NOW

MARCH 2017

THE Armani boutique called again at 1.30 PM and Naeun completely forgot all about her new dress until the lady named Jimin earlier asked her about the appointment they both agreed on.

“I’m so so sorry,” Naeun insisted, genuinely caught by surprise. “It slipped off my mind. I’m sorry. Can I still come, like right now, or are you occupied, because I already have a date at 3.00?”

“Unfortunately we are very much occupied, Miss Son. Do you wish to reschedule our appointment?”

“If I do my fitting tomorrow, do we still have the time to fix any possible changes on the dress??”

“I can’t promise you anything, but the earliest we would be done with the changes will probably be on this Saturday because we have too many backed-up orders. I’m so sorry about that. Do you plan to wear the dress before Saturday, if I may ask?”

“Yes.” Naeun’s voice was weak. “I have a charity ball this Friday night. And I need it perfectly done before Friday morning. Oh God, I know I shouldn’t have asked you to use the old measurements. When was the last time I did the measurement?”

“18 months ago. You were wearing our strapless train dress on your engagement day.”

“That’s really long,” Naeun gasped, genuine surprise was shown in the clarity of her voice. This woman is eligible enough to be my secretary. She’s two times better than Mina at remembering unusually important details.

“How about if we do this? Why not you come pick up the dress first and try the fitting yourself, and just come back to us tomorrow morning if you have any problem with the size. If everything is fine, then I suppose you already have the dress.”

“I don’t see any problem with that. When can I pick it up?”

“We only open our boutique at night for dress pick-up, so I guess you can come tonight?”

“What time?”

“From 7.00 PM until 9.00 PM.”

“Brilliant. And thanks a lot for calling. I really appreciate that, and thousand apologies for forgetting about our appointment today,” Naeun said with a regretful grin flashed across her beautiful face.

“No problem, Miss Son.”

MINHYUK strut into the sun streamed corridor, clutching his Calvin Klein clutch bag as he made his way over to Naeun’s office. Jongin who was making some corrections in his updates regarding the charity ball this weekend glanced momentarily at Minhyuk who did not bother to greet any worker who was already welcoming him.

Now why is this cocky gay dude flashing around here?

Jongin was then flustered for one moment when he realized Minhyuk was walking up to his desk, a small smile greeted his way with a tiny touch of sincerity in his effort.

“You don’t look like Mina,” Minhyuk began, looking rather perplexed. He fixed his bang, tilting his head whilst waiting in expectant for Jongin to answer him.

“I’m Jongin,” Jongin said carefully. “I fill in for Mrs. Lee’s position.”

“Like some kind of intern?”

Some kind of intern?

“Yes.” And Jongin’s throat felt like burning afterwards.  “I am like some kind of intern.” But Jongin didn’t bother for further explanation mostly because Minhyuk was beginning to ignore him when Naeun finally swung open the door from inside her office after she was done fixing her hair and gasped when she saw Minhyuk was already standing two feet away from her.

“Minhyuk,” Naeun called, and it made the two men turned their heads. “Hi,” she paused for a breather. She thought Minhuk’s surprising presence was still unfamiliar to her.

“Hello sugar.” Minhyuk showed off his best feature intuitively- his dashing smile as he approached his lost fiancée and grabbed Naeun by her small wrist to kiss her lightly on her pink lips.

Naeun withdrew quickly, awkward and embarrassed by Minhyuk’s sudden public display of affection need and instead she hugged Minhyuk by his arm. “Let’s go now.” Naeun pulled him off away before giving Jongin a short smile.

So that is her fiancé, I suppose.

THE exquisite taste of the high class restaurant was very settling and satisfying for Naeun. She liked the Victorian style of the internal deco, complimented by a famous tune of old piano classics. The pair has just finished taking orders when Minhyuk suddenly pulled out a jewelry box from inside his tux.

Naeun raised a brow, puzzled, when Minhyuk pushed the box close to her right hand.

“What is this?”

“Open up,” Minhyuk said in a short breath. His gaze fell calmly on his idle phone.

Naeun chose to be silent as she forced open the box. She was then greeted by a sparkling diamond bracelet, carved of a heart-shaped stone, clipped gingerly just above the white velvet sitting.

“My birthday is last month.”

“I know.”

“So what exactly is this?”

Minhyuk heaved a faint sigh as he kept away his phone. Minhyuk then took the box from Naeun’s hand and extracted the beautiful hand-made jewelry to put it around her small wrist.

“It looks good on you,” Minhyuk said, but he never smiled. “Everything looks good on you.”

“You aren’t always this romantic.”

“I know,” Minhyuk cracked a cynical grin. “But it doesn’t hurt to change.”

“This is beautiful,” Naeun commented with a distinct trace of sincerity and honesty in her speaking manner. “I appreciate your thought, and I definitely appreciate your effort into building our relationship, but I still don’t understand why are you giving me this piece of diamond bracelet out of the blue?”

A small chuckle escaped unapologetically from Minhyuk’s lips and he looked into Naeun’s wandering eyes. “You seriously need to stop being so judgmental over me, and instead you should start trusting me from now on. I’ll be saying ‘I do’ to you in front of the minister in less than 2 weeks now, Naeun. You need to register that fact into your mind.”

“This is just unusual,” Naeun answered, stretching a frown. “That’s all.”

“Do you know the story behind that bracelet when I picked it out?”

“I don’t. What is it?”

“The lady told me,” Minhyhuk smiled mysteriously as he grabbed Naeun’s hand and brought it close to his mouth. “That the white heart diamond symbolizes everlasting lust. A greedy desire of possession and obsession.  A symbol of right and belonging. It draws a fine line between what’s mine and other’s.  Like an unbroken promise, the lucky receiver of this hand-made diamond bracelet shall forever give her heart to the one who presents it, yours to me, and the exciting part is that only this kind of white heart diamond hold such great power.”

Naeun felt something cracked inside her from the way Minhyuk said it. He looked different, almost like a repulsive magician with a thousand and one tricks up his sleeves, which is why Naeun felt the urgency to pull back her hand defensively when Minhyuk was a breath close to kissing the back of her hand.

She did not want to be his.

“Minhyuk,” said a lady in mid-50s suddenly in the middle of the loud drumming silence. “You are Minhyuk, right?”

Minhyuk and Naeun turned away naturally to the calling voice. It took some good seconds for Minhyuk recall the owner of the sweet voice. He then got up instantly, drawing a hand out to pull her hand for a light peck.

“Mrs. Nam Woori,” Minhyuk nodded and gave her a kind smile. “It’s been awhile since our last meeting. How are you?”

“I am fine,” Woori smiled back with a fair amount of friendliness in her tone. Her gaze was then directed to meet Naeun’s. “And this beautiful lady is?”

“My fiancée,” answered Minhyuk quickly as he gestured a hand at Naeun. “She is Son Naeun, the heiress to Blue Diamond hotel.”

“Oh,” Woori gasped, and her smile was pulled up, almost meeting her own eyes. “I am Nam Woori, the CEO of Golden Cart Megamall.”

“Hello,” Naeun said just the same when she realized the woman standing in front of her owns one of the top malls across Asia. “Hi. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Nam,” Naeun smiled and pulled out a hand for a handshake.

“Oh dear.” Woori was flustered for some time when she realized the glazing streaks of the new diamond across Naeun’s right wrist. “Is that the White Heart diamond?”

Naeun tilted her head in slight confusion mixed with amusement. “It is indeed.”

“Oh dear,” Woori gasped again, except this time her eyes were gleaming with tears when she looked up at Naeun. “Oh dear lord! What a blessed coincidence.”

JONGIN knew better than anyone that the letters Taemin left behind were undoubtedly not his. It was obviously written to some girl Taemin liked but being a secretive introvert Taemin was, Jongin had not a slightest clue about the identity of the girl.

That jerk didn’t even write down her name, for God’s sake.

Jongin pulled out a letter from inside the box and decided to read the first letter of today. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down for any possibilities of hints behind his death.

July 4th - 4.00 PM

                        I was watching Bleach when I heard 4Minute's What's Your Name ringing loudly on my phone. I almost tripped when I rushed upstairs because I was in Jongin's room and we were watching Bleach online because Sister Kim just decided to finally install free wifi throughout the whole house. It was great for all of us, but washing dishes and doing the laundry will be hard from now on.

                        I picked up my phone and I saw your name written there. I was really surprised and I was certain that my hands were sweaty and cold sweats broke out on every inch of my body. You always had this kind of effect on me. But it's okay, I don't mind at all.

                        And when you said hello - I was completely stuck. I don't know what I would do now if I don't get to see your face. Going to my lousy part-time work kinda worth it now as I get to your face.

Love always, Taemin.

Jongin chuckled in disbelief as he put down the letter.

Oh God more puzzle pieces to put together.

Jongin then turned to his phone and punched Sehun’s number right away. He might be fooling himself wanting to ask Sehun if he had any clues about the girl in Taemin’s letters but he knew better Taemin never told anyone any secrets. Not even himself.

To Jongin’s avail however, Sehun could not be reached at the moment. He tried calling him the second time but he kept getting to mailbox. Maybe Sehun was having his evening nap, Jongin assumed, as he glanced at his watch -7.00 PM.

Seconds later his phone started buzzing. He looked at the bright light of his screen and discovered Naeun’s name was flashing across the caller’s name box.

“Hello,” Jongin said in a flat tone. Naeun couldn’t tell whether he was pleased to be disturbed or not.

“Hello. Where are you?”

“Me? I’m at home. Why?”

“Can you come pick me up?”

“Pick you up?” Jongin mused in a silent pause. I thought she was with his fiancé.

“Yeah,” Naeun reassured half-heartedly, and from the sound of her voice, Jongin guessed she was not having a good time with his fiancé.

“Where are you?”

“I don’t know where I am. I was certain I’m in somewhere in Jangmi Street but I can’t really tell. Things seem different where it’s night time.”

“You know Jangmi Street is really big, so I need you to be more specific.”

“Gosh,” Naeun moaned, clearly not satisfied with Jongin’s cold treatment. “I honestly don’t know where is this place. I’m looking at some big- sign that says turn left to Hayan Amusement Park – 500 km more, and on my left is some barber shop, maybe, and I am walking towards a bus stop - number 598?”

“You don’t sound very confident.”

“I honestly don’t understand why you still don’t get the I-don’t-know-where-the-fish-I-am part? Like I already told you twice.”

Jongin held back a soft chuckle at Naeun’s rare sarcasm. “Okay. I’m on my way. Just wait at that 589 bus stop.”

“It’s 598.”

“Got it.”

“And hurry up will you.”

“Don’t tell me to hurry up or I will really take my time.”

“You’re the worst. Seriously, hurry up.”

“Buhbye now,” Jongin said briskly before hanging up on her. He liked teasing her, no matter how wrong the timing was.

JONGIN was driving on gear one as he sauntered along the roadside of Jangmi Street. The street was getting busy with pedestrians walking along the walkway to get to the underground bullet train. Their job was finally over and Jongin could tell from the expressions they wore how glad they were to have gotten off work for today.

 Jongin passed by another bus stop but he still didn’t spot Naeun. He bent over and scanned over to the bus stop sign to read the number written on the sign was not 598.

If Naeun was actually at 598.

He kept on driving until he came across another bus stop 10 minutes later. He read the sign -598- and his gaze naturally fell on a sitting figure who wore a very tired expression on her face.

He finally saw her.

Jongin smiled, and drove close to the bus stop to notify Naeun. She was still oblivious of his presence, and maybe of the ones around her. She seemed to have lost too deeply in her own train of thoughts. Jongin wondered what went wrong with her date.

He slid a hand in his pocket and call Naeun’s phone. Moments later, he cleared his throat when he heard Naeun’s voice echoing the end of the line.

“I’m guessing you’re really taking your time,” Naeun mocked as she winced at the call.

“Not even a ‘hi’?”

“I’m cold, and tired, and very, very unhappy and I really want to go home right now. So, please, for the love of God, tell me, are you getting close or you just got off the elevator?”

Jongin laughed shortly and changed his phone to his left hand with his left supporting his shoulder. He was leaning against the glass window to have a better look at her.

“You’re very good at guessing. Take your pick.”

“You know what,” Naeun finally snapped as she rose to her feet in fury. “Go to hell!” Naeun then shut dead her phone conversation and flung it inside her bag.

Jongin was beginning to get panicky looking at Naeun’s devastated look in her face. He didn’t know she would take his jokes too seriously. This was something new to him – she being mad and looking genuinely frustrated. She was wiping something at her face –probably tears – and began storming off, away from the crowding bus boarders.

.

Jongin sped up instantly in hopes he would be able to catch up with her. He drove on and finally caught the sight of her. He studied around for an empty parking spot in front of the shop lots and very relieved to have found one. He slid into the empty parking lot and made his way quickly across the road to stop Naeun.

“Yah Son Naeun!” Jongin couldn’t help but shout from behind to catch her attention. Naeun turned away, undoubtedly, and scowled at him for being a pain in the .

“Stop,” he added again, except this time he got control of the volume of his voice. “I was just kidding.”

Naeun’s mouth closed in a bitter line. She rolled her eyes and turned around. Naeun grunted and walked off on him without wasting any more second to linger around in his presence.

Jongin cursed under his breath when he saw her left, and rushed quickly to stop her. He grabbed her by her right hand, spinning her around to face him in no time. Naeun gasped at the realization of his strong pull, her gaze fell instantly into his own.

“I said stop,” Jongin panted, but he composed himself very finely afterwards. “And I’m sorry about earlier. I was just kidding, really.”

Naeun was quiet now. She did not want to answer Jongin nor say a word about his reckless behavior. She stood there, looking at him constantly. Words, Naeun thought, never worked on him.

“Naeun?”

“Okay,” Naeun breathed, exasperated. “Okay. I got it. So please, let go of my hand.”

“I saw you just now at the bus stop,” Jongin said quickly as though Naeun’s hadn’t asked any request from him. “And you were crying when you hang up on me. What’s wrong?”

“Let go,” Naeun twisted her arm to snap him out. “You’re hurting me.”

“I’m sorry,” Jongin finally gasped. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay,” Naeun said slowly, avoiding his gaze. “Can we please, just go home?”

“Okay,” Jongin nodded slightly, and ushered a hand forward to allow her to take the lead first. “C’mon.”

NAEUN was very quiet the whole time Jongin was driving, too quiet that if Jongin hadn’t turn to his right, he was almost sure he was driving alone. Something was definitely up and it actually bothered Jongin looking at the sullen state of his boss.

“Jongin,” Naeun finally opened and her voice cracked from being mute for quite some time. “Do you have any girlfriend?”

“Why?”

“Nothing,” Naeun shrugged. “I was just curious.”

“I don’t have any.”

“If you did have,” Naeun said, eyes glancing slightly at him and she realized too late that Jongin has had his eyes fixated on her constantly since they first got inside the car. “Would you still come to me if I asked you?”

“Like when you called just now?”

“Yeah.”

Jongin paused, and he never thought that one question coming out from Naeun’s mouth could really got him thinking way too thoroughly. He never really cared about questions that started with ‘ifs’ but this time around, he was, for one second intrigued, by his own answer.

“I guess,” Jongin said with a slight shrug in his shoulder. “Why?”

“Nothing,” Naeun said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear when she looked at him. “I don’t know how to feel about that though. As your boss, I would be very grateful, but I don’t think I can say the same about your girlfriend.”

“She’ll get me. It’s nothing personal, anyway.”

“Yeah,” Naeun said with a bitter gulp going down . “It’s nothing personal.” She did not know why she felt hurt when Jongin said it that way. Maybe because he has a firm control over his emotions and she wished she could do the same about her fiancé.

Naeun turned away and decided to enjoy the night view outside as she propped up her head in her hand. They drove past the bright sign of Hayan Amusement Park and Naeun suddenly felt very light inside seeing those shining bright lights flashing around people’s way.

“Jongin,” she said as she turned to look at him again, and when he raised a brow at her in question, she forgot what she was going to say to him.

“What?”

“I-uh,” Naeun stuttered, feeling very foolish inside. “Can we go there?” Naeun pointed a finger towards the grand entrance, with blown up stick figures flailing about along the walkway and big colorful balloons tied in a bundle greeted the little visitors with bright grins across their faces. They all looked happy to her and she wanted a piece of that either.

“Please?” Naeun asked again, this time her tone was subtle and consoling.

“Okay,” Jongin nodded, stifling a relieved smile at Naeun. To be honest, he missed seeing Naeun looking alive and full of emotions like that. “It’s been awhile anyway.”

Jongin’s brow eyes fluttered up at the grand sign above the entrance, and sighed under his breath when he recalled the last time he went to this exact place was right after he and Taemin finished high school.

It has indeed been awhile.

******

Hope I'm not late :9

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