"Guess who!" I said reaching my arm around to put the drink I had bought her in her line of sight. 

"Seunghyun!" She exclaimed cutely turning around.

"How'd you know?" 

"Well, because, you've only been stopping by daily for the past two weeks to make sure No Name didn't miss me." She said, giggling.

"Hey, its not my fault he misses you." 

"Right he misses me. Hey, what's that in your hand there?

"Well I brought you your favorite drink!" I said handing it to her.

"My favorite drink, how'd you know I liked hot cocoa with extra whipped cream?"

"I saw you drinking it one day and made a mental note. I guessed on the extra whipped cream part." 

"Well aren't you full of surprises." She smiled, taking a drink and getting some of the whipped cream on her upper lip. 

"Um, Ash."

"What?" She looked so adorable standing there, I did my best not to laugh or let her notice how cute I thought she was.

"You...you...um..." and without thinking or finishing my sentence I took my free hand and gently brushed my thumb over to get rid of whipped mustache. "I'm sorry, I just, I saw the whipped cream and..."

"Um, thank you." Ashley said, shyly avoiding eye contact with me.

"You're welcome...I shouldn't have." I said backing up. She had made it clear she didn't want a relationship and I was sure that I had just crossed a line.

"Hey, it's no biggie. So, have you named that cute dog of yours yet? It's been two weeks now." She pointed down at No Name, who was cowering behind my legs. 

"Aniyo...I still can't seem to find the perfect name for him."

"Seunghyun, I do believe you are totally over thinking it. It's a dog...it doesn't need a perfect name. It needs any name."

"But I want it to be perfect. I want the name I give him to fit him perfectly."

"You are seriously over thinking it. Just name the poor dog." She said smiling as she set her cup down and headed towards the back of the store.

"How am I over thinking it?" I said following her into the stock room.

"It's a dog...he needs a proper name. It doesn't have to be perfect Seunghyun, it needs to be something that you could call him. And No Name doesn't count."

"Like Mike?" I asked, making Ashley step back and look at me bewildered.

"Well, sure, like Mike, or Fido, or Haru, or Bob... anything that you feel suits him." Ashley began attempting to reach boxes that were put far to high for her to reach. As I watched her struggle I smiled and began to help, wanting more than anything to show her that I was here for her, that I wanted to know her and help her.

"Wanna help me with stocking the shelves Mr. "My dog misses you." She giggled.

"Absolutely." I answered not giving it a second thought. I had been here every day to help her since I had gotten little No Name. If I had to win her heart by stocking shelves I was sure as hell gonna try.

----------------

"And that should do it." Ashley smiled as she placed the last item on the shelf that proudly displayed the newest and most impressive line of dog treats and toys. "Looks pretty good, don't you think?" She said, stepping back to admire our work.

"I'd buy it." I snickered. 

"Of course you would." She said, grabbing the empty boxes to take them to the back. 

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" I said as if accused of something.

"Nothing." she giggled. "Here, help me get these boxes to the recycling." We headed to the back, both hauling an arm full of boxes. 

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I said, throwing the boxes into the recycling bin.

"Sure."

"Is there a significance to the name Mike?" 

Ashley's face went from smiley to somber, as if I was bringing up an old wound or something. She looked down at the floor and back up at me, I could tell tears were forming in her eyes and once again felt as if I had crossed a line. 

"It's...it was father's name." She said, quickly turning around and walking away.

"Was?" I asked walking quickly behind her to catch up.

"Yes...was...and I don't want to talk about it." She wiped her tears away and began helping a customer that had entered. Was, what did she mean by was. Was her father...gone, dead? I wanted so much to know all about her. I wanted her to share her deepest secrets with me, but I knew it would be wrong of me to push. I stayed in the back as she helped her customer. I loved watching her at work, she was so passionate about what she did, it made me fall for her even more. 

"Wanna get a bite to eat?" She asked coming to the back room moments later.

"Sure...hey...Ash, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject. I just...I was curious." I said, reaching out to lightly touch her arm to soothe her.

"It's ok. It's just not a subject I care to talk about. Where should we eat?"

"How about I go get the usual across the street...I'll be back in a bit." I said, not even giving her the option to say no.

--------------------

"How'd you end up in Korea?" I asked as we sat at the table in her back room eating our usual meal. 

"Well." She said, swallowing a bite of food. "My dad got a job here as a professor. He taught English and Animal Biology at the university. We lived here for 3 years before he.... I got the store from him. I used to have my mom and sister helping me here, but they went back to America. I stayed because I couldn't let this store close down. It's all I can do to meet my bills every month, work, and go to school."

"Wow. So how long have you been here now, you know all together?"

"It's been 4 years now. I moved here with them when I was 18. The past year I have been living here alone, working and going to school."

"And your umma and unnie...they are still in America?'

"Yes, well, actually my unnie is moving back in a week. She has a guy here and she's sick of the distance. Plus she wants to help me out, because I am barely making it. She's planning to help with the store as much as she can."

"Well that's wonderful, maybe I will meet her?" 

"Of course, just remember she's taken, so you can't fall in love with her." Ashely joked as she took her last bite and smiled up at me.

"I'll remember that." I said, taking the dishes and tossing them in the trash. "Hey, I need to tell you something."

"Sure what is it?"

"I am going to be going on vacation with the guys for a month so I won't be able to stop by until I am back. We finally all have some time off together and we're going to enjoy some time away."

"Oh that sounds like fun! You guys deserve it, you've been so busy this past year, I hope the rest will do you good, but why are you telling me this?"

"Well I wanted to explain why wouldn't be around..." 

"Seunghyun, you don't owe me an explanation. You're allowed to come and go as you want. You aren't my boyfriend."

"Maybe I want to be." I blurted out without thinking.

"I told you, I don't want a relationship. Seunghyun you and I can be friends, but you are absolutely not allowed to fall in love with me." Ashley stood up and began to leave the room.

"I....I was just kidding Ash. I know.." I said following her, lying to her to make her calm down. "I just wanted to let you know, because I was hoping you could take No Name for the month I was gone."

"Oh." She said, turning around to face me. "Yah, sure, I'd love to take him."

"I figured you'd say that! I have all his stuff in my car. I'll pick him up as soon as I am back and I promise to text daily to check on him." 

"You don't have to text daily..."

"Well I want to. I'll miss him, I've grown accustomed to him and being around him every day." I've grown accustomed to you too Ash, even if I have to hide that. 

------------------------

"I need to leave now." I said, looking down at my Rolex, realizing I was about to be late for my own vacation. "Thanks again for taking No Name for me."

"Anytime." Ashley smiled as she and No Name walked me to the car. 

"Can I give you a goodbye hug?" I asked, not wanting to push my boundaries. 

"I suppose a hug would be ok. Friends hug." She smiled as I leaned in and embraced her taking in the smell of her hair and trying to take a mental picture of the moment I first hugged her. 

"I'll see you in a month." I smiled at her. "Take good care of my precious dog here." I kneeled down, scooping up No Name and cuddling him close.

"And you No Name," I whispered. "Take good care of the woman I love."