“You’re ready?”

Joohyun glanced at me then, nervously smiling as I could feel her small hand grabbed mine, intertwining our hands together which perfectly fit in my big size one. “Just a bit nervous, that’s all. Are you sure that I should be here? I mean – this is like your team private gathering together and I don’t want to-”

Before she could even finish, I leaned in closer and placed a quick kiss on her rosy red lip to shut her then. She looked kind of surprised though but almost immediately responded to my kiss before I slowly pulled away then.

“You’re not bothering if that’s what you think. Plus, they already know that I’m bringing you along tonight.” Joohyun’s eyebrows raised as a slight of surprise plastered on her face. “Come on, we should get inside. They probably waiting for us.” I told her then, wrapping one of my arms around her small, petite waist as both of us walked side by side towards the front door of the double-story house which belongs to one of my teammates, Alex.

I lifted up my hand as greeting towards few of my other teammates who were also in the house, enjoying the small gathering which actually Alex’s idea. For me, it is a normal thing that most of us do since it’s not that easy for all of us to spend some time together as team. Although, all of us practice and train almost all the time together but still, everyone has their own life and that’s why, the only way to spend some time together is by having a small gathering which a private one where only among our team members that know about it. “Irene noona!” Joohyun was a bit startled by the sudden appearance made by Kai, approaching the two of us as he greeted both Joohyun and I.

“Hi, Kai. Nice meeting you too.” Kai chuckled, nodding his head towards Joohyun a bit then. “You’re alone?” I asked Kai then, just noticed that there wasn’t a woman that stand by his side.

Usually, there always be a woman; mostly different one every time any of us hold this kind of event and almost all of our members already know about Kai’s attitude though. Honestly, there were few of the team members did give some advice towards Kai but knowing him too well, I know he did not even listen to those advices. Seriously saying, it just a waste of time. Even myself already tried but still, there’s no look that the young man would change his attitude though.

“Hyung, come on. You think I don’t know that you’re actually mocking me?” Kai said once Joohyun excused herself to greet Alex’s fiancée who also at the gathering tonight. I rolled my eyes then, looking at Kai. “Then, what do you want me to say? Besides, it’s true, right? I’m not saying something that is not true.” I talked to him back which made the man scowled at me then.

He then let out a sigh as his eyes wandered around, looking at the few people who were passing by us. “I know, hyung. But seriously, it’s true. I’m all alone tonight. I don’t feel like to bring someone along with me.” he admitted then which threw me a bit shock.

“Come on, Kai. You and I know it sounds absurd. What’s with the sudden change?” I directly asked him then, did not know whether to believe what he just told me then.

Kai shrugged, pressing his lip together. “So, how’s you and Irene noona now? Can I say that you both look like a perfect match couple? Finally, I can see you loosening up a bit.” he joked, obviously changing the topic as he was chuckling playfully.

I scoffed lightly, smacking his shoulder with a small fist then, shaking my head. “I’m serious, hyung. No offence though! But, you do look much better after the two of you getting along together. Much happier, I assume? And I see the same thing from Irene noona – she’s glowing from the love you shower for her, hyung.” Kai spoke, his eyes then flickered towards Joohyun who was standing across from where both of us were; talking with two other women including Alex’s fiancée.

Her sleeveless indigo cocktail blue dress on her body figure suits her well especially with that fair and flawless skin of hers. Plus, her now new color hair that tied into ponytail which is rose gold one did make her stand out even from far away – I could not deny that her goddess beauty is no joke at all.

Maybe that’s why most people before told me that I’m such a lucky person to have her as my wife. If before, I probably could only scoff even though it was a compliment for me, but now, I admit it though. Plus, I know that Joohyun’s beauty is seriously one in a million but because our not so good relationship before made me ignore the fact that I have an angel beauty in my life.

Then, as knowing that I was watching her – Joohyun turned towards my direction, our eyes met against each other. Her lip formed a sweet, genuine smile as I could see the sparks reflected in her eyes. Slowly, I replied her smile with my signature, casual smile which Joohyun told me once that she felt so damn lucky because she’s the only one who got to see that kind of smile from me.

I did not know when did Kai leave but probably few minutes before as I realized that I was all alone at that time, catching Joohyun’s figure that already approaching closer towards me before stood right in front of me, flashing her smile then. “Do you want to eat? It makes me hungry looking at the scrumptious, fancy food.” Joohyun said lightly, hugging me then as she looked up at me.

“What do you want? I’ll take it for you then.” I told her, fixing few strands of her hair that slipped from her tied ponytail. She shook her head, taking my hand before dragging me along with her. “Let’s just take it together. Plus, I don’t really know this house and I might end get lost with my small size figure.” she joked, laughing quietly then.

I could not help but to chuckle with Joohyun’s word though. “Well then, if you said so.” I agreed with her before the two of us went towards the section where some foods and drinks been served towards the guest who come to the small gathering for tonight.

Alex did catch up with both of us before we excused ourselves to go home later, not to forget to thank him for inviting Joohyun and I to the event which he willingly held tonight. Since Joohyun got an important work to do right early in the morning, I kindly excused ourselves to go home earlier than others because knowing that she should get some enough of sleep for tomorrow.

It was late in the evening, almost twilight already. I was ready to leave the stadium area where my team and I had our practice and training before when my eyes spotted someone figure who was still sitting on the wooden bench, head down as a small sigh escaped from his lip.

“You’re not going, Kai?” I casually asked, leaning myself half on the wall across where the exit of the locker room.

Kai looked up then, meeting with my eyes as his lip placed a small smile. “That’s okay, hyung. You’ll go first. I bet Irene noona is waiting for you right now at home.” he teased me in a playful tone which made me rolling my eyes in a bit of annoyance although I did not deny that fact.

Ever since both of us came back from that log cabin where the two of us spent some quality time together all alone, I could admit that both of us are mostly like a helpless in love couple who like just discover their feelings towards each other. Still, I admit that I’m not that open much when it comes to express my own feelings because like I tell before, I’m new with all of this and it takes time for me to get familiar and cope with all of this heart and feelings matters.

“Dreaming about Irene noona, hyung, I suppose?” he added more while wriggling his eyebrows together as it seem like I was lost in my own thoughts seconds ago.

I scoffed lightly, shaking my head as annoyance feeling shown all over my face. “Whatever, Kai. But honestly, I feel like there’s something difference inside you that sometimes make me wonder if you really my friend, Kai. I don’t know why but it feels like you’re changing a bit from your usual act.”

Kai looked a bit startled when I muttered those words as his eyes quickly left mine then before staring down on the floor again before letting out a small, nervous laugh. So unusual for him, I thought. “What’s wrong?” I quietly asked after few minutes passed, sitting at the bench across him then, resting both of my arms on my thigh.

He looked hesitate at first before eventually opened his mouth to speak then. “Am I crazy, hyung?” I frowned then, feeling surprised to hear that words came out from Kai’s mouth.

“What nonsense are you-”

His eyes met directly with mine then as he cut off my sentence before I could finish it first. “I’m not saying nonsense things, hyung. I am crazy – and it’s all because of her. That stupid, mysterious woman.” he mumbled in low voice, shaking his head slowly then.

“Who? That woman that you talked about before?” I asked him then, referring towards the unknown woman that Kai once told me before during a phone conversation between us.

He slowly nodded, almost like smiling cynically towards himself. “I don’t know what happen but I can’t get her out of my mind, hyung. She’s like haunting my life. Whenever I tried to forget her, her shadow keep appearing in my life, following me everywhere that I will go.” Kai said, sighing deeply then.

I pursed my lip, thinking of what Kai just told me now. “Do you know her?”

“Only by her name – Ari. Unique, right?” I tried to hide my smile when I noticed the spark reflected in Kai’s eyes when he mentioned about that woman who still remain mysterious and unknown for me except for her name, Ari thanks to Kai, of course.

“Then, what bothering you? Aren’t you the most expert guy when it comes to flirt or whatsoever it is that you always like to call for yourself. Why not being the way you usual be?” I looked at Kai, raising both of my eyebrows in suspicion then.

Kai pressed his lip together, shaking his head all over again. “If that would be easy, hyung, I might be doing that. The problem is she not like any other women that I’ve met before. She too much difference, too hard to guess and tell. That’s why she so mysterious yet there’s something about her that make me want to know her deeper.” Kai murmured quietly, shrugging both of his shoulder.

If I’m not mistaken, this probably the first ever time I saw Kai looked this kind of hesitate and unconfident about himself. Seriously saying, I could not believe my pair of eyes at the moment seeing Kai in this kind of state which completely taken me aback.

Both of us stayed in a silence like few minutes before I was the one who break it then. “Why don’t you try to approach her sincerely? You know – without having any intention to play with her feeling or just wanting to have some fun time with her and when you already bored you leave her at that moment. This time, try not to be the one that you always be; that playboy, flirting kind of guy. Just be sincere and honest with yourself and her.” I tried to suggest, looking at him who seem to be listening to my idea though.

“Do you think she will accept me, hyung? I mean – as a friend, of course.”

I smiled a small smile, shoving both my shoulder upwards. “Only you the one who will know that. You’re the one going to battle in the field, not me.” Kai rolled his eyes playfully, scoffing at my words then. I then stood up before gathering my things again, sliding my sport bag on my left shoulder.

“Trust yourself, Kai. Don’t let yourself regret for the thing that you can make it happen but