’t exist. Was it even right to intentionally find her? But they didn’t even know each other. What reason was there for him not to go to her? Unless he knew her better and until there was solid reasoning, he’d leave her alone.

Deciding none of it mattered he jumped into his car after work and went to order some fried chicken. Since Namjoo hadn’t come to work he’d go see how she was doing. There was, perhaps, no one checking in on her.

¤¤¤¤¤

Namjoo slipped in and out of her dreams continuously. Sometimes she dreamt of Yeol. Sitting with him and simply chatting. Then he’d leave and she would be at work again walking through the halls by herself. The corridor extending for a long period of time like an endless tunnel. A fog would ensue and somehow without her realizing there was Oh Sehun walking beside her as if they’d been long time acquaintances. When Namjoo awoke, there was a smile splayed across her lips.

Her head pounded and her body burned. Then she would hypnotize herself into sleep again. She wanted to meet Yeol again. Just as she walked into a world where Yeol’s parents were happy, his father on his feet and his body fully functioning, and her husband standing at the door waving for her to go over something rang. Yeol’s mouth opened calling her over, but she could not hear what he was saying. Instead, she heard that ringing. What was he saying?

Olly barked forcing her eyes open. Namjoo was laying on her side with her back to Yeol’s picture. She clicked her tongue and forced herself up. She was groggy, her head throbbed painfully. How long had she been sleeping? Namjoo glanced at the time unable to read it through her blurry vision. Groaning at the irritating ringing, she pulled herself out of bed. Olly jumped at her feet as she stumbled toward the door wondering why Mina wasn’t letting herself inside.

“Mina, what are you doing?” Namjoo asked pulling the door open. The lights glared into her eyes. She was usually eye level with Mina, but today the person on the other side wasn’t eye level with her. She was staring into his blue shirt. Lifting her head up she blinked and narrowed her eyes to protect them from the glare of light.

“Wow, you look like a mess,” the voice commented.

Her heart began racing but she denied with all her might that it was who she thought it was. Namjoo stumbled back almost tripping over Olly prancing around her feet and yapping wildly. She ended up knocking into the closet at the side before catching herself against the handle and steadying herself.

“Hey, down boy,” she heard him call her dog.

“Looks like someone needs a bath,” Sehun commented. “You were a naughty boy, weren’t you?”

That was when Namjoo noticed all the dog droppings and pee around her apartment. Knocking her head back into the closet door she let out a sigh. As if all she really needed right now was to get sick. Her eyes opened when she felt a warm hand slide against her forehead. She stared up into his face a moment before pushing his hand away.

“I’m fine,” she stepped away from the closet.

“You have a fever,” he said then pulled her toward the couch. “You need to lay down.”

Covering her with the fleece blanket he said, “I’ll clean up and make you some porridge.”

Olly tried jumping on her but Sehun swiftly grabbed him, lifting him up. “Lets get you a bath first.”

Sleepy, Namjoo lie down too tired to care about what was happening and fell asleep listening to the bath water run as Sehun struggled with her pug.

¤¤¤¤¤

The pug was otherwise innocent despite chewing him out for making him bathe. He had trotted off pridefully after being cleaned leaving Sehun alone to clean up after him like a servant. He washed the dog hair down the drain and wiped up any water on the floor. Namjoo’s bathroom was tidy and filled with feminine things. Without observing any further he stepped out to find Olly by his empty water bowl. The dog looked up at him with puppy eyes, panting with a lolling tongue.

“I know, I know,” Sehun said reaching for the bowl. After refilling the dog bowl, he searched for dog food and wondered how far to fill up the bowl. When he turned back to ask he noticed Namjoo was already asleep. Left by himself, he poured dog food halfway to the brim hoping that was a good amount. Then he searched for wipes and spray before cleaning up Olly’s mess.

“I hope you know what you did,” he chided to the dog busily eating. “And you should make up for it…somehow.”

Once he threw everything away and washed his hands five times he turned to find the dog sitting, watching him intently. Sehun planned on throwing the fried chicken he’d come with into the fridge and starting on porridge, but he could sense there was something else that needed to be done. Panting, Olly zeroed in on his eyes before letting out a demanding bark.

“Shh!” Sehun held a finger up to his lips and turned to find that Namjoo hadn’t stirred. Again, Olly let out another demanding bark before spinning around in a circle. He dashed over to his dog bowl and stood on hind legs clawing toward his leash.

Sehun sighed. “You want to go for a walk.”

Hearing the magic word Olly raced toward him bumping into his calf then sat and stared up at him like he was the king now.

“Ok, ok,” Sehun gave in. “Just…just hold on. I don’t have the keys to come back, you know. And I’m not getting locked outside.”

He looked around and started toward Namjoo’s bedroom to discover her purse sitting on her vanity. He walked in glancing once at Park Chanyeol’s portrait beside her bed. Hesitating first he dug through Namjoo’s purse and felt his hands brush across her wallet before feeling her keys at the bottom. He shouldn’t against all means but he pulled her wallet out anyway. The possessions a person kept in their wallet spoke about their character.

Prying the thick pink wallet open he peered inside to see a bunch of cards in the slots. Scrolling his eyes through he saw the picture she kept in the picture slot. It was a wallet picture of Namjoo and her husband hugging her from behind at a ski resort, he supposed, since they were wearing thick matching hats, their cheeks red and they were smiling brightly. Snapping the wallet shut he tucked it back into her purse and pulled her keys out.

He took Olly on the familiar route he had walked with Namjoo and circled back to the building. Namjoo was still asleep when he returned with her dog, so he quietly began making her porridge. She was still wiped out when he finished cooking.

Usually people fell sick when weathers changed or during the cold seasons. Namjoo’s fever had come at an unexpected time. It wasn’t as if it had rained recently. Feeling sorry he walked toward her and roused her awake by gently shaking her.

“I made some food, you have to eat,” he said when her eyes opened.

Sitting up Namjoo buried her face into her hands and patted her cheeks. “Sorry,” she apologized. “You should go.”

“At least eat first,” he insisted. “You should at least appreciate my small effort. I’ll get you a bowl.”

He went back into the kitchen and found a bowl before filling it up. Namjoo looked forlorn when he sat back down with her and handed her the bowl. She took the first few bites quietly.

“When was the last time you ate?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she weakly replied. “I just slept and didn’t wake up.”

He pressed his lips together and watched Olly sleep by his water bowl. “Mina stayed with her friend, so you don’t need to worry about her.”

Namjoo turned to look at him. “You saw her?”

“She called me the other night,” Sehun replied. “She seemed depressed, but it looks like she’s better now.”

Namjoo cupped the bowl between her palms and stared into it. “She’s having a hard time. Adjusting between her family and reality can get pretty difficult. But thanks, I’m glad she has someone she can talk to. It’s probably easier to talk to someone outside of family.”

“You, too.” He pointed out. “Should talk to someone. You finished your deal with me the other day, but I didn’t finish my half of the conversation. I know you love your husband and I know I don’t have the right to take that from you. He was probably a great guy, but I don’t know him. It’s kind of unfair for you to treat me this way, don’t you think? I’m not him.”

Namjoo lowered her head but said nothing.

“I won’t hold it against you, but I’d still like to be friends,” Sehun said.

“Why does it matter?” Namjoo asked. “I don’t care, so why would you?”

He had to think for a moment then replied, “I’d like to get to know you like everyone else while I’m here.”

Before he left he said, “I saw your phone is locked, so I couldn’t hide my number in there.” Pulling his phone out he handed it to her, “Give me your number.” When she didn’t take it he insisted, “We’re going to be friends, aren’t we?”

Namjoo took it from him grudgingly and he watched her enter her number. Receiving the phone back he called her just in case she gave him a dud. Upon hearing her phone ring he mused, “Looks like we’ll be in touch often. If you don’t feel well tomorrow let me know and I’ll bring you food.”

¤¤¤¤¤

After Sehun left Namjoo went back to bed. Instead, she didn’t sleep but turned her phone on and off. There was his number in her recent calls list. Now, she didn’t really know how to feel. Turning onto her back she stared up at the ceiling. The light on her phone turned off. Outside her door, Olly was snoring. He always slept after a walk. That meant Sehun had taken care of Olly’s dues. In that part, Namjoo supposed she was in his debt.

It seemed like she wouldn’t be able to be free of him in any way. What choice did she have?

Sehun was just Sehun, not Yeol. He would be just a regular stranger no matter what she felt.

Turning she grabbed her phone and saved him into her contacts.

¤¤¤¤¤

Namjoo didn’t come back to work the next day, so Sehun sent her a good morning text hoping she would have a good day. She wrote back, “Good morning.”

“Ha,” he mused, “she’s a simple person.”

“Who are you chatting with?” Hyeok Seok leaned over. Quickly turning his phone off Sehun tucked it into his pocket.

“None of your business.”

“Your girlfriend? Introduce me,” Hyeok Seok begged.

“I thought you were already getting it on with that one girl,” Sehun commented.

“So far, we’re only office mates,” the tall guy said, “I could use more. So? Who is she?”

“No one,” Sehun insisted. “Not my girlfriend either, ok?”

“Sure,” Hyeok Seok rolled his eyes. “Men and women are never friends. There’s always a time you think of each other romantically. Don’t tell me you haven’t had your heart flutter yet?”

Sehun immediately thought of when he’d dropped drunken Namjoo onto her bed and felt her skin for the first time. “No,” he lied.

The co-worker nudged him with his sharp elbow. “Whatever. I was about to offer you movie tickets since I was rejected.”

Sehun watched the lean man walk off ahead of him then hurried after him. Pulling him to a halt he repeated, “Movie tickets?”

“Why?” his eyes gleamed. “You want them?”

That evening he decided to have dinner by himself. If he went over to Namjoo’s too often it might look odd on his part. Since she was still hesitant about him he couldn’t push it too much. Even if there were other women at his work place they were either married or already in relationships or had other priorities. Namjoo had nothing and no one.

As he dressed the following morning he stared at the movie tickets sitting on the table. Would it be weird asking Namjoo to go watch a romantic comedy? Usually girls went with their girlfriends or significant other. Well, it wasn’t like they were going on a date. He’d already made it clear that she should give him a chance to be a friend. After all, he couldn’t be compared to her husband.

Slipping the movie tickets into his pocket he left.

Namjoo was in that morning. Today her face was flushed with more color. He waved and said hi but got only a glance and a nod in return. She was still stiff with him. It had never been so difficult befriending a particular somebody. Being similar to someone created obstacles he never expected.

Luckily, that afternoon he discovered her having lunch in the cafeteria. She was seated at a table with some colleagues but it didn’t appear she was chatting it up with them. Sehun joined them taking the empty chair beside her.

“Feeling better today?” he asked.

“I feel fine, thanks,” she replied then took a spoonful of food.

“Have you heard from Mina?” he wondered.

“Not yet,” Namjoo looked occupied with her piece of napkin suddenly. “You’ve talked with her?”

“No.”

He was surprised when Namjoo suggested, “Maybe you could talk to her. I think she’d listen to you. She likes you.”

They looked at each other but for once, he was first to look away as if caught acting suspiciously. Obviously, he wasn’t on the same wavelength with Mina.

“Her parents are worried about her,” Namjoo said. “They must miss her, too. If you see her or she comes find you, I’d appreciate that.”

“Ok,” he promised. “If I see her I’ll tell her that.”

Namjoo went back to her food and his hand slid into his pocket where the movie tickets were.

“Team Leader!” Mr. Go shouted walking over with a tray. As the others left he took their seat and naturally developed a conversation with Namjoo, Sehun felt his hand slide out of his pocket.

That evening he sat in bed tapping a finger against his chin and stared at the movie tickets on the table. The last day of the premiere was Saturday evening. Tomorrow was already Friday and Saturday Mina had already asked him out. What would he do?

¤¤¤¤¤

Namjoo rarely used her paid time offs, saving them only for when she wanted to go see Yeol. Friday morning she punched in her PTO in order to accompany Yeol’s parents to the hospital. Yeol’s father would start his first session of therapy and she wanted to be there as encouragement and in place of their son.

It was painful to see Yeol’s father struggle and he managed with much difficulty. They met with the doctor after the brief session. His health was good, so they left with plans for lunch but ashamed to be seen Yeol’s father insisted to go home.

“The color in your face looks drained lately,” Yeol’s mother worried when they returned. “Let me make you something before you head home.”

“I’m fine, mother,” Namjoo insisted. “All I did was sleep for a few days. I’m all better.”

The woman’s gentle hands touched her back, “But look at you, you’re working so hard. You don’t have anyone to look after you.”

“It’s not hard, mother,” Namjoo tried. “Really.”

“Sit down, I’ll make you some tea and then cook something real quick. A tired body needs proper nutrition to heal,” the woman sounded upbeat again.

Sitting down she watched Yeol’s mother move from fridge to counter and to the sink then to the stove. She was grateful for her motherly love. As she watched and waited she suddenly pictured Sehun running around her house picking up after Olly, cleaning him up with a bath, and preparing food for her. She’d seen the fried chicken tucked in her fridge but she hadn’t been thankful for all he had done.

When she returned home she gave the clock a brief glance. Wrapping an apron around her she quickly got down to work and found herself driving back to work. She texted Sehun telling him she’d wait by the cafeteria. On her way in Mr. Go caught her.

“Team Leader,” he greeted, “what are you doing here today? I heard you took a day off?”

“Oh…I…” she flushed embarrassed. Why did it suddenly feel like she was bringing a home-cooked meal for a boyfriend? Did she look suspicious?

Hiding the lunch box behind her she hoped he hadn’t caught sight of it. “I came to look at something.”

“Oh? Did you forget some papers? I could have faxed them over,” Mr. Go offered.

“No, no,” Namjoo shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it taken care of.”

“Well, let me know if you ever need anything,” Mr. Go gave a kind smile. “Have you eaten? If you haven’t, I was about to go out and meet my wife for a meal. I would love to treat you.”

“No, no,” Namjoo declined. “Don’t worry about me. I’m about to head home in a few minutes.”

“Take care of yourself,” Mr. Go cautioned. “I heard you were sick recently.”

Namjoo pulled on a smile wondering why he had so much to say. “Yes, I will. Thank you.”

“Have a good day now,” he nodded then turned to walk off. Namjoo watched him go just for confirmation then turned and slowed when she saw Sehun standing by the cafeteria. He must have seen her talking. Had he caught her hiding the lunch box from Mr. Go? Oh, god how embarrassing.