A/N: You may consider reading back one or two chapters before this to refresh your memories about the flow of the story. :)

Chapter 16. Ommoni cannot solve everything :D

The week after the musical had truly been a tension-filled one. Not just for Ha Ni, but to Seung Jo, too, it seemed. The cold silence and disturbing civility that ensued between the two was so loud that it was obvious in the household that something was amiss.

Eun Jo had his own thoughts and he was not likely to share them with anyone. CEO Baek, despite being busy with his company, did not fail to notice the conflict but he remained tight-lipped about it. He was actually somewhat amused at the situation, and he just decided to sit back and relax, like he was watching a movie.

Ommoni was a different case. It was high time for her to intervene. Again.

Step 1: Ask Ha Ni directly because Seung Jo would never reveal anything.

“Ha Ni yah, can I talk to you for a moment?” Ommoni called Ha Ni to the study room.

Ha Ni followed her obediently, without any idea what Ommoni wanted to talk to her about.

“Dear, you are like a daughter to me… the daughter I never had and I would always want to have. I’ve told you that many times.”

Ha Ni nodded, feeling really grateful for Ommoni’s high regard for her.

“And you can tell me anything…”

Ha Ni nodded again.

“Ha Ni yah… I already sensed from the beginning that my eldest son and you are not on very good terms. He is rude to you most of the times, I can’t even understand that when he’s usually well-mannered…  I am just glad that you are able to defend yourself from him. Honestly, I even enjoy watching the bickering sometimes.” Ommoni smiled at herself at her last comment.

“Ommoni…”

“But now, something’s changed… ever since the musical. You two aren’t even talking like the usual anymore. It pains me to see that.”

Ha Ni heaved a sigh, deciding not to lie but not to say too much. “Ommoni, I am very sorry if we are causing you distress.”

“Just tell me… did something happen during the musical?”

Ha Ni shook her head. “No… the musical was wonderful and we got along well.”

“After the musical then…?”

“Let’s just say that he did something that made me very uncomfortable.”

Ommoni raised her brow. “What did he do?”

“He put me in a compromising position,” Ha Ni said, careful not to spill anything.

Ommoni grew more curious. “Oh Ha Ni, you are killing me… what did he do?”

“He did something inappropriate in public,” Ha Ni replied again, not looking at Ommoni.

“What?!”

“I’m very sorry but that’s all I can say. Good night, Ommoni.” With that, Ha Ni went out of the room, leaving Ommoni still racking her brains.

Suddenly, Ommoni gasped and exclaimed, “Omo! Did he kiss you?!”

But Ha Ni had already locked herself in her room, scared that Ommoni might bombard her again with questions.

Ommoni was left with no answer and she just consoled herself with her imaginations.

However, as much as she wanted to feed that burning curiosity inside her, she never attempted to question Ha Ni again. Knowing that something indeed happened after the musical was enough for Ommoni to take her next course of action.

Step 2: Give them a chance to talk.

“Ha Ni yah…” Ommoni called her softly while they were all watching a TV show in the living room one night.

Both Ha Ni and Eun Jo raised their heads up to Ommoni curiously.

“You have a free period tomorrow after class, right? Don’t go to the office in the afternoon, I have a favor to ask you.”

Ha Ni only blinked at Ommoni, completely ignorant of Ommoni’s next wave of scheming. Eun Jo, on the other hand, knew his mother too well to sense that there was probably something brewing up inside his mother’s brain. He was not sure what it was, though.

“I have to return these books to the public library by tomorrow but I will be quite busy going to places… I hope you can return them for me?” Ommoni innocently phrased her request.

“Alright.”

Ommoni then turned to Seung Jo who was sitting quietly in a corner, absorbed at reading a tennis magazine. “Seung Jo yah…”

Seung Jo looked up tentatively.

“The books are quite heavy, so make sure you drive Ha Ni to the library. Okay?” Ommoni said.

Ha Ni tried to get out of the situation, too. She did not want additional awkward moments with Seung Jo, especially not when they were still not yet officially back to being on good terms. “There’s no need to drive me there. I’ll just get a cab…it’s a short drive after all.”

“Exactly. Short drive.” Then ommoni looked at Seung Jo. “Be sure to drive her there, will you?”

Seung Jo shook his head. “I’ll just return the books myself, omma. No need to bother anyone else.”

FAIL.

I just wanted them to have a chance to talk and sort out whatever caused this problem… the atmosphere outside the library is good place for an intimate talk. Aish.

Step 3: Asking forgiveness almost always never fails.

Seung Jo went out early to go on a day trip with his debate team friends. And so ommoni was left free to her devices.

Good timing!

A basket of white roses greeted Ha Ni as she got out of her room to shower. The flowers were neatly placed at her bedroom door. She picked the basket up curiously and read the little card attached to it.

“I’m sorry.” No one signed the card, though.

Ha Ni smiled at the flowers. Like most girls, she was touched by a simple gesture of being given flowers. Ha Ni was easy to please, after all.

And the butterflies in her stomach came fluttering again, inching up her chest without her knowledge.

Seung Jo is probably coming to his senses…but flowers aren’t enough for an offense like that.

Despite telling herself that she was not as soft as other girls, the roses started the day right for Ha Ni and that kept her in a good mood all throughout the day.

She prepared herself to talk to Seung Jo upon his return home, to acknowledge the flowers he sent and maybe to talk about the situation they had. Strangely, she kept going back to her room many times to check her look in the mirror. And every time she fixed her hair, she rationalized that she just wanted to look presentable when she talked to Seung Jo.

With only Chi-chi the stuffed dog and the basket of roses at her side, Ha Ni waited in the balcony for Seung Jo to come back home that night. Which turned out to be really late that night. So Ha Ni fell asleep in the balcony. Again.

Just like déjà vu, a foot nudging her leg woke Ha Ni up. She rubbed her eyes and straightened up as soon as she saw Seung Jo hovering over her.

“Seung Jo.”

“Why are you sleeping here again? Is that becoming a habit now?”

Ha Ni shook her head. “I was waiting to talk to you… I never thought you’d come home this late.”

Seung Jo eyed her curiously then his view drifted to the basket of white roses at Ha Ni’s side. She saw him looking at it and averted her gaze a little shyly. She did not know what to say first.

Should I thank him for the flowers? They are really beautiful. How did he know I like white roses? Hmm… Should I just say I forgive him? As easy as that? With just flowers? But still, that’s the nicest thing he’s done for me so maybe he deserves a chance… even just a chance to explain himself…and then I would consider if he deserves to be forgiven. It was not a small offense, kissing me in public and all… Yes, I would just give him a chance to explain. Hmmm… Yes, that would be it… Start talking about the flowers, Oh Ha Ni.

Ha Ni’s trail of thought was interrupted by Seung Jo’s words.

“Are those flowers yours?” Seung Jo asked, truthful curiosity evident in his tone of asking.

Oh Ha Ni was dumbstruck! He doesn’t know the flowers are mine?

“It was not you who left the basket at my door?” Ha Ni asked in utter disbelief.

Seung Jo frowned. “No. I wouldn’t be asking if they are yours if I gave them to you, right?”

It was Ha Ni’s turn to frown. “But… I really thought it’s from you.”

Seung Jo eyed her suspiciously. “You thought? So no card was attached to it?”

Ha Ni shook her head. “There was…” she said, then showed Seung Jo the card from the basket.

“I thought it was from you… that you wanted to apologize for what happened after the musical…”

Seung Jo did not say anything.

“If it was not you, then who gave them to me?” Ha Ni voiced out, the question more directed to herself than to Seung Jo.

“Well, can’t you think of anyone at all?” Seung Jo asked curiously, a part of his brain egging him to know for sure who sent the flowers.

Ha Ni thought for a moment. Then, she answered, “Well, your mother asked if you did something wrong to me because we weren’t on our usual terms these past days… I just told her you did something improper.” Suddenly, an idea dawned upon her. “Could the roses be from ommoni? Wanting us to be okay, she could have done the apologizing herself. What do you think?”

The littlest smile peeked from Seung Jo's lips. He was surprised at himself for feeling absolutely relieved after knowing where the flowers came from.

“I am 99% sure the flowers were from omma. So if that’s the only reason you waited up for me, you could now go back to dreamland. In your room.” With that, Seung Jo turned his back on her and proceeded to his room.

Ha Ni was left again in the balcony. Her motives in waiting for him not fully accomplished.

We still did not talk about the… *hesitation* …kiss!

But then, after finding out that it was not really Seung Jo who sent the roses and offered the apology, Ha Ni’s pride prevented her from opening the topic of that stolen kiss.

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Back at his room, Seung Jo was cursing himself for not grabbing that opportunity to talk to her, like he promised himself many days ago. He could not do it at school. Not at home. Not in the office.

He was just looking for the perfect timing to talk to her. He suspected that his mother offered that chance when she requested them to return the books to the library together. Trust his mother to come up with great ideas. After hearing from Ha Ni that his mother already knew a tiny bit about their situation, he became positively sure that his mother’s request was one of her recent attempts to patch them up. Yes, that library day could have been the perfect timing he was looking for, but he wanted to do it on his own and not just because his mother planned it for them.

He really wanted to explain and apologize. Yes, apologize. But his mother beat him to it. Again. This time, with the roses.

He could have gone on and pursued the topic right there and then at the balcony, but something inside his chest confused him. After being sure that those beautiful roses by Oh Ha Ni’s side at the balcony came from his mother and from no one else, he felt a strange sense of relief. He was not sure why he felt relieved. He was starting to be confused. Or maybe getting more confused. With his own feelings.

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A/N: So ssorry for the super delayed update. Been busy and lazy... so much for my excuses. Enjoy reading! Another one or two chaps are up in the next few days. That's a real promise. Happy Christmas everyone! Happy Holidays! :D