“Oh…” Chae Yoon started with an awkward laugh. “I should be going. I just finished dinner with a friend.”

Namjoo peered over Chae Yoon’s shoulder to see a man waiting for her by the front doors.

“See you later?” Chae Yoon asked before slightly glancing over at Luhan, but Namjoo didn’t catch the movement of her eyes.

“Sure,” Namjoo smiled.

“=====”

The gloss in her eyes was still the same. That face had remained unchanged. Those perky lips and that pretty nose were as when she’d left.

Chae Yoon… that had been his Chae Yoon.

Luhan felt her perfume breeze past when she brushed by and his heart sunk as well as raced. He’d last expected to run into her like this…why had it been like this?

The longer he sat there stupefied the more he didn’t know what was rushing through his mind.

“What’s wrong?” Namjoo asked oblivious to it all. “You still want the steak?”

He was too lost in thought to really care about what they were doing at the restaurant anymore. The only thing replaying in his head was those eyes meeting his. The spark in her eyes told it all. Chae Yoon was as surprised as he was to see him that as he was her.

Did she hurt? Was she jealous?

“Are you on a date?”

“Are you on a date?”

“Are you on a date?”

“Are you on a date?”

Was she jealous? Luhan really hoped that Chae Yoon was damned jealous. A part of her better hurt that he was here sitting with another woman other than her. He wanted her to hurt so bad that it felt like daggers were striking into her chest at every moment, every second. He wanted her to be so angry that it felt like her blood was boiling and racing to her head uncontrollably.

As Luhan stared down at the plate of steak minutes later he wondered why he wasn’t feeling heartsick over seeing Chae Yoon. It felt like that slab of meat he was staring at was his own heart foreign to him. It was unfamiliar and dysfunctional. The feelings swarming through him weren’t what he’d been expecting.

Luhan thought that the second he saw Chae Yoon again he’d get on his knees and beg her to take him back. He’d grab hold of her and not let go. He’d show his tears hoping for her pity. He’d show her the cut on his wrist to let her know how miserable he’d been.

Despite it all, he didn’t feel anything.

He was merely upset.

Was it the man with her that he assumed was the one she’d left him for? Was it the cheeriness in her voice when she spoke with Namjoo? Was it because she looked happy even without him beside her?

What was it?

“Did you not like the steak?” Namjoo asked on their way out. “Or did it not sit well in your stomach? You not feeling well?”

“I’m leaving,” he muttered not in the mood for her interrogation.

“Alright then,” Namjoo gave in. “I’m not going to have time for you this weekend, so you’re on your own.”

As Namjoo started toward the lot Luhan turned, “That friend of yours…”

“Who?” Namjoo stopped to look at him. “Ah…Chae Yoon? What about her?”

“That man with her,” Luhan began, “is she seeing him?”

“Why?” Namjoo asked instead of answering. “Are you interested in her?”

“No,” he denied turning away.

Pulling on a firm smile Namjoo switched the topic, “I found a cookbook our kitchen maid wrote for me when I was a kid. I think that might be easier for you to use. Do you want it?”

He didn’t know whether he should be annoyed or not since he’d started this first. If he hadn’t been clingy in the first place Namjoo wouldn’t have bothered to making him meals and teaching him how to set the table. What had really brought him to this; he still couldn’t quite sort it out.

“What’s so important about it anyway?”

Luhan had to admit that he’d sounded rude, but Namjoo didn’t look taken aback. That firm smile on her face ran as a broader line on her face as she spoke on. Seeing it made him question why she remained so patient with him and his uselessness. She was like his mother in so many different ways.

If Namjoo had a temper, how would she express it? Through words or action?

“Homemade food is the healthiest food there is, don’t you know?” Namjoo asked. “Eating out all the time isn’t healthy, plus you can’t guarantee the food elsewhere is as fresh as the ones at home.”

Why did she even look happy speaking it?

“Or is it that you don’t like homemade food?”

He felt her look straight at him, but couldn’t raise his eyes up.

“Fine,” he replied, “where is it?”

“My house. Should I just drop it off later?”

“I’ll go there.”

Namjoo raised her brow confused.

“My stomach’s acting up, you have medicine, right?” He asked.

Namjoo’s flat compared to his apartment building was in better condition. It was fresh to the eyes and he could tell was of luxury. A month’s rent would probably cost him two of his paychecks in one go.

The building molted together by steel and cement made it look very modern. It wasn’t just the building that was fresh, but the surroundings as well. The lot was spacious and blocked the noise of traffic from erupting through the building. There was even a tiny playground around back for the children to play. Wild green trees provided shade by a bench if ever anyone wanted to picnic outside.

Going there made him feel small. It was then that he suddenly realized he didn’t know anything about Namjoo. Even if her salary was enough to pay her stay he didn’t know what kind of family she’d stemmed from and who she’d grown up with; whether her parents were still together or not and if she had any problems at all. Had it been a lack of curiosity about her or because he’d feigned ignorance to her over his problems?

“Come in,” Namjoo invited after punching in a code to unlock her door.

Amazed by it Luhan stared at the little keypad glowing with a blue light before following her in. And he was right. Namjoo’s place was definitely of luxury.

Her floorboards were shiny and the overhead lights weren’t just simply lights. They were bulbs shining through little holes in the ceiling. Even Namjoo’s TV was huge. The kitchen was twice the size of his. Unlike the cramped space he jammed everything into; Namjoo had organized her foods in an orderly manner. Her place was even big enough to consist of a short hallway that probably led to her bedroom and the bathroom.

Namjoo, compared to him, was really well off.

As he browsed around he could hear Namjoo searching through her cupboards in the background. A second later she approached him with a cup of water and some pills.

“These should help,” Namjoo told. “Wait here a sec.”

Luhan glanced down at the pills and the glass of water she’d just handed him before looking around again. Namjoo’s footsteps faded away and when he heard her heading toward him again he quickly gulped the pill and took a sip of water before she neared. There was a little paper book bounded together by thin strings in her hand.

“Do you want a napkin?” She asked and he suddenly realized there was water streaking down his chin.

Wiping it with his sleeve he asked, “What’s that?”

“The cookbook I told you about,” Namjoo reminded. “Were you listening earlier?”

Quickly thinking back to their earlier conversation in front of the restaurant he suddenly recalled her saying something about a kitchen maid. Kitchen maid…didn’t they only exist for wealthy families?

A wealthy family…

Luhan felt his eyes suddenly scan Namjoo as if he was really seeing her for the first time.

“Take it,” Namjoo placed it into his hand and grabbed the cup of water from him.

Oblivious to his shock that he’d actually met someone whose standards he’d never meet she walked away.

“When do you return to work?” Namjoo asked appearing a moment later.

“Oh…M…Monday,” he answered. “Then…I’ll go now.”

She nodded before turning upon the ringing of the doorbell. Suddenly engrossed in the fact that he was a nobody beside a somebody he started toward the door. Upon opening it he heard a surprised shout on the other end and immediately recognized Chae Yoon. They, again, stared at each other surprised.

“You’re here?” He heard Namjoo call out from behind.

“Oh…yes,” Chae Yoon replied before glancing back up at him.

Shortly after her eyes landed on the little cookbook in his hand and feeling wary tucked it behind his back. Pushing the door even wider he stepped passed her and headed down the hall.

When he got into his car he wondered why there wasn’t even a hint of him in her eyes. She should be begging him, he thought.

Chewing his lower lip he tossed the cookbook into the passenger’s seat before driving off.

“=====”

What a small world, Chae Yoon thought. How ever did Namjoo meet Luhan without her introducing them? How had that happened?

The sight of Namjoo sitting at a dinner table with Luhan was too groggy for her mind. To be honest, she felt discontempt with the view. She should be sitting with Luhan…no one else, but she.

“You’re early,” Namjoo greeted walking over to the couch to sit down.

Chae Yoon stared at innocent Namjoo before joining her.

Best friend Namjoo came from a rich family. Her mother was an heiress of a manufacturing company and Namjoo, as Chae Yoon learned, was to inherit a large amount of money if her mother ever passed away. Namjoo had had it well, she lived well, and she was even happy without all the little mistakes in her life. Namjoo had a clean plate compared to her.

“Who was that?” Chae Yoon asked feigning innocence.

“Ahh…you met him at the restaurant,” Namjoo answered.

“Oh…Luhan.”

Namjoo nodded.

“Are you two really close?” Chae Yoon purposely questioned, wanting to know whether he’d been over before and to what extent their relationship had gone.

“No,” Namjoo shook her head. “He just came over for the cookbook I had.”

“Cookbook?” Chae Yoon narrowed her eyes

“Oh yea…I’m teaching him how to cook.”

Chae Yoon felt a small string snap within her. Of all the things she couldn’t do that rich Namjoo could was cook. Shoving that mental thought aside she tried smiling before going on.

“How’d you meet him?”

Namjoo frowned at first, “What’s with the questions?”

Would Namjoo catch on?

“Well you know, I should at least know what kind of guys my friend is hanging out with. I have to screen them for your safety.”

Namjoo smiled in a way that said she was being silly before innocently answering, “We just…met.” Her eyes travelled down to the floor as she went on, “He was in the hospital, but left without getting discharged so I had to go see him. That’s all.”

“Hospital?” Chae Yoon felt her eyes go wide.

Namjoo nodded.

“Why?” She pressed on.

Without thinking it strange for the many questions Namjoo went on, “He slit his wrist. You know, when people do that they’re suicidal. And…since he says I’m like his mother I want to stay around a little until he’s stable. He’s a really nice guy.”

There was a split second pause before Namjoo said, “I think you’ll like him if you got to know him.”

Chae Yoon felt a million thoughts rushed through her minds before flatly commenting, “You think.”

To that Namjoo nodded heavily.

“Do you like him?” Chae Yoon blurted the question she most wanted to know at the start, because never in her world would she let anyone have Luhan now that she most wanted him back. She wouldn’t go easy on anyone even if it was her own friend.

“What?” Namjoo asked surprised by the question. “If I’m like his mother, how could I like him?”

“Right?” Chae Yoon asked. Playing innocent again she asked, “But don’t guys go for girls who remind them of their mothers? It goes for girls too.”

“No way,” Namjoo denied and to that Chae Yoon was definitely sure that her blunt friend had no romantic connection with her ex.

If it was like that she didn’t have to worry about a thing. Kid Namjoo didn’t know a thing about love. She was as harmless as a rabbit.

Now though, now that she’d met Luhan again she just had to find some way to get in touch with him. Chae Yoon was confident that Luhan didn’t hate her. The look in his eyes when they first saw each other at the restaurant confirmed her esteem. Luhan had missed her in the way his eyes had broadened. She knew he’d missed her as much as she did him.

“=====”

Pulling his drawer open he stared at the picture of him and Chae Yoon he’d ripped up. On his left was Chae Yoon and the right him, separated by a tear in the middle. The picture was like a remnant of his heart, cracked and he didn’t want to put it back together.

It was strange. Luhan had never expected this cloud of confusion to combust over him. After seeing Chae Yoon he didn’t feel like crying any longer. He wasn’t as desperate as he thought he’d be. He didn’t understand why he was like this. He was definitely sure he wanted to talk to her again, but all that was building up inside him was…resentment.

Luhan didn’t get it.

Why?

***We know about Luhan, but we don't know anything about Namjoo. Let her tale begin! Story's been slow, but I'll pick up the pace from here :)