... I used to tell her about you...

“Stop joking around sunbae, I’m—”

“You asked me why I choose to play along with her right?” he interrupted her words. Eunji stared at him expectantly. “Because I want to make her smile like before....” he said.

“Like before?” the words tumbling from before she realized it. He gulped down the remaining of his beer and popped another can of beer.

“Have you ever wonder what happens to me all those years?” Eunji opened but closed it again. “Come on, we both know you like me...” Eunji groaned. He grinned at her response. “What? I have talked about it with your mom...” 

“Ugh...I wished I never asked your help...” she grumbled.

“You seem to hate me now...”

“I do hate you, but not hate you personally. It’s more like...um I don’t know how to explain this. You’re an and...” she glanced warily at him.

Sunggyu raised his brows. “I see...” he nodded several times.

“No, no, that’s not what I mean. You’re so annoying and obnoxious—err that’s not come out right...” Eunji corrected herself while averting her gaze to the night view, trying to find the right words to complete sentence. “Ah right, you’re so different, kinda distance...” she continued again.

“Distance?” He asked her in an amused tone. Eunji nodded. “How?”

“You used to be fun but now you were kinda hard to approach...” she added carefully and secretly prayed she won’t get fired over this conversation.

“How so? You always talking back to me anyway...” he commented. She scowled. “Well, you probably right, but isn’t that happened to many people? It's part of growing up and all...” He stared at her, seeking an answer.

“I guess...” she nodded, she wasn’t going to risk getting fired for this. She wanted to ask what happen to him as he mentioned earlier but she couldn’t find the courage to do so. “Sunbae, to be honest, you don’t want to be here, don’t you?” She asked him afterward, trying to divert the topic of their conversation.

“You notice huh?”

“I can guess that much...” she muttered. “Then why do you come anyway?”

He sighed and mused, “Because Jiyeon threatened to leave if I refused to go with her on this so-called winter vacation...”

“Leave?”

“Yeah, she was planning to work abroad...”

“You must love her...” she commented.

His lips curled up into a teasing grin, “Did I smell jealousy?”

“Wha..what? No, I’m not jealous...” He laughed, not buying her excuse. “Ugh, can you stop being conceited for a moment?” she pursed her lips, blushing. 

“I can’t. I’m drunk...” he mused as he chugged down another can of beer.

“I’m not jealous of your sister...” she emphasized once again.

He laughed again. “You all red, Eunji...” 

“Ugh...whatever...” she murmured low and sipped her drink. 

“It always so fun picking on you...” he mused and laughed again. She gave him a dirty look. “Jiyeon was right. Maybe I do need you...” he added again.

“Of course you need me. Who else would willing to work like crazy for you...” she retorted back.

“No, I’m not talking as your boss, Eunji...” he paused for a moment. “I’m talking as me...” he mused again while putting one of his palms on the chest to emphasize his words. She tilted her head, confused. “I always thought Jiyeon and Grenstone were enough to fill the void. But I was wrong...” he continued again when she didn’t respond to his previous words.  

“What void?” She furrowed his brows, completely lost at his remark.

He stared at her, looking hesitate to moment. “Jiyeon is the only family I had left...” he muttered afterward.

“What that supposed to mean?”

“Our parent left us not long after my graduation...”

“Left? What do you mean left?”

“They passed away...”

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