Jiyoon stepped on the brake pedal as deep as she could. It was already her umpteenth time during her one hour trip doing household errands. Her heart was thumping fast while she was panting, totally grateful after checking the rearview that no cars were behind hers or else she might already cause a trouble. To her unknown she had been spacing out most of the time, drowned into her worries that she didn’t notice the brake lamp of the car in front of her had flashed quite brightly although under daylight. She drove to the side, trying to fix her tangled mind a bit.

It’s been days after the shocking news yet she hadn’t been able to recover herself. Chunji stopped contacting her since the last unanswered call—which her dad told her not to—and she had no idea either she should be happy for it or not. She was still trying to figure out how she should go with the baby. No decision had been made all the time she spent. Again, leaving her thinking days wasted for nothing.

The song playing from the car audio couldn’t even do to calm her fully. It took 15 minutes for her to breathe normally again. She then drove home, carefully that time. She just simply wanted to arrive home safely, that’s all.

She cursed as she inputted the wrong pin to enter her apartment with a hug full of groceries paper bag. She was completely not in her right mind since she stepped out the place earlier that day. She pushed the front door using her limp body to get in and hastily went to the kitchen just to finish things as soon as possible.

Twenty minutes had almost passed yet she hadn’t done unloading the groceries in her tangled mind; her hands kept dropping things, losing their grip. She nearly gave up until she realized that her dad wouldn’t be coming home since he was already going out of town again for his work. She tried to calm herself and doing things all over again in the slowest pace.

The black colored leather sofa was the best thing that could heal her aching body. She laid herself there, rejoicing the comfort she got under her back. Unexpectedly her phone rang in a moment. She didn’t bother herself to open her heavy eyes. Her hand swiftly swept all the surface of the coffee table in front of the sofa she laid on to get her phone. She was only taking a look at the caller ID with one sleepy eye before both of them widened in surprise. It was Changjo calling.

She hastily sat up and picked the phone up with her heart thumping faster and faster. “Changjo?” she shot right away. But nothing was heard from the caller. She barely heard anything but silence.

“Changjo?” she gave another attempt. “Changjo-ya, are you okay? Changjo?” she turned anxious all of a sudden without any reason.

The silence somehow annoyed her knowing that she needed to talk to him. “Ya, Changjo please, say something.” Her intention was about to sound threatening to him, but she desperately trailed off instead.

“I’m sorry, Jiyoon-ah. I’m going,” a low voice with a firm tone finally spoke in reply.

“You can’t, Changjo. We need-“

The previous words were the last words of him before the call got hung up. There’s not any chance for her to give a respond at all. She felt like her veins got cut off along with the call which seemed like a cliff hanger while actually it cleared up everything.

She tried to call him back again, but it was all useless. He left her waiting in vain with that boring resonance of dialing tone going through her ear as she was calling his name out over and over, not wanting to deal with the bitter reality.

“Changjo, please pick it up. Changjo,” she sobs. “Changjo-ya, please I beg you.”

She was panting hard from the panic, drained out from the shock. Her face was all wet from her tears when she opened her eyes. She was lying on the sofa; she wasn’t sitting up holding her phone trying to call Changjo like she thought she had been doing. She hurriedly sat up and searched for her phone which was on the carpet when she found it.

There’s nothing such an incoming call from Changjo on her log. It slipped off of her grip as she lifelessly plumped her back on the backrest, staring blankly in sadness. It was another nightmare she had with real sobs and fatigue. Soon, she let herself drowned into another round of crying and sobbing for real, badly hurt by her own dreamy dreams.

The denying self of her hadn’t yet wanted to give up. She grabbed her phone and tried to call him, although she still remembered the fact that she had been blocked. That’s when she realized it was really a dream, not more than just a dream.

She spent more than an hour to come to her mind again. Knowing that it would get worse if she remained still, she dragged herself to her room, placing herself sitting in front of her dressing table. Her shaky hands grabbed her make ups and applied them to cover up her pathetic looks after the sobs.

Fresh air, she thought it would be able to heal her a bit. She got on a bus and went for a walk around the shopping district, which luckily wasn’t too crowded on weekdays. The weather was perfect for walk, but she wasn’t. She grabbed a drink from nearby café and continued her lousy walk. Her eyes caught a glimpse of pastel colors decorating a shop at the end of the road. She could tell it’s a new store just by looking from its plenteous decoration. She could only puff her cheek as she approached it. It was a baby shop.

She had no idea what led her to walk into the store. It’s not too crowded inside. She unconsciously squeezed her sling bag strap, the thing she always did when she got nervous. She hastily walked around and had a look on the baby stuffs, with a budging thought of reality which coming alive soon for her. There wasn’t any clerk nearby who usually followed her around and kept asking whether she needed help. And she was quite happy for that.

A few minutes later she already got used to picking out the baby stuffs she liked. She would buy those anyway sooner or later, and then she found herself having the shopping bag hanging near her elbow with some packs of neutral colored newborn clothes as she continued shopping.

“Jiyoon?” she found it annoying to have someone calling her name all of a sudden at a random place since it startled her much. Jiyoon knew who the person was and she forced herself to speculate what might be coming before she decided to turn around and met the person.

“Ricky!” she greeted him ‘excitedly’ when actually her heart was thumping fast. “What are you doing here?” and she regretted her question right away since it would definitely be a boomerang to her.

Ricky hugged her instead of answering her question first. “I really miss you!” he showed that cute grin of him, fortunately it slowed down her heartbeat. “My mom opened this store last week and I’m helping her now. Thanks for coming here!” he finally replied her. “What are you searching for? Gifts?”

“Yeah, I want to buy some for gifts to my relative,” she acted it out at ease. Thanks to Ricky who gave her the idea first. “So, this store is your mom’s?” she changed the topic as she looked around, admiring the interior. “It’s really nice to shop here, you know. Look how much I got,” she showed him the shopping bag she’s holding.

“Uh-huh. She likes cute baby stuffs so much,” said him. “I think I should get back behind the counter,” he hesitantly ended the conversation at the view of queue in front of the cashier counters. “Meet me at the cashier and I’ll give you discount, okay?”

Jiyoon smiled at him. “Yes, Sir. Thanks a lot.”

“Just take your time. I’ll allow you to be here shopping even if the open hours have passed,” he joked. “Bye!” he waved a little as he jogged towards the cashier.

She shook her head, smiling at his childish act. She bit her lower lip when she realized that most of people who were there were couples. She tried to shrug it off and got back on scanning through the racks. Although she succeeded on forgetting the budging scene, but her ears couldn’t block the talks between those couples around her. They’re asking for opinions and such. And she got no one to be asked.

“Oppa, don’t you think this is cute?” a woman voice was talking just a few steps behind Jiyoon.

“The pink one is better,” replied the guy, whose voice made Jiyoon reflexively turned her head to see him. And she’s right.

The eye contact which happened naturally brought a smile onto his face. “Jiyoon-ah,” called him just to remind her again how annoyed she was with it.

“Ah.. Chunji oppa. I met Ricky just now and I’m meeting you now,” she awkwardly laughed. Her mind was wishing that she would bump onto Changjo randomly instead of Chunji. She couldn’t help to sneakily have a quick head to toe scan on the woman beside him, and convincing herself that any form of jealousy wasn’t emerged after.

“Oh, by the way, meet Sunyoung,” he introduced the smiling woman beside him. “And this is Jiyoon.” The women exchanged bows as they greeted each other. The only thing Jiyoon could think of that Sunyoung was Chunji’s new girl.

“Would you two excuse me to go to the cashier? So you two can have a talk freely,” Sunyoung smiled and went away after getting approval from Chunji and Jiyoon.

“Where are you going after this?” was the first question he asked to her. Luckily he didn’t put any attention on the baby stuffs which were inside Jiyoon’s shopping bag.

“Don’t know yet. I just randomly stopped by without knowing that it’s Ricky’s place though,” she shrugged, purposely didn’t question back.

“Mind to go with me? Anywhere you want, or maybe we can have dinner or something,” he asked again, hesitantly that time.

Jiyoon smirked. It somehow had a glimpse of sarcasm. “Wouldn’t Sunyoung be bothered by it?”

“Why should she?” he hadn’t yet got what she meant. “Oh,” he chuckled right away as he finally realized it. “She’s an old friend and a business partner of mine. She’s not my girlfriend, nor even more than that,” clarified him.

But Jiyoon was still staring at him with that doubting gaze. “Why? Are you jealous of her? I swear to God, she’s just a friend, close one.”

“No, not at all,” she firmly answered before going towards the cashier, leaving him confused.

After having all the stuffs paid in reduced priced—thanks to Ricky’s generosity—Jiyoon joined Chunji and Sunyoung who had been waiting for her at the exit. Jiyoon mindlessly approached the back door of Chunji’s car when they reached the parking lot, thinking that Sunyoung was the first who got the front seat.

“Jiyoon-ssi, just take the front seat. I’m getting off early,” Sunyoung stopped her before she went into the car.

It took a second for Jiyoon to understand her words. “Ah, okay,” she could only mumbled it to herself since Sunyoung had already left her.

Jiyoon didn’t talk much during the drive to Sunyoung’s office. Chunji and Sunyoung was talking about their matters at first, but Chunji then tried to drift the talk into something that would be able for Jiyoon to join. It wasn’t difficult for him to notice Jiyoon’s blank straight stare on the view in front of her. But unluckily, his attempt didn’t have any use.

Chunji purposely wasn’t trying to question her concern after they dropped Sunyoung. He knew well that she wouldn’t speak it up at ease.

“Do you have any place to go in your mind?” Chunji acted brightly as nothing was wrong with her.

Jiyoon smiled a little, shrugging. “Nope,” she added shortly.

“Hmm… How about doing groceries first and then going to my place for dinner? I’ll cook for you. You haven’t tried my cook, right?” he elbowed her lightly.

“Sounds fine,” she nodded twice and smiled again just before drown back into her thoughts.

“What do you want to eat?” They were at the supermarket, strolling through the aisles with a trolley in front of them which was being pushed by Chunji. “Korean food, Chinese food, Western food?” he continued since he hadn’t got a proper response.

But Jiyoon chuckled, “Are you really able to cook them all?” Chunji saw her natural smile eventually and that truly calmed him down from his worries on her.

“Of course I can!” he confidently stated. “At least I can google the recipe,” he laughed. The old Jiyoon was there again as she hit his back for the cheesy joke.

“As expected,” she rolled her eyes. Chunji was about to argue, but she already left him to the sweets rack a few meters in front of them. He shook his head, smiling at the childish side of her he loved. He didn’t go after her. He just stood there, putting his weigh forward, leaning on the trolley handle as his gaze was still fixed at her. The supermarket wasn’t that crowded so he could do it leisurely.

To his unknown, he had been daydreaming all along. It’s Jiyoon waving her hand in front of him already, disrupting all the scenes he’s imagining in his head. “Can you cook pasta?” she shot right away, not bothering herself to nag at him as usual.

“Uh? What?” Chunji was still gathering his mind up. “Come again?” he blinked a few times, trying to get connected to her.

Jiyoon hissed from the annoyance, “Can you cook pasta, Lee Chanhee-ssi?”

“Just name it. I’ll make it for you,” replied him coolly without that proud expression of him anymore.

“Sure?” an excited smile grew on Jiyoon’s face. “I suddenly want to eat pasta, homemade one, a delicious one to be exact. I allow no mistakes, Chanhee-ssi. Can you promise me that?” she grinned cutely at him, unconsciously showing aegyo. “Please?” her mood swing was really something that made herself turned unpredictable at all.

Chunji thought it had been quite long after Japan, but he still had his heart thumping faster every time Jiyoon did such thing to him. Lee Chanhee the mega flirt had vanished without any trace for sure. He lightly pinched her nose. “You don’t need to beg on me for anything, honey.”

They finished the groceries—not forgetting some quarrels in between—and went to Chunji’s place right away. Jiyoon had no idea what made her turned bright after the gloom she had had earlier, which made Chunji questioning although it hadn’t ever been spoken out. And her cheerfulness which had been there again made him forgot about it as well.

The good and fun time they had through cooking—for Jiyoon, it was just creating unnecessary mess in his kitchen—made the simple dishes tasted more delicious that evening. But actually to Chunji, it was way more than just a light happiness. Inside him, he had been casting spells for it to last forever, having her in his place all the time and doing house errands together as a couple. Jiyoon, with all her sudden childishness in her in the last few hours, ran towards the couch and the TV after helping him washing dishes.

“Do you want desserts? Cup pudding maybe?” asked Chunji as he approached her with a glass of water in his hand.

Jiyoon was about to reply when suddenly it’s raining heavily outside. She turned her head towards the window to witness the surprising shower pouring down from the sky. She was still in awe since it hadn’t been raining for a long time. Unfortunately it only took it under 10 minutes to turn into a storm as the rain got heavier that she couldn’t see through it anymore. The only thing crossed in her mind was that how she would be able to go back home.

“Will… I be able to go home?” she asked the question slowly, word by word, as she turned back to look at Chunji.

“It’s only 7. Let’s hope it will end anytime soon. Don’t worry too much, okay?” he tried to calm the obviously anxious girl sitting straight up beside him who was laying his back on the couch. “Anyway, what are you worrying about though? I’ll drive you back home. It’s not like you’re going alone by bus.”

Jiyoon puffed her cheek. “Well… I don’t want to bother you to drive me home actually,” she shrugged before plumping her back onto the backrest.

“Like I’d ever be bothered on helping you,” he mindlessly replied while staring at the TV as his thumb was on the remote control, busy flipping through channel. He eventually stopped when he found a nice movie playing on a movie channel. Jiyoon was just staring at the back profile of his head who had been sitting forward since he searched for a nice show, still being left speechless at his insistence somehow. “What?” questioned him when he caught her staring at him without saying anything.

She hastily shook her head for immediate reply, “Nothing.”

Later, it was almost 10 and the storm didn’t seem to be stopping shortly that it got heavier instead. Jiyoon, who was half asleep on the couch beside Chunji who was still up watching some kind of action movie, was awoken by the loudest lightning. She blinked for a few times before having a quick glance at the wall clock hanging above the TV. She desperately sighed.

“Oppa, it’s getting late,” she told Chunji with the weakest voice of her that evening, but she managed to get off the couch to look outside the window. She couldn’t see anything clear other than vague yellow lights flickering, apparently coming from the cars’ hazard lamp which were stopping alongside the street. “The cars couldn’t get through,” she added, still looking outside.

Chunji was looking at her in doubt when she finally turned her body and walked back to the couch. “You can stay a night here if you want to,” told him hesitantly.

Jiyoon was silenced by his offer that she stopped dead on track and stared at him. “Tell your dad that you couldn’t go home. He would understand though,” he continued due to the inexistence of response from her.

“He’s not home. He’s on another work trip again,” informed her without any expression on her face.

“It will be safer to stay. You can use my room while I use the other one. Feel free to lock my room from the inside if you’re suspicious on me,” he tried to convince Jiyoon who was still standing nervously. “Look at the storm outside,” he nodded his head towards the window to show her the storm which already got heavier again. “It’s dangerous.”

Jiyoon stayed silent for a moment before she let out a shaky heavy sigh. “I’ll stay here tonight.”

A/N:

Sorry it took me so long! :(

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