When Siwon and Yuri got inside the restaurant, many eyes looked their way.  It was a place of rich and beautiful people yet a sight of a beautiful couple whose faces are everywhere you go is always a curious sight for them.  Siwon is a known member of their society but Yuri, even though she belonged, felt like a stranger.  Straying away from her family’s shadow made her a commoner from the eyes of these people.  Yuri’s grip on Siwon’s arm automatically tightened.

                “There’s no need to be nervous,” Siwon whispered.  “You work harder than most of the women here, making them dependent from their family’s wealth.  You’re above than most of them.”

                “Thanks.”  She might have looked more composed but she still hasn’t shaken that strange feeling of being an outcast.

                Siwon hasn’t felt Yuri’s grip loosened yet he noticed the change in her expression.  Her face turned complacent and confident from an unsure one just moments ago.  He finally understood why Yuri has been cold to people all along.  She has built a wall of defense against people so they wouldn’t see her inner turmoil.

                The receptionist greeted them.  Having been a patron of the restaurant, Siwon didn’t need to tell him his reservation, the receptionist just knew.  “We only have one reservation for Choi Siwon,” the receptionist said. 

                “Ah, we came for different reservations,” Siwon immediately cleared.  He looked at Yuri questioningly, trying to ask her discreetly about her reservation.

                “I came under the reservation of Jung Hye Young, Kwon Yuri,” she said confidently.  The receptionist’s eyes lighted up when he saw the names mentioned.

                When the receptionist was about to call someone to them, Siwon stopped him.  “Just tell me and I’ll take her,” he offered.

                “Siwon, there’s—“ Yuri wanted to refuse.  She didn’t want to keep him and she didn’t want to give the Jungs the wrong idea about her and Siwon.

                “It’s okay, Yuri.  It’s been nice being with you.  It would be a shame to let it end soon.”  Yuri blushed.  Why does Siwon keep saying the right words?

                As they walked towards her table, more people seemed to look at them with interest.  Unfortunately, the Jung Hye Young chose the farthest corner, perhaps for privacy.

                “I didn’t know you were associated with Jung Joon Ho’s family.”  It was a curious statement.  She knew since Jung Joon Ho, Hye Young’s husband, is one the most powerful businessman in Korea.

                “If you only know me, Siwon,” Yuri thought.

                “I am more associated with Jung Hye Young.  She was my mother’s best friend in high school until now.  She just wants to see me from time to time so she could report it back to my mother.  I don’t see Jung Joon Ho that much since he is too busy.  It’s one of the bad things about rich fathers, they’re too busy to understand their children.”

                Siwon glanced at the woman walking beside him.  There was no hint of anything on her beautiful face but confidence that she has put up not a few minutes ago yet he was sure that he heard bitterness when she said the last bit of information.  Kwon Yuri is full of surprises, secrets and mysteries.

                “Kwon Yuri!” exclaimed a beautiful woman when they got to their table.  The woman hastily stood up to give her a kiss.

                “Aunt Hye!” Yuri smiled and let go of Siwon’s arm to meet the woman.

                “And Choi Siwon,” Hye Young eyed Yuri questioningly.

                “Good evening, Mrs. Jung,” Siwon, the gentleman, greeted.  “I just escorted Yuri to your table.  Yuri, I’ll go now.” 

                After Yuri said her thanks, Siwon already left, the two women already seated.  Yuri’s eyes strayed to the still empty seats.

                “So you and Choi Siwon…” Hye Young suggestively started.

                “Oh no, Aunt Hye.  We’re just coworkers, we don’t even talk that much.”  Yuri was wondering they’re still the only ones were there.  “Where’s—“

                “Yuri!”  Yuri looked up to see the face she has long to see.  “Long time no see.”

                “Yu-Yu-Yunho oppa!”  It took all of Yuri’s willpower to keep seated and to keep her from running towards Yunho.

                “What took you so long, Yunho?”  Hye Young demanded.

                “Father introduced me to one of his investors,” he said nonchalantly.  “He said that he couldn’t make it tonight and vowed to make it up to you later whatever he meant.  A meeting came up.”

                “Aish, he’s always like that,” Hye Young mumbled.  Yuri just smiled.  Hye Young is just like her mother. 

                They both married busy men.  They would always whine about how they don’t have time for their wives yet they still understand them and give all their love without any hesitation.

                “Wow, Yuri, is that really you?  I didn’t recognize you when you were walking with your boyfriend.  You two were busy whispering to each other,” Yunho said. “I looked fine from your back.”

                “Oh,” Yuri was disappointed.  Yunho’s last words were lost on her.  Yunho didn’t seem upset for thinking that she has a boyfriend already.

                Yunho looked at Yuri.  He was waiting for her to deny what he said but she didn’t.  “And I thought you’re more beautiful that we’re face to face,” he mumbled. 

                Hye Young heard what his son have muttered and just smiled.  It is amusing to see his grown up son act like a kid in front of Yuri.  “He doesn’t change.”

                “Choi Siwon is Yuri’s coworker who graciously escorted her to our table.  Isn’t he a charmer?”  Somehow Hye Young felt that she has to put some things in her hands.

                “Oh?  A coworker?”  Yunho brow arched, looking like the most adorable confused guy.

                “Ah, yes.”  Yuri smiled.  She doesn’t want the subject to linger on Siwon much longer because it is making her uncomfortable.  “How have you been, oppa?”

                He sighed.  “I’m finally done studying,” he said while looking at his mother.  Hye Young just ignored her son.

                “He’s managing the company soon, Yuri.”  Hye Young’s face is full of adoration and pride to her son.

                “I’ve just been home for several hours and all they’re thinking is to dump me with a lot of work already.  This is the love I get as an only child from my parents, Yuri.”  Yunho winked at her.

                Yuri’s heart almost stopped beating.  It has been years that they have not seen each other but she still feels the same whenever he’s around.  “If only Yunho knows…”

                “So brat, I heard you’re a celebrity now,” Yunho said.

                “She is a member of this SNSD and they’re really popular now,” Hye Young said excitedly.

                “Wow!  I never thought you could be an entertainer.  I thought you were just my fan back then, when I was always performing in school.  You loved doing the moves that I was doing.”

                They laughed.  “I wasn’t your fan!”

                “Yes, you were.  I never thought that you’d be this big.  I’m so proud of you,” Yunho said.

                Yuri blushed.  “We’re not that big.”

                “I’ve seen posters of these leggy women called SNSD at the airport.  Everybody seemed to know about you so don’t tell that you’re not.”

                Yunho volunteered to take Yuri home while his mother was driven home by her personal driver.  Everything went fine.  Yunho told Yuri how hard it was to be away from home at first.  He would always miss everyone in Korea while he was in the US to follow his father’s wish to finish his studies there.

                “After a while that you didn’t even bother to call me, I thought that you didn’t want me to be your friend anymore.  I was disappointed at first because you were like a little sister to me.”

                Yuri just kept quiet.  A little sister, that was what she was all to Yunho.  She wanted to cry.  After all the years of waiting for him, she just ended up being hurt without even letting Yunho know what she feels.

                “Then mother told me that you left home to train to be an entertainer.  She said that your father was so outraged at what you did.  Aunt Boa would cry to mother at first not knowing what to do.  You wouldn’t talk to your father and your father was also as stubborn as you.”

                “I gave them much to worry about, didn’t I?”  She smiled bitterly, forgetting the heartache that almost swallowed her right then.  Her family is enough to wane that much of pain.  “Father didn’t want me to be an entertainer.  He was outraged that he even warned Ji Young not to talk to me.  Ji Young was the only one I could talk to when you left.  He gave him a big responsibility in the company so my cousin couldn’t help me.  When I confronted him what he really wanted me to do since I couldn’t manage the company by myself someday, he said that I should find a suitable partner to do that for me.  I was so angry that I left home and joined SME.  Mother, the complete loyalist of my father, couldn’t do anything about it.  She would meet me secretly and tried to give me anything but I refused.  There are times that she would beg me to come back and mend things with my father but I didn’t.  I wanted to prove father that I could do it.”  There was silence.  She could only talk to Ji Young about these things because she is keeping her identity from the SNSD.

                “That was admirable, Yuri, standing up to your father and following your dreams.  I know that you have been really successful.  Hell, I even heard about you in US.”

                Yuri beamed.  At least Yunho knew how far she has gotten.

                “But aren’t you a bit overworked?”  Yunho asked.

                “I—“ Yuri never thought that much.  She was just always driven to do anything their manager would tell them to do.  There might be times that they could barely talk after a day’s work because of exhaustion but she didn’t mind it.  “I never see it that way.  The agency gives us much support as they could.”