Early in the morning, Ji Hyo’s sleep was disrupted by the ringing of her phone. She was not in the mood to answer the call as she only managed to fall asleep not long ago. Unwillingly, she grabbed her phone and picked up the call to stop the ringing.

 “Yobuseyo.” Her voice sounded sluggish, almost as though she was sleep talking.

“My sleeping beauty, shouldn’t it about time that you wake up from your deep slumber?” Jong Kook was chuckling hearing her sleepy voice.

“But Oppa, it’s only… 8.30am.” She squinted while looking at the time on her phone. “It’s still early.”

“Don’t you have to open your café?” Jong Kook questioned.

“Kwang Soo can do the job.” Ji Hyo responded. “I’m feeling tired, I didn’t sleep well last night. I will go in later.”

“Why didn’t you sleep well?” Jong Kook asked. “What happened? Something bothering you?”

“Nothing…. Just missing you…” Ji Hyo answered with her sleepy voice.

“Really?” Jong Kook asked. “Do you want to see me now?”

“I want but I’m too tired.” Ji Hyo responded. “If only you appear in front of me now…” 

“Then I shall make you wish come true.” Jong Kook said as he opened Ji Hyo’s room door, with him still talking on the phone. Ji Hyo was surprised by the appearance of Jong Kook. She rubbed her eyes continuously to ensure if she was not dreaming. Jong Kook appeared in front of her eyes and she was pleasantly surprised. She stood up as Jong Kook walked towards her.

“Oppa, why are you here?” Ji hyo hugged his waist and lay her head on his stomach while asking.

“Because I miss you too.” Jong Kook patted her head. He slowly let go of her arms and sat down on her bed behind her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder to allow her to lean back on his chest. Ji Hyo closed her eyes and she comfortably lie on his chest. “You looked really exhausted.” Jong Kook said with a little pain in his tone as he his head. “Rest a little bit more. I will wake you up later okay.” Jong Kook told her.

Ji Hyo nodded as she grinned sleepily. She grabbed Jong Kook’s arms to make sure she was not dreaming and indicating him to stay while she rested. With the warmth of Jong Kook’s body, she felt secured and relaxed. Within split second, she fell asleep.

He repeatedly her head, comforting her while she was sleeping inside his embrace. Looking at her angelic face that was sleeping peacefully, he felt at ease. It was so comfortable for him to have her within his arms. She was like the comfort that he needed. He was not able to sleep much last night after overthinking, he felt so uneasy, tossing and turning on his bed but he was not able to rest. He jolted awake even before the sun had risen just now. Since he was unable to sleep, he went for a morning run then went over to her house, made breakfast for her as a surprise hoping to spend more time with her today. After he was done, he wanted her to come out of the room by herself, but she sounded too lethargic on the phone. Hence, he decided to have a change of plans instead. He accompanied her, hugging her like a mother cradling her little child. Before he knew it, the sleepiness kicked in and he fell asleep too.

Sometime later, she woke up after resting much better. She surveyed the surrounding and saw Jong Kook’s head was rested on the back of her bed. She slowly let go of his arms and carefully placed it on each side to prevent waking him up. She began to observe her man, and noticed that Jong Kook had dark circles forming under his eyes. Even though she was only half awake just now, she could tell that Jong Kook even more tired than her. “You must have not slept at all.” She painfully thought as she his face.

“Hey.” Jong Kook was woken by her touch. “Sorry I fell asleep too. I was supposed to wake you up.”

“It’s okay Oppa. You must be very tired.” Ji Hyo sounded a little concerned as she continued to caress his face. “Why did you come to my house early in the morning? You could have rested at home.”

“I missed you. I thought I cooked you some breakfast to surprise you.” Jong Kook smiled at her. “I wanted to wake you up just now after I’m done cooking and we could eat together. But you looked so tired, I couldn’t bear to force you to wake up.” Jong Kook patted her head. “I guess now instead of breakfast, it’s going to be brunch.”

“And I’m still sleepy.” Ji Hyo lamented. “I shall sleep more.” Ji Hyo by lying back on his chest and closing her eyes pretending to sleep.

“Hey, my sleepyhead, wake up!” Jong Kook gently shook her up but she continued to ignore him. “If you continue to sleep, I shall do something extreme to wake you up.” Jong Kook joking threatened.

Ji Hyo still pretended to be asleep and continued to ignore his threat. She was expecting Jong Kook to be kissing her but unexpectedly, she felt Jong Kook quickly moved away from his position and she fell back on her bed. That action of falling back immediately gave her a shock and she opened her eyes to see Jong Kook smirking at her.

“Hey! Shouldn’t you be gentle to me?” Ji Hyo pouted as she attempted to hit his chest.

“I’m sorry. But I told you I would do something extreme to wake you up.” Jong Kook giggled while he pulled her to hug her. “Let me make it up to you.” Jong Kook pressed his lips on hers. It was a gentle kiss, as though he was afraid to break her, then Ji Hyo responded him with passion. His tongue ran across her bottom lip and she opened to let their tongues played with each other. He slowly ran his fingers through her hair as she pulled him closer. Almost out of breath, they pulled away from each other and rested on each other’s shoulder.

 “So is my breakfast still around?” Ji Hyo asked while catching her breath.

“It’s waiting in the kitchen for you.” Jong Kook told her. “Go and wash up, I will reheat the food for you.” He gave her a light kiss on her forehead then gently helped her up. While Ji Hyo was preparing to shower, he walked towards the kitchen and started reheating the food. He patiently sat down and waited for her while he was using his phone.

“What are you doing?” She asked as she wrapped around his shoulder.

“Replying some emails, settling some final preparation before I fly.” Jong Kook said thoughtlessly.

“Oh...” Ji Hyo heard his response and let go of her arms then sat down beside him.

“Hey.” Jong Kook noticed Ji Hyo’s cold response and look at her. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m okay.” Ji Hyo said. “I just… Need to get used to a little.”

“Sorry to make you uncomfortable.”  Jong Kook caressed her face.

“I’m really okay.” Ji Hyo held his hand and genuinely smiled at him. “Let’s eat.”

They ate in silent till Jong Kook asked her. “Ji Hyo yah, if you really don’t like it, I shall try to skip the function… or…”

“Don’t do that Oppa. It’s your job.” Ji Hyo insisted. “I will be okay. But I will miss you a lot.”

“If you want to go….” Jong Kook hesitated asking that question.

“I don’t want to Oppa, we talked about that last night remember?” Ji Hyo held his hand tighter. Ji Hyo had told him she would not want to interfere between them. She knew how important a promise could be. Jong Kook had made a promise to Seong Im, she should not force him to break it, she would not want Jong Kook to do that to her.

Last night, she spent the whole night thinking about what Jong Kook had told her. She could understand it was not entirely Jong Kook’s fault to be all evasive when they talked about Seong Im. He was merely trying to protect the both of them, not wanting either to get hurt. Even though Seong Im had passed on, Jong Kook still cared for her because Jong Kook was someone who invested a lot of feelings into a relationship. She could not have him to forget her in an instance, this was impossible especially when the loss of her was too unexpected.

On the other hand, Jong Kook could not bear to hurt Ji Hyo’s feeling either. She herself knew it would not be comfortable to hear his love story. However, she knew they need to talk about it, especially when being together with him was a little more complicated. They looked too alike and she knew at times, it was going to confuse Jong Kook himself. She had her uncertainties, but she had to trust Jong Kook. She was trying to convince herself to trust him out of love. “Love, since when her liking had become love?” She chuckled and thought to herself in the middle of the night when she realized how in love was she. She loves him, and it was this love that convinced and held her faith.

“Are you sure?” Jong Kook asked yet again.

“Yes Kim Jong Kook.” Ji Hyo assured him. “Don’t be so long winded like a grandmother.”

“Yah, how could you say I sound like a grandmother.” Jong Kook said.

“You are one.” Ji Hyo stuck her tongue out at him. “But you are cute like that.” She grinned.

“And you are too attractive to be true.” Jong Kook chuckled at his girlfriend who was acting like a little child. She was so adorable that Jong Kook pulled her closer and positioned her to be sitting on his lap. He tugged her hair behind her ear, looking at her intensively. Her existence had seemly brushed off all the uneasiness he had felt for the whole night. He held her waist and lay his head on her chest, hearing her heartbeat thumping as fast as his. Ji Hyo his head like a loving mother. She took the initiative to approach his lips, exchanging their unspoken feelings, telling how much they were going to miss each other.

“Stay with me for the next few days till I fly will you?” Jong Kook requested. He was only leaving for a week or so, he felt like it was going to be for years. His attachment for this woman was unbelievable that he felt like he was an obsessive boyfriend. He was not even this possessive when he was with Seong Im. She made him feel something greater, more intense, something it was difficult to explain himself. He was madly and deeply in love, and that was not he expected before he met her.

She nodded with a smile.  

“Thought you would never ask” Ji Hyo replied and kissed him with much affection. They spent the next few days exchanging their misses through words and actions, being all inseparable till the day he flew off.  

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On that day of his departure, they went to the airport interlocking hands tightly, as though they were a pair a lover that was bound for separation. They gave each other one last hug at the last call for the boarding of his plane. “I’m going to miss you.” That was the words that they had been repetitively telling each other. Once they no longer see each shadow, they travelled towards their own destination, New York for him and the café for her. On that quiet and solo journey which they had not experienced for days, something they had forgotten dawned their mind, the qualms of that sleepless night.