Nichkhun made a face at the empty plate in front of him but it was a failed attempt at making Ji Eun laugh.

“Yah, Nichkhun Horvejkul, are you trying to be funny?” she asked in perfect English and in a mock-angry tone.

“Erm… yes. Why? It wasn’t funny?” He asked back in English. Nichkhun pouted at his girlfriend.

“No.” She answered in Korean, finally giggling. “Not your best attempt at comedy, to be honest. Try to do the Cinderella act again. It’s funnier.”

Nichkhun pouted more. “That again? But I don’t want to.” He whined like a four-year old kid.

“Aww, but you’re so cute when you do that! Please...” It was Ji Eun’s turn to pout.

“Fine. I’ll do it… maybe later when we’re alone, araso?” He winked and grinned.

She rolled her eyes. “Aigoo, Nichkhun Horvejkul. What, you think you’re better-looking when you grin like that?”

“I know you think so.” Nichkhun winked again. “And that’s one of the reasons why you love me, right?”

Ji Eun raised an eyebrow. “Oh really now?”

“Really.”

“Fine, it’s one of the reasons why I love you.” She said wholeheartedly.

*♥*♥*♥*

Nichkhun pulled over the second they got in front of Ji Eun’s apartment.

“Here we are.”

“Thanks for tonight, Khunnie.” She said, smiling.

“Anything for you, babe.” He replied with a greasy smile.

“That doesn’t suit you, really.” She chuckled and Nichkhun frowned.

“Well, I was just trying it.”

“Goodnight, Khunnie.”

Ji Eun leaned in by the driver’s seat and kissed Nichkhun full on the lips, to which he responded by placing his hand on her cheeks and pulling her in for a more passionate kiss. Ji Eun broke off with him after a few moments.

“I gotta go.” She whispered as breathed heavily. “I still have to get up early for work tomorrow. You too actually.”

“I know. I know.” He mumbled and he gave her a peck on the lips. “Are you sure you don’t want me to spend the night with you? You’ll be awfully lonely in there tonight.” He said, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

“Khunnie, we talked about this. Besides, if ever, it’s already late… We have work tomorrow.”

Nichkhun groaned inwardly. “Okay…”

“Goodnight then.”

“Yeah, goodnight.”

They shared another kiss before Ji Eun got out of his car. She waved goodbye and watched as Nichkhun drove off. As soon as his car was out of sight, Ji Eun started walking towards her apartment door. She was too busy fishing out her keys from her bag that she didn’t notice the red car parked near the driveway and the figure sitting miserably in front of her door.

“Ji Eun…” Changmin whispered as soon as she got nearer.

The said girl almost jumped in shock as soon as she saw her best friend, red-eyed, disheveled and looking like hell with his luggage beside him.

“Omo! Minnie, what are you doing here? What happened to you?”

“She… she betrayed me.” He mumbled.

“Omo, let’s get you inside first.”

Ji Eun opened the door and helped Changmin up. She led him to the couch and got his things from outside. When Ji Eun finally sat down beside him, Changmin cried on her shoulders and told her everything.

*♥*♥*♥*

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay here?” Changmin asked that morning. He had slept on Ji Eun’s couch last night and his best friend had offered him to stay in her apartment, not that he couldn’t afford to look for another one. Ji Eun thought it was best for Changmin not to be alone after what had happened. He’s known to do irrational things when he’s alone and troubled.

“Of course!” Ji Eun answered as she got a piece of bread from the toaster. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well, I meant for Nichkhun.”

“He knows you’re my best friend so he doesn’t need to worry about anything, you know.”

“Okay. It was just a thought.”

“You’re going in for work today?” She asked before taking a bite from her piece toast.

“Yeah. I think I need to distract myself for a while, you know.”

“Yeah, that’s good. Here.” Ji Eun handed him a set of keys. “It’s your copy, in case you get out from work earlier than me… and I think I better take a bath now and get going soon. My boss is too hot-headed that he screams at me even when I’m just two minutes late.”

“Okay, sure. Erm, Ji Eun?” Changmin stopped her before she could go to her room.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for this, letting me stay, I mean. To be honest, I don’t really want to be alone.”

“Aww, Minnie.” Ji Eun walked towards him and hugged him tight. Changmin hugged her back. He felt weird, in a good way, as if the simple hug was enough to drive his anger and sadness away. Changmin inhaled, taking in her scent. She smelled good. Why didn’t he notice this before?

“It’s the least I can do. What are friends for, right?” She said, waking Changmin up from his momentary daze. They broke off from the hug. Ji Eun was smiling at him and he forced a smile in return. Somehow, the word ‘friend’ made him feel uneasy.

“Yeah, what are friends for.” Changmin mumbled.

*♥*♥*♥*

Ji Eun took out her phone from her bag as soon as she got out of the cab, unlike her boyfriend and best friend, she didn’t have a car of her own (Changmin wanted to giver her a ride but his office was in a different direction than hers so she declined and insisted on taking a cab). Ji Eun pressed the speed dial and waited for Nichkhun to pick up.

“Yobeoseyo, Ji Eunnieyah?” she heard him answer from the other line.

“Khunnie!”

“You don’t usually call me this early. What’s up?”

“Nothing much. I just wanted to let you know Changmin is staying with me. And before you say anything against it, please listen first.”

“Changmin, your best friend?” he asked, voice sounding stern.

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“He’s troubled right now. He just caught his girlfriend making out, almost with another guy in their apartment last night and he was devastated. And, the saddest thing about that is, he was about to propose to her.”

“Oh. Poor guy. Must be tough on him.”

“Yes, very much. So he’s not really in a position to be alone right now.”

“I see.”

“So… are you cool with it. Him staying at the apartment?” Ji Eun asked, hopeful.

“To be honest, no.” Nichkhun said sternly.

“Why? Khunnie, you know he’s my best friend. You trust me right?”

“Of course, I do but I’m not comfortable with the fact.”

“Khunnie, it’s just for a couple of weeks.”

“Ji Eunnie, I trust you, but you’re stubborn so I know can’t do anything about it, can I?”

Ji Eun let out a chuckle. “I take it you’re okay with it then.”

“Not really but believe what you want to believe.” Nichkhun answered half-jokingly and half-seriously.

“Thanks, Khunnie. I better go. I’m at the office right now. I love you.”

“Sure. I love you too.”

“Okay, bye.”

“Wait, Ji Eunnie.”

“Hmm?”

“Be careful, okay?”

“Khunnie, really.”

“Just promise me that.”

Ji Eun sighed. “Okay. I promise I will be careful.”

“Good, bye then.”

“Bye.”

Ji Eun hung up and walked into her office. A few blocks away, Nichkhun slumped on his seat. A deep frown was on his lips as he glared at the computer screen in front of him. He trusted Ji Eun with his life but he couldn’t help but feel worried at this, very worried.

-------;♥