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Shutting the door to her apartment, Namjoo plastered her back to it. Breathing more heavily than she expected. And then like some idiot she touched her lips.

A kiss.

The CEO had kissed her.

Oh my god…

Covering Namjoo laughed into her palms. The energy heightened, rolling out making her laugh louder.

This weekend she was going on a date with her boss.

Namjoo spent a long evening shuffling through her closet. What to wear? What would make her prettiest?

She hadn’t been on a date since…

Shaking her head Namjoo didn’t want to recall the last time. For just a bit her emotions plunged into her stomach desolately. Shoving the memories away Namjoo pulled on an excited smile and continued sliding one hanger over in search of the perfect outfit.

It was only when she arrived at work the following day when it dawned on her.

No flowers today.

For the next several days.

Pausing five steps from the front doors she tilted her head up. Scanning the sixth floor. No one was looking down at her. She turned to look at the coffee bar where the vendor was busily fulfilling his customer’s orders. A short line had formed. Today no coffee for her.

Hunkering her shoulders down she joined the oncoming flow toward the elevators. Spent the good half of the afternoon running to the copy machine and then headed downstairs to grab lunch. Moyeon and Jungsung were too held up with work to call for her. Being the lead designers for the upcoming debut line would make it impossible for them to step away from their work stations.

Walking into the line Namjoo stared up at the menu. Suddenly curious if her friends had met Sehun before. If they were designers, it was possible they had met the CEO several times. As designers being familiar with each other only made sense, didn’t it?

Namjoo’s consciousness shot to reality when a hand slid across her bottom. A turn of the head and she spotted the same stocky man from yesterday leaning too close, his arm stretched all the way around her.

“Just wanted some napkins,” he grinned at her. Straightening he rewound his hand lightly running it across her bottom.

Shrugging away Namjoo frowned at him. Glaring, “Stop it. I don’t like it and it’s inappropriate.”

“Oh, come on,” he crooned. “Don’t be so whiny.”

Namjoo in a breath, but her eyes caught the people coming up behind him. Forced to move along she gripped her tray harder as she walked off. Fuming silently as she walked over to pay for her food.

Yesterday she had heard him chuckling like a creep beside her. When she looked, she had found him staring at her s. That was why she had sat away from the male co-workers before Sehun found her.

Discovering a corner table Namjoo plopped down. The shadow of discomfort hovered over her as she slumped forward and quickly stuffed herself. Near the end of the day she dreaded walking alone to her car. Before it never mattered, but she realized she had felt safer in the company of Sehun despite them being strangers. But he liked her and she took faith in that he wouldn’t harm her.

Taking the walk alone to fetch her car now made her uneasy. Why did she bother parking so far from the work place?

Increasing her pace Namjoo shuffled to her car.

The next day that man was in the cafeteria again. One sweep through the cafeteria and it was clear, so she had assumed he wasn’t there. The moment the clerk started punching in the weight of her tray she felt a hot breath across her neck.

“That’s all you’re eating?” he leaned over pressing his front into her back to look at the numbers pop on the screen. His eyes fluttered as he gave her a onceover with a coy smile. Turning to the clerk he offered, “I’ll pay for hers and mine.”

She shoved her card into the clerk’s hand, heard him laughing at her amused, and cursed herself for trying to avoid his antic only to entertain him. Silently raging, aware her face had probably gone red Namjoo refrained from being any more defensive. Then snagging her card she picked up her tray and stomped off. The next day and the following she avoided returning to the cafeteria. Packing her own lunch instead even if she had to drag her tired self to the store after work, wake an hour earlier to pack a fresh meal.

Close to the end of the week Namjoo began dreading turning up for work. Only if it could be the weekend already. Buttoning up her shirt she glanced at herself in the mirror. One more day and then she was going on her date with Sehun. Firmly smiling, Namjoo exhaled. Grabbing her purse, she spun around and left her apartment.

The ease of the morning’s people traffic was steady. One day like the other. Namjoo counted the numbers on the screen until the elevators opened on the seventh floor. She filed out with the others clutching her purse and lunch bag. Heading down the hall to her office Namjoo mentally started checking off today’s tasks.

The scent of flowers instantly wafted up her nose. There they were. One vase on her desk. One on the center table. The last on her window sill.

A fast smile broadened her lips and she stammered into the office. Colliding into the center table and leaned forward to sniff the star shaped lilies. Joy screeched inside her. Spinning around she wondered if Sehun would surprise her by filling up the doorway.

He didn’t.

That was all right. Namjoo’s spirits had already been lifted. Closing the door, she headed over to her desk. Jittery, her fingers danced beside the keyboard. Eyes laying on the flowers at the corner of the desk.

Who knew that such earthly things could emanate so much happiness?

Her eyes trotted back to the computer. Shrugging the high off she forced herself to go to work. But then her eyes suddenly flew to the door. Staying there. Waiting, as if her sixth senses had picked up something.

Her heart thumped. Heavily ramming into her rib cage. Did it one more time her skin pulsed. Like a strike of lightning it raced so quickly Namjoo pushed away from the desk and jumped to her feet. Crossing the distance to the gold brassy knob. Yanking the door open and immediately looked up into Sehun’s face.

Joy bounced through her maddeningly.

It should be weird. Out of the world strange that she missed him when she barely knew him at all, but his presence was welcoming. Raking a season of sunlight and warmth through her. The motion riding through her veins, like she was finally seeing a lover after a war had ravaged her homeland.

“Hi,” he softly smiled.

Emotions tingled inside. “Hi.”

“Did you see the flowers?” he asked.

“I like them.” Due to some force of gravity her gaze heavily lay on him. Her handsome CEO.

The light rumble of his laughter made her smile shyly and she finally averted her eyes to the floor.

“I decided to make the trip back early,” Sehun’s voice brought her head up.

“Oh…” she breathed twiddling with her fingers. The message it conveyed shot point blank through her super clearly.

“You drove today?” he asked.

Namjoo nodded.

“Then, I’ll come walk you at the end of the day,” Sehun offered. “You’ll wait for me?”

Biting her lower lip, Namjoo nodded like a dummy. She received another smile from him that made her shrivel to her feet inside. It was unfair to be this good looking it should be a crime.

“Work hard. I just wanted to come see you,” Sehun straightforwardly told. “I have to go.”

“Ok,” she finally said touching the door but not closing it. Yet. “I’ll see you later.”

He started turning but he cast her another glance over his shoulder before finally pressing the call for the elevator. He turned around when he stepped inside. Settling his eyes on her again until the doors thinned him out and he was gone. Namjoo’s heart was still pounding with superb strength.

Gleeful he had made time to come. Down that he had to leave.

She had lunch in her office and focused on her tasks while also thinking about Sehun and wishing time would fly by at a much quicker pace. Once the clock started nearing three Namjoo eagerly stared at the hands on the clock plastered to the wall. Counting the seconds that ticked by until there was a knock on her door.

Straightening in her chair she pretentiously focused on her computer. Waiting for the opening of the door. Excitement trickled through her nerves when she looked up to see him watching her with a grin in the doorway.

“I looked up the news for this weekend,” Sehun explained when they stepped into the elevator together.

“You did?” Namjoo glanced up at him.

“I thought about where we can have our date.” Sehun said. Looking at her he added, “Unless you wanted to do something.”

Shaking her head, she lied, “I haven’t really thought about it.”

Right after she said yes and ran away into her apartment, she had pictured so many scenarios, so many places to visit with him. Topics they might talk about, questions she should ask him to keep his interest. Debating whether to dress elegantly, girly, casually, moderately ily.

“We could visit Eulwangni beach,” Sehun said when they began climbing the stairs to the parking ramp, “there are restaurants nearby we can eat at when we’re hungry.”

“The beach?” Namjoo repeated.

“Why?” his confidence seemed to drop. “Is it a bad idea?”

“No,” Namjoo shook her head, “of course not. I like it. Let’s go there.”

The grin on his face made her leap internally. They had reached her car. He shifted to face her. “I’ll pick you up.”

Namjoo nodded her head. “Ok.”

Unlocking the door, he opened it for her. “Get home safe.”

She moved to get in, hesitated, then turned halfway. “How long will you be staying?”

“Not long. I just have some paperwork.”

Sehun making time in his schedule for her was touching. “Don’t work too hard.” Slipping into her seat Sehun closed the door after her. This time Namjoo peered out the window at him as she started the engine.

She had missed him walking her. She was really happy he had come back early. Namjoo smiled at him. He held an arm up to gesture a wave and then she was off.

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The night before Sehun literally combed through his closet for two hours. Pulling out a shirt, tucking it back. Stressing himself out over the outfit of the day.

Climbing out of his car now, he waited outside his vehicle. He had Namjoo’s number. Actually, he’d pulled it out from her employee file. It had been sitting in his phone for a while now. Before had given him no reason to call her. Namjoo never looked around her surroundings enough to notice someone like him. Hopefully soon he would have the incentive to hear her voice through a phone call.

Thinking of gradually building their relationship until they were talking into the wee hours of the night kept him looking forward to tomorrows.

Sehun stepped away from his car when the automatic doors glided open and Namjoo stepped out. She was always astoundingly pretty, but today she was so much more. He couldn’t stop his heart from being set on fire.

If Namjoo would ever want him he’d fall on his knees from pure joy.

“Sorry, did I take too long?” Namjoo asked approaching him. She was in shorts with a simple tee tucked in. With nothing but a crossbody bag and canvas sneakers. Kim Namjoo was the girl next door today.

Sehun couldn’t look away. Hoped his heart wasn’t rampaging too hard and that she couldn’t hear it. “No. I just got here.”

Clutching onto the strap of her bag, she glanced at him nervously. Hurrying toward the passenger’s side she pulled the door open and slipped into the car. in a deep breath he got inside and drove away from her home.

Ten minutes down the road in utter silence, Namjoo finally spoke. “Have you eaten?”

“I had some coffee,” he said. Receiving no reply, he quickly took his eyes off the road to see her digging into her bag.

“I…uh…made some sandwiches.” Namjoo pulled out a plastic storage bag with a diagonally sliced sandwich she’d concocted.

“You made it?” he asked the obvious.

“If you’re not hungry…” her tone dipped.

“I am. I am,” he hurriedly said. If his insides weren’t bursting at the sight of her earlier, now it was. He wanted the sandwich.

Sehun nearly removed a hand off the wheel to snatch the sandwich from her then on second thought he could have something else. Despite being able to drive one-handed he wanted to use this to his advantage.

“Can you feed me?” he asked.

“What?” Namjoo blinked surprised.

“We’ll be on the highway soon,” he excused, saw her eyes dart to the road filled traffic, and then to him unsurely. Sehun waited. Watching the road. Watching Namjoo a split second later. The road again. Until Namjoo stretched her arm out after neatly folding the plastic over the sandwich and he took his first bite.

The entire time he smiled happily while chewing. Tasting more the fact that Namjoo had been considerate enough to make him something for the road trip. A part of him knew from the very moment he’d laid eyes on her, she was a kind soul.

Now he wanted her even more.

“It’s delicious,” he commented bursting with euphoria.

He caught her gleefully smiling while looking away. His insides bubbled up. If it weren’t for the fact he wasn’t driving he’d lean right over to squeeze her in his arms, give her a kiss.

Sehun took another bite and then another. Savoring the food in his mouth. Realizing he’d be done in a few; he decreased the amount he was biting. Eventually he finished the sandwich.

“Thanks,” he said. “I guess I was pretty hungry. What about you?” Spotting a highway sign for a rest stop he asked, “Have you eaten?”

“I already did.”

“The other half of the sandwich?” he wondered. If the sandwich had come in the form of one and then sliced in half it meant they had shared something. A very little thing that probably was not important at all, but it was special for him.

“Yea…” Namjoo quietly answered. “I had coffee, too, and some leftover.”

“You like food?” he asked.

Namjoo suddenly chirped up. “My brother and I are foodie experts. We used to always stop by roadside vendors after school and use our allowance to eat. There’s a lane of specially cooked foods we’d visit every weekend when we got the chance.”

“He sounds like a good brother.” He smiled. It was something he already knew. Namjoo only had good people around her. She was vibrant and so lovingly full of life. Sehun reminisced the smile he’d seen on her face the first day of her job.

“We used to be very, very close,” Namjoo glanced at him with sparkly eyes. “What about you? You said you had a brother.”

“Well,” Sehun started, “our relationship’s not bad. We’re just so-so. He moved out of the city a few years back, so it’s hard to keep in touch.”

“Long distance, huh?” Namjoo empathized. “I think my parents would be heartbroken if my brothers and I moved too far away.”

“Would you leave?” he asked. “The city?”

Namjoo cocked her head. A trailer passed them, its wheels churning loudly drowning out the worry in his heart.

“It depends.” Namjoo answered.

“I’d like you to stay.” Sehun said suddenly concerned if he’d sounded too pleading. Namjoo glanced at him with a smile playing across her lips.

“Then maybe,” she teased shifting her gaze out the window. It was unfair. The yearning she left him with.

The beach was packed when they arrived. Sehun had to tightly park between two big vans. Waves sloshed the shoreline a distance away creating a wind of fury that carried laughter and a thousand voices.

“Wow,” Namjoo breathed staring at the foamy waters, the colorful umbrellas poking out of the sand, the number of families out on a beautiful day. But that was not what he was looking at.

The ocean waves hit the shoreline again. Wind splashed into their faces. Namjoo’s ponytail flew from side to side. The strands of her hair fluttering wildly. She was even more beautiful than the perfectly circular yellow orb in the clear blue sky; the perfect weather; the red sports car with its top rolled down several yards away; the slim woman in a pink bikini with her long legs bent up sunbathing on a blanket.

His eyes traced her profile. The amazed expression causing her very pink lips to stretch toward her ears. Namjoo was about to give him a heart attack.

Sensing his stare, she turned to look at him with her big eyes. He couldn’t do anything but muster a smile to hide everything he just felt.

Today was going to be his day.

Alone with Namjoo.

***he's in love and their relationship is just beginning