CHAPTER 5:

Mark was gone. He left to Paris for a business trip.

Mina hated the feeling of being away from him. She was so used to having him around her and lately or more like since he got the position she didn’t see him as much and now he had to leave for a whole week. It was Monday and he was coming back on Sunday. Like what?

What was she going to do without him for so long?

Yes she was busy with her work.

Yes she was busy with Jihye’s wedding.

But still she was going to return to an empty house for a whole week.

A sigh left Mina’s mouth.

“What’s wrong with you?” A male voice was heard from behind’s Mina’s desk.

She turned around and Jongin’s sight greeted her.

“It’s nothing, just some silly thoughts.” She said simply.

He smiled coming closer, until he sat down in the empty chair next to her.

“Well I don’t believe you. You are not always gloomy so something must have happened for you to be like this.” He continued looking her in the face trying to see any change of expression.

Another sigh left Mina’s mouth.

“Well, Mark left for a business trip today.” She said simply not trusting herself to continue any further afraid that her voice was going to crack.

“So what? Going to a business trip means that he is reliable to the company that he works. And working to the Samsung facilities is not an easy job and of course it’s not easy to get were Mark got in such a small period of time.” He sounded sincere.

Mina was quiet for a while thinking about what he said.

“You shouldn’t be so worried. You should be happy and proud of him.” He continued sounding happier seeing that Mina was cheering up.

“Well you are right.” She said. “Of course I am proud and happy for him; he deserves everything because he worked hard to get to where he is right now. I will really miss him though, I’m already missing him.” She said sounding something between sad and happy.

Jongin turned her chair around so she could see him and only him.

“Well Mina it’s normal to miss each other. It’s not like he is going to have fun in there. I bet he will miss you too, it’s not possible to not miss you, but you have to think that you have a life too and for as long as Mark is away you need to think about yourself too. Go out, have fun with your friends, with me, I’ll be here we can go for a drink sometime, as colleagues of course.” He smiled at that. “Before you know it he will be back and you will be just fine. Missing someone never killed anyone you know?” He then said with his hands on her shoulders.

She smiled, while thinking all that.

He was right. She was going to live her life with Mark’s absence for a whole week and have fun with Jihye their schedule was full anyway and why not she could go out with Jongin too. She liked that.

“Well you are right! I mean I have to help my friend with her wedding and of course I have to go out with you and I have a lot of work to do so yeah you are right.” She smiled and gave Jongin a hug.

He awkwardly hugged her back. She pulled away and left for her next class.

Before leaving the room she turned around with a bright smile.

“Jongin thank you.” She then left not bothering to hear what he had to say.

Three long hours later Mina was free to return back home. She went to her car, her mood a lot better thanks to Jongin and drove back home. Now that Mark was away she decided to use her car. She didn’t want for Jihye or anybody from her work to give her a ride without a reason.

She parked in front of her apartment complex. She grabbed her things, locked her car and left to go inside her apartment.

She took the elevator pressed the number 8 and waited patiently until she got in the correct floor. After leaving the elevator she went to her apartment complex and unlocked the door.

“Mark I’m home!” Silence followed. Mina gasped. Right Mark is away, how could she forget that.

“Silly me!!!” She scolded herself. She didn’t let the empty feeling to bother her and she just left her keys somewhere next to the door, took off her shoes and walked further in the apartment to get changed, clean up and prepare the food.

After cleaning herself she went to the kitchen. She cooked pasta since it was the easiest and the fastest to make and she was really tired to make anything fancy. She ate while sitting on the sofa watching a drama that she didn’t know, nor liked but still watched it don’t having anything better to do.  

After finishing her food and washing it away she heard her phone ringing. She run to it almost hitting her toe to the door and quickly answered it hoping it was Mark.

“Hello?” She said between breaths.

“Well hello to you too.” A girl voice she knew by heart answered.

Mina got disappointed but decided to not show it to Jihye.

“How is my best bride doing?” She asked.

Mina tried to cheer up.

“I’m doing fine. Just ate and I was about to chill on the sofa, maybe sleep a bit I don’t know, you?” She said sounding carefree.

“I, on the other hand am having a crisis.” Jihye said trying to control her voice. “I’m here in the pastry shop, trying cakes and I have no idea of what kind of cake to choose and I just can’t and I---

“Ok, ok first of all breathe.” Mina said quickly. “Come on Jihye inhale- exhale, it’s easy you can do it.” She tried to calm her down.

“Ok I will try to do it, count with me 1, 2, 3.” Inhale- Exhale.

Again and again inhale- exhale.

Finally Jihye was breathing normally and Mina could sit down for a minute to listen to her better.

“So why are you overreacting?” She tried asking her.

A sigh could be heard from the other side.

“Well, I’m here at the pastry shop trying different cakes and I have tasted like 20 different cakes none of it made me go crazy and you know think that this is the one and Jackson can’t be here right now he is choosing the wine and  I’m here eating and I need your help please!!” She said pleadingly.

Mina looked at the clock it read 16:57. Well she didn’t have anything better to do. It wasn’t like Mark was going to come home so why not?

“Ok I’ll be there.” She finally said. “Where are you?” She asked already standing up to go get ready.

“Mina you are the best.” Jihye sounded relieved. “I’m at the Sweet Bread’s place. You know where that is right?” She asked hoping for her friend to know where that place is.

Mina thought about it.

“Well yeah I think I do. I’ll be there in 20 minutes ok?” She said already changing her pants, jumping up to down so they could slip on her hips easier.

“Ok I’ll be here. Mina you are the best!” She said once more before hanging up the phone.

Mina quickly switched her shirt with a lousy one and grabbed her coat and bag and went outside to get her shoes keys and leave.

In less than 15 minutes she was there parking her car and walking almost running toward the shop’s entrance.

As soon as she got in the strong smell of baked sweets together with freshly made coffee hit her nose. Without bothering with the smell she walked f