Chapter Five

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“I thought you were ignoring me?” The voice Hyun Ah liked so much asked.

Hyun Ah gave him a gaze, trying her best to hide her emotions. “I was just passing by, so I decided to drop by after you called.”

“Really?  So coincidentally even after I told you yesterday that I would be here?” The man asked.

“Yes,” Hyun Ah replied, even though she knew it was unconvincing.

“Whatever, let’s go to your apartment, before anyone sees you,” the man said as he started walking, without waiting for Hyun Ah.

Hyun Ah quickly followed suit, but she knew what he meant. She kept her distance from him, making sure she was at least 10 steps away from him.

---

“C’mere,” The man pulled Hyun Ah into an embrace with him on the sofa once they were back in Hyun Ah’s apartment.

Nuzzling his nose into Hyun Ah’s neck, he whispered, “I won’t let you get away for leaving me yesterday.”

Hyun Ah was enjoying it, but she spoke, “I met that guy just now. Right before I met you.”

“Who?” The man asked disinterestedly.

“The guy I went out with yesterday.”

The man stopped what he was doing after hearing what Hyun Ah said. “You went out with him again?”

“No, I just bumped into him randomly,” Hyun Ah replied casually.

She knew she was trying to make him jealous, but she wondered if it really worked. She even said yes to lunching out with Ki Kwang again to make her lover jealous. Should she really take it that far? What if she ruins their relationship instead?

“That coincidental, huh,” The man said sarcastically.

“What’s with your tone of disbelief?” Hyun Ah asked, her anger slightly rising. “He works in the same building as you, believe it or not.”

“And you said we were both working in the manufacturing and distribution of toys too?”

“Yeah,” Hyun Ah affirmed.

“Maybe he’s my subordinate in some department,” the man smirked.

Hyun Ah cupped his left cheek with her right palm, “Then you don’t have to worry about him so much.”

“I’m not,” the man said as he returned to nuzzling his face into Hyun Ah’s neck.

“Liar,” Hyun Ah accused, “I won’t let you get away with it too.”

“We’ll see,” the man said as they retreated into the bedroom.

---

“So how was your appointment?” Ki Kwang asked after he saw Doo Joon enter.

“Bad,” Doo Joon made a face.

Ki Kwang laughed, “C’mon, I heard it was a lady! Didn’t you charm her pants off or something?”

“Yeah, I tried, and she blew me off. I think that was about the most embarrassing moment of my life.”

“Yeah, right. Don’t make me remind you what a fool you made out of yourself at last year’s company party,” Ki Kwang replied.

Doo Joon scowled, “Don’t make me remind you of your numerous embarrassing moments that I witnessed.”

“Okay, okay. Truce?” Ki Kwang suggested.

“Truce,” Doo Joon accepted.

“I bumped into her again,” Ki Kwang started.

“Who?” Doo Joon asked as he shuffled through his papers absent-mindedly.

“You know, Hyun Ah,” Ki Kwang replied.

Doo Joon stopped what he was doing and looked at Ki Kwang. “Hyun Ah? Who’s that?”

“The one I went out with yesterday?”

“Oh, that’s right. You bumped into her again? Wow.” Doo Joon asked.

Ki Kwang couldn’t stop the grin from forming on his lips. “Yeah, and she asked me out for lunch tomorrow.”

Doo Joon gave a grin equal to that of Ki Kwang, “That’s great, man. You must’ve made such a lasting impression on her.”

“Maybe. But I really think all this coincidences are happening for a reason,” Ki Kwang said.

“You can’t be thinking that it’s all fate again? C’mon, why don’t you just embrace your opportunities and enjoy them to the best?” Doo Joon suggested.

“But…”

“No buts,” Doo Joon cut Ki Kwang off and shooed him away.

“I knew from the moment I saw Hyun Ah that she wouldn’t be an ordinary person who passed by in my life,” Ki Kwang whispered to himself as he walked back to his table, unable to shake the excitement of meeting Hyun Ah again the next day.

---

Ki Kwang adjusted his tie nervously as he sat down at the table he had booked beforehand. He had dialed another call to Hyun Ah the night before, after spending the whole day thinking of where would be a good location for a date with her.

He waited patiently, inferring that Hyun Ah would be late as like previously.

Hyun Ah finally arrived, dressed in a sleek black tube dress, with a beige overcoat. The shimmering material reflected the restaurant’s light, or perhaps Ki Kwang was simply blinded by her glamour, but there was something different about her today.

“Hey,” Hyun Ah greeted politely when she spotted Ki Kwang.

A sense of relief and excitement enveloped Ki Kwang as he quickly hopped out of his seat and proceeded to pull out Hyun Ah’s chair for her.

“Thanks.”

Ki Kwang noticed that Hyun Ah rubbed the end of her palm against her temple. “Are you not feeling well?”

“Just a little giddy. I’m fine,” Hyun Ah assured with a weak smile.

“No, you’re not. Let’s postpone the lunch. You look pale today,” Ki Kwang said, worried.

“I’m just fair skinned,” Hyun Ah insisted.

Ki Kwang wouldn’t hear of it. Getting up, he draped Hyun Ah’s coat around her and made her get up from her seat.

“You should’ve told me you weren’t feeling well. I’ll take you home,” Ki Kwang bossed.

“Sorry we had to postpone this because of me,” Hyun Ah replied.

“Nothing’s more important than your health!”

“Thanks Ki Kwang.”

---

“Is it here?”

Hyun Ah nodded feebly as she rested against Ki Kwang’s arm, which was rested across her shoulders.

“Where are your keys?” Ki Kwang asked.

Hyun Ah attempted to fish her keys out of her purse, and Ki Kwang used his free hand to open the lock to the apartment.

Ki Kwang opened the door and noticed the light switched on in the living room. “Did you forget to switch off the lights? Or is someone home?”

Hyun Ah looked up, in shock. “Oh no.”

“What’s the matter?” Ki Kwang asked.

Hyun Ah tried to push Ki Kwang away, but was too weak. Ki Kwang pushed open the door further and tried to usher Hyun Ah in.

“Hyun Ah?” A voice came from inside.

“Your brother?” Ki Kwang questioned, noticing the deep voice. But somehow, that voice was so familiar to him though he couldn’t put his finger to it since it was muffled.

“Um, you can send me till here, I can get in myself,” Hyun Ah offered.

Hyun Ah’s sudden change in attitude aroused Ki Kwang’s curiosity. Who exactly was that man in the apartment? What was his relationship with her?

“Is that you, Hyun Ah?” The voice continued and became louder and louder, signaling that the figure was approaching the door.

Hyun Ah grew evidently more impatient as she tried to shoo Ki Kwang away. But Ki Kwang wouldn’t budge; his jealousy got the better of him as he waited anxiously to meet the mysterious figure in the apartment. Was that person the same person Hyun Ah has been texting all the time?

“What’s going on?”

Ki Kwang turned to face the apartment, where the person in the apartment was standing. But he couldn’t take the shock that greeted him face on. He could tell that the other party was equally shocked.

“Joon…?”

“Ki Kwang? What are you doing here?” Ki Kwang’s brother let out.

“I… What are you doing here?” Ki Kwang replied.

Joon took a glance at Hyun Ah. “Hyun Ah’s my…”

“We’re together,” She finished off.

Ki Kwang looked at Hyun Ah incredulously. It was only then that he remembered that Hyun Ah was ill and needed to rest.

“She’s not feeling well, she needs to rest,” Ki Kwang said as he ushered her into the apartment.

“Did you skip a meal again?” Joon asked, as he took hold of Hyun Ah’s arms from Ki Kwang.

Ki Kwang felt a lurch in his heart as he watched his brother help Hyun Ah to the sofa. He had never expected himself to ever be rivals with Joon in anything, much less in love. And out of all the possibilities, it had to be Hyun Ah. It was the first time that Ki Kwang didn’t want to let go of someone so easily.

What hurt Ki Kwang was how Joon barely showed much concern even though he was tending to Hyun Ah. There was no obvious expression of worry on his face, and he merely poured a cup of water for Hyun Ah and passed it to her carelessly.

Ki Kwang had expected more from Joon. He had always thought his brother was a perfect lover, from the way Joon treated his first girlfriend. But he couldn’t bear to continue watching.

“I’ll leave first, now that Hyun Ah’s in good hands.”

“See you at home,” Joon replied before Ki Kwang exited the apartment.

Ki Kwang closed the door and leaned against it, his heart feeling extremely heavy.

He was not sad enough to feel the tears flowing out; after all, he only did just met Hyun Ah. But he couldn’t stop that heart wrenching feeling from developing.

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Mystery man finally revealed! I guess it got pretty obvious, but that was the whole point. ^_^

C/Cs are appreciated!