“Let’s break up then!”

“Yeah! We should have done that sooner!”

“Don’t forget to return my-”

Joohee didn’t wait and ended the phone call instantly. She stomped to her living room and unplugged the Wii she borrowed from her boy- correction, ex-boyfriend Seunghoon and shoved it into a paper bag.

“That son of a . Of course I’m returning this ing thing! I’m the one who is paying that oversea phone call, I should be the one to dump him first! And he doesn’t even have the courtesy to not talk so much! Ugh!”

Joohee straightened her back and took a deep breath. She finally calmed down, her anger slowly drained out of her. But when that happened, she started to hate herself. She would start feeling sentimental. The good memories came flooding back, and she started questioned herself what went wrong? Why can’t they stay the way they started out? Happy and forgiving and so loving like their love would never ran out?

Joohee hated this. Hated that her face was burning and her eyes stung and her chest heavy and tight. She buried her face in her hands and told herself this will be the last time. She will not cry over that jerk anymore.

 

-

 

Time sure flies.

Before she realized it, one year had passed by. She and Seunghoon had remained friends, despite the bad break-up during his tour in Japan. He was the first one to contact her once he was back to Korea. He had suggested that they remained friends and to hang out together sometimes. They were on good terms since then, but didn’t really hang out as often. It was still awkward for Joohee and around his friends and the other Winner members till this day.

His career took a better turn this year, after their recent comeback. But it was the opposite for Joohee. The company was downsizing, everyone was stressed and so much injustice happened, overworking was just one of them. Joohee wasn’t fired though, she resigned.

 

"Why not? Besides, I don't think you could survive long out there without a stable job."

Joohee shot daggers at him but he was already pressing his stomach, head thrown back. A silent laugh escalated to an explosive one.

"Not funny! I told you, I found a roof top room just enough until I find a permanent job!"

"Are you sure you can stay there? No heater or hot shower, and no elevator to bring all your stuffs up there. I'm not doing that for you. And I'm speaking from experience here." His thumb pointing to himself, a smirk plastered across his lips.

Darn, it. Joohee started to think twice. She admitted, she was a little spoiled having a good job and pay these years and suddenly things turned upside down.

"Just stay at my place until you can afford a proper place. Besides, I’m busy these days, I probably won't be around much. Just babysit Haute for me in return. Take it as a win-win situation, okay?"

Well. He had a point.

 

-

 

Seunghoon came home at over three in the morning. It was one of those days when being on stand by itself took hours and the recording took long and the senior artists who were recording together keep making things difficult.

When he entered the house, the living room light was on.  In fact Joohee was on the couch, together with Haute on her chest, sleeping. The sight alone made him smile, easing off the tiredness and the negative energy stuck on him from the recording set just now.

"Hey, Haute." He poked the small Italian Greyhound who fluttered his eyes half open, and then went back to sleep to find that it was just him.

Haute seemed to be spoiled by Joohee that he kept choosing Joohee over him for snuggles these days.

But when he recalled back the time when he and Joohee was still together, Haute had always liked Joohee.

 

 

 

"Hi, there little one!" Joohee crouched on her first encounter with Haute. Haute approached her without hesitance, his tail wagging quickly.

Joohee offered him her hand, and Haute immediately offered his paw for a handshake.

Joohee giggled. "I think he likes me!"

Seunghoon felt fuzzy and warm in his chest seeing the interaction between his beloved pet dog and Joohee. "I didn’t know you like dogs? I thought you're more of a cat person."

"I just love animals. Just look into their eyes. They are so pure and adorable!"

 

 

 

Can I come over? I rly want to see Haute.

I'm sry. Haute is with my friends. I wont be home until late tomorrow.

Awh? that . Send me his pics, okay?

You want to see him that badly? Not me?

Actually
I'm dying to see you.
I rly miss you.
I dont want to bother you cuz you're busy now.
you cant think of me okay? dont even think of running over to see me, okay?

 

Chance. Apparently he drove by himself to the broadcast station that day. At this time of the night the road will be clear and it won’t take him more than a 20 minutes drive to her place. He took a chance and sneaked out from the waiting room. The next recording will be in two hours at least.

 

Joohee ran to the door, slightly cursing at the impatient, insistent door bells. When she opened the door, she took a step back out of shock.

"Hoon, you’re not supposed to be here!"

"I miss you to death." he stepped inside, breathing still ragged from all the running. From the waiting room to the parking lot, from the parking lot to the third floor. Be damned cheap apartments without elevators.

"What about your-"

He grabbed her face in his cold, long fingers and crushed his lips on hers, hard and desperate. Joohee almost lost her balance, her hand blindly reaching for the kitchen island at the side. Lips still tugging on hers, Seunghoon pushed her against the kitchen island, lifted her small frame up on top of it. His fingers grabbed the clothes on her waist, crumpling it in his fists while hers grabbing on his hair. As his lips softened, Joohee slightly pulled back. Trying to keep her warm breaths tame, she looked into his eyes which were staring back at her, brows creased with urgency.

"I miss you too," she whispered against his hot breath tickling on her lips. Seunghoon closed in the gap between them again, pulling her body closer to him as his lips deepened into hers. No further talking was needed.

 

 

 

"Hey, go sleep on your bed." Seunghoon slightly nudged her shoulder.

Her eyes fluttered open but not fully. "Oh, you're back?" she straightened her back, carefully putting Haute aside and stretched. "I was working on my laptop when Haute suddenly came for snuggles," she smiled, rubbing one eye.

His heart skipped a beat it was funny.

"You must be tired. Have a good rest. I'm going to continue with my work a little more." She returned her attention on her laptop.

"Yeah. Good night then." He muttered and retreated to his bedroom.

 

-

 

Joohee looked around the kitchen. Now where was that stool again? She rolled her eyes. Well, she might be able to reach it if she tiptoed a bit more and stretched her hand a little further. Just a little bit more...

"Why didn’t you just ask me for help?" Seunghoon effortlessly reached for the salad bowl on the top shelf and gave it o her.

"Well, you were sleeping." Joohee avoided his eyes and continued with her business.

"You haven’t changed a bit. You never want to ask for help. Stubborn, aren’t you?" he pat her head, albeit a bit too hard.

"Ouch! Go away! Get more sleep."

"Nah. I'll take a nap at noon. I'm taking Haute for a walk later, wanna join?"

"Me? With you? In broad daylight? Are you always that careless?" Joohee narrowed her eyes.

Seunghoon shrugged, lazy smile adorned his small lips. "People don’t really follow me around like you think. Even if they do, well, I don’t mind either way." He smirked and left her dumbfounded.

If this was a year ago, things would be different.

 

 

 

"God, Joohee. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm ing tired and it’s the weekend. There are too many people outside!" His groggy voice hardened.

"I was just asking! It has been over a month since we last met, you don’t even tell me what's wrong! You only lash out on me! What’s going on?" Her fingers tightened around her phone, otherwise she would be shaking. tightened.

"I... I'm sorry but I'm really tired, okay? just let me get some sleep. Maybe we can talk again tomorrow... Wait, I have to fly to Japan tomorrow. I’ll text you, okay?"

"You never do, Seunghoon. Whenever you're in Japan, it's like I don’t exist anymore."

Seunghoon pressed finger tips to his temple. His head was throbbing, if he didn’t tried, he probably would have shouted into the phone. "Joohee. Later, okay? I'm too tired for this."

"What is this exactly?"

He sighed, bordering grunting.

"Forget it. Don’t answer that. We’re going nowhere."

"Joohee, just..."

She hung up. She was too tired for this too.

 

-

 

"Hey, Seunghoon?"

"Yeah?"

"Just a head up. I'm calling a technician over. Something’s wrong with the washing machine."

"No, no, don’t."

"Why not?"

"Wait until I get home. You’re alone, it’s dangerous."

"It’s just a -"

"No, don’t!"

A voice in the background called his name.

"I really have to go now. I'll call you back soon, and don’t call the technician yet!"

Joohee was left dumbfounded again.

"What's wrong with him?” Since when he was worried that she was alone with a stranger. The thought surpised herself but Joohee shrugged it off soon after. Well, if he was going to solve the washing machine by himself, all the better. Saved her the trouble.

"I guess he grew up a bit now." Joohee gathered her dirty clothes and decided a trip to the laundry would be refreshing.

 

A couple of hours later, Joohee heard door bells. When she checked through the video intercom, it was one of Seunghoon's closest buddies, Ikhwan who went to the same high school with him. She was familiar with him. When she dated Seunghoon, she hang out with his buddies often.

"Ikhwan?"

"Yeah. Joohee, is that you?"

Joohee opened the door. Turned out he wasn’t alone. Ikhwan was with another man clad in what seemed like a uniform polo shirt with a tool box in his hand.

"Seunghoon told me about the washing machine. He told me to bring a technician with me since I’m free now anyway."

The mention of Seunghoon name took her by surprise again. She blinked at the short silent moment before opening the door wider. "Oh, come on in."

Joohee and Ikhwan sat by the kitchen island as the technician worked out the problem. She handed Ikhwan a can of cold coke.

"It surprised me." Ikhwan said after a sip of his drink.

"What?"

"When Seunghoon suddenly told me to look out for you."

"I'm surprised too." Joohee replied, casual and totally relaxed.

"Um… When did you guys get back together?"

Joohee choked on her coke. "Did he tell you that?"

"No, no!” Ikhwan panic meter slightly rose as he realized he probably said something he shouldn’t. “He didn’t say anything, but aren’t you guys...?"

Joohee shook her head, frowning. "We're not. I'm just crashing at his place temporarily until I find a job."

Ikhwan let out a light sigh. "What is he thinking?" he muttered.

"What was that again?" Joohee tilted her head.

"Nothing, nothing." Ikhwan waved his hand, almost enthusiastically. He was really bad at being subtle.

"Are you guys hiding anything from me?"

"No." He tried to keep a straight face and shook his head.

"You obviously are!"

"Joohee, please don’t make me. Seunghoon will kill me." Ikhwan put his hands together, begging.

A-hah. She pushed the right button. Joohee leaned closer to him and whispered, "I won’t tell him. Come on, tell me."

"Uh..." Ikhwan looked away.

"Stop playing around! I'm serious!" Joohee pinched his cheek.

"Ouch! Okay, okay! I'll tell you! Promise me I'll be spared..."

"You know me. I keep my promises." Joohee pulled back her hand.

"Well," Ikhwan’s eyes roamed around the room, avoiding her eyes as he started, "Not long ago... when we went out for a drink... You know Hoon's not good with alcohol, right? So he got a little, no, very drunk after a while... I really don’t know why he was suddenly like that but-"

"To the point, Ikhwan," Joohee briefly closed her eyes.

"He asked me if there is a way for him to get you back. He... he still likes, no, loves you very much."

Joohee stared at him wide eyed, her responses came short. Her body dysfunctioned for a moment. The revelation was too much for her to absorb. She was frowning and blinking but her head was suddenly so packed that she couldn’t even squeeze a word out of her lips.

"That’s why I don’t want to tell you!" Ikhwan left his seat and took a couple of steps away from her, his face scrunched up like it was only a matter of seconds before he burst out crying.

"I didn’t say anything!" Joohee looked away and downed on her drink. Her body felt weird. She was palpitating and for a brief moment just now she was a bit lightheaded.

When the technician and Ikhwan left, Joohee spent a long time in her room staring at the blank wall. And then, her eyes landed on her empty luggage.