When Jang Mi arrived at her apartment, she found Hwan Jae sleeping soundlessly on the couch. She smiled at the thought of her waiting for her. She must've been worried. She forgot to bring her phone with her because she was so nervous of her and Gi Kwang's grand date. Whenever she thinks about it, happiness would voluntary mark all over her face.

 

"Where've you been?", Hwan Jae asked her groggily. "I'm sorry I made you worried, I... I was out with Gi Kwang and I forgot to bring my phone. I'm really sorry.", she said to her while smiling. "It's okay. So did you and Hyun Seung-sshi meet?", she asked while getting up.

Jang Mi's smile was gone in a second. "Oppa? Oppa was here?", she asked, her brows wrinkled in total confusion. "Well, yes. He was already here 3 hours before my shift. I took off and left him here before 7pm. Why? Didn't you guys see each other?", she asked as she was about to walk up the stairs. 

"No", she said as her thoughts drifted to calculating the time. She was trying to analyze what happened earlier. 3 hours before Jang Mi's work. Jang Mi worked part-time at 7pm so Hyun Seung was already here at 4pm? Was he still here when Gi Kwang and I arrived? He waited for me for 4 hours. No..that can't be. He was so busy with his work nowadays he does not even bother calling me anymore or sending me text messages like he used to do, she thought.
 

"You okay? Happy birthday again, Jang Minnie! Kisses! Imma go to bed now, sooo sleepy.", she said and she left Jang Mi still bewildered. Jang Mi just nodded and said her "thank you" to her friend. She was suddenly out of air. She went to the kitchen and straight to the refrigerator to get some water only to find a of box cake sitting amongst bottled waters. She brought it to the kitchen counter and opened it to see the personalized message written on top of it. Hwan Jae. She smiled at the thought of her trying her best to at least make the ready-made cake personalized. Then she looked at the candles at the side of the cake. There were 5 small candles and they were all have burnt ends. They were lit earlier. She suddenly turned cold. Hwan Jae said she left because she had work at 7pm. She would not possibly lit the candles and wait for her? She was shaking her head in confusion. Was Oppa really here when Gi Kwang and I were..., she thought. 

She was still thinking about things when her gaze passed by a bouquet of white roses left on the corner edge of the counter top. Ohmygod, he was here. He waited...for me. Her eyes were suddenly filled with tears. She did not even know where those tears are coming from nor could understand why was she even crying. She closed her eyes as she tried to imagine. Hyun Seung was in the kitchen, lighting the candles. He was smiling because he would again trick Jang Mi when she least expects it. He was thinking she would really like the fact that he brought her her favorite white roses- the flower she would use to ask him to buy for her birthdays when they were younger. 

For some reason, the tears just wouldn't stop for Jang Mi. 

****************

It was almost two weeks that Jang Mi had not heard from Hyun Seung. She sent him text messages but received nothing in return. She did not dare asked him about her birthday, or if he forgot about it, or ask if he even visited. Whenever he called her, it was always either busy or his phone was turned off. She could not take it anymore. She wanted to know why he was acting all high-and-mighty all of a sudden. Yes, she made him wait for hours but was it reason enough to evade her?

After two weeks of not doing anything about it, she dialed an unfamiliar number for the first time. A woman answered the phone and when she asked about Jang Hyun Seung, the woman pause for a while before saying, "I'm sorry Ma'am but he is on a meeting right now. You can call back later." She thanked the woman and she hung up the phone. She was so pissed she got her bag and hurried to Hyun Seung's office.

She arrived at his office building. "Miss, are you an employee here?", said the guard in front of the building. "Ah, no. I'm actually looking for someone working here.", she said anxiously. She was told by the guard to approach the reception area. She was greeted by a woman in her twenties as she smiled and say "Good morning. How can I help you?" Jang Mi smiled back and hesitantly said, "Uh. Uhm. I'm looking for Jang Hyun Seung. Can I possibly talk to him?", she asked. The lady look at something in her computer first, then she smiled anxiously. "May I know your name, Ma'am?" "Jang Mi. Park Jang Mi.", she said as her hopes went high. Finally she can talk to this man. 

"Park Jang Mi-sshi, do you have an appointment?", she asked awkwardly. "No, I don't have and I never know I should get one.", she answered. "Mr Jang is currently not in the office. He went out with Mr Choi, his boss, for lunch meeting with some clients. I suggest you ask for appointment from her secretary first to make sure you'll be able to see him.", she said. Really? I need an appointment now to see your FACE? Jincha!

She calmed herself down before saying, "Is it okay if I leave a message to Jang Hy...I mean MR Jang?", she asked, to which the lady nodded. Jang Mi asked for a paper and wrote down the name of a resturant in Gangnam. She gave the paper to the girl then she told her, "Kindly give this to him. Tell him I'll wait for him. I know he'll come no matter how busy he is." The lady nodded again saying, "Algetseomnida. Ne." as she kept the papers on the little drawers on her table.

*******************

Hyun Seung just finished his meeting. He came out of the boardroom and proceeded to his office when his intercom buzzed. "Yes, Jang Hyun Seung.", he said. He sound so tired he was sure the other person on the line could sense it. A woman's voice echoed, "Mr Jang, a woman named Park Jang Mi was here...", she was still talking when Hyun Seung cut him off. "Didn't my secretary told you that I won't be receiving any calls or visits from Park Jang Mi?", he said sounding really pissed. 

"Yes, I did get it Mr Jang. I told her you were out of the office so she went home already but she left you a message here."

He slouched back in his chair and answered softly, "Arasseo. Chesonghamnida. I'll just get it later after work. Thanks." The woman just said "Ne. Algetseomnida", then she hung up.

Hyun Seung got off work at exactly 7pm, he had to recheck his reports before sending it to his boss. When he finished, he went down and dropped by the reception to get the message from Jang Mi. Written on a piece of paper was an address of a restaurant in Gangnam. He sighed as he walked out of the building. By the time he got on his car, he crumpled the piece of paper and throw it out of his car. There really was no use to seeing her again, at least not at this time. He was not ready yet to talk to her, he most probably would just let out all the hard feelings he harbored for the last few months. 

He went to the usual bar he'd visit after his work, whenever he want to cool down or "de-stress" a bit. Then he ordered a shot of whiskey double.

*******************

Jang Mi kept on looking at people arriving at the entrance of the restaurant. There was still no sign of Hyun Seung. She looked at the time on her watch. It was almost 2 hours since she arrived at the place but she didn't give up hope. No matter how busy he was, he'd always make time for her. She had already proven that for about 10 years of knowing him. She waited...and waited until she was about to cry. She stopped looking at her watch anymore.

"Ma'am, we're going to close in about 15 minutes.", the man in black uniform told her. She looked at her watch for the last time. It was quarter to eleven. She nodded at him and left the restaurant.