֎֎֎֎֎

It was noon. About time Namjoo would arrive. Jongin was conflicted about feeling elated. Should he ask her what she and Seojun had talked about? He was also curious. Should he let her know he had seen them together yesterday? If Namjoo cleared it up to him that it hadn’t been a romantic rendezvous, he would forget it. At the same time, he didn’t know if he had the guts to ask.

He stared out the doors. Watching the never-ending crowd of people exit and enter. Ten heads, fifteen heads. Strangers he didn’t know. He peered above them, letting his eyes fly over their hair before eventually a figure drawled out of the crowd. Smiling deviously as she approached.

“Why, Jongin,” Mina greeted, “how kind of you to wait for me out here.”

He stared at her dumbfounded. “What are you…”

“Don’t act up,” Mina warned. “I saw your girl outside, but I thought I should say hi first.”

Jongin turned to look toward the doors but Mina swiped his attention again. “Unless you want me meeting her, shall we go somewhere first? You don’t want her seeing us together, do you?”

“What do you want?”

“Just to talk to you,” Mina answered. “Come on, Jongin. Smile a little. I’ve come all the way here not to see you pout.”

“Then you’ll leave?” He asked.

“I promise,” she grinned. Linking her arm with his she led him toward the cafeteria, where they had met up numerous occasions before.

Jongin impatiently pulled his arm away when they walked into the busy cafeteria. Without grabbing a drink or joining the line for food he sat down at an empty table. Expecting Mina to sit down, but she joined the line. Grabbing a tray, she took her measly time piling it up with food and two drinks before heading back to the table. Jongin was already breathing frustrated confident that by now Namjoo was in the lobby waiting for him.

“Don’t look at your phone. Don’t you know it’s rude when you have company?” Mina finally sat down. “Here,” she handed him his drink. “I brought food for us to share, just like old times.”

Jongin flatly stared at her. “Just say what you came here for, Mina. Like you said, my girl is waiting for me.”

Mina gave no reaction but grinned, as if it didn’t bother her. Before she would have thrown a fit. Jongin couldn’t figure out what she was up to.

“I missed you Jongin,” Mina’s tone dropped. “Can’t we just have a meal together?”

Staring at her, he debated. Namjoo was waiting for him. Yesterday she had been with someone else. It wouldn’t kill her if he stood her up.

But…

He had wanted her food.

He had anticipated. What she would make for him. Just for him. The food he missed. When they used to leave food hanging on their doorknobs. For each other… Where had those days gone?

Upset with himself for being unable to settle, Jongin grabbed a fork and stabbed the lo mein on the tray.

֎֎֎֎֎

Two gold slated envelopes landed in the trash bin when Jongin walked back into his office.

“Bring your girl to the fashion show,” Mina had invited when she slid the envelopes toward him. “You two can enjoy the show. It’ll be a good one. Promise.”

He wasn’t interested in seeing his ex take the walkway like she owned it. He knew Mina had dominance. She was confident in everything she did. Good for her. He didn’t need her to show off in front of Namjoo.

He was already having a difficult time as it was. Mina didn’t need to add oil to the fire. Plopping down into his desk chair, Jongin rubbed his face. Namjoo hadn’t waited for him in the lobby. There was no call. No message.

Had she come at all?

By chance, was she running late today?

Jongin perked up when there was a knock on his door. Half hoping that it was Namjoo who had been led up. The door cracked open and Taesong poked his smiley face inside.

“Boo!” He greeted.

“God, what do you want?” Jongin groaned.

“What?” Taesong invited himself in with a shrug. “What did I do?”

“Nothing,” Jongin spun around his chair. When he spun back toward the door Taesong was already sitting in front of his desk and observing his cuticles. “I don’t believe you just stopped by to see me.”

“Well, why not? We’re friends,” Taesong dropped his hand onto his lap.

“Do you need something?” Jongin asked turning attention to the documents on his desk.

“How is my old friend?” Taesong wondered.

Lifting his eyes up he gazed at his friend. “Fine, whatever. You?”

Sheepishly grinning, Taesong said, “I forgot to tell you that I saw Namjoo yesterday.”

His ears rose to attention but Jongin feigned ignorance. “So?”

“In case you got into an argument, I wanted to clarify that she asked me to let you know she would be home late, but we got carried away with work and I forgot.” Leaning forward now, “So, did you get angry with her?”

“Why is she working with you?” Jongin stiffly wondered.

“Why not? Her company is sponsoring our models,” Taesong explained. “Plus, she was a great help to me before. I could use her brains.”

“You were with her…all day?” Jongin asked.

Taesong smacked his desk, “That’s right. You didn’t give her a hard time, did you?”

Jongin stared at his friend. “No.”

Lies.

He was such a bastard.

֎֎֎֎֎

Arriving home early, Jongin immediately started on dinner. There were a few things he wanted to make, because he was sorry. For being an . For assuming things. Jumping to conclusions like a teenager. Pacing back and forth dovetailing. Thinking about what he should say. Regretting that he had let Seojun drive off with Namjoo that morning. He shouldn’t have let them. If Namjoo hadn’t been able to say no, he should have done it for her.

He would make light of the evening. Now that he knew Namjoo hadn’t spent an entire evening with Seojun, Jongin felt better.

God, he had never felt so relieved.

He turned when Namjoo walked in. Without looking at him he commented, “You’re home a little late.”

“I got held up,” she replied shaking her shoes off.

“Do you want a glass of water?”

“I’m going to take a shower,” Namjoo said as she walked away. Jongin watched her go wondering if she was tired.

Namjoo took her sweet time and didn’t show up till he had the table set up. She sat down quietly. Picked up her spoon quietly. Ate quietly.

“Are you not feeling well?” He asked observing her carefully.

“I’m fine.”

He listened to her chew, slurp, and drink her glass of water. Then he asked, “Did you come today? I’m sorry if I missed you. Actually…”

“There was a conference today, so I couldn’t leave in time,” Namjoo cut in.

“Oh…then I guess it couldn’t be helped,” Jongin said trying not to sound disappointed.

That evening, Namjoo was already in bed with her eyes closed when he walked in after his shower. Since he had started it, should he sleep in the bed? Go to the couch?

“Are you asleep?” He asked from the doorway. If Namjoo answered he would leave.

She didn’t.

“You’re asleep…” It was sort of a question, sort of a statement. Holding onto the doorknob at his back he pushed the door close, eyes on her. If her eyes flickered open he would apologize for being an .

There was no movement.

Darkness cloaked the room when he turned the lights off. Quietly stepping toward the mattress, he tried to climb on with movements as light as possible. Sliding under the blanket he turned to look at her. Sort of hoping she would turn to look at him.

֎֎֎֎֎

Mina.

Ra Mina.

Namjoo opened her eyes when Jongin’s weight made the bed sink. She wasn’t interested in controlling him. Jongin had all the right to interact with who he wished. She wasn’t his lover nor anyone special to him.

She hadn’t expected to see Jongin and Mina. She felt unease spread through her guts. If he was meeting Mina he could have told her. Namjoo would have let off. She would have been ok.

If he had just told her.

Not make her go all the way back to the apartment. Waste effort in cooking lunch and traveling the distance to go see him.

What did Jongin see her as?

She woke up with a headache that not even a pill could soothe. Not that she took one. Waking up earlier than usual Namjoo just lay in bed. Jongin was still asleep, his arm sprawled out and nearly wrapping around her. It was so quiet she could hear his breathing. In and out in a calm, rhythmic pattern. She glanced back to see him sleeping on the edge of his pillow. Turning away she stared at the wall.

Thinking again about Mina. Knowing she wasn’t jealous. Also knowing she didn’t like the woman. Jongin’s past wasn’t her business, but if the woman egged her on Namjoo could only take so much.

The more she thought about the woman the more aggravated she felt.

The thoughts soon scattered. Jongin jerked awake when the alarm clock started beeping. Shooting up surprised he slammed a button to silence it. Stretching he yawned. Namjoo glanced out of the corner of her eyes when he peered over at her.

“You were awake?” he asked.

Realizing there was no point laying down anymore Namjoo pushed herself up.

“Did you sleep ok?” Jongin started.

“It was fine,” she answered.

In the tranquil morning as they sat there she pondered whether to be weirded out. They had shared a bed again, as if they were already married, in a sacred union. Excluding all the signs of intimacy this shouldn’t be so normal.

Why had Jongin decided to sleep on the bed the other night? Strange now that she thought about it. He had given her space before. Was it because they had already slept together in Daejeon that it suddenly made no difference anymore?

“What?” she asked out of the blue.

“Oh…uh…I was waiting for you to use the bathroom.” Jongin said.

“Right.” Throwing the cover over Namjoo slid out of bed and hurried down the hall.

In a quick matter of 15 minutes food was prepped and the table filled. Jongin sat with his morning coffee, she her glass of water. They resumed the day like usual.

“Will you bring me lunch today?” Jongin asked.

“Today?” she glanced at him as her insides curled up.

“I want you to bring me lunch,” Jongin confessed. “So, will you?”

Lowering her gaze, she poked at her food. “What do you want?”

“If you have time, your braised chicken.”

“I don’t know about that.” She said. She wouldn’t have enough time to gather the ingredients.

“Then, anything,” he smiled.

֎֎֎֎֎

The knock at the door made Namjoo turn. She was standing in the corner where her printing machine was located atop a cabinet. When designing her office, she should have placed the machine directly on her left at her desk. Then she wouldn’t have to get up every so often just to wait for her papers to finish printing. Damn the lousy machine. Buzzing noisily as a new piece slowly printed.

“You can put those on my desk,” Namjoo said. Sinbi had offered to go downstairs to dig through the shelves for previous promos. Hopefully something old could inspire something new for the task Namjoo was assigned.

“By the way,” Sinbi began, “I haven’t heard anything about your wedding.”

Namjoo’s eyes darted over the desk. “We called it off.”

“Oh…” she breathed flustered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“No, it’s fine,” Namjoo made herself sound chirpy. “Life happens…you know.”

“That’s right,” Sinbi agreed with an energetic smile. “But…”

Namjoo looked at her warily. She didn’t dislike Sinbi. Out of her co-workers the young woman was probably one of her better friends at work. Young and curious. Cons in having a friend in Namjoo’s state of mind. At least the woman didn’t spread gossip at work.

“I heard the others mention there was a different man sitting with you in the lounge not too long ago,” Sinbi said. “I was just wondering…you can never mind me.”

The others must have already pointed fingers at Mina’s boyfriend, the one Namjoo stole. Concluding that the rumor the hot model had started was true.

Downplaying it now would make her look stupid. Sinbi had been on the scene when Mina had dragged her by the hair.

“Yea…we’re seeing each other,” Namjoo lied. Everyone would believe it regardless whether she told the truth or not. Blame Mina she thought. Namjoo didn’t want to explain herself any longer. Everyone could believe what they wanted about her.

“Then that’s good. It’s not a bad thing,” Sinbi commented. “I think love is a sweet thing, no matter how many times you find it.”

֎֎֎֎֎

A quarter hour before noon Namjoo left to go to the mart. Then she was back at Jongin’s work place. Staring up at the glass structure. Taking in the view of the sunlight bouncing off the windows. Its rays protruding like sharp needles.

Here again she thought.

She was early. Having completed his meal of pan fried instant noodles, because she hadn’t known what else to make. Her time had been limited. If Jongin wanted an extravagant meal he should have waited till the weekend that was fast approaching. At home he could have an all-you-can-eat-buffet instead of asking her to bring him a cheaply cooked meal.

Since the weekend was fast approaching she wondered what they would do. Previously they had planned to break the news to his mother, but she had found out about the baby early. Would she be stuck home the entire day with Jongin only?

Gripping onto the lunchbox like her life rested on it she walked inside. Jongin wasn’t at the oval desk. She glanced around for him hoping he wasn’t hiding and hoping to surprise her. That would be embarrassing. She listened to the lady behind her speak on the phone talking like she was on fast forward. Hang up then pick up the phone again when it rang. Her job was certainly detestable.

Namjoo was suddenly reminded of the headache paining her that morning. Pulling out her phone she found Jongin’s name. She would just call him and get this over with.

“Namjoo!” Jongin hurried her way, his tall figure bolting out from among the sea of people. In black pants and a dark blue button down. “You’re here.” He breathed stopping in front of her. A smile accentuated his voice. Standing straight and tall in front of her handsomely. Beaming like there was a ray of light shining from him. Almost like someone had intentionally placed a spotlight over him.

Today Jongin felt different from the other day Jongin. Not just because he was upbeat today and unwelcoming previously. It was hard to describe why and how.

Did it have to do with the way he’d sat up in bed talking to her like it was something they had always done?

Namjoo suddenly felt weird, like her blood was sizzling. Clutching the lunchbox against her body she stared up at him. Noticing at last that he had gone the extra mile to gel his hair into place and he smelled nice. She gulped as her heart skipped a beat.

Jongin was suddenly charming. Jilted, uncertainty consumed her. Where the hell had this feeling come from?

Unaware of her fit, he began pivoting toward the doors, “I found a nice spot nearby. There’s also a nice view…”

His voice disappeared as the sound of her heart travelled up to her ears. Her eyes darted toward the doors. Noting that the usual throng of people were at it again. Flushing in and out of the building. Their legs scurrying to and fro. Thinking about why no one here seemed to slow down.

Her heart picked up when she glanced down to see his hand a breadth from hers. She looked up then at the view outside. Spotting through the gap of the speeding crowd a familiar face strutting toward the front doors.

Namjoo would know that face anywhere.

Grasping his hand before he might see her Namjoo called out, “Jongin, wait.”

He spun back to her just as Mina walked in through the doors. Namjoo’s eyes darted toward the woman whose eyes landed on her at the same moment. Her pretty head cocked to the side before grinning. Then she took one step forward.

Threatened, Namjoo looked up at Jongin who looked at her quizzically. “What is it?”

Her heart thumped. She thought about that morning again. How she had listened to him breathing as he slept beside her crookedly. Talking as they sat on his bed sharing the same blanket. Then she flashed to seeing Mina with Jongin yesterday.

Knowing she wasn’t jealous…but she didn’t want them to meet today.

Touching his shoulder, she tiptoed. Letting her hand snake around his neck as she parted her lips to kiss him.

Embracing the solid feel of his male body before withdrawing. Jongin’s lower lip brushed hers as she let him go. Breathing softy against his lips. Opening her eyes and meeting his soft, surprised gaze.

The heels of her feet settled against the floor and she peered over his shoulder to see that Mina was gone.

Biting her moist lower lip, she looked at Jongin as her heart thundered.

***I rarely do this but...double update *.*