Knock! Knock! Someone entered the room and asked politely, “Good afternoon… Oppa? May I come in?”

Jae Suk who was still busy scanning some papers looked up and smiled at Eun Hye. “Of course, come in.”

He took his time to stretch his body before asking her secretary. “What happened? Why don’t you go home?”

“Tonight, you will have dinner with Mr. Jung to discuss our collaboration on the current project, shouldn’t I need to attend it too?”

“You don’t need to. I’ll take care of it myself. No worries. You may go home right now.” Jae Suk focused on his work again.

She still stood up there instead, while Jae Suk turned to be serious. “Anyway, Eun Hye… Do I really look lonely and pathetic?”

“No. You don’t look like that. But, I sometimes could see that your life is empty.”

“To be honest, I wasn’t interested in being hooked up with your sister. I’m sorry. But, you know.. I’m forcing myself right now not to be a coward who is being afraid of getting hurt by a woman. I should try to open my heart and… I know that your choice won’t be bad, right?”

Eun Hye knew that Ji Hyo’s position was similar; both parties were forcing themselves to meet someone and open their heart. She believed that it’s indeed a good opportunity for both of them to get closer and become lovers in the future. The latter then smiled widely and said confidently, “You will not be disappointed with this one.”

“Song PD, I make sure that Park Shin Hye will be the guest for our first episode, while we have Hong Seok Cheon for our second episode. We will start filming the first episode next Monday and second episode on Thursday following their schedules,” Kwon So Yeol, the assistant director explained.

Ji Hyo closed her eyes and massaged her temples. She should be happy because she and her crew would film their new program soon, but she’s not in the mood because of what her mom did. “Good So Yeol, I hope everything is going well for us.” She then started packing up her things.

“Whoa, next week we will be super busy. I’m sure A Day With… will have a better future than our last production. Ah yeah!” Nam Ji Hoo, the writer shouted happily.

“I hope so. Ah right! PD-nim, on Monday we’ll start filming on Park Shin Hye’s place at 9 am,” notified Kim Min Kyu, another assistant director.

Ji Hyo checked her watch, it’s 4:45 pm. She was no longer able to think of anything at that time. “Ah, alright.. It seems everything has been managed well so far. Okay, that’s all for today. You’ve all worked hard. See you on Monday then!” She ended the meeting, got up and got out of the meeting room before others.

Her eyes were on the TV, but she didn’t really watch it. Her mind was blown somewhere. Eun Hye called her a few times until she was back to her sense. “What?”

“Unnie, what are you thinking about?”

The older didn’t reply. “I’ll go out to get some fresh air.” Ji Hyo got up suddenly to find and grab her jacket and wallet. She ignored Eun Hye who asked her “what happened?” before going out.

After drinking three bottles of soju alone, she was like between conscious and unconscious, but looking at the way she tottered, she was indeed drunk. “Aahhhhh! Why it should happen to me??!!” Ji Hyo once hiccupped. As feeling physically tired to walk, she finally stopped and sat on the entrance stairs of a restaurant.

The welcoming waiter of the restaurant approached and tried to shoo her as she sat on the entrance making a few people who wanted to enter the restaurant feel uncomfortable. But, Ji Hyo who was having an unstable emotion and distracted mind was getting angry instead. She stood up, yelled and pointed at him, “Who are you? Are you my mom? Why did you ask me to do what I don’t like? I want to be here!” She was back to her position stubbornly.

The waiter grabbed her wrist pulling her to stand up. “Miss, I don’t know what problem you have now but it’s not your place to vent your anger. You better go home now!”

Ji Hyo struggled to make him release her by screaming and shouting. “AAAAA!!! I don’t want to!”

At the same time, Jae Suk escorted his business partner whom he had dinner with until reaching the front of the restaurant. They shook hands, bowed each other, and separated. He intended to go to his car immediately but his attention was grabbed by an unusual view.

Ji Hyo and the waiter were still in tug when Jae Suk approached them and asked, “What happened?”

The waiter then stopped pulling Ji Hyo and released his grip to bow and explain the situation. “I apologize for the inconvenience, Sir. I don’t know this woman, but she has been trying to sit on the stairs. It could make people uncomfortable.”

Jae Suk looked at the woman who couldn’t even stand straight next to him. “Let me to take care of it,” he said to him then called his driver that parked the car a bit far from there to fetch him.

Ji Hyo felt her head ache and held it with her hands while muttering something. She almost lost her balance but thanks to Jae Suk who grabbed her arms immediately. “Miss, where’s your home? I’ll drive you home.”

“I don’t want to go home…,” drunk Ji Hyo did an aegyo, but seconds later she ranted again,” I don’t want to go home! I don’t want to meet that old man!”

Jae Suk was astonished yet amused seeing her like that. It made him think that the woman was a bit interesting when he helped her to get in his car. When both were already inside, Ji Hyo couldn’t stop venting. “I’m Song Ji Hyo, I’m 35, I’m single, and I’M HAPPY! WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME? WHY YOU SHOULD DO THIS TO ME, MOM?!” she cried, making Jae Suk and his driver surprised, but still they couldn’t do anything about her.

“Just drive home. I’ll take care of her as she doesn’t bring her phone,” said Jae Suk to his driver after making sure that Ji Hyo had no phone with her.

There was silence until Jae Suk felt his left shoulder a bit heavy and he found her head laid on there. She fell asleep.

“Oppa, you’re home. Eh?! Who’s she?” A woman’s voice welcomed Jae Suk.

“In Na, help me to prepare the guest room, I need to lay her down on the bed,” Jae Suk who was piggybacking Ji Hyo, asked her younger sister to help him.

Once Ji Hyo was laid down on the bed in a guest room, In Na went to talk with Jae Suk in his home office. She then bombarded her older brother with questions about the woman whom he brought home. “Oppa, it’s your first time bringing a woman to our home since you broke up with Hyo Ri unnie. Who’s she? Is she your girlfriend now? Why you never tell me if you have one already? What’s her name? Is she older or younger than me?”

The older could only snort. “Yoo In Na, why you shower me with these kinds of questions? It’s my first time meeting her. I don’t know who she is. Really.”

“Did you two meet in a bar? She’s drunk anyway.”

“No. I had a meeting with one of my business partners in a restaurant and when we came out of there, she was drunk and going to be shooed by a waiter. I decided to help her by bringing her to our home since she didn’t have her phone with her. We can ask her tomorrow when she wakes up.” In Na nodded signing that she understood the real situation. Both were silent and In Na turned around to go to her room when Jae Suk said to her, “Oh, In Na, her name is Song Ji Hyo, she mentioned it herself when she ranted in the car.”

Morning came, Ji Hyo was awake. She felt her head was heavy when opening her eyes. Trying to get up slowly, Ji Hyo then looked around. She was shocked as she knew that it wasn’t her own room. “W-what happened? Why am I here?” she muttered while massaging her forehead.

She was startled when someone opened the door and entered the room. “Oh, Song Ji Hyo-ssi, you woke up already?” In Na came with a set of clothes on her hands, placed them on the bed, and then sat on the edge of the bed before greeting Ji Hyo friendly. “Hi, I’m Yoo In Na. You may be confused why you’re here. Well, last night you were drunk and you didn’t bring your phone, so my older brother took care of you by bringing you to our home.”

Ji Hyo was surprised and she started panicking. She looked for her jacket lying beside her and grabbed it to check out if she didn’t have her phone with her. “Ah, you’re right… I only bring my wallet. I-I’m so sorry for bothering you and your brother. B-but, may I know how you can know my name?”

In Na smiled at her and explained, “No worries. It’s not a bother for my brother and me. Umm, my brother told me that you said your name yourself when you’re drunk last night.” Ji Hyo was shocked and made a regretful face, and In Na excitedly asked her, “May I ask you something? But it’s alright if you don’t want to answer it.”

Ji Hyo said awkwardly. “Ah yes of course, go ahead.”

“How old are you? Am I perhaps younger than you? I’m 33 anyway. I’m sorry if I’m rude for asking you this. It’s just I want to call you in a closer and proper way.”

“Y-yes?” Ji Hyo was confused but she decided to say it. “I’m 35, so yeah, you’re younger than me…”

“Then, may I call you ‘Unnie’?” the younger blinked her eyes as doing an aegyo.

“A-ah, sure..”

“And..one more question. My brother is Yoo Jae Suk, you don’t know him?” It’s a question making Ji Hyo look blank before she shook her head.

“Oh, okay..okay.. I thought you’re my brother’s girlfriend. I was excited last night.” She grinned. “Alright, you should take a shower. You can wear my clothes,” she said while pointing at the clothes in front of Ji Hyo. “After that, come down for having breakfast with me, Unnie.”

However, Ji Hyo refused. She put on her jacket and got up from the bed instead. “Thank you so much, In Na-ssi, but I should go home now. I can’t bother you any longer.” She bowed.

“No, no… Please, at least have breakfast before you leave. You must feel hungry,” In Na pleaded.

“Don’t bother to prepare breakfast for me, In Na-ssi. Really, I need to go home right now, my sister must be worried about me.”

“Oh, alright..alright.. But, let me drive you home, okay? Please, you cannot refuse this one, Unnie.”

Ji Hyo wasn’t comfortable with that offering; it was nice of her trying to help, so the older could just say yes.

Jae Suk just came home from some jogs as he saw his sister and Ji Hyo went downstairs. The man approached both women. He greeted Ji Hyo and introduced himself politely. “Hello, good morning. I wish you had a good sleep. I’m Yoo Jae Suk. Nice to meet you, Miss…,” He was a bit hesitant to call her name since Ji Hyo had not introduced herself yet.

She bowed and greeted him with an awkward smile. “H-Hello, I’m Song Ji Hyo. Umm, I want to thank you for taking care of me when I was drunk last night. I’m sorry for bothering you. Well, and I think I must go home now.”

“You’re very welcome, Song Ji Hyo-ssi.” They shook hands. “Why don’t you have breakfast with us before you go home?”

“I already invited her to join us, Oppa, but Unnie seems having something urgent.” In Na pouted.

“Well, no.. I have no something urgent. It’s just I don’t want to make my sister worried about me.”

“Unnie? Have you two been close already?” Jae Suk glanced at them alternately.

In Na hit her older brother’s arm lightly. “You act like you don’t know me, Oppa. I’m always like this. Anyway, Oppa, I’ll go to drive her home. Could I borrow your car? Since mine’s in a car repair shop.”

“Well, you don’t need to, In Na. If that’s the case, let me drive her home myself instead, as I’ll go out with my friends after that.”

His sister shrugged. “Okay, then.”

He turned his head to Ji Hyo. “Take your time to shower and have breakfast first, okay?” Before Ji Hyo could refuse, Jae Suk said, “Don’t say that you can ride a taxi. Just take your time here. Your sister would be more worried if she sees you like this.”

A/N: I’m really sorry for the long wait. m(_ _)m And thank you very much for subscribing, reading, and commenting on this story; these mean so much to me.^^ Anyway, I’ve just posted my one-shot story of Candy Alliance here just in case you’d be interested.