Namjoo’s heart beat louder in her ears as she watched him turn around to look at her. She couldn’t read his eyes or see what message they were conveying through the silence. If he was really sincere about what he said next.

“Do it.”

A shadow grew over Namjoo. The shock prevented her from uttering a word. She realized she had expected him to give her the opposite answer.

“What if getting married to him is the only way to bring out the truth with what happened to Choonhee?” Tao supposed. “Then you have to do it.”

\\\\\

Tomorrow was Saturday. Sehun couldn’t stand the fact that Choonhee was getting married to Kai. It wasn’t right, didn’t sound right, or feel right. He was after her money, not her heart! It didn’t matter whether Kai had an ounce of feelings for her or not! He couldn’t let them get married!

Sehun wanted Choonhee. He wanted her to be by his side, not someone else’s.

The hopelessness and frustration it gave him made his head want to blow up. He would be killing off the dreams his father had raised him with. It wasn’t just simple consequences of a slap in the face. He would get disowned if he betrayed his father’s will, the road he had already set on. Sehun would be the humiliated son, the son who couldn’t keep his words.

Choonhee…or his father… 

\\\\\

Choonhee had something they all wanted…

The words chanted themselves in her head and throughout the week Namjoo felt sick to her core. She was nauseous everyday and felt like she was waiting for her day of reckoning.

The puzzle was still so far away from being completed. Just how much more would she have to go through?

That Friday at work, Namjoo sat gloomily at her cubicle watching the clock on the wall tick, counting the seconds till lunch time. She was due for lunch with Kai again for the fourth time that week – the usual with gleeful talk on his side while she played along with her insides shrieking. Then she would go home and continue to mope in bed.

Namjoo had never imagined she would ever get married, but now that it was happening…just not like this. Now she yearned for a happy marriage and she knew Kai wouldn’t love her. She wasn’t Choonhee.

There was a sudden commotion causing her to look up curiously. The moment she did, she wished to God she hadn’t. Sehun was storming into the department with heavy footsteps, a dark expression over his face, and he was looking directly at her. Namjoo could swear she hadn’t done anything at all. Nothing that required a lawsuit, but he stopped beside her desk, eyes hard on her.

“Get up.” He ordered.

Namjoo stared up at him speechless. Her brain failed to transmit any orders to her body. Then he grabbed her arm, hoisting her up and lugged her after him.

“W…wait…” Namjoo stuttered. “N…no. What’s going on?”

Ditching the elevator he pushed the door to the stairway open and pulled her after him. Namjoo hastily followed so that she wouldn’t break an ankle and within seconds they were outside. Everything whizzed by in her head. She was so lost and confused. She hadn’t run away or done anything to harm the company. Why was he doing this to her?

“Sehun,” she finally managed to breathe when he opened the passenger door for her.

“Get in,” he ordered. With one glance at him he shoved her in and closed the door. Trapped in her seat she watched him walk around the car then slid into his seat. The engine started and they were off in a matter of seconds.

“What’s going on?” Namjoo asked, turning to him.

With nudge of his hand against her shoulder he pushed her back into her seat. “Put your seatbelt on.”

Doing as told she turned back to him, but he cut her off and held his hand out. “Your phone.”

Namjoo glanced down at her pocket before obediently handing it to him. He then proceeded to turn her phone off and slid it into the CD rack built into his door so that it was impossible for her to get to it. She gasped, surprised.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“We’re on a business trip, so no phone. It’s not professional,” he explained without giving her the slightest glance. Then handing her his phone said, “You can turn mine off if it’ll satisfy you.”

“Forget it,” Namjoo turned away and listened to him drop his phone into the cup holder.

She watched them enter the expressway before finally asking, “But…what business? Where are we going?”

“We’re going to oversee a paper production site,” he told her.

Namjoo thought about it but she didn’t understand, so she blurted, “Why?”

Sehun side glanced at her, “To make sure they’re following the contract we signed with them. Any violation of conduct ends up with a fine.”

“Oh…” Namjoo mumbled then asked, “but…why am I going with you? Shouldn’t your secretary…”

He was quick to cut her off, “You need some experience. Don’t talk to me anymore. I’m driving.”

\\\\\

Hayoung was stupefied. Standing in front of Sehun’s empty office she felt her blood boil. He’d sent her off to make a phone call to Incheon and found his chance to leave without her?

Biting her lower lip she started down the hallway toward the elevator and impatiently pressed on the down arrow button. She watched the number on the screen stop at the top floor. Feeling like she was at her end’s wits she swerved toward the staircase, shoving the door open, and raced down one floor. Strutting down the hallway muttering under her breath she headed toward the publishing department with heat flurrying within her chest and pushed the door open.

The cold air from the air conditioner flew into her face but she looked around the room and caught Namjoo’s empty desk. Turning in the direction of Kai’s office she walked in, ignoring the curious glances she was receiving. Pushing open his office door she found it empty. Closing it she started toward his secretary’s office and pulled on a smile of apology. The man with glasses looked up at her, startled.

“Oh…yes, is there something I can help you with?” he questioned.

Hayoung thought for a second then said, “Please call your director and tell him Choonhee says she’ll be meeting him for lunch.”

With acknowledgement from the secretary Hayoung closed the door, her grip tight on the knob. She wanted to speed to Incheon, but making a big deal out of this wouldn’t look good for her. She’d have to wait until Namjoo returned from the trip with Sehun. Then tonight she’d remind her who exactly it was she belonged to.

\\\\\

The production plant was a large factory with machines humming throughout. Everything inside echoed and all the various noises mixed together gave Namjoo an immediate headache. As they waited for whoever it was Sehun was supposed to meet, Namjoo anxiously stuck close to him afraid of getting lost. It felt like she’d stepped into an Andromeda where everything was all she’d never seen or imagined before.

Something loud banged throughout the factory and Namjoo jumped in reaction, subconsciously stepping closer. Her hands busily fiddled with each other and she felt them brush against Sehun’s sleeve. She grew even more nervous when he turned to glance at her, but at least he didn’t look so mean.

“Chief!” an elderly man called out. “You’re here quite early! I just got a call from your secretary an hour ago.”

Namjoo glanced at Sehun, watching him courteously shake hands with the man who next turned to her. Catching on quickly Namjoo extended her hand out to shake his, making sure to put a smile on as she did so.

“This is Professor Gong,” Sehun introduced. “This is Lee Choonhee.”

“Ah! The Executive’s daughter! Why, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I heard you just joined the merge. How is it?” he asked, his smile awaiting her answer.

“I’m still getting used to it,” Namjoo answered with a nod. She felt a little more relaxed when he patted her shoulder.

“This way,” he said and led them around the production plant, explaining to them about the assembly lines, the machines, even going into detail about where the paper materials had come from and how much they’d cost.

Namjoo didn’t care about that, but she was mesmerized by the robotic machines that worked on their own. What Sehun and this Professor Gong had to talk about was no importance to her, but she would have to admit she was impressed with the way Sehun handled the overwhelming information. The ex even looked smart and outgoing as he followed along, nodding every here and then, and stopping at some points to ask questions about particular machinery.

The way he talked reminded her of professional food critiques she saw on TV. Eyes sharp with concentration on point while mentally scribbling notes down. That was when she discovered herself really looking at him. His brown hair was neatly groomed for a tidy appearance. Today he was dressed in a white button down with gray pants and black shoes. Unlike Kai, he lacked a tie today but he still managed to look sophisticated and striking.

Then at last, they headed outside where the late afternoon sun nearly blinded her.

“This is about it. Now that we’ve finished, would you mind joining this old man for lunch?”

“I would have to politely decline this time, Professor.” Sehun politely said.

“And what about the Young Miss?”

Namjoo readied to answer. Free food was always welcomed, but Sehun his arm out, as if to hold her back from barking at the old man.

“She’ll be having lunch with me,” Sehun answered for her. Namjoo glanced at him and went with the flow – shaking hands and bidding a long polite farewell. Before she knew it she was following him back to the car.

Sehun, like his usual self, seemed to ignore her as he walked ahead. Catching up to him, Namjoo asked, “Are we not returning to Seoul? Um…actually, K…”

“I’m hungry. Don’t talk to me,” he cut her off and quickened his pace to walk away from her. Namjoo stared at his back, wondering what was up with him.

\\\\\

After receiving the message from his secretary, Kai drove right over to the restaurant where he’d reserved a private room for lunch. When the waiter first came in he asked for two glasses of water and a bottle of champagne.

There was an excitement flowing through him, yet he felt subdued and sullen. Tomorrow, they would set a confirmed date for the wedding. In no time he and Choonhee would be one, but to ensure that would happen, he had that packet hidden inside his pocket.

“Pour into her water,” Hayoung suggested, “or her food, but I think that’s an unlikely idea. I don’t think the powder would dissolve in food. Might look suspicious, don’t you think? Ah…and don’t forget, as soon as she takes it, you should find somewhere private and enjoy yourselves for a while.”

Kai glanced up surprised when the door opened again. It was the waiter, checking up on him.

“Would you like to make your order now or…”

Stiffly sitting up, Kai said, “I’ll take two of the number twelve. My date is probably on her way here. Must be traffic.”

The waiter exited and he was alone again. Kai nervously gripped his pocket. He’d never resorted to such low tactics before, but his life with Choonhee was just right before his eyes. Never before had he wanted something so bad.

They, he believed, had a future together. There was a reason why she’d left Sehun and come to him. Choonhee loved him. She trusted him.

Did he really have to do this?

But these days, a voice spoke in his head, she isn’t the same with you. You felt it and you know it.

Firmly pressing his lips together, he debated with himself again. Unable to stay still, he pulled his phone out to call Choonhee. He wanted to know where she was, if she was really coming to him or not. Kai listened desperately to the phone ring and was sent to voicemail. He tried again, unsure whether she’d heard her phone ring.

There was probably a lot of traffic, he wanted to persuade himself, but something in him knew better. She wasn’t picking up because she wasn’t coming.

When the waiter arrived with their meal and the champagne he was still trying to get in touch with Choonhee.

Kai had never waited two hours for someone before. He never gave his precious time away to anyone so insignificant.

As he walked out of the restaurant, he tossed the packet of powder on his way out.

\\\\\

Namjoo expected the usual fancy restaurant. Instead, they were at the store shopping for food. It apparently blew her mind that Sehun was shopping. Shopping!

“Is there no one that does the shopping in your house?” Namjoo curiously followed him, unable to get tired of the sight of him pushing the cart. The chore made him look ultimately casual, she thought. It was really…astounding.

“Haven’t you been to my home before?” he nonchalantly asked.

“Ah…right.” Namjoo replied. Then she perked up, “Should I cook for you? I learned a really simple recipe from a friend. You said your family has a spare place here we’re going to? Let me borrow your kitchen.”

He shot her a side glance, “You cook?”

Namjoo nodded, “I can cook at least that.”

Stepping away from the cart he crossed his arms, “Then you find the ingredients.”

Namjoo’s expression fell flat before she grabbed the cart with a quirky smile. “I learned how to do this, so just follow me.”

Sehun scoffed, “You’re really surprising me more and more. So who’s this friend of yours?”

“Just someone,” Namjoo shrugged and as they walked on she stole a glance at him. Since he wasn’t being sarcastic or rude with her he must be in a good mood, she thought. And couldn’t help but feel a bit of glee at that fact. They were going to have a nice time together.

\\\\\

Sehun wanted to return Choonhee home late to spite Hayoung, Kai, and the rest of their parents. And most of all, because he wanted to find out Choonhee’s feelings; if she was really over him or not.

The family owned flat was a one bedroom place with a furnished living room, a kitchen, one bath and bathroom – almost like a suite. Spacious and comfortable. There was a great view of the neighboring towers and skyscrapers and a magnificent view of the traffic below from the living room window. The sky was currently too blue forecasting full sunshine. If ever there was business out of the city, his father often used this place to rest for the night before resuming work or returning home. He just recently started using this place as well.

For once, he wanted a quiet dinner away from open ears in private. Just him and Choonhee, so he’d spent a few hours of the past few days looking up a recipe he could handle and cook something for her. It seemed his efforts had gone to waste, but he was curious about what Choonhee would make for him.

He stood by watching earnestly as she pulled out the ingredients for what looked like a beginner’s guide to soup. Now that she was concentrated with the task at hand she seemed to have forgotten about him. Her eyes sunk into the broccoli in hand, making sure to rinse it cleanly before placing it onto the cutting board.

The silence that ensued drowned out every other noise in the flat. There was just the two of them. His eyes traced the hair she’d tied back that looked like a dead tail then slid to her shoulders and over her back. The organ in his chest beat with heat.

There was no dust, the bed sheets had been changed by a cleaner, the place had been vacuumed and aired out, but none of that he could pay attention to. As his eyes drifted over her with curiosity and excitement, wonder tingled his body intensely. His mind raced explicitly and before he caught himself his hand shot out to grab her arm.

Surprised, Choonhee dropped the knife in her hand and spun around to look at him. Sehun felt insanely crazy when his eyes drew into hers and scanned her face for the answer why he was feeling so drawn to her. This unexplainable attraction was driving him nuts.

“W…what?” Choonhee asked.

She glanced to the side as his hand s up her arm across her neck and cupped her face.

“H…hey…” she anxiously muttered, subconsciously pressing herself back against the counter but he couldn’t hear her. He could only hear his heart fluttering in his ears, drumming loudly against his body.

Euphoria bloomed inside him when he suddenly kissed her. And when those lips touched his he could tell that she liked him too.