Buona Sera is a towering brownstone building with sharp architecture and glowing lights.

Yoojin grins widely at the sight of the building. The only time she has ever eaten here was when Joonmyeon’s mother took Joonmyeon and her here after one of Joonmyeon’s piano recitals. “Pick whatever you like,” Ms. Kim grinned. Yoojin and Joonmyeon, of course, had to order the same dish (“Because best friends always had to do the same thing!” Joonmyeon proclaimed).

After a heated debate, the two settled on fettucini alfredo. Yoojin can still recall the way the creamy white sauce melted on her tongue, the way the thick, flat pasta was perfectly al dente. It was the best meal Yoojin had ever had in her life.

Unfortunately, Joonmyeon did not share the same opinion on the fettucini alfredo; the instant he bit into the dish, he spit it out into his napkin and demanded his mother to buy something else.

That was one of the funniest, most enjoyable days of Yoojin’s life. Her heart clenches in memory of her happy days as Joonmyeon’s best friend...

“Earth to Yoojin?” Kris taps Yoojin on the nose, and she blinks suddenly. “Do you want to go inside and eat, or should we stay out here and continue gazing at the gorgeous sidewalk? I have to say, that pavement really is hot. Mmm.”

Yoojin laughs. “Sorry, smartass. Let’s go inside.”

Buona Sera is just as fancy as Yoojin remembers. A waitress leads Kris and Yoojin to a round glass table, with tall silver chairs lined up perfectly in front of two white plates. A scented candle sits in the middle of the table.  

“Mmm, cinnamon,” Kris says, inhaling deeply. “Yum.”

“So what’s your favorite Italian food?” Yoojin inquires.

“Eggplant parmesan, definitely!” Kris asserts. Yoojin laughs.

“That’s my second favorite,” she smiles.

Kris and Yoojin talk about a broad range of topics, from the HSC (“If you call it the geezer club, I’ll throw a breadstick at your face,” Yoojin warns Kris) to Kai’s relationship with Professor Oh (“It seems like they hate each other but love each other at the same time,” Kris remarks) to Pokemon theme songs (“The 9th season had the best one!” Kris insists, much to Yoojin’s contempt).

Yoojin had no idea that Kris was so cool. He was acting like a stupid player before, but now that Yoojin is actually talking to him, she realizes that Kris is totally down-to-earth.

And when Yuri texted her asking if she needed rescuing, Yoojin replied with a firm Nahh :).

She regretted that 5 minutes later, however. But not for the reasons she was expecting.

No, the real reasons turned out to be far, far worse.

Kris was telling Yoojin about the time when he accidentally slipped off his jetski and was dragged by one foot through the Atlantic Ocean when a large party of businessmen enter the restaurant. Yoojin spares them a small glance, not paying much attention to the businessmen as a waiter leads them to a large table right next to her’s.

But suddenly, however, a familiar flash of brown enters Yoojin’s vision.

“Hey, isn’t that Suho?” Kris remarks, staring at the businessmen. “Whoa! What a coincidence!”

Yoojin blanches.

Joonmyeon is here.

What terrible luck.

Joonmyeon bristles when he sees Yoojin and Kris sitting right next to his table.

I’m dining with the most important businessmen in South Korea, trying to orchestrate a multi-company deal, and those two turn out to be in the same restaurant as us. This is ing ridiculous. I’m under enough stress already. I am not in the mood to deal with them, too.

So Joonmyeon pretends as if he does not know Kris and Yoojin. He sits down at the head of his table, engaging in light chatter with some company executives. Although Joonmyeon tries to immerse himself in his meeting, the very presence of Yoojin (with Kris, no less) is totally unnerving him.

"So, Yoojin," Kris says, snapping Yoojin out of her trance. "Do you like your food?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I love it! How about you?"

"This is pretty good," Kris says, dabbing his lips with a napkin. "I could eat this every day and never get sick. Wait... I said that 11 years ago when I vowed to eat Cocoa Puffs for every meal, every day. That got old really fast."

Yoojin gives Kris a twinkling laugh. "What a brilliant idea," she giggles.

The sound of Yoojin's laughter causes Joonmyeon to look over at her table. His stomach clenches at the sight of Kris and Yoojin leaning towards each other, chuckling about some silly thing. They look like idiots.

"Er, Mr. Kim?" The CEO of International Oil Corps taps Joonmyeon on the shoulder. "Are you alright? You look a little... ill."

Joonmyeon gives the CEO his meek, lamb-like smile. "I'm fine, but thank you for asking" he says politely. "So, Mr. Lee, what do you think of the Daehwa Proposal?"

At that moment, a waitress strides up to Joonmyeon's table. "Are you all ready to order?" she asks.

One of the men nods. "Yes. I'll have the Potée Lorraine."

"I'll take the Coq au Riesling," another woman says.

"Truffad with the Salade Aveyronaise."

"Scallops braised in Coquilles St. Jacques."

"Fettuccini alfredo," Joonmyeon says, and the entire table stares at him.

"Mr. Kim, why don't you try one of the restaurant's speciality dishes?" someone suggests. "Fettuccini alfredo is nice, but there are better things here."

Joonmyeon ordered the fettuccini alfredo.

Yoojin is shocked and extremely confused.

He hates fettuccini alfredo. Why did he get that?

Yoojin hears a businessman seated with Joonmyeon attempt to convince him to order something fancier. Joonmyeon, however, insists on the fettuccini alfredo.

"You must really like fettuccini alfredo," a businesswoman laughs.

Joonmyeon gives her a small, private smile. "It's not the fettuccini alfredo I love. It's the memories that go along with it."

He glances at Yoojin.

She is blatantly staring at him with a stunned expression.

Yoojin knows. She knows Joonmyeon is talking about the same day she was thinking about; when the two of them came to eat here together.

I didn't think he still remembered that...

"That's so sweet, Mr. Kim," a businesswoman chuckles, patting Joonmyeon on the back. Joonmyeon breaks eye contact with Yoojin and smiles at the lady.

"I cherish the memoriesth others, and treasure all of my relationships. That is the policy of my company, Korea National Oil Company. Securing this deal with my business will definitely allow you support in the fuel industry, both in the national scope and the international scope," Joonmyeon says smoothly.

The woman nods, impressed. By the end of the night, 18 out of the 20 company representatives dining with him have agreed to form favorable business agreements with Korea National Oil Company.

Joonmyeon should feel ecstatic. This is another victory over Kai. Yet his own words continue echoing in his ears.

I cherish the memories I make with others, and treasure all of my relationships.

Yoojin would beg to differ.

Joonmyeon hopes Yoojin knows how beautiful she looks tonight.