Friday, 6 p.m….

                Heecheol is ready to go home. Kevin and Hyemi already left earlier. He is still packing his things. From Monday to Thursday, he has been busy with his work and taking photos for the brochure. He missed his lunch twice this week. He takes out his phone, calls Minha right away. She does not answer. It is raining hard outside, and he is unlucky today. Heecheol has to go home by bus.

                At the bus terminal, he tries to call Minha again but now her phone is totally off. He starts to worry about her. They both have not been talking much since Monday. Heecheol always goes home late these days. When he comes, Minha is either waiting for him till she falls asleep in the dining room, wishing they can have dinner together, or she already sleeps in her room. Heecheol feels sorry actually, but he is very bad at expressing his feelings towards her.

                Heecheol comes home. He is wet from head to toe, the rain is just pouring hard. Minha is not home and her phone is off. Heecheol immediately takes a shower and promise himself that if Minha does not come at 9 o’clock, he will go to her house which she lived before. Right after he comes out from the bathroom, Minha comes into the house.

“Where did you go?” Heecheol goes to the kitchen and looks inside the refrigerator.

“I went to a hair salon, but suddenly it’s raining, so I wait there for some time…”

“Why were going to the salon even? I tried to call you but your phone was off…” Heecheol frowns.

“Ah… can’t you see?” Minha fakes a smile. “I dyed my hair, I cut the bangs a bit too..”

                Minha says that in a disappointed tone. She wished that Heecheol would find her more beautiful or something. She always wants him to compliment her, just for once. Meanwhile, Heecheol is silent, realizing what he is seeing.

“I was about to ask you out for dinner, have you eaten?”

“Not yet..”

                Heecheol grabs his car key and his jacket then grabs Minha’s hand, forces her to follow him along.

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“Let’s eat somewhere..”

                They both then come to Heecheol’s restaurant to have dinner. He introduces Minha to the workers. After that they go back to Heecheol’s apartment. Minha is sleeping on the passenger seat Heecheol smirks when he sees that. He knows that Minha ate too much, that is why she sleeps after dinner.

“Minha-yah, wake up…” Heecheol rocks Minha’s body softly.

                Minha does not move a bit, she sleeps very peacefully. Heecheol stares at her face for a while. He knows that Minha is very beautiful but he never says that to her in person. He then caresses her jaw and gives her a peck but Minha opens her eyes slowly, so Heecheol immediately takes his hand away from Minha’s face.

“We’ve arrived..”

                Minha rubs her eyes then they both get out of the car. In the elevator, Minha locks her hands with Heecheol’s and leans her head on Heecheol’s shoulder. It makes him stiff like a statue.

 

The next morning…

                Heecheol stares at Minha who is sitting in front of him.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Do you want to go out with me?”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go somewhere, just having fun. You and me….”

                Minha does not say anything. She just looks at Heecheol’s eyes then blinks like a doll. She does not know what to do, it has been a while since she feels this way towards Heecheol.

“Why? All of sudden…”

“I’ve been busy these day, I feel sorry that you always wait for me and hope to have dinner together. I always eat the food you made alone at midnight. Some of them needed suitable amount of salt for human though, but they were delicious. So, since I have free time today, I want to spend it with you…”

“I want to eat ice cream…” Minha says that carefully.

“Yeah, let’s eat ice cream..”

“I want to go to the amusement park…”

“Yeah. Let’s go there…”

“And take some photos at the photobooth…” Minha starts to smile.

“Ok..” Heecheol laughs. “Let’s do that too..”

“There’s another one thing I want from you, but I’ll tell you that later. Hm?”

“Okay, I’ll take a shower first, you go get ready..”

                Heecheol then goes to the bathroom. Minha smiles like crazy in the dining room, but her bright expression is gone right after she sees something on Heecheol’s phone screen which he left on the dining table.

                “Oppa…today is my turn, right? I’m already on the subway. Let’s meet at Mapo Station at 9.30 so we can have brunch together first ^^”

“What is this?” Minha frowns.

                Minha is a little bit angry after seeing that. She is asking herself who that girl is. Somehow she does not like it when she thinks about the possibility that Heecheol probably has a girlfriend. She then goes to her room to get ready. Fifteen minutes later, Heecheol is out from the bathroom, grabs his phone and replies the message. He blows dry his hair and they both are now ready to go.

                At the amusement park, Minha keeps holding onto either Heecheol’s arm or hand like she wants to announce that he is hers. Heecheol does not mind with that, he is enjoying this kind of moment with the woman he (once) in love with. They go to the silliest rides first then riding a roller coaster as the final ‘challenge’. Minha claps her hands like a kid after that and Heecheol is trying hard to breathe while tidying up his hair. He hates this kind of ride, well, he hates everything that makes him scared. They both then go to a small ice cream shop, order a bowl of matcha ice cream and eat it together. Heecheol is all smiley today, making Minha looks at him in a strange way.

“Why are you smiling like that? Is there something funny on my face?” Minha rubs her face in a hurry.

“Nothing..” Heecheol scoops a spoon of ice cream and immediately put that in his mouth.

“You’re weird, as always..”

“         “

                Heecheol does not say anything. He gets a brain freeze, Minha laughs while clapping her hands like a seal. Her laugh ends when she gets a text message.

“Congratulations, you are accepted as the new employee of GreenArrow Production. You are invited to come to the company on Monday at 9 a.m. Thank you.”

                Minha sighs and stares at her phone for a while. She wants that job so bad but she is afraid that she will meet her previous partner during her internship days, Hyungsik, the tall guy who was very nice to her. She is scared knowing that Hyungsik has some unexplainable feelings for her. She is also scared that she might be having that kind of feelings as well. In front of her, the man she does not want to lose is there. She did everything to see that man again. That man, is the man who almost lost his life twice because of her.

“YAH!” Heecheol raises his tone.

“Huh?” Minha is back from whatever thoughts she was in.

“You said you wanted to take some pictures at the photobooth. There’s one near the ramyeon shop across this road. Let’s go..”

                They take some pictures like a happy high school student couples at the photobooth. They do those silly poses that they laugh at after. At 7 p.m Heecheol takes her to his restaurant and decide to have dinner there. During their meals, Heecheol looks over Minha’s shoulder. He sees a familiar face queuing to get her coffee. It’s Kyungri. Heecheol re-arranged their plan to take some pictures for their company’s brochure this morning, saying that he had ‘something important to do today’. Kyungri looks at him and they both meet each other’s eyes. The cashier ruins their rendezvous after she gives Kyungri the coffee she ordered earlier.

“Oppa, I don’t want to eat this thing…” Minha puts away the egg yolk.

“Huh?” Heecheol sounds surprised. “Why you hate it so much? This thing is good for you..” Heecheol takes the egg yolk and put it in his bowl.

                Minha pouts. Heecheol is questioning himself. He knows that he loves Minha more than anything in this world but Minwoo was right, Kyungri likes him and now he feels sorry for her.

“Minha-yah.. wait here, okay? I have to talk to someone….”

                Without waiting for Minha’s answer, Heecheol runs to where Kyungri is. She is already out of the café, thankfully she is not that far yet.

“Kyungri-yah!” Heecheol then stays silent for a while. “Mianhae…”

“Forget it…”

“Did you wait long? I’m really sorry..” Heecheol shows his awkwardness.

“No, that’s okay. I went back home right away..”

                Kyungri does not show any emotions. Heecheol is confused. It is either because Kyungri is super mad right now or she is really fine with all of this. Heecheol does not know women’s feelings well, except the one’s who spent the day with him today.

“Tomorrow, Mapo Station, 9.30 a.m…”

“Don’t promise something if you can’t do it..” Kyungri smirks.

“’I’ll be there.. don’t worry!”

                Kyungri smiles, nods and leaves Heecheol.

“Kyungri-yah!” Heecheol calls her name again. “See you tomorrow!” Heecheol awkwardly waves his hand. “Be careful on your way back home…”

“I know..” Kyungri laughs a bit.

                Heecheol then goes back inside and finds Minha is talking to someone on the phone. He purposely stands behind her to hear her conversation.

“Yes, we’re same-aged friends anyway, Hyungsik-ah?“ Minha sounds she is uncomfortable with the conversation.

                Heecheol suddenly sits on his seat again, making Minha has to end the conversation on the phone. She smiles at him right after she hung up the phone.

“Shall we go home now?”

“Wait, oppa… could you please drive me to my house? There’s something I need to take…”

“Okay..”

                Heecheol drives Minha to her old house. When they arrive, he stands outside instead. Minha asks him to come in since it is cold outside. He is surprised when he sees what is inside her house. It is exactly like the description in the novel he once corrected. The pink wallpaper, the yellow boxes near the kitchen, the purple frame on her wall….

“Oppa, do you still remember this?” Minha shows Heecheol something.

                Heecheol turn his head. It’s the ‘cute little thing’ that stupid novel once mentioned. It was an electric candle which he gave as her birthday present. Heecheol is now busy connects the dots. He is questioning himself whether Minha is the writer of that novel or not. He has not finish reading it, but he is sure that something bad is going to happen.

“Let’s go…” Minha grabs Heecheol’s arm and smiles.

                They both go back to Heecheol’s apartment. When they arrive, Minha stops Heecheol from going to his room immediately.

“Oppa, I said I wanted something from you…”

“Hm?” Heecheol is facing Minha.

“A kiss….”

“I gave you one. When you were sleeping, in my car, last night…”

                Heecheol then goes into the bathroom, leaving Minha stands there like a fool. Minha tries hard to remember but fails. Of course, Heecheol just said ‘when you were sleeping’. It would be weird if she remembers it anyway. Minutes later, Heecheol is out of the bathroom. Minha pours water into the glass. Heecheol hugs her from behind.

“I’m very happy today, thank you so much..” Heecheol places his chin on Minha’s shoulder.

“I’m happy too..”

                Heecheol release the hug, placing his hands on Minha’s shoulders and turns her around. He puts away strands of hair on Minha’s cheek to the back of her ear then caresses her jaw.

“You look more beautiful. I like the color of your hair..”

                Minha starts to blush. Heecheol moves his face closer to hers, gives her the kiss she wants. Minha does not move an inch, she hesitates about her feelings, his feelings too. Heecheol breaks the kiss, knowing that Minha is stiff like a stone.

“Touch me, love me. Trust me, I’m completely yours..” Heecheol whispers.

                They both then spend the night like it is their own. This is the first time Heecheol’s room filled with female fragrance, and that female is the one he has been waiting for so long.