Chapter 4: Blind Date
 

Naeun quickly stepped through the crowded metro and started climbing the stairs up to street level whilst muttering swear words and wishing that they wouldn't be waiting for her.

Eunji would have her head on a platter if she was late.

And Naeun knew better than to cross Eunji.

She was 15 minutes late, Myungsoo thought as he glanced at his Rolex.

Tch.

She was late for a date with Kim Myungsoo! Unbelievable!

Hoya and Eunji were peeking nervously at Myungsoo. It had been 15 minutes passed since they gathered at a popular café infront of the Tuileries, she still wasn't there.

Maybe he got stood up.

Nevertheless Eunji and Hoya were chatting happily, he felt uncomfortable being a third wheel between these two blossoming lovers. He didn't notice a hurried looking Naeun entering the café wearily. Wearing a pale yellow dress and black converse sneakers . Eunji had chosen the outfit beforehand but she ditched the heels for a comfier option.

“I'm soo sorry!”she said as she took a seat next to Eunji.
“The class took longer than expected” she bowed her hair covering her face.

But when he saw those exactly identical tresses and that petite figure, he couldn't help but freeze.

“You” Myungsoo gasped when he saw her clearly. The same lovely features. Same glossy hair.

Same Belle.

“Ah...d-deh we meet again” she stuttered totally caught off guard by the sudden appearance of that handsome stranger.

Ottokhea~ what was he doing here!!!!

“You've met?!” Eunji asked shocked.
“I bumped into him at the flower market yesterday”
“Wow, really? What a coincidence” Hoya grinned like a Cheshire cat.

“It must be fate” Eunji added cheekily.

“Nice to meet you again Hoya-ssi”
Hoya flashed her a smile and she smiled back.

They had met before, when he would drop Eunji at the door she would eavesdrop on the sweet almost-there-but-not-there-yet couple.

“I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. Kim Myungsoo” he started off a bit timidly, making Eunji and Hoya silently laugh at his apparent state.

He was smitten. And they had never seen him so… infatuated.

It was actually kinda creepy.

“I'm Naeun. Pleasure to meet you.” she shyly introduced herself.

“The pleasure is all mine” He didn't know how many times he had faked that one line. He was constantly tasked at charming clients by his brothers.

For once he meant it.

There was a small part of him that had wanted to see her again.
Though he would never admit it out loud.

She sat down and flicked through the menu quickly ordering the famous; and scandalously named L'afrcaine hot chocolate and a sumptuous slice of Mont Blanc.

“Hands. Paint” Eunji whispered to her and slyly slipped her some wet tissues. Now that he noticed it she had paint on her hands. Strange.

“Are you a painter?” Myungsoo asked abruptly

“Depends...are you a photographer?” She quirked an eyebrow at him.

“In his dreams” Hoya snorted, earning a glare from his dongsaeng.

“It's a hobby... ” Myungsoo explained.

“Naeun ah teaches art classes, she has a studio in Montparnese”

“Jinja? What a coincidence, Myungsoo lives there!”

What was this hyung think he was doing? Giving away his personal information so freely, Myungsoo flamed.

“Ah...that explains why you were at the flower market” she nodded whilst wiping her hands.
“She likes flowers… big expensive bouquets that smell nice and litter the apartment” Eunji added and suggestively winked at Myungsoo.

Naeun gave a glare to the elder and mouthed 'stop it'.

“She also likes black” Eunji ignored her and continued to spill everything about Naeun.

“Oh it must be fate! Everything Myungsoo owns is black!” Hoya butted in.

Both Naeun and Myungsoo rolled their eyes at what their friends were not-so-subtly doing.

They wanted the two to click soo quickly like they had known each other for years.
But it was quite hard considering one was a ice cold man and the other a shy shut off kinda girl.

Though Myungsoo was far from repulsed by Naeun.

She was beautiful, yes.
But there are many beautiful girls in the world.

There was something else.

She had that faraway look in her eyes. Something sad and distant that it vexed him.

She looked uncomfortable in the dress that was obviously Eunji's. He secretly wondered if she would look even more stunning in black.

He his lips unconsciously at the thought.

Probably.

The paint smudges on her hand proved a plus point for him. She was a lover of art. The thought of her over an easel, engrossed in her painting with a paintbrush daintily in her hands.

It was somehow a melancholic picture in  his head.

The food arrives and for a moment everyones attention drifted to the delicate cups of hot chocolate to the smooth Chantilly cream on the Mont Blanc and not to mention the delicate patisseries and desserts, all decorated like mini edible works of art.

Naeun gracefully sipped her chaud chocolate and the froth lingered on her lips.

Eunji laughed at her and she nervously it away suddenly self conscious of herself.

She turned to look at Myungsoo who was at the same time looking at her. Their eyes met and they both looked away after a split second.

“So Myungsoo, you're in the same grande ècole as Eunji and Hoya?” Naeun asked, she wanted to get rid of the weird stuffy atmosphere.

“Yes, but I'm majoring in business management” he explained.

She took a small bite of her Mont Blanc and her face lit up in delight. His eyes strayed to her lips unintentionally.

He caught himself in the act and focused back to her laughing eyes.

“He's going to help manage the family business” Eunji began to input but Naeun paid no heed.

“Naturally, he's a Kim” Naeun pointed out bluntly, surprising everyone that she was so straight forward.

“I've met your elder brothers, they're quite charming”

“Are they? They're just overtly annoying to me” Myungsoo scoffed.

“That too” Naeun chuckled remembering Woohyun and Sunggyu who were both the most childish of businessmen she had ever met.

“How do you know my brothers?” he asked, momentarily confused by the conversation.

“I introduced them to her at my 17th birthday” Eunji was covering for her, because Naeun had actually met them at her fathers charity event. But the past was in the past.

“Excuse me I need the ladies room” Naeun dismissed herself when the throbbing on her left skull started.

She stood just outside the toilet and swallowed another pill quickly before washing her hands and spritz in some perfume on herself before she came back to the table.

Eunji squeezed her hand and Naeun squeezed hers back. It was a sign between the two.

It meant she was fine.

For now.

But Myungsoo noticed, the difference.
She looked slightly more tired, her pupils were dilated and it was harder to breath for her. He even felt the urge to ask her. To squeeze her hand like Eunji did. But he restrained himself.

They were only acquaintances.
She didn't know how his family really was.

“Naeun, you teach art?”

She smiled softly before replying with a vague comment.

“I have nothing else to live for”

And he saw the sincerity in her deep brown eyes. She meant her words.

Strangely there was a fluttery effect in his chest because he just knew...

He had to help her find another reason to live. Because she wasn't some girl he met on the street.

Not anymore.

“It’s scary to be a woman on a blind date. For all she knows the man she is meeting up with could be a , a murderer, or, God forbid, a politician.”

                                                                 - Jarod Kintz

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

a/n : yes i know. this is long overdue.