-----

A month has passed since Bom returned to Korea, but she felt like eons have passed with their fashion house’s preparation for the real estate company’s uniform brand relaunching. Jin-ri and Seung-ri had recently relayed their company’s plan of a kick-off celebration for this rebranding scheme, and they have decided that it would be a fashion show featuring the latest corporate attire designs.

 

Bom and Minzy became co-team heads for the fashion show, with Bom mainly in charge of the men’s uniform and Minzy for the women’s. As consequence, Bom worked hand in hand with Seung-ri, while Minzy with Jin-ri.

 

Well, thank goodness Seung-hyun had been busy. It would have been awkward for ex-married couples to work together, right?

 

“Noona, the company models will be going here tomorrow to have their fitting. Are you ready for them?” Seung-ri asked casually as he chomped a piece of burger into his mouth. Nowadays, he’s been using this rebranding event as a way to get out of work when he was stressed out. “Yummieeee! Want some?”

 

“Aniyo.” Bom replied indifferently as she was busy sewing garments through the sewing machine. “Don’t you have some place to be? Aren’t you busy?”

 

“No way am I going back through that hell hole!” Seung-ri responded fiercely. “Aigoo, not that I’m bitter about it but since ajumma died, hyung has been working us like slaves. He even makes me does work not designed for architects! What kind of architect pays informal settlers to leave, huh? That’s just cruel and not my style!”

 

“So you’re saying Seung-hyun… He hasn’t been himself lately?” Bom pried, though she tried to act natural.

 

“I think he’s still the same, it’s just that he tries not to think about ajumma so he works ten times harder than he already does. See, he’s with her everyday, so I can just imagine what used to be their time became work time now.” Seung-ri thought about it; afterwards he realized Bom’s intention. “You sneaky girl! You’re trying to get information about him from me aren’t you?” 

 

“W-what?”

 

“Shame on you, noona!” Seung-ri continued. “Don’t tell me you guys haven’t talked since that time at his condominium when you… You know.”

 

“I’ve been telling you for weeks now, nothing happened!”

 

“If you say so~” Seung-ri sang, biting off another chunk of the burger. “Noona, don’t worry. He’ll be here tomorrow. He’s going to be one of the models, remember?”

 

“The heck do I care?” Bom retorted sternly. 

 

“Then you don’t!” he toyed with Bom, who was turning pink.

 

“Unnie! Someone’s outside. He says he’s here to see you!” Minzy called from the door.

 

Bom took a quick look and asked, “who is it?”

 

 

-----

Flashback

 

“Unnie! You’ve been married for four years yet you haven’t showed us a picture of your husband yet!” Lee Ho Jung, one of the fashion house’s newest models, asked curiously. “Gummy unnie says he’s a looker!”

 

“Omo, Bom, chincha?” Han Hye-jin, another model, inquired. This has gotten all the other models peeking at Bom’s workstation to ask about her husband.

 

Bom ought to be flattered at their inquisition, but she was too uncomfortable to reveal any more about Seung-hyun. This was the reason she never invited him over to the fashion house: girls would just swarm at him when they get a chance. More girls trying to get a go with her husband is something Bom doesn’t need, with his fan base already reaching hundreds in his workplace.

 

At the sight of more girls questioning, the fashion designer walked out of the building for some badly needed ‘fresh air.’

 

“Noona!” a blonde haired man called from afar. Bom couldn’t make out who he was until the guy went closer, revealing the power dressing fashion sense coupled with those thug-like sneakers—the swag-est lawyer, Kwon Ji-yong, was in town. “Oh, what are you doing outside in broad daylight? I thought you were a vampire?”

 

“Mwo? What does that mean you little punk?” Bom nudged his shoulder gently. “I could say the same thing to you!”

 

“The new case I’m working on involves a teenage girl, and she won’t get off my back literally.” Ji-yong explained with the matching grim expression. “Was just heading over that new restaurant across the block to have a light, wanna come with? You seem like you could use a break.”

 

Bom looked at her reflection in the glass, she did use like she could use a minute or two away from work.

 

“Yeah, sure.” Bom agreed. “But no smoking for me!”

 

 

-----

“Noona, you have serious issues!” Ji-yong laughed as he puffed a smoke. He and Bom sat at a table outside the restaurant to talk, and the latter had mentioned her insecurities about Seung-hyun and girls. “You’re telling me none of your work mates have ever seen hyung?”

 

“N-no.” Bom was embarrassed.

 

“Not even that innocent Dara girl who doesn’t seem like she’s been inside a dive bar?” Ji-yong asked. “Or that CL who looks like men would fear for their lives if they messed with her? Come on noona, I’m sure they won’t steal your husband.”

 

“It’s just that…” Bom tried hard to think of why she was so insecure, but even she found it too difficult to explain. “I don’t know. He’s just too attractive so I try not to add people who would seduce him, to say the least.”

 

“Noona, I bet he probably gets seduced a hundred times a day.” He stated as a matter of fact. “I’m not gay but I know hyung is pretty attractive. But have you ever, in your three or four years of marriage, known him to cheat on you? Even if it’s just in his mind?”

 

“How would I know what’s in his mind?”

 

“He’s hyung, you pabo noona. He can’t keep a secret for his life; especially if it’s about you.” Ji-yong said while dumping his cigarette into an ashtray. “I don’t know what he’s told you, but he’s said nothing about no one to me, so I can only assume that he’s never turned his head to another girl after he married you.”

 

“I know, but…”

 

“Let me guess, you don’t let him go out with friends if they bring girls along?”

 

“Um…” Bom was caught red handed with this one. Guilty.

 

“And since you feel bad that you’re not letting him go out with girls, you aren’t going out with guy friends either?” Ji-yong raised. “Well, with the exception of your common friends like me or… well, I guess just me?”

 

The girl kept silent. There was nothing else to say when the lawyer was so spot on.

 

“So what game are you two exactly playing? Grow old in an island? Noona, you can’t pretend that your world is just for women and his world is just for men. No matter what happens, you two will have to meet people of the opposite gender. The good news is that you’re married to someone who has always been loyal despite meeting other girls.”

 

“Who made you the psychologist?”

 

“Well then stop me if I’m wrong.”  Ji-yong stared at Bom acutely. “Tell me, honestly, do you even trust hyung?”

 

“I do… It’s just that…” Bom’s voice trailed off. “I don’t trust the other girls out there and what they can do.”

 

“Great, so you don’t trust half of the world’s population. That is BS you’re giving me, noona.”

 

“So what are you suggesting?” Bom leered at Ji-yong.

 

“Hyung has proven to you everything, hasn’t he? If I weren’t his close friend, I wouldn’t believe his loyalty to you either. My guess is that you think someone like him is too good to be true. You’re anticipating that he’ll cheat on you, so you’re building all the defenses possible: you’re making him meet as less women as possible.”

 

“And what if I am?”

 

“Does that make you happy?” Ji-yong argued audibly. “Does being paranoid satisfy you, noona? Suspecting his every move, looking at the worst case scenario of everything? Isn’t it tiring?”

 

“Well it isn’t easy when all you’ve got to compare are years worth of guys doing exactly that!” Bom shouted angrily. “You think I haven’t tried to fix this arrangement? You don’t know how scary it is to believe that he wouldn’t turn out to be just like them.”

 

Ji-yong scoffed and stood from his seat. “Stop playing the victim here, noona. Hyung has done nothing to make you compare him to your bad taste in past boyfriends. Don’t tell me you married him to keep him for yourself? That’s not the way marriage works, noona. Love doesn’t suffocate.”

 

“What do you know about marriages when you’re the one handing out divorce papers to Sohee?” Bom regretted the words that came out of as soon as she said it, seeing the expression in Jiyong’s face change drastically.

 

“You know, noona, THAT is exactly why you should take my advice.” Ji-yong looked away and prepared to leave. “Nothing better than an advice from someone who had already gone through what you’re going through now.”

 

 

 

-----

 

“Oh, hyung, yeah I’m back in town.” Ji-yong said, talking to Seung-hyun on the other line. “But only for a while, I’m just on vacation leave.”

 

“Arrassou, got any plans? I think I can squeeze you in my schedule.” Seung-hyun teased. “How about a drink tonight, just like before?”

 

“With noona?” Ji-yong taunted back. “Just kidding! Heard she’s back in YG again. Are you courting her like what ajumma told you to do? How is ajumma nowadays?”

 

Seung-hyun was silent for a while. The topic had opened up too soon.  “Well, she passed away recently.”

 

“Ahh… Well I’m sorry to hear that, hyung. She was nice to all of us.” Ji-yong said morosely. “I remember how she used to console me when I had just separated from Sohee too…  Anyway, dinner on me tonight, promise me!”

 

“Arrasou. But this is strange of you to ask. We never go out to just eat. Has America turned you away from alcohol?”

 

“Ani, if anything, I’m more alcoholic now!” Ji-yong laughed, shifting his seat at the sofa while waiting for Bom. “Well it’s just that I’m bringing along someone who should definitely stay sober. I’ve experienced some bruises when this one got drunk.”

 

“Oh, new girlfriend?”

 

“It’s a secret. Neh, hyung I have to go. I’ll text you the place later. Promise me you’ll go, okay?” Ji-yong persuaded Seung-hyun before hanging up the phone. Bom was at the other end of the hall, walking happily at the sight of her old friend. “Noona!”

 

“Jiyongie!” Bom called, walking faster towards the lawyer. “Yah! What brings you here? Don’t tell me you’re following me, you stalker! I went to America, you went to America, and now that I’m back in Korea, you’re here too?”

 

“You wish it was the case! Why would I stalk you?!” Ji-yong exclaimed blissfully as he embraced Bom. “I got a few weeks of vacation leave so I came back to my home turf, you know.”

 

“Ah, a well deserved leave of absence!” Bom patted his back.

 

“I’ve heard quite interesting stories about you and Seung-hyun, though.” Ji-yong raised his eyebrows and looked at Bom judgmentally. “Proud that you’re making progress, jedi.”

 

“Mwo? How could you have heard anything in Korea when you’re never here anyway? Does Seung-hyun keep in touch with you?” Bom inquired.

 

“Ani, I just have eyes and ears.” Ji-yong said secretively. “I do have a lot of friends in Korea, aside from you two.”

 

“Seriously?”

 

 

-----

Flashback

 

“I think you’re right, Ji-yong.” Bom said, looking down at the floor as she and her friend talked at the restaurant where they had their previous conversation about Bom’s marriage with Seung-hyun. “I think, no I’m decided, I should get a divorce.”

 

“WHAT?!” Ji-yong asked loudly, distracting the other customers. “Noona, when I spoke with you last time, I meant that you were supposed to fix your relationship, not to destroy it altogether!”

 

“Ani, what you said was partly true. But lately, I’ve been thinking, and what you told me was just one of the few issues at the back of my head that I didn’t address because I was too selfish with Seung-hyun.” Bom’s stare lingered at the floor. “You’re right, I don’t trust him at all. And for four years, we’ve been hiding the fact that something isn’t right in our relationship. I’ve been too cowardly to admit it, and he’s been too nice that he’d take it all for me, even when he knew I was in the wrong as well.”

 

“Noona…”

 

“The two of us, we are like what you said, becoming an island. Isolated from other people, making fake friends that won’t really last long because we don’t allow our friendship with them to grow. I suffocate him, but he just lets me do what I want because he loves me too much.” Tears of guilt fell from Bom’s eyes. “He doesn’t deserve to be treated like a dog on a leash, but I can’t help myself.”

 

Ji-yong furrowed his brows. He knew it wasn’t his fault, but he could feel the responsibility as he saw Bom cry.

 

“I have to stop this vicious cycle.”

 

“Noona, do you really have to divorce him? Can’t you just work things out together? That’s what married couples should do.” Ji-yong pleaded her to stop.

 

“As much as I would want it that way…” Bom closed her eyes. “I know that if we stay together, we won’t change even if we wanted to…We have to stay away from each other and grow.”

 

“Through a divorce? Noona, there are other ways!”

 

 

-----

Flashback

 

Oh goodness… They’re really going through this! Ji-yong thought, pacing back and forth at the law firm where he worked at. Bom had contacted him earlier that week, and asked for him to be present as she and Seung-hyun sign their divorce papers. Effin’ twisted!

 

Ji-yong couldn’t help but feel like he was partly the reason why his two friends were breaking up. Two months ago, he had talked to Bom about her relationship with Seung-hyun; and although he intended to do so for them to fix their relationship, he ended up planting the idea of divorce in Bom’s head.

 

These are the golden couple Ji-yong! The people fate chose to be together forever! What business did you have to break them up?! He was now frantic. Both Bom and Seung-hyun were now face to face, readying their pens so they could sign the divorce papers.

 

“Take everything, I don’t need them.” Seung-hyun uttered briefly. The guy rose up quickly, heading towards the door after signing the divorce papers.

 

This can’t be happening. Ji-yong said to himself.

 

At that time, with guilt in his mind, Ji-yong came up with one resolution: He would help Bom and Seung-hyun get back together.

-----

Bom arrived at the restaurant that Ji-yong suggested. It wasn’t too hard to find, what with all the memories that came with the old establishment. It was the same restaurant where her friend had told her what was wrong with the relationship she had with Seung-hyun; and where she had realized that he was right.

 

“Aigoo, late as usual.” Bom uttered as Ji-yong was nowhere in sight. “And you think America would have changed that boy.”

 

"Bom?" 

 

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A/N: Hi! How was the chapter? Well at least the perspective of the divorce is finally revealed! More revelations to come :>

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