❝chapter05;
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                                   "Pleasure to meet you, I'm Kim Jongin."

 

“I’m sorry sir, she doesn’t work here anymore.” The manager looked through the staff list with a frown on his face, before looking up to face a disheartened Kai.

 

 

Kai sighed in disappointment, his head hanging low. A week has passed since he met Ji Ae at the club. And since then, he can’t seem to stop thinking about her. Those mere few minutes given to him to speak to her was just not enough. He wanted to hold her in his arms, tell her how sorry he was, ask if she was doing okay, and ask her how she has been doing these past 4 years. He wondered if Ji Ae had felt the same way as him. But no, he would not blame her at all if she didn’t. It was his fault, afterall. He was the one that caused the both of them to break apart.

 

 

All he wishes for now is to have a chance to see her again, and to talk to her properly. Deep down, he knew he had to do anything to get her back. Since their breakup, Kai had tried getting back to her by either calling her number umpteen times, or looking for her at her usual workplace, but to no avail. Ji Ae had changed her number and moved to somewhere else. He tried the usual places she would frequent, call up some of her friends but none of them knows where Ji Ae has left to. He just completely lost contact with her.

 

 

And he completely lost himself too.

 

 

“Are you certain you do not have her contact number? Don’t you have a record or something? There can’t be nothing!” Kai raised his voice desperately, catching the attention of the few customers in the shop.

 

 

“Sir, I already told you, she has resigned. We don’t keep the records of those who have resigned,” The manager look at Kai with a flustered expression, “I’m afraid we can do nothing to help you.”

 

 

Darn it, Kai mumbled to himself. This was the fourth shop he had been to, trying to relocate his ex-girlfriend. But with no hope at all. He was so close to giving up and lose hope. He had spend this whole week going to places near the club hoping to gain some information about her. Just where are you, Park Ji Ae?

 

 

“Thank you for your help anyways.” Kai replied the manager hastily before leaving the shop with a sinking heart. How is he even going to find her?

 

 

Whatever it is, he knew that he wasn’t going to give up.

 

---

 

“Here is the analysis for this month’s statistics. Judging by the increase, we’re doing quite okay this month.” Ji Ae fixed her eyes on the reports infront of her as she explained to Lay sitted across her.

 

 

“Sure?” Lay added as he got up from his seat. He placed his hands in his pockets and walked around the room slowly, “We’re doing okay?”

 

 

“Yeah. Sales are good and-”

 

 

“I’m not referring to the sales.” He cut her off before she could continue.

 

 

Frowning, Ji Ae stared up at him curiously. “Wasn’t that why you called me in? To talk about the reports?”

 

 

“You’re mean, Ms Park.” Lay sighed.

 

 

“What?” Ji Ae raised an eyebrow. Lay looked at her with a firm expression, his lips pressed together in a thin line, not looking very pleased.

 

 

He crossed his arms and stared at Ji Ae with a straight face, “Are you seriously not going to talk to me about anything?”

 

 

“Yixing, what are you talking about?” She stated carefully with a confused look, wondering if Lay knew about her encounter with Kai.

 

 

“You are not okay. And you’re not intending to tell me about it? It’s been a week and you still seem so different. You seem to be worried about something. Don’t think I can’t tell, Ji Ae.” Lay spoke as he eyed her expression carefully.

 

 

“Something’s bothering you.” He added firmly.

 

 

Ji Ae avoided his gaze and looked to the ground. No, she has not mentioned about her encounter with Kai a week ago to Lay. She found no need to bother him with more of her troubles. Ji Ae did not want to constantly worry him with her own problems. She knew that if she did, he would not be very pleased about it either. Lay never liked the sound of Kai, and has already deemed him as an irresponsible chap.

 

 

“It’s n-nothing,” She lied and forced a smile, “I’m fine.”

 

 

“You sure don’t look fine to me. I hardly see you smile these days, you know?” He plopped back down on his seat and looked at her seriously, “Is there a problem? Are you worrying about the rents or the bills? Look, you know you can always approach me if you need help right?”

 

 

Ji Ae couldn’t help but smile upon hearing his words. She never felt deserving of such a good friend like Lay in her life. He was always there to help her with her problems. But she just did not want to mention about Kai to him. After all, she still scolds herself for thinking about the encounter with him that night at the club. The scene of Kai holding her close after 4 years just kept replaying in her head. Its not as if you’re going to see him again, Park Ji Ae.

 

 

“I’m okay, Yixing,” She reassured him with a bright smile, “Don’t worry about me.”

 

 

Lay did not want to continue asking. He knew how stubborn Ji Ae was when it comes to sharing her problems with others. If Ji Ae didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t pry. But he would do anything to make her feel better.

 

 

He looked at the time on his watch, “Okay then. Do you have any plans tonight?”

 

 

“Not much. I’m gonna pick Eun Jae up from school, then head to the supermarket to get some groceries.” She replied.

 

 

Nodding, Lay packed the files on his table and said, “I’ll follow you to pick him up and we’ll head for dinner together. There’s this restaurant across his school that’s highly raved about. My treat. Sounds good?”

 

 

She tilted her head with a smile plastered across her face, “Can I ever say no?”

 

 

“Great,” Lay grinned, “Let me pack up. I’ll meet you at the car park in 10 minutes.”

 

---

 

“Delicious?” Ji Ae chuckled as she watched her son chewed on his barbequed meat excitedly, “Eat slowly, Jae ah.”

 

 

Lay had brought them to a Korean barbeque restaurant across Eun Jae’s school. Lay knew how much both mother and son loved Korean Barbeque, so yeah. He had ordered a huge feast for the three of them despite Ji Ae telling him not to. Afterall, what could be more important for him than seeing them enjoy their meal?

 

 

 “Mummy, you eat some too.” Eun Jae picked up some meat with his chopsticks, carefully bringing it near his mother’s mouth, “Say ah~”

 

 

Grinning, Ji Ae opened obediently as Eun Jae fed her, ruffling his hair, “Cutie pie.”

 

 

“Uncle Yixing is in the toilet right? I want to give him some, he did not want to take it just now.” Her son pouted cutely before he carefully picked up some meat, placing it onto Lay’s bowl of rice, “Don’t tell him, okay mummy?”

 

 

Ji Ae nodded with a smile. She was glad that her son would usually look out for Lay too, knowing that her son sees Lay just like a father.

 

“That’s very nice of you, Jae. Uncle Yixing would definitely be pleased to-”

 

 

“Ji Ae?”

 

 

The moment she heard someone call out her name, her eyes instinctively looked up to face a familiar figure. Kim Jongin, she breathed out. The person she least expects to see again is now standing a few feet away from her table. Ji Ae didn’t know how to comprehend the situation, especially when she thought she wasn’t going to see him this soon again.

 

 

But she had to admit; she felt her heart race the moment their eyes locked. And she wasn’t intending for that to happen at all. Ji Ae couldn’t help but feel a little happy, just to see him again. She found herself thinking when would be the next time she would run into him again.

 

 

Oh, what are the chances.

 

 

“God. I finally found you, Park Ji Ae.” Kai spoke in a soft whisper as he slowly approached her, placing his hands on her small wrists.

 

 

Ji Ae could see how tired he was, those dark under eye circles told her Kai had been having sleepless nights. But she also noticed how his eyes lit up the moment he had eye contact with her.

 

 

The moment she stood up, she felt a small tug on her wrist, “Mummy, who’s this man?”

 

 

Oh god, Ji Ae groaned internally. Her son was right beside her, facing Kim Jongin! Kai on the other hand, looked puzzled as he looked at the young boy beside Ji Ae.

 

 

“Is he your kid?”

 

 

Ji Ae almost felt her heart stopped the minute those words left Kai’s lips. How is she going to answer his question? She gulped and looked at him uneasily with a nervous expression. Here is the day she fears for the most, the day when her son will meet his dad, and she has no idea how to explain the situation to Eun Jae, and Jongin. 

 

 

“Y-Yeah.” Ji Ae managed to whisper.

 

 

“I didn’t know you were married.. Least to say, have a kid..” Kai mumbled slowly as his eyes scanned the little boy infront of him, hugging onto his mummy. He felt his heart sink upon hearing the news. 

 

 

So she did move on, he thought. He hated to believe it.

 

 

“Jongin-”

 

 

“Ji Ae!”

 

 

Just this moment, Lay walked towards the trio with a puzzled expression upon seeing another man join their table. Ji Ae cursed inwardly, what on earth was she going to do? Her son is here, staring right back at Kai who is still clueless about his own child. And there’s Lay, who remains completely clueless that the stranger here is none other than the irresponsible jerk he was told of.

 

 

Kai watched as Lay walked towards their table. He suddenly felt inferior to this man, who he thinks is none other than Ji Ae’s husband. Kai’s face stiffened as he saw Ji Ae flashed a small smile towards this man.

 

 

“Yixing..” Ji Ae started slowly, quickly nudging Kai’s hands off her wrists.

 

 

Lay looked to Ji Ae, “Who’s this? Is he your friend?” 

 

 

Seeing how Ji Ae didn’t reply him, Lay watched as Kai shot him a look. Judging by the looks of it, Lay could tell something was off here. Very off.

 

 

Heck, talk about tension in the atmosphere.

 

 

“Hi, I’m Zhang Yixing. You can call me Lay too. I'm Ji Ae’s friend.”

 

 

“Pleasure to meet you, I’m Kim Jongin.” 

 

 

And that’s when Lay’s eyes widened. 

 

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a/n: sorry for the delay in updates! nonetheless, i hope you enjoyed this chapter <3 pls subscribe, comment and upvote! really appreciate it :") 

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