Sun Mi had been watching Ji Hyo like a hawk. The younger woman was lying impassively on the couch in their living room, wearing more layers of clothes than she actually needed – her face was flushed because of the heat and she looked uncomfortable.

“It’s not that cold outside, Ji Hyo,” she pointed out for the umpteenth times. “And I am sure Kim Jong Kook’s car has heater.”

Ji Hyo didn’t say anything to the comment. She simply rolled around so that she was facing the other way from Sun Mi, tired of being scrutinised. It was weird to see how Sun Mi showed no objections upon her going out with Jong Kook – the manager usually insisted that she stayed away from any forms of gossips. She fiddled with a loose thread of her sweater and closed her eyes to rest.

Sun Mi sighed when she was again being replied with silence. This wasn’t the first time her charge refused to comment on anything – Ji Hyo did it at least once every couple of months when she was too tired. Sun Mi consoled herself by saying that at least she was used to this rather than the spacing out Ji Hyo did yesterday. Wordlessly she picked up Ji Hyo’s empty mug off the coffee table and headed to the kitchen to give it a refill – chamomile tea was definitely not Ji Hyo’s favourite but it was good to calm overworked nerves. She heard Ji Hyo calling out to her lazily from the couch.

 “Unnie,” she said. “Unnie, I’ve been thinking.”

“Hmm?”

“I changed my mind. I think I don’t want to meet Kim Jong Kook,” Ji Hyo stated very seriously.

The manager rolled her eyes as she poured steaming hot water from the kettle to their mugs; she didn’t wish to comment on that. Ji Hyo had been changing her mind about meeting Kim Jong Kook every five minutes or so for the last forty-five minutes.

Ji Hyo propped herself on her elbow, craning her neck so she could see Sun Mi over the back of the couch when she received no reply. “No, really – Unnie, I don’t want to meet him.” Her big eyes looked so innocent that Sun Mi smiled at the cute expression. “What do you think if I text Hee Chul to pick me up? Or maybe Gwang Soo – yes, I can ask him to pick me up.”

 “Yah, Song Ji Hyo!” Sun Mi scolded. “Don’t get crazy ideas – what is your problem? And don’t forget that your dongsaengs are busy.”

The younger woman pouted and flopped back to the couch as Sun Mi proceeded to telling her about how improper it was to cancel a plan all the sudden with the reason of ‘just because’. It had been a while since Sun Mi last rebuked her about anything that Ji Hyo totally forgot how tediously eloquent the manager could become when she wanted to.

Turning a deaf ear to the advice, Ji Hyo fished her back pocket for her phone and idly scrolled and scanned the names in her phone book. She decided to message Kim Hee Chul – she knew for sure that the younger man was in town since he had texted her the other day telling her he brought her something from his last trip. Hee Chul had been a good friend of hers, despite being younger, since Inkigayo and he was always ready to be her emotional garbage dump when he could. Satisfied with the text she just typed, Ji Hyo sent the text without looking twice at the recipient’s name. She hoped Hee Chul would arrive before Jong Kook.

***

Jong Kook was just entering Ilsan when the phone vibrated against his chest. He took a quick glance to see who the sender was and instantly frowned when he saw that it was Ji Hyo. He slowed his car down and parked it by the pavement without turning off the engine before he read the text as he hated text-driving.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the three letters at the end of the text and Jong Kook tensed up. SOS – it said. He scanned the rest of the text quickly; the thumping of his heart deafened him. It was nothing specific, just Ji Hyo asking where he was and that she wanted him to pick her up straight away. Jong Kook was confused; why would Ji Hyo send him such message when she knew that he was probably on his way to her place?

Jong Kook’s mind directly went to Chang Joo. What if he came again? What if he found out that Jong Kook was with Ji Hyo yesterday and the man wanted to make Ji Hyo suffer for it? His blood ran cold at the thought and he floored the gas pedal, wanting nothing else than to get there as quickly as possible.

It wasn’t until he reached Ji Hyo’s apartment complex did Jong Kook slow down. He took out his phone to call the woman when he had parked right across Ji Hyo’s building. There was no sign of reporters but who knew where all the paparazzi were hiding.

“Yes, Oppa?” Ji Hyo’s voice sounded oddly calm.

“Ji Hyo! Are you alright?”

“Eh? Why Oppa?” came the confused answer.

“’Why’ what?!” Jong Kook felt like combusting. “You just sent me an SOS text to pick you up. I was worried sick! What’s going on?”

Ji Hyo felt her cheek burning. She sat up and looked at Sun Mi’s door – hoping that the manager didn’t come out now. “Omo! Oppa! Did you really get the text?” I am so dead, Ji Hyo thought. She put the call on speaker so she could check her text history. She slapped her forehead when she saw that instead of sending the text to Kim Hee Chul, she had sent it to Kim Jong Kook. Damn the same last name!

The way in which Ji Hyo spoke was enough to inform Jong Kook that there had been a misunderstanding. "Yah, Miss Mong! Don't tell me the text was for someone else now! I'm already in Ilsan at the moment!"

Ji Hyo didn’t reply – she couldn’t. What would she say to Jong Kook – that she was planning on ditching him off without telling him? She squirmed on her seat.

“Song Ji Hyo! Yah, did you really just text other people to pick you up? And what’s that SOS about – SOS from me?” Jong Kook raised his voice by a notch, offended. This woman was crazy. He huffed in annoyance but managed to control his tone when he spoke again, “You really don’t want to see me, do you?”

“Oppa...” Ji Hyo felt really guilty now. “Oppa, I’m so sorry.”

Jong Kook laughed quietly, speechless. “Who was the text really for?”

The woman bit her lower lip. “Hee Chul,” she admitted. “It was for Kim Hee Chul, Oppa.”

Jong Kook shook his head – out of all her friends, of course Ji Hyo had to contact the person sharing the same last name as him. He bet his arm that she hadn’t even checked if the recipient’s name was correct. Jong Kook leaned back to his seat, his mind churning quickly. Ji Hyo did seem reluctant to meeting him, so what did he suppose to do now? Just called it off? He wanted to talk to Ji Hyo but he didn’t want to force her into doing something she didn’t want to do – Chang Joo had done that enough to scar the woman for a lifetime. He took a deep breath.

“Go and text Hee Chul now,” Jong Kook told her softly.

“Huh?”

“Text Hee Chul, Ji Hyo-yah. Oppa will head back home now,” he repeated earnestly. If this was what she wanted then he had to abide; he really wanted the best for Ji Hyo. It hurt him that Ji Hyo wanted to severe their tie of friendship – she was really a good friend – but for the time being, Jong Kook would do anything for the woman as long as she was happy.

If there was a hole in front of her, Ji Hyo would gladly jump in and bury herself inside out of shame. There it was – a man who actually tried to help her, even driving as far as forty kilometres away just to see her, and what did Ji Hyo just do? She asked another person to pick her up without telling Jong Kook that she wanted to cancel their meeting. It was cruel – she was no different from Chang Joo.

“No, Jong Kook Oppa, wait,” Ji Hyo said, stopping the man from ending the call. “Oppa, I am truly sorry.”

“It’s alright, really. I shouldn’t have forced you to meet me,” Jong Kook said in resignation. His heart felt so heavy for some reasons he couldn’t put his finger on. He closed his eyes for a second before continuing, somehow his voice cracked as he spoke, “I just want you to be happy, Ji Hyo. You are like a sister to me and I want my family to be happy. If it makes you happier when I stay away from you, then so be it.”

His words was like a thunder in Ji Hyo’s ears and somehow – she really didn’t know how – Ji Hyo realised that not being friends with Jong Kook was the last thing she wanted. Even if they later agreed on keeping a good distance from each other, Ji Hyo wanted it to be on good terms. He was her friend – the only friend who actually made an effort to ensure her comfort without ulterior motive when he found out about her breakup with Chang Joo. The fact that it went downhill from there on was out of their control.

Unfortunately, before any words could come out of , Jong Kook had hung up. Ji Hyo stared at the phone, contemplating to call the man again.

“Why are you still here?” Sun Mi suddenly asked suspiciously. She had been in her room having a phone call with a drama PD earlier. “What’s with the look?”

“I think I just screwed up,” Ji Hyo replied numbly, not looking at the manager.

“What did you do now? Oh well – think about it later,” Sun Mi said unfeelingly. “I saw Kim Jong Kook’s van downstairs from my room – he’s waiti... Hey! Where are you going?! Aigoo, that woman!”

Ji Hyo didn’t wait for the manager to finish her sentence. She could hear Sun Mi calling out for her but she had no time to explain. Ignoring her aching body, she bolted to the door in a flash. Oppa, Oppa please don’t leave just yet, she begged as she pressed the elevator button over and over again, impatient. Stupid elevator! Hurry up!

In his car, Jong Kook didn’t immediately drive away. He didn’t know what made him stay – it wasn’t like he was waiting for anything anyway. He told himself that he wanted to make sure – of what? Truth be said, he was still uncertain if Ji Hyo was truly alright; that the ‘SOS’ was merely an inside joke she and Kim Hee Chul had and that no real danger shadowed the woman. He was a little disappointed at Ji Hyo even though he knew he had no reason to. Didn’t he just tell Ji Hyo himself that it was alright not to meet him if she chose not to? Ji Hyo had no obligations to do what he wants. He was nobody to her – only a friend. Only a very good friend. However, his reasoning could not counter the fact that he felt a little... hurt. He let out a heavy sigh and reached for the car key to turn on the ignition. That was when he caught a glimpse of a person running towards his car – the person he’d recognise anywhere.

“Oppa! Jong Kook Oppa! Wait up!” Ji Hyo shouted with her barely there voice, ignoring the prickle of pain stabbing . She ran as quickly as her legs could bring her for fear that Jong Kook would drive away as soon as he recognised her. Her worried face lit up when she saw Jong Kook open the car door and step out of the car. She quickened her steps but her body was still recuperating from the emotional ordeal from the previous day that her legs practically gave away when she was a mere step away from the older man.

Jong Kook saw the fall and quickly stepped forward to catch Ji Hyo in his arms. “Hey,” he whispered, his heart beating wildly. “Hey, I’ve got you – I’ve got you. You’re alright.” Her body was pliant in his embrace and Jong Kook felt a blush creep on his face as her scent invaded his senses. It was new, the feeling of being aware of her closeness with him. Get a grip, Kim Jong Kook, you held her before, he scolded himself. Apparently the weight of what he was going to say to her tonight muddled his mind into thinking that it was real.

It was so safe in Jong Kook’s arms and Ji Hyo found herself not wanting to let go. She remembered where they were, though, and quickly steadied herself before stepping away from the loose embrace.

“What are you doing out here?” Jong Kook asked, his tone sounded more unsympathetic than he intended to. He looked around; making sure that nobody – Chang Joo – was following Ji Hyo.

“I wanted to see you,” Ji Hyo replied truthfully. “I thought you were mad at me.”

“Now why would I be mad at you, you silly woman?” he laughed in good manner. “Are you alright? Why were you running like that?”

“I was afraid you’d be driving away when you saw me. Oppa, I am so sorry.”

Jong Kook shook his head. “You know I am not like that, don’t you? I told you I am not angry, I promise,” he assured the younger woman. “Come now – let me walk you to your apartment. Did you text Hee Chul-ssi? What time will he come?”

“I didn’t text him.” Ji Hyo looked at Jong Kook’s surprised face and she bit her lower lip. “Do – do you want to still go out with me?” she asked hesitantly, ready for a rejection; she deserved it anyway.

“I would want nothing else,” he replied. He nodded at his car, telling Ji Hyo to get in. Dear the power that be, please don’t make me screw this one thing up, he prayed as he started the ignition and drove away.

A/N: I'm still sick and I have too much free time in hand so what I intended to be a short chapter turned out to be around 6,000 words long. I decided to divide this into two chapters (you can expect another update first thing in the morning tomorrow, I need to do some more editing on the second part). I hope nobody will kill me for dragging this - told you that I like everything in details. 

Just a teaser: the next chapter will be the 'conversation' part ;)

Again, all reviews are appreciated and I do hope you enjoy this one alright. Thank you for reading :)