XVII

Joong Ki did not know when he started going places near where Chae Won lived. His feet just took him anywhere his heart wanted to go to, and where his mind tells him to.

A soft tug on his arm sleeve stopped him from his search. "Oh Se Jun?"

"I want to go to the toilet," said the young kid.

Joong Ki grabbed the boy's little hand and went to the direction of the public restroom. It was Monday, people are busy with their lives given it was the start of another week. The park was near empty with only few toddlers in sight, together with their nannies, which he doubt would recognize him.

The man was wearing a black sweater, a mask that covered his identity so well, a sneakers and a pants. He went for the casual look to avoid getting others' attention on him, just like how celebrities would normally do to get out of their fancy light.

"Uncle, why do you always bring me to this park?"

"Uh?"

"If not here, you bring me to that specific indoor playground," Se Jun asked while he was urinating.

Joong Ki uneasily laughed. "I... I thought you'd love playing with uncle. Am I wrong?"

"I mean I love that," the boy washed his hand and faced his uncle. "Are you looking for someone?"

Joong Ki was perplexed. How can a young boy notice that. "No?"

"Okay," the boy walked out the restroom. "If you say so, uncle." Joong Ki followed, still amazed. Se Jun was a wise young man, he probably got it from their genes, Joong Ki thought.

Joong Ki was filming his upcoming drama and he made sure that his offs fall on a weekday, most preferably a Monday. He knew that's when the streets are less busy as people would be on their busy lives. Sometimes he'd come here, and there are times he doesn't, but surely this wasn't his first time coming.

"Is the filming still not finished?" He whispered to himself.

"Filming? Who's filming?" The boy asked.

"Nothing."

"Let's go home?" Asked Joong Ki.

It was past three in the afternoon and he knew kids would start coming home from school. He started to distant himself from the way, as parents and guardians would start flocking to fetch their kids at the bus stop. On a distant, he would secretly watch the kids, trying his luck to see Jung Soo.

The first time he did this, he felt like he was becoming a crazy stalker. On the second time, he ought to stop doing it. Still, there are times he could not stop but do all this crazy stuff again.

Ever since he was doing it, he hasn't seen Jung Soo yet. Ever since he came to this place, he hasn't seen Chae Won yet. He started thinking, probably it's not meant to be.

It was one of the days where he freely take walks on an empty street on a weekday when he saw a familiar boy. "Jung Soo?"

The boy was smiling from a distant, biding his friend goodbye. He was holding a woman's hand with his left hand. Probably his teacher. He surveyed the area. He hasn't been here before. It was secluded from the busy parts of the town.

When they were about to head back in, Jung Soo's teacher caught the man staring at their direction. At first she wasn't sure, but because Joong Ki pulled down his mask to his chin, she recognized and so she bowed down to greet.

Joong Ki  realized when he felt his mask cupping his chin. He needed to breath from his walk so he pulled it down and forgot to put it back on. He sighed. At first he hesitated but then took small steps closer and bowed back to the lady.

She was on her early forty's and quite know a lot of celebrities. "Good afternoon," she greeted in half surprised-half disbelief.

"Good afternoon," he nervously greeted back. He did not even say he was there to get Jung Soo, still he felt he was caught red-handed.

"Jung Soo, you did not say mom's friend is going to pick you up."

Joong Ki furrowed. Oh right, he and Chae Won could easily be mistaken as friends as they both work in the same industry and not to mention they had worked together in a hit project in the past. He just smiled. Was that a good thing or a bad thing, he questioned himself. He just hoped it won't be an issue later on. He knows perfectly how media works.

"You know him?" Asked Jung Soo, still figuring out who the man was. He could tell he wasn't a complete stranger.

"Of course, who wouldn't know the great Song Joong Ki," her teacher laughed amazed.

"But I'm not sure I know him," whispered Jung Soo.

The lady failed to hear Jung Soo as she was still softly laughing by herself.

 <