Song Ji Hyo has dinner with someone she has not seen in months. They were seated in a high-class restaurant, he told her that he was buying so she didn't have the audacity to say no. He looked great, he looked somehow aged, but good aged though, like cheese. He gets better with age. Model and actor, Lee Dong Wook. It was not that they did not want to meet, of course there are proposals for that. But he has been working overseas for fan meetings, acting offers etc, it made it impossible for them to meet in awhile. She was busy too, doing events in China, somewhere she loved to visit. She wonders though, in what lengths, to the corners of the world could her acting career take her? 

'You look good, healthy.' He says when they finished ordering. He eyes the things that she wore. She looked even more posh tonight, in studded peach heels and a backless white dress that fell just below her knees, she looks perfect to him. It has not been long since they parted ways and they are comfortable this way, being friends. He did not mind that whenever he saw her, even in billboards or magazines that he could feel this ache in his heart, what matters is to him, that she's happy; even though without him. 

'Thank you, I do feel good though. But you, you're a bit tanned, aren't you? Travelling to East Asian countries, you must be tired.' She says, lightly touching his hand. Probably it is out of habit, but he liked that she had that kind of habit with him. 

'I am, aren't I? I hope I look okay though.' He says, touching his face, lightly pressing it with his fingers. Song Ji Hyo took a sip of the wine in front of her, the restaurant has a really extended wine list, it is much more posh than she is used to. The skyline that showed the whole Seoul, the whole place gave this sort of magnetic vibe and aura. She felt more expensive than she actually is. 

'Of course you look okay, more than okay actually.' The tan made him look a bit bronzer than usual, but it is not over the top though.It suited his skin, a bit like yellowish but he looked like a foreigner, a nice, exotic one to that. But Song Ji Hyo wonders a lot more than just his tan. He told her before via text that he had something to say to her. Dong Wook to her, was not the type that gives surprises. The only surprise that he has ever given to her was the ring, and that made her feel like collapsing every time she thinks about it. 'You told me before, you had something to tell me?' She asked him. 

'Oh yeah, before that.' He takes something out from below his feet, a box in white; purely white, with a maroon ribbon cross-tied on the box. He placed it carefully, as if he was carrying his heart on a sleeve, and placed it gently on the centre of the table. 'Your birthday's in the summer, but I was not here; so this is your birthday present.' He says, pointing the little gift box. 

Song Ji Hyo was out of words. 'Dong Wookie, it's like, November. The leaves changed colour already.' 

'Its our thing, isn't it? Birthdays.' He says, somehow somberly. It was their thing though, ever since they have been friends, they have never actually missed each other's birthdays. It's been a few years, and they would always fill in their birthdays with each other. It does not matter if it's dinners or private parties, every time, every single time, they would never miss it. Song Ji Hyo thought about it when her birthday came, but she knew that he was out of the country, so she celebrated it with Kwang Soo instead. She thought maybe, she did not deserve to celebrate it with him, given their past, but it felt nice that he remembered. He grazed her with a smile. 'Open it.' He says.

She nods and took the box into her hands. It was the size of the palm of her hands. 'Should I?' She says and he nods. Slowly, she pulls the ribbon slowly, opening it up. No wonder Dong Wook told the maitre'd to hold back the food a while, this was what he was delaying it for. Pulling out the ribbon, she knots it in her hands and sets it aside. It was self-explanatory, as she lifts the box's lid. It was a watch. 

You can see it in first glance, it was expensive. The leather strap in light brown, the hands of the clock in silver. The background in simple gold with small numbers to mark the time. The Switzerland-based watch was beautifully encrusted in little diamonds, even on the hands of the clock. She was not really materialistic, but she had a good appreciation of expensive things. It was low-key extravagant, that was beautifully constructed and matched the colour of her skin perfectly. 'Dong Wook-ah.' She says, looking at the watch. Dong Wook has always had good tastes, and this was one of the most beautiful gifts he has given her. 

'Happy birthday, Jihyo-ah.' 

'Lee Dong Wook-ssi, you are something else.' She says. He takes the watch for her, asked her for her wrists. Lightly, his hands were warm like hotpacks, he fastened the watch for her. It looked nice on her, it compliments her whole entire wardrobe. Compared to the restaurant, she looked far more elegant that it was. 

He touches the base of the glass, smoothing it. 'Now every time you'll search for the time, you'll think of me.' He says. Somehow she could sense that his words were encrypted, like some sort of puzzle. She wonders what he meants, but she knew that she's going to find out soon. 

'Dong Wook your birthday is in three days, I don't even know what I can get you to top this.' She says, taking her hand back and inspecting the beautiful watch again. She wonders about the things that he like, what should she give to him?

'Unfortunately, I don't think you're going to make it.' He says, and the food came. A roasted lamb's heel with beet-red plum sauce, a bed of Tuscan-flavoured wild rice, topped with garlic Greek yogurt to give it a freshing consistency for her, and a squid-ink tortellini with prawn filling, served with asparagus, baby cherry tomatoes and ink sauce that was fragrant and beautifully plated. This is nice, she said to herself. It's not everyday that she got to eat stuff like these. But even while the staff places the plates on their tables, she was thinking. The waiter refilled their glasses, and left them both alone. 

'What do you mean, by that, though? I'm not going to make it?' She asks. He started eating, but she hasn't. She needed answers, she was not in the mood even though the food was as delicious as it looked. He didn't say anything so she lifted her cutleries and started to eat. He ate quietly while Song Ji Hyo eyed him. She was waiting for answers. By the time he ate half of his meal, he placed his fork and knife down, and wiped his mouth. He washed it down with the expensive white wine. 

'I'm going to Hong Kong and work there for a couple of years.' He says. Somehow she didn't stop eating up until five seconds he spoke. She lifted her face to meet his. 

'What?'

'I'm moving. There's a company there that offered me a contract. The pay is plausible, much more than they pay me now and it's a brief contract. King Kong Entertainment treats me well, of course, but I think I should expand. Even the CEO thinks too and I am welcomed to come back anytime. But I'll live there for a couple of years, maybe three. I think it's going to be fun, don't you think?' He says, Song Ji Hyo has stopped eating completely and stared at him. So why aren't you smiling when you're thinking about your 'fun' plans? It was not the 'mong' expression that she usually has on her face, but a slight crooked crease in between her eyebrows. 'Ji Hyo-ah.' He says in a pathetic voice. 

'Is it me? Is it why you're leaving?' She asks him straight-up, there was a hint of anger in her voice. 'You don't text, you don't call. The only time you hit me up is when you're here to tell me goodbye?' She says, gripping her hands in a fist. Song Ji Hyo, she rarely gets angry.Almost never, actually.But his news, made her angry somehow. 

'Ji Hyo-ah.' 

'If it's not, then why? If you're happy, why not stay the same? Tell me the truth, is it because of me?' She asks. Her voice was rising slightly. 

He loosened his tie and threw his head backwards, cracking the bones in his neck. 'Ji Hyo, please.' 

'Tell me, Dong Wook-ah.' She says, and he drank his wine, emptying it. 

'Yes.' He says. 'You want me to tell you the truth, yes. I thought I was okay, and I thought I was alright, but I wasn't. Is that what you wanted to hear me say, Ji Hyo-ah?' His voice was deep as it was coarse. 'You have no idea, don't you? Did you think that I would work this hard just for the money? I was trying to keep myself occupied.' He says. 

He continues, 'You're happy, and I get it. You're even glowing when you're around him, and that made me kind of depressed, in some way. I am trying to get over you. I'm trying to get over you by moving into a country I don't even understand the language to. I am telling you things you want to here, Song Ji Hyo, that I was fine and I am not in pain. But it hurts, it really did. I could smile for you, I could laugh with you, but every time I do, it feels like you take a part of me somewhere and chose not to give it back.' Somehow these were the things that Ji Hyo never heard from him. It felt like a burden on his shoulders has been lifted. But another burden comes and takes it's place, The burden of the look she is giving him now that told a million different stories. 'While I dated you, I was happy. I thought I was the happiest guy alive. But it seemed like our relationship was one-sided, that you were never in love with me.' He says. 

'That's not true.'

'Unfortunately, Ji Hyo-ah, it is. When I told you to only look at me, it's not like you didn't, it was just that you couldn't. And the only thing I can do right now, is live with the fact that you were never in love with me.' He says. She couldn't say anything, how could she? She was the one to be blamed, to get into the relationship out of impulse. But this is what life is all about. Time could be compressed and it could be stretched, but you can never take back the time that you lost. That was what the watch means, she looks at it. She could feel the balls of tears in , just waiting to be let out. The truth is painful and filled with sorrow, but it does not change the fact that it is, as it always have been, the truth. She could feel as if she was a block of ice, like everything is in a complete halt. Slowly, her tears dropped one by one. She felt like crying, like a child in pain. When he finally notices it, he was in a total panic. 

'Ji Hyo-ah, I'm so sorry.' He repeated, countless times. But she kept on crying, her nose looked like a tomato. She did not make a sound, but her tears were flowing. He never expected her to cry, he just said how he felt. He took his chair, he sat next to her instead of in front of her; concealing her from the people who were watching. He takes the napkin from his coat pocket, and wipes her eyes for her. 

'I thought you were okay- but unfortunately, this is how people are, we are too absorbed in our own pain.' She says, her voice breaking little by little. 'I am so sorry.' She says, covering her head with her hand. 'I'm a , aren't I?' 

'No you're not.' 

'I'm a clueless , aren't I?' She says. 

'Song Ji Hyo, what are you talking about?'

She cried enough to soothe her heart, she played with the food on her plate while she waited for Dong Wook to finish. He paid the bill, even though she insisted for him not to do that. But it did not matter to him though. They walked, the streets were empty. No cameras, no paparazzis. They walked side by side, slowly, until they found a park. He sat her on the bench in front of the convenience store and he got her her favorite icecream. 

He sat next to her while they ate, crossing his legs. 

'It wasn't your fault.' He says, as if he was talking to himself. 'You love somebody that loves you back, and I was just a bit unlucky.' He adds. 

'It took me a while to get there though.' She says. 

They were friends before they dated. 

'Love doesn't come easy for anyone. Even pretty, good-looking actors like us.' He says, laughing. 

'Dong Wook.' She calls her. 

'What?' 

'You'll come back, right? For the Lunar New Year, Christmas, for Chuseok.' She asks. 

'Of course, Seoul is home for me.' 

He told her how his flight is in the morning of his birthday, and she told him to stay safe and take care of his health. 

'Dong Wook-ah?'

'Hm?' 

'I know I've said this before, but thank you for liking me. You're the most attractive person that has ever liked me, the ones that I know, though.' She says.

'I know, since it's me.' He says, laughing afterwards. 

'I don't know when's the last time we're going to be like this, hanging out with each other like this.' She says. 

'I don't have an exact date, but soon.' 

Under the stars, outside a poorly-lit convenience store, they both sat with each other under the stars. To Dong Wook, it was the best birthday gift that Song Ji Hyou could ever give him, and that is a fixed time, just for himself and not anybody else.