*Zico*
 

"Zhara," I greeted her when she got close enough. It's been a while since I last saw her.

She looked up, her face impassive. 

"Ji Ho,"she drawled, moving around the table and taking a seat, her vision trained on the table. I sat down, watching her.

I opened my mouth to say something but couldn't find anything to say. Instead, I stared down at the plate of pasta in front of me. I looked up at Zhara, wondering why she wasn't eating the soup that I had ordered earlier. She glanced back at me once but said nothing.

"Zhara?" I asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Hmm" she replied simply, barely glancing up.

"Are you- How are you?"

"How am I?" She repeated, surprised by the question. 

"I'm really happy to tell you the truth"

"Why is that?," I asked slowly. I didn't know why I had even asked, knowing what her answer was.

"Because I and Jay are back together and we're getting married. How about you?"

"I'm good but..." I answered slowly.

Truthfully, I wasn't sure why I even wanted to meet up with Zhara.

"Good, that's good," She said, taking a sip of her soup. I looked at her, surprised at how self absorbed she's suddenly become over the spam of just one week. I pushed aside the fact that she hadn't really asked or seemed to care about how I was feeling. 

"How's his mother?" I asked sarcastically, picking up my fork. But I didn't touch my food.

"I actually don't know yet" She replied looking up. I looked at the changing weather. Though it was only late August, the occasional rain had already set in, predicting an early autumn season . I looked at Zhara, intrigued by her appearance. Physically, she hadn't changed, but mentally, she's changed. There was a certain mist that surrounded her.

Finally, She stopped and glanced up, causing me to look down abruptly to avoid an awkward silence. 

"So how is everything going with Eun Ji? I haven't spoken to her in a while" she said pointedly. I simply looked at her coldly from behind my dark orbs. Since when was I and Eun Ji an item? Couldn't she clearly see that I like her more than Eun Ji.

"Eun Ji and I are just friends," I replied. Zhara gave me a skeptical look, as if she didn't believe me. I looked down at the fork in my hand and  fidgeted with it as Zhara continued to look at me. She was treating me differently now that Jay was back in her life.

"Is something wrong?" She drawled, sounding bored. I didn't reply immediately, but instead moved the fork between my fingers tentatively forward, making Zhara wait.

"Nothing's wrong," I finally said. I placed the fork back and reached out slowly. I touched Zhara's hand carefully, watching for her reaction. She flinched slightly as she looked down at her hand then up at me. I grew confident and gripped her hand, pulling her forward. 

I looked at her nervously, bringing out my tongue to wet my dry lips. I leaned forward and pressed my lips against hers. I kissed her softly, not putting pressure. I didn't try to deepen it, I was feeling fine as it was. We pulled apart and I let go of Zhara's hand. She looked up at me but said nothing.

"I-I better go," She said softly. I watched as she quickly got up and walked away. I stared at the spot from which Zhara had been sitting not long ago. After a while, I shook my head and called for a waiter. I paid the bill and got up. I walked out and got into my car, driving in the direction of the cafe. When I got there, I walked through the doors to the decorated dining  tables. 

I saw the worried looks on the staffs faces as I walked to one of the tables. They were probably worried for themselves due to my latest shift in attitude. I sat at the table, feeling hurt. My mind was blank. Subconsciously, I reached out across the table, but felt nothing. I tired tuning out the laughter and jeers coming from the staff.

Like every year, we had a small party, marking the end of a successful season. I paid enough attention to the thanking ceremony by the staff, I even listened to Eun Ji's long monologue. No big surprise, it was Eun Ji being Eun Ji.

I managed to tune out all the clapping and whooping, instead daydreaming about all the things that I and Zhara could have done.

I could possibly have given her all the love that she needed, like she deserved.  I had been waiting for a very, very long time to confess, but I was too late.

Tuning out the opening speeche by Ara,I focused on Eun Ji from across the room following her every movement with my eyes. She looked pale and tiny. I didn't miss the slight shaking and the way her hands trembled as she grabbed a cup filled with pinkish liquid. 

I watched as she scooted forward. I gazed steadily at her, as I got up. Her sad gaze fell upon me as I approached her, ignoring the happiness in the air. I sat in the chair in front of her, folding my arms across my broad chest. All the people around us were lost in animated conversation and joyfulness, as Eun Ji and I sat across from each other, not speaking.

I silently observed Eun Ji as her fingers curled around the styrofoam cup, opening just a tad bit. She looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown. I wonder what was happening in her life?

Her eyes were wide and petrified with absolute agony, like a little child caught telling a white lie. I noticed her lips move often, forming words. 

"Hi Ji Ho...." she whispered.

"Hello Eun Ji" I said. It's been very awkward ever since her confession. She looked down at her drink, smiling ever so slightly.

"Did you get together with Seung Ho yet? How's everything going with you and that bastard?" I asked, trying not to be mean. But I was honestly not in a good mood. I watched as she sunk low in her seat. I imagined that I wasn't the only one noticing her change in demeanor. 

She had gotten so depressed lately, not smiling as much as she used to. I knew she would just give a lame excuse, denying any involvement with Seung Ho.

She opened , as if she was about to speak, but stopped,gulping silently and took a sip of her drink with shaky hands and a nervous expression. What big secret was she hiding that she couldn't tell me? Why was she suddenly nervous and moody whenever I was around?

I watched casually from across the table. Eun Ji seemed to notice me staring at her, as she glanced up.

I smirked back at her and pouted, wanting to know what was going on with her.

"Eun Ji, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I'm good" She said quickly. I easily detected the shakiness in her voice as she quickly averted eye contact. She was lying.

"I know that there's something going on, Eun Ji. You can trust me" I drawled gently, reaching out my hand across the table.

"It's none of your business, Ji Ho. This is my business, don't try to intangle yourself in my life" she hissed lowly.

"Will it harm you to just let me in on it? How bad can it be?" I asked, pulling back my hand.

"It's none of your ing business, Ji Ho" she said through gritted teeth. 

Immediately, she pulled herself up from the table, and stormed out. I wonder what her dirty little secret is anyways? I looked at her helplessly as she exited the door.

I wondered in the back of my mind what I had done to set her off. 

Was it my lack of interest? My unwillingness on not giving up? Or perhaps, it was nothing at all.  I'd spent most of my life around women. But I'd only seen quite a few women who would just go off. Some women were just ticking time bombs who would wait and  go off at almost anything, and belittle everyone... anyone really, if you looked close enough.

It wasn't like I really cared about  what Eun Ji had said to me. It was none of my concern now, how she went on with her life and I honestly  don't have any issues with it. 

Now that she's chosen to run off, I didn't give a rat's about what happens to her.

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This chapter may be confusing to anyone who reads it so I'll just explain why Zico is being the way he is right now. The fact is that he basically got his heart "broken" by Zhara, so he feels the need to be aggressive and ty(excuse me for my lack of a better wording) towards others. And apathetic towards others and everyone else around him.

Hope this explanation helped anyone who was confused.

I just want to thank everyone for subscribing and taking their time to comment on this story. I know that you guys may feel nothing at all by subscribing and commenting, but it means a lot to me. To read what you guys actually think of it. I just want to thank everyone again, even the silent readers, for taking time out of your probably already busy life, to read and comment -^^-