Smiling like an idiot he said, "Wait here, ok?" 

Turning around he dashed off into the bathroom with his heart deliriously shaking.

When he stepped out Namjoo was glancing through the dishes he'd made last night.

"You sure overdid it," Namjoo commented when he walked into the kitchen. 

"I wanted to have a good meal." He explained. "After all that traveling, home food is the best."

"They're edible, right?" 

"You want to eat them?" Luhan asked, surprised. "We could just whip something up for breakfast." 

"No, lets just reheat these and eat them," Namjoo shook her head, her eyes still on the dishes. "I want to eat these." 

It felt as if a bright sunshine had entered his apartment. Everything suddenly seemed brighter. 

"Ok," he replied; his heart jolting inside. 

As they waited for the food to heat up in the microwave Luhan felt his eyes run over her. It was then that he realized she hadn't changed from the clothes she'd been in yesterday. Namjoo didn't seem to have noticed. 

"But...where were you yesterday?" Luhan wondered curiously. 

Something peaceful fell from Namjoo's expression, he couldn’t describe it. When she turned to him she only smiled again. 

"I was with Ki Chan," Namjoo replied. 

Ki...Chan?

"I'm sorry I couldn't come yesterday," she apologized. 

Why had she been with him when she had told him she'd gone to Chae Yoon's? And why...hadn't she answered his call or gone home to change before coming over? Exactly what had she done with that person? 

"Were you there the whole night?" Luhan pondered. 

"Yea," Namjoo's eyes sat on the microwave timer, counting down each second till she could touch the warm food. 

Luhan felt uneasy. 

"Do you like him?" He asked without much thought, but felt like he should know.

Anyway, Chae Yoon had said Ki Chan liked Namjoo. If that was able to charm Namjoo...did he stand a chance against the doctor? 

Namjoo turned to look at him and slightly laughed, "He's just a good friend of mine." 

How good of a friend was he? Luhan really wanted to know. 

"It's done!" Namjoo reached over to open the microwave and pulled the plate out. "It smells good." 

Luhan watched Namjoo sit down, in the scent of the food with her nose and let out a satisfied breath. 

"What are you doing? You're not going to eat with me?" Namjoo asked. 

Catching himself he quickly sat down. Grabbing his utensils he shyly glanced up at her so as not to be caught. 

"Namjoo," he called, "do you work today?" 

"Today's still vacation day for me," Namjoo replied. "Isn't it for you too?" 

Smiling, he nodded, "Do you want to do something after this?" 

"Like what?" 

He shrugged and felt slightly shy to suggest it, but pushed himself to, "Maybe...take a walk?" 

"That sounds like a good idea," she commented."I want some coffee too."

"We can get that on the way."

And they did just that  Luhan couldn't recall taking any kind of walk underneath the sun since his dark days. The fact that he wasn't doing it alone was even better. Being with Namjoo made him think of happy things. He hadn't realized it until recently. Her positive energy was rubbing off onto him. Maybe that was why he was becoming even more attached to her. Namjoo was twisting his world around in a good way. 

"I haven't been outside like this for a while," Namjoo told, swaying from side to side against the oncoming breeze. He watched her stir her cup of iced coffee with her straw, "It tastes good." 

"You must spend your time outside a lot." 

"I love the outdoors!" Namjoo stated a bid loudly. "I used to walk around after school all the time. I bet you're the kind to spend his days indoors."

"No, I went out too!" 

Namjoo laughed in disbelief and hit him with her shoulder, "Right."      
       
Without waiting for him she skipped off ahead. 

"Hey!" He shouted running after her.  

They walked around for a while until they arrived at a recreational area near a jogging trail. A line of grass and thin trees grew along the middle of the sandy walk behind an abundant yard of grass. There were families out with young children sitting on the grass enjoying the sun. Others were catching flying frisbees or walking along the jogging trail for their daily exercise.

Children were shrieking and screaming ahead of them. Luhan slightly moved back surprised when water shot out from the holes on the ground and laughed when the children ran around the area sheeted with a silver type of metal. 

"That looks fun," he commented in awe. "Want to go?" 

"No," Namjoo shook her head, "it's for kids." 

"Says who?" he asked. Grabbing her hand he pulled her forward, "Come on." 

"Luhan, no!" He felt her struggle against him. 

They made it into the fountain just as the water leapt up from the ground and screaming Namjoo jolted away. He laughed and reached out to touch the water as if he'd never touched it before while Namjoo watched him with a laughing smile. 

Walking out of the platform he whined, "Namjoo!"

"Don't touch me," Namjoo backed up when he quickened his pace after her. 

"It's fun! Come on!" Luhan shouted and listened to her scream as she tried to run from him. 

Finally managing to grab her arm he pulled her along with him and when they neared the fountain Namjoo attempted to run again. Linking an arm around her waist he pulled her onto the silver grounding and listened to her scream as the water splashed them. Letting her go he stepped off the fountain to see her dripping wet and laughed. 

He was having fun, so much fun.

Stepping out of the fountain Namjoo started toward him, grabbed his arm, and fought to pull him back in. Without fighting he allowed her to drag him and for a while chased each other around like kids, trying to splash water uselessly at each other. And as they played he listened to her free cheerful laughs and screams. The way her eyes turned into moons made him smile even broader like a child. As they pushed and pulled at one another he suddenly forgot about how his heart raced for her. The only one thing he was conscious of was that they were here together.  

Laughter choked him up when Namjoo laughed up into his face joyfully; her hands clutching onto his arm and his shirt. If time could still while he held her like this he didn't think he wanted anything more. 

When they finally left the fountain he listened to the water drip out from their clothes as they tried to dry up. 

"We should have brought some towels or something," Namjoo muttered staring at the others walking in and out of the bathroom all changed into dry clothes. 

One glance at Namjoo and he could tell that she immediately wanted to switch out of her wet clothes.                             

"Should we head back?" He asked. 

"Like this?" Namjoo turned to him. 

"Well how else? You want to walk ?" 

He received a hit from Namjoo in reply. 

Light heartedly smiling he suggested, "I'll let you borrow some of my clothes again. And you should eat something before you go home." 

They made it back to his apartment faster than when they'd left. While Namjoo changed he searched through his fridge for something simple took cook, but at hearing the door open he turned to see her step out. His clothes were slightly big on her as when she'd first worn them that night after the wedding, but there was something about it that he liked. Even though his clothes obviously weren't a perfect fit for her as women's clothing, Namjoo looked homey, like she belonged there. The thought of her wearing his clothes made him feel particularly special. 

"What?" She asked upon his stare. "It looks funny, right?" 

"You are a bit short," he commented and turned away.

Namjoo made a face and retorted as she stomped over, "Your clothes are ugly anyway." 

The corner of his lips drew themselves up at her comment. If she weren't here with him right now, he would have just wasted a day away moping around. There would be no importance of a good dinner and his place would have been...so quiet.  

A simple person like Namjoo changed it all in just a few days when it had taken him years to will himself to change lifestyle. Even Chae Yoon hadn't made such a significant impact on his life, because with her he'd been the one to do everything. Namjoo was different. She took to doing things for him and in return encouraged him to do things for himself. 

If Namjoo would just ask him to do something, anything for her; he would.

"What are you looking at?" Namjoo grabbed the fridge door from him.  

Luhan barely fell down before suddenly straightening up and hit the bottom of the freezer door on his way up. Clutching his head he let out a painful shout. 

"Are you ok?"

He shot her a glance with his face scrunched up in pain and rubbing it walked away. 

"That's why you should've been more careful," Namjoo told as if blaming him. 

"You shouldn't have grabbed the door like that," he complained and listened to Namjoo snort at him from behind. With no desire to turn the evening bad he turned his head to ask, "What do you want to eat?" 

"Spaghetti."

"Spaghetti?" He repeated as if she'd just requested something absurd. 

"Why? Then did you want something else?"  

"No, lets eat that then but I can't be sure I have all the ingredients," he told. 

"Then you can go out and buy them," Namjoo suggested. 

"Me?!"

"I'm not going out like this," Namjoo shook her head and pulled at his shirt she was wearing.

Making a face to withhold from complaining he nodded and hoped that he had all they needed to make spaghetti. They took to searching his cupboards for a while until he was sent out to buy some tomato sauce and an extra package of noodles. As he walked down the aisle in the store he muttered to himself how it was funny that this was all Namjoo was asking of him.  

When he returned Namjoo was already cooking the meat inside a tall pot. There was another one beside her filled with water.

"Put the noodles in," Namjoo ordered.

And doing as told he poured the entire box inside roughly only to have water plop out, splattering on the stove and the counter. Letting out a shout Namjoo side stepped away from it. 

"What the heck?!" She scolded. "You're going to burn someone like that." 

"You told me to just pour it in." He reminded. 

"Do it carefully with your hands." Namjoo sounded a bit angry. 

"What if I burn my hands?" He naively questioned. 

Heaving a sigh she said, "You won't, you're not sticking your hands in the water."

"Ok, sorry," Luhan muttered. 

Searching for a dry rag he turned around and reached out to wipe the water off the stove and his counter. The movement of his hand slowed and he felt the cloth melt into his palm when he felt Namjoo's hair brushing his face. Her back partially met with his chest and he felt his heart stutter and trip against his rib cage. Slightly turning his head so that his lower chin could touch her head he gulped, wondering if Namjoo could feel the rushing pace of his heart. 

Namjoo's hand that had been busily stirring the meat slowed upon noticing him. Raising his free hand he lightly wrapped it around Namjoo and clutched onto the oven handle, locking her in his arms. The food could burn and he wouldn't mind. He didn't think filling his stomach up right now mattered, because when...when could he, as a friend, hug her like this when she wasn't crying?

Her hair touched his jawline again when she turned as if to allow her eyes to stray from his. For a few long seconds he listened to the meat sizzle and the water boil. If she turned around to look into his face as she had at the water fountain, he'd really hold her tight. As if it weren't meant to happen just yet, the ringing of Namjoo's phone surprised them and she immediately pushed out of his arms to answer it.  

While he stood there disappointed he turned to watch her answer the phone. Namjoo had quickly turned her back to him and worrying whether he'd made her uncomfortable turned to the food on the stove.  

The phone call didn't last long and Namjoo quickly returned to the kitchen where she immediately set to opening the can of tomato sauce. She suddenly looked busy as if she didn't want to pay attention to him. On the other hand, he very much wanted some attention.  

"Who called?" He asked.  

"Aunt Jin." Namjoo replied without looking at him and dumped the sauce into the pan. "Can you stir that a bit?"  

Complying, he did as told while she turned her attention to the noodles slowly turning soft. The way she set her eyes steadily on the boiling water told him she didn't really want to talk, but he very much wanted to talk. Although he majorly worried over making her uncomfortable he felt like it didn't matter, because he'd liked it. The way his heart raced was thrilling.  

"Why did she call?" He questioned without holding back.  

For a long minute of silence Namjoo just lazily stared at into the boiling water, "To go home."  

And he suddenly recalled how she'd been angry and upset; how she'd run off to her dead father to get away from everyone. Luhan suddenly remembered how Namjoo had felt repressed by all the lies given to her. From her mother about her father and Kai about always being there for her. 

Namjoo had always felt suffocated because they all wanted her to understand them as she'd been doing all along. And he too, wasn't allowing her any air. He was guilty as well. 

"You haven't gone home?" He asked.  

"I always wanted to be like Kai. Even though my mom isn't his mom, he always obeyed her and fulfilled everything they asked of him. He was always doing everything to make everyone happy; to keep our family at peace, proud. I wanted to be like him, big; tall; and with a big heart," Namjoo said. "But I realized, it's a farfetched dream. No, I can't be like him. There will always be something that's wrong. Like how I'm not close with my sisters and how I find it difficult to be around mom. That's why I like independency. You're just responsible for yourself."  

Namjoo finally turned to look at him suddenly flashing him her usual smile.

"I'm going to the bathroom."  

When the door closed Luhan's eyes landed on the ground. He hated how Namjoo knew all about his problems and how she was capable with helping him, but he couldn't do the same.

***Namjoo's upset, but she doesn't show it she's just penting everything up inside. Luhan's feelings are getting the best of him and Namjoo's in denial with falling for her friend

***Just a few more good memories between Namjoo and Luhan before she finds out about Chae Yoon.