It hasn’t been that long since our “date” but if you count the past 168 hours that he hasn’t called or texted or emailed, it feels like a lifetime ago. It irritates me to no end that he could just leave me hanging like that; like he didn’t just turned my world upside down, topsy turvy, rotating in an axis even the most brilliant scientist has yet to discover. I’m left on my own, with no idea on how to deal with the abrupt change.

I fiddled with my phone, trying so hard not to make it obvious that I’ve been waiting for his call. Or text. Or anything at all which proves that my existence is known to this man. This man who goes by the name of Jung Yonghwa. I slipped a quick glance towards my phone and could feel my nose flare because there’s still nothing. NONE. NADA. ZILCH.

“Maybe he’s down with the flu or something.” I heard Yuri unnie say.

“Or could be a very hectic work schedule. There’s been a lot of accidents and a case of some whatever flu or diarrhea or who the hell cares what the name of that sickness is. Maybe he only has meager time to eat, shower, and catch some sleep.” Yoona unnie called out from the kitchen.

“He could be overseas too. I thought he mentioned to you one time that he has a seminar to attend.” Hyoyeon unnie commented.

“That’s not him. I think it’s your boss.” Sooyoung unnie reminded her.

“Oh yeah. My bad. See? Even this unnie of yours gets confused.” She replied.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure he’s just as desperate and pissed off as you are, not being able to keep in contact and all.” Fany unnie reassured.

I feigned innocence as I cocked my head to one side and said,

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I tried my best to channel my inner actress but I knew right from the expressions on their faces that it’s not good enough. Plus, who am I kidding? And most important of all, why are they making excuses on his behalf? Aren’t they supposed to be on MY side?

The five of them looked at each other, snorted, and burst into boisterous laughter. Meanwhile, I could feel myself gravitating towards the nearest exit, which, unfortunately at this moment, was blocked by Sunny and Taeyeon unnie.

“Yeah, sure you don’t. That’s why you keep checking your phone every five seconds.” Taeyeon unnie said.

“It’s for work. I have an important client to talk to.” I said defensively.

“I thought you said you’re on leave until the twenty-fourth? That’s still eight days away Hyunnie.” Sunny unnie replied.

This unnie and her sharp memory. Remind me again not to consult her about when to file my local leave or so.

“I told you, he’s an important client.” I insisted. I tried to rack my brains for any name just in case they ask. I’ll deal with the consequences of my lie later on. Just not now.

“By “important” she meant the “love of her life.”” Fany unnie cheered.

“And take note. She said “HE.” Oh dear maknae, if you were to cover up your tracks, you should’ve used a different pronoun.” Yuri unnie added.

I tried to ignore their teasing chants but as soon as Sooyoung unnie shouted,

“OMO! Y~ONG OPPA IS CALLING!!! PALLI! ANSWER IT!!!!”

I panicked and hysterically cried that they immediately return my phone. They let me run around the room for approximately thirty seconds before I realized the fact that they most likely were aware of: said phone is safely tucked inside my pocket.

I was breathless, embarrassed, blushing, and at the same time, feeling guilty over being caught lying. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. From the looks on their faces, I must’ve looked like a fish gasping for air or whatever appropriate description you could come up with.

My cheeks were still flamed red as they formed a line, and one by one, they came over to me and patted my shoulder. Sunny unnie was the last one and she gave me that sweet smile any guy would fall for. She leaned closer and whispered,

“Damn right, Hyunnie. That is one heck of an “important” client. Never thought I’d see the day when uri maknae would run around the room crazily just because she was desperate to pick up a phone call.”

She winked at me and flashed her historic aegyo before the rest of them laughed their way out as they left me standing here. Just before I got to enjoy my moment of solitude, I felt my phone vibrating. I didn’t think much as I lazily pulled it out from my pocket. However, as soon as my eyes landed on the caller ID, this stupid smile automatically decorated my face.

Well, well. Speaking of the culprit. He ignored me for a week. I think it’s about time for some payback. I swiped my finger across the screen to reject his call as I made my way outside and decided that I needed to breathe some fresh air. Perhaps then, my mind would be cleared of thoughts of Jung Yonghwa.

“Fancy seeing you here, Engineer Seo. Never took you as one who’d hang out in this place.”

My eyes snapped open as soon as I heard his voice. I took out my earphones, calmed myself, before finally looking back to face him. I turned my head, thinking that there’s still at least a meter-long distance between us, only to be greeted by his handsome smiling face in extremely close proximity. Just one move and we might actually kiss. So help me God.

I felt myself gulp, but I’m not one to back out from a challenging stare. If seduction is a crime, I’d immediately have this Nurse Jung arrested. How dare he, make me fall for him even more, with just a simple look? That gaze he’s giving me. How can I resist? He’s way too close for comfort.

I felt myself swallow again, beads of sweat starting to form, as I looked at his eyes, then his lips, and back to his eyes again.  Add in that perfectly sculpted nose. This deadly trio of eyes, nose, lips. Cue in that Taeyang song in the background, except, make it a sappier, happy fluffy version. Somebody help me. Please.

He arched his eyebrow and for some unknown reason, my neurons decided that it was time to regroup and save me from this proliferating insanity.

“It’s a free country.” I snapped.

“That it is, but this…” he said as he extended his arms to introduce the area. I roamed my eyes and realized why he made such a comment in the first place.

“…is the hospital where I work at. This is my zone. Last time I checked, you’re not sick or in need of immediate medical attention. So, pardon my rudeness, but I do believe that the only reason why you’re here is because you miss me.” he grinned as he took a seat right next to me.

I huffed and turned my head the other way. How could I not have noticed that this is the park nearby the hospital he works at? How could I be so obsessed with trying to keep him out of my head only for me to bring myself right here? In the exact same place where he’s at?

“And please do excuse my frank personality but how would you know whether I am in need of medical care or not if you haven’t called, texted, emailed, or made your existence known to me for the past seven days, 168 hours, 10,080 minutes, and 604,800 seconds? Not that I’m counting. Nope. Wasn’t counting…” I trailed off. I cursed myself for letting that slip.

He let out that laugh of his and I swear I think I heard bells ringing and that heavenly stuff I could only read about in books. Oh my. I really got it bad for this guy and it hasn’t been that long since we met. I am so screwed. I felt his arm rest on my shoulder and his hand try to turn my head to face him. Of course I’m stubborn, so I wouldn’t budge. And of course he’s stronger, so I lost. Once again, I am hypnotized by his eyes. His beautiful, beautiful brown eyes.

“You see, one of the reasons I stuck with Nursing is because there’s so little of math, and even if there was, the calculator is my salvation. Not really a fan of numbers…so uh, well. Just so you know my dear Engineer Seo. I really did miss you. If you ask me how much, I’d say, every second of every minute of every hour of every day since the last time I saw you. Which was…”  he trailed off as he looked up and pretended to count using his fingers. He turned his gaze back to me and smiled lazily as he said,

“Seven days, 168 hours, 10,080 minutes, and 604,800 seconds ago. Not that I’m counting. Nope, not counting.”

I didn’t miss the emphasis he put on the “p.” And then he winked at me like it was some inside joke. Before I could think of how to react, he looked at me with that heart-melting gaze of his as he said,

“Tu me manques.”

This was the moment I wished I took up French instead of Mandarin once upon a time in college as my elective foreign language course. I didn’t have a clue of what he just said and that probably translated onto my face because he smiled that kind of smile which he always does before getting into an in-depth explanation.

“In French, you don’t really say, “I miss you.” You say, “tu me manques,” which is closer to “you are missing from me.” From the moment I first learned about that, I knew I just have to wait for the right time and right person I could say it too.

Tu me manques, Hy~un. You are missing from me. You are a part of me, you are essential to my being. You are like a limb, or an organ, or blood. I cannot function without you. It’s a miracle I was able to during the previous seven days, 168 hours, 10,080 minutes, and 604,800 seconds we weren’t able to see each other. Not that I