They couldn't be seen leaving together, so he had to plot their escape carefully.

She was to head off with her manager first and he would follow soon after, driving straight to his friend's cafe, while sending his manager in a different car to pick her up discreetly at her estate. The plan went well; nobody seemed to suspect something was amiss. Though the detour cost them a good half an hour and the butterflies in her tummy grew by flocks with every minute that passed, agitated and restless. She had to wrap her arms around her waist just so she wouldn't tremble visibly.

Indunated by a surge of flashbacks to their intense exchange in the pub, she rubbed her fingers distractedly, almost as though she could still feel his warmth underneath her fingertips. In the dark corridors where they were concealed to the world, they were guided by their instincts - feelings were bared, their touches reckless but all-consuming. But then reality crashed in (literally, in the form of a drunken mood-spoiler), and he just upped and left her. And now he wanted to meet her.

If she didn't have faith in his character, she would have thought he was playing her.

Thanks to Tae Joon's skilled manipulation tonight, she was treated to a rare display of his jealousy, which she obviously took pleasure in. Not just because his petulant face was the cutest thing she had ever seen (she's obviously biased). But beyond that, it also gave her hope that he might return her feelings. So what's stopping him? His impending military enlistment? Perhaps he decided he didn't need a distraction like her now? But a part of her - the insecure part - also wondered if perhaps he was already seeing someone. That would explain his reticence to engage her now that the show was over. Wasn't he rumoured to be dating his former co-star?

Gripped by her cheerless thoughts, she didn't realise she had wondered aloud until Manager Bang turned his head sharply to gape at her. "Did you just ask me if Wookie is dating his previous co-star?"

"I...did...did I?" She stuttered, mortified that she apparently had no-filter. But since she already had little dignity to speak of at that point, she trudged on painfully. "So does oppa have a girlfriend?" Her hands were a fisted knot in her lap as she braced herself for his answer.

Tearing his eyes from her profile to refocus his attention back on the road, he hedged, scratching his stubble awkwardly, "I think...it's better if you ask him directly." He didn't want to betray his friend's trust by revealing more than he should. It's between them afterall.

But his non-commital reply did nothing to ease her trepidation. Unbidden images of her oppa holding a tall, beautiful woman, happy and in love, assaulted her mind. Someone elegant and divinely gorgeous. Someone who definitely wasn't her. Maybe he wanted to meet her privately just so he could let her down gently and put a stop to her burdensome feelings. As her heart sank, she also shrank further into her seat.

Catching on to her self-conjured pity-party, Manager Bang winced, certain that he had just made matters worse. He sent a silent apology to Wookie, then threw another silent prayer his way, knowing his buddy was in for a long, long night.

++++

Manager Bang pulled into the driveway of a nondescript building moments later. Set amid lush green lawns, with magnificient pink blooming trees framing the plain brick-walled exterior, this modest, hole in the wall was sort of charming in its own right.

"This is the back of the building. Pretty, isn't it? Too bad it's not open to the public." He mused, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Then turning to Ji-hyun, he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "Perks of being the owner."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Oppa owns this cafe?"

"Well, technically the cafe is under his friend's name. Nobody knows he has a share in it but he comes here pretty often."  He revealed, grinning at her as she processed the new information.

Her eyes were so busy taking in the sights, she didn't realise a figure had materialised by her side of the car, until the door opened with a click. Towering over her was her oppa, who had a small nervous smile on his face. And his large hand was outstretched in invitation.

She considered him for a few seconds before sliding her palm against his, cold meeting solid warmth. And then they were standing side by side, their eyes locked and joined hands hanging in the space between them. Staring down at their tangled fingers, he allowed himself a small satisfied smile, before tugging her towards the building, waving to his friend who was already pulling out of the driveway.