(Five years since Key’s departure to America)

Key flipped through the business section of the Korean newspaper, checking out the recent advances made on the stocks. They were doing well, as usual. He sighed as he folded the paper and neatly stacked it on the coffee table. His eyes listlessly swept the front cover as he leaned back into the couch and stretched his arms out.

*Wait what?* His eyes did a double take.

He picked up the newspaper again out of curiosity. It had been five years, and his model friend, Minho, was getting pretty popular lately: even appearing in American magazines.

 But… how’d he get on the front page of this?

Key read the bolded text: “Cosmopolitian’s top model involved in a scandal with ‘mysterious girl’” Key laughed.

 “Sly…” His sentence seized to continue as his eyes fell on the girl that had her face amateurally blurred out and whom Minho was guiding into a car in front of a fancy-looking hotel.

*So this is what you’ve been doing…*

All of a sudden he heard a knock at his door.

“Pardon me, Kim Ki Bum, your father would like to speak with you,” the secretary informed him.

Key threw aside the newspaper.

“I’ll be there.”

--

Key walked into his dad’s office.

 “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes,” Mr. Kim replied, seated at his desk with his hands interlocked. “How would you like to return to Korea?”

Key’s eyes lit up in astonishment. *Back to Korea?*

“ I…”

“I need someone to manage the branch there, to take over as the new chief executive. I think you’ve proved yourself capable over these years. What do you say?”

“Y-yes of course,” Key answered, unsurely.

“Good. That’s what I’d like to hear. I’ll have your flight prepared then, be ready.”

Key nodded and made for the door.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Mr. Kim said. “Do you remember Soyeon?”

Key dug through his memories. *Soyeon, Soyeon, ah! Middle school... but why?*

“She needs a vacation so I’m sending her with you.”

“When did she become so close to us?”

“What do you mean? Our families have always been close.” Mr. Kim gave him a look that made Key decide it was time to leave.

“I’ve talked to her parents, and it seems we might come to some arrangements.”

“I’m only taking her there right? No problem.” Key darkly left the room before he could hear his father say anything else.

--

(2 weeks later. Seoul, Korea.)

“Honey! You’re in the newspaper with that boy from the other day!” Ji Yeon’s mom called out to her as Ji Yeon was upstairs getting ready. “Are you two dating?!”

Ji Yeon gasped. *What?*

”No!” She called back.

 “Hm… But he seems like a nice boy! And rich too! Why don’t you invite him over?!”

“UMMA!”

Ji Yeon rushed down stairs . “I’m going to work now.”

Ji Yeon’s mom peeked out through the window. “Is that him out there?”

Ji Yeon hurriedly strapped on her boots at the doorway.

Her mom put her hands on her hips. “Always rushing and working, why don’t you—“

“I don’t have time for blind dates right now,” Ji Yeon answered. “I gotta go! Bye umma, love you!” She waved goodbye as she left her house.

When she got out she saw Minho waiting in front of his car.

“I’m taking the bus next time, alright?” Ji Yeon looked at him trying to keep a straight face.

“And how many times have I told you, my work is the same direction so it’s really not a problem?” Minho replied as he left the car door open for Ji Yeon to enter.

Ji Yeon laughed bitterly.

“You’re too nice to me, I’m scared…”

“Scared? Why? That you might fall in love with me?” Minho replied with a grin as he got into the driver’s seat.

Ji Yeon distracted herself by putting on the seatbelt with her face towards the window.

Minho watched her in amusement before starting the engine.

“I reserved a room,” Key told the lady at the check in counter.

“Kim Kibum is it? Here, we’ll take your things,” the lady smiled and rolled Key’s suitcase away with the help of a few other staff members.

Suddenly a voice called out his name: “Key! Mine too!”

He turned his head to see a girl in a pink dress and heels running towards him, rolling a luggage.

“You almost forgot me!” She arrived at his side.

 “Oh, I’m sorry,” Key said as he carefully brushed the wrinkles off his (new and expensive) dress shirt.

“Can you take mine as well?” She said to the staff.

“Not to the same room,” Key clarified.

“Why not?” The girl pouted.

Key handed a key card to one of the staff. “This room, thanks.”

Soyeon folded her arms and glared at him.

 “You’re not here for a vacation are you? You’re here because my dad sent you,” Key said.

The girl played with her feet. “I don’t know what you’re talking about."

“Or are you here for Minho?”

The girl looked up in surprise. “I can’t be here for you?” 

Key rolled his eyes. *AAhhh, don’t make me laugh. I’m going to wrinkle my shirt.*

--

After a fifteen minute drive Minho and Ji Yeon had arrived at the hotel.

“I’ll take you in,” Minho offered as he unbuckled his seat belt.

“I’m a big girl now, I think I am capable of walking inside by myself,” Ji Yeon said with a grin as she got out of the car.

Minho laughed. “Alright then.”

“Bye,” Ji Yeon waved and pushed the door close.

She sighed as she walked through the automatic doors.

*Ji Yeon, you’re so terrible, he even drives you to work but… why don’t you feel anything?!*

slowly, her thoughts began to drift to Key. *How dare you think about him?* She quickly shook herself out of it. 

*After five years, no contact, no nothing. I can't believe him.*

She greeted one of her co-workers as she passed.

*But it's all in the past now. Everything between us are just memories. The past has crashed and burned: disappeared. I probably wouldn't even notice him if he was standing right in front of me.*

She had barely made it through the second pair of automatic doors before she heard Minho call her name.

“Ji Yeon, Your cell phone!” 

Key took his finger off the elevator button and turned his head.  

“Hey, that’s Choi Minho!” bystanders exclaimed as they witnessed Minho enter the hotel. "Who's that girl?"

 “Oh, Sorry! Thanks Minho!”  Ji Yeon said, as she received her phone back.

“Always forgetting things,” Minho pat her on the head.

Suddenly his face changed as his eyes met with what was standing in front of the elevator doors. it was none other than Kim Kibum, staring him right in the face.

“Minho, what’s wrong?” Ji Yeon asked, looking up at him. She saw him looking intently over her shoulder.

*No way… he’s back,* Minho thought, meeting Key's face with a look of astonishment.

He looked at Ji Yeon anxiously.

“Hm?” Ji Yeon made to look over her shoulder, but before she could do so, Minho cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

“Kibum, I got you a coffee too!” Soyeon bounced up to Key with the coffee. Key barely gripped the coffee before dropping it and spilling it onto the floor.

"Oh no, Key!" She exclaimed, but then observed his expression. “Why are you…?” She looked around. “Wow, when did all these people get here?

Camera’s flashed, and reporters gathered at the scene in no time.

“YET ANOTHER SCANDAL: Cosmopolititian’s model, Choi Minho, displays affection with mysterious girl in public. All rumours are now put at rest,” One reporter announced on live television.

Ji Yeon’s eyes opened wide in horror.*Minho! We-we-we’re k-k-k-kissing?*

Minho wrapped his hands around the small of Ji Yeon's waist and pulled her in.

*I'm sorry Kibum, but you’re too late. She’s mine now.*