“That was so lovely, I enjoyed, thank you,” Min Ah shyly whispered as they stand on the door of her apartment.

“That’s nice to hear, so, next time? If we have the time?” he looked at her.

She gave a shy nod. There was silence and before he knew she tiptoed on him and planted a soft kiss on his cheek before she went inside her door and closed it in a rush.

He was momentarily shocked form the gesture. With a smile, he slips his hands on his pockets and moved to get home.

After a few feet away, he stops and turns to his left, looking on a dark alleyway.

“I know you are there,” he looked at the dark space beside him and true to his instincts a figure materializes.

“Are you stalking me?” a playful smile appeared on his lips.

It was contagious and before she knew, she is already smiling back.

“I actually live on the next block ahead,” Hyoyeon replied, “I saw the two of you so I hid in here, hoping I would not disturb you. But then, I underestimated you again,” she added.

“Still up for a drink?” he offered.

“I hope your date doesn’t mind,” she replied and headed on with him.

**********

“You are jobless right now?” she asked, feeling the wind blow over them on the open tent as they enjoy their drinks.

“Yeah, but not totally unemployed. Mrs. Wu still had me tied on her son,” he replied.

“Mrs. Wu?” she looked at him.

“Kris’s mother, not Sooyoung noona,” he smiled as he fills his glass.

“How about you?” he asked her after a beat.

“I am working with my brother,” she replied.

“The Hollows?”

She gave a nod.

She has many questions to ask but then she let it at bay since she doesn’t want to ruin the moment as of now. Being with him like this is enough.

She took a deep sigh and before she knew it, tears made its way down her face that soon turned into sobs, startling him.

He wants to reach and place a comforting hand on her shoulder but he knew well that that is not what she needs as of now.

**********

He stopped with her on the steel gate of the red brick mansion she calls home.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, standing right in front of him, her head bowed down.

“No need to say sorry, I think you need it anyways,” he lifts her face for her to look at him, “And I have a thing about getting distracted on people who does not look at me in the eye when they talk to me,” he added.

A faint blush crept on her face as she mentally curses herself for getting easily affected.

The silence stretched on between them. When she realizes that he would not talk furthermore, she mustered up the courage to ask one more question before they finally part.

“Is there a chance for us?” she looked at him.

Hurt, longing, and fear are evident in her eyes as he looks back at her. He was tongue-tied from the question that it took him a while to respond.

“I don’t know, maybe if we don’t work out, we can try ‘us’,” he replied, weighing his words.

She gave a slow nod, “Oh, second option,” she replied.

“We both know you are not the second option,” he quickly corrected and stepped back, “Get inside, it’s late already, goodnight,” then his heels to get home.

This time, she is the one left tongue-tied. When his words settled in, the blush on her face turned crimson as she tries to suppress the giggle and the grin that blossomed on her face.