Chapter 22

Someone knocked on Yonghwa’s office. Yonghwa gestured Jaejin to come in when his secretary peeked and just showed his head on the door.

“Come in...” 

“Sir, everything you told me to bring are here in the box.” Jaejin said as he placed a scarlet box on Yonghwa’s table.

Yonghwa checked the things inside the box and inspected it. “Thanks Jaejin.”

“Good luck, Sir.” Jaejin sincerely said. And Yonghwa nodded his head excitingly. “Oh Sir, by the way...” Jaejin stopped when he was about to walk out of the office.

“Yes?”

“Uhm... Atty. Park called a while ago. She asked if it would be fine if you two can talk over lunch later?” Jaejin reported.

Yonghwa furrowed his eyebrows for a while and then agreed. 

***

“Good morning Gorgeous...

It was nice seeing you in my dreams last night... But I’m more looking forward to seeing you later. I’ll pick you up at 7:00pm. I love you. - Yonghwa."

Seohyun read the card for the nth time while eating her strawberry toasted bread with a glass of milk.

Although it’s raining heavily outside, she can’t help but smile while reading Yonghwa’s little note with a bouquet of yellow and orange tulips.

She immediately picked up her phone and dialed it.

“Yes?” answered happily by Yonghwa on the other line.

“Yong...thanks for the flowers.” She said as she holds the bouquet on her arms while smiling widely.

“Liked it?”

“I did.” She giggled. “When did you even get the time to send these flowers on my doorstep?”

“Uhm... Just waking up extra early...” He answered with a grin. “See you tonight...”

“That’s one more thing... I didn’t know we’re meeting tonight. I thought you had conference to attend to.” Seohyun wondered. 

“Not anymore...I’ll see you later. Wait for me... And I promise that tonight’s gonna be extra special.” 

With a happy sigh while touching the flowers on the table, “Yes Yong... See you later... I love you.” 

“I love you too...”

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Shinhye waved her hand when she saw Yonghwa coming inside the restaurant. He casually approached her and stayed as formal as he could.

“I...I’m glad that you agreed to have lunch with..with me..” Shinhye stuttered. “How are you?” She asked softly.

“I’m good. I’m really good.” Yonghwa answered with a wide smile. 

Shinhye cleared her throat, “You really actually look way better than the last time. I heard Seohyun-ssi really took care of you when you were in New York and they said you both went back to Seoul at the same time. I'm glad you're fine."

Yonghwa just nodded his head. 

“Are you...and Seohyun-ssi...uhm...” Shinhye was hesitant to ask. 

“Are we together?” Yonghwa completed the question for her. “Yes we are.” He answered casually like it’s normal. 

That answer made Shinhye’s eyes grew bigger. She gulped and didn’t know what to say next. Good thing the food arrived and eased the awkwardness a little.

“You? How are you and Kyuhyun-ssi?” Yonghwa asked while taking a bite of the Caesar salad. 

“Uhm...we’re not...not together anymore.” She answered almost in a whisper. 

Yonghwa paused eating when he heard the answer. He looked at Shinhye and saw mist in her eyes. “I’m...I’m sorry to hear that...” He said and drank a glass of water after an awkward moment again.

Shinhye smiled sadly, “I guess karma has its way of doing things the way it should be. Kyuhyun Oppa and I started it wrong, that’s why we ended up wrong." She said.

“Shinhye-ah...” Yonghwa said in a calm voice to comfort her. 

“I’m really sorry Yonghwa Oppa. I’m so sorry for what I did to you. You and Seohyun didn’t deserve what you went through. You didn't the pain that we've caused you. But me? I deserve this pain of losing Kyuhyun Oppa. This is my karma of fooling you before."

“Hey...don’t say that...” Yonghwa calmed her more. “There is a bright side in everything, Shinhye. You’re strong, beautiful and smar. I am sure that there is someone out there that is right for you."

Shinhye curved a little smile on what Yonghwa has said. “Thank you. Thank you for being a true friend Yonghwa Oppa...”

“You’re always welcome...”

Then after sighing and being silent for a moment, while playing at her salad with the fork slowly, Shinhye asked, “I think, the bright side of what we did to you is that you and Seohyun-ssi were able to be together."

Yonghwa smiled with her comment, “I think...I think I would still meet Seohyun no matter what...” He said like thinking hard and looking from afar, then he turned to Shinhye, "I think Seohyun and I have always been connected to each other." He said.

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Seohyun happily hops in the car and gave Yonghwa a peck on he cheek. “Wow you’re early. How long have you been waiting here?” 

“Not really that long...ready?” Yonghwa asked.

She nodded her head excitedly. They ate their dinner together like they always do. But they never get tired of each other. They can talk and laugh about anything. After the dinner, Yonghwa suddenly drives goint ot the opposite direcction.

“Where are we going?” Seohyun asked in confusion when she saw they are heading the other way. 

“I told you that tonight’s gonna be extra special...” Yonghwa smirked and excitedly continues to drive. 

Seohyun looked at him with so much wonderings but she smiled at him, waiting for what he meant by that special night. Yonghwa drives happily, then after a few minutes, he suddenly stopped driving.

He pulled the car over and stopped. Then he turned to Seohyun, seeing how confused she was as she gaze outside the window, wondering where they are.

“Why did we stop?” She asked.

Then Yonghwa looked ahead, and started, “Shinhye came to my office a while ago.” 

Seohyun was just listening. 

“She told me that somehow, she and Kyuhyun are a big part on why we’re together now.” Yonghwa continued, he sighed then turned to Seohyun, "That might be true...but I believe that with or without them, God has he's way of letting our paths cross. It's our destiny."

Seohyun frowned, not fully understanding what Yonghwa meant. 

“Do you know what this place is?” He suddenly asked.

She got confused more with his question but she looked outside the car, wondering what is really happening. 

“Uhm...We’re in..an intersection road...in Gangnam?” Seohyun answered innocently.

Her answer made Yonghwa smile.

“Do you know what date is today?” Yonghwa asked another bewildering question.

Seohyun thought for a moment... “July 12?” She answered hesitantly. “Yong...what...why..I mean, I don’t get this... What’s the whole point?"

Yonghwa took a deep breath and he held Seohyun’s hand. “Look outside...” 

Still with confusion, Seohyun gazed outside again. 

“You’re right..” he answered. “Today’s July 12 and we’re in Gangnam intersection.” 

Seohyun then looked at Yonghwa. 

“Exactly one year ago, I saw an accident right on this corner. The car was wrecked, the people gathered around it, blood was everywhere on the windshield." Yonghwa started. "That night too, July 12, I wish I were dead... I wish I was the one on that car."

“Yong...” Seohyun mumbled realizing what he was saying. 

“I saw you, Hyun... I saw your accident. That night, we were both broken and shattered to pieces. But even before that accident, we already met at the law office. And just like today...that night was raining heavily, together with our hearts that are crushed by the people we once trusted."

Seohyun’s eyes were starting to well up. 

“I will never forget that night because after that, I met you... Your wandering spirit. And even before we knew that we were victims of Shinhye and Kyuhyun, I already knew that I love you."

A tear fell from Seohyun’s eye. Yonghwa wiped it and he genuinely smiled at her. 

“We were connected, Hyun. We were connected even before we knew it. I felt that since I started falling in love with a ghost.”

Seohyun smiled as tears continue to fall down from her eyes. She recalled everything that happened. And she knows that what Yonghwa is saying is true.