He was gone by the morning.

Leina couldn’t really say she was surprised when she woke up alone, although she was surprised she didn’t at least get a goodbye. For a few minutes, she thought maybe he was just in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper before he left for work. Instead, there was a note saying he had an early meeting.

The disappointment she felt had lingered all day, through breakfast, office meetings and now sitting at the quiet cafe during her lunch hour. She felt like an idiot for wanting him to stay, wanting him to be someone he couldn’t be. Serena agreed.

“Lei, I love you, and because of that I can’t just let you keep doing this.” Serena said from across the table.

“It’s not that simple Serena.” Leina sighed, fiddling with the straw of her drink.

“It really is Lei,” Serena replied, “someone who loves you doesn’t treat you like this.”

Leina leaned back and avoided looking at Serena. She knew what Serena said was sensible, and applied to another relationship, it would definitely be true. But in the world that Eli lived in, his reality was not supposed to include her. So if in order to avoid that, they had to make sacrifices in their relationship, then Leina would continue trying to make it work.

“He’s dating, Leina.”

Leina looked over at Serena, surprised at what she had just said. She sat in silence, processing what she had said. She was too confused, and too afraid of what the answer would be to ask for more information.

“He was at the same restaurant as my date and I last night,” Serena explained softly, “he was having drinks with some rich girl.”

“Drinks?” Leina raised an eyebrow, “He’s a businessman Serena, did it occur to you it was a business meeting?”

“Not really the kind of place people do business deals Lei.” Serena replied, a little more harshly than she had intended to.

“Serena, he spent the night with me. What kind of date ends in sleeping with another woman?”

“Okay first of all, you are not the other woman here. Last time I checked, you were his girlfriend in this freakish scenario you two have set up. How can you have such little self-respect?” Serena answered angrily.

“I have self-respect!” Leina yelled incredulously. She took a second to calm down, lowering her voice back to a normal decibel. “I just think you’re jumping to conclusions.”

“It’s not crazy Leina. This world you think is Eli’s justification for treating you like you’re unworthy, dictates that men of Eli’s age and stature marry someone suitable. If his family asked, do you really think he would say no?”

Leina glared at Serena in frustration. Serena wasn’t wrong, there was a chance that Eli was being forced into dating. The thought made her stomach turn so much, she felt nauseous.

“He’s not dating Serena. He would tell me. You may not like the way we’ve handled this, but he’s never lied to me,”

“Did he tell you where he was before he saw you last night?”

Leina pressed her lips into a line and remained silent. He hadn’t said anything to her.

“You were his guilty booty call.”

Leina was taken aback. Serena was a very blunt person, and wasn’t one to sugar coat things, but somehow calling her a booty call seemed like a breach of best friend boundaries. As if she wasn’t upset enough already, having such an unpleasant conversation had ensured that the rest of her day would be ruined. She didn’t know what to say in response, how to convey her anger and hurt and frustration at how this lunch had ended up, when really all she wanted was her friend’s support. So instead of saying anything, she reached for her bag and her jacket, sliding her chair back and rising from her seat.

“I have to get back to work.” She said flatly, moving around the table. Serena closed her eyes and shook her head as Leina walked away, knowing she had pushed too far. Leina was sensitive, especially when it came to Eli.

“Lei-” Serena called after her.

“Don’t Rena, just don’t.” Leina responded, trying to keep her voice level. She didn’t want to cause a scene in the cafe, even though she wanted nothing more than to scream from frustration. She knew Serena was just trying to help, but Leina couldn’t help but wish Serena would just be on her side for once. Since Eli had started working at Kim Industries, Serena had made her dislike of Eli very vocal. Leina made her way out of the cafe and down the street, playing the conversation over in her head in torturous detail. Dating? Would he really do something like that to appease his father? But if he did it wouldn’t just be dating. It would be setting Eli up for marriage. It would be grooming him for the life of a respectable business man, married to the perfect woman for their company. A woman that wasn’t going to be Leina. The thought drew a knot in her stomach, made her breath hitch in . She was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she almost didn’t hear the voice calling her name.

“Leina?” She registered the voice in the back of her mind, not processing who it belonged to, although the sound of it brought her focus back to her surroundings. She was standing a few blocks down from the cafe where she had left Serena, right by another small restaurant. She turned to look for the person calling her name, almost taking a step back when she connected the voice to a familiar face.

“Sunggyu?” Leina said, more as a question than a greeting. He was wearing a tailored suit, a silver watch adorning his left wrist. He looked like a businessman, and it threw Leina off for a moment to see him. It seemed like he always popped up in moments when she least expected him. Sunggyu sent her a small, amused smile, enjoying the surprise that crossed her face when she saw him.

“What are you doing here?” Leina asked, realizing she hadn’t said anything yet, trying to sound nonchalant.

“I eat lunch here sometimes. It’s near my office.” Sunggyu replied, gesturing toward the restaurant behind her. Leina looked back at it and nodded. So it was a coincidence, running into Sunggyu here. Normally, Leina would be suspicious, or even curious, but right now she couldn’t process her own emotions. Sunggyu noticed her distant demeanor and clouded expression.

“Are you alright?” Sunggyu asked, dropping the playful tone Leina was used to hearing from him. It was strange, for Leina to hear Sunggyu ask if she was alright. The seriousness in his voice was disarming, leaving her unable to reply fast enough to convincingly say she was fine. She didn’t think it would be an appropriate conversation to start with Sunggyu. They barely knew each other after all, and somehow talking about her boyfriend to Sunggyu felt wrong. She hadn’t mentioned Eli to him before, and she was surprisingly reluctant to share her relationship status with him. And somehow, this added to the turmoil inside her head, and in the few moments of silence that passed Sunggyu saw enough to convince him she could use someone to talk to.

“Let me buy you lunch.” He said simply, lightly touching her arm to turn her toward the restaurant. Leina wanted to protest, started to even, but Sunggyu had them seated before she could politely walk away.

“You look like you could use a friend.” Sunggyu smiled, brushing off her protests and offers to pay for her own food. She definitely felt like she could use a friend in that moment, she just wasn’t sure Sunggyu could be considered the type of friend that could help. And yet…

Sunggyu didn’t press her. He didn’t demand an explanation. He didn’t treat her like a broken, fragile girl. He just sat across from her, reading over his menu. Leina appreciated his presence, his small offer of friendship that somehow helped calm her down. She was sure she still looked like a flustered mess, face pink with confusion and embarrassment, all the more obvious contrasting with Sunggyu’s well-dressed, put together appearance. The menu was probably a formality, for her, she realized, as the staff here seemed to recognize Sunggyu. They seemed more interested in her, catching a few lingering stares from staff as they walked by. Leina wondered, not for the first time, how many women Sunggyu acted like this with. Instinctively she looked at him. He smiled over at her when their eyes met, sending a light blush creeping across her face. Leina looked back down at her menu, choosing something at random to order. She wasn’t sure why Sunggyu made her feel so flustered.

They ordered, and Leina did her best to not be awkward, although she was sure was failing.

“So, what are you doing here?” Sunggyu asked casually, trying to start a conversation.

“I was having lunch with Serena.” Leina replied simply. She wasn’t completely comfortable with Sunggyu yet, and she didn’t want to go into too much detail yet.

“And I’m guessing lunch didn’t go well?” Sunggyu probed, trying to get her to talk, but not wanting to force her. Leina half smiled, shaking her head lightly and looking away from him. Sunggyu wanted to ask more, to reach out in support, but he knew all of that would be inappropriate. So instead he waited for Leina to say something.

“Do you come here often?” Leina asked, changing the subject. Sunggyu chuckled lightly, amused at Leina’s ability to deflect.

“Yeah, it’s one of my favorite places. Why do you ask?”

“The staff seem to know you.” Leina replied, watching as a waitress walked by, eyes lingering on them. “Do you bring women here often?”

Sunggyu raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question. Why was she asking? Curiousity? Jealousy? He wasn’t sure how to answer.

“No,” Sunggyu replied hesitantly, opting for the truth, “I don’t take women out to lunch very often.”

Leina scrutinized him, unsure if she could believe him or not. He looked almost like a completely different person in this setting, professional, gentlemanly even, but Leina couldn’t help but think of him as the playboy who danced with her the first night they met. If he was being honest however, it would explain the lingering looks from the staff, perhaps surprised that Sunggyu was sitting with a woman.

“Does that surprise you?” Sunggyu chuckled, amused with the intensity of her looks. Leina opened to say the first sassy comment that crossed her mind, but thought better of it. She wasn’t comfortable enough with him yet, and somehow, she didn’t want to say something to ruin their lunch, although she knew it was awkward already.

“A bit,” Leina mused, thinking through her response out loud, “of course, that could also just mean you don’t spend enough time with the women you meet to take them out to lunch.”

Sunggyu pressed his lips into a line and looked down, internally embarrassed by how easily Leina was able to read him. He wasn’t usually embarrassed of who he was, or what he did, but he also didn’t want that to be the image Leina had of him.

“Well, then that would make you one of the exceptions.” Sunggyu replied, trying to mask his emotions.

Leina smiled shaking her head at his attempt to flatter her yet again. She was beginning to enjoy these exchanges between them, getting more and more comfortable being around him. She hadn’t decided if that was what she wanted, but for the meantime, she would let it happen.

Sunggyu smiled back, noticing as she visibly relaxed. He was sure she didn’t take his comments seriously, but he really meant it. Leina was not the kind of woman he would be able to treat like the rest of the women in his life, and that was perhaps what drew him to her the most.

“As friends, of course.” He added slyly, sending another smile across Leina’s face as she rolled her eyes. The clarification would normally be unnecessary, but Sunggyu and Leina both knew their relationship was bordering precariously between friendship and something more. Leina didn’t want to think about that however, so she decided to test the waters of friendship with Sunggyu.

“Serena and I had a...disagreement at lunch,”

Sunggyu looked at her intently, surprised that she had shared something more personal, but glad they were making progress.

“So...you had a fight?” He didn’t ask what it was about, hoping she would offer up that information on her own, but not wanting to push her. She didn’t have to tell him anything.

Leina nodded and looked down. She was beginning to regret bringing it up at all, knowing she would have to go into more detail and hating the idea of telling Sunggyu about Eli.

“I…” Leina started, unsure of what to say.

“You don’t have to.” Sunggyu replied lightly. He could sense her tensing up again, and that was the opposite of what he wanted to do. Leina appreciated him saying that, giving her room to be vulnerable and yet being supportive at the same time. She wasn’t sure if anyone else, including Eli and Serena, had been able to make her feel that way.

“Serena saw someone we know...on a date.” Leina started, trying to avoid using words like boyfriend and cheating in one sentence, if only because they made her stomach turn every time she thought of them. Sunggyu looked visibly confused, but again didn’t press.

“He has a girlfriend, but it’s kind of a secret. His family doesn’t like her.” Leina tried to contain the bitterness in her voice as she explained, but Sunggyu caught on, although he chose not to mention it.

“His family comes from money, I assume?” Sunggyu asked. Leina nodded, looking at her hands.

“But we don’t know if it was really a date.” Leina continued, feeling her heartbeat quicken. “It could have been a business meeting, So for Serena to assume he was on a date…”

Sunggyu nodded as Leina trailed off. He understood where she was going with this.

“Did he tell...her? I mean I’m assuming she knows what the situation is right?”

“She...knows the kind of position he’s in. But I have to assume he’d tell her if he had to start dating right?”

“Would you?” Sunggyu asked, fully aware it was a question she probably didn’t want to hear. Leina chewed the inside of her lip, but let him continue. “Think about it. If the roles were reversed, would you potentially ruin a sensitive relationship by telling him you had to date someone? Wouldn’t that just end in a fight and people getting hurt?”

Leina mulled it over in her head. If Eli had said something, she probably would have gotten upset. There probably would have been a fight. She knew everything Sunggyu said made sense. She still wanted to cling to the idea that it was a misunderstanding, even though her instincts were telling her otherwise.

“I don't know what the agreement in their relationship is, but if they rarely spend time together, isn't it better to spend that time doing other things instead of fighting?”

Leina glanced at him, remaining silent. He was right. She didn't want to admit it, but it was true. At least he wasn't making her feel stupid for being with Eli, like Serena had.

“I'm sorry, I know it's probably not what you wanted to hear.”

“No, you're right.” she said, letting out a deep sigh, leaning back in her seat and fiddling with the fork in front of her. “It's just a frustrating situation.”

He nodded, watching as she played with her food, seemingly lost in thought. He hoped for her sake this situation was really about a friend and not herself. The thought of her in a relationship like that was disappointing, but he didn't really know enough about her to make any judgements.

Leina looked up at him and gave him a small smile. He was right, it hadn't been what she wanted to hear, but he had been honest and had listened to her without making her feel pressured or judged. That was more than she could ask for, and for that she was grateful.

“Oh, I have to go.” Leina said, her phone once again drawing her attention, the screen illuminated with a calendar reminder. “Meeting.” she gave him an apologetic look, surprised by how much she had actually enjoyed his company. She reached for her purse and pulled out her wallet, intending to pay for her food. Sunggyu reached across the table and placed a hand over hers, stopping her.

“Stop.”

“No, I can-”

“I told you, lunch is on me. You looked like you needed a friend.” he let out a chuckle and released her hand.

“Thank you.” She smiled, eyes fluttering down, feeling slightly embarrassed by Sunggyu’s kindness toward her. She put away her things and stood, slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder. Sunggyu rose from his seat and Leina looked at him again, strangely reluctant to leave.

“I guess I’ll see you later.” Sunggyu said after a moment of silence. Leina nodded and suddenly reached into her purse.

“Here,” She said, pulling out a business card and a pen, scribbling something on the back of it, “Maybe I can buy you lunch next time.” She handed the card to him, and Sunggyu took it, surprised. He hadn’t expected much from their chance encounter, especially not getting her number.

Progress. He thought, smiling at her.

“Maybe I’ll take you up on that.” He said, and Leina laughed, cheeks dusting red.

“Thanks again, for being a friend.” She said, and turned to leave. Sunggyu waved and watched her go, catching her glance as she e last time before leaving the restaurant.