Ji Hyo stood up in a blur from her bed to realize it was late at night. She grabbed her phone and checked the time. 8.29pm, the phone had displayed. Recollecting what had happened, she grasped that she had slept all the way since morning after coming back from the doctor with Jong Kook. Right now, she no longer feel any chills and her stomach was growling. That was a sign to her that she actually recovered from the fever. She looked around the room and discovered there no one except herself in the room. “Had he left?” She wondered while smiling to herself remembering how Jong Kook dragged her to and fro from the doctor, making her sleep after eating some food and medicine. She went to open the door and see a familiar figure using his laptop on the couch.

“You are awake.” Jong Kook placed his laptop down on the coffee table after hearing the sound of an opening door. He walked toward Ji Hyo and touched her forehead. “The fever seemed to be gone, do you still feel cold?” He asked in a concerned tone.

Ji Hyo shook her head. “I’m hungry.” She looked to him.

Jong Kook smiled at Ji Hyo’s words. In his mind, he knew Ji Hyo should be feeling much better since she could respond that she was hungry. “Kwang Soo came by and brought you some food in the afternoon. Let me heat it up for you.”

“I can do it.” Ji Hyo said. “I feel better already.”

“Don’t be stubborn again. I will do it, just seat down.” Jong Kook gentled shoved her to the dining table and walked towards the kitchen.

“Do you know where I placed all my utensils and bowls?” Ji Hyo questioned.

“Your dongsaeng gave me some pointers.” Jong Kook answered. “He said he will call after he closed the café for you.”

As Jong Kook was busy preparing all the food her food, her mind was focused on looking at him. She noticed that he was no longer wearing the same set of clothes as before. Instead, it was a set of casual shirt and shorts which she found him so adorable. She admired how attentive and thoughtful he was last night. Even though she was sleeping the whole time, she could feel a cold towel that was changed constantly throughout the night. At times, she could feel the warmth of his hand when she was sleeping. When she was falling asleep, subconsciously, she knew she called out to him to stay with her for the night. She had no idea why she did that, considering she really did not like anyone to stay at her house. However, she felt protected with him by her side.

“Dinner was about to be done. Just wait a little more.” Jong Kook told her. This scene was as though a boyfriend was preparing dinner while the girlfriend was waiting. One of them was enjoying on preparing the food, while one was just blankly staring with her head resting on both of her hands. Slowly, her mind began to drift away to wonder if they were really a couple.

Despite the fact that they had the weird argument as though they were in a relationship last night, till that moment, they are nothing but just good friends. Come to the think of it, she came to the conclusion that she might had reacted excessively when she was by the river. In her mind, she knew she should had believed him. She should not had let the surrounding affect her thinking, or she should had just talked it out nicely to him. However, too many gossips made her uncomfortable, plus the chills that she had made her more vulnerable to those words. On hindsight, she could have handled herself better instead of making a nuisance.

 “Give me a chance to prove to you what I said to you is true.” She still remembered the last words that he asked her. In the cliché way, she really wanted to say ‘yes’. However at that time, she felt too cold to say anything. Her body was shivering and she could not really concentrate the surroundings. In Ji Hyo’s mind she knew it would be better for both of them she had said something last night. Right now, they were stuck in a ‘more than friends, less than lover’ situation. They both acknowledged their feelings for each other, but there was no status. It would be extremely weird for her to give him a reply right now out of nowhere. It might even sound that she was desperate to be with him. She thought to herself and wondered what would happened if she had replied him. Frowning upon herself, maybe she should have given him a proper response rather than hanging the conversation out of nowhere.

“What happened? What are you thinking that you need to frown this way? Are you having a headache?” Jong Kook asked as he placed the food in front of her. Ji Hyo who was in deep thoughts was surprised when Jong Kook came back.

“Nothing much…” She said. “Thank you Oppa for the food.” Ji Hyo thanked him and started eating. In between when she was chewing her food, she looked up to Jong Kook who was looking at her finishing her food. “Do you want some?” she offered and before Jong Kook could respond, she had placed the food in front of his mouth. She knew it was not something he would choose to eat at night, but she had given him those pleading eyes with the food in front of him, making it impossible to reject her. Reluctantly, he ate the food that she fed him and Ji Hyo giggled.

“Did you stay here the whole day since last night?” Ji Hyo asked after finishing her food. “How did you change your clothes?”

“I went home to change and grab my laptop when Kwang Soo came in the afternoon.” Jong Kook mentioned. “He wanted to stay and take care of you but he said he had to manage the café for you. He was afraid that you might think he was trying to skip work and you might strangle him.”

“That Lee Kwang Soo… I might really consider strangling him.” Ji Hyo mumbled.

Jong Kook laughed at Ji Hyo’s reaction. “Judging from this, you seemed to have totally recovered. Guess I could go home and rest soon. Dealing with your stubbornness is tough.” Jong Kook joked.

“Oppa, you were overreacting last night.” Ji Hyo defended herself. “Look at me now.” She said as she stood up and e round to prove that she had recovered. “Do you still think I need to go to the hospital?”

“If you did, you would have been better by the morning.” Jong Kook replied as he stood up pulled her in his embrace. “But I’m glad you feel better now. You got me so worried for you.”

“But I’m feeling better Oppa. I really hate visiting the hospital.” Ji Hyo mentioned.

“I know. I heard it from Kwang Soo.” Jong Kook her back. “You will be fine, as long as you are with me. I won’t let you stay alone for the night. I would have stayed with you.”

“Oppa, I feel so happy that you stayed with me yesterday. That would have been enough.” Ji Hyo reciprocated his hug. She felt secured being inside his embrace, the warm feeling that he gave her could melt her heart. “And I’m sorry for overreacting last night. I was…. Clouded by my fever. I should not have acted that way.” Feeling a little embarrassed, she buried her face in his chest to avoid seeing his face.

“Look at me, Ji Hyo yah.” Jong Kook asked softly but Ji Hyo refused. The little action of hers shaking her head made him smile. She looked so loveable to him; her action was like a little girl refusing to see her parent’s reaction after making a mistake. He gently let go of her and tilted her head up. “Do you remember what I told you last night?” She nodded softly. “Do you remember my last question?”

“What question?” Ji Hyo pretended to not understand what he meant.

“You don’t remember?” Jong Kook had a hint of disappointment in this tone. As much as he likes this woman in front of him, they were not in a relationship. Yet, he was aware that both of them were behaving like a couple, hugging, kissing and all. Even holding her right now was like natural reaction, he could not restrain himself from wanting to get close to her. Therefore, he wanted a confirmation from her. Last night, he was supposed to ask her nicely after the event. However, the way he gotten his confirmation turned to something different from what he had expected. He blamed himself for not detecting the uncomfortable feeling Ji Hyo was feeling. He should have thought of the consequences since many had seen him with Seong Im in the past.  Even so, he was hoping she could give him the answer he wanted.

 “Why don’t you ask me again?” Ji Hyo requested.Jong Kook pondered a while before saying anything. He was a little nervous to say the same thing to her again. But, he held both of her hands, looked into her eyes and sincerely said. “Song Ji Hyo, perhaps you still had some doubts in me in your mind. But I want you to know, whatever I said yesterday, it was true to my heart.” He placed both of her hand on the left of his chest. “Please trust me, trust my heart that I do like you. Give me a chance… to be the one with you… Your companion, your man, the one to beside with you always.”

“What?” Ji Hyo questioned while trying to prevent herself from laughing.

“Be with me…” Jong Kook repeated.

Ji Hyo could no longer contain herself and started laughing. She heard every single of this man’s heartfelt words. She was actually happy to hear what he said. It was actually touching to her, but it sounded a little cheesy coming from him. She wanted to continue teasing him by pretending not to hear anything. But as he gradually turned softer and hesitate a little, she knew he was becoming shyer. She never expected a muscular man like him can act this way, being all cheesy and shy. “You are so funny Oppa, turning shy and becoming... a little old fashioned.” Ji Hyo chuckled.

 “Yah! How could you laugh when I’m being serious right now?” As Jong Kook finished his sentence, Ji Hyo lightly pressed her lips on his.

“I had given you, your chance to prove to me what you said is true.” Ji Hyo smiled slyly.

“Yah. You did remember what I asked you last night, don’t you?” Jong Kook grinned at her mischievous smile. He pulled her close to him that she was leaning on his chest. Their face was so close to each other that their nose was almost touching. “Why did you do that?” Jong Kook knew he was tricked by her. Before letting her answer, he pressed his lips on hers.

“I’m not that sick Oppa. Of course I remembered.” Ji Hyo snickered after they broke free from the kiss. “Plus I want to hear your hearfelt words again. And you sounded really funny.” Ji Hyo smiled. “But… I like that.”

“You really drives me crazy Song Ji Hyo.” Jong Kook once again kissed her. “How could I not fall for you?” He started kissing her deeply which she reciprocated back quickly. It was not long for both of them realize how much they missed kissing like this. They let go of the restriction they set for themselves. Right now they were together, something they had wanted since the very first date they had. Restraining themselves of the past month may be tough, but it made their attraction towards each other grew stronger. Their heart could not lie, and the kiss was just a way to express their feelings towards each other. They pushed away from the kiss and looked at each other intensely as millions thoughts ran through their mind. “I like you Kim Jong Kook.” Ji Hyo confessed and she blushed.

“And I really like you too Song Ji Hyo.” Jong Kook her head as she leaned on his chest.