“That’s okay.  I’ll announce myself.”

Hanna looked up at the sound of his voice.  It was Jiyong – her arch nemesis, cheekily striding into her office like he owned the place.  Okay… maybe “arch nemesis” was a bit over-kill.  But that was the only way she could keep things straight in her mind.  Their conversations had gotten a bit lax of late and she was starting to feel like their friendship was sailing into unchartered territory.  But maybe it was all in her mind.  It was probably just a coincidence that he phoned her around the same time every day.  It wasn’t his fault if an idea struck the moment she left work or the second when was nodding off to sleep, right?  And who cared if in the midst of their brainstorming small talk if he decided to ask how her day went?  Or what her favorite color was?  Or what type of flowers she preferred?  They were just friends. 

He was definitely not her boyfriend!

“What are you doing here?” Hanna asked, following Jiyong’s movements as he settled into a chair and made himself at home.  Placing an ankle over the opposite knee, Jiyong cradled a small gift bag inside his lap.  He removed a large tan fedora hat, tossed it onto the seat beside him, and ran his fingers through his hair.  Streaks of peek-a-boo pink cut the left side of his bangs, while the rest of his locks remained dirty blonde. 

She tried to not stare at how fabulously chic he looked – with his oversized shades and sockless penny loafers.  He should’ve looked like an ajumma on her way to a photo op at the beach.  But the oversized oatmeal colored sweater showed off his collarbone to its advantage, while the cream ankle pressed slacks fitted him nice and tight. 

Very nice and tight.

Jiyong slouched deep in his seat.  He hooked an elbow along the back of the chair and grinned.  “I missed you.”

“Ha ha,” Hanna sarcastically quipped, even as she felt herself blush.  “What’s in the bag?”

“It’s for you.”

She looked surprised.

He leaned forward and placed the gift on her desk.

“For me?”  Hanna asked, eyeing the bag suspiciously.  An eerie feeling settled over her.  She didn’t make a move to touch it.

“It’s sketching pencils.”

“Oh.”  Thank god.  Relief showed on Hanna’s face as she inched the bag closer to her.  She began removing the tissue paper.

“I figured since you’re designing a new line for me, you’d probably need some new tools to work with.”  Jiyong half-smiled – the other half of him filled with uncertainty.

“Well, thanks!”  Hanna grinned.  She looked up in the middle of digging inside the bag.  “But you didn’t have to come all the way out here to drop off pencils.”  She lightly scoffed.  “You could’ve brought them to our next meeting.  Or I could’ve came and got them from you later.”  She pulled out a shiny, black, lacquered, wooden box and placed it on her desk.  It looked similar in size to the bracelet box they manufactured – except, this one was twice as wide and felt heavier. 

Hanna knitted her brows in confusion.

“Wow,” she hesitantly laughed.  “It’s pretty heavy.  There should be enough pencils in here to last me a lifetime.”  She gave him a friendly smile.  “Gomawo.”

Jiyong self-consciously scratched above his ear and tried to smile.  “Uhh… yeah.”  He nodded, watching her eyes carefully as she cracked the lid opened.

Set in moody plaid and a swatch of paillette embroidered print lay a couple of dozen pre-sharpened Tombow professional drawing pencils – just like the ones she loved to use.  There was nothing special about them that she could see.  They were black coated with simple numbering near the end.  But the presentation was enough to win her over.  It made her feel as if the pencils were worth a million bucks.  Hanna smiled to herself as she ran her fingers over the graphite tools.  Her fingers slowly came to a halt as more markings on the pencils were revealed.

It was her name – etched in gold.

She stared at the pencils for the longest time.

“Umm… I can have them returned, if you don’t like it.”

“Huh?” Hanna asked, feeling a bit dazed.  She looked up – only to find a look of discomfort in Jiyong’s eyes.  Blinking rapidly, she quickly shook her head.  “Returned?” Hanna grinned teasingly.  “You know another Eun Hanna?”

He smiled weakly.

“Gomawo.”  She looked at the set of pencils one more time before glancing back at him.  “I love them.  I was just-”  How could she explain?  How could she tell him that no one, outside of her own family, had ever given her such a personal gift?  They were just pencils and yet… they were so much more.  “I was just admiring all the details.  Gomawo.  I promise to use them well.”

She smiled genuinely.

Jiyong reciprocated her smile with one of his own.  “Good.  I’m glad you love them.  I expect you to use them at the next meeting then.”

Hanna laughed.  “Neh.”  Her eyes scanned the pencil case again, the designer in her not wanting to let things go.  “This pattern… is simply amazing.  And it looks… so familiar.”  She ran her fingers over the interior fabric of the box.  “Like…”  She looked up and eyed him directly over the lid.  “Saint Laurent.  Fall 2014.”

He flushed.

She picked up a pencil and scrutinized it once more.  “Please tell me this isn’t real gold.”

“You promised you’d use them, neh?”

“Yongie!”

He grinned.

After cleaning her face and giving herself a moment of reprieve, Amina headed towards the cafeteria hall to grab something simple to eat.  Maybe if she stuffed herself, her hormones wouldn’t be all out of control and she wouldn’t find herself lamenting all the time.  She really hoped so.  It seemed all she found herself doing lately was crying or getting upset.

Food helped.

Food always helped.

She walked back into the office and found Youngbae exactly where she had left him.  If anything, it appeared he had sunken down further in his seat.  It was nearly one o’clock now, which was more than enough time for a quick nap.  Placing her cup of ramyeon and apple down on her desk, Amina walked over to her husband.  She stood quietly off to the side and gently prodded his exposed shoulder.

“Bae-yah.”

No response.

Amina leaned close and gently shook him once again.  “Bae-yah… Please wake up.  You’re going to hurt your neck if you keep sleeping like this.”  He didn’t even move an inch.  “Please… at least move to the sofa over there,” she quietly begged.

“Bae-yah…” Amina prompted louder.

He didn’t move.

Knitting her brows, Amina walked around until she was directly in front of him.  She stepped in between his legs and hovered over his body.  “Bae-yah.”  He was really knocked out.  She could hear him breathing deeply, despite his neck being in an odd position.

She grimaced, imagining all the kinks that would need to be worked out.  He would be sore for days if he didn’t move his head soon.

Gingerly, Amina lowered herself onto his lap and turned to face him.  She cradled his crushed cheek with one hand while the other reached under his nape and began tugging him towards her.  She leaned into his torso, hoping to brace any sudden impact that might jerk him awake.

Youngbae stirred in his sleep, mumbling something unintelligible.  He barely cracked an eyelid open to peer up at her before wrapping his arms around her torso. 

He hugged her tightly.

“Bae-yah,” Amina quietly exclaimed.  Her body stiffened within his swift embrace.

“Ahh!  My neck!” he groaned, burying his nose deep inside her cleavage.

“Neh, your neck!” Amina admonished.  Overriding concern for his neck caused all tension within her to dissipate.  Her body immediately melted into him.  Automatically, Amina reached underneath his sweater, towards the back of his hoodie.  “I’ve been trying to wake you up for the past hour because of your neck.  But you didn’t even hear me.”  She furrowed her brows and continued to scold him.  “The entire building could’ve burned down and you would’ve slept through it all.”  Even as she tsked underneath her breath, Amina began massaging the tendons around his neck and shoulders. 

With eyes closed, Youngbae half-moaned, half-groaned in pleasure.

Amina bit back a smile.

He mumbled, lifting the back of her shirt up – reaching in for skin.

“Hmm?”

“I’m tired,” Youngbae clarified, smoothing the palm of his hand along the small of her back.  Amina arched slightly against his touch, pressing their bodies even closer together.  The heat from his breath seeped through the thin material of her blouse.

“I’ll reschedule the sonogram.”

“Ani,” Youngbae protested in a slight pouty tone.  “I want to see my baby.”

“You need sleep,” Amina gently coaxed.

Youngbae raised his head and straightened, semi-dazed.  “I’ll sleep.”  He looked around the office, his eyes zeroing in on the sectionals.  “Come sleep with me,” he murmured sleepily.

Amina looked into his heavy-lidded eyes and smiled. 

He stood up, dislodging her from his lap.  “C’mon,” Youngbae urged, squinting his eyes dramatically against the light.  He reached for her hand and held on.  They were halfway to the couch when a thought occurred to her. 

“I have to eat my lunch,” Amina said lamely, pointing with her free hand to the cup of noodles.

“Bring it,” he ordered, letting go of her hand.  He flopped onto his stomach, nearly toppling the grayish brown sectional with the force of his momentum.  He groaned in agony.  “My neck,” Youngbae grumbled, cupping his nape.

Amina clucked underneath her breath.  She hadn’t heard this much whining and complaining in a long time.  And if she didn’t know any better, she would say he was being a bit much.  But she had seen for herself how he had slept.  The urge to comfort him overwhelmed all rational thought.  She quickly grabbed her lunch and headed over to him.

“My neck,” Youngbae moaned louder, when she didn’t make it over to him fast enough.  “I think I need a doctor.”

Amina stopped on her tracks.  hung open, her face... was in pure disbelief.

“Uisa…uisa,” he mumbled.  “Where’s a doctor when you need one?”

“Youngbae-sshi!” Amina growled, placing her food on the nearby coffee table.  She sat on top of his back and began softly pummeling him.

Youngbae chuckled, completing a trunk lift, but then groaned.  “Ahh!  Jagi, watch it,” he whimpered.

“Ooh?” Amina cooed, her lips curving up into a smile.  She settled him down with a gentle push of her hands.  “Does it hurt, oppa?” she whispered, gently massaging his nape and shoulders with her fingers.

He grunted into the cushions.

“…yeh.” Amina softly replied.  “Yeh.  He’s here.”  She looked down at her lap.  “He’s still sleeping.”

A long pause.

“Yeh.  We’ll call and let you know how everything goes.”

Another long pause.

“Yeh.”  She murmured another sound of agreement before saying goodbye.  After placing her phone on the armrest, Amina relaxed against the sectional.  She had been sitting there for awhile and although she hated to wake him up, she had no choice.  Everyone was anxiously waiting to hear the results of the sonogram.  First Hanna.  And now his mother.  She peered over small stomach bump, down towards the head that rested near the apex of her thighs.

 “Bae-yah.”

She softly called his name again when he didn’t stir.

“We should go,” she whispered, rubbing his chest gently.

The soft touch stirred Youngbae awake.  He opened his eyes and stared up at the angelic face that was smiling down on him.  Was he dreaming?  Was this real?  Was his wife really here – looking at him with such reverent love in her eyes?  He shut his eyes and turned his head in towards her, burying his nose up against their child.

He had to be dreaming.

“Bae-yah,” Amina half-laughed.  She caressed the side of his face with her hand.  It was the only visible thing she could see.  “We’re going to be late if we don’t leave soon.”

Youngbae tightened his arms around her waist, more than content to spend the rest of his life there.

Amina sighed and looked up, meeting Yun Hee’s laughing eyes.  It was too late to hide now.  For the past two hours, anyone that walked through the executive office had seen how Youngbae napped the afternoon away.  She would’ve never allowed him to use her thighs as a makeshift pillow had she known he’d fall asleep from her ministrations.  But he said his neck was still sore and he swore her legs were softer