Six wasn’t too late Sehun decided. Father and daughter could stay out until 7:30 latest. Leading Seulbi down the sidewalk he thought if she wasn’t exhausted after eating, they could go around town, watch the sky go dark, and business lights flare up. Always a pretty sight it was. Seulbi would be enamored by the view. Uptown outside of a restaurant famous for its cones, a small merry-go-round came to life. The place lit up magically; its huge yellow bulbs circling around the building resembling a mini fair ground

Sehun could spare some money if she wanted to ride on one of the stallions. Or the tiger, his longtime favorite. Placed nearest the edge. Sehun always fought for it because he loved staring out into the city as the ride brought him round. Would Seulbi take after him or be like Namjoo, who didn’t care, but fought with him for the tiger just for the heck of it?

Where they were headed was not his favorite restaurant. A local eatery with a mix of everything on the menu and reasonably affordable at the edge of town. On the wayside beyond a line of window shops the ocean roared. Milling about were those experiencing the most of their evenings now that the weekend had started.

Sehun had parked on the left side of the building. A sparse parking lot already filled to capacity. He’d had to squeeze between two Sedans and struggle to get Seulbi out of her booster seat in the back, because the cars were parked so closely. Damn drivers.

Grilled meat and grease wafted in their direction by cause of the wind. The restaurant was lively tonight. Music boomed from the open doorway propped open by a piece of brick. Inside, laughter ricocheted. Tables were filled and waiters were struggling to meet demands of customers. Cute round tables occupied the rest of the length of the business outside. A lovely place to chill and bask in the evening breeze if one was not too fond of the noise inside.

A hand shot up. Chanyeol grinned, waving. Seulbi toddled beside him not saying anything. On the table were four glasses of water. One of them child size for Seulbi. At least the playboy had consideration for his daughter.

“I thought I was going to be stood up,” Chanyeol cheekily greeted.

Stopping in front of the table, Sehun put his hand at Seulbi’s back. “Seulbi, say hello to uncle.”

He chuckled amused. “Uncle Yeol works.”

Seulbi shyly peered at him. A hand clutched onto Sehun’s pants. “Hullo.”

“Should I have asked for a booster seat?” Chanyeol wondered.

“No, she’s fine.” Sehun said. Assuming it might be awkward for his daughter, Sehun took the seat next to Chanyeol. Seulbi climbed into the chair on his right as he swapped their cups.

A waiter who’d been watching approached their table. Pen and notepad in hand asking for their order. He swiftly went through the menu with Seulbi while Chanyeol made his order.

“And my girl, too.” Sehun overheard. “She likes meat. How about the club sandwich? With fries on the side. I’ll also take the salad with ranch for her.”

The waiter turned to him. Sehun made his order then they were left alone.

“So,” Chanyeol started, “what made you move here?”

“Just,” Sehun said, “to settle down.”

“Really? A lot of people come here for the beach or the ocean or for a quiet life.” Chanyeol commented. “You’re a rare type I see. Usually those who leave home don’t go back.”

“You grew up here?” Sehun wondered.

“All my life.” Chanyeol cheekily grinned again with the shrug of a shoulder, as if it was boring talk. “I went to Goseong Elementary, Goseong Junior High, Goseong High, and Goseong University. All here in town. Goseong, Goseong, Goseong.”

A strange revelation washed over Sehun. Did he know this man? Or did this man know more about him? Something felt strangely fishy, but he couldn’t pinpoint what. The name Park Chanyeol rang no bell. Of all those schools, Sehun had attended. He and Namjoo.

Chanyeol’s phone came to life shorting his period of silence.

“Come around. I’m sitting outside.” Chanyeol spoke into the mobile. Setting it face down, he looked at Sehun, “She’s here.”

Sehun glanced at the untouched glass of water directly placed in front of the empty chair on Chanyeol’s left. Would he know this girl Chanyeol had mentioned?

From behind he heard footsteps approaching. An indefinite pause. Then the footsteps picked up with urgency.

Chanyeol’s grin broadened baring a straight row of teeth. A shadow passed on Sehun’s right. His head lifted and turned catching a familiar blur.

“Say hi, this is who I was telling you about. Her name’s Namjoo.” Chanyeol introduced.

Sehun’s eyes rounded. Staring placidly at Namjoo standing next to the unoccupied chair. Every single playboy word that had rolled off Chanyeol’s tongue previously went round and round inside Sehun’s head. Like the merry-go-round uptown.

“What are you doing?” Chanyeol asked. Touching Namjoo’s hand he tugged her toward the seat, “Sit.” As Namjoo slunk down dazed, Chanyeol explained, “Sorry, I didn’t tell you we were having company.”

Sehun averted his eyes. He couldn’t look at Namjoo and know she had slept in some man’s bed. He couldn’t believe she was like that. It was impossible to see her like that.

His only best friend was not reckless.

Namjoo was careful and modest. She was ever responsible. She believed in marriage before . She was innocent. She was pure. She never even had a boyfriend. Or a real kiss or a relationship! Never been in love!

She didn’t have a boyfriend!

But this man was even holding her hand. He had called her out. And she had come! And if that didn’t say something…

Sehun’s mind raced. His insides trembled. He wasn’t sure how to organize his thoughts or feelings.

He couldn’t believe this…

He couldn’t accept the reality that the Namjoo he had come back for was not the same.

Scooting his chair back, Sehun excused, “Sorry, we have to go. Seulbi’s curfew is at eight.”

Sehun couldn’t think. It wasn’t even past 7:00 yet, but he needed to get out of there. He couldn’t do this and not think of the way Chanyeol had spoken about Namjoo. Like she was just a girl in his bed. Just a girl…who visited his bed…

His head spun. Snatching Seulbi’s hand, he hastily escaped. His heart raced. Hotly speeding up when the restaurant began disappearing from the corner of his eye. The parking lot appeared. Sehun just wanted to start running from everything inside his head.

Because this wasn’t right.

Because this couldn’t be true.

Namjoo was not like that.

“Sehun!” A rush of footsteps stampeded after him. Sehun didn’t stop. He refused to. Just leave her behind. Go back home. Lay in bed. Escape.

He determinedly kept going. Dragging Seulbi at his side.

Racing around him she panted, “Sehun. Don’t leave.”

Again, he glanced away. He just couldn’t look at her.

“It’s a mistake. I don’t even know him. We’re just acquaintances…”

A spur of fury roiled through him. He glared at her, asking spitefully, “Close enough to visit him at night?”

Namjoo’s mouth parted, shocked.

He was hurt. She hadn’t defended herself. “So you do?”

She faltered. Her eyes swayed.

“You do.” He hissed.

Namjoo bit down on her teeth. Then flared, “Why are you judging me? Who are you to judge me? You go away and then come back out of nowhere and I can’t even live my life in between that time you were gone?!”

“You should have called me.” Sehun coldly said.

Namjoo shakingly paused then in a breath. “Why is that on me? If you made a promise, you should have kept it.”

“I already told you.” Sehun flatly reminded.

“Fine then.” Namjoo huffed. “Yes,” she nastily spat, “I’m just as good as a fling at night.”

His eyes widened. The heat in his chest boiled to a dangerous level. Sehun’s free hand curled into a fist. “I didn’t know you were like that.”

※※※※※

Yes. Yes, I’ve become like this. Because I missed you. Because I had no one. I became like this.

Namjoo held her tears at bay when Sehun coldly brushed past. His words stabbing her heart. tightened. She bit down on her teeth in case she might desperately run after his car and beg or try to explain herself. It didn’t matter. The truth was, she had slept in Chanyeol’s bed. She had gone to him.

That was all on her.

And now that Sehun knew she couldn’t face him anymore. She meant nothing. He would never see her the same. She would never be able to tell him she had waited; that in case, he might turn back around and pick up on his promise. To marry her someday.

Despite the mess his life was in, she had thought his reappearance might be a sign. Even if he pissed her off for coming back after four years with a daughter Sehun was still Sehun. After some time, she would forget why she was angry in the first place. They could get along again. She would forgive him for doing what he had.

Wasn’t he always her best friend? The person by her side?

But she was like this. She had become like this.

Just a woman who visited a man at night. All she equated to.

Street lamps began to glow. Shops started closing for the night, but Namjoo walked on without noticing. A car honked along her left.

“Namjoo!” Chanyeol shouted through the open window.

She ignored him. Kept striding along. She had forgotten him. She was pissed. He was the last on her mind right now. She just wanted to be alone to fume.

“Namjoo!” Chanyeol screamed again.

Spotting the opening of a driveway ahead, Chanyeol abruptly swerved into it. The wheels of his vehicle screeched a disturbing sting to her ears. Namjoo skidded to a halt surprised. She heard the click of his seatbelt through the open passenger’s window. The door opened then shut. He rigidly crossed the hood of his car to her.

“Where are you going? Get in the car. I’ll take you home.”

“Move.” Namjoo demanded.

“You’re angry?” Chanyeol asked.

“If you know,” Namjoo sternly burned her eyes into his face, “then move.”

She started sidestepping around him, but he grabbed her hand and hit his chest with it. “Then hit me if you’re angry.”

Pulling her hand away she angrily stared at him.

“Why?” Chanyeol asked. “Is it because of him?”

The mention of Sehun knotted her nerves.

“Or because I told him we sleep together?” Chanyeol questioned.

“You bastard,” Namjoo ferociously called.

Chanyeol seemed unmoved. “Do you like him?”

Namjoo silently seethed.

“If you don’t, why do you care?” Chanyeol tested. “Do you?”

He waited. Namjoo’s tongue burned.

She hated that Sehun just walked away. That he had spoken down to her. Making her sound like something lowly, unworthy. She also hated herself for being unable to act. Again. She should have gone after him. Tell him she needed him most when her mother left, but she didn’t know how to put the words together to make a desperate phone call. He was probably having the time of his life away from her, why should she cut it short?

If Sehun was living the best of his life, who was she to ask him home?

She was just a coward. And Chanyeol a free chip who asked for nothing from her, so it all worked well. When she needed him. When she wanted to get away. To play pretend. That sometimes when they were undressing and having , he liked her too and everything was normal. In that one moment, she was loved and treasured. Then when they were done it crashed back down on her.

She was just Kim Namjoo. Whose mother left her. Whose father couldn’t hang a single shirt. Whose friend was long gone.

And she wanted no intimate relationship. She didn’t want to create a bond that would leave her hanging in the future. She just wanted to be left alone.

“You’re not saying anything,” Chanyeol straightened certifiably, “so I’ll take it, you don’t.”

Pulling the passenger door open he waited.

Namjoo didn’t want to. She’d rather take the long walk home. Burn off her anger. Wonder why she was being so complicated when it was so easy.

“I won’t trick you. Promise.” Chanyeol gently said. “Get in.”

※※※※※

Namjoo was so quiet it guilted Chanyeol a thousand times over for what he had pulled off tonight. It was obvious. Written all over her.

She cared deeply for Oh Sehun.

She might love him, too.

Acting so differently because he had returned. If that did not imply their relationship, Chanyeol had no other way to explain it.

But in these past few months it had been Chanyeol and Namjoo, not Sehun and Namjoo.

So, he was hurt, too, when Namjoo just left him. Shutting the door behind her as she walked toward her apartment. Not even a goodbye or a thank you. While the entire time he yearned to lean over, push her hair behind her ear. Forgive me, I’m sorry for being an he’d say.

He didn’t.

Chanyeol watched until Namjoo climbed the stairs and disappeared inside. Driving off at last.

All he thought about was Namjoo that night into the following morning. The morbid expression on her face when she saw Sehun and his daughter. How quickly she’d shoved her chair back to run after the duo. Not sparing him a word or even a mere glance. Disappearing on him.

Buttoning the rest of his shirt, Chanyeol stared at himself in the mirror. Yesterday he had paid for all four meals before leaving. He had been the one left behind. It was pathetic. He was such a sore loser.

Yet all he could still think about was Namjoo. Would she be angry with him forever? What if she stopped coming? He worried. That was why he needed to keep the date today. Make Chaeri happy. The friend would tattle to Namjoo how well he’d treated her. Hearing that would cheer her up. Chanyeol was confident about it.

Chaeri bounced up to his car in shorts and an off shoulder fancy kind of shirt. Chanyeol eyed the house past the girl sliding into his car truly curious what Namjoo was doing inside.

“I’m so excited,” Chaeri exclaimed, “thank you for taking me out today.”

Chanyeol firmly smiled. “No problem.”

Driving away from the house he stole a last glance of the apartment through the rearview mirror. He didn’t take Chaeri anywhere special, but to the indoor fair ground at the mall overridden with noisy kids and rumbling rides. Plenty of coffeeshops and eateries were also many. Chanyeol bought Chaeri cotton candy and halfheartedly played arcade machines with her. Chaeri gleefully shared glances with him, but what he really wished for was Namjoo’s company.

He would go on the rides with her. Where he would clutch her hand as the machine swept them through the air. He would wrap an arm around her waist as they wound their way through the maze of kids she loved dearly. He’d beat her at the arcade games. Buy her pizza, everything she wanted to eat and drink. He’d kiss her at every chance possible and embarrass her for the enjoyment of it. Chanyeol would always make her laugh, so for every day of her life she would live it thinking today is the best day.

He would not ditch her like Sehun. He would not make her wait. He would always be right here.

“Hello?” Chaeri sing-songed. “Earth to Chanyeol?”

Coming back to, Chanyeol looked at her. Pretentiously smiling. “What?”

“You keep spacing out.” Chaeri dabbed at her cotton candy. They passed the ticket booth for the nth time. “Something bothering you?”

“No. Nothing.” Chanyeol lied.

She chirped willingly. Too eagerly. “You can share anything with me. I promise I won’t tell. Honest.”

She raised her right hand to swear on it. Chanyeol debated. He did not want to be like Namjoo who kept it all in. Incapable of declaring her innermost feelings. Creating more complications in turn. If he had a goal in mind, Chanyeol went for it. What was the point of dillydallying?

It was all a ploy. A waste of important time.

If he could have Namjoo now. He would have her.

“Chaeri,” Chanyeol gentled, “I’m sorry.”