Aaaaand I'm back. Sorry for the absence, but seeing them all in the flesh seemed to not only leave me speechless, but left me with a serious case of writer's block. This chapter is unfortunately what you are left with. The next chapter is better I swear. But the real question with chapter 7 is to or not to . I can't quite decide.

Second chances are almost as terrifying as they are exhilarating. Past triumphs, past regrets, are dangled within reach, daring you to rectify them, but the rope on which you tread is frayed from your previous venture, ready to snap at your misstep. And I knew I needed to figure out how to balance.

How to balance my past regrets and my hopes for the future. My memories and present reality. My desires and Jiyong’s. I had to find my way back into the place in Jiyong’s heart I once resided and I would perform my high wire act along every vein he had to until I reached it again.

“Am I interrupting something?” My gaze broke from the late morning mist that still lingered in the streets outside my window to the smiling face in my doorway.

“Come on lover boy. It’s meeting time.”

I followed with little defiance, knowing the face that persisted through my every thought would be tangible once again. Away on business, Jiyong’s presence had been little more than small texts and quick phone calls since the evening at the bar, leaving my mind reeling.

The cacophony of thoughts silenced when the conference room doors gave way to the large steel table, the man on my mind now sitting in front of me, small smile playing at his lips. I had never felt more appreciative of the droll of directors’ board meetings, leaving me the ability to bask in the presence of the walking spring sun that had finally returned.

An hour in and I honestly had not heard a word that was spoken. I was far to enraptured in my quest to crack faces when only Jiyong was looking, reveling in the tinge of rouge that fell on his cheeks and the way his full lips were bitten to suppress what would be horribly inappropriate laughter. Jiyong would then retaliate, running tip of his shoe from my ankle to past the inside of knee, causing me to fidget and squirm, receiving several questioning glances from Dongwook.

After what felt like an eternity of Jiyong’s feet playing dangerously close to my thighs, the meeting finally came to a close. With a satisfied smile Jiyong pulled back from the table, leaving me knees weak as I stood as well.

“How was Busan?” I began as the headed down the hall, their leisurely pace leaving them far behind the rest. 

“Terribly boring.”

“I don’t think anywhere you are could be boring.” Jiyong lightly checked me with his hip with a laugh, leaving a warmth creeping through my side.

“Flattery will get you everywhere.” I couldn’t help but smile almost feeling the warmth in my cheeks reach the dip of my dimples.

“Even somewhere outside this office?”

“I could think of a few places.” A wry smile played at Jiyong’s lips as they reached the elevator.

“Meet me at 7. You know where.” 

The heat of Jiyong’s breath danced against the shell of my ear and did nothing but fuel the fire in my chest. Before my brain could formulate a cohesive sentence, I saw Jiyong step into the elevator, smile still playing at his lips as the doors closed. I looked to my watch, 3:48. All hope for work was lost.

I found himself staring in the mirror for what was the eighth, possibly ninth, costume change. Every jacket hung wrong, every shoe suddenly felt a size too small. My clothes seemed to shrink as my nerves grew, and I found myself ready to remove the mirror entirely.  I was about to trade jackets yet again when the pocket began to vibrate.

Kwon Jiyong-

Received 6:31pm-

You are actually coming right?

I smiled. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who felt the jitter that raced around his rib cage. I looked at myself one last time, changing shoes, before quickly sent off a message and heading towards the door.

Kwon Jiyong-

Sent 6:34pm-

Yeah, and I won’t be late.