"Sungmin?" The girl stood up. She brushed off the dirt on her black short pants and tidying up her floral loose top.

Some passerby who witnessed the falling, were glancing at them while they continue walking.

"S-Sunny?" He froze momentarily before blurting what was in his mind loudly, "Why are you here?"

"Taking a morning stroll," she replied without a single thought. Her dark orbs were shooting into his, leaving him breathless. But it was before he realised that her answer missed his actual meaning, which made him chuckled. He didn't know that she could be clueless sometimes, for she always had the impression of being sharp all the time.

"I mean, why are you in Shanghai?" He asked again.

"Oh. That..." the sentence halted, the word trailed. Noticing her mistake, her cheeks turned rosy.

The color changing didn't go unnoticed, and it made Sungmin's heart raced once more.

Crap! He told himself. Don't embarrass yourself! Get yourself together, idiot! She's just blushing. Every girl blushes sometimes. Even the guys. Even grannies do.

"I want to take a short break. Besides, my dad asked me to accompany him while he is dealing with a client here. Mom couldn't make it," she explained. "Why are you here, by the way? Such a peculiar coincidence."

"I know, right," he answered, smiling. "Well, perhaps this is our fate?" He added lightly. Or at least he tried to say it lightly.

Sunny glared at him.

"Don't start," she reprimanded before she started walking to the railing facing the wide river. Sungmin followed her.

"It reminds me of Han river, don't you think?" said Sunny. She gazed at the river, its surface was twinkling as the sun shines on it. She was observing some boats and small yachts that passed by.

"But it's not as wide as Han river," said Sungmin in return.

"But Han river is  not as busy as this," Sunny added simply, then she fell silent.

Sungmin watched her from aside. She looked somehow mellow. There was a glint of unknown sadness behind those eyes, and it made his heart somewhat ached.

"Your internship term is over, isn't it?" He asked, trying to divert her thought.

"Yep."

"Funny. I should've been the one who declare it to the uni should you really made the internship or not," stated Sungmin.

"Yeah, but you were abroad for months, so Boyeon unnie wrote for me instead."

"Which was good she did."

"Why?" Sunny turned her head in his direction with her head slightly tilting to one side.

"Because I want to keep you in the company for as long as possible," said Sungmin.

Sunny was gaping. "Y-yah! If you want to make a personal gain, you'd better keep it to yourself."

Sungmin smiled, "Who said that I want to make a personal gain?"

"That's what you were meaning to say, weren't you?" Sunny asked, beating around the bush, for she didn't dare to make an open confrontation about his previous statement.

This time, Sungmin laughed loudly, "I don't know that you're quite snotty. What I initially mean is, you're a good team player. Your work is meticulous and thorough. That's why I asked you to write many reports to me before, and I feel regretful should I let someone as good as you go."

"Oh... That..." Sunny's voice trailed again. She cleared before continuing, "Well, I guess so. But surely there are other who are better than me."

"Not that I know of," he noted. "And that is exactly why Boyeon noona was struggling now. Nobody could give as accurate review as you are."

Sunny turned her head away, blushing again. "Thanks, I guess."

Sungmin smiled widely. He was so happy knowing that he was able to  make her blush twice within such a short time. It was when Sunny unconsciously touch her scrapped elbow with the other hand, that he took notice of her bruise again.

"Hey, I think we need to get that cleaned. Why don't we go to my apartment? I have first aid kit," Sungmin suggested.

"No need. I can just buy an antiseptic in the mart below my hotel."

"No. I insist. That's my fault, so I'll take responsibility for that. My apartment is near already anyway," said Sungmin as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her from her spot.

In the state of being stunned by his haste decision and suddenly gallant gesture, she could only play along.

What's with this hand holding? Is it because we're in a place we both aren't familiar with that he becomes so bold? She thought as they were walking. Nah. He was always this bold. Thick-skinned is more befitting.

A few meters up, they walked down the zebra cross where two or three cars stopped momentarily because of the traffic light. Once they were across the street, Sunny pulled her hand from his grip.

Her action made Sungmin stopped and turned around. He was observing her carefully, yet after a second or so, he only said, "Be sure that you don't get lost," then he continued walking in considerate rhythm, aware that the girl has short strides.

Sunny merely hummed. Her eyes were fixated on his sturdy looking shoulders, hardly noticing where or how many they changed direction. All that she could think of was how could this guy be so casual.

Sunny knew that Sungmin kept in touch with Jimin for when she was still working in the company, the girl kept talking loudly about how funny Sungmin was in their chat, how he missed Korea and so on. Not that it was a lie. Sungmin did being funny in some of their chats, and it was true that he missed Korea. However, it led Sunny believed that her suspicion was true. That they were an item.

Of course, Sungmin tried to reach her too by any kind of communication platforms, but she took longer to reply, answering in short answers and so, should the topic were not work-related. So, Sungmin thought she disliked his attempts, and retreated eventually.

She didn't mean to do that actually. Just she thought that it was the least she could do as a woman. She had been in the position where other girl stole her boyfriend in which she thought that women should have more conscience about it, because they should have a better self-control than the men and practice self-restrain better. That and she also thought that each woman was in this fraternity called sisterhood, so they wouldn't hurt each other by stealing other's guy.

Well, yeah. That was how she naively thought, since it was clear that not every girl thought the same way as she was. However, it couldn't change her determination. She wouldn't lower her standard just because other girl did. The unfortunate event only made her stand firm on her thought that she would never ever get near someone who was already taken for more than friends, and Sungmin fell into that category. Or so she thought.

"Hey. Hello, earth to cadet Sun?" Sungmin's voice came in gradually as she was deep in thought.

"Y-yeah?"

"We've arrived," announced Sungmin.

Sunny looked over his shoulders. Behind him was a tall and handsome apartment building located on the main road. The building was painted ivory, and it gave a clean and neat impression.

"Come on," invited Sungmin as he motioned with his head for Sunny to follow him.

The security greeted him as he passed by the inner door to the elevator leading to his floor. He passed on a warm greet towards that middle age guy.

"I don't know you can speak Mandarin," noted Sunny as she walked pass the door he was holding for her.

"There are many things you don't know about me," returned Sungmin, yet he quickly added, "But there are as many things I don't know about you either."

Sunny said nothing, but while they were waiting for the elevator to pick them up, she mumbled, "I guess that's true."

The journey up the levels were pretty quiet. They both stole glances at each other when they thought the other party didn't notice. Two more people who took the same trip with them set off already, each on different floor.

Two seconds after, the elevator went ding and the door opened.

"Let's go."

Sunny hesitated for a moment before she stepped out the metal box. Sungmin was waiting on the side. When their eyes met, Sungmin smiled at her, yet Sunny unconsciously mumbled, "I don't know why I am following you."

"Perhaps because I'm so charming you couldn't resist?" he joked.

Sunny stunned a moment before retorting, "Will you get in trouble if I puke here?"

Sungmin laughed, then he led the way to his unit. Stopping in front of one of the many dark brown door, he fished out the key from his training pants' pocket and pushed it inside the key hole. It clicked open, and he pushed the door wide open.

"Welcome," he said, turning to Sunny, his arms wide open as he welcomed her in.

Sunny took one step into the short and lean corridor, on the right was a bathroom, on the left was the wardrobe, just like those of hotel room. Taking the step further, she was greeted with the majorly white interior of studio apartment. She noticed the decent kitchen after the bathroom. It was an L-shape kitchen with wing extended to the corridor way, thus prolonging it, yet in a less stuffy way. At the end of the kitchen wing was a small portable island with white surface and light brown wood footings. It was used as dinner table, noting two small stools which were tucked under the island.

Since it was a studio apartment, she could see the entire interior with a single glance. She could see the small living room area beside the kitchen area which only consist of a two-seater white sofa with a small light brown wood coffee table. Across of the sofa was an LCD TV. Beside the small area of living room was a queen sized bed with white sheets and white duvet. The bed was pushed to the wall, and there was a medium sized potted plant in the far corner or the room, adding a hint of greenery to the bright room.

It was nice, neat and clean overall. The total opposite of what she thought his place was before. Sunny never thought that Sungmin was a meticulous person, given that she never placed even one step into his room, back when they throw parties in his shared dorm. Clearly one couldn't judge a character from a shared space.

She glanced at the queen-sized bed once again, the wide window was opened a little, letting cool gush of wind to blow in. She blushed at the sight.

One the other hand, Sungmin entered the bathroom right after he bolted the front door, and came up with a first aid kit in his hands.

"Sunny," he called her.

The latter turned her head, her shoulder length flock was flinging and bouncing as it found its place when the movement stop. The light that came from the window behind her made her face glow. It was so breathtaking to Sungmin that he got his breath hitched.

"!" He cursed inaudibly. He had to mentally punch and yell at himself to restrain him from running to her and assaulting her plump soft pink lips with kisses.

"You can sit here. I'll tend to it," instructed Sungmin. He pulled out both stools from under the island and place it side to side.

"I can do it myself," Sunny refused, yet she walked to where Sungmin sat nonetheless.

"Nah. You sit," he commanded, a rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball were in his hands already.

Hearing his determination, Sunny could only play along once again. She sat in front of him and was starting to roll up her t-shirt sleeve.

"It's gonna sting," reminded Sungmin with serious look on his face, which made Sunny chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Sungmin, confused.

"Do you think I don't know what the liquid will cause me?"

Sungmin smiled and he started dabbing the wound, cleaning it.

"I used to fall and tripped a lot when I was a little. You know, a typical overly active daddy girl," mentioned Sunny casually, trying to make a conversation.

"I can see that," retorted Sungmin.

"See what?"

"See that you are a naughty daddy girl, given that you had grown to be this character now."

"Yah! I never said I was naughty! I was never, you know," she winced a bit, that the process of cleaning started to sting her nerves.

"Perhaps. No one really know but your family, right. But seeing how you are so straightforward, audacious, rather cool, ..."

"Stop saying nonsense," Sunny protested.

They went silent for some moments Sungmin was focusing himself to apply antibiotic ointment.

"Is is hurt?" Sungmin asked, he looked up to find her eyes were staring at him intently.

"N-not at all," she muttered. Her face was once again turned rosy at the proximity of their faces.

The atmosphere was suddenly changing as they leaned closer and even closer. She could see Sungmin closed his eyes and she was about to do too and let loose. However, when she felt his breath was tickling the skin on her chin, she came to her senses. She raised her hand and placed it on his shoulder to prevent him coming even closer.

"S-sorry," Sunny mumbled.

"N-no! I'm sorry," apologized Sungmin. He abruptly straightened his torso and kept his distance from Sunny.

The awkward silent fell, and they both could only fiddle with their respective fingers before they spoke at the same time--

"Do you want to eat anything?"

"I think I should go home now."

Silent fell again.

"I'll drop you."

"No need. I can just go back by myself," replied Sunny.

"You sure? Do you really know the way around?" asked Sungmin, slightly challenged her.

"Um..."

Sungmin smiled. "I'll drop you, but let me have a breakfast and take a shower before hand. Just turn on the TV if you want to."

He stood up and walked to the fridge, taking out some eggs and bacon. He took another trip to the fridge to take out cheese and tomato. Then he opened the cabinet over his head to take out a bag of wheat bread. He broke the eggs in a bowl and mix it with some pepper and a pinch of salt. All the while, Sunny was looking at how he went.

"Do you need any help?" asked Sunny. She was slightly in awe of his naturalness around the kitchen.

"Ah. Thank you. You can help me toasting the bread. The toaster is in the corner," said Sungmin, motioning the toaster with his head.

Sunny got up and went to do what was asked of her. It was when Sunny finished placing the second slice of bread in the toaster and when Sungmin was in the middle of cutting the tomato into small dices, that his phone beeped.

He unconsciously picked up his phone and read the incoming text message.

"It was from Jimin," he announced without thinking.

"Jimin... Is she checking on you?" asked Sunny perfunctorily. "She perhaps wrote, 'Honey, don't forget your breakfast, alright'. Isn't it?"

It took Sungmin a while to register the unfunny joke. He looked at his side to see Sunny staring at the toaster too seriously.

"We are not in such kind of relationship," claimed Sungmin.

Sunny craned her neck at his direction.

"We're not an item," he emphasized on the word 'not', as if answering Sunny's unspoken question that she raised with her questioning gaze only.

The silent fell again for a couple of seconds. Then, a realization hit him suddenly.

"Wait. Do you all in Korean branch think that I am in relationship with Jimin?"

Sunny blinked, "Are you not?"

"As I said, I am not!"

The silent fell again. However this time, it was a comical awkward silent with them staring at each other incredulously.

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I'm back!

Tee hee...

Author's note? Well, I think I have nothing to note.

So, I'll just greet you and sit on my couch, waiting for you to finish reading this chapter and writing away your thought on this one.

So, haste! :)