"... and my ideal type is someone who can take care of me, like a noona.." 

Ume wanted to throw the ramen she is eating at the tv. 

"Like real!!!!!" She sneered at the screen instead, taking in the next bite with such ferocity she thought she might bite her tongue.

Ume can't help but feel a pang of sadness when she heard Jongdae speaking like that. Or rather, Chen, which he is now known as. "Noona... noona. I'm also a noona, but why... ?"

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*2 years ago.*

"But why noona?" Jongdae's eyes danced curiously. 

"I just... felt like coming. You know, and the chance came when they were hiring a scriptwriter." Ume didn't want to reveal that he was part of the reason she left her prestigious job as a manager in one of the largest entertainment company in Taiwan 2 months ago for a scriptwriter's job in Seoul. They had met briefly at a social gathering when she was in Korea for work matters a few months back. And his shy demeanour attracted her. He was polite, appropriate and has smiley eyes.

She's a er for such guys... too bad they almost always turn out to be wolves in sheepskins. The previous one asked her to be his mistress, and the one before that... she didn't even want to remember his face. He is just an outright jerk thousand times through. Just two years short of hitting the big 3, her non-existent dating life sparked a hope when Jongdae appeared. 

She still remembered his words when she was bent over at the pub's entrance, puking her drink and parts of her dinner out, 

"Noona, if you can't drink, let me help you in the future."

In her half sober state, Ume's lonely soul seemed to find a beacon of light, beckoning her towards what she thought was "happiness". 

What turned out later was a painfully slow, ambiguous relationship. For someone so vocally outstanding, he has a sorely low self-esteem, especially when he was casted as one of the Exo members later on. It didn't help that his fellow trainees were all really handsome and cute guys. He was always lamenting about how poorly he did, how he was struggling to remember the dance steps, how he's "not quite there yet". However, to Ume, he is just as attractive, both inward and outward. There were more than a few occasions whereby Jongdae, after a few drinks, laid comfortably on her shoulder and whispered his dreams to her.

She would try her utmost to keep her own dreams to herself. Dreams that has got nothing to do with entertainment, scriptwriting, and the stage.

Her feelings towards Jongdae got more and more obvious. The closer friends around them sensed that and silently urged her to forget about it.

Forget about what?

Yes, he's got a rocky past and not so fantastic testimonial regarding ex-girlfriends. But Ume is not like the ones he's dated before. She's not whiny, sticky, someone who flaunts ageyo... On the underside, she is too independent. And somewhat intimidating to most guys even those of her age.

Jongdae doesn't treat her like he does with other girls. He respected her in her field and listened intently when she addressed some of his problems he's facing. Once in a while, he would get close to her physically when she least expected it. At that party. That day he sent her home in that blue striped shirt. When he was talking on the phone. 

It was never outwardly intentional. 

Just a soft hold on her shoulder. A half-hug. A touch on her cool fingers.

She was satisfied with all that. Craving for more, but yet, satisfied with whatever they have between them. 

Until one day, that girl walked in. 

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