Chapter Seven – Two of Us

Luhan and I made our way towards Myungsoo’s car in which he parked across the street. The scorching hot sunlight made me want to rush towards the car to cool down. Seriously, I cannot stand being in such blazing ambience. It suffocated me to the core, for God’s sake.

“Don’t hop in right away,” Luhan notified cautiously as he gazed at me. “It’s pretty hot inside.”

I nodded in agreement and ended up waiting for a moment before he started the engine and the aircond.

I raised an eyebrow quizically as he seemed to be so rushing when he packed up Myungsoo’s belonging in the car. He put all of them to the back seats as if they were all his stuffs. How came he was being so concerned of Myungsoo’s belongings? Weird!

“Alright!” Finally, Luhan beckoned me to hop in. I sat comfortably whilst wiping off the sweats flitted on my face.

 “I’m sorry because of me, your make-up gets completely ruined,” said Luhan out of the blue as he turned the aircond to the maximum level.

“It’s okay.” I let out a playful chortle. Then, I casually looked for compact powder in my handbag and touched up my ‘ruined’ face.

“What kind of make-up do you usually use, eh?”

My jaw dropped as a result of great surprise. I was so surprised that he would ask that sort of question. It was something trivial that a guy should have never asked a girl. At the moment, his vision with his girlfriends came across my mind involuntarily. I knew he asked me that sort of question because of my dull make-up. Maybe the way I touched up my face was insanely different than his girlfriends did. To me, make-up was not my forte. I didn’t really care of how did I look. Only compact powder and lipstick would be enough, though.

“I only use compact powder,” I replied nonchalantly.

“Oh, really?” He looked kind of surprised. “What about other make-up? Don’t you use them too?”

“Well, sometimes...” I pressed my lips into a thin line. “Depends on what sort of functions I attend.”

Luhan emitted a cackle. He started to mention a few popular make-up brands. It evidently shown that he knew all the brands because he always lingered around the girls. I felt a tinge of jealousy as those words stumbled upon my mind.

“People used to say if we want to determine a woman’s beauty, we should look when they wake up in the morning, am I right?”

“Maybe.”

“If you wear make-up, you’d definitely look different,” added the latter, “but... I prefer to see you as you’re now.” An honest smile swept across his face as he ended his remark.

Abruptly, I felt into a state of silence. I was embarrassed, to be honest. His sudden, unexpected words of praise made me feel so shy, for God’s sake! I loathed him for always making me blush out of embarrassment!

“Don’t you work today, Luhan?” I tried to move to another topic. Talking about make-up, my appearance and stuffs, should be stopped now!

“Ah, I’m... off today!” he said in such indefinite perplexity. “I’ll be back to work this Saturday.”

My eyebrows knitted together in bewilderment, contemplating about his peculiar working time. “It’s weird when other people’s off, you’ll be working and when they’re back to work, you’ll be off,” I bursted out. “Tell me what exactly is your job, Luhan.”

I heard him laugh. He even repeated my words rhythmically.

“I’m a driver, Yoona,” he enlightened when he had stopped from laughing. “A bus driver, to be exact.”

“For God’s sake, are you serious?” I could not help but feel puzzled of his words just now. Was he lying? I really could not believe his job was a mere bus driver. It did not make any sense. How can an insanely handsome guy like him, turned out to be a bus driver? Absurd!

“It’s up to you if you ain’t believe me, Yoona,” he answered with a tiny smile as he glanced at me. “I’m not forcing you to believe what I’m working for, though.”

Though I was trying not to believe him, his voice did justify me that he was not lying. His voice seemed frank.

“We’re late now, Luhan,” I enunciated as I happened to glance at my wristwatch. I had no idea it would this late, though. Time indeed fly so fast.

“God, I thought we’re reaching your office!” he said as he tapped his forehead. Then, he let out a laugh. Maybe he did not realise that we were too immersed in chattering to each other. The car as still at the parking lot. Or maybe, he pretended to be absent-minded, by any chance?

The latter drove in such slow pace. Sometimes, I thought he even slashed to the slowest speed. Then, I began to wonder to myself. Maybe both of us shared the same wish; hoping this golden moment will not scurry in an instant.

“Ah by the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you this question but I always ended up failing to remember,” Luhan voiced out.

“About what?” I quirked an eyebrow, somehow curious of his sudden remark.

“Why the kids call you ‘omma’?”

Unexpectedly, Luhan’s question turned out to be that particular thing. I had no idea since when the question kept playing in his mind, though. Was it important for him to know the reason? Should I tell him everything when we had just known each other in such a short time?

“Because... I’m their mother,” I answered sluggishly.

“You’re their aunt,” corrected Luhan with a subtle cough.

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m their aunt and they’re nephew and nieces.” Minjun, Minha and Minhee’s vision suddenly appeared into my eyes. Nana came into the view as well. Both of us were just like their ‘mothers’ since their real mother’s death.

“There must be a reason, right?” The latter seemed keen to dig for the explanation when he stopped the car at the traffic light.

“It’s a rather long story, Luhan..... If I were to tell you, it’d take some time and yes, I’ll be late to return to my office.”

All of a sudden, it came across my mind to utter such words. I really, really hoped that my words just now would set out a path to another meeting if he did understand my words. If he did not, I had no idea how dense he was to pick up my words.

“Then when I can meet you again?”

He seemed so serious when he threw me an expected question; his pair of eyes twinkled in massive curiosity. I felt so deliriously happy that I cannot describe into words properly. I literally leapt inside. But of course, I did not show that I yearned for a meeting like this again. Hell no. It would be so embarrassing, though.

“Yoona...?”

I gave him a light shrug as if I did not have any interest. I should not be so hasty to give agreement. I am a woman, after all. However, I felt a stab of guilty as I thought that my nonchalant reaction just now would make displease him. Well, he must have had his own ego.

“I know.. I’m not that handsome like the others... Plus, I’m even a shabby guy. Maybe you’re ashamed to go out with me, right...?” His voice turned out dull and gloomy. For God’s sake, I had no idea he would think to that extend.

“”If you’re born to be as you’re now, who am I to change you,” I answered softly and spontaneously, he let out a laugh.

“Then when can we meet again?” asked Luhan again, without even think to give up. How ecstatic was I to know that he would be so earnest to meet me again.

“You have my phone number, Luhan. Plus, you even know where I’m working at. But I’m opposite of you.” I peered at him with a meaningful look. He seemed flustered upon hearing my remark.

It was true. He called me several times at office. If the calls were made through my cell phone, I would have saved his phone number and of course, I did not have to bother him asking for his phone number. Somehow, I wondered this sort of situation was being unfair to me.

“Luhan, what’s your problem?” I questioned boldly, my eyes pointed at him deeply as I wanted him to know that I was kind of pissed off.

I thought him would give me a solid reason, but he did not at all. He casually emitted a chuckle. “I’ll call you, Yoona.”

It obviously shown that he did not want me to have his number. What can I say more, huh? But suddenly, I happened to think of something. There must be a reason why he did not want me to call him. Maybe he had... err...

***

Subconsciously, I glanced over him for a moment. Maybe he had gotten married. Ah, I was so stupid! How could I fall for a married guy like him? But I did not know why a part of me tried to deny the fact that I had just contemplated. I tried to ease my heart. If I could, I did not want to think about this sort of thing.

“Why are you being quiet, Yoona?” He gave me a questioning look. Then, he let out a chuckle. “Or you don’t want to befriend with a bus driver like me, eh?