It really took one week from the last time he called Seohyun. Yonghwa almost gave up and was about to call her, but he held it in the end. He wanted to trust her. He was really scared, but if he broke his promise, it would make her disappointed. So in the end, he tried to focus on his thesis defense that would be hold three days after his birthday.

It was Friday morning, when Seohyun’s message was received. She asked him to meet in their apartment in Saturday. And Yonghwa felt so happy because of that.

When Yonghwa finally entered the apartment, Joohyun was already there and was preparing lunch for them.

“Ohh, wasseo?” she greeted cheerfully. And Yonghwa walked fast towards her right away then brought her into his embrace.

“Neon nappeun yeoja! You don’t know how much I miss you, do you?” he scolded her as he hugged her tighter. Seohyun just giggled because of that.

“I love you, Yong~” as always, she would say that words after the quarrel instead of apologize. But Yonghwa preferred that words too.

“I love you more~” he replied sternly. And Seohyun laughed harder in the end.

They then had a lunch together and exchanged the stories that they had missed for this whole week. After that, they cuddled together on the couch as they listening music together.

But suddenly, Seohyun’s phone rang.

“Yes, this is it…” she said excitedly as she took her phone right away. Yonghwa just frowned by her strange excitement. It seemed like she was waiting that call since the beginning.

Seohyun let Yonghwa looked at the caller before she answered it in loud speaker mode.

It’s from Kim Junsu…

“Yeoboseyo~” she greeted first.

“Ahh annyeonghaseyo, Joohyun-ssi. I’m surprised you pick my call so fast. And you sound so happy.” He replied cheerfully. And Yonghwa didn’t like to hear that.

But Seohyun rubbed his arms warmly before she said, “Of course I’m happy today, because I finally can meet my namja chinggu after one week we couldn’t meet…”

M – mwo?

“…” Junsu silenced at first, before he said, “Mwo? Namja chinggu?” he sounded so surprised by Seohyun sudden’s confession.

“Ne~ mianhaeyo, Junsu-ssi, if I need to tell you this way. I already told you that we can be just friends, but it seems like you can’t understand it. So I decide to tell you directly that I already have a boyfriend. And actually, your attentions are disturbing him a little bit.” Seohyun said smoothly.

“…”

He still didn’t reply her right away. He should be so shocked at that time. It took several seconds before he said again, “Jinjjayo? Ahh…mianhaeyo…I thought you just act as if you’re taken all this time. Once again, mianhaeyo, Joohyun-ssi.”

“It’s okay, Junsu-ssi. I’m sorry too if I tell you just now.” Seohyun apologized but her face didn’t show sorry at all.

“Aniyo, Joohyun-ssi…” Junsu said weakly. “So, you must be want to spend your time with your boyfriend, don’t you? Then I’ll hang up now, Joohyun-ssi. I’m so sorry for disturbing you all this time…”

“Aniyo, Junsu-ssi. But I hope we’ll still be a good colleague after this.”

“Of course, don’t worry. So, see you in the next meeting, Joohyun-ssi…”

Seohyun smiled widely the moment Junsu ended their conversation.

“You were waiting for his call?” Yonghwa finally asked.

“Ne~ he always calls me around this time. And you’re right. He didn’t stop even I already told him implicitly. I thought it would ruin our good relationship if I rejected him directly. But I’m sick of him too.” Seohyun admitted it lightly. “But, changkaman. I need to do something else too…”

Yonghwa saw her find another contact in her phone, before she started dialing…Joo Jinmoo?

It was still in loud speaker mode, so Yonghwa could hear it when Joo Jinmoo answered it cheerfully, “Yeoboseyo, Seo Joohyun-ssi? What a surprise to get a call from you…”

Aisshhh…he’s such a smooth talker…Yonghwa commented inwardly.

“Ne~ I’m sorry if I’m disturbing your leisure time, Jinmoo-ssi.” Seohyun said for formality’s sake.

“Aniyo~ Joohyun-ssi.” He said as he laughed happily. And Yonghwa just bit his lower lips in annoyance.

“Ahh, I guess you’re calling me to give me an answer, don’t you?” he suddenly asked.

Answer? For what? Yonghwa stared at Seohyun immediately. But she grabbed his hand as she implicitly told him to wait.

“Ne, you’re right, Jinmoo-ssi.” She replied calmly. “You said to me to take my time when I already told you that I can’t. But my answer is still the same, Jinmoo-ssi. I’m sorry, I can’t go with you to Gala Dinner for 24th Birthday of Crown Prince next week.”

Mwo? Yonghwa surprised that Ahjussi even asked her to go together to his birthday.

“Can I ask you why?” his voice was changed. He was obviously sad by Seohyun’s rejection.

“Because I can’t go with someone else when I actually have a boyfriend. It’ll hurt his feeling of course.” She said smoothly like she did to Kim Junsu before.

“Jinjjayo? So you already have a boyfriend? But why everyone doesn’t know about him? I mean, you’re a young rookie in business world that catch our attentions since the beginning. You’re SAM heiress. It’s impossible that paparazzi don’t know about your relationship, isn’t it?” It seemed like he still couldn’t believe her.

That Ahjussi jinjja…Yonghwa cursed inwardly.

“Because my personal life is not for public consumption, Jinmoo-ssi. I hope you understand it.” Seohyun sounded a bit offended by him.

“Ahh, I don’t mean to offend you. Mianhaeyo, Joohyun-ssi.” He apologized right away because of Seohyun’s stern answer.

“Okay then, I hope you’ll introduce him to me someday.” He gave up but still challenged her to meet Yonghwa directly.

He is so annoying until the end…Yonghwa muttered in his mind.

“I will. Don’t worry, Jinmoo-ssi.” she replied confidently. And Yonghwa hugged her from behind because of that.

But the moment Seohyun ended their conversation, and Yonghwa was about to say something to her, she stopped him abruptly then said, “One more time, Yong…”

“Mwo?” Yonghwa was surprised because Seohyun called Im Taekyung after that.

It was not only Joo Jinmoo who asked her to go to his birthday gala dinner, but Im Taekyung too.

How come this ahjussies asked a young lady like Joohyun to go with them? Joohyun was still 23 years old, for God’s sake! Yonghwa was upset again by that fact. But he tried to hold himself until Seohyun ended her call with Im Taekyung.

And the moment Seohyun placed her phone on the table, he hugged her again and said, “I didn’t mean to make you do this too far, Joohyun-ahh. Mian~”

He knew that they couldn’t say ‘sorry’ but he couldn’t help it. He felt so guilty because Seohyun did it for him.

“Ani~ It’s my decision, Yong~. Actually they asked me at that day, when we fought on the phone. I was so tired and so upset because of them. Then you called and blamed me after that. And what you have said was right, so it made me upset even more. But then after one week thought deeply, I decided to do this. You’re right, I need to draw a clearer line to them. I don’t know that business tycoons like them always act overconfident like that. They thought every girl will say yes to them easily. I’m so sick of them, jinjja.” She said in annoyance.

“Ne~ once again, mian for making you upset back then, Joohyun-ahh. I was just so scared. They are so mature, have more experiences, and can give you a normal life too…”

“Ne~ but they can’t give what my heart wants…I love you, and I don’t love them, Yong. So, keut…” Seohyun cut him off sternly.

Yonghwa chuckled because of that. He felt so grateful with what she did. And his insecurities were washed away from his heart too.

He then turned her until she faced him. He really wanted to say ‘thank you’ for she had done, but he showed it by kissing her.

“Joohyun-ahh, saranghae…” he said again before deepened his kiss.

***

“Just go to sleep, Joohyun-ahh.” Yonghwa said as he chuckled.

Seohyun looked at her laptop monitor again, tried to not lose her focus. They used Skyp* that night, so they could see their face each others, instead of call. But she was so sleepy so much. A customer from UK just came to SAM factory and they asked so many things that should be done in one week, when they came back again. That was why she was so busy these days.

But she shouldn’t fell asleep. It was just three minutes again before midnight. She should be the first one who congratulated Yonghwa’s birthday.

And when her alarmed rang right at 00.00, she shouted, “Saengil Chukae~ Yong~ I wish you all the best. I hope you’ll be more successful from now on, but never forget your root. I hope you’ll make everyone who loves you happy too…” Seohyun then silenced for seconds, then added, “Mian~ I can’t make a thoughtfull and romantic birthday wish for you, but I love you~”

Yonghwa chuckled again because of that. “Ne~ ne~ it’s okay, Hyun. Thank you so much for always be my side. And thank you for being the first one who congratulated me. Please be the first one who congratulates me again next year and for the rest of my life…”

Mwo? Seohyun felt so nervous by Yonghwa’s wish. It sounded like he just proposed her indirectly.

“Wae?” Yonghwa asked as he still laughed. “You don’t want to be the first one who congratulates my birthday for the rest of my life?”

She saw him stared at her sharply but held his smiled. So, she didn’t know that he was serious or not by his question.

“No~