“Joong Ki-ah!” the girl voiced with excitement as she wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him.

The feeling was all too familiar to him. His hands traced the small of her waist and pulled her in for a squeeze as their faces touched. They stood like this for a moment, making up for lost times.

Chae Won, who had just walked in with Joong Ki, was put in an awkward situation of nearly getting knocked over, had she stood in their way longer. There was almost not enough time for her to dodge this pathetic reunion that should have already taken place this morning when he picked her up from the airport. Really, how many times are they going to do this while she was here?

Chae Won rolled her eyes in annoyance and studied this old flame of Joong Ki’s. She was tall and—gorgeous. Her hair was a rich shade of ebony and it flowed in waves, adorning her glowing porcelain skin. She had a beautiful set of eyes and full lips, almost painting the perfect picture. Her figure was ideal, curving into the perfect S line. Chae Won pretty much stood there in envy as she skimmed down on her own body.

“Oh my god, you are so cold.” Min Ah pulled away and cupped Joong Ki’s numbed face with her palms and caressed his cheeks to warm him up.

He smiled, “You haven’t changed a bit.” and brought his hands up and placed them atop hers.

“Annyeonghasaeyo.” Chae Won quickly greeted to break apart this cringe-worthy behavior. They might as well grab a room. “I’m Moon Chae Won, Geun Young’s friend. I live here. I take that you’re Min Ah-ssi?”

She smiled, “Yes, I’m Shin Min Ah. Very nice to meet you, Moon Chae Won-ssi.”

Chae Won faked a grin, “Well, if you both will excuse me” she stammered, “I will head to my bedroom now.”

As she made her way down the hallway, she listened closely to their conversation.

“Sorry Min Ah, this morning I was running way late and hyung demanded I showed up on set on time so—.”

Oh so he didn’t pick her up, Chae Won thought to herself.

“That’s okay.” She responded. “It’s so good to see you though.”

“I’ve missed you.” Joong Ki revealed.

I’ve missed you, Chae Won mocked to herself.

“I miss you too.”

“Will you only be here for fashion week?”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

“Any thoughts about moving back to Seoul?”

“As of now, no.” she answered bitterly. “How’s work for you?”

He sighed, “It’s going well.”

+++

Chae Won sat on the bed with her pillow held closely to her chest. Strangely tonight silence lay like a down-filled duvet over the house. It was quieter than any other night. The tangible silence was causing her mind to run wild, trying to crack its code.

She paced in her place and couldn’t think of anything other than what Joong Ki and Min Ah could possibly be doing. They wouldn’t be this quiet if they were not trying to hide something. The more those thoughts occupied her mind, the angrier she got. She didn’t exactly plan to keep Min Ah company during her stay but she may have reconsidered.  

Having already changed into her pajamas, she stumbled over to the closet to search for something in the likelihood of presentable but casual enough to wear at home. She decided upon a gray lightweight tshirt and a pair of skinny denim jeans and threw them on.

It didn’t occur to her much but she ran to the mirror to check her get up, scowling in frustration when she was confronted with a pale face.

“Chae Won-ah, you aren’t sick. Quit looking so sick!” She mumbled to herself as she scurried her drawers for some lipstick to add a pop of color to her otherwise sickly appearance. “Quit looking so ordinary.”

She took two steps away from the mirror and checked out her body, frowning in dissatisfaction.  No matter the angle she viewed from, she was unhappy.

“What do I do?” she whined.

+++

After roughly coming to terms with herself, she stepped out. She first made a stop in the kitchen as a cover up before fortuitously searching the rest of their small condo. They were not out in the balcony or in the living room which only left the bedroom in question.

Chae Won was nervous but she was eager to see what was going on. She made her way to the end of the hallway and found the door to be closed. She slowly placed her ear by the door to try to listen for any noise, making sure it was safe to interrupt.

Before she knew it, the door swung open and Joong Ki was standing in the doorway, “Yes, can I help you?”

Chae Won’s eyes grew wide, “Uh.” She tried to come up with something on the spot. “I need to grab something from my drawer.” she said avoiding eye contact with him and forcefully stepped in without much thought.

She found Min Ah seated on the ground going through her suitcase.

“Oh Chae Won-ssi.”

“Don’t mind me. I’m just here to grab a few things.” She laughed.

Not at all affected by Chae Won’s presence, Joong Ki turned to Min Ah, “Min Ah, good night. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She grinned. “Okay, good night.”

Chae Won watched closely as Joong Ki left the room.

“Chae Won-ssi. Do you need me to move so you can get what you need?”

“Huh?!” Chae Won looked down at Min Ah. “Uh, no you’re fine. Just stay right where you are.”

“Oh okay.”

Chae Won pretended to scurry a few drawers to find something reasonable to take with her. She came across the picture frames of herself and Jin Hyuk that she warned Joong Ki not to lay his fingers on and quickly grabbed the one on top.

“Oh here it is!” she exaggerated as she held it up high making sure Min Ah saw that she was really in there to grab something.

Min Ah smiled.

“I will get going now and leave you to sleep. Good night.” She turned around before turning back to Min Ah again. “So you’ll be sleeping here tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Where will Joong Ki-ssi be sleeping?”

“In the living room. I know, I feel quite bad—”

“Oh okay good!” Chae Won didn’t let her finish. “I don’t know if he mentioned but this is actually my room. I just didn’t want—“

“You have nothing to worry about.” She reassured.

“Alright, I will be going now.” She said as she took a step back but then halted and felt she had to explain herself. “Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t thinking anything. It’s just, well you two, you two were once, what should I call it, an item—”

Min Ah laughed, “That was way too long ago.”

“I know, I know. Sorry for being foolish.”

“Oh no, you’re fine. You’re not the only one. Even our friends still think we are still together.” She revealed with content as she was suddenly reminded of the old times.

Chae Won let out a fake laugh, “Okay, see, I knew I wasn’t crazy.”

As Chae Won’s laugh faded, they were confronted with an awkward silence. “So why did you two part ways?” Chae Won said to change the vibe.

Truth be told, she was quite curious but she already decided she wasn’t going to ask—too late now.

“Hmm, why did we part ways?” Min Ah started. She looked to be in deep ponder before she looked up to Chae Won and started to speak again. “Well, our careers just didn’t clash at the time. You probably don’t know but I’m a model…”

Oh so she’s a model, no wonder.

“…and Joong Ki’s an actor. At the time, we were both young and determined. My job required me to travel and I eventually settled in Europe. We decided to call it quits because things got too difficult.” She sighed.

“Ah, so that’s the story.” Chae Won’s lips pursed together and she slightly nodded.

“Yup.” Min Ah got up and sat on the edge of the bed. “But I guess it is okay. Everything worked out fine for the both of us. At first Joong Ki didn’t take it too well and that’s what caused him to quit the entertainment business and moved to New York. But now he’s back and things are looking a lot better for him. I’m so glad. I guess we just needed to grow up. Although we basically grew up together, it didn’t mean we necessarily were meant to grow old together. It was hard but we admitted it. Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m rambling too much and keeping you up.”

“Oh no, it’s fine. It’s actually quite nice to hear.” Chae Won expressed genuinely.

Min Ah smiled, “Anyway Joong Ki is a great guy. He’s quite the catch! Believe me, sometimes I sit around and wonder if I made the right choice. But seeing how things are turning out for him and me both, I’m sure I did.”

Chae Won nodded, “Thanks for telling me that story. It’s rather refreshing to hear.”

“Anytime. Thanks for listening.”

“Well I’m off to bed. I will see you in the morning.”

“Ok, good night Chae Won-ssi.”

“You too.” Chae Won said then turned towards her room.

As she made her way, she halted and thought of Min Ah’s words. “Although we basically grew up together, it didn’t mean we necessarily were meant to grow old together.” Those words hit close to home.

+++

While in New York…

Jin Hyuk was slouched over, buried in the tiny crevices of his leather mahogany couch with a coffee in hand while switching the channels to his huge flat screen television. He was instantly interrupted by the buzz of his phone, landing him on a rerun of Grey’s Anatomy.

He looked over at the screen and saw that it was Chae Won calling. Uninterested, he leaned back and decided to let her go to voicemail. As soon as the phone stopped buzzing, another call came through.

“What does she want?” Jin Hyuk expressed in irritation as he reached for it and noticed it wasn’t actually Chae Won calling back.

His Caller ID read ‘Megan Kim’.

He sat up straight and immediately picked up, “Good morning beautiful.”

“Oppa, you up?”

“Yes, I’ve been waiting for your call all morning.”

“Sorry. Last night was a rough night.”

“That’s okay. Wanna grab breakfast? I want to see you.”

“Yes let’s do that. You pick me up?”

“Be there in 15 minutes.” He said before hanging up.

As he got up to get dress, he was suddenly stopped in his tracks when he heard Callie Torres on Grey’s Anatomy, “You didn’t love her. You just didn’t want to be alone. Or maybe she was good for your ego. Or maybe she made you feel better about your miserable life, but you didn’t love her, because you don’t destroy the person that you love.”

His heart pounded heavily while his eyes fixated on the screen. It took a moment to recollect and when he did, he grabbed his phone and cleared out his call list before proceeding to his room.

+++

After bidding farewell to Min Ah, Joong Ki and Chae Won headed to work.

It was silent for a few moments and then Chae Won spoke up, “I talked to Min Ah-ssi last night after you left.”

“Huh, you did?” Joong Ki answered with his attention on the road.

He hadn’t been quite himself since last night. Seeing Min Ah for the first time in so many years was harder than he had imagined. It wasn’t like he wasn’t over her because he certainly was. They’ve gone their separate ways for far too long to foolishly think they could possibly start over. Nevertheless, he couldn’t pretend their meeting wasn’t keenly distressing to his feelings.

“Yea, she told me about you two.” Chae Won continued. “I don’t think I’ve said anything nice to you since our meeting so here goes,” It took a lot out of her but she managed, “I quite admire your strength.”

Joong Ki turned to her and a smile crept on his face. “Go on.”

“You like this, don’t you?”

“A little bit.”

His smile was infectious and she couldn’t help but smile too, “Well just your story and how you two parted ways and how you both must have fought in vigorous combat and made the absolute strenuous effort using all your resources to finally see light again and be where you are today and be able to face each other the way you did.”

“And you admire that because?” Joong Ki wanted to hear more.

Her words were more comforting than she had intended them to be and a part of Joong Ki felt it was even more comforting coming from Chae Won.

“Because I don’t think I would be able to do that.” She said as she stared out the window.

“You wouldn’t need to right? Since your relationship with Jin Hyuk oppa—“ Joong Ki emphasized that to imitate Chae Won, “—seems to be working out.” He said, not sure he really wanted the answer.

“I guess.” Chae Won sighed. “Min Ah mentioned that you both came to realization that just because you grew up together doesn’t exactly mean you are meant to grow old together. That saying was rather lifting to hear for some odd reason. Jin Hyuk oppa and I are the same, we basically grew up together. It’s like—it’s like we never got to know anything other than, each other, so to say.”

“And you feel you wouldn’t know much without him?” Joong Ki sort of finished what Chae Won was trying to say.

“Yes—yes, at least a part of me does. But then the other part of me—“

Before she could finish, her phone started buzzing. It was Jin Hyuk.

“Go ahead, take the call. I’ll hush up.” Joong Ki winked.

Chae Won slowly swiped her screen to answer, “Oppa, you haven’t slept?”

“No, I miss you Chae Won-ah.” He immediately said.

Chae Won didn’t know what to say, “Eo—isn’t it pretty late there? What are you still doing up?”

“I think I’m going crazy missing you.” His voice sounded distressed, “I don’t know what to do Chae Won-ah, I don’t know how much longer I can go without seeing you.”

This made Chae Won speechless.

“I’ve gone mad. I haven’t been myself lately. I’ve been doing things I’m not at all proud of. You know I would never do anything to hurt you right? Please tell me you know that.”

As he spoke, she turned to look at Joong Ki who sat beside her. The man who has been living under the same roof as her, who she goes to work with every morning, who she nearly kissed the other night, who her heart involuntarily flutters for—this very man who she hides his existence from Jin Hyuk. She was ashamed.

“This distance allowed me to see that I should be better to you. The semester is almost over. I’m going to jump on a plane to come home, anything to see your pretty face, anything to feel your touch and presence close to me.” He continued.

A smile traced Chae Won’s lips. His words were powerful to her. It was a pleasant reminder of them and she could not help but feel butterflies. She, too, needed to be better to him, she realized that now. Although this distance had caused her to go astray, she was in her right mind now.

“You do that. That would really make me happy. I miss you so much, oppa.” She answered, tears welling her eyes.

Joong Ki stayed focused on the road. As he listened to Chae Won, it made him feel a slightest bit of resentment toward her. He didn’t know why but it just did. It wasn’t like they had anything aside from their bickering relationship of having to deal with one another until he found his own place but he just wasn’t the happiest listening to her conversation with her fiancé.

He knew very well from the get-go that she was an engaged woman so there was no chance regardless. But that kiss—well that kiss that almost happened, what was that about? He wasn’t alone on that. She was definitely going in for it as well. What did that mean to her? It was fair for him to be in this state.

After Chae Won hung up, they were silent for the rest of the ride to Chae Won’s workplace. When the car pulled to a stop in front of the company, Chae Won quickly gathered her belongings.

“You don’t have to pick me up today. I’ll find my way home.” She said to Joong Ki before leaving.

+++

Later that night…

“Oh my god, Geun Young-ah, I will be attending a luxurious party with lights and beams and classical music!” Chae Won expressed with contentment.

Geun Young who was stuffing her face answered with a mouthful, “Hosted by Taesan Group?”

“Ya, are you crazy?! Of course not!” She huffed. “This one is hosted by LBC. It’s their 20^th anniversary celebration!”

“Your workplace? They allow their employees to attend?”

“Not technically but I’ll be working that night, anyway how long has it been?!” she said looking up in the ceiling. “I can’t wait to get a spa, dress myself in a designer gown and get my hair and makeup done—“

“Chae Won-ah, you’re forgetting something. You no longer live at home. You do not have your father’s money to live lavishly anymore. Also if you are on the clock, how can you go all glammed up?” Geun Young gulped down her kimbap and washed it down with water.

“Ya!” Chae Won shouted.

Taken by surprise, Geun Young choked, causing her food to cough back up, “Ya!” She sneered at Chae Won.

“I hate you. You always have to ruin everything for me, don’t you?!” she said as she pulled out her chair and got up to leave the kitchen.

“Well what do you want me to tell you, Chae Won?!” Geun Young said after her. “Oh oppa!” she said to Joong Ki who just returned.

Joong Ki was on the phone so he slightly waved to her and continued to his room.

“I guess that’s how people want to treat me around here!” Geun Young bit her lip. “I’m going to work! Good seeing you two too!” she shouted and slammed the door on her way out.

+++

“LBC’s 20^th anniversary party? Yes, Bora contacted me about my fitting with Dior to that event.” Joong Ki proceeded with his conversation. “Hyung, what else do I have on schedule for that day since I won’t be filming?”

Hello everyone.I am thrilled to put up this chapter because I am thrilled to write the next one. I promise there will be more development in the next chapter. Please leave me some comments to read since I left you something to read. ^^

- Lillie