On the same night…

Jae Kyung was silent in the car while returning. She pondered over her brief exchanges of words with Woo Bin throughout the evening. She did not bring Do Jung with her to make him feel jealous. In fact, she did not even expect any kind of reaction from Woo Bin whatsoever. It was more for herself, kind of a distraction from feeling deeply embarrassed to face him again.

However, she could not deny the fact that she had felt a slight surge of warmth, when he asked her to stay back and offered a ride back home.

“What are you thinking, Jae Kyung?” asked Do Jung while driving his car.

“Ah? Nothing. Just something about work,” she replied.

“Is it about Song Woo Bin-sshi?” he pried out of the blue.

Jae Kyung spun round to see his face. Do Jung kept his eyes on the road ahead, while a hint of smile was on his face.

“Wh-what did you say?” she asked, blood creeping on her cheeks.

“I saw how your eyes twinkled the moment he came to talk to us. He has an irresistible personality, I must say. And he seemed quite into you as well. Was he the one who you were waiting for at my restaurant that night?” he asked nonchalantly.

“There’s nothing like that between us. And he does not have any feelings for me,” she muttered, looking away from him.

Do Jung frowned slightly.

Was it a wrong information then?

“What do you mean? His concern for you when he offered…” he tried to probe further when Jae Kyung interrupted him.

“He likes Ga Eul, my best friend,” she mumbled.

It was Do Jung’s turn to be surprised this time. He turned to see her face, to know if she was really serious. All evening he had kept a keen eye on Woo Bin. He did not notice any such affection in him for Ga Eul, other than the warmth which he seemed to have for all his friends. Instead, Do Jung had felt a slight edginess in the construction tycoon’s body language, every time he shared a genial moment with Jae Kyung.

The wheels started turning in his head, with possible change of plan.

Jae Kyung suddenly felt a surge of warm tears threatening to fill her eyes. It was the first time she had let her emotions for Woo Bin expose in front of anyone else. She kept looking outside the window.

They had already reached her apartments. Do Jung stopped the car and turned to her. She was lost in her thoughts, with her head held down. He gently touched her hand. She looked around with a start and then at him.

“Di-did we reach already? Oh, thanks, Do Jung, for the nice time. And…and for the…,” she stuttered, when he leaned in and pecked her lips lightly.

Jae Kyung’s eyes popped out at the suddenness of the act. But it ended as soon as it started.

“He must be blind not to have noticed you, Jae Kyung. You are beautiful, inside out,” he whispered, wiping the lone tear that rolled down her cheeks.

She did not know how to respond to his words. She opened the car door and stepped out. She did not have the courage to look back, so hurriedly she walked in her apartment.

Do Jung looked as she entered the lift lobby, and then went out of his sight. For a fleeting moment, he felt something tugging at his heart.

Had it been a different situation, I could have let myself fall for her, for real. If only…

Heaving a sigh, he started the car engine. He would have to report the new turn of events, and plan the way forward.

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Ha Jin could not see the road ahead. Her eyes were flooded with tears. No way she could control her sobs, as she tried to drive back home as fast as possible.

A loud honk startled her.

“Hey watch out!!” shouted the driver from a passing car, as she was about to graze it at its side.

“I am sorry,” she mumbled and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

She was still another 20 minutes away from her home. She felt a bit shaken by the loud honk, so, gradually slowed down and stopped at the side of the road. She looked ahead in the windscreen, at the headlights from the passing cars.

“…After Jan Di, I never thought I would desire someone to this extent, but I can’t help it anymore. I was afraid to acknowledge that before, but now I cannot hold it back any further…”

“I feel I have always liked you, more as a friend before, but…”

“…Ha Jin-ah. I want you to go to the wedding dresser next week…Please don’t say no, I want to buy a much more beautiful wedding gown for you. I already spoke to the dresser…”

“…I can’t wait to come back, and finalize our wedding date…”

She shook violently crying, with her head rested over the steering wheel.

“What should I do now? Why Ji Hoo, why? Why now?” she cried, holding on to the steering wheel tightly.

Ha Jin took a sharp breath in, and wiped her tears again. She looked around for her phone, and on finding it, she dialed a number.

“Hello, Jae Kyung. Is it ok, if I come to your place tonight?” she spoke, suppressing the tremble in her voice.

“Yes, of course,” replied Jae Kyung.

Jae Kyung felt relieved to know that Ha Jin was coming to her place. There was too much of turmoil going in her mind currently. She did not want to be alone that night.

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

After half an hour…

Woo Bin stopped his car in front of Jae Kyung’s apartment. He thought about calling her and letting her know that Ga Eul would be staying with her for the night. But then he decided not to. He knew Jae Kyung was sensitive and caring enough to take in her friend at this hour without any question.

He looked at Ga Eul, who silently stepped out of the car and looked at him with a calm expression.

“Thanks for the ride, Woo Bin. And I am sorry for making you drive me around so many times,” she spoke in a monotone.

“Did he make you any promises?” he asked all of a sudden.

Ga Eul looked at him puzzled for a second, but as she realized the context, her face hardened.

“A dwarf