His schedule had started to pack up lately. For the first time since he agreed to participate in the project, he met the casts on the script reading day. The script was great, and he was working with actors famous for their talent, he didn't have to worry much. The working atmosphere appeared to be nice and fun. By the time being, he was busy learning skills and techniques useful for the action part later. It was hard, but his time serving in the military did a lot in helping him adapting.

In conclusion, his life was blissful. He finished his duty with praise and he was confident the project would be well received. More than everything, his love life was going extremely well.

She was opening up to him, bit by bit, more and more as they spent times together. One time, they had went for a midnight drive, one of few alternatives they had for a date. It was peaceful, with the carefully selected music he had picked playing from the stereo and her hand was inside his. There were not many people and other vehicles around. For a while, it felt like they were the only one exist in that world. Until a car cut them by in an intersection. It was speeding really fast and he had not anticipated it, they almost ran into each other. Fortunately, Joongki stepped on the break right on the time to save them from an accident.

Joongki could feel her tightened hold on his hand. When he turned to her, she was freezing in her spot. She must be shocked, he had thought, it was only normal to be frightened at the situation.

"Such a bastard. Does he think he's the only one in the world driving at this time?"

It was hard for him to believe his own hearing. Did he hear what he thought he heard? Did she just swore?

"Are you alright?"

And now she was giving him the question with worry written all over her face?

Joongki found his self laughing the next moment.

"How could you swear so fine with that face and calm tone of yours?"

Chaewon stunned in her seat, realizing that she just showed a side of her he didn't get to see before.

"I just can," she said, trying to hide her embarrassment, "I use bad words well, even ones more severe than that."

He laughed merrily. In front of him, her face had turned reddish. 

.

It was as if his body would shatter to pieces. The training had drained his energy for the past days. Along with the other actors, they started from the morning with help of the special force soldiers. When they bid goodbye that night, the number showed on his phone was eleven twenty.

All that his body needed was soaking in the bathtub filled with warm water and then laying down on the bed. However, it had been three days since the last time he met Chaewon. They exchanged messages, and he always called at the beginning and the end of the day, but it was not enough. More than anything, behind his exhaustion, what he wanted was to see her, to touch her and to hold her in a tight embrace. It probably sounded exaggerating, but he missed Chaewon indeed.

Without realizing it, he was driving his car to the direction of his girlfriend’s apartment while he was immersed in his own thoughts. Joongki took a glance at the screen of his navigation device; it would take him thirty minutes driving in a normal speed. Stepping on the gas pedal, he raced his car speeding down the quiet street.

.

Chaewon closed the door carefully after making sure nothing was left inside the car. Sometimes, she got lost in her own thought, resulting in leaving things like her hand phone or bag. No, she was not afraid of burglar stealing it. The security system there was really tight. Rather, she did not want to go back and forth to the basement just to pick things up.

Casually and slowly, she walked toward the elevator. She was tired. Through the day, she spent her time reviewing some project proposals in the office. Later the night, when she was about to go back home, she met Joonyoung and some acquaintances who were going out drinking. Their insistance and persuasion successfully made her gave in and went along them, even though in the end she did not touch any alcohol because she still need to drive back home.

She almost reached the elevator when her eyes captured a familiar object. She stopped and changed her direction, moving closer to be sure, and she was proven right as she checked the numbers on the license plate. It was indeed the belonging of the man she had dated for several weeks, surely it was Joongki’s car.

What is he doing here without telling me?

Curious, she walked closer and closer to the silver colored thing. The windshields were all tinted black, she couldn’t see at all what was inside.

Has he been waiting upstairs?

The zero movement from the car made Chaewon think that Joongki was probably waiting in front of her unit. If he was still there, he should have seen her by now.

Chaewon fished her phone out from the pocket of her blazer, dialing the man’s number. Her call was answered by the fifth ring.

“Oh, Chaewon-ah,” his raspy voice greeted her from the end of the line, making her forehead creased.

“Are you sleeping?”

"Hm, yes, why?"

Chaewon turned around and directed her eyes to the left side of the car.

“Perhaps, are you sleeping in your car? In the parking lot of my place?”

Joongki groggily shot waking up from his semi-conscious state. He looked around and found the woman standing not too far outside of his car. He ended the call and rushed outside, meeting her dumfounded stare at him. There were so many questions running inside her head out of the dejection at how careless this man was for wasting his time there instead of getting the proper rest. But, when she talked, the only thing coming was, “let’s go upstairs.”

.

The last time they spoke to each other was earlier that day in the morning before Joongki started his training. She was aware of how packed his schedule was these days. Moreover that night, when she did not get any message or phone call from him, she immediately knew that he must be finishing late.

So, it did not make any sense for her that he appeared in her place at this time of the day, past midnight, instead of getting back to his apartment which was closer from the training ground.

“I’ve filled the bathtub with warm water,” she handed him a towel and bathrobe, “go refresh yourself. I will get my father’s clothes for you to change,” she nodded, pointing her chin to the bathroom for him to quickly move.

But, he was not listening and pulling her into his arms instead, holding her close. Chaewon sighed.

She was feeling irritated at him, like so much. She really couldn’t understand the things he did, coming over at the hour and sleeping in the car after holding all those physically draining activities through the day.

She left the change of clothes for him in front of the bathroom door and proceed to the kitchen. She heated some side dishes and the steamed egg that she kept in the refrigerator, while also boiling a bit of the vegetable soup.

“This guy, really, why does he always come without notice and making me serve him leftovers?” she grumbled quietly to her self.

.

He showed up in the kitchen wearing the change of clothes she prepared earlier. It looked a bit oversized on him, since her father had a bigger body size, while Joongki himself had quite a small size for a man.

Chaewon put a cup of tea with honey and ginger in the table and signaled him to sit down.

“Take a meal and then get some rest,” said Chaewon. She herself was busy going back and forth to serve the food from the kitchen counter to the table.

The lady had been avoiding eye contact with him, and had not even faced him since he stepped inside her unit. Joongki could feel her irritation, but couldn’t understand the reason behind it. Did she find his sudden visit unfavorable?

“I’m not eating if you’re not going to sit here with me.”

Chaewon stopped in her pace and sighed, finally looking up directly at his eyes for the first time that night. She gave in.

Silence engulfed them as she sat there while he devoured the food in front of him. Both their vexation floated around in the air. Just like her, Joongki was upset too for a different reason. He also had so many questions he wanted to ask her.

When they talked over the phone, Chaewon didn’t tell him that she would stay out late. She said she would only be going to her company office. But then, the reality he faced was getting his woman returned home at almost one in the morning. No matter what, he was a typical Korean man, with jealousy and sense of protectiveness. He had been wondering; where she had been driving around alone late at night? And why she did not look happy on his visit?

He was exhausted, and the thing he expected was to be welcomed warmly by her hugs, and not her silence treatment.

.

“Where have you been, coming back so late?” He finally asked as Chaewon moved to clear the dining table.

“I coincidentally met Joonyoung as I was about to go back, and he invited me to join as he would be drinking with some friends.”

Her tone and manner of speech was still calm as usual, despite her being irritated at him. The difference was, she did not look at him at all.

Meanwhile, he was getting fired up after catching a guy name coming out of .

So, she went drinking with a guy without telling me.

“Who’s Joonyoung? He asked, trying to stay civil.

“He’s a singer. He starred along me in a movie, and we get along well since then.”

She was still not getting the clue that it was not the right time to be telling him about her guy friend.

“You get along well? To the point of forgetting to tell me that you would be out drinking with some man?”

“What’s wrong with you? What’s the problem with me going out with my friend?”

At this point, Chaewon realized she had made a mistake. She began to detect the clear annoyance in his voice, but her own ego and irritation didn’t let her self to coax to him. What was so wrong with her drinking with her friend?

This won’t do, she thought. She didn’t want them to fight in the middle of the night when they both were worn out.

"Chaewon-ah, look at me."

Slowly, she turned around to see him, taking off the gloves and leaving the dishes unwashed in the sink. It felt strange, finding a look in his face she had not seen before. The man in front of her right now being extremely serious, it came out a little bit frightening.

“You’re not happy to see me here? You don’t like me coming without your approval? Or you don’t like me intervening your personal life? I thought I’m your boyfriend, can’t I at least know your whereabouts?”

It took her by surprise, the question that came out of his mouth. But, what surprised her more was finding her self feeling hurt over it. How such idea could came upon him? She wasn’t not happy, she was just worried about him. And who said anything about him not having the right know?

The shock made her unable to say anything. This was their first fight, misunderstanding, ever since they started the relationship. It was confusing her.

Joongki stared at her who was standing just a few steps away, staying silent. Confused and surprised look that were plastered all over her face made his hardened lineament softened, and replaced by a hurtful stare. She couldn’t give him an answer when his question was not hard at all. Did she, by the chance, still having a hard time accepting their relationship? They were doing really fine, and he thought he gained the access into her personal space. All of these felt so ridiculous. His assumption, jealousy and his insecurity. It seemed like he must have really exhausted.

“Maybe I should just leave.” He finalized.

It appeared as the best decision to him at this time. There were too many emotions raging inside of him; dejection, anger, and disappointment that even until then, Chaewon was just standing there looking at him vacantly.

Though hesitating, he walked forward, inhaling his breath before leaving a peck in her forehead. Then he proceeded to walk outside her place, leaving her freezing in her spot.

What’s wrong with me? Why did I do nothing?

.

If not for his worn out body, he would have spent the night awake and restless. Once he woke up in the morning, the sequence of the events crossed his mind, and suddenly he realized how silly he had acted.

Why did he get so upset? Why did he let jealousy took control of him? How did he become so insecure about her not fully accepting his feeling? Wasn’t he the one who said he was all prepared to let her learned to return his feeling?

He felt like knocking his head on the wall.

How would he face her now?

Oh geez, another thing downed to him, he had left her in confusion. She must be really shocked. What would she think of him now?

He couldn’t help but worrying. He kept checking his phone for a message or missed call, but he got nothing other than a reminder from his manager about his schedule that day.

Should he call her? But he didn’t know what to say. How should he explain the stupid things he had done?

.

His doorbell rang around ten minutes before eleven o’clock. Despite his mental condition, he forced his self to commit to his morning activities. He needed to get in shape for his new role, so he couldn’t neglect exercises and the protein shake breakfast. After getting back from the gym and washing up, he drowned his self in the script. It could distract him for a while, until she appeared in his intercom screen.

He rushed to press the button so she could get through the basement door and then moved waiting for her at the front door.

I’m so dumb! What am I doing, should’ve called and apologize to her first. What have I done that I let her reach out for me first?

He didn’t need to wait for long, Chaewon appeared in the hallway, wearing mask and glasses.

“May I come in?”

.

Chaewon circulated her gaze around his living room that was adorned by minimalist furniture of the basic colors. Since Joongki always came over to her place, she had never had the chance to be there before.

“I asked Kwangsoo Oppa for your address,” she suddenly said, as if reading the mind of the man who was following her behind.

“It’s really nice here,” she commented, looking over the view from his big glass window.

Joongki cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Do sit down. I’ll go get us some drink.”

Suddenly, Chaewon made a big turn and hugged him gently, slipping her arms between his dangling ones.

She tightened her embrace on him, inhaling his scent as her chin rested beside his neck.

“Did you sleep well?” She asked.

Not expecting her to do that, he was taken aback, and was only able to nod weakly in response.

“It’s a relief to hear that,” she breathed a relieved breath.

“I’m sorry,” Chaewon continued, “I should’ve stopped you. I shouldn’t have let you drive alone when you were tired, while I knew how long it took for you to get to my place.”

She pulled away, leaving just enough space for them to see each other’s face.

“I wasn’t unhappy to see you, but I was worried. You have been working nonstop lately, what if something happen while you drive alone in the way to see me in the middle of the night? And, it’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, I met him so sudden I didn’t have the opportunity to tell you beforehand. Also, I thought you’d be really tired from the training, I didn’t want to bother you.”

Joongki found his self in her position, unable to say anything. How could he get upset at this woman only thought about him and worried about him when he left her in confusion? While the mere reason for his behavior was his stupid jealousy toward a random guy.

“Are you still upset?”

He closed his eyes. Even then, he could feel her gentle eyes staring glued at his face. His hands stirred, reaching for her, this time bringing her even closer inside his arms, leaving no room between them.

Explaining it would be hard, but he loved this woman so much. In his life, he rarely felt insecure about anything, but she had made it possible to happen. The fear of losing her had secretly grown in him, that he couldn’t help but feeling insecure.

 “I was jealous,” he finally admitted, “I don’t like the fact that you were out drinking with a fine young man until late at night while I didn’t get to see you for days.”

Chaewon felt a ticklish feeling spread inside her as she found him adorable. She thought, wasn’t the situation too funny for their age? It wasn’t like they were some high school sweet heart, getting jealous over something trivial. But, the strange thing was, she didn’t find it uncomfortable. Actually, she even liked it now that they had passed the fighting stage.

“I can’t promise you that I won’t go out drinking with other men, but I will definitely tell you if I am about to do that. And, in case if you are worried, I know how to protect myself, I don’t go around drinking carelessly. So, you have to promise me too. Next time, instead of driving alone when you’re tired, call me, I’ll go to you. Don’t wait and sleep in the car, call me, no matter how late it is, I’ll wake up and open the door for you. Okay?”

Joongki didn’t know how long his heart could hold his growing and bursting feeling for her.

“Chaewon-ah,” he whispered, sounding so intimate it gave her goosebump, “may I kiss you?”

She giggled, slapping his back.

“Is that the only response you can think of?”

Joongki pulled away, gazing lovingly at this woman in front of him, his lover, “words aren’t coming out,” he told her earnestly.

She smiled in return, looking playfully at him, before closing her eyes.

He pecked her lips once. For the first time, instead of looking surprised, Chaewon had that peaceful look when he kissed her.

"I love you," he confessed wholeheartedly.

Chaewon cupped his face.

“Thank you. I think I've started to be really fond of you” she said.

And they were drowned in a series of kisses that started with soft and gentle caresses that turned deep and demanding until she had no other choice than to bring her arms circling his neck or else she would be melting away to the floor.

If his manager didn’t call him repeatedly that day, Chaewon wasn’t sure how would they end up. The biggest possibility was either his bedroom or the black couch in the living room.

.

A/N:

There are few points I want to stress in this chapter, and the main point is their growth as a couple. In this story, the jealousy could ignite Joongki's insecurity because he knew that they started the relationship from a different starting line, him with his feeling, and her for wanting to challenged something she had never experienced before. So, from Joongki's perspective, he had the bigger possibility of getting hurt. But then, a relationship can't be build based on love alone. The feeling of being in love could start a relationship, but ones would need trust, consideration and communication to keep it and let it develop further. And all those things would only exist if the couple keep practicing.

Then, Chaewon's visit to Joongki's place symbolized that she was getting more involved in keeping their relationship afloat. Since Joongki confessed to her first, she was used to be in the "receiving end of all Joongki's effort in keeping their relationship". The time has come for Chaewon to be more active, either in trying to understand Joongki, also  in giving him more chance to understand her.

As always, thank you for reading. And please be patient as I always try my best to write the update, but my time to write is limited. I'll be busy starting from this week so I probably won't be able to update quickly. But I'll try to come back with a new chapter in two weeks. Thank you again. Until then, see you.