The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us. - Ashley Montagu

8:00 P.M. - Phoenix Hotel

"What do you mean work?"

The table was silent all of a sudden, all eyes turning towards Jongin and his seemingly incredulous remark. Kyungsoo gave him a weird look over the rim of his champagne glass, wondering what on earth he was overreacting for.

"As in a job... and we pay her for it?" Taehyung said flatly, like that wasn't already obvious. "Why do you sound so surprised?"

"Uh, hyung you look like you just swallowed a rock." Jimin commented and Alice’s head snapped towards Jongin only to bite her lip to keep the smile from her face. Kyungsoo however, laughed nonetheless.

"He always looks like that after meetings, though." He snickered before imitating what looked like Jongin’s “swallowed-a-rock” (credits to Jimin) face. And Jongin snapped from his trance to glare at the older man.

"You try and sit in one of those, hyung.”

"I already do, actually." Kyungsoo said a matter of fact as he placed the table napkin on his lap. "But I don't look half as constipated as you do."

"What?" Jongin exclaimed and the whole table erupted into laughter. Alice covered to prevent herself from giggling but with everyone laughing, she couldn't help but laugh along with them. Jongin looked at her then, eyebrows slightly raised as if sending a silent message and Alice cleared and tried to put on her most serious face. The gesture made Jongin smile internally.

"Do you know each other?" Kyungsoo pointed at the two of them and Alice felt a sense of panic. She opened to answer but Jongin beat her to it.

“No. We don't." He said nonchalantly and Alice felt herself frown. She wasn't sure what hurt her more: that fact that he forgot they ever met or that he was purposely lying about knowing her.  

He knows, a small voice in her head pointed and she thought back to the way he stared at her bracelet and how he had reacted upon discovering that he was sitting beside her. She knew the look of recognition in someone's eyes when she sees one.

"Well, Alice here is going to be your new photographer for the engagement." Kyungsoo announced and Jongin almost choked on his champagne. “Might as well get to know her—“ the sound of choking made Kyungsoo pause and he, as well as everyone in the table—turned to look over at Jongin who apparently just choked on his water.

"Hyung, are you okay?" Taehyung looked at him in concern and the older just waved a hand at him as he wiped his mouth with the napkin.

"Fine. Sorry. I... I just didn't know we were going to have a personal paparazzi for this." He said though Alice felt that wasn't what he was thinking at all with the way he glanced at her almost fearfully.

"Oh you do." Kyungsoo said. "As a matter of fact, Baekhyun has half the marketing department—not to mention the entire events team, focusing on your engagement alone."

"Wow." Taehyung chuckled and Jimin and Carmel snickered along. "That's a big production, then."

"Yeah, production." Jongin muttered softly but it was clear enough for Alice to hear. She looked at him curiously but when he looked up to meet her eyes, she looked away.

Just then the food arrived and Alice was glad to have an excuse not to pay attention to the boy beside her and focus on savouring her steak instead. It was also a good thing Taehyung was chatty enough to keep the conversation going for her; ultimately burying the initial awkwardness when Jongin arrived.

Two can play at this game, she thought as she felt his subtle glances every so often….

(Even though his mere presence was like a burning furnace beside her).

~~~

After dinner, the group gathered at the main lobby to say their goodbyes. Alice was currently being chatted up by Carmel about her career as a photographer while the others followed just behind them. Jongin had kept his distance since, busily texting on his iPhone. Alice was answering one of Carmel's questions about Photo journalism when Taehyung opened up,  "Hey Alice. Thanks for accompanying me today. It was fun."

Alice looked up from Carmel to give him a small smile, "No worries. It was a pleasure meeting all of you."

"We should hang out more, noona!" Jimin chided and Alice saw Jongin pause from his texting from the corner of her eye. "Are you free next week?"

"Ms. Lowell didn't come all this way to Korea to go on a date with you, Jimin."' Kyungsoo chided but there wasn't any malice in his tone. In fact, he sounded more amused.

"Did I ask you, hyung?" Jimin snapped back at him. "Last time I checked, it was Alice noona I was asking."

"I'm not quite sure about my schedules yet... But once I do, I'll let you know okay?" Alice answered  and Jimin gave her an equally surprised and overjoyed look. "What?"

"Really?!" He grinned. "Uh… I mean yeah! Should I give you my number—“

"I think Ms. Lowell needs to have her rest for the night." Kyungsoo interrupted just as he looked up from his phone. "Baekhyun just messaged me and said he wouldn’t be needing you till Wednesday. So you don’t have to be in the office tomorrow. Lee Ahra doesn’t get back till then.”

Alice nodded and realized he was talking about the heiress. She looked over at Jongin slightly and saw his jaw clenched. "Oh okay. Thanks. He gave me his number so I’ll just contact him about our schedules.”

Kyungsoo nodded. "Well, I'll be off. I'll see you all tomorrow—“ he waved goodbye but then paused to give Taehyung a stern look. "Except you. I expect you to be in school tomorrow, Kim Taehyung."

"I'm not in high school, hyung." Taehyung rolled his eyes.

"Then stop acting like one." Kyungsoo countered and Taehyung blew a raspberry at him which only made the whole thing more amusing than threatening.

As Kyungsoo left, Taehyung turned towards the group, his gaze settling on his brother.

"I brought a car, hyung," Taehyung told him as he motioned his head towards the door.

"You guys go ahead." Jongin answered eyes still glued to his phone. Alice wondered who he was texting that he couldn't even glance up at them for a moment. "I just have to speak with someone at the desk."

"Suit yourself." Taehyung shrugged before pulling Jimin into a headlock who was just exchanging numbers with Alice. "Come on, lover boy~"

"Taehyung what the hell—“

"Bye, unnie." Carmel smiled at Alice as the boys continued to wrestle in the middle of the hotel lobby. "It was really nice talking with you."

"You too."

"Wow. Carmel is actually being nice—ow!" Jimin commented just as received a sharp kick to his leg. He glared at Carmel, wincing. "Spoke to soon..."

"Word of advice, don't go out with Jimin without us." Carmel winked before turning away which earned a strangled cry from Jimin who was already being pulled away by Taehyung.

"Why do you guys always do this to me?!"

Alice chuckled and waved them goodbye before turning around, only to be met by a mildly crowded lobby with no familiar face in sight.

No Jongin in sight, particularly.

Alice tried not to be too disappointed that he didn't acknowledge her presence. Emphasis on “try”. She didn’t want it to show that she was too upset that he didn't acknowledge the very fact that they knew each other. Alice wasn't sure why but she had a few reasons in mind: from him being ashamed of admitting he ever knew her to him completely forgetting about her. Both ends of the spectrum were unideal not to mention quite hurtful but Alice would rather he was ashamed than accept the fact that he had forgotten about her.

She retreated to her hotel room moments later; removing her watch, then her earings before placing them in the desk drawer. She grabbed her phone from her purse and smiled when she saw a few text messages from her friends back in London.

Tilly: Hey! How's Seoul treatin' ya? Met any hot Korean boys yet? ;) I heard they're divine! ;)

Alice rolled her eyes before sending a quick reply; saying that the word “divine” should only be used in describing delicious Danish bread, not Korean men, then moved to the next message which was from Yoongi.

Yoongi: Hey, how's the first day? Settling fine?

Alice smiled, glad to have finally heard from him.

Fine. Work is… interesting.

In a minute, she received a reply:

Yoongi: uh oh. Is it a bad interesting?

So far it’s… Alice bit her lip before typing in the rest of the message. Too early to judge but everything’s fine!

Alice could practically hear the gears in his head turning all the way from London when he replied:

Yoongi: You sure?

Positive. It’s good experience for me.

Yoongi: Well does this job require long hours? Because I have a friend there who would love to meet you...

Meet?, Alice thought just as another text came in:  

Yoongi: And by love I mean… I found you the perfect side project like I promised. Real photography work...

Alice felt the excitement bubbling in her chest at the sight of that but before she could reply to his message, there was a knock on her door. She stood from her bed and moved to open the door, eyes still glued to her mobile. "Yes—?"

Looking up, Alice wished she had checked the peephole before answering. Because standing at her doorstep was the last person she had expected to come knocking on her door...

The heir to Gwonhan prime himself.

"Hey." Jongin said, looking both shy and nervous.

Alice remained silent unsure what to say to the man standing before her. She couldn't ignore the way her breath hitched at the mere sight of him: hair swept back while donned a nice suit that looked custom-tailored as it fitted his structure perfectly. But then she remembered how he had ignored her throughout the night and decided that the best (and probably most polite reply) would be a door to his face.

As if reading her thoughts, a look of slight panic dawned on Jongin's face and he reached out his hand to stop her. "Alice, wait—“

Slam!

Alice leant against the door and sighed; still feeling his presence on the other side of the wooden barrier. She crossed her arms stubbornly and thought how two can definitely play at this game and she wasn't just going to let him off the hook.

"Alice?" Jongin knocked again. "Alice, open the door."

Alice rolled her eyes, letting his knocking vibrate against her spinal column.

"The nerve." She grumbled.

"Come on Alice, let me explain." Jongin said as he knocked once more. "Look, I'm sorry about tonight. I'm sorry I ignored you and lied about you…”

Alice bit her lip. So he did know, she thought, curious as to why he had to lie. But she kept shut and let him continue.  

"I... I’m really sorry but I had to do it.” He paused. “I couldn't let them know we knew each other. Not because I’m ashamed of you or—no I didn’t forget, I could never.” He said and Alice almost wanted to smile at the sincerity of his tone.

Almost.

"The truth is, I couldn't let them know because they're going to be asking a lot of questions about how we met and all that." He sighed. "And I don't... I don't want that.”

There was a moment of silence before he continued, "I want that night to remain between us. Just us.”  

Alice felt her heart beat rapidly at his confession. Not to mention felt thoroughly confused by it.Because for all these months she thought she was the only one holding on to that memory of being with the cute boy whose smile could never be given justice through her camera lens.

Never in a million years did she thought he would feel the same way.