“It’s nice to be with you again, Oppa! I really enjoyed the dinner. It’ll be my treat next time, OK?”

“Yeah, you better treat me to another dinner, with all the side projects you have! There’s a lot of zeroes added to your account again!”

Yura, has to take hold of herself. looking at him with his open, teasing, and certainly beautiful smile that always does things to her heart.

“Ani, come to think of it, you should be the one to treat me again next time! You have movies coming out, did lots of fan-meetings abroad, photoshoots and endorsements! That’s a lot, lot, of Won, oppa!”

Laughter. That’s what Jong misses the most, when he’s with her. It's an easy occurrence, whenever they are together. She is one happy pill that he does not mind having, and he's getting addicted. He would not mind staying like this. But, as much as he does not want this night to end, they have to bid goodnight. He has an early schedule tomorrow, and would be really busy for the coming weeks.

“Ok, oppa. Good night! Annyeong! I hope to see you again, when our schedule allows it!”

“Ok. Annyeong! I’ll call you when my schedule permits! Good night, Ah Youngie! Say hello to your ooma and appa when you see them this weekend.”

She waved goodbye to him, as he walks back to his car, where his manager-oppa is waiting. She stood there, until she can only see the rear end of his car.

Yura has been laying down on her bed for the past 2 hours. Tries as she might, her mind does not want to shut-off, and keeps on replaying the entire day, specially their dinner ‘date’. Jong-oppa really looks handsome and dashing in his suit, but then even in the casual wear he had on during their dinner, he’s just as handsome. Though she sensed a little bit of awkwardness from him during the early part of the award show, it was completely gone during dinner. They talked a lot, well, actually she was talking a lot, sharing things with him, he’s an attentive listener, but he’s also sharing little bits of things about him. They really enjoyed the food they had during dinner, even challenging each other to order a dish that is unfamiliar to them, food that they have not tasted yet. On their way to drop her home, they even succeeded in playing their favorite game - Nurungji, since there’s no one to look at them weirdly. Everything is just as it was when they were in WGM. She can truly say that he is the same kind, caring and generous oppa that she knows, inside and outside their ‘virtual marriage’.

Everything is the same, and familiar. The quality of their conversations, the easy bantering and playfulness, the simple touches, it’s the same, constant. That’s what’s nagging at her. She wanted more.

She was expecting that seeing each other again, just themselves, and no cameras around, they would at least be able to discuss what kind of relationship they have. She was waiting for him to open up and ask her about her ‘confession’ in her Section TV interview. But it never came. Maybe it was partly her fault too. She should have asked him about his own section interview, but she chickened-out, afraid that his answer would be the exact opposite of what she wanted to hear.

Oppa-Dongsaeng, that’s what they are. She really hated that label, but that’s the category that they belong to, for now. Unless he changes it, by way of him confessing first, asking her. Though she has seen glimpses from him that he feels more than that, still her doubts overcome those glimpses. She could initiate and do it first, ask him about it, but if his answer is not aligned with hers, she will lose him. She won’t be able to face him anymore. To do that would be her last resort. For now, she would rather have this kind of relationship with him, than to let go of him, because of her stupid need to be reciprocated.

Time. She would give him time. She knows Oppa does not do things haphazardly. She might be ready, but he may not be yet. He's at the start of something big in his career. Both of them are. She is willing to wait for him. She just hopes that he already realized that what they have is genuine and one of a kind. For now, he can be just an Oppa to her, she can settle with that. She will be the best girl pal he could ever wish, supporting him in every thing, being there for him when he needs her. She would work her way into his heart.

Yura just hopes that her heart can cooperate with her mind, and not overtake.

Everything is the same, everything is familiar. He wanted more.

Sleep has been eluding him, for the past 2 hours. Jong has been trying his best to sleep, but his mind does not want to stop thinking about her smile, her beautiful face, the way she talks, every thing. During dinner, he was really tempted to ask her about her answer to that MBC interview. Her answer gave him hope. It’s slowly crumbling his resolve, the one that he vowed to himself when he started doing the program - it will all be just for the fun of showing his real self, and maybe gain another dear friend in Yura. He does not have a lot of friends in the opposite , given his shy nature and quite blunt way of speaking, and Yura has shown him that she understands him, and takes him as he is. It was all going OK, he was contented to be her friend during and after their stint, until he saw that interview of her. It opened all his suppressed ‘feelings’, those that he’s been denying to himself, the attraction and excitement, the feeling of contentment and completeness, when he is with her.

He wants her, he wants more than her friendship, he wants more. He wants their pretend relationship to be a real one but, he will be the first to admit that he won’t be able to give her the time and attention that she deserves. He barely have time for his family and even himself, with all the attention, and public clamor, the un-ending projects that he has here and there; he’s at the point in his career wherein he is being recognized more now, his dreams finally taking shape. If he gives in to what he really wanted, he would lose his focus. To be with her more than a friend, would distract him from his goals. She has that effect on hm. He already had a taste of how she affects him. When that rumor about him exploded, Yura was the first person he thought about to go to, as soon as his feet landed in Korea; the first person he sought to tell his side of the truth. His managing company was even a little bit pissed-off with him when they learned that he called her first, before he even called them.

He can only have her as a friend, for now. Oppa-Dongsaeng that’s what they are now. To ask her to be more than that would be unfair to her. She also has her own dreams to achieve, her own goals to reach, and he too will support her in achieving those dreams. Yes, he is being a little bit selfish this way, but he is not ready to let go of her completely. He will be ok with this set-up. He just wishes she would be too. That she would not mind waiting, when the right time for him, for them, happens, and he can freely say those words to her, free his feelings and show it to the world.

Jong Hyun just hopes his heart can submit to his brain’s decision, and not overrule.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sorry, for the delay in updating. Life happens. Hehe! Plus, I was really stumped, I can't decide where to go with their relationship after WGM. I just hope, you are all satisfied with this.

ANNNDDD, THANK YOU!! For subscribing and leaving wonderful comments! I really love reading all of those comments. Thanks for taking the time to leave me encouragement.

MWAH! Tsup!