One, two, three and so on.

She counted until ten but the sight in front of her still the same; telling her that she’s not dreaming at the moment. Irene bit her lip, trying to calm herself. Slowly with shaking legs, Irene forced herself to go to the direction; to the person who almost made her faint right away the moment she saw him from where she stood before.

From slower pace, she fasten her steps until she just right behind that person; he did not even notice her presence or even realize that he’s already been caught by her.

Trying to keep her breathing normal as she could, Irene quietly called out for that person’s name.

He was looking on his phone, reading few messages that went into his inbox earlier. As he was silently reading the messages, he felt like someone out there was staring right on him and even calling for his name? He wrinkled his forehead before looked up from his phone, looking at the front view of his eye sight. He turned his face around before a small, shorter figure stood right just behind him, probably few inches away – both of them stared at each other in shocked, as if they just seeing ghost at this moment.

The young man shook his head, a big, deep sigh escaped from his mouth as he stood there, staring at the person who was standing against him, that person’s face was looking at the wall in front of him. “Hyung, please listen to me. You can’t do this, it’s not fair. It’s not fair for Irene noona, hyung. She deserves to know about this, about you, hyung. What is wrong with you?!” Kai asked, still controlling his voice.

Mino took a deep breath before opened his mouth to speak then. “It’s for the best, Kai.” Kai scoffed in disbelief, rolling his eyes in annoyance. “For who? Irene noona? Hyung, what you do right now is probably the dumbest action ever! She’s your wife for goodness sake! She has right to know about this! To know about you, hyung!” Kai talked back, could not understand at all this man who older than him.

Where the it is that the best part in this kind of situation?!

“I don’t want her to worry, Kai.”

“Oh, yeah right. You don’t want her to worry, hyung?” Mino noticed the mocking tone in Kai’s voice. “Tell me, hyung. Which part of this stupid idea of yours that did not want her to worry? Hyung, the moment you return back here in this country without telling her at all already made her worried! You think she what – be happy? Like ‘Oh, my husband is back without telling me after being gone for two months’, that’s what you think? Hyung, don’t be stupid. Irene noona is not a kid that you can easily lie. She’s a person, hyung. A woman and to be exact, she's your wife, hyung.”

Kai closed his eyes, letting out a sigh before continued to speak then. “Don’t do this, hyung. I know that there’s a problem between you both but please, don’t punish her like this. This is too much, hyung. I’m afraid she can’t take all of this; knowing that you’re already here in the same country with her, in this condition. I don’t think happy or excitement will ever be once she sees you, hyung. You don't want to make her worry but at the same time, you make her unhappy. Is that what you want, hyung?”

Mino pressed his lip together before he slowly turned around, meeting with Kai’s eyes then.

“Then, what you want me to do? Tell her the truth? Kai, you know I’m not going to do that.” Mino quietly saying which earn a confusion from the younger, blonde hair man. “Why, hyung? Because you think she doesn’t deserve? Don’t you think what you did right now is too much, hyung? Hyung, I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you but please, for once – please, listen to me, hyung. If you don’t want to tell me, then let me.”

Mino’s eyes immediately threw an icy glare towards Kai. “Don’t you ever dare, Kim Jongin.” Mino hissed fiercely, before turning his body against Kai again. Kai shut his mouth, knowing that he might already crossed the line between both of them; he knew the time when he needed to stop from pressing that beastly figure standing in front of him. It was silence that hung between the two men before Mino finally spoke again.

“Can you leave? I don’t want to be rude but I need some time to be alone. Please, Kai.” Kai heard Mino quietly murmured, still standing and facing that wall.

Kai slowly breathed before letting it out then. “Call me if you need anything, hyung.” he replied back which returned with a quiet ‘hum’ from Mino. Quietly, Kai made himself out from the place, shaking his head in disagreement. God, what is the ing problem here actually?!

What is it that seem so complicated?

Irene cleared , staring at the person in front of her.

“Kai, right? You’re Kai? Jinah’s friend?” Irene questioned, looking at the person’s face. She’s not a person who easily forget people face especially the ones who in her cycle life. She remembered too well this face; the same blonde hair, his almost tan but still fair skin and that flirty smile of him that makes other woman melt even a radius away.

Kai gulped, looking away then. “Errm, sorry. You are?” he tried to pretend as if he did not know the blonde hair woman standing in front of him, completely forgetting the fact that he’s actually talking to a lawyer who mostly spend their time in court; knowing how to read a person when they speaking truth or the opposite one.

Irene shook her head, pressing the man in front of him.

“I’m Irene, Mino’s wife. You’re Kai, right? One of his teammates and his closest friend too. I remember you. You’re also the one who spoke with Jinah, my friend that night. I’m positive that I’m right.” Kai heard Irene saying, a small smile appeared on that thin, red as rose lip.

“Sorry, Irene noona. Maybe I’m just confused. I think I remember now. We have met before, right? I mean – at that event where you drowned in the pool, right?” Irene let out a small gasp, could not believe that the young man in front of her still remembered about that incident.

The incident that also made her to view Mino in different way.

Irene then nodded before continued to speak then. “If I’m not mistaken, Jinah told me that you also one of the players that chosen to participate in that special training in Australia, right? What you’re doing here? Do you decline the offer?” Irene finally asked something that bugging in her mind since she saw Kai earlier.

Kai shook his head, pressed his lip tighter. “No, I did join that training.”

“Then, why you here? Aren’t you supposed to be back here less than a week from now? Don’t tell me that you skip the training and fly earlier than you should.” Irene tried to joke, showing her white teeth towards Kai. Kai let out a small chuckle, rubbing the behind spot of his neck.

Oh God, help me here, please.

He looked at Irene who patiently waiting for him to answer the question that she asked him seconds ago. Instead of answering, Kai then threw Irene a question back. “You come here by what, noona?” Irene was taken aback for a moment before she answered Kai’s question then.

“Great then. Meet me at the exit junction before entering the highway.” Kai told her, smiling a small smile towards Irene then.

“But, why?” Irene asked back, her voice sounded confused and at the same time, curiosity killed her. Kai tried to hide a smile before quietly mumbled. “Don’t you know, noona? Our training completed earlier than the scheduled one. We’re already back here in this country two weeks ago.”

“Come on, noona. Show me where your car is.”

Irene surprised when Kai touched her shoulder, gesturing her to lead the way. She hardly breathed, did not know what to say, to react or to do. Is it true what Kai told her? Is it true that all of this time, he's already here? Back in this country when she actually thought he still at Australia.

What’s going on here?

“You said that it will work! I didn’t know that she’s confessing her love towards him is also a part of our plan! What the hell you’re trying to do here?!”

That voice echoed in the place that looked like been abandoned for few years already. The two people were currently away from the big city, far enough to escape from the crowded, noisy and chaotic situation like that. Both of them stood few meters away from each other; one with a calm face, the other one with blazing, fire eyes.

“You’re the one who didn’t do the job properly. I told you to comfort her, slow talk – not by throwing tantrum on her. What do you expect? She will kindly accept you just like that? , please. Step on reality, will you?”

Seulgi scoffed, shaking her head. “Then, what about you? Talking to me as if you did a good job. I don’t see anything good from you either. Or maybe, you’re the one who didn’t do anything at all?” Jennie send a sharp glare towards the woman stood in front of her before she let out a sigh.

“I know my way. That’s none of your business!”

“Of course, it is! What we’re dealing here is ing connected, Jennie! You chasing him while I want her! Isn’t that clearly obvious for you? Which part of it that you don’t understand?” Seulgi asked then, her voice a bit lower now. Jennie closed her eyes before opening it back, glancing at Seulgi then. “You think it’s easy? He doesn’t even glance at me! Whenever I want to approach him or to talk with, he always avoid me as if I’m some kind of parasite or something.”

Sure you are. You’re the stupid one that couldn’t notice, woman. Seulgi mocked in her mind.

Jennie bit her lip, her face looked frustrated. “I don’t know what to do anymore. Plus, with that lover of yours always linger around and fail my plan, you think it’s easy to make this things work? For God’s sake, please!” Jennie snarled, rolling her eyes, feeling annoyed already.

“So, what’s next?”

“Just focus on what you do. Don’t push too hard or else, you’re the one who will lose later on. You don’t want to see her walk away, right? Keep it slow. If possible, do things that can make her remember the memories of both of you. Make her happy, not giving her headache! Got that?”

“And if you can’t do that, don’t blame on me then! It’s your own job! So, take the risk, will you? What you so afraid of? Why? You afraid she can’t accept you anymore? Come on, Seulgi. It’s not that hard. Just don’t overdo it. At least, don’t let others know what we’re doing to them.”

Seulgi did not say anything though. “Mean time, I do my own job. So, stay out of my way. And if possible, please don’t let them becoming closer. Once they do, it become harder for us to continue our plan. I don’t want because of our silly mistakes, we lose the chances that we have!” Jennie added more, crossing her arms on her chest.

The two of them stood there; thinking whether what they doing right now could success. With what happening right now between the married couple, it seem like they have to push out even more of what they’re been doing lately. Or else, they just have say goodbye to their love ones.

Neither Kai nor Irene could not believe that both of them could make it to that place. Almost arriving to the area, Kai’s car drove ahead from Irene ones, making him the one who driving at the front now. Irene pressed her lip together, continued to drive her car, following Kai’s car from behind. Both of them already away from the main city - not too far, but could find some peace and much quiter place unlike in the city.

When they entered a junction, the two cars had to pass through the security check before they could enter into the area. Irene was in awe when most of the house that she passed by are bungalow typed or double-story one. She felt like she’s wandering around an elite house area where she assumed, the owners of the houses in this luxury, modern area are probably wealthy people.

They continued to drive on until Kai’s car slowly stopped at one of the houses in the area. Before Irene wanted to ask why, she saw the young man climbed out from his car, gesturing her to get out from her car also. Irene turned off the engine before she carefully climbed out from the car, a confusion look displayed on her face.

“Is this yours, Kai?” Irene could not help to ask.

Kai threw a small smile before he gradually asked Irene to walk with him; both of them quietly made their way towards the big bungalow located right at the center, the electronic gate that kept the house in its zone from the other houses were locked by the security alarm that probably connected with the bungalow also. Irene entered the house lawn along with Kai through the small door at the side of the fence that guarded the house all around it, easily passed through it even though Irene did not know how did Kai make it.

Once again, Irene felt amazed with the house. It just so beautiful and very home-like. She felt like she’s home at her parent house. There’s a small fountain at the front part of the house lawn, a large garage connected at the side of the house; at one of the parking spot in the garage – parked a dark blue Ranger Rover sport, probably the 2015 edition based on the still new look of that car.

“What do you think, noona?” Kai’s soft voice pulled Irene from her admiration thoughts.

A sweet