“Do you have any plans later?” Ji Hyun asked, as she clasped her hands together and waited for her meal.

Chang Wook promised her to take her out for lunch since it was Friday, and also since there were a lot of things to talk about since they were too busy with their work. Lucky enough for him, the next time that they would film would be two hours from now, and since their workplaces were a few kilometers away from each other, he took the opportunity to talk to her over this time in their usual restaurant.

“Just our usual movie night so far. Why? Do you have any plans?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.

Ji Hyun and Chang Wook usually had their movie nights every Friday. It was somehow their tradition for the past 2 years, and they usually had a pattern on who’s picking the movie, with Ji Hyun picking the movie every second and fourth Friday of the month, and with him picking the movie every first and third Friday of the month.

“It’s just…” She trailed off. He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her answer.

“Is it Hae Joon?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“He needed a bit of help with a manuscript that was just given to him today, and the deadline is tomorrow.” She sighed. “I don’t know if I’ll be home early.”

He nodded at her. “It’s okay if we won’t do a movie night tonight. Maybe tomorrow? I mean, it’s that time of the season again, and we all have to finish our work since the holidays are approaching.”

“Are you sure? You’ll miss your chance in picking a movie for tonight.” She raised her eyebrows at him.

“I’ll be fine—” He started to speak, but a notification from his phone caught his attention, and to his surprise, it was a message from Yumi.

Sung Yumi: Do you want to go to Itaewon later? There’s this new food park that serves some pretty good food :)

“Seems like you won’t be available for movie night too?” Ji Hyun taunted, and he lifted his gaze to meet her amused expression.

“You knew about this, huh?” He asked her, raising his eyebrows at her.

“Maybe.” She shrugged, and right on time, their food arrived, and afterwards, they were happily eating their jjajangmyeon in silence, until Ji Hyun spoke again.

 “Oh, and you won’t believe what Hae Joon said about you. He actually thought you were my boyfriend.”

This statement alone made Chang Wook choke on his noodles in surprise. He dropped his chopsticks and grabbed the glass of water by his side. After coughing and heaving a few times, he looked back at Ji Hyun, trying not to look like he was affected by her words.

“Incredulous, right?”  She chuckled. “I had to explain to him that you were always like that since the beginning, and that we’re just friends. God, are we that clingy towards one another?”

He furrowed his eyebrows at that statement but he kept silent as she continued to talk. “So what if we’re clingy? Aren’t friends supposed to be clingy towards each other, regardless of one’s gender?”

He tried his best not to show any disappointment on his face, and instead, he chuckled towards her statements. “Definitely. I mean, look at us, we’re technically just friends, right?”

“Yeah.” She laughed, placing her chopsticks by the side of her bowl as she was done with her jjajangmyeon. “And besides, I’m not even close to your type, if I’m right.”

Chang Wook stops eating and looks at her incredulously. “What the hell are you talking about? You’re everyone’s type. Even our neighbors and their pets love you to death.”

She shook her head at him. “Okay, now you’re just exaggerating.”

“I’m not kidding!” He exasperated. “The old couple across our street loves you so much, and they definitely prefer you over me, trust me. They always give you gifts and some food and those two would barely look at me in the eye.”

“Probably because you always intimidate them with your good looks.” She retorted, and he rolled his eyes in response.

“Nam Ji Hyun, this is not about my looks. It’s more on how you’re one of those people that are so nice that it hurts a lot.” He started to speak. “You are one the only person I know who takes her time in helping other people. You are the only person I know that’s too selfless for her own good. You’re smart, selfless, funny, and wonderful, and everything pure and good in this world. Any person would love to be with you.”

She raised her eyebrows in response. “Wow, oppa. Since when did you get this sentimental?”

He sighed in response. “You’re not taking me seriously, are you?”

“Considering the fact that it’s still noon and you aren’t intoxicated, I’m still thinking it’s a joke.” She shrugged.

“Aish! I’m serious!” He whined at her.

“Really, oppa?” She taunted.

He sighed as he looked at his almost empty bowl of jjajangmyeon before looking at her solemnly, his tone soft and serious. “Nam Ji Hyun, you are one of the most amazing people I’ve met in my life, and I’m honored that I’m basking in your presence right now. Anyone would be lucky to fall in love with you.”

A smile makes her way onto her face, the color of her cheeks changing from the color of porcelain to a light shade of pink. “Wow. You know you can probably say that to me somewhere that’s not in a public place, right?”

“I don’t care,” He shrugged. “I love my best friend. Why not share it to the world, right?”

Somehow, he hoped that the little “slip-up” he made would make her look his way, but with the way she chuckled at his statement and shook her head at him, it was as if his statement flew past her like the wind, like he said it as a joke.

If only she knew that “joke” actually held more weight than she thought it would.

__

After being brought back to her workplace after their lunch, Ji Hyun finds herself swamped under more paperwork as the deadlines were approaching, but the pressure and the heaviness of the tasks weren't phasing her one bit. In fact, she was going through her work without missing a beat, highlighting and editing parts one after another. She was so focused on her work that the seconds suddenly passed into minutes, then it passed into hours and so on, and before she knew it, everyone was ready to leave the office. As she was packing up, Hae Joon was patiently waiting for her to be done with her tasks as he stood by her desk. 

"You know that standing near me won't make me go any faster?" She taunted him.

"I know. Just take your time." He replied, tilting his head at her with a smile. She looked back at him with raised eyebrows before slinging her bag on her shoulder and made her way towards the elevator with him by her side. 

"So, where are we going for tonight?" She asked, leaning her shoulder by the wall of the elevator as she looked at him in amusement, trying not to let the butterflies in her stomach falter with her nerves.

"My friend recently opened this place that looks like a workplace, but is also like a playground at the same time since there's like this big slide and a ball pit and other stuff." He said, scratching the back of his neck. "I kind of want to go there with you since I want us to work on our manuscripts there and maybe unwind a bit, but if you don't want to go there it's fine we'll go somewhere else—"

Hae Joon was cut off with a chuckle coming out from Ji Hyun's lips. "Hae Joon-ssi, do you always ramble this fast?"

"I'm sorry." He spoke with a sheepish smile. "I'm actually nervous that you'll find the place childish."

"It's fine!" She laughed. "I think it's pretty cool that I know a guy who knows a guy that has a place that's like a workplace but also a playground."

"Is this your way of telling me that you're just using me?" He spoke, clutching his heart as if he was offended. Right on cue, the elevator doors opened, and they found themselves walking along the car park, laughing at each other as they made their way towards his car to head off to their destination. 

"Okay, so I have this plan on how we can divide our work so we can go through it smoothly and we can try the cool playground stuff as early as possible." Hae Joon spoke as they drove along the freeway.

"You're really excited to try out the new playground stuff, huh? Are you really older than me?" She taunted him.

"Hey! I can be a child at heart!" He laughed. 

"Whatever you say then." She replied, rolling her eyes.

On the other hand, Chang Wook finds himself in a middle of a food trip with Yumi, with him holding various cups of different food and with her holding a few desserts. Winter has made the streets of Itaewon look like it was covered in a white sheet of snow, but the biting chill of it was something Chang Wook couldn't deny as he kept chattering his teeth, but nonetheless, having an acquaintance as talkative and as entertaining as Yumi was enough for him to smile to himself. They went around the food park as they bought anything that they could get their hands on to, and once they found a warm space for them to retreat, they sighed in relief as they set their food on the table. Once he sat down, a buzz from his phone catches his attention, and as usual, it was Ji Hyun telling him that she'll be home late. He typed in his reply before bringing back his attention to Yumi and to the food in front of them.

"Finally, we made it." Yumi chuckled in relief as she rubbed her glove-covered hands together to keep herself warm.

"Tell me about it." He chuckled as she took out the food they bought and giving it towards him before taking her food. As they were eating their food, Yumi looks up from her food momentarily and threw in her question. 

"If you don't mind me asking, how long have you known Ji Hyun?" 

Chang Wook wipes his mouth with the tissue paper by his side before talking. "Three years. She coincidentally lived on one part of my house without me knowing, and I guess it started from there."

"So, you guys are technically neighbors then?" She asked, and he nodded in response before eating his meal again. Once they were done, they took the liberty to stroll around the streets, their hands hidden in their own coats, a respectable distance between them as they looked around the bustling district. 

"Ji Chang Wook-ssi." He heard her speak. "If I ask you this question, will you promise not to be annoyed at me?"

He looked back at her with raised eyebrows. "I'm wondering what question is this that you think would make me feel annoyed at you."

She sighed, the fog leaving her lips as she contemplated in asking him, before giving in. "I don't mean to pry on or anything, but...Is there anyone that you like at this moment?"

He thinks for a moment before sighing to himself. "I'm sorry, Yumi-ssi. If I said that I didn't, I would be lying to you and to myself."

He looks forward, afraid to see what her reaction would look like, but when he took a small peek at her by his peripheral vision, it looked