CHAPTER THIRTEEN

May 2014. Summer. Trees, shrubs and meadow look greener than usual. The heat from the sun in the clear, blue sky is scorching. Even if the wind does blow, the breeze isn’t soothing at all and instead, just adds to the already hot climate.

Jaebum watches Bambam as the child plays on the inflatable pool his father had set up for him at their backyard. The former smiles and feels satisfied seeing his son all happy and refreshed.

“Daddy wants to join?” the kid offers. “It’s okay,” he adds, seeing his father consider his offer.

He taps on the big space beside him, motioning for his father to join him in the inflatable pool that could actually hold two, even three, more persons.

“O—“ Just as Jaebum was about to accept, the doorbell rings. He hears a man’s voice call for him saying he had a delivery.

“Daddy will be back, okay?”

Just when Jaebum thought everyone has moved on and forgotten about everything, he receives two gifts from Kim Jina of Kim Foods, almost two months since they last met. A note attached to the items read:

“’Til now, I feel very guilty that I have caused you so much trouble. These may not be much but I hope they somehow make you feel better. Sincerely, Jina.”

This was not the first time he received an “apology gift” from Kim Jina. In fact, there have been many instances when Jaebum suspected that the woman had given or done something for his son. He only decided to dismiss everything, wanting to avoid seeing the woman ever again.

‘This woman, really…’

Jaebum opens a small box with his name written on it. Inside were a letter and a simple gold watch. It read:

“Mr. Im Jaebum,

As you may have noticed, I have never sent you any gift until now. This is because I didn’t want to burden you or hurt your pride in any way. I thought you'd probably hate to receive anything from me. All this time, you probably felt like I have continuously made you look like a gold-digger, a person after nothing but money. I’m really sorry. Please accept this simple gift not as a bribe but rather a token of gratitude for forgiving me (or at least that’s what I think). Also, allow me to make it up to your son whom I (and the company) unintentionally hurt. Let’s just say… I have my reasons for being so affected by what’s happening to Bambam… Again, I’m so sorry and thank you. – Jina.”

Jaebum folds the letter neatly and places it on top of the mahogany end table by his bed. ‘So she isn’t so cruel at all, hmm?’

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“Want to go out? Lunch? Snacks? Coffee? Dinner later?”

Jina looks up at Mark who is sitting at the sofa across her office.

“I’m good. Maybe next time.” she answers.

While the past few months have been good times for the two of them, Jina still dreads their pushed-back-but-still-happening-next-year-wedding.

Mark pouts, “I think you’re avoiding me…”

“No, no. I’m just a little busy with work.”

“Okay! Next time it is!”

As soon as her fiancé left, Jina throws her head back at the headrest of her chair. She sighs as she realizes how much time she’s wasted unintentionally leading Mark on. Year 2015 is only seven months away and she needs to do all she can so the wedding doesn’t push through.

‘Maybe I should go hire someone to pretend as my boyfriend, and then we’d fall in love, like in the dramas. Voila! Problem solved,’ she jokes to herself. She chuckles at how stupid the idea was. ‘I can’t believe I know this kind of things...’

“It seems like you like talking and laughing to yourself. Or is it because of stress?” a male voice asks.

“Mar—“

“Jaebum.” The tall, slightly muscular man smiles at her.

Jina could feel her heart skip at the sight. ‘Must’ve been the stupid idea I came up with.’

She composes herself and stands to greet the man before her when her secretary, Youngji, rushes inside her room.

“Miss Jina! Are you okay? Did—?“ she stops on her tracks as she sees her supervisor and the man shaking hands.

“Oh.” Getting the hint that things are different now compared to the first time the two met, Youngji quickly apologizes.

“It’s okay,” Jina and Jaebum reply in unison.

“I’m so sorry!” Youngji scurries off as she bows once again.

“You have a rather interesting secretary…”

Jina chuckles, “That’s true. So, what brings you here?”

“I came to return this.” Jaebum places a familiar small blue box on Jina’s desk.

The woman smiles, “Just as I expected.”

“I really appreciate your effort but I can’t accept this.”

“That’s okay.” Jina pretends to smile when deep inside, she feels hurt as she thinks that to this day, the man before him probably hasn’t really forgiven her.

“Really, though… I’m okay now. If you want, we can start anew, be friends and just forget about everything.” Jaebum offers, as if he read the other’s mind.

“Really? Friends?”

Jaebum offers his hand for a handshake. “Friends.”

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On his way out of Kim Foods Building, Jaebum silently scolds himself for coming all the way to Jina’s office just to return the gift. ‘How stupid! I could have just mailed it to her or something…’

He initially intended to just return the watch Jina had given him, then quickly leave, disappear forever and pretend as if they have never crossed paths.

However, seeing the woman’s reaction – how she pretended to be okay with him returning the gift – he ended up offering to be friends to prove her that they’re in good terms now.

‘Oh and maybe because I like how Bambam seems happy these days after receiving those toys… I owe her that and friendship is the only thing I can offer her...’

While Jackie comes to look after Bambam from time to time, the latter doesn’t seem to like his late mother’s best friend that much.

With Jina, however, Bambam seems to like her even if they only met once. Jaebum thought this was probably because his son is looking for someone whom he can call “mom”, someone who will give him the attention Jina is able to provide – though she isn’t present physically.

“Not that I’m using her or anything… I mean, if my son likes her, he can have her as a friend. And… we can probably be friends, too.”

“Friends with whom?” a voice asks.

Jaebum turns around and finds Jackie looking at him. Sweat drops start forming on his forehead and he starts to panic. “I… I…”

The brown-haired woman playfully smiles at him, “Oh… So you have a new love interest, hmm?”

“Wh-what? No!”

“Jae, I’ve never seen you this… flustered before. Are you in love?”

“No!”

“Oh… Maybe you’re seeing someone but not yet on that stage~?”

“Shut up, Jackie.” Jaebum pretends to be angry then walks fast, leaving the other behind at the entrance of Kim Foods Building.

Jackie smiles to herself. ‘He can be slow sometimes…’

“Jaebum! Wait for me!”

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Hakyeon sits across the table. “Sup.”

Taekwoon just nods his head.

“I heard you and Mark fought or something. What exactly happened?”

Taekwoon scoffs, “That man is dangerous.”

“What are you saying? Mark is probably the nicest man I’ve met.” The older male tells his friend, laughing awkwardly.

“I think he’s using Jina.”

“The hell are you saying, Taekwoon? Anyone can tell he’s deeply in love with her.”

“Hey, just because you’ve known him longer than I do doesn’t mean you know everything about him. Listen to me, Mark is not who we think he is.”

Though Hakyeon found his friend’s words sensible, he just can’t see his other friend in a bad light.

“See, you’re considering it!”

“Is this still about Jina?”

Caught off-guard, Taekwoon looks away. “No.”

“You still haven’t gotten over her, have you?”

“Shut up, Hakyeon. I never liked her.”

“You shut up, Taekwoon. Listen to you; you’re making things up all because you’re jealous of Mark. Are you even a true friend?”

Hurt by his friend’s words, Taekwoon stands and walks out of the bistro they are in.

Hakyeon, on the other hand, could only shake his head at his friend’s actions. ‘I can’t believe this… That stupid guy still thinks he’s fit to be Jina’s boyfriend. He needs to move on.’

So!!! We just had a time skip and Jaebum & Jina are starting anew which means...??? :3 :3 :'>

Don't be surprised but you've already read half of the whole story. Yes, this doesn't have a lot of chapters left so I hope you'd keep reading until the end :) Word count is ~32,960 but this is subject to change since I proofread every chapter before posting. So... there. Once this is complete, I will probably post a chapter re: fun facts  just because XD

If you feel like it, please do share this to your friends :)