A/N: Chapter four here, thank you for the reviews. I did appreciate them. I honestly didn’t expect any lol, so thank you! 

A month.

It had been a month since Yerim had any contact with Joy, and though it was distressing. Since anytime Yerim had specifically called for Joy. The answer was always the same.

“Joy’s too busy.”

“Joy isn’t available at this time.”

“I’ll send her your message, Ms. Kim. That’s all I can tell you for now.”

Yerim decided not to call again, at least not now. She had to believe Joy was alright, wherever she was. That’s why Yerim busied herself with work, as she had plenty of it waiting for her at the office. Her mom was absolutely furious about that phone call she had been on with Joy, and because Yerim would not talk about who she was. Her mother’s response was to load her down with a lot of work. More so than usual, everything from handling business meetings on her own, or piles and piles of paperwork that interns could have handled, and a few “fun” chores of washing her mom’s cars. Yerim knew she’d hear a mouthful which she did. Her mother demanded to know who that rude woman was on the phone. Yerim didn’t tell her, and so Yerim paid the price in a way.

It didn’t matter much because it was worth it because she spent time with Joy that day. Sometimes, if Yerim thinks back enough she can still feel Joy’s lips on her own. Yerim doesn’t want to believe that that was the last time she would see her. She had to see her and soon. The heiress sighs and rests her head onto her desk for a moment. She is honestly exhausted and wanted to sleep so badly. Maybe, if she completes all this work her mother will let her go. God, she hopes so.

Only there is the feel of impossibly soft hands running through her hair and for a moment she thinks it’s Joy. Why the hell would it be Joy, when Joy has never even been to her place of business. Still, it’s wishful thinking as Yerim looks up to see not Joy but someone else. Someone at least friendly.

“Seungwan?” She whispers. The brunette nods with a warm smile.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just had the feeling you could stand to get out of here for a while.”

Seungwan has honestly been so worried about Yerim to put it mildly. Anytime she’s come by the Kim family company, the poor younger woman has been at her desk working. She never sees her having a break and that’s why Seungwan is determined to get her out of the office. 

“It’s okay, you weren’t interrupting.”

“Oh good,” The older woman says in relief. “Now, if you would just grab your jacket and come with me. I am treating you to a very late lunch.”

Yerim wanted to say no. She honestly had so much work to do here that wasn’t going to get done just because she decided to take a lunch break. However, Seungwan looks at her with those bright brown eyes all hopeful. 

“Alright, but if I get into trouble. I’m blaming you.”

“Very well, I’ll take the fall. As long as you get some fresh air and something to eat. Then maybe you can tell me what’s troubling you?”

Yerim is hesitant. She can trust Seungwan, of course. She knows nothing that will be said between them will get back to her mother. And yet, she isn’t sure she can tell anyone, not even Seungwan whom she trusts. The younger woman feels like she better think of a plausible reason why she’s so distracted by the time they get to eat. Easier said than done when her mind was on Joy. 

Yerim hoped she was okay.

Joy was okay. She was on vacation of sorts as she likes to say. “Even hookers need a break.” her joke of sorts, a defense mechanism to cope on particularly rough days. Thank god she had such pull with her boss that she could take these trips until she was ready to come back. The dark-haired woman sat by the pool of the beach house she rented and sipped on a fruity beverage. This was how good life could be if she would just quit once and for all. No calls to take, no new sleazy people to meet and have with. She could do something with herself that was worthwhile before it was too late. And then there was Yerim.

Kim Yerim was on her mind no matter what. She would sometimes look the young heiress up, telling herself it was boredom, when in reality she was simply trying to keep up with the woman. Yerim seemed to be doing well as far as the news reports said. All sorts of articles praising her business dealings and innovative ideas that are only making her family company’s profit skyrocket.

“She really does look great in a suit.” Joy thinks as she scrolls through the article on her tablet.

Joy has been told on more than one occasion that Yerim has been asking for her. She has been debating on whether or not she should even get in touch with Yerim. Sometimes, Joy thinks it’s better if she simply leaves the younger woman alone. As much as she is comfortable with Yerim, and kind of wants to see where things could go. She knows their lives are much too different to make it work. Probably more importantly Joy can’t bear to hurt Yerim. Her lifestyle and all that comes with it, will only cause pain. There was so much to think about.
 

For now, Joy gets up, and heads back inside of the beach house. While she enjoys her freedom she will go for a drive and see where the day takes her. She’s looked up articles about Yerim enough that if she wanted. Joy could surprise her at the office, that would sure be an interesting event to say the least. She better not do that, though. Go to Yerim’s place of work and unintentionally cause a scene. What if there’s men that were clients of hers that work there, it’s not entirely impossible since a lot of businessmen have been clients of hers. Joy supposes she better wait and see. It is possible after all, that Yerim hasn’t thought about her once.

It’s too bad Joy doesn’t believe that at all.

Yerim must have thanked Seungwan at least ten times from the time the two of them left her office. The older woman laughed a bit and told her she didn’t need to thank her. Seungwan meant it when she said she was worried about her. That’s why she is relieved more than anything to have Yerim sitting with her and about to eat something.

“You seemed to be working more than usual, Yerim. Is everything okay?”

The moment of truth. Would Yerim be able to lie flawlessly or admit most of the truth. 

“You know how my mother can be. If something doesn’t go her way she often retaliates.” The blonde admits at least that. 

Seungwan does know how Mrs. Kim can be. She likes to think a lot of that hard exterior is for the company’s image. She does believe that Yerim’s mother cares about her, even if she’s simply not good at expressing it. Still, all Seungwan knew was that something must have happened big for Yerim to be working so hard.

“What made her upset, some kind of company deal gone wrong? Did someone steal her lunch and blame it on you?”

Yerim laughs. It has been so long since she felt in the mood to laugh. She thanks Seungwan softly before shaking her head.

“She got a prank call of sorts, so you know, she had to blame me.”

“Yeah, of course, because she had to.” Seungwan nods with a small smile of her own. “Don’t worry I’ll talk to her and get her to lighten up. Your mother likes me enough that I can get into her office without being thrown out.”

“Yeah, she likes you.”

Yerim is not an idiot by any means. Though her mother hasn’t openly expressed it. The heiress knows that it is her hope that Yerim will marry one of her friend’s daughters, and she wasn’t all too particular on which. But with that being said, Yerim knows her mother is hoping for something to spark between herself and Seungwan. Mostly from a business standpoint as that would mean a lot of money between their shared companies. Yerim knows that despite that her mother does genuinely like Seungwan as a person too. Yerim as well likes Seungwan as a person. She is rich but not snobby. She is kind and considerate plus very bright. There are many positive qualities to Seungwan that Yerim does like a lot.

She just can’t simply forget about Joy. No matter what she does, her mind will simply go back to the woman. She worries about her. She hopes she’s taking care of herself. In the back of her mind, Yerim thinks about how when she did last see Joy. She had been hurt by one of the clients. Yerim hopes she wasn’t hurt again and that’s why she’s away. 

“Yerim?”

“Huh, oh I’m sorry.” Yerim apologizes with a slight smile. “Work things on my mind.”

Seungwan is looking at her like she doesn’t believe her. Yerim wouldn’t believe herself either to be honest. Seungwan doesn’t pry though, which Yerim does appreciate. She tells herself to at least be a good lunch companion. That’s why she turns off her thoughts about Joy and genuinely asks Seungwan questions. She asks how she’s doing, how’s work for her, is she still planning to create a record label as a side division. Lunch does go by better after that, once Yerim starts talking more. Though she does apologize for being a bit distracted.

“No, don’t apologize, Yerim. I understand. I’m glad you were able to get out of the office for a while. Cheer up, things have a way of working out. I’ll see you around.”

“Oh, sure, Seungwan. Thanks for lunch.” She does wave to her and heads over to her own car. Yerim does feel a lot better after having eaten something. She can get back to work now and try her best not to call for Joy. Perhaps, this is all one of those situations where people need space. There might not be anything wrong with Joy at all. At least, Yerim hoped not.

Joy was fine, at least she kept telling herself she was. As she spent the majority of her day out and about. Shopping, buying things she didn’t even need all because she could. Treating herself to the best lunch at one of the most expensive restaurants, and still you’d think all of that would make Joy happy. It should have. Only it didn’t make her happy at all, and when she sat down to take a break from all the shopping she was doing. She saw a familiar client, the man with the family, and naturally he saw her too. 

“Don’t ing come over here. Don’t ing come over here.” She repeats in her head like a mantra. She will scream if he walks over to her, and of course he does walk over to her.

“Joy, hi.” He smiles, looking at her like a teenager it would be laughable if it weren’t simply disgusting as he has an entire wife and kids. One of whom is a daughter around her age, which makes Joy want to run into the nearest bathtub and bathe she feels so gross.

“I’m not on