“So, how many more hours do I have to wait for the pancakes?”

Startling by Kris’ voice, Jieun abruptly stopped dancing and turned down the volume on the radio. Oh my God, has he been standing there all this time while I’m dancing like a madwoman?

“Not long now. Please have a seat, Your Majesty.” Jieun told him as she let the sarcasm lingered in her tone.

But instead of sitting down, Kris strolled himself to her side.

“I think you just made my day. That was really y.” He mischievously whispered into her ear.

Jieun didn’t turn to look at him as she could feel her face burning up. She then ignored him and grabbed the metal spatula off the pan.

“Argh!” She screamed all of the sudden. It turned out that she had left the frying pan on fire for longer than it was supposed to.

Kris switched the gas off and pulled her to the sink. He ran her hand under the cool water. “God, Jieun! I think Oxford turns you into a clumsy person, because I don’t remember you being this clumsy before.”

“This is your fault!” She chirped in loudly.

“How is this my fault?” Kris leaned back and looked at her in confusion.

“D-don’t ever whisper to me like that again.” She was supposed to warn him but it had come out a bit weak and pathetic, and she brought her eyes to the running water.

Despite the serious situation, Kris had beamingly smirked. He released his grip against her wrist and grabbed a bowl. He filled the bowl with the cool water and dipped her burnt hand into it.

“Go sit down. I’ll do the pancakes.” He had told her. “By the way, do you always dance like that in the club?” He asked her, a moment later.

Jieun was stunned by his question. “No. I don’t dance in the club.” She carefully answered him.

“Seriously?” He turned and looked at her. “Well, I guess I’d say I’m lucky…to have witnessed Song Jieun, the CEO of Paradise Group dancing like that.” He grinned in which he’d only gotten a scowl from Jieun’s face. He turned his attention back to the pancake in the frying pan and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

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“So, she is pregnant.” Woohyun mused, before bringing the steak into his mouth. He didn’t want to believe it but he had his instinct initially, and that picture of her with a swollen stomach couldn’t lie to him.

Woohyun was having dinner with Hyomin. Although they had been going on dates within the past few weeks, they still hadn’t declared themselves as boyfriend and girlfriend to their parents yet, but they acknowledged the fact that they were in some sort of a romantic relationship. Well after all, they had equally sneaked in into each other’s beds.

Hyomin nodded her head. “Yes. They didn’t want to tell people earlier, because they didn’t want everyone to think that they got married because of her pregnancy.”

“Didn’t they?”

Hyomin looked at Woohyun as she was slightly taken aback. “No. Of course not.” She shook her head. “Well, I don’t think so because he said he loves her.” She took a sip of her white wine. “Kris…he didn’t really believe in love before…so, when he told us that he loves her, we’re just really happy for him.”

Woohyun breathed out forcibly. “Are you sure he wouldn’t go run off to other woman again?”

Hyomin put down her glass onto the table gently but she’d shot him an irritating look. “Why are you so bothered by their relationship?” She asked him. “Now that I think about it, you’re always seems to be on the edge every time you talk about Jieun.”

“Sorry. I’m just worried for her.”

“Well, don’t be. I’m sure that Kris can and will take care of her from now on.” She spatted before gathering herself to stand up. “You know, for just an old friend, you sure are concerned about her a little bit too much.” She spoke for the last time as she grabbed her bag and walked out of the restaurant.

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Throughout the day, Kris had watched four movies and still, it was only six o’clock. Jieun was reading in the living room. He had seen her curling up on the sofa with a book in her hand, when he went out to get the can of Pepsi and a bag of crisps from the kitchen earlier.

As the last credits appeared on the screen, Kris switched off the television and made himself out of the tiny room. It was already night time, despite being only half a day. What did he expect? Winter was about to come soon. Though the light was on inside the house, he noticed Jieun was not in the living room anymore. Surprisingly, she was found in the kitchen, again.

“You’re not trying to burn your hand again, are you?” He asked her from behind.

Her burnt hand was fine by now, if it wasn’t for Kris’ quick reaction.

She glared at him. “I’m trying to feed us dinner.” She replied him as she heated up the oven. “I thought we’d have a barbecue, but I don’t think I can handle the weather outside. The weather was great this morning and now it’s raining. Well, that’s England for you. Now that I think about it, it is kind of scary living in this house during this month of the year—” She continued jabbering.

“Do you hear that?”

Jieun spun her head towards him so fast that she thought she would have sprained her neck already. “What?”

“Shhh. Listen.” He spoke in a whisper.

“Kris…you’re scaring me.” She had automatically reached for his long arm, clutching onto it with both palms.

“AHHHHH!” Kris screamed and Jieun went under his armpit and hugged his body tightly.

Jieun could hear laughter rumbling in his chest as his body shook along with it. She instantly let go of him and smacked his arm. “Not funny!” She bellowed.

She turned away sulkily and unsealed the box of breaded fish fillets that they had bought form Tesco yesterday. Placing the contents onto the tray, she then shoved it into the oven.

“I’m sorry.” Kris had said as laughter was now lacing with his voice. “How did you manage to stay until late night in your office?”

“Because there are no ghosts in my office!”

“Oh, are you sure about that?” He asked, looking at her with such a sly expression on his face.

“Kris…stop it.” Jieun’s voice wavered slightly.

“. Are you crying?” His tone of voice changed as he saw her lips quivered.

“You are the most horrible person I’ve ever met!” She had told him.

Kris grabbed her wrist before she could bring herself to walk out of the kitchen.

“I’m sorry, ok?” He apologized, turning her to face him. “I promise I won’t do it again.”

“Say you are the most horrible person in this entire planet.” She angrily, yet in such a cute manner, told him.

“I’m the most horrible person in this entire planet.” Kris compliantly repeated her words.

After some moment, a soft snigger came out of her lips.

“Did you just—Song Jieun, did you just fake your crying?”

Jieun was laughing by now as she wiped her tears with the back of her free hand.  “Well, that served you right for scaring me.”

Kris was going to say something to protest, but he’d closed his mouth again and guilelessly smiled. “Ok, I guess I deserved that.”

“You can let go of my wrist now.” She said to him.

And so he reluctantly did.

After they had stuffed themselves with fish and chips—the classic meal whenever you were in England, Jieun then got the (also previously frozen) cheesecake out from the fridge and offered Kris a slice.

“Are you sure you don’t want some of this…” Jieun paused and read the label on the bottle of Chardonnay wine. “Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs?” She pronounced it as she wiggled her eyebrows. “I don’t mind, you know. I perfectly understood that I can’t have any.” She nodded her head. “Oh go on, I insist you have a glass.” She shoved the bottle into his chest.

Of course Kris wouldn’t turn down her offer. So, he popped the bottle open and poured it into a glass.

Meanwhile, Jieun made herself a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows on top. They then sat in the living room with a plate of cheesecake in their hand. None of them had spoken anything as they ate the cheesecakes in silence, when suddenly she let out a sigh rather loudly.

“What’s up?” He asked as he looked at her warily.

“This is nice you know…this city escape.” She began. “And then I remember that I have to go back and be busy again in few days…”

“Don’t think about that.”

Jieun looked at him.

“We’re here to relax ourselves, aren’t we? So, you shouldn’t be thinking about what’s stressing you.” He went on. “The thing is with you Jieun, you’re working too hard for your age…”

“Well, you should have been born into my family. What I’ve been doing probably isn’t hard enough.”

“Maybe it’s just you who think that. From what I can see, your grandparents appreciate you, your family… they all love you. I know all you wanted to do is to make them proud, but you do know you’re still young, right? We both are the same age but when I see you at work or doing your work, I feel like you’re way older than me.” He paused. “What I’m trying to say is, don’t push yourself too hard. You’re going to regret the fun that you’ve missed during your 20s.”

“You mean like the kind of fun you’ve had?”

Kris grinned. “Ok, maybe not that kind of fun for you, but you know what I mean.” He finished his lecture and he put his em