**** Flashback****

Jong Kook and Seong Im were at the top of the empire state of building admiring the amazing view. It became a habit of his to bring Seong Im along with him every time he needed to visit New York. New York held a very special meaning to the both of them. It brought them together and whenever they had a chance, they would want to visit this place together.

“Hey babe, do you know this was the first place I met you?” Jong Kook asked.

“Really?” Seong Im sounded a little surprised. “When?”

“When you were jumping around like a little kid and asking me to take a photo for you.” Jong Kook and she blushed. “This was the place I found your bracelet.”

Seong Im looked at the bracelet on her hand and smiled. “I remembered that was the first time I was at New York. I was so upset that I lost it. This bracelet is important to me. I’m glad you were the one who found it Oppa, if not I would not have a deep impression on you at the Central Park and then we fall in love and look here we are.” Seong Im gave Jong Kook a side hug. “Now this bracelet has even a greater meaning.”

“And I’m glad I had known you.” Jong Kook kissed her cheek. “You made me love New York more than ever.”

“So do you love me or New York more?” Seong Im asked him.

“Hmm….” Jong Kook pretended to be thinking deeply.

“Ah Oppa!” Seong Im pouted. “You had to think about this for so long?!”

“Of course not, you are incomparable.” Jong Kook chuckled. “New York would be incomplete without you.” Jong Kook held up her hands and looked into her eyes. “I love you Cheon Seong Im.”

Seong Im could not contain her happiness when she heard the three words from Jong Kook. “I love you too.” She brought herself closer to him and kissed him. “You made me love New York more than ever too. Don’t you dare bring other woman to New York with you.” Seong Im warned him as she rested her head on his chest.

Jong Kook laughed at Seong Im’s threat. “With you, how will there be anyone else?” Jong Kook assured her. “New York will forever be our thing, our place. No one could ever replace it. And with you guarding my heart, no one could ever steal it.”

“Then I have to make sure no one could ever come near you.” Seong Im kissed him.

***End of Flashback***

Jong Kook woke up with his petite woman still sleeping peacefully within his embrace. He carefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ears to have a clearer look of her sleeping face. From yesterday night, they had belonged to each other. He had totally fallen head over heels for the woman in his arms. He wouldn’t mind spending the whole time just to be with her. Every single thing that woman did affected him so much. When he was not with her, he could only think about what she was doing or what she was thinking. It was hard for him to believe himself, but he spoke in this mind. “I had totally fallen in love with you Song Ji Hyo. You had totally overwhelmed my heart. How did this even happened and how did you do it?” He gently caressed her face.

His little action had awoken the sleeping beauty, she fidgeted a little before opening her eyes to find her man looking at her. “Good morning beautiful.” He smiled at her.

She smiled back at him, holding his hand that was lying on her face. “Good morning.” Her tone still sounded a little sleepy and her eyes were half closed.

“Did I wake you up? Do you want to sleep more?” He asked and she shook her head. He moved closer to her and planted a kiss on her forehead then placed her head to be lying on his chest. They interlocked one of their hands together while he hugged her back with the other free hand. “Let’s just stay like this the whole day.”

“I wish we could. But I have to go to the café. At night we are still having dinner with Dong Hoon Oppa before they fly for his honeymoon.” Ji Hyo spoke with a hint of unwillingness while comfortably lying on his chest.

“Would it be bad for me to tell you to skip work?” He asked jokingly. “We can always go to the restaurant straight from here.”

“Yes Mr CEO, don’t be a bad example.” Ji Hyo lifted her head and looked at him. She closed her eyes and leaned her head closer as though she was about to kiss him. Jong Kook shut his eyes and waited, but nothing happened. Instead, he felt the movement of the woman getting up and he opened his eyes. Before she quickly got away, he grabbed her wrist to pull her back, making her fall on top of him while he locked her waist with one arm.

“Are you trying to play with me?” Jong Kook questioned as he used the other free hand to hold her head closer to him that their lips touched. He let go of her head and saw her smirk, as though she was answering “Yes I am disturbing you.”

“I’m not going to let you go. We shall just stay like this continue what we did last night.” He joking threatened her as she tried to struggle out from his arm. Knowing she had lost out in term of strength, she decided to go on the soft approach by gently planting many kisses on his lips continuously.

“Does this satisfy you Mr CEO?” Ji Hyo asked playfully. “Can I go now?” Jong Kook slowly released her and she smiled. “You are the best.” She said and gave him one last deep kiss before she got up. She left a set of fresh clothes for him, informing that was her brother’s used clothes then she went to shower. He rested on the bed awhile more before he got up and changed. He took his phone that was placed on the table to check if there were any emails for him. There was one that caught his eyes, the one that titled ‘New York Itinerary’. He remembered that he had to attend an important function in New York within the next two weeks. His eyebrows knitted when he remembered he had not told Ji Hyo about it. In addition, there was something he had been thinking but had not come to a concise decision. While he was pondering, he received a call from Gap Jin.  

 “Yobuseyo.” Jong Kook said.

“Hyungnim.” Gap Jin said through the phone. “Have you seen the itinerary that your secretary had sent? There would be a meeting and a function you would have to attend to. I had made the necessary hotel and flight arrangement. I’m just waiting for your confirmation on the number of air ticket this time. “

Jong Kook thought for a while before reply him. “Just one.”

-----------

The usual met up at Gary’s restaurant for dinner at night before Dong Hoon flew off his honeymoon in the few days time. Ji Hyo made her way up alone as Jong Kook told her he would be late, asking them to start without him.

“Mong Ji.” Gary greeted her as soon as she saw him. “Where is Jong Kook hyung?”

“His meeting just ended and he is on his way now, he told me to meet you and Dong Hoon Oppa first.”

“Dong Hoon is already inside.” Gary told her. Both of them went into the room.

“Dong Hoon Oppa, Go Eun-sii.” Ji Hyo greeted the couple inside.  “Sorry, I’m late. Let’s eat!”

“So Dong Hoon, where are you going for your honeymoon?” Gary asked in between their meals.

“We will be going around Boston, Los Angeles and New York.”  Dong Hoon told them.

“You are going New York too?” Ji Hyo asked. “You might see Jong Kook Oppa there. He is going there too.” Jong Kook told her over breakfast this morning that he had a business trip to New York. He will be heading over some function and meeting and will be there a week or so. She didn’t think of it as such as big deal except that she was going to miss him badly.

“So maybe we could meet the both of you there?” Dong Hoon casual remark surprised her.

“Both of us?” Ji Hyo sounded a little puzzled. “I’m not going with him. It’s a business trip right?”

“Jong Kook Hyung did not ask you to tag along?” Dong Hoon sounded a little surprised.

“Nope.” Ji Hyo answered. “Why would he?”

“Because…” Dong Hoon hesitated to continue what he was supposed to say. On the corner of her eye, she could see that Gary had shot Dong Hoon a glaring look, as if it was to tell him to stop talking. Ji Hyo was unable to comprehend the situation right now. What are the both of them hiding? Is there something that was she supposed to know? Just at that time, Jong Kook came in to join them and noticed the awkward silence.

“What’s going on?” He asked.

“Nothing. Dong Hoon was just saying about his honeymoon.” Gary immediately covered it up and all of them pretended like that previous question did not exist. Ji Hyo felt suspicious about those three guys. Seeing their weird gaze, something tells her that they were hiding something from her.

Throughout the ride home, none of them talked. Both of them were preoccupied by their own thoughts. Before they left, Gary pulled Jong Kook to a quiet corner and Ji Hyo noticed his facial expression had changed a little after hearing what Gary had told him.

“Oppa.” Ji Hyo broke the silence. “Dong Hoon Oppa said he would be going to New York with Go Eun-sii for their honeymoon.”

“They mentioned to me just now.” Jong Kook carefully replied her.

“I told him you were going on a business trip and he thought I was going along.” Ji Hyo went straight to the main question. “Why?”

Jong Kook thought a while before answering with hesitation. “Do you… want to go?”

“Am I not supposed to know something? Or am I not supposed to go?” Ji Hyo questioned. “You hesitated a little when you asked just now.” Ji Hyo’s tone was a little unhappy when she said that.

“That’s not what it was supposed to mean.” Jong Kook defended. “It’s just…”

“Is it related to her?” Ji Hyo did not want to mention her name. However, she knew whenever Jong Kook gave her such vague answer and expression, it was definitely something to do with Seong Im. She felt a hint of jealousy coming from her heart.

Jong Kook could not deny her question. In fact, he was not sure what to reply. He was not expecting that coming out from her considering they had not talked about Seong Im at all. “What makes you think that way?”

“Your look and words had betrayed you.” Ji Hyo officially sounded very annoyed. “Never mind, forget what I asked.” As much as she dreaded hearing his response, she hoped that Jong Kook would have just answered her properly instead of avoiding the question. She might feel a little upset, but right now she felt upset yet annoyed at the same time not getting any proper response. The whole car ride became soundless.

After Jong Kook parked his car, Ji Hyo immediately got off without waiting for him or looking back. Seeing her act this way, Jong Kook quickly got off and call her. “Ji Hyo yah. Ji Hyo yah.” He called out repeatedly. When he got no response from her, he shouted. “Yah! Song Ji Hyo!”

Ji Hyo stopped her footsteps and Jong Kook caught up to her. “What wrong with you?” Jong Kook questioned in a slightly stern tone.

“Nothing.” Ji Hyo avoided his eyes. “Don’t shout at me.”

“Talk to me.” Jong Kook pleaded.

Ji Hyo looked up to him. “Then answer my question, is it related to her?” Ji Hyo asked. “Why did you hesitate?”

“Do you really want to know? I don’t want you to feel hurt your feelings if I told you.” Jong Kook said.

“Why will it hurt me? Because you had went New York with her? And I’m not supposed to know?”

“New York is somewhere where I went with Seong Im frequently.” Jong Kook admitted. He did not want to lie blatantly to her. “I don’t want you to be mindful of that and think too much...”

Ji Hyo interrupted him before he finished. “That’s why I am not supposed to know. You don’t even bothered to ask in the first place. There must be some wonderful memories that belonged to both of you in that place. “ Ji Hyo started to sound and angry and spoke anything that was coming out of her mind, “It must be so wonderful and great that I’m not supposed to know or be involved in it. Maybe you do value her more than me. Or worse, maybe you are still thinking of her and directed your feelings for her to me.”

 “What?!” Jong Kook had a mixed of shock and anger in his tone. “You still don’t believe me after all this while? Are we still on this topic?!” Jong Kook’s tone had more anger. How could she have doubted him after all this time when they spent together? He felt hurt hearing her doubting his feelings.

“I would never know what you are thinking.” Ji Hyo responded without processing her words.

“Yah!” Jong Kook could not control his anger. “You are still doubting my feelings. You still do not believe me, don’t you?” Jong Kook shouted.

“Yes I don’t! Happy with my answer?” Ji Hyo shouted agitatedly. “Don’t follow me.” Ji Hyo warned him and went up to her unit alone while Jong Kook stood there like a block. He balled his fist and hit the side of the wall repeatedly after he no longer see the woman’s shadow. “Urgh.” Jong Kook shouted. He had never felt so angry and hurt at the same time. Hearing her saying that she did not believe him was like seeing her stabbing his heart. The pain that he felt in his heart was even greater than his injured fist.

That same moment, Ji Hyo stood by her door after it closed and felt that a tear had dropped from her eye. Mixed of emotions were devastating her. She could feel that she was jealous, angry, hurt, upset and annoyed at the same time. Yet, she could not even tell those feeling was due to Jong Kook’s words or the words that she had said in anger. She knew she had said some of those things out of spite but she could not control herself. Some uncertainties crept up her mind. She did not want to doubt him, but she felt that he was hiding something from her, and jumped into the conclusion that he did valued Seong Im more than herself.

That night, neither of them had a spoken a word to each other nor slept well.