JI HYO's POV

It's been 6 months since the last time I talked to Jong Kook Oppa, listened to his lame jokes, or even properly interacted and had a decent conversation with him. I still can't forget what he said. I still can play it over and over in my head, with the exact same words. 

The words that make me hate myself, the words that make me sick to my stomach, the words that make me want to cry until I throw up. 

“You know, Ji Hyo-yah, I wish you weren't that busy at the time, I'm sure that Ae Jung would still be here.”

I was already blaming myself, I still am. I don't need him to blame me more. I know it's my fault. I know I'm the one to blame. Didn't he know that I knew? Does he?

I sigh deeply, looking at my alarm clock. 20 minutes until I have to go to work, so with all the strength I have, I get up and get out of our, no, scratch that, my bedroom.

I decided that I didn't want to be in the same room with him anymore. I offered to be sleeping in the guest room since he's the one who bought the apartment, so basically it's his apartment now, but he said that I could have the bedroom and he would sleep in the guest room.

I'm walking towards the kitchen when all of a sudden he opens the door and stares at me. I ignore him and go straight into the kitchen. I groan internally that he'll be here for three weeks, in the same apartment like me, before he goes back to work for 4 months in god knows where.

“Samonim, do you want me to prepare you breakfast?” Ga In, the assistant of this apartment, greets me.

“Uh- no, I'll just have coffee.”

“I can make it for you. You know I make the best coffee, Ji Hyo-yah.” I know he makes the best coffee in the world, he understands coffee, if he asked me 6 months ago, I would scream 'yes' a hundred percent. But now? I even hate him still calling me 'Ji Hyo-yah'.

“No, thanks, I'm late for work.” I immediately get out of the kitchen and barge into the bedroom.

I get ready as fast as I can. Seeing him in the morning makes my heart clenches and I want to get out of this apartment as soon as possible. I really want to cry. I know it's been six whole months, but I still remember. I still can't forget.

“Ji Hyo-yah, do you want me to take you to work?” He touches my forearm just before I walk out of the door.

“No need, I can manage on my own. Gomawo.” And I quickly walk to the elevator.

Once upon a time, we were so in love. Why? What happened?

“Yeah, I'm taking off in about 5 minutes. I'll report to you as soon as possible.” I said to my boss then shutting my phone off.

Today I was flying to Hong Kong and just my luck, the person beside me was a stud. Thank god I had broken the 'bald, snoring, cranky man beside me' curse who I most of the time got. 

Just when the pilot informed the passengers to fasten the seatbelt and all those stuff because the plane was taking off, I realized that I'd lost my lucky charm. It was not a real lucky charm, it's only a tiny puppy figure that I always held as tight as I could when the plane was taking off.

I started frantically looking for it.

“Looking for something?” The man beside me asked.

“Yeah, uh- it's not that important really, just forget it.” I smiled stiffly at him because who was I kidding? It was important for me.

He started rolling his eyes up as if he was also looking for something behind him when he opened his left fist. “Is this the one you've been looking for?”

I saw the puppy figure and pursed my lips together, my cheeks reddened. “Yeah, oh my god, thank you! It's so embarrassing.”

But he just stared back at me with a smile that's so contagious. “Aniyo, gwaenchanayo. I know it's important to you. I'm Jong Kook, by the way, Kim Jong Kook, and you?”

"Song Ji Hyo."

And it's the first time we met. The moment I wouldn't ever forget. Because at that moment, it felt like I had found my soulmate, my other half, the one I would be spending the rest of my life with. Call me crazy, but if you'd found the one, you just had that powerful connection.

We talked about everything for 4 hours, from the job...

“I'm a Senior Associate in the company I'm working in, and it's a great job most of the time. But of course, there's a downside, like having to go to different cities, even countries to give presentations to clients. Plus, I always go alone.” I explained to him.

“I know how that feels, being away from home. I feel it too. I work in a construction company and if the company is working on a project, I have to attend it until it's done. Even when it's in Alaska for 6 months.” He shook his head lightly. 

I gasped. “Wow. 6 months? And you can't even go home for a while? That .”

“Yeah, well I have to go only two times per year, though. There are some times that I can spend here in Seoul. So, when I'm back here, I'll use that moment to the fullest.”

...to the family...

“Well, my family wasn't the best but we somehow could work together as a whole. I came from a business tycoon family so everyone was somehow working in economy-wise.” I managed a dry laugh.

“Past tense?” He frowned.

“They died in a car accident when I was 21. Only I survived.” I stared down at my lap, remembering the nightmare that I was still having constantly.

He somehow managed to caress my cheek. “I'm sorry.”

I looked up at him and replied to him with a smile. “Gwaenchanayo, it's been 7 years.” I took a deep breath to compose myself. “Enough about me, how about you?”

“Appa was in the military, he's retired. When I was a child, he was the worst. He treated me like I was one of his soldiers because I'm the only son he has. He didn't treat my little sister, Ah Rin, like that. Only me. My mom always stood up for me though. But yeah, I think it's because of him I am who I am today.”

...to what we're going to do in Hong Kong.

“Do you know Hao Jing Xiang Group?” I asked him and he nodded. “That group is going to open its business in Seoul and my company is going to represent it.”

“Ah! So, you're flying to Hong Kong to go to that company building?”

“Ne. Hopefully, the agreement will be settled soon because I don't want to go back to Hong Kong anymore for a while. It's my 4th time in the last 2 months.” I sighed and he chuckled.

“I know it will because the representative is Song Ji Hyo.” He smiled sincerely. 

“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes playfully. “How about you? Why don't you spend your time back from construction in Seoul?”

“I'm meeting my best friend, Dae Han. He and his wife just had a baby and as his godfather, I have to be there.”

“Dae Han? He’s a Korean too?”

Jong Kook nodded. “But he married a Chinese wife and they live there.”

Until it's time for us to part ways.

“Can I call you later, Ji Hyo-ssi? When you're back in Seoul, I mean.” He gave me his phone.

“Yeah, of course.” And I put my number on his phone. “You should stop calling me Ji Hyo-ssi, though. It’s too formal, you’re not my colleague.”

Jong Kook showed his flashy smile. “Geurae, I’m going banmal with you, Ji Hyo-yah. Call me Oppa then.”

“Jong Kook Oppa.”

That time, I know, we somehow were meant to be.

It's almost noon when my phone rings. “Yeoboseyo?”

“Yeoboseyo, Eonnie, it's Jong Kook Oppa's birthday in two days, do you have any plan for the surprise?” Ah Rin, his little sister, answers me.

“N- no, you can plan for the surprise.” I choke. I don't even remember it's Jong Kook Oppa's birthday in two days. I haven't got him anything. If Ah Rin didn't call me, I wouldn't remember a thing.

“I have planned it!” She squeals excitedly. “So, how about you pretend to be mad at him and write him a note saying you're leaving, and I'll pick him up, pretend to be looking for you, where in fact I'll take him to 401 Restaurant to meet you and for the surprise.”

Leaving him. It's what's been on my mind for the past 6 months because I'm not sure if I still love him or not. I have even asked for a divorce once, he wouldn't do it, and I never ask about it anymore. His family doesn't know about our fights, only Ga In and my friends know. I don't have the courage to tell them, they've been my family ever since we got together and I don't want to lose them.

I was going to eat lunch with my friends, Jin Young and So Min, when I got a phone call from an unknown number on my personal phone.

“Yeoboseyo?” I carefully picked up the phone because I didn't know who it was.

“Yeoboseyo, Ji Hyo-yah, can I pick you up for lunch?” I knew that voice, the voice that had been in my dreams for the past month. Yes, it had been a month since I met him, we just couldn't find the time to meet again, but finally.

“Jong Kook Oppa?” I fawned. “Sure, do you know where I work?”

“No.” He chuckled. “I've been wandering around Seoul for a while, trying to figure out where you are.”

“You should’ve asked me before you start wandering, Oppa.” I shook my head while smiling like a fool. Jin Young and So Min looked at me and started teasing me but I ignored them.

“Yeah, well, I just can't wait to meet you.”

I smiled again before Jin Young pulled So Min. “Guess our boss is busy with her romantic life, we should head out if we want to eat-”

All of a sudden a black Range Rover pulled in front of us and the window's rolled down. “Hey, beautiful.” He said in English.

Jong Kook. 

I was amused. “Oppa, I thought you didn't know where I worked?” Even though I was smitten, I was still confused.

“Yeah, well, I lied.” He playfully smirked. He's more flirty than he was when we met on the plane. 

“Okay, Eonnie, we're going now.” Jin Young basically dragged So Min away from us, before giving me two thumbs up and mouthed a 'nice job'.

We kissed after we ate lunch, and he asked me to be his girlfriend which I accepted. Did this fall in love feel like? We only talked for 4 hours on the way to Hong Kong and talked a little bit more at lunch, and we're officially in a relationship.

I met his parents two weeks after we were official. They were the nicest people in the whole world. They knew about my family and from day one I met them, they asked me to call them 'Eomeonim' and 'Abeonim' which I agreed gladly. A week later, I met his little sister, Ah Rin, and her son, Jung Soo. Jong Kook seemed like the best uncle anyone could have, sometimes he even acted like his dad, the missing figure in his life.

“What happened to Jung Soo's Appa?” One time, I was brave enough to ask Jong Kook. 

“When my sister told him she was pregnant, he ran away, he didn't want any part in his son's life.” I could tell his jaw tightened and his facial expression changed a bit, so I didn't press it anymore, I just nodded.

We got engaged 6 months after we got together, 3 months after we declared 'I love you' to each