Sohyun stayed away from Seungho for a few days. She hated herself for liking him so much that her life is now a mess and that she could not help but accept the crumbs that he throws her way. She knows she deserved better but when she is with him, all rational thoughts go out of the window.

Seungho had texted and called her. But she had either ignored them or responded curtly. He pleaded with her to see him, to talk it out but she refused. He even drove to her place, begging her to come out and see him, but she ignored him. Seungho was getting desperate. He missed her.

“What do you want to do now?” Yoojung asked. Sohyun slowly shook her head. They were in Yoojung’s room and Sohyun had cried telling Yoojung’s her predicament. “I know I should walk away. I hate myself because I can’t,” she said softly. Yoojung was angry at Seungho. She felt that he should have cut Sohyun off so that it be easier for her instead of treating Sohyun as a special person but not willing to commit.

The next day, during her date with Myungsoo, Yoojung was cursing Seungho. Myungsoo agreed that the situation was unfair to Sohyun. “I know, babe. But I do believe Seungho likes her a lot. He is also fighting the attraction. I don’t think it is easy for him, especially he knows that Sohyun can move on to someone else.” Yoojung turn to glare at him, “You still want to sympathise with that jerk? It was his choice not to date her, but he treats her like that and make it difficult for her to start seeing someone else. He is a selfish B*****D!” Myungsoo took her hand, “I’m not sympathizing with him. I just know he is not treating her that way, because he is playing with her. He likes her a lot too. It’s his stupid resolution, that is the problem.”

Several morning later, Sohyun was at breakfast with her brother. Her mood had been subdued. “Sohyun,” Seo Joon called her. Sohyun looked up, “Oppa is going to have a lunch meeting later. I want you to join me,” Seo Joon told her. “Oh, what do I have to do? You want me to take minutes for you or something?” she asked. He shook her head. “I just want you to listen to the discussion. It be good for your exposure.”

In the car to lunch, her brother explained about the business deal that will be discussed at lunch. He described the benefits and the areas of concern that he has. “It’s an important deal but today meeting is just the initial discussion. That’s why we are having a casual lunch meeting. But I hope you could be the extra pair of eyes and ears. If there is something that should be clarified, you can speak up or we can discuss it after lunch. I hope you can help me there.” She nodded.

She was engrossed in listening to her brother that when they arrived, she finally realized they were at Hotel Lotte Myeongdong, Seungho’s work place. She panicked and hope that they would not bump into him. As she and Seungho have not been talking, she does not know his work schedule.

They went to the hotel restaurant and met the business partner and his personal assistant. “This is my sister, Sohyun. She is still studying and has little interest in the business, but I am still hopeful to get her more involved. Right now, she is working in our Media and Communication department during her vacation,” Her brother told the business partner. The business partner was slightly older than her brother and seemed very experienced. He smiled kindly at her and invite them to sit down.

Sohyun listened to the discussion. It was quite interesting and she paid close attention to it. There was something she thought was important to clarify. She hesitated to ask but decided to bite the bullet. “I’m sorry, maybe due to my lack of knowledge, but could I ask something?” Her brother and the business partner, turned to her and smiled encouragingly. It turned out, her question was relevant and wasn’t stupid and Sohyun felt very happy especially seeing the proud smile from her brother.

She was smiling happily when she looked up and her eyes fell on Seungho attending to a table across the room. She remembered that sometimes, he helped out at the restaurant when they were short handed. He was staring at her from across the room. She turned her head towards her brother, hoping that Seungho either did not realized it’s her or leave her alone. A few minutes later her heart sank, when Seungho switched with the server at her table and attended to them.

Seungho handled the service very well since he had experienced. While serving Sohyun’s table, he tried to catch her eyes but was unsuccessful since she avoided it. He came to her side several times, intentionally grazing her hand or her arm as he poured drinks or brought their food.

Sohyun could barely swallow her food. was dry and she kept drinking her water, which only made Seungho appeared at her side to pour more.  She was conscious of his presence, of the warmth emanating from him and she even got a whiff of his scent, that she loved to breathe in when she was in his arms.

Although she was the one that avoided him the past few days, she had missed him. Seeing Seungho again, reminded her how much she missed being with him. Her immediate thoughts was to run into his arms.  When he grazed her hand or arms, it reminded her how warm his hands were and how good it was to be in his arms. She was tensed throughout lunch and was relieved when it was finally over.

As she sat down in the car to return to the office, her phone beeped.

From The Shoulder

You look so beautiful. I miss you. Very much.

Sohyun switched off her phone and turned to her brother who was complimenting her. “I am so proud of you. You did well. Shall we discuss more later? I have a meeting now. Could you come to my office at 4?” She nodded, her face flushed, from the compliment from her brother and from Seungho.

Arriving at her desk, she re-read the message before replying.

To The Shoulder

I miss you too.

She waited for a response and it came immediately.

From The Shoulder

Dinner tonight? Please.

To The Shoulder

Ok.

From the Shoulder

I finish at 8. I’ll pick you up from your home.

Seungho was smiling as he sent off the text. Her sweet reply couldn’t come soon enough.

He was so excited about seeing her. The rest of the afternoon did not seem to move fast enough. He ordered food from the hotel’s Japanese restaurant which he picked up the moment he clocked out. When he arrived, Sohyun was waiting in a pair of jeans, tee and jacket. She sat down in her seat quickly and kept her hand in her jacket pocket. Seungho was disappointed as he had wanted to hold her hand.

“I hope you don’t mind we go to the lake again for dinner. I brought sushi,” Seungho told Sohyun. She just nodded. “I got it from the Japanese restaurant at the hotel. It was delicious. So I thought you may like it too.” Again, she nodded, silent. Seungho glanced and saw that she was staring ahead, the side of her side profile showed her jaws were tensed.

“I was surprised to see you at lunch today,” he continued, trying his best to fill in the silence in the car. “Do you now join your brother for business lunches?” he asked. “That was the first. But my brother was happy with me, so maybe there would be more. I don’t know. Vacation is ending anyway,” Sohyun answered tonelessly.