14.

“I thought I told you two to go home…!” Ga Eul frowns at her brother and Jongdae as soon as she sees them waiting by the main entrance especially when she notices that the day has already dark, then like nothing had happened, the lady clucks her tongue at the young man before taking the car key away from the latter’s hand. “I don’t care about the deal this morning. I’ll drive home.”

And that is how Jongdae is left confused up until now.

Almost a week has passed but there is never once that misery appears on the lady’s face. Apparently she has not tell about the current status of her and Shixun’s relationship to any single soul, neither about the conversation that they had, not even to her mother. There was no sign of tears, nor any muffled cry sound from the bedroom. That is what Jongdae has gathered from Haneul, “Noona looks like she doesn’t care about anything that has happened. It’s weird, but that’s the sister that I know,” was what the boy has told Jongdae a few days ago.

That was the case for him as well, she talks to him as she had always does – that tongue is still sharp like the way it is, she laughs, she jokes, she teaches, and she mingles with everyone at the academy like that very day was just a regular weekend.

She looks too normal for someone who had just went through a break up – if she did – yet it would be too ridiculous if she haven’t, especially when not one, but all three of them had witnessed the said boyfriend was cheating behind her back. Literally.

All of that, which is why Jongdae’s concern rises even higher, though by just looking at it from the side. Whether if Ga Eul continues her relationship with that two-timer or they already ended everything between both of them, the current state of Ga Eul would be questionable.

“The one you’re looking for took a half day today.”

Jongdae hisses in annoyance as he steps backward then pivots to his left, encounter no one but Baekhyun – as if there is no one else are working there in the building. His brows draw together, lifted, “Are you a stalker? You pop out from nowhere every single time I’m here.”

“You’re the one who got caught in act of peeking in front of the office like one, but I’m the stalker? Most of people would have a different opinion but let’s just leave it at that.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes then crosses his arms across his chest, tilting his head with a judging face, “You could’ve just call her if you want to talk. You two have now become friends, so why bother being like this again, seriously.”

Jongdae has no answer for that, even he himself is not sure the exact reason why he is acting this way, because hell yes, he should have just contact her like usual! “I don’t want to be so obvious. It’ll annoy her.” The former hugs himself, rubbing one hand on his other arm while mumbling the logical assumption, “Especially when she just had her heart broken.”

“She had a boyfriend?”

“Has or had, I don’t know. But both of us saw the guy with another woman.”

“And she was being cheated on?!”

As quick as possible, Jongdae jerks his body in front to put his palm covering his friend’s loud mouth then turns to their left and right, checking out if both of them drawing anyone’s attention. The latter frowns, but his steps could not help but to quicken as he strides along the hallway – with his hand being pulled towards his friend’s office room – before the door slammed shut behind them.

The younger hisses, leaving Baekhyun clearly confused as he blinks his eyes rapidly at that friend of his. “What? Is that something we can’t talk of in public?” he wonders then asks for more details, “So all this while, she had a boyfriend? No wonder she’d only smile every time I flirted with her…”

“You what?”

“Well, hello. I’m not you who keep on sneaking like a thief. If I want something, I strike…!” Baekhyun gestures his hand in a chopping movement making the other squints as the sarcastic comment hits him right on the mark.

“So you want her?”

“No, but if you’re late then that’s on you. You know really well that I’m a charmer, right? I can’t guarantee but maybe sooner or later…”

“Byun Baekhyun!”

Jongdae yells quietly in frustration but not that the older cares in the first place, instead he is giggling. It tickles his heart when he could flush Jongdae’s face red and drive that friend of his crazy. While he walks towards the table that has a plaque with “KIM JONGDAE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR” carved on it, the former sighs then dips himself to the couch before sighing, “If you’re not serious with her then don’t flirt. She might misunderstand that.”