Nayoung’s POV

I gape at the door to my office, probably this is the millionth time I get the shock of my life just with his unannounced presence. Oh, this guy really can show up anywhere and anytime. All so unexpectedly.

Hyukjae is standing by the door, a big, beautiful smile plastering over his face. Behind him is my secretary bowing down with an apologetic smile at me, perhaps because she has let him knock my door himself. Finally after quite some time, I recover from the surprise.

“Y-you may leave.” I tell her distractedly. I can’t help but pin my eyes on him all the time.

The man standing in front of me is Lee Hyukjae – the one that has been filling up my head throughout the morning – not some bigshot company’s president I have to work with. He seems so at ease, so trouble-free. His smile is the warmest ever and is definitely contagious – not the one that creates the gap; not the one that’s so formal and business-like.

“Uh, Nana?” Hyukjae’s voice snaps me out of the trance. I notice him frowning with a smile.

“Y-yes?”

“Can I come in?” he asks. Only then I realize that I’ve been making him stand in front of my office so awkwardly. I give myself a mental slap.

“Oh, sure, sure. Come in.”

A light chuckle escapes his lips as he makes his way into my office. He closes the door behind him before letting his eyes wander around the room. He observes everything carefully, as if memorizing the details of this room. Eventually he ends his gaze at me, smiling a heart-fluttering smile.

“Your office is cozy.” He comments appreciatively.

I blink at his gentle voice. “Thanks.”

Almost enchanted, I stand up from my seat awkwardly and invite him to sit on the couch. I can feel my heart climbing further up to my throat every time I take a step closer to him. To prevent my heart from leaping out of my mouth, I decide to keep the safety space. I sit two seats away from him.

The one meter of distance gives me a clear view of him; of his exhausted face. The pair of black eyebags is still there, hanging under his turning pink eyes. Just like the image of him in my memory last night.

I involuntarily blush at the thought. The picture in my head was too beautiful. I was in his arms, calming down from a hard cry and breathing the same air with him. Our heart synchronized, beating as one. Oh, last night. Was it even real?

I shake off the thought and look up at him, a little stunned when he’s still smiling. He looks really tired but his smile seems so sincere, so unforced.

Hyukjae pulls out a cute, cream colored tote bag and a pink, mid-sized ribboned box. I didn’t even notice he’s been bringing them all the time.

“Here.” He hands them out to me.

I blink up at him, and then at both the things which are now in my hands.

Hyukjae laughs. “The one in the tote bag is your purse.” He says.

I take a peek into it. A black purse comes into my sight. Ah, this is the one that I left at Donghae’s apartment after the banquet.

“You still haven’t picked it up from Donghae’s place, so he wants me to return it to you.” He explains.

I nod my head slowly, my brain is functioning so much slower than normal. I examine the other thing - the box, carefully. The color is between soft peach and pink, and it is beautified with a white ribbon that is placed over the middle of the lid. But something that immediately catches my eyes is the little patterns of the wrapper. It is the white, cute little bunnies.

Then it hit me. Rabbit. The dorky nickname he and Donghae gave me when we were kids. I was the rabbit, Hyukjae was the anchovy and Donghae was the fish. While Daeyoung, he refused to be called as one of the animal’s species’.

But this means Hyukjae still remembers our childhood.

I look up at him, my cheeks heating up again when I catch his stare on me. “Thank you.” I murmur lowly.

“You can open that one at home.” He says. Why? Is it a surprise? “And no, it’s not a surprise, if you’re guessing about that. But I suggest you to open that at home.”

My eyes widen. Wow. How can he...?

“You’re still like an open book, Nana. So clear and readable.” Hyukjae smiles in amusement, staring at me as if he is a little boy and I am the appealing plushy he’s been after for months.

I pull my gaze off him, feeling the need to hide my burning cheeks. God I just hope the overwhelming heat can’t spread to the whole room. I clear my throat and start up a random topic.

“So uh, I noticed Secretary Park earlier. He is still working for you?” I ask, and immediately I want to facepalm to myself. Oh wow. Way to start a conversation, Kang Nayoung. That was too random.

Wondering how he would react to that, I look up. As expected his eyes are widening a little at my oddity. “Well yeah. He is.” He nods his head a few times, his gaze at me becomes more intense. He smiles cheekily when I blink at him. “That’s your first question for me? About Secretary Park still working for me?”

I open and close my mouth, wanting to deny but I can’t really defend myself. I really did start a very unimportant topic.

He continues to stare at me, the deep chocolate ocean in his eyes twinkling. “You’re not going to ask why I’m here?”

Absorbing the question, I nod my head hesitantly. Why does he seem so happy? So playful, so carefree? He didn’t seem like this throughout the meeting at all.

“Good question, then.” He nods in agreement. “Actually, someone has been intruding my thoughts.” He frowns. “She’s been-”

“She?” before I know it the exclamation has escaped mouth.

Hyukjae grins. “She.” He nods again.

“Oh.” I reply, I can barely hear my own voice. Who is this ‘she’?

Hyukjae continues with his little telltale. “Anyway, she’s been gawking at me. She’s been frowning at me throughout the meeting. When all I did was just paying attention to the presentation projected at the front. That distracted me. I bet she wasn’t listening to the spokesman though.” He says with a fake thinking expression. Uh-oh. That sounds strikingly familiar. “So I come here because I wonder, why is that, Nana?”

I gulp, suddenly his heavenly scent tingles in my nostrils. And I just realize the one meter distance has been closed a little, leaving him sitting only half an arm length from me. My breathing becomes a tad irregular.

“Y-you just... seem so tired.” I reason honestly, hesitantly. And for some unknown reason, Hyukjae stops inching closer. His gaze visibly changes from a warm and playful one to something... indecipherable. What? Did I say anything wrong?

A ringtone impolitely interrupts my panicky thought. Hyukjae sighs, flashing me a now-forged smile, before standing up and walks a few steps away, back-facing me.

“Lee Hyukjae speaking.” He snaps to his phone, and I have to cringe from his tone. He runs a hand through his hair, then the playful Hyukjae is gone, replaced by a stern, unyielding business man. “Alright. Have the prices been fixed?... Oh, stable? That’s good... Yes... Okay... Alright, I’ll be there in a few minutes. Thank you for your cooperation again, Mr. Moon. My staff is keeping an eye on the market there.” He hangs up, letting his hand to fall on his side. He turns back to me, expression troubled. But this time he doesn’t bother to mask it up with the wide smiles he flashed me earlier. “I’ve got to go.” He murmurs glumly.

So he’s tired with work, I see. I frown again. Has he been overworking himself?

“Hyukjae-”

“Can I call you later?” he asks, totally taking me aback. His eyes are almost pleading. I can’t help but nod my head immediately, he just seems so helpess. He smiles, looking relieved at my silent answer.

I stand up from the couch and walk him to the door. I think I just can’t contain the disappointed expression on my face. This is such a short visit. But to think of it again, it’s much better than nothing.

Hyukjae wraps his fingers around the door knob, but instead of pulling it open, he turns back to me yet again. “It’s not because I was curious with your frown,” he says out of the blue, staring down at me. “I’m not here because of that. I know the reason behind your scrutiny eyes at me, anyway.” He laughs softly. My eyes widen when I see him reaching up, his hand tucking the long fringe behind my ear gently. And my cheeks are on fire again. He smiles ever so warmly, inspecting my face closely. “This is the reason why I come here.”

I am taken off guarded. “W-what?”

“I want to see you blush.” He confesses. “Whenever I see you, you were always so pale. I want to see some color in your face.” He pulls his hand back to grab the doorknob, leaving me staring at the floor with eyes widened. “Enjoy the white chocolate, Nana. Keep your phone at hand, okay? I’ll call you... later.”

After the encounter with Hyukjae, the day dragged by so frustratingly slow. No paperwork I could finish today, so I brought them home ready to spend the whole night with work...

Oh, you know that’s a lie. A voice in the back of my head scoffs. And I have to agree with that.

Actually, I’m just keeping myself up waiting for one particular phone call. Just the thought of it makes me smile again. His fifteen minutes of visit has changed my mood significantly. It feels like he was coming to take the worries off me, helping me to escape from anything insecure. Reaching out for the pink box that sits on my nightstand, I lay flat on my stomach in my bed.

Maybe this is the millionth time I open the lid of the box, admiring the variously shaped white chocolates. Oh white chocolate. I can’t believe he still remembers my favorite sweets.

I see a pink card attached on the back of the lid, pulling the tape off yet again and start to re-read it over and over again.

To: Nana

So this morning when I had breakfast, I stumbled upon a pretty little chocolate shop, and immediately you ran into my mind. Then without any second thoughts, I bought this packet of white chocolate. Did you notice the wrapper? Or do you like the chocolate? I really hope you do. Honestly speaking, Kang Nayoung, I hate to see you cry. And I hate to know that I’m the reason behind that. So please, smile more, Nana. I wish last night was the last time you had to cry. The rest of the time you have to smile.

Oh this card is getting too long like a letter. I think I’ll just end it here, but before I do, I want to ask you something.

Nana, would you give me the chance to make everything up to you?

Take your time answering that, I'm not rushing you.

Sincerely yours,

The biggest enemy of your tears and the best friend of your smiles, Hyukjae.