Since last week the feeling of being cheated on had made Eunji melancholy. Suddenly the door bell rang bringing her out of the spell of the dismal thoughts. She wiped her tears off and opened the door.

‘Eunji,’ Chanyeol, Eunji's next door neighbour, stood at the door with a smirk on his face. He addressed her without  the ‘-shi’ whenever she was alone, they were that close.

"Why do you looking so down? I hope everything is alright?’ Seeing her upset, he tossed a series of questions, showing genuine concerned for her.

Chanyeol moved next door a year ago,  he was a lawyer, but hated his profession. He was looking for an inspirational breakthrough in the city, currently photography was his interest. Eunji knew from the very first day that he'd been ogling at her and trying to flirt whenever she was alone but she wasn't surprised as she knew how shapely she had maintained her figure. She couldn’t, however, control her astonishment when Chanyeol continued to show interest in her even when younger and ier sister was around. Although she inadvertently enjoyed his advances, Eunji always maintained a courteous gap between them.

‘Yeah, everything is alright. I'm just… tired.’ She fumbled as she lied and distracted herself from his intense gaze

‘Well, you look gorgeous as ever even when you are tired.’ Chanyeol flirted, ‘I think these roses are beautiful, though they're not as beautiful as you'. He surprised Eunji by presenting a bouquet of red roses that he was hiding behind his back and said, ‘Happy birthday!’

‘Birthday? Oh… yeah.. you’re right; it’s my birthday today.’ She accepted the bouquet, laughing heartily at her forgetfulness and said in gratitude; ‘Thanks for remembering.’

‘How can I forget this day? A year back on the same day I moved in here and you offered me delicious, chocolate cake; the taste of it is still fresh in my mouth.’ He grinned from ear to ear.

*************

Since Eunji's marriage, this day was very distinctive. In Guk had never forgotten this special day, every year on the eve of this date he'd buy her cake and celebrated her birthday precisely at midnight. He always took off from his busy schedule on her birthday and spent whole day with her. But today the situation was different. He didn’t even remember her birthday. And her own sister broke in to her happiness.

‘Eunji, where are you lost?’ Chanyeol said bringing her back to the present, ‘What will you be offering me today?’ He smiled and waited for her to reply, but Eunji kept quiet. But it did not matter to him, ‘I'm feeling tired too you know! Could I join you for a cup of hot coffee?’ He smirked and bent forward trying to enter the house.

For a moment, emotionally perturbed, Eunji had the rising urge for someone's company to share her disquieting feelings. Overall she did not see any wrongdoing in having coffee with her neidgbout who'd sweetly remembered her birthday despite her own husband and sister having forgotten. But very next moment her conscience warned her of the licentious intention of Chanyeol who'd had now stepped very close to her.

‘Sure, but you may have to wait for the evening when he's is back from the office.’ Eunji replied primly as she guarded the enterance, ‘once again, thanks for the flowers and remembering my birthday, and do come in evening for the coffee.’ She added and closed the door.

‘Isn’t it rude? Why am I so tough on him? The only mistake he does is to praise my beauty.’

First wave of dissonance between her conscience and desire struck her. She peeped through the eyehole of the door to check Chanyeol's reaction. He was still standing there, caressing the wooden door with his right hand. Did he know that she was still there behind the door? Was he trying to feel her by touching the door?

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