It was a normal day for Eunhee. She came to work, Ms Go greeting her and telling her schedules for the day, meetings, lunch and appointments. The only difference was that she needed a driver to drive her to her destinations because someone insisted he would drive her to and from work. Someone named Oh Sehun.

She was in the middle of finishing a document when Ms Go knocked on her office door and walked in. “Mrs Oh, do you want me to call a driver to drive you home?” she asked, politely.

“It’s fine. I have someone picking me up later,” Eunhee replied without looking at her secretary, too focused on finishing the document, “What time is it?”

“It’s ten to five,” the younger woman replied after looking at her watch.

“Already?” Eunhee gasped, finally taking her eyes off the laptop. She was so into the document that she didn’t realize it was almost time to get off work. Sehun had also promised to pick her up at five and knowing Sehun’s strict time-management, Eunhee packed her things immediately to leave, dismissing her secretary.

Four minutes to five, Eunhee left her office, knowing how long it takes from the eighteenth and the highest floor of the building, to the lobby. She didn’t want to keep Sehun waiting and at exactly five, she was already waiting at the entrance. Five minute passed and Sehun still wasn’t there but she decided to wait a little longer, thinking that Sehun is running late. After all, he is – quoting Hoseok – one of the youngest and richest CEO in Seoul. Truth is, Eunhee was excited when Sehun had offered to drive her to work and pick her up. It was one of those rare moments where Eunhee will get to talk and hang out with Sehun even though it was only for a few minutes. Sometimes Sehun would bring her out to dinner right after picking her up. Like a date. At least for Eunhee it was. So imagine how disappointed she was when she sees a black BMW stopped in front of her instead of Sehun’s silver-grey Maserati that he drove that morning.  She was even more disappointed when the door opened, revealing his best friend instead of the man she had hoped to spend time with.

“Jongin? What are you doing here?” Eunhee asked, thinking that maybe Sehun will be late and that maybe Jongin was just dropping by for a few minutes to see her before going home. But even she knows how ridiculous the idea was.

“To pick you up, of course. Sehun had to run to Jiyeon because she was involved in an accident.”

Have you ever felt that heavy feeling when someone tells you something you don’t want to hear? And the feeling of your heart dropping and shattering on the floor? That was how Eunhee felt at that moment. But despite feeling like , she still asked Jongin, “Accident? Is it serious? Is she okay?”

“Okay, first, get in the car, missy,” Jongin sassed, opening the door to the passenger seat for her, “I’ll explain it on our way.”

Eunhee followed his instruction and hopped into his car, strapping the seat belt over herself, looking very out of it.

“It was just a little accident, to be honest. I think she was hit by a bicycle and scraped her elbows because she fell on the pathway? I honestly don’t know why Sehun’s making a big deal out of it. It was just a scrape on the elbows anyway,” Jongin scoffed, explaining to her as soon as he got in the car. Jongin was never fond of Jiyeon since he first met her. He couldn’t explain it but there’s just something about her that he doesn’t like.

“It must’ve pained her a lot. Don’t be a jerk about it, Kim Jongin,” she said, giving him a side glare. Unlike with Jiyeon, Jongin and Eunhee easily clicked when Sehun first introduced the two of them and they were like best friends already.

“Can’t help it. Sorry not sorry,” he shrugged.

I guess his strict time management disappears when it comes to Jiyeon, Eunhee thought bitterly to herself and unknowingly let out a sigh, trying to relieve herself from the heaviness she was feeling in her chest.

“Do you have anywhere to go after this? Any meetings or dates?” Eunhee asked the man after a few minutes of silence.

“Nope. I’m free the whole night,” he replied, eyes focused on the road, “Why?”

“I don’t want to go home yet,” Eunhee sighed again, looking out of the window.

“I know. That’s why I’m not driving you home yet,” Jongin said, grinning at her.

“What?” Eunhee didn’t even realize that he wasn’t driving to the direction of her house until he mentioned it.

“You think I didn’t notice your disappointment when you see me instead of Sehun? I’m offended, Eun, I thought you’d miss me after weeks of not seeing each other,” Jongin said dramatically, placing one hand on his chest where his heart and Eunhee rolled her eyes at him for that, “But anyways, we’re getting ice cream. ”

“How do you always know what I want?” she sighed gratefully when she heard ice cream. It was one of Eunhee’s ways to deal with her mood swings. And she was really glad that Jongin suggested ice cream. However, what he said next made her roll her eyes at him again.

“Because I’m Kim Jongin, duh.”

--

“Okay, Eunhee, that’s already your fifth cup of chocolate ice cream,” Jongin stated, gaping at the woman in front of him with his mouth opened.

“Yeah, so?” she asked the him without even looking up from her ice cream, “You were the one who suggested ice cream. Deal with it.”

She stood up to order another cup for the sixth time, leaving Jongin at the table, shaking his head and smiling to himself. Cute.

“Chocolate ice cream again?” the girl behind the counter ask with a smile, already knowing what Eunhee was about to order.

“Yes,” she replied with a wide smile on her face. From the smiles that she had been giving, people wouldn’t have known how disappointed and upset she was feeling. She was disappointed because Sehun didn’t fulfill his promise. She still is but that’s why she’s here. Because ice cream makes her feel  better.

Going back to her table now, she sat across Jongin again, with a new cup of ice cream. Jongin shake his head again at the girl, “You’re going to get fat.”

Eunhee gasped dramatically, a hand covering and her eyes widened, “You are no gentleman. That’s not what you should be saying to a girl, Jongin.”

“You’re a girl?” he joked, taking a spoonful of cookies and cream ice cream to his mouth.

“And you call yourself a man? What a joke,” she attacked back.

Jongin rolled his eyes, “I was joking.”

“You’re lucky I’m not Yeonjoo,” she said to him, bringing up her best friend, “She would’ve killed you on the spot.”

“Yeonjoo?”

Eunhee hummed with the plastic spoon in , “Jung Yeonjoo, my best friend. I’ve never told you about her, have I? We’ve been best friends since kindergarten. My mom told me it was after Sehun left for the States. She said I was so lonely in school because, apparently, Oh Sehun was my only friend back then. After he left, I didn’t have any friends until Yeonjoo came,” she smiled bitterly, remembering the old times, specifically that time when Sehun left her.

“I’ll come back, I promise. Don’t cry, Eun,” eight year old Sehun said, rubbing Eunhee’s back as she laid her head on his shoulder, hugging him tight with  tears streaming down her face.

“Really?” she sobbed, reluctant to let him go.

“Yeah.I promise I’d marry you, remember?”

Yes, she remembers. But unfortunately, he doesn’t. He doesn’t remember both the memories and the promise.  Eunhee sighed unknowingly and Jongin looked at her when the girl was silent, about to but then he realized her change in mood and softened, knowing exactly what caused her mood to change.

“Why don’t you just tell him?” he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Tell what? To who?” Eunhee asked, eyebrow furrowed in confusion.

“About your feelings. To Sehun,” he answered her questions and there is no trace of playfulness in his eyes.

She didn’t need to ask more, she knew what he meant. What she didn’t know was how he found out, so with her eyes wide, a bit fearful, she asked, “H-how did you..?” she trailed, gulping, her attention fully on Jongin and no longer on the ice cream that she found so interesting since an hour ago.

“I am a lawyer, after all. I’m good at observing things.” After seeing Eunhee so silent and still, Jongin sighed, “Your secret’s safe with me, Eunhee. I’m not going to tell him.”

“But he’s your best friend,” Eunhee mumbled, watching him carefully.

“He is but that doesn’t mean I need to tell him everything. At least not about this.”

Eunhee relaxed a bit, trusting him, “Why would I tell him? I already know what his answer will be,” she smiled bitterly, looking down to her now melting ice cream.

“You never know if you don’t try, Eunhee,” Jongin gave her an encouraging smile.

The girl finally sighed, “It doesn’t matter.”

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter?” Jongin frowned, “It’s your feelings. Of course it matters.”

“You don’t understand and you don’t need to,” Eunhee shook her head, “Just don’t tell him, okay, or anyone else, for that matter? Because you’re the only one who knows.”

Jongin was about to argue but decided not to as he respected her decision, for now, that is. He sighed, looking away, “Who would I tell anyway? I don’t have anyone to tell. Plus, I told you I’m a lawyer. I know what confidentiality means.”

She smiled at the sulking man, “Yeonjoo?”

“I don’t even know her? Hello?” he said sassily, even rolling his eyes, as if trying to put some sense into her head. The atmosphere was lighter now. No more tension over unspoken words, no secrets between the two. Although Eunhee didn’t tell him every single detail, she feels better now that someone knows, even though that someone is Sehun’s best friend, who might spill it to Sehun himself. But she trust Jongin. And someday, she will tell him.

Eunhee smirked, glad that that the topic about Sehun is slowly slipping away, “Oh. You will soon.”

--

When Jongin finally sent her home, the house was completely dark, which means Sehun isn’t back yet. She sighed again, knowing that he’s probably still with his girlfriend.

Turning to Jongin, she smiled, “Thanks for the ice cream and for sending me home.”

“No problem, Eun. Good night,” he returned her smile, ruffling her hair, treating her like a kid. He stopped her, though, when she was about to open the car door, “I’ll be here if you want to talk, okay?”

Eunhee looked at him and gave a sincere and thankful smile, “I know.”

Switching on the lights in the house, she walked up to her room, stripping herself to take a shower. After she was done, she went down to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water. All the ice cream she ate earlier was making itchy. Feeling bored, she walked to the living room and sat on the couch with the glass of water in one hand, and a remote controller in the other, switching from one channel to another to find a good show to watch. Usually the house will be silent even though both her and Sehun were home, because both of them will always be busy with works to maintain their own company. Only when Jiyeon and Jongin came over, together or alone, do the house looks like someone actually lived there. But tonight, Eunhee, not so surprisingly, have nothing to do. Why? Because earlier she thought she was going to be out with Sehun, so out of excitement, if not her own will, she finished her works beforehand. Now that she’s aware that she’s going to be home for the night, much to her disappointment, she feels extremely bored when there’s nothing fun to watch.

So, out of concern and her inner wife feels, she got up from the couch and decided to cook dinner for her husband. It was almost eight so she thought Sehun would be home soon and she went to work, preparing the food and plates and glass, all stuff essential for a meal, on the table. When she was about to walk back to the kitchen to get the water, though, her phone beeped, indicating a new message just came in.

From: Oh Sehun

im spending the night at jiyeon’s. dont wait up.

8:37 PM

Feeling yet another disappointment, she just stood there frozen, staring at her phone for a long time and then to the food laid on the table. Of course he would stay with his girlfriend, Eunhee. You’re so silly. Slowly letting go of the breath she didn’t know she was holding, she tilted up her head and forced a smile, typing back with trembling fingers and a blurry vision.

To: Oh Sehun

alright. Im already ready for sleep anyway.

Good night J

8:41 PM

He didn’t reply. Why would he?  Eunhee walked to her seat, forgetting about the water she was supposed to take earlier. That night sure was different. She’s eaten alone before, but this time it hurts so much. This time she ate with tears rolling down her face, not knowing how to stop them .

Don’t be stupid, Byun Eunhee. You knew what was coming. You knew and you still went on with it. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s yourself. It isn’t his fault for wanting to be there for the woman he loved.

She kept eating and eating without even drinking.  And when she felt her chest hurt, she thought it was just because she hadn’t drink any water, trying so hard to deny that the pain was actually heartbreak. She was trying so hard to stop the tears, to stop the pain in her chest even after drinking water, to make the ache go away, but she couldn’t, so she ended up going to sleep like that, tears streaming down her face, which was screaming pain.

That night she cried herself to sleep. And that night, she dreamt about Sehun. She dreamt that he did come back home that night and went to her room. She also dreamt about feeling a warm, soft and plump thing pressed against her forehead for a few seconds before the room went completely black again.

But what she didn’t realize was that she woke up the next morning in her bed, and not on the living room couch where she fell asleep.