Sorry I didn’t get to answer your calls, I was busy last night my younger brothers visited me. How are you? I miss you a lot. I hope I can get to talk to you tonight.

Dara sent her message to Joong Ki as soon as she woke up that morning. Why she omitted the fact that Seung Hyun was with them during dinner was because she didn’t want to stir anything unnecessary between her and her boyfriend.

Her phone immediately rang and she promptly answered it. “Jagiya!”

“Dara, I was worried about you when you didn’t answer any of my calls,” Joong Ki said as soon as he heard her voice.

“I was just busy the whole day. I’m sorry I didn’t get to talk to you,” she apologized.

“I’m still working with the business liaison for the foreign investors for our new project. I will be back soon. I really miss you. I was worried when you didn’t call after we last spoke. Are you upset with me because I never called you first,” he asked her with a worried tone in his voice.

“I know you’re very busy and I didn’t want to bother you while you’re working. And I’m used to not hearing from you. You’ve been on numerous business trips and I’m used to calling you first it’s not any different now,” Dara replied.

“I feel terrible for making you feel that way. I guess I’m just so used to getting phone calls from you first that I got too complaisant. I promise to make it up to you. I promise to call you every day till I return,” he said.

“Don’t force yourself. I understand that you have to work. Just take care of yourself while you’re away. Eat properly and please sleep at least 4 hours a day. Don’t over work yourself too much. When you have free time then call me. I promise I’ll answer your call. But I’m really happy to hear from you today” she admitted. “I miss you too I know it’s late where you’re at so please rest. Good night. I love you.” She was glad that he finally called her. Every time he was away for some reason she felt that they were getting distant but it was always a complete turnaround when he returns. She hoped that she would have to stop worrying about Joong Ki if only he can always stay by her side.   

After that phone call he did contact her every few days. She was reassured knowing that he’s thinking about her to. She’s heard stories about Joong Ki seeing another woman during his business trips but she refused to believe they were true. She trusts him and that’s all that matters.

She still sees Seung hyun every day in the hall way or in the elevator.  She told herself to just keep her distance because she didn’t want to cause any misunderstanding but despite that he’s still very cordial towards her. He often offered to assist her whenever he could but she kept on turning him down knowing too well that his kindness may mean something more.

It has been two weeks and she’s torn between missing Joong Ki and feeling sorry towards Seung Hyun for deliberately avoiding him. It didn’t help that Chan Yeol would visit her and constantly praise Seung Hyun. It’s not that she didn’t want to be friends with her neighbor it just didn’t feel right to hang out with someone from the opposite while her significant other is away. If there is anything she didn’t like it would have to be being accused of cheating.

“It’s not cheating if you don’t feel anything towards the guy,” Bom stated. They were hanging out in the Café they frequent.

“I think there is no harm with being friends. Seung Ri told me that his hyung is a really kind person. He doesn’t have a lot of friends and the ones he has are mostly in the US,” CL added.

“Maybe you can invite him to join us for a movie tonight. Oppa got some tickets for 8 and you’re the only one without a date,” Minzy pointed out. “It’s not a romantic date it’s just so you have company. We’d hate to make you feel out of place.”

“Bom has a date? I thought DJ GD is still in Japan,” Dara asked.

“Oh he’s back. I threaten to break up with him and he flew back within 24 hours,” Bom stated. “You see I told him he’s got to figure out which is more important to him and he pick the right choice and came back,” she added with a satisfied grin.

“You’re unbelievable. The great Kwon has no power against you,” Dara commented.

“He’s work there is done. There were new club invites but he couldn’t stand being away from me any longer. The break up threat was just to remind him that I won’t be waiting for him all the time. I didn’t blow off 15 relationship offers to exclusively date his empty apartment,” Bom explained. “You should do the same sometime. Ask Joong Ki-sshi what his priorities are. He spends more time at work than with you.”

“Hey that’s not fair he’s working for our future. I trust him and he calls me almost every day now. He said he’ll be back next week. Shouldn’t that count for something,” Dara said.

“You guys are still dating. Aren’t you supposed to be spending more time together? You two are the least romantic couple I have ever seen. And you’ve been dating the longest. Sure it was romantic initially when you were in high school but your relationship seems to have depleted drastically ever since he started working for the family business,” Bom commented. “I say make him realize what his missing. I already told Seung hyun to meet us tonight. You don’t have a choice; you have to come with us. Let’s all meet up at the movie house at 8pm.

“Oh you did not just do that,” Dara said in disbelief.

“Oh but I did cousin,” Bom exclaimed. “Relax it would just be a group of friends hanging out.”

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was obvious to Seung Hyun that Dara was avoiding him. If he was to act like his old self he would have been more persuasive but for some reason he didn’t want to force anything not with someone like her. She is different just like Min Ah was different from the girls back then. It did help him in some way because it gave him time to work on his unfinished business.

He came by Min Ah’s apartment building again hoping to see her and maybe to be able to finally talk to her. He stayed up almost every night trying to come up with what to tell her when they finally come face to face. He wasn’t sure if an apology would suffice after all the heart ache that he caused her.

 His train of thought was broken by a sudden knock on his car’s window. It was a little boy about 4 or 5 years old staring at him. He rolled down his window to talk to the boy.

“Ajhusshi, I see you here every day, who are you looking for,” the boy asked innocently.

“I’m looking for a friend who lives here,” Seung hyun answered.

“Really, maybe I can help,” the little boy offered. “I know almost everyone who lives here,” he said cheerfully.

Seung Hyun couldn’t help but smile to the little boy. He got out of his car and talked with him some more. “Why are you alone outside? Where are your parents?”

“My dad is over there fixing my bike,” the little boy said pointing at the man working on a little bike. “So who are you looking for Ajhusshi? What’s the name of your friend?”

“Ji hun-ah,” the boy’s mother called him. “Who are you talking to?”

Seung hyun could not believe who the boy’s mother was.

“Min ah,” he muttered.

“Eh, you know my oemma,” the boy commented.

Min ah immediately took the boy and went towards the man working on the bike.

“Stop Min Ah please let’s talk,” Seung Hyun called out.  

 “Is there a problem,” the man working on the bike stood up and asked.

“Annyeonghaseyo, I’m Choi Seung Hyun,” Tabi introduced himself.

“Lee Jun Ki,” the man said and shook hands with him. He didn’t have to say anything the man probably knew who he was

 “Appa, ajhusshi is looking for oemma,” the little boy said.