“How are you doing?” The young man asked the person sitting from across the table at the café they were settled in.

A smile graced the young woman’s face. Her blonde hair shimmered under the bright morning light that invaded the wide glass window of the establishment.

“I just arrived and am a little jetlagged.” The young woman responded, her tone as warm as the sun. “How about you? How’s everything going?”
Yuri smiled. “I’m more than happy. I mean, I have a girlfriend. I have a nice job and my girlfriend’s family has accepted me.”

“Whoa… And your girlfriend happened to be…”

“Your favorite actress…”

The blonde’s eyes widened. “Im Yoona?!”

“Hush…” Yuri tried to pacify the girl he was currently having coffee with. “Sunny, people will hear…”

“Sorry…” Sunny let out a sheepish grin at the person wearing a hat with a scarf half-covering his face to keep his identity to himself and the person he’s currently spending time with.

Silence ruled them for a few seconds before Sunny shifted the topic.

“You’re lucky, Yul…” The short girl complimented her muscular companion.

“You think so?”

“Yeah.”

“Remember when you first got to know me?” Yuri asked.

Sunny nodded. “Of course. It was on that one time when Tiffany forgot her phone in the apartment and I had to answer your calls because you were annoying…”

Yuri chuckled at Sunny’s pout. “So, you still remembered it… You were basically yelling at me for being so annoying…”

“Because you were!” Sunny pointed out.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. I was worried for a friend.”

“More like EX-Girlfriend…”

“True, but we’re on good terms…” Yuri rebutted as he took a sip of his latte.

Sunny chuckled before taking a bite of her clubhouse sandwich. “You’re quite a gentleman, Yuri. I envied Fany after finding out about you… I mean, who could wish for an ex-boyfriend who cared for you so much even though you’re just friends now…”

The Kwon could only chuckle in reply. “It’s just my nature, really. I cared for her a lot and I still do.”

“And you’re really weird… I mean, your current girlfriend is living with her as of the moment…” Sunny pointed out as she took another bite.

“I guess it is fate…”

Sunny nodded before taking a sip of her coffee. “So, how’s your cousin?”

Yuri shifted uneasily upon hearing Sunny’s query about his cousin. “He’s back here…in Seoul. That kid’s been down in the dumps lately as you might have seen from the media…”

“Yeah… Poor TaeTae… Does he know I’m here?” Sunny gazed at her companion with an expectant look. Yuri avoided her eyes by setting his sight on the cup of latte that was now half filled.

“No. He doesn’t know that you’ve arrived.” Yuri shifted to meet the blonde’s eyes. He saw the smile forming on her lips and directing it towards him.

Sunny perked up upon hearing the new information. “Then I should pay him a visit.” Her bubbly voice made Yuri smile a little before the Kwon turned serious.

“Taeng doesn’t live in his house… He’s living somewhere else…” Yuri mused. Hesitance was evident in his tone of voice which somehow made the blonde seated across him worried.

“So… Where is Taeyeon staying right now?” Sunny cautiously asked. There was something in her gut telling her to stop pondering but the thought of not being able to visit Taeyeon bugged her. She was missing her player of a boyfriend who actually cared for her and she didn’t want to pass up on missing the opportunity of knowing something from the Kwon.

On Yuri’s part, he was in dilemma between keeping his promise of privacy to Taeyeon and telling the truth to the dear friend that he had taken time off to spend time with. Yuri had been told by his cousin to keep mum on the rumors and the veracity behind it. He decided on thinking of an excuse. He’ll do anything to protect his cousin who’s like a brother to him.

“I can’t divulge his whereabouts right now. He said he needed a break from his career and from all of the rumors floating around. Sorry, Sunny but it had been Taeyeon’s choice. His only activities for this season would be a short promotion for the Jung’s newly opened mall. You can meet him in that short period…” Yuri replied as he apologetically smiled at the blonde who seemed to nod in understanding.

“Uh…Thanks, Yul.” Sunny revealed her eye smile towards the young man she had been catching up with. She did not bother to tell him that she was to become one of Taeyeon’s managers. “I’ll see if I can talk to him. I’ve missed you guys.”

Yuri smiled but he was riddled with guilt deep inside. It was only a matter of time when Sunny finds out about his cousin’s untimely engagement.

The Kwon heir, his girlfriend, Tiffany, Jessica, Seohyun, and Taeyeon will be present in the gathering. Some of the important businessmen will also be invited and Yuri had a hunch that Sooyoung and his brothers will also be present. His thoughts came upon a certain Choi brother as soon as he thought of Sooyoung. ‘Siwon won’t be there, I think… He has a scheduled shoot overseas…’ Yuri thought of his colleague before he brought himself back to reality.

“Something wrong, Yul?” Sunny asked as she eyed the spaced out Yuri returning to his senses.

Yuri shook his head in reply. “Nothing… I’m fine. I was just thinking of the business meeting with the family…”

“Oh… You’ll survive.” Sunny attempted to joke as she tried to brush away the uncomfortable atmosphere that Yuri had unconsciously created.

The young man chuckled heartily at her remark before proceeding to down his cup of now cold latte. “Thanks for the reassurance.” Yuri mused with a smile which Sunny returned with a bright one.

“My pleasure, Kwon.”




 

***

Hands fidget with one another. Eyes never leaving the fingers that were playing with each other. She never left her gaze on her own hands until the noise of a cup being settled at the table removed her eyes from its current reverie. Her sight now found a new subject to observe.

The figure of her study was standing from across the table, a tray full of cups of coffee on one hand while the free one had just settled one of the cups at the conference table. For a moment, their eyes met until the one standing looked to the side, recomposed herself, and carried on with her task. Yoona looked down, ashamed.
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