"Hyun Joong. Hi"

She closed her eyes. He sounded so good and he sounded so pleased to hear from her. And why not? She'd been the "best person" in his life before Hyori came. They'd grown up next door to each other. They'd learned to ride their bikes together, and they'd been punished together any number of times for too many pranks to count. Their exploits had been legendary. They are basically best friends until college and then Lee Hyori came and everything changed. 

"I'm good, thanks. How about you?" she said.

"Keeping body and soul together. Man, it's been a long time since I heard your voice."

"Yeah." She swallowed the lump in .

"I was thinking about you hte other day, actually," he said. 

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about the night before I moved to Seoul. How you and I went down to the lake and drank all that beer. Remember?"

"I remember." How could she forget? She'd matched him beer for beer, desperate to prolong every last second with him before he stopped being her best friend and will be soon half of Mr. and Mrs. Kim Hyun Joong and Lee Hyori. This was why she'd hesitated over calling. So many memories, all washing over her.

Time to get this conversation back on track.

"Listen, I, um, don't want to keep you long. Is Hyori there? I need to ask her advice on a legal thing."

"Hyori's not around at the moment. Is it anything I can help with?"

"It's fine. I'll wait for her to call me back."

"What's the problem, So Min-shi? Hyori might have gotten better marks than me but I made partner before her." Of course, Hyun Joong was a lawyer, too. One of the many things he and Hyori had in common. 

"It's not that. I didn't want to bother you," she said quickly.

"But you're happy to bother Hyori?"

Because I haven't been in love with Hyori for more years than I can count. Because talking to her doesn't make me think about all the hours I've spent aching over you, wishing you loved me instead of her. Making myself sick with jealousy and guilt. 

"No. It's just we haven't spoken for a while, and I don't want to be one of those fair-weather friends who calls out of the blue and hits you up for a favor because I need some legal advice."

Hyun Joong made an impatient noise. "For Pete's sake, So Min. We grew up together. You're my oldest friend. Tell me the problem."

So Min hesitated a moment longer. But he was right so she told her the story from the very beginning.  She briefed him on the situation.

"I'm going to need some time to do a bit of research, find out more about the heritage register and council bylaws. Can I get back to you?" Hyun Joong asked So Min.

"Of course."

"Probably won't be until tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Sure."

"Try not to freak out in the meantime."

"Too late. And thanks, Hyun Joong."

"No worries, So Min. What friends are for, right?"

He ended the call. She slid her phone into her pocket and started walking to her car. 

She hadn't spoken to Hyun Joong for months, had dodged his phone calls and avoided responding to his emails. And he'd responded to her request for help without hesitation. Without question.

It was one of the things she'd always loved about him the most: his generosity. But then there had always been a lot to love about Kim Hyun Joong. His clever mind. His kindness. His sense of humor. Then there was his body -- tall and broad and strong.

Stop it. Stop it before you're right back at the same old place again.

Because she'd lost Hyun Joong long ago. 

To be continued....