Chapter 36. CHARADES

over you

I'm never over, over you 

something about you 

It's just the way you move 

the way you move me 

~back to you (john mayer)

He paced back and forth inside his office convincing himself that it was okay to have allowed Seo Hyun not to go back to the office that afternoon. It was Saturday, anyway. And, he was now confident that it was him who she loves. But Seo Hyun going out on a trip with that Minho guy was not really a welcoming thought. No, Seo Hyun was just being nice to him and it would be impossible for that person to steal her from him now or ever.

“Aish!” He mumbled and took a deep breath before sprinting out of the room—she could still be inside the building. Panting heavily, he d along the lines of car until he was halted by the sight -- Seo Hyun was getting into the car with a smile while the other man took the driver’s seat.

She looked happy.

Standing akimbo, he shook his head for being such a fool. Perhaps he should get his plan rolling now, or else, that guy might outrun him.

~~~

Plock… plock…

Fascinating, she whispered to herself as the ripples disappeared. Throwing another stone, she watched as it created another set of circles as something bubbled nearby then she smiled at Minho’s reflection on the water as he sat beside her.

“Why do you love coming here?” He broke the silence and noticed that gentle smile settling on her face as the wind seemed to make the calm water move.

“There’s nothing here not to love,” she exhaled as she spoke and hugged herself. The sky was showcasing a different display of mellow colors again as the day was closing. As promised, they spent the whole afternoon with Minho on the wheels driving around with the windows all open with acoustic music blasting from the radio.

They dropped by his parents’ house before she asked to go by the Banpo Bridge. The place was like her sanctuary when she wanted to rest her mind from all the thoughts that had been hovering above her head for the past weeks since Yong Hwa came back. And, Minho was the perfect company. He would just stand or sit beside her without saying anything whenever he would feel like she was not in the mood to discuss her thoughts.

“Minho-ya…” she turned to him, “Thanks…”

“Thanks for what?” He probed while putting both hands inside his jeans pockets.

“For this, for spending time with me like this…”

He chuckled. Seo Hyun can be a drama queen sometimes so he shook his head, “By the way, have you figured it out?”

“Figure out?”

“Yeah… the knock knock?”

“Wha—oh, that one? Really, it’s a hard one. Why don’t you just tell me what it meant?” She playfully nudged him as he seemed to be slipping into a far away look.

“It means, I love you Seo…”

Seo Hyun opened but no words could express her surprise when he said that line again. Did she think that he has completely forgotten about that? “Mi—I-I told you—“

Minho looked at her again with that soft curve on his lips, “It’s nothing new, really,” he shook his head and gently touched her arm, “That was what the joke meant. But it’s not really a joke, Seo.”

“Oh, Minho, I know that and I’m really—“

“You’re really sorry,” he nodded, “Yeah I know that too and I am just here to wait until you give me a definite answer. I’m not rushing, I never rushed you, Seo. I just want to re-emphasize.”

Seo Hyun has to shut her eyes tight since her heart was pounding deliriously. Maybe it was wrong to be hanging out with him like this since she might be giving him false hope again. But she didn’t want to lose his friendship.

“Seo Hyun?”

“Uh… I…”

“You must be reserving that love...”

Seo Hyun diverted her gaze up into the horizon and felt the thin air brushing her skin. It was not really like reserving it since she-- she didn't really know how to put it, “Let's not talk about it.” Taking his hands, she met his gaze, “Minho, we have known each other for years. And all these time, you were always there to hold my hand when I needed someone to hold it. But that is all I could ask for you to hold,--my hands... but my heart--”

“I know I have been competing with someone else. All those times and even now, it is still him. I don't know if I am competing with an image or a past. But whoever he is, he is very lucky to be holding your heart. This doesn't mean that I'm giving up, Seo.”

She watched him walk away like the clouds in the sky, carefully moving through the wind's dictation. He was right. Someone else already owned her heart and she just could not give it up just yet.

~~~

Jong Yong Hwa is PMS-ing. That was the only thing clear to her as she bent closer to the documents on the table. He seemed like he was back to his old self again-- ignoring her, slamming folders, mumbling to himself and worst of all, not looking at her at all. Seo Hyun sighed, wondering what she did again. Suddenly, the thought dawned on her. What if he-- she touched her lips and shook her head. No way, it definitely won't happen again for she won't let it.

Maybe if she took things in a different manner, he might loosen up. Yes, she would just ignore that indifference. Besides, she was getting used to it. Standing up, she decided to take her chances and walked towards him. Seo Hyun took the papers he just signed and cleared then uttered under her breath, “Uhm, Director, I'm going to visit Appa later. W-Will you be there?”

Yong Hwa scoffed to himself and inaudibly whispered, “Why? You don't have a date?”

She looked at him as his head was still in downcast and waited for him to say it again. Then when he remained quiet, she asked, “I-I'm sorry?”

“Nothing...” he grimaced while pushing his chair back and stood without looking at her, “I don't know if I can go there... cancel my appointments for the rest of the day.”

Seo Hyun looked at him in surprise as he walked out of the room. So that was it, huh? The Director seriously needed some anger management training for he had been exhibiting symptoms. She shook her head and forced her eyes closed. Perhaps, he has some misunderstanding with Shin Hye-ssi. Perhaps, he left to go to her and pick her up.

“Aigooo...” she heaved a sigh and sank back on her seat. “He's out again to meet his fiancee, Seo Hyunah. He would say sorry to her and she would accept it and then they would be spending the rest of the day together. Dine somewhere, walk around the Hanggang... and then... aigooo...”

Her head fell on the table. She bumped her forehead a couple of times on the hard wood. Seriously, she needed to start accepting that she was just another used-to-be and the kiss they shared the other night was just some spur-of-the-moment chance. Even the way he held her in the hospital was just some gesture of pity and helplessness.

Finally, she has resigned to the thought that whatever he was showing or has been showing to her, they mean nothing for they would never change the fact that he was an almost-married man. After lunch, she tried calling his number but he was not picking up so she decided to just send a message. It would be a good distraction to spend the rest of the day in the hospital since there was nothing much for her to do at the office.

Seo Hyun has been spending a couple of hours every day in the hospital but they never bumped into each other. She could not really say that she was expecting it but she could not deny that fact either. She stopped by Yoona's cafe for lunch and went straight to the hospital.

Her dad slightly turned his head up when she walked into the room and placed a finger on his lips signaling for her not to make any sound and pointed at the corner. There she saw Yong Hwa with his body stretched on the sofa with arms crossed on his chest, sleeping like some old log.

“How long has he been here?” She asked in a hushed tone as she stood by his side as her father folded the book he was reading and took off his glasses.

“He ate lunch here and slept. I don't know what's wrong with him today, did you two fight?”

If he was there since lunch time then he was not with Shin Hye. Seo Hyun carelessly shook her head as her eyes lingered on him. He looked pitiful, crouched on that sofa, which was far shorter than him that his feet were dangling on the armrest. The room was colder than usual so she went to adjust the temperature and walked back to her father’s bed and helped him when he was trying to reach for the robe hanging by the headboard.

After getting it, her Appa gave it back to her and puckered his lips towards the unconscious person on the couch, “Put this on him, he must be cold.”

Seo Hyun nodded and walked towards Yong Hwa. Carefully, she put the robe over his body and tucked it up to his chin making sure her movement won't wake him up. Seo Hyun smiled to herself when he did not even stir. He really looked so manly now as if time had enhanced his features. She lifted her hand up and was so tempted to run her fingers along the contours of his face but she stopped herself midway. Asleep or awake, she shouldn't be doing anything to him.

She swallowed hard and shut her eyes tight. Good lord, she needed strength to overcome the temptation laid before her, to test her virtue of self-preservation.

“You want to kiss him, don't you?”

Her dad's voice, although toned down, seemed to thunder in the room so she shook her head and snapped in a controlled voice, “No! I don't!”

“There's nothing wrong in kissing your husband...”

Seo Hyun rolled her eyes. Should she or should she not? Turning a heel, she found her father creasing his brows on her and remembered Yong Hwa's reminder that he should not be, in anyway, displeased. And if she won't follow him now, it might cause him to think that she and Yong Hwa were really quarreling and he might get worried and be stressed out unnecessarily. Slowly, she positioned her right hand on the edge of the backrest and balanced her weight on it as her other hand held on to her hair.

The scent was teasing her as she moved closer to his face. He looked so serene with eyes closed and face less tensed. If she would move hastily, she might wake him up and finding her stealing a kiss from him would just be the death of her. Gently, she composed herself and noticed that she could actually fake the kiss since her father won't know if she really did kiss him. How would it feel to see this sleeping face for the rest of her life? The realization somehow weakened her and hesitation crept in, but she found herself resting her lips lightly on the side of his lips, inhaling his musky scent in the process. In that quiet moment, as she kissed him with eyes closed, she found herself lingering a little longer than she needed to.

She placed a hand on her chest when she withdrew herself from him, afraid that the deliberate act wok