"What is he doing here..?" Leo talked softly while staring at Hongbin with a stoned face.
YoungJi shrugged and asked Hongbin,"Umm..what are you doing here?"
"To give you a ride to work. C'mon, you don't want to be late for work right?" Hongbin said cheerfully.
"You didn't say that someone giving you a ride to work..," Leo turned to YoungJi who was a litte flustered at Hongbin's response.
"...I don't even know about this whole thing..," YoungJi told Leo.
Leo just stared at her with a serious look and she swallowed hard while saying,"Chincha ya.."
Seeing that YoungJi looking confused, Leo looked at Hongbin who was waiting for her while leaning against his porche car. Leo then held her hand and lead her by walking forward. Hongbin who was shocked by their physical contact stood up an said,"W..Where are you guys going?!"
Leo did not say anything but just walking forward, leaving Hongbin hanging. YoungJi looked back at Hongbin, feeling apologetic. YoungJi walked side by side with Leo. She was being used to him holding her hands that she did not feel that there's more to it. Hongbin quickly drove his car and caught up with Leo and YoungJi. He drove while they walked at the pavement. YoungJi glanced over to Hongbin who was still following.
"YoungJi shii, I'm offering a ride to work. You sure you don't want me to?" Hongbin asked.
"No. It's fine. Besides it's only a few blocks away. You should go first, Mr Hongbin shii," YoungJi said.
Hongbin just sighed and said,"Okay. I'll see you in the office if I see you."
He drove off, leaving the two of them. Leo let go of her hand and continued to walk forward. YoungJi walked side by side with him and took a quick glance at him who had an angry look.
"Yah, are you angry at something?" YoungJi bravely asked.
"No. Why should I be angry for?" Leo sounded slightly angry.
"Jeongmal? But why with the sour look and with that angry tone of yours?" YoungJi pointed out.
Leo cleared his throat and changed his expression to his usual look. She knew something was bothering him and nudged him with her shoulders. Leo got lightly pushed and tried to brush her off by avoiding her nudge for ghe second time. She was too focused on trying to get him smile that she did not notice a bicycle was coming towards her. With his quick reflexes, Leo pulled her towards him and she landed on his embrace. The biker cycled past them. She was utterly stunned by his sudden action and heard him saying,"Can you be careful next time?"
YoungJi pulled away from his embrace and dusted her clothes. She cleared her throat and said,"Sorry and thanks."
Leo continued with his expressionless look and walked forward. YoungJi watched his back and sometimes wondered how she can be friends with him. Leo turned back and saw her stoning.
"Yah, if you don't start moving, you're going to be late for work," Leo said from the distance.
She quit stoning and quickened her steps. Once they reached her office building, she said goodbye to Leo and promised to meet for lunch before she went to her office.
========
YoungJi stood in front of the elevator while busy fiddling with her phone. Just then she heard a greeting whisper,"Good morning again."
She looked to her left and saw Hongbin standing close to her while smiling. She greeted politely and quietly stand a feet away from him. Hongbin closed up the gap and asked softly and checking his breath,"Why are you standing a feet away from me? Does my breath stink? But I'm sure I gurgle with -"
Before he could complete his sentence, she was not there. He looked to the front and saw her in the elevator with many people in it. He was about to go in when someone behind him stopped him,"I think you should take the other lift."
He turned around and glad to see his best friend.
"Hack Yeon ah! When did you get back?!" Hongbin hugged him, feeling happy to see him.
"Yesterday night. Miss me?" HakYeon laughed.
"You bet I am! We should eat lunch together later to catch up!" Hongbin lightly punched his right arm.
HakYeon agreed and when the elevator opened, they walked in.
=======
In YoungJi's department, everyone seemed very busy especially when there's an upcoming event in a week's time. Soon it was lunch time. She got a text from Leo that he had reached her office building. She packed her essential things and went down. She walked over to the lobby and saw him sitting on one of the sofa. As the sofa was facing towards the glass window, she decided to surprise him. She tiptoed from behind and was about to surprise him when Leo interrupted her," No use scaring me. I sa your reflection."
Leo pointed to the glass window and she looked towards it. Her shoulders deflated and muttered,"Damn it.."
Leo got up from the sofa and asked,"So where are we eating?"
"Anywhere," YoungJi sighed at the thought of her surprise failure.
Leo curve a little smile at her lifeless expression and lead her the way by pulling her hand.
=======
Both YoungJi and Leo reached a casual sushi restaurant. Without them knowing, they were sitting a table just before Hongbin's. As Hongbin looking up, he was surprised to see YoungJi and Leo sitting in front of them. From his seat, he can see YoungJi smiling and talking to Leo. HakYeon who was the one had been talking the whole time, noticed his best friend focusing on something else instead of answering his question. He turned back and saw a familiar face and muttered,"Isn't that...Lee YoungJi shii...?"
Upon hearing that, Hongbin said while looking directly at HakYeon,"You KNOW her? But how can you know her? She just started working a few days ago and you just come back after 2 years..."
"She's the same department as me. I'm her manager," HakYeon told Hongbin.
Hongbin felt slightly jealous at him for working the same department as her. He kept glancing at her.
"Yah~ But Hongbin ah, didn't she look slightly like...your ex-girlfriend?" HakYeon thought of Nara.
"She does..does she?" Hongbin went back to his food and sighed.
"Hey, I'm sorry for your loss. I'm really shocked that happened to her..," Hack Yeon felt sympathised.
"It's my fault anyways...I really should cherish her more before that..," Hongbin started to reminisce.
HakYeon noticed that Hongbin was getting emotional and tried to change subject to cheer him up.
========
Meanwhile at YoungJi's table, both of them had a great talk.
"Yah, I can still remember that time when we argued about owning the house. I can't believe that the agents sold the house to the both of us without checking with each other," YoungJi chuckled while remembering 1 year ago.
"We argue for every detail," Leo emphasised.
"I had a bad impression of you when I first met you," She claimed.
"Bad impression..? What was I like..?" Leo asked her.
"Hmm...more cold, more expressionless and you have the aura that you dislike being friends with," She described him while looking at him.
"Really?" Leo shrugged.
"Chincha ya! I was actually scared to get close to you or talk to you. Your look shows that you like being distance away from people...," She claimed again.
"...But how do you get to close to me now?" Leo asked.
"Well...hmm..how do I get close to you..? Let me see...there's one time..," YoungJi reminisce back and told him while he listened to her story.
