Ji Wook thought he was hallucinating.

Was he really seeing Bong Hee and Eun Hyuk together?

Mr. Byun nudges him as he stood rooted at the spot. His father figure had demanded he accompany with groceries once in a while although he suspected it was because the old man was jealous that he spent time with his mom and not with him. Ji Wook had begrudgingly complied; it was his precious day off after all and he was happily texting with Bong Hee when he intruded.

What did he expect? They were buying groceries at the supermarket near the law firm anyway so there's always the chance of bumping with each other at the place.

"Oh, they must be buying things for the pantry." Mr. Byun commented when he followed the direction he was looking at.

His feet quickly brought him closer to the pair and he grabs a few apples that was near to them before he hears Eun Hyuk stopping his sentence to look at him.

The surprise in both of their faces almost made Ji Wook smirk in satisfaction.

"Didn't expect to see both of you here." Mr. Byun looks at their cart and squints his eyes. "Don't go buying too much. You both must've been here for long already, didn't you mention that you haven't finished your case yet Lawyer Eun?"

Bong Hee seems to pop out of her thoughts when she heard him and quickly mutters, "Yes Mr. Byun, we'll be going back soon." she grabs Eun Hyuk by the arm, gesturing towards the cashier and Ji Wook sees the question in her eyes. She must've been surprised seeing him with her CEO.

What irked him though, was how Eun Hyuk looked at him and left a lingering stare before he went away as Bong Hee dragged him. There was no mistaking it, the guy was looking at him as if he was a threat and the challenge was clear in his determined eyes.

Ji Wook's jaw grew taut as he stared at their retreating backs, his heart suddenly thunderous with anxiety. He recognizes those kind of look that Eun Hyuk throws at her and his possessive aura that was oozing a while ago when he had eye contact with Bong Hee.

Eun Hyuk was in love with her.

And he didn't know if she felt the same way or if they were already in a relationship.

He furrowed his eyebrows as he suddenly felt the rush, as if he was being chased by something he didn't know and his whole being was itching for him to act faster.

He shook his head to clear away the confusing thoughts.

.

If you don't mind me asking,
are you in a relationship Bong Hee-shi?

Ji Wook bites his lip as he finally clicked the send button. He had been contemplating whether he should ask the question or not. He hopes she wouldn't think of Ms. Park as someone nosy.

The ringtone surprised him and he coughed as he nearly choked on the insomnia tea he was drinking.

         
                                                Haha no, unfortunately I have
                                                 no time for that Ms. Park :)  

He didn't notice that he had been so tensed all this time until he let out a breath and his whole being relaxes after reading her text. He holds back a smile. Staring at the ceiling, he thinks of a proper response when his phone let out another notif.

             
                                            But i have been in love before...

Ji Wook takes in a shaky breath, his heart beat starting to pace rapidly at her words. This was uncharted territory, he didn't know if he'll be able to take it if she suddenly says that she hated him for what he had done. But this was the only opportunity he had right? He types in the words anyways.

Is it okay to ask about it?

                                          It's okay.....it's been so long
                                          already......He was a wonderful
                                          man Ms. Park, and i actually
                                          couldn't believe that we were
                                          so close at one point...
                                          Unfortunately, i was this stupid
                                          girl who assumed that there was
                                          something special between us
                                          and i ended up destroying
                                          whatever that 'bond' we had.

Ji Wook pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned heavily on his chair, his heart aching at her confession. Did she blame herself all this time?

I'm sure it wasn't your fault,
Bong Hee-shi. That man must've
felt bad losing you.

                                         Thank you, i don't know what
                                         he's thinking but i'd like to
                                         believe that i'm healing.....it's
                                         difficult and it's slow but i'm
                                         trying my best...haha sorry for
                                         being so depressing Ms. Park..
                                         How about you? Have you ever
                                         been in love?

I have....i fell in love deeply with
someone, but i ended up hurting
that person...someone who was
sincerely loving me...

      
                                                   What happened?

I was always so scared Bong Hee-shi.
I have so many flaws and that person
was too good to be true...i didn't think
it was right to force someone to be
with me if i'll end up hurting them
in the end....i don't want to hurt
anyone anymore...

                                 You're wrong Ms. Park...that person
                                 would've accepted you in any way.
                                 Being hurt is being in love as well,
                                 it's all part of it..why are you so
                                 scared of a future that you don't
                                 even know? What matters is the
                                 present and the love being shared....
                                 right?

Ji Wook's hands trembled. The truth in her words reaching the deepest part of him and shaking his core. His eyes burned and he couldn't think of a anything to respond.

                                i'm sorry Ms. Park, i must've been so
                                carried away with my feelings.

No, it's okay. You're right.
I've always been wrong...
Thank you for making me
realize all these things..

  
                                  I'm glad that i can help you this time.
                                  I hope it still isn't too late for you
                                 Ms. Park. Fighting! :)

He couldn't help but let out a small smile. She always said that Ms. Park comforted her but it was him who was actually comforted everytime. He reads her texts over and over again.

Yes, he sincerely hopes it isn't too late yet.

.

Ji Wook takes a deep breath and grips on his food tray. He had been standing at the side like an idiot for a long time already, contemplating whether he should continue with his plan or not. He sees Bong Hee take her place at her usual spot in the cafeteria, clad in a peach suit and her hair bundled up into a ponytail. She was blooming and pretty and he threw caution into the wind.

His feet started moving, each step making his heart thunder and as he reached her table, he had to swallow the nervous bundle that seemed to choke him.  She slowly raised her head, her bright eyes widening as she seemed to realize that he wasn't going to just leave the usual yogurt drink and walk away.

"Is it okay if i join you today?" he nearly stuttered the words and mentally slapped himself. Where did all his court prowess go to? He always became such a babbling nonsense when it comes to her.

She opened for a moment, words escaping her mind and she quickly wiped . "Uhm....actually i'm with--"

"Excuse me."

Ji Wook turned and saw Eun Hyuk carrying his food tray with a smile plastered in his face; obviously the raised eyebrows indicated anything but friendliness. The man must've had a court trial today as well.

He stepped aside and Eun Hyuk placed his tray on the table, offering his hand for a shake.

"Hello Prosecutor No, it's been long. Nice to see you again."

Ji Wook held his tray with a hand and shook his stretched hand, the tight grip making him let out his own fake smile. "It hasn't been that long Lawyer Ji, we just saw each other yesterday at the supermarket. Can't say the feeling is mutual in seeing you again."

The tension that was brewing between them grew as both their threatening glares refused to back down. It wasn't until Mr. Bang arrived and suddenly tapped Ji Wook's shoulders, inviting him to eat with him at another table instead that they broke off the nonverbal fight.

Ji Wook could only frown as he stole glances at their table, the lost chance making him more irritable. Someday, he really ought to give a piece of his mind to Eun Hyuk.

.

"What do you want?" Ji Wook crosses his arms and leaned on his chair, raising his eyebrows to the man in front of him.

Eun Hyuk's lips twitched upwards as he filled the glass with soju, loosening his necktie and sighing. "i just thought that we really needed to have this conversation."

Ji Wook pursed his lips and drank his soju in one shot. He didn't know that Eun Hyuk would actually have the nerve to enter his office a few hours ago, just when he was about to leave, and invite him out for a drink this late at night at a nearby pocha. He scoffs as he recalls how he wanted to confront Eun Hyuk as well someday.

Well, at least he wasn't the one to give in first.

"Stop approaching Bong Hee."

Ji Wook head snaps up when he heard him, the words automatically making him furrow his eyebrows. "And what makes you think that I'm going to listen to you?"

"Because I know what happened between the two of you and how much you've hurt her." Eun Hyuk frowns as well, his serious face mirroring his. "You played with her feelings and left her."

Ji Wook gritted his teeth. "She left me."

"You rejected her."

"You don't know anything about what really happened between us."

"Maybe, but i have witnessed how broken she was when you ended everything. What are you trying to do by trying to get close to her again and sending those flowers?"

Ji Wook didn't let the surprise be seen in his face. "How the hell did you even know?"

Eun Hyuk scoffed. "Why are you even asking? You know how easy it is for me if i really wanted to. Are you having fun playing with her feelings again?"

"You don't know anything about me."

"I don't care. All i want to know and care about is Bong Hee."

"I'm not playing with her!"

"Then stop approaching her!"

"What right do you even have to say that to me?!?"

"i have the right because i'm the one who painstakingly stitched up the pieces of her that you left behind and i'm not going to let you break her again!!"

Eun Hyuk's clenched fists banged the table hard and everyone turned towards them, curious to the loud voices and argument the two men were having. He was standing up, his face painted with anger and frustration. Ji Wook had his lips in a fine line as he glared back at him, his composure rigid as he sat still.

"You don't know how much she cried when i first met her. How she never smiled to anyone and kept things to herself while she suffered from memories of you. How it took her months before she could start laughing again and getting along well with others at the firm. I was there. All this time, i worked hard to see her smile again. And now i know it was actually all your fault, i'm not just gonna sit back and let you approach her like you never even hurt her in the first place!" Eun Hyuk's words hit him hard and Ji Wook clenched his fist, avoiding his eyes. "Stop everything if you're gonna approach her with your half-assed feelings. She doesn't need to suffer again because of you."

Eun Hyuk walked away and he was left with his agonized mind. Biting his lip, he blinked away the wetness in his eyes and cursed at the table that was now messed up with the soju bottle tipped over, making everything wet.

"You think she was the only one suffering?" he muttered under his breath, his thoughts bringing him back to those times that he didn't even care if those criminals he had unruly placed in prison threatened to kill him, not caring if they actually did. Even that time when he thought of her too much that he nearly got into a car accident but didn't find it in himself to be relieved that he survived cause he felt like he was already dead inside.

"You don't fcking know anything." he stood up and pockets his hands, blaming away the tears to the cold weather as he went away after paying.

.

The bottles of soju and beer that he downed a while ago must've already gotten to his head when Ji Wook realized that he had driven towards Bong Hee's apartment. The confrontation with Eun Hyuk a while ago had made him so pissed and frustrated that he ended up drinking by himself. He shook his head to sober up a bit as he parked.

Ever since he met her at the court, he had started investigating her whereabouts and basically anything about her; remotely convincing himself that it was not considered stalking at all.

He gets off his car and leans on it, sighing as he looked up at the tall building. Bong Hee must be sleeping already, her lips probably forming that cute pout as she leans on her hands at the pillow. The image was so clear in his mind that he ends up smiling out of nowhere.

"Prosecutor-nim?" her sweet voice surprised him and he quickly straightens up. He was about to greet her when his eyes ended up staring at the cellophane that she was carrying full of snacks and 2 bottles of soju.

She slightly attempts to cover it behind her when she noticed he was staring and clears . "I stayed up late for a case and wanted to relax a bit." The furrow in her eyebrows made him think that she was probably confused as to why she had to explain herself to him.

His lips twitched upwards and he approaches her with a smile. Eun Hyuk's words were still ringing in his ears but it must've been the influence of the alcohol that was giving him the courage to speak to her so boldly. "Mind to share?"

Bong Hee briefly steps back but leaned towards him again to sniff with a scrunched up nose. "You smell like soju. You've already drank and you still want more?"

He sheepishly smiles. "I'm not drunk yet I promise!" he raises his right hand. "I just wanted to talk....."

She takes a moment of silence and bit her lip in contemplation, the action making his eyes focus on her lip and swallow. His mind was reeling from the longing, it had been so long since he got to taste those lips. Wow, he must actually be a bit drunk?

She finally nods and gestures towards the nearby park. "How did you even know i live here?"

"I investigated." he proudly exclaims and regrets it a second later when she threw him a bewildered look.

"Why would you investigate me?"

He stops his tracks and she turns to him when she noticed.

"Because i want to know more about you."

---------------------------------