“Real estate? Seriously? ” So eun laughed. She didn’t buy his bluff at all. More likely to be a model..

“Yeah.. It just happened that way, it actually gives you quite decent money.” Jae rim explained. So eun rolled her eyes. “I really thought you were just saying random things. That’s.. actually kind of normal.”

“Why? You don’t think I am normal?” Jae rim tapped his fingers nervously. Did she sees through his lie? She couldn’t have read his future without his knowledge? He wondered. Because if she actually did it, he will be aware of it and he would be able to accomplish his mission already.

“No. It’s just my hunch, you don’t seem like that kind of guy, you know, that have real proper job. May be, a bum?”

Jae rim laughed out loud in relief. At least, he was not yet busted. “Ok, I’ll bring you to a place, a special place. Then you can decide whether you should still call me a bum or whatsoever.” He changed his driving direction towards the lower side of the city.

**

“Oh my, how many steps more we need to take?” So eun became breathless as she takes another step of the stairs. She has never has been to this part of this city, or so she thought. Jae rim lowered his posture, and pointed at his back. “Come.”

So eun blushes. She immediately shook her head while wearing a shy smile. “It’s ok.” Jae rim just sighed, “Oh, don’t act like you don’t want it,” and he immediately took her by hand and swooped her up, while So eun scream a little. “What are you doing?”

“Piggy back, don’t all girls like it?” Jae rim asked her back.

So eun just smiled and wrapped her hand around his neck tightly. Secretly enjoying the wide back of Jae rim, she unconsciously snuggled his neck and rest her head on his back.

 Jae rim smiled triumphantly, knowing he was pleasing the lady. However, after few steps up, he already regret his decision. While he thinks that she is not that heavy, but towards the end of the stairs, he was breathing hard and his legs were shivering when he put So eun down. He sat down on the ground, trying to gain back his strength. So eun laughed out loud and smacked his back, “Pabo..”

Then she bent down and gave a quick peck on his cheek, “Thank you.”

Jae rim looked dazed at her. “It’s worth it after all.” He stood up and took her by her hand, and ushered her to come into the house right in front of them. “Come in.”

“Who’s house is it?”

“My family. Once upon a time.”

So eun was quite taken aback. Opposite the luxury house she spends her night with Jae rim, this house looks worn down, old, small and abandoned.  However, the view was breathtaking, given that the house is located at top of the hill. They sat on the bench at the yard, overlooking Seoul city, b with lights.

“You seem shocked, So eun.. “ Jae rim kept his face straight overlooking the city, while he actually felt vulnerable opening this side of him, to someone he barely knew. But, this is necessary, he thinks to himself. Girls like sob story, once he opened about himself, he was quite sure So eun will pretty much opened up about herself, and that is when he’s going to replicate her power.

So eun took a deep breath, “I’m not being judgmental, its just… I never thought you came from this background. “ She carefully picked her word, trying hard not to hurt the man’s ego.

“Yeah, I like to come here once in a while, just to remind myself my humble background, so I would not get lost.” He could feel the sympathy looks by a quick glanced. He smirked a little, knowing So eun was falling into his trap. “I don’t know who my father is. My mother, she raised me here until I was 14, and then she gave me up to someone else because she just couldn’t afford it.”

So eun took his hand and entwined her fingers with his. “Your mother, how is she?”

“At a nursing home.” So eun caresses his thumb.

“The past, is something you cannot return to. But the future, is something you could look forward to. Jae rim shii, I’m still envious of you.” Jae rim looked at her questioningly.

So eun continued, “At least, you do have some memories of your mother, and you’d still be able to visit her, cherish her. Truthfully, I couldn’t recall a single memory with my parents, I don’t even know why. I wasn’t that little, I was 10 when they died, but it was frustrating not to even remember our time together. I love my uncle and auntie, I’m truly blessed, but, sometimes I wish I could have at least a memory to cherish my time with them.”

Jae rim winced at her story. He contemplated to reveal the truth, but the truth might hurt her. And the thing is, the truth is not something he needs to reveal, it’s somebody else owed her the explanation. He just need to get his work done, he just doesn’t want to complicate things.

“Like you said, past is past. Right?” He asked her back. So eun smiled bitterly.

“But future, “ Jae rim continued, “isn’t it predetermined? Like fate and destiny? So it the end, past, present and future, have already been set on stone, don’t you think?” He asked.

“Future, “ So eun look a far, “is interesting. It’s not set in stone, like people said, destiny and fate. It changes according to human will.”

Jae rim laughed. “How do you know? So you don’t believe in fate? You think our meeting is not a destiny?” He asked further, hoping to trigger So eun to use her ability.

“No, it happened because the decision that I made that day to go to the club, and your decision to court me. You see, one person decision affects at least 167 lives, don’t you think a person change in will might have a domino effect in someone’s future?”

“But fate would say, this happened because it is your fate. It is fated you need to make such decision for us to meet. Oh, whatever, this is just meaningless, let’s just agree to disagree, shall we?” Jae rim poked her anger.

“I can prove it.” She hissed. She doesn’t like to be belittled, among all things, about things she knows best about, the future! It changes according to man’s will, unless the man has made up his mind, then the future is fixed. Death, is an exception to the rule. Her experience with future reading all her life has thought her that.

Jae rim laughed. Yeah, she caught his bait! “Show me.”

So eun hold his hand tightly and smirked. “I’ll prove it to you. Just don’t freak out, and close your eyes.”

They both close their eyes, and Jae rim already sensing her motion of brain. He smiled joyously, his mission was accomplished! But for the time being, he will enjoy seeing his future, and whatever in store, he hope it will not reveal the whole truth to So eun, at least not just yet. Even if she sees something, he could always asked that somebody to erase her memory.

They both see the future vision, as if watching a film. So eun blushed seeing them playing around together at his house, on his bed, his kitchen, his shower… ‘Jae rim shii, seems you have set in mind what to do in the near future,’ So eun monologue. Jae rim, on the other hand, was nodding along, the vision is exactly what he planned to do with So eun that weekend.

Then the vision changes, they are still together, at some shop, choosing some baby clothes??? So eun and Jae rim gasped, the vision shows So eun with her bulging stomach, obvious of being pregnant and Jae rim was caressing her belly. And the vision cut off as So eun let go of Jae rim’s hand.

They were too stunned for words. Pregnant??!! She cannot be pregnant. This couldn’t be it. This supposed to be a weekend getaway only, and she still has a long bucket list to fulfill before she leaves this world. No, she could not be pregnant!

Jae rim could feel sweats coming out of his forehead. A baby? No way!

He laughed awkwardly. “That, was just some special effect, wasn't it? Where do you learn that kind of trick? There’s no way one could see future, unless you are an alien? Hahaha…” He laughed awkwardly, again.

So eun smiled bitterly. Oh my god, the baby making, is it because of yesterday, or because what they are going to do in the future? She ask herself. This is crazy. She gulped hard and decide they better not take the risk. When is the earliest she would know whether she is pregnant? Oh my god, this is crazy! She was pretty sure the play it safe last night.

Despite his worry, he was more concerned of So eun who was turning white. Jae rim touched her hand, “Are you okay? You look pale.”

She flinched and took away her hand. Then she laughed awkwardly, “Hahaha.. yeah that was just some tricks. What drama is that? Hahaha.. look, just, could you, send me home tonight? I just, don’t feel good.”

Jae rim raised his eyes brows. She’s not feeling well already?

“No no no! Not that kind, you know, like a pregnant lady,” she winced at her own choice of word, “It’s just I need a rest on weekend, before Monday start kicking in again.”

Jae rim just nodded. He didn’t want to take the risk as well, but what if she’s already being pregnant of his child?