Chapter 3: Are you lost?

They arrived in Seoul in late afternoon. It was twilight. The ride had been relatively calm and smooth. She glanced at the man next to her. She was happy that he was the one who found her that night. She felt safe with him for he was the only solid person in this new life.

Somehow sensing her scrutinity, he turned his head to her, a questionning look on his face. She blushed at being caught and averted her eyes.

“What? Do I have something on my face?”

“Hm? No, no, no at all.”

“Then, why were you staring at me?”

“I wasn’t.” She blushed even more.

“Yes, you were. You’re blushing. Hahaha, I see. So Min ah, I know I’m that handsome! No need to be shy!” He laughed, teasingly.

Sometimes, he was really exasperating.

“Tell me, aren’t your ankles swollen up by your overweening ego?” She asked sarcastically.

“Nope, my ankles actually never felt as good as before.” He smiled widely.

“You’re impossible.”

“But you adore me.”

She said nothing and once again glanced at him as discreetly as possible when she suddenly asked:

“How did you choose?”

“Huh?” He turned his eyes to her briefly before focusing on the road.

“How did you choose my name? What does it mean? Did you pick it up randomly?”

“Ah....” He scratched his head embarrassingly.

“Well, actually, I made a mix. Jung was my mother’s last name. Euhh my girl best friend is called So Eun and euh...my first love was named Park Min Young. So I took the hanguls So and Min and put them together. I intended to mean as cleverness. Because you’re in the dark since you have lose your memory and I wanted you to come to the light meaning to recover and you need your mind to do that, so I thought why not? A name meaning cleverness could do you good, you know?”

As he tried to explain, he became redder and redder to the point So Min wondered if smoke wouldn’t come out of his ear sooner than later. She stared at him, incrudulously. Ah In glanced at her shyly.

“So... you name me after your mother, your girl best friend and your first love?!”

“Well... yes. But I put a lot of my mind in it.” He exclaimed defensely.

“Will I meet them?” She inquired curiously.

Not answering, Ah In drifted his eyes off of her and after some time exclaimed:

“Here we are!” He stopped the car, and got out.

She followed him, looking at the café in front of her. It looked welcoming and cozy and warm, she could easily imagined a group of friend, a family or just a couple spending an soothing evening with a hot chocolate and some cookies after a long tiring day.

They entered. A stunning man was behind the counter, looking at them with surprise.

“Hyung! I’m back!”

“Yah, Yoo Ah In! Where have you been all this time? You’re lucky you’re my little brother or I would have fired you pronto!”

“I told you when I called you! Did you leave your brain at home when I called you? Anyway, you’re probably scaring So Min. I hoped you prepared her room like I asked you!”

Ah In’s brother completely ignored him and instead greeted So Min with a huge smile. Apparently, So Min thought as she greeted and bowed to him, huge smile run in the family.

“Hi! I’m Yoo Jin Hoon, Yoo Ah In’s older brother.”

“Annyo Haseyo. I’m Jung So Min. Nice to meet you.”

“I hope Ah In didn’t bother you. Let me show you your room. Come on. Ah In, stay here and go help.”

The room was upstairs the café. It was pretty small but confortable.

“I’m sorry, but room in Seoul are pretty expensive and Ah In speciafally told me to find something cheap. So I thought that you could stay here, it’s small but pretty nice no? Took me two days to settle everything in place.”

“Thank you very much. It’s perfect but I don’t want to bother you.” She bowed again.

“Non sense. You’re a friend of my brother. Plus, you don’t bother me since you’re going to work here starting Monday.”

“Heh?”

Jin Hoon grinned in mockery.

“You really didn’t think I would let you stay here without doing anything right? It’s getting late, go to sleep, I’m going to give your schedule tomorrow.”

With a wave of his hand, he went downstairs.

****

“So how’s work? My brother isn’t too hard with you?” Ah In sat as he watched her clean the glasses. The café weren’t very crowded as it was still early.

“No, it’s fine. Everyone’s nice. I actually like it here. Customers are nice and some of them give me good tips.”

He snorted. “Yeah, I bet they’re old ert.”

She smiled in amusement. “Don’t you have anything else to do other than bugging me when I’m working?”

“Actually, I was thinking...”

So Min put her hand on her chest in fake amazement.  “Wow, you actually think, I thought you were the type of guy who act without thinking?!”

“Haha, very funny. You’re a marvel of laugh. I think you spend too much time with my dear brother.”

“Anyway, as I was saying, some friends of mine invited me to some party. I thought it’ll do you good if you come along. You know, it’s been a few weeks now that you’re working and you didn’t get a break.”

“I don’t know... I don’t know any of them. Wouldn’t I be an outcast?”

“Don’t worry. They’re very nice and they want to meet you. My friend So Eun will be there. I’m sure you’ll be grreat friend with her. Come on, it’s just going to quiet and cozy night. Okay?” He stared at her intently.

She hesistated, unsure. It was true it’d be nice to know more people other than Ah In and Jun Hoon. Having a girl friend seemed quite appealing too. No matter how grateful she was to them, she sometimes felt lonely when alone in her tiny room upstairs having no one to talk to. Perfectly aware of her friend’s glare, she sighed before finally agreeing.

He smiled in triumph and opened his mouth only to be interrupted.

“So Min, could you do a delivery for me? The bag is in the kitchen. Thanks! Oh and Ah In come with me, I need your help” Jun Hoon appeared next to her, gave her the paper, took his brother’s arm and was out before she could comprehend what happened.

****

“God, I think I’m lost!” She exclaimed helplessly looking around her. The street were as empty as the desert, she was sweaty, tired and a bit pissed off.

“Why don’t you answer your phone?? Phone are useless if you don’t answer when people call you, Yoo Jun Hoon!” She yelled at her poor phone as she continued to shake it.

“Rah, and you too, you’re useless.” She threw her phone watching it layed down on the ground. Then, two pairs of legs suddenly appeared next to it and a slender hand picked up the offending item.

So Min shyly looked up to the pair of long legs’ owner and she blushed madly. He was gorgeous. A fine pair of hot brown eyes, a tall and high nose complementing with a defined jawline. His hair was a mixture of brown-redish hair.

He was looking at her impassively.

“The gods don’t like me.” Was the first thing she thought as she continued to stared at him.

He walked slowly toward her, and So Min felt like time stopped. She inconsciouly held her breath as he came nearer.

“I don’t think your phone is the real culprit, Miss.” He said with his low and deep voice.

She gulped loudly and took back her maltreated phone not breaking the eyes contact.

“Thank you” So Min said with a small voice. At least, she could speak no matter how weak her voice sounded.

They continued to stare at each other for what seemed to her a very very long time.

“Are you lost?” he asked out of nowhere.

“Yes, I am.” She answered happily, smiling foolishly. He glanced at her with a odd expression and she suddenly felt herself fall down back to earth and shook her head while patting her cheeks.

“I mean, yes I am “ She repeated with a more serious tone.

He smiled. “Wow, he has a beautiful smile!”

He smiled even wider and chuckled. “Well, Thank you I guess.”

So Min then, realised she said it out loud. Mortified, she hid her burning face in her hands, and wished a hole would eat her right then and now.

“So, where are you supposed to go?”

Still looking down, she showed him the piece of paper.

“Oh, it’s not far. Come with me, it’s in my way.” He turned around and she followed him.

****

“It’s here.” They stood in front of the little house. So Min rang the bell, and turned to her savior.

“Thank you so much, sir. You saved my day.” She smiled at him cheeks burning.

A tiny smirk appeared on his face. “You’re welcome. But it looks like no one’s home.”

She sighed deeply and said:”Well I guess I have no choice. I’m going to let them a message. Hopefully, they won’t get angry at my poor delivery skills.”

“I don’t think he will.” His smirk broadened. “You see, I actually know the guy who’s living in here and he’s a good friend of mine. And I really don’t think he’s going to resent you at all.”

She beamed, not believing in her luck. “Really? Oh thanks godness. Could you tell him how sorry I am? If he comes to the café, I’ll even take care of his order to show him how sorry I am.”

This time, her stranger laughed frankly. He eyed her in a mixture of amusement and mischief.

“You already apologised. And be careful with what you said, he could take your offer seriously.”

“But I am serious. I wouldn’t want him and my boss for that matter to think I’m not trustworthy for the job.”

“Okay then.” He took the bag delivry she was holding and began to walk away. So Min just stood here, watching him.

Before he turned around the corner, he looked back at her, nodded at her, and said: “See you later, Jung So Min sshi.” He smirked, pleased at himself and disappeared.

It was until she was at the bus station that she remembered she didn’t tell him her name nor did he. She frowned in confusion wondering wildly how he knew her. He wasn’t a stalker was he?

It was late in the afternoon when she arrived to the shop. About to go upstairs, she was stopped by the sight of Ah In’s arms crossed and foot tapping, his lean figure supported bythe wall.

“Where have you been? Why didn’t you answer your phone? Rahh, doesn’t matter, Hyung kidnapped me before I could tell you the party was tonight. So hurry up and go dress. Something casual. We’re going to be late!”

So Min really didn’t want to go anymore. All she wanted was to bury herself to sleep until tomorrow morning. But she promised Ah In to do the effort of  ‘socializing’. She couldn’t let him down, could she?

Fifteen minutes later, she got out wearing a dark blue short with a dark tank top accompanied by boots. She sat at the passanger seat while looking haughtily at Ah In’s raised eyebrow.

“What? You said something casual.”

“Nothing. You look nice.”

“Thanks.”

They arrived at Jun Hoon’s night club (he didn’t look like it but Ah In’s brother was actually a great business man.) and went to the VIP room.

The room was spaced and big. The wall painted in a darkish blue color seemed peaceful and warm. The dim light and hushed ambiance made the room cozy. Ah In’s friend were sitting on the couch, playing at some games.

“Hey guys, look who is here.” Ah In exclaimed as they approached the group.

A small dark haired girl with a friendly smile got up and greeted her.

“Hey, I’m Kim So Eun, Ah In’s best friend. Nice to finally meet you. The guy was always talking about you. It’s nice to finally put a face in your name.”

So Min uncomfortably bowed at her.

“Yah, So Eun ah! I didn’t always talk about her. She’s like my little sister. You sounded like I talked about her like she was my girlfriend.”

“Well, that was close. Anyway, forget about him okay? Let me introduce you. Here’s Tae Sung, Maeri, Ki Tae, Min Ah” Then lowering her voice, “and the guy who seems like he’s already fourty goes by the name of Kyung Soo.”

“What did you said? I think I didn’t hear you!” The said Kyung Soo stand up ready for battle.

“Nothing. Don’t be so paranoid, Oppa!” So Eun said before wispering to So Min “Don’t ever tell him he looks like an old man or you never going to hear the end of it.”

“Where Hyun Joong?” Ah In asked, looking around him.

“Who knows? Probably looking at the sky while hoping to see an alien?” The man named Tae Sung said sarcastically.

“This boy need to go back to the Earth planet. I told him I was going to introduce So Min to everyone.”

“What? Someone left the planet? I wish I could have gone with him.” A tall and somehow familiar man entered the room, he was too far for So Min to see his face. Although she couldn’t see him, she knew his eyes were scanning the room before she felt his eyes on her.

So Min suddenly wondered why the room was heating up.

“Ah Hyun Joong here you are. Remember the girl I talked about? Well here she is.

So Min, meet Hyun Joong and Hyun Joong, this is So Min.”

“Ah the famous So Min huh?”

So Min bowed in greeting and then her mind suddenly worked at full speed. She knew this voice. 

She looked down at the familiar long legs  and up to the smirking face of her savior from ealier.

“Well, it’s finally nice to meet you, Jung So Min sshi. I’m Kim Hyun Joong.” He said.

She gasped, speechless.

**

A/N: Finally! Fhewww. Here comes Kim Hyun Joong at last!!  

Did you like his first appearance? To be honest, I hadn't thought SM & HJ would meet in this kind of way, but as I wrote them, it just came this way naturally.

I feel like this chapter is way too long, don't you think? I thought about cutting it into two parts, but then, that would have meant that Hyun Joong wouldn't have appeared until chapter 4.  Hmm *is thinking* Maybe I will :D 

I talk way too much, I apologise. But please, tell me what you think!