Jieun knew she shouldn’t have believed Myungsoo when he said that everything is for work.

 

“Kim Myungsoo, please stop wasting my time.”

 

Jieun’s voice is rather cold and firm and it just clearly implies that she is not very much amused with Myungsoo right now probably because he lied when he told her that they will talk about business and nothing but business. They did nothing but walk then eat and then walk and eat again. They just strolled in the park for a good fifteen minutes while holding food in their hands.

 

Myungsoo looked at Jieun guiltily because yes, he probably wasted a little bit of Jieun’s time. “I was just trying to bond with you.”

 

Jieun looked at Myungsoo with disbelief. “What? Bond with me?”

 

Jieun seriously have no time for Myungsoo’s games and antics. Aside from the fact that she’s really busy, she honestly doesn’t want to be anywhere around him. Seeing him, talking to him face to face, walking side by side with him does nothing but to open the wounds of her heart little by little. The very moment she saw Myungsoo sitting confidently in the conference room a while ago started hell for her all over again. She fears that the wounds she worked so hard to heal would come back and maybe this time, it would be painful than ever. Myungsoo’s face reminds her so much of the night of their break-up and she considered it the most painful night of her life.

 

“I told you that I have no time to deal with your , Myungsoo. If you want someone to bond with, call your friends. If they are too busy for you too, go pick up a random girl and hook up with her. I’m pretty sure there would be a lot of girls who would die just for the pleasure of your company. Just please, don’t bother me.”

 

Myungsoo was speechless with Jieun’s words and how she looked at him with her cold, uninterested eyes. And before he could stop her, she already dropped the food she’s holding on the ground and left.

 

He must have been crazy when he thought that he and Jieun would be fine just like that. Who is he kidding? He isn’t really alright being around her and he was sure that Jieun feels the same way towards him too. He just tried his luck that Jieun may warm up to him even a little but he was slapped by the truth that no, they really aren’t alright and they won’t be anytime soon.

 

 

 ***

 

When Jieun can’t calm herself down, coffee is her helping hand but as of this moment, it really is not working and it frustrates her more.

 

Myungsoo is definitely being such a pain in the again, just like in high school, with his cocky, arrogant attitude and his delusion of “bonding” with her. Jieun can’t really believe that Myungsoo even have the nerve to stroll in the park with her and luring her that it is “business-related”. He’s back to being an irritating brat again and it really pisses her off.

 

Jieun doesn’t need a bonding time with Myungsoo. What she needs is to not work with him, to be away from him, to not see him again because she’s still hurt and mad at the fact that she wasted five years of her life being so in love and with the said bastard and another year of moving on from him.

 

Ever since Jieun graduated from high school, her parents pushed her harder to be involved in the business. She was pushed to be better and to work without flaws. In other words, she was pressed on to be perfect—a deserving heir to Lee Corporation and a daughter her parents wouldn’t be ashamed of.

 

And that was suffocating her and choking her harder every single day. But Myungsoo was there. He was her escape. He made her breathe. Myungsoo always makes her feel that she doesn’t have to worry or be afraid that she’s not as perfect as everyone expects her to be because he was willing to love every bit of her imperfection.

 

That is why it did hurt her so much seeing Myungsoo with another woman. She felt that Myungsoo grew tired of being the fire that melts her when she’s being as cold as ice, of being the one to bend her when she’s being too straight and firm, to be the one to bring her back to her senses when she’s being drowned by her insecurities.

 

And Bae Suji isn’t the first that tried to steal Myungsoo away from her. There were a lot who tried but never once did Myungsoo entertained them or even looked at them.

 

 

 

“Stop that.”

 

“What?”

 

“Throwing glares at everyone. This is a club. You’re supposed to have fun. Not scaring people away.”

 

“It’s not really fun seeing those s looking at you as if they want to eat you alive.”

 

Myungsoo chuckled and pinched Jieun’s nose. “You’re really adorable when you’re being territorial.”

 

“I just know how to protect what’s mine.” Jieun is now having the urge to strangle the that still isn’t leaving her stare at Myungsoo with a smirk playing in her lips.

 

Myungsoo took a step closer and put his arm around Jieun's waist to pull her closer to him while his other hand took a hold of Jieun’s chin to turn her head to face him.

 

“I won’t look at any of them. I’ll only look at you so just look at me too.”

 

Then he inched his face closer and planted a kiss on Jieun’s lips.

 

 

 

Just a simple kiss from Myungsoo could erase all her worry and fears away and eases her whenever she’s tired. Jieun always believes him when he says that everything is going to be alright because it does.

 

But things are different right now. Today, all there’s left for them is a little bit of bitterness, awkwardness and a ing business deal.

 

“You’re out of work early? Miracle.” Jiyeon isn’t used seeing Jieun in her café at 3pm in the afternoon. Upon knowing that this is her friend’s third refill and seeing the troubled look on her face, Jieun have some sort of a problem.

 

“What happened?”

 

“A disaster named Kim Myungsoo.”

 

Jiyeon had a little smile on while her curiosity and excitement rose upon hearing the Myungsoo’s name from Jieun’s lips.

 

“So you two meet already? C’mon spill the beans!”

 

Jieun looked at Jiyeon with much displease. “Isn’t it written all over my face? It was for business. It was supposed to be for business but Myungsoo decided to be a cocky bastard and wasted my time!”

 

Jiyeon was a confused. “He wasted your time?”

 

“Yes! By being such an arrogant, annoying person, bringing me to the park for the ridiculous reason of bonding with me.”

 

“Maybe he just really wanted to bond with you.”

 

“Does he even think that he has any right to bond with me? To even talk to me about things except for business? No, I never did give him any permission.”

 

Jiyeon doesn’t know if she’ll laugh or try to console her friend. Jieun can’t keep her composed, calm self and started to blurt out every curse to use as an adjective to describe Myungsoo. She can’t really hide the fact that she’s entertained whenever Jieun is losing her cool. But this isn’t really the best time to make fun of Jieun so Jiyeon tried her best to hold in her laughter.

 

“I know what you’re thinking. There’s isn’t anything laughable about this. Kim Myungsoo is being such a moronic human being and I swear if he chooses to be a bigheaded bastard at work, I will really screw him off.”

 

Jiyeon sighed. “Why are you being so mad like this? Ok, let’s break it down. You said Myungsoo wasted your time. How?”

 

“He brought me to the park and did nothing but to walk and eat for fifteen minutes.”

 

“Jieun, you’re raging like that because he “wasted” fifteen minutes of your time? It's just fifteen minutes. It's not as long as it seems.”

 

“Each minute of my life is precious, Park Jiyeon. I can’t just go strolling in the park with someone when I have tons of paper work in my office.”

 

“Do you really have a lot of work or you simply just can’t stand side by side with your ex?”

 

Okay. Jiyeon did hit the jackpot with that one. Her gaze softens and she let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s just too hard, Jiyeon.”

 

“Break ups we’re never meant to be easy. No matter how painful or pleasant it is, it will still “break” you at some point.”

 

“I thought a year is enough for me. I thought after a year, whatever our circumstances may be, I can face him without any problem. And even if it sounds so absurd, I was even ready to be friends with him at least. To be able to talk about the problem. To tie up the loose ends. But the very moment I saw him, I can’t even breathe properly and all the pain came back and I just can’t do it anymore.”

 

Jieun knows she’s going to break down any moment now and she refused a consoling hug from Jiyeon because she knows she’s going to lose it.

 

Jiyeon can’t do anything but just to look at her friend with much empathy. It really does hurt seeing a strong woman like Jieun to be so broken like this. Myungsoo was such a big part of Jieun’s life. She can remember how Jieun described Myungsoo when she was asked once.

 

“Hmm… Myungsoo… He’s like my lungs. Because I know I can’t be able to breathe in this world without him.”

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Holidays are over and I'm afraid that I'll be having a hard time writing this one.

But I will try my best to update this one whenever I can.

 

Thanks to all the subbies!

Do leave commentsss~

 

lovelots,

matoki_angel