Located west of Seoul, Mapo District was one of South Korea’s top business hubs. It boasted massive skyscrapers; four college and university institutions including the very much acclaimed Ewha Women's University; and a massive assortment of dining and shopping areas. It is also where Hongdae, one of Seoul’s hippest places, and the Seoul World Cup Stadium, the largest rectangular stadium in Asia, are located. Millions of people of different social classes―aristocrats, chaebols, capitalist, petty bourgeoisies, white collar workers, and whatnot― live, and go in and out of the area every day. It was no surprise that Mr. Bang Byunghoon, CEO of The Shilla Seoul, vied to construct La Yeon’s flagship restaurant just north of the infamous Noeul and Haneul Parks in Mapo District.

It was a sunlit day of late spring, and the sky held a soft blue glow. The indolent wind pushed against the unmown grass and wild dandelions as Seungwan and Eunwoo stood on a wide stony track skimming through the empty lot about them. They had been standing there for half an hour, unsettled eyes dancing unceremoniously around, as they tried to avoid catching each other’s glances. A heavy silence settled over them, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. The only noises apparent were the persistent honking of the cars and the dogs barking on the other side of the road. It was an uncomfortable sort of silence― a result of their failed attempt to be civil―and instead of going straight into business; they made an unspoken agreement to wait until one of them could muster up the courage to speak first.

Initial planning of the restaurant had begun. Instead of aimlessly looking at the layout of the lot printed on a light-sensitized paper that she hated the smell of, Seungwan decided to see it in its actuality so that she could get a better perspective of the structure before they started designing. Of course, it was only right to invite Eunwoo along. He was the ‘man in charge’ and the client. Regardless of how determined she was to minimize contact with him while working on the restaurant together, the world had a funny way of saying oh no, you don’t. Initially she wanted Sehun, the assistant project manager, to go in her stead but he cancelled the last minute because he had diarrhea. She was skeptical at first. Maybe this was one of Baekhyun's ploys to get her to meet Eunwoo again. However, his trips to the comfort room became more frequent as the day passed on, and the dreadful smell mingling in the office was a dead giveaway that he wasn’t lying.

Eunwoo cleared his throat. His arms folded tightly across his broad chest as he tapped his foot timidly. He had been feeling tensed up ever since arriving at the site an hour ago (This time he made sure to arrive thirty minutes before the scheduled time). It must be because he was meeting Seungwan for the first time since that incident last week and although she didn’t seem particularly upset or angered by it (she looked pretty disappointed though), he still had a good reason to believe she was. After all she was Son Seungwan. Time is of the essence and to her, wasting even a second was unacceptable.

He huffed, collecting himself as he tuned to face her. It was now or never. “We were thinking maybe a two-hundred seating capacity, one-storey restaurant with an open kitchen, a gigantic bar, a mini garden in the center, and a patio where people can dine out when the weather’s nice…Also, it would be great if we stay away from modern, minimalistic designs and go for the rustic and industrial look instead.”

Seungwan nodded, hands on her chin, as she made a mental note of everything Eunwoo detailed. She gestured Baekhyun, who was at the back watching the scene unfold, to pass her a piece of paper and pen. But instead of doing what he was told, he gave her a thumbs up and started snickering. He was enjoying the view a little too much that he didn’t even notice her sending daggers at him. It was like he was watching a romantic comedy movie in 4D but for free.

Whereas Baekhyun was having the time of his life, Seungwan clearly wasn’t. The world (and her best friend apparently) wasn’t cooperating with her and it took all the nerves in her body to act natural. She decided to take things with a stride and temporarily excused herself from Eunwoo. She made her way to the car, the minuscule rubbles making crusty noises with her every step. Her steps weren't long but they were rapid. She had a way of walking that made her seem perpetually in a hurry.

“You’re dead meat when we get back to the office.” She warned, seizing the paper and pen in Baekhyun’s hand.

Baekhyun forced a toothed smile and retorted, “Don’t you have a meeting with Mr. Lee after this?”

Seungwan paused for a moment and said “Touché― but don’t go thinking you’re off the hook just yet.” before walking back to Eunwoo. She could still hear Baekhyun sniggering from behind, and she had to do mental breathing exercises to stop herself from propelling him to the other side of the world. It was only a matter of time before she started second-guessing herself and wondered whether she should have just brought Kyungsoo or went alone instead. Either way, it would have been way better than having to deal with Baekhyun’s constant teasing. On the other hand, thank the heavens Chanyeol didn’t come (he usually had a knack for being present in these types of situations) or else she would have lost it a long time ago.

“Is everything alright?” Eunwoo queried, peering behind to see what was going on only to be greeted by a playful Baekhyun making finger hearts, blowing kisses, and wagging his non-existent tail.

“I’m sorry. Baekhyun is just…being Baekhyun. Don’t mind him, he’s just bored.” She brushed off, and started diligently scribbling on the paper. “Two hundred seats, right? Let’s see, for a restaurant it’s a general rule of the thumb to allocate sixty percent of the floor area for dining and forty percent for the kitchen area. We have here approximately 620 square meters of land. Say we use 460 square meters of floor area and allot the rest for parking space, with two hundred guests that would be 1.4 square meters per person.” She paused, twirling the ball pen between her fingers before continuing, “I think that’s just about right.”

Eunwoo couldn’t help but gawk at Seungwan. He swore her work mode on-switch had to be faster than the speed of light because she was right into business the second she got back. She was so focused that it was impossible not to be drawn into her pink plump lips― lips that brought back a million memories in a split second. He stared at them intently when she bit her pen in concentration. These were the lips that once touched his.

"Anything else?” Seungwan asked, catching Eunwoo’s gaze. From her lips, his attention was now on her eyes. There was always something about them he couldn’t quite explain. He could see the whole world through them, but most of all he could see an unfiltered reflection of himself. The reflection you do not see in mirrors. This version of him looked fearful, guarded and unsure. Maybe it was because that was what Seungwan made him feel when he was around her.

He snapped out of his momentary stupor and all he could manage was a “Wh―What?!”

“Anything else you want to add?” Seungwan repeated, tilting her head as she waited for an answer.

He pursed his lips and his brows interjoined as he tried to remember if he had forgotten anything. “I don't think so… I guess, that will be it for now.”

“Alright―” She said, tucking the paper in her pocket. “Wait here for a sec.”

Eunwoo watched closely as Seungwan walked back to her car and spoke to Baekhyun. As much as he hated admitting it, he missed her. She was his first love, and he went through great lengths to be with her. He loved her so much, and he would like to think she did too but it never worked out in the end. They both learned the hard way that a relationship wasn’t only bent on love. Sometimes (and in their case) love just wasn’t enough.

Dating her, every day felt like he was waging a war with something he could never win against. He didn’t have rivals who competed for her love. She didn’t have strict parents who told him to stay away from their daughter. He didn’t have controlling parents who told him to break up with her either. What they had between them was far more abstract― work. Yes, work had been a big factor to their breakup. It wasn't surprising, really. A lot of their friends called for it the moment Eunwoo and Seungwan started dating. It wasn’t that they didn’t have the time to see each other because she was so busy working. (They were able to see each other two to three times a week.) It was more of the fact that she couldn’t choose him over her work.

There were so many regrets and what-ifs in their failed relationship that no matter how much he tried to convince himself that he has moved on, and no matter how much he tried to re