~~~~~

So far, it had been a good night. Kyung met a lot of important representatives who all delivered the same message: they were interested in recruiting and working with him. Too bad President Song had snatched the opportunity beforehand.

“Mr. Popular,” Namjoo teased happily.

“We are,” Kyung agreed clinking his cup of wine against hers. They had chatted happily but that had been just a minute before the unwanted approached them.

Unexpected Jongin stared back at them with those resentful eyes, wearing that same gaze of hate he once had two years ago on the last night she’d seen him. Her insides flipped and that hand stole through the gaps of her ribs to squeeze her heart again. However much she tried, she couldn’t will her eyes away from his. She felt trapped in his loathsome gaze.

“Attorney Han!” someone shouted and a large body blocked Jongin out of her sight.

Shaking, Namjoo tightened her hands around the body of the wine glass. She was unable to focus on the conversation the rep was hitting up with them, so all she did was offer a smile and lower her head. A second later she felt Kyung put his arm around her offering comfort and excused them. Setting their glasses down he led them through a shortcut and into the hallway.

“Are you ok?” he worried.

Namjoo grapsed onto his arm, her mind now a buzz. “I want to go home. Can we leave?” Her knees were shaky and she felt like she might faint.

“Lets leave,” he agreed and offered her his jacket which she wrapped around herself as he led her out.

~~~~~

When the big guy finally removed himself Namjoo and Kyung had already disappeared. Jongin urgently walked around the ballroom, searching and pushing his way through to no avail. After half an hour he gave up when he heard that Kyung had left.

Distraught he sped home and slammed his jacket onto the bed, fiercely tugged his tie loose.

“Namjoo, Kim Namjoo,” he muttered underneath his breath, angry.

What the hell was going on?

The door opened and he turned around to find his fragile mother standing in the doorway. Thinner than ever and appearing more aged, she looked back with sunken eyes. She was a pitiful thing. Jongin never raised his voice to her again after watching her grieve for the dead daughter.

That had all been a shock to him. Too much for him to handle that he had banned anyone from talking about Namjoo. Jaegeun hated him for that.

“What is it?” he calmly asked.

“If you’re home, come eat.” She said then turned to walk away. Since he chased Namjoo out, he was certain a part of her hated him too. The soft spoken mother put less effort into worrying over him now.

Seated at the table he realized Jaegeun was missing. “Where’s Jaegeun?”

“At a friend’s.” she replied placing a bowl of warm soup in front of him. Hearing that was no longer a surprise. Jaegeun, ever since starting school, sometimes refused to come home until late. The nephew didn’t want to see him. When he believed Namjoo had died, Jaegeun cried day and night. Distressed as he had been then, he had blown up in front of Jaegeun, warning the child never to grieve for someone who didn’t deserve to be remembered.

Now that he thought about it, he had been a little out of his mind. Jaegeun had been only four when Namjoo left. She had been his mother figure and he had adored her but Jongin had taken that privilege away from him. His mother hadn’t intervened because she’d been too absorbed in her own grief. Losing her daughter twice... Jongin hadn’t wanted to think about.

Grabbing his spoon he stirred the beef soup – Namjoo’s favorite, his mother had told him one day. In the last two years he’d probably eaten over 600 bowls of these because she hadn’t seemed willing to make anything else.

“You’re making this again?” Jongin asked.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized from beside him. “The housekeeper had to leave early and couldn’t stay to make dinner. I wanted to have some and there were leftovers…”

“Forget it,” Jongin said taking a bite. He didn’t want to hear about her broken heart. This house was nothing but broken hearts.

He felt the arrows in his heart dig deeper and his chest ached. A moment ago Namjoo had looked at him.

Namjoo…

“Mom,” he called as she walked away.

“Yes?” she paused and turned.

If he told her Namjoo was somehow alive and not dead, what would she do? Tell him, beg and plead him to bring her back?

Would Namjoo come back after what happened? Did he want her back?

Jongin wasn’t sure. Thinking about her made him angry and it depressed him.

“Never mind.”

“Chairman Goo called.” She said. “He wants you to call him as soon as possible.” She seemed to let her words hang then pressed on, “Maybe you should marry Yeji, like your father wanted. You’re still young. There’s still a long road ahead of you. Why don’t you consider it?”

Her soft footsteps faded around the corner, leaving him alone.

After Namjoo he never wanted to get married again, couldn’t bear the thought of lying in bed with someone else. Many times he had wished to rewind, travel back in time and stop himself from looking at those papers.

Giving up for the night, he showered and dropped into bed but remained wide awake. Namjoo smiling beside Kyung; Namjoo happy; Namjoo the rumored girlfriend…the thought of these things made him even more unhappy.

Flipping onto his side he stared at the empty bedside that belonged to Namjoo and placed his hand over the pillow that she used to lie on. The bed was cold. Many times in the past two years he had wished to wake up to her still here, warm and ready for him to snuggle against. Even in his dreams Namjoo never came and he had wondered whether it was because her spirit hated him or if she just didn’t miss him the same.

Sitting up he reached for his phone and dialed for Secretary Hong who answered groggily. “What? It’s a Saturday. Isn’t it my day off?”

“I need you to find out something for me, and do it fast,” Jongin urgently said. Then he glanced at the clock, “It’s only ten.”

Secretary Hong groaned, “What is it?”

“I want you to find out who hired Han Kyungmo.”

“Who?”

“The lawyer!” Jongin screamed impatiently into the phone.

~~~~~

Unable to sleep after returning yesterday, Namjoo warmed herself a cup of milk before finally managing to pass out in bed. Now she was wide awake with a clearer head, sprawled out in bed with the sun shining in through the large window.

She’d never once forgotten the hateful gaze Jongin had shot her two years ago. It had cut a part of her heart she never did manage to bandage. What was the use of thinking about it? Somehow he had just ended up at the welcome back party and their paths had unluckily crossed, but that didn’t mean that they would run into each other again. Jongin did marketing and retail, she was going into the law industry.

Getting up she headed into the bathroom to wash up and dress before heading out. Joohwan and Inha’s tiny home was still heart fluttering and welcoming as ever. They greeted her at the doorway with wide open arms and she finally met her niece Yejun.

“Come eat,” Inha urged. “I’ll be back. Gotta go change diaper.”

“She’s planning to make you do it one of these days,” Joohwan teased.

“I’m not sure I’m ready for that,” Namjoo commented as she watched Inha carry her niece away.

“I heard from Kyung that you’re staying at his grandma’s place. How is it?”

“Much bigger than the hostel,” Namjoo smiled hungrily chewing on the food. “Kyung got a job. We’re supposed to start tomorrow.”

“Already?” her brother asked surprised.

Namjoo nodded, “Kyung’s popular these days. It’s his time to shine, I suppose.”

“What about you?” he asked.

“What about me?”

“What are you going to do?”

“You know I’m his secretary.”

“Just that?” Joohwan wondered as if there should be something more.

A smile broke onto her face confused about what the fuss was, “Yea. Of course. What else?”

Joohwan shrugged, “Maybe you should think about getting together with him.”

Namjoo snorted, “Please.”

“I mean it. I don’t like thinking about you living by yourself forever. I’d like it if there was someone to care of you,” Joohwan earnestly said. “And you know, Kyung is still here. I think he’s a good match for you. I’m serious, Namjoo.”

She knew he was but she was never sure what was in her heart anymore. “There’s still a long way to go.”

“Namjoo…”

“I’ll think about it,” Namjoo said knowing it would assure him. “So, tell me, how’s it been the past two years? Are you and Inha going to have another baby?”

~~~~~

“Do you really have to do this?” Secretary Hong glanced at him from the doorstep the next morning.

“Come in.” Jongin said. “If you’re hungry the housekeeper has made some food and there’s coffee.”

“Good. I’m starving.”

Jongin followed Secretary Hong down the hallway, impatient to hear what he’d found. “Did you get anything?”

Setting his briefcase down onto the hall table the secretary pulled out a piece of paper. “Kim & Young Law Firm has hired Attorney Kyung and his secretary. They’re to start their practice tomorrow.”

“His secretary?” Jongin frowned snatching the paper from him and ran his eyes down the information.

“There’s a woman,” Secretary Hong nodded. “His girlfriend, I suppose.”

Jongin sent him a glare. “Not his girlfriend.”

Secretary Hong blinked taken aback by his gruff remark then cleared his throat, “President Song is the one who made the hire. If that’s all, can I go eat?”

“His contact information?” Jongin asked.

“Who?”

“President Song.” Jongin nearly growled.

“Oh…right, next page,” Secretary Hong directed. Aggressively flipping the stapled paper over Jongin stared at the telephone number. A drum roll of victory echoed through him.

Smiling at Secretary Hong he complimented, “Good job. Eat up.” turning to walk away he closed the door to his bedroom and sat down at his desk. Pulling out his phone he dialed the number and listened to the dial tone. With a bright face he greeted, “President Song, hi, this is Kim Jongin speaking.”

~~~~~

“You called for me?” Kyung asked after knocking on the door. Closing it on his way in he walked over to the man standing behind his desk, admiring his clean and organized bookshelf.

“Ah…yes, sit down,” President Song, a 60 year old man with over thirty years in practice, offered him a seat in front of his desk. Kyung sat down and waited for him to go on. “There’s been an offer for you.”

“Offer?” Kyung repeated surprised. “What do you mean?”

“I think it would be better experience for you if you work with them first.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” Kyung said. “Isn’t…my job here?”

“It is, but I’ve thought about it and I want to send you out for real experience.”

“What’s the difference in experience between here or there?” Kyung frowned.

The elder man sighed, troubled. “I received a call yesterday. The local mall has plans to expand their law department and they’re willing to buy out your contract. I’m afraid I can’t pull out. I’m very sorry about this, Lawyer Han.”

~~~~~

Namjoo looked up from the boxes surprised when the door slammed and Kyung walked in. Their office was still as empty as ever and would take a few more days to start getting everything up in order. She was thrilled to be starting work but something about Kyung’s expression spoke otherwise.

“What’s wrong?” Namjoo straightened. “Did the talk with the president go well?”

“I’m not sure.” Hands on hips Kyung tossed his head back. “I can’t understand what’s happening.”

“What do you mean? Did he say something bad?” she worried walking toward him.

“No. It’s not that…” Kyung shook his head then looked at her. “There’s plans to relocate us.”

“What?” Namjoo’s expression overturned. Alert, she grabbed his arm, “What do you mean relocate?”

“That’s the problem,” Kyung mumbled. “A local mall wants to recruit us. He wouldn’t tell me the name but he said a local mall.”

Namjoo’s brows twitched. “A mall?”

“It rings a bell, doesn’t it?” Kyung asked and Namjoo immediately dropped her hand. Her mind spun and that hand squeezed her heart viciously.

“He wouldn’t,” she mumbled.

“Namjoo…” Kyung stepped closer to her. “What if…he intentionally came to find you?”

A bomb went off in her head and she walked away from him and circled the room as her heart thudded. She panicked, worried, and was full of denial but she could only believe one thing. Wheeling around she stared at Kyung. “He’s only doing this to get back at me.”

“What sense does that make?”

“It does, it makes total sense,” she nodded persuaded. Looking at Kyung she said, “He wants to ruin your career because of me.”

“Why would he do that?”

“I hate you.”

Namjoo gritted her teeth at the words she still couldn’t push out of her mind. Looking at Kyung determined and unsettled she said, “Jongin hates me. He’ll do anything to make me miserable. He wants to send you to a small place to make feel like a guilty cause.” She bit her lower lip. She couldn’t let Jongin use Kyung like that.

“I won’t let anything happen,” Namjoo promised. “I’ll talk to him and we’ll settle this once and for all.”

***Namjoo wholly believes that Jongin hates her :\ but do you see a pattern? Jongin is starting to scheme now xDDD