Hyeyoon's POV.
"I would like to apologize to you, Hyeyoon," he was saying those words in his low baritone voice rather gently yet it struck me like thunder.
I didn't know how to respond or make a proper expression yet I put down the cutleries on my plate just to hide my shaking hands under the table. I squeezed my cold hands tightly to hide my foolish expression right now.
But his sudden apology did come out of the blue. I was unprepared and not expecting it at all. My eyes started shaking and I lowered my face. He seemed mistakenly my rigid and shocked state as being defensive, he was afraid as he might offend me.
I heard him explaining his purpose of apologizing, and I completely aware of what he meant but it was so sudden and unexpected.
"I won't disrespect you by treating you inappropriately, Hyeyoon," he added and the man now let out a heavy breath, he forced a smile and while cutting his salmon, he avoided my eyes and continued, "my apology," he finished and still not making any eye contact with me. I didn't know whether or not he was waiting for me to answer his apology, but he stayed still, and I was so confused right now.
"I—" I tried to make a sound, he raised his face slowly to see me and waited, but seeing I hadn't said anything further he then stopped his activity and now completely staring at me.
"You can take your time if you still can't forgive me," Rowoon was being serious as there wasn't any hint of mischievousness in his expression. I failed to read his mind and it was so frustrating. What's wrong with this man, seriously?
I was so tired to be angry, moreover, he was apologizing anyway. So, I let out a soft sigh and raised my chin to see him more clearly and bravely said to him, "It's fine," I said it clearly. The guy looked at me with an eyebrow raised. He looked confused and amazed yet I smiled at him in return. "Thanks for apologizing," I gave him a half-smile, and after a quick exchanging stare. Both of us then laughed at the same time.
"We both are so childish," I stated and Rowoon couldn't help a smile.
"Yes, we are," he looked at me and flashed his gorgeous smile again, "So, are we having a truce now?" he put down his fork and suddenly reached out his hand for a handshake.
I laughed lightly but ended up took his hand for a handshake. "Yeah, kind of," I jokingly said it and the guy pulled his hand off and judged me with his sharp eyes.
"It's not convincing at all. Are you planning to make us fight again?" he protested and I just giggled in return.
"Oh, it's not me. It depends on you, though. Who knows you'll act up again and end up ruining everything," I retorted lightly and he sighed in frustration at my reply.
He just laughed it off and replied, "you're free to punch me if I ever did that to you again,"
"Oh," I shocked upon hearing his reply and added, "can I punch you with my high-heels then? You're too tall, I can't punch you with only my fist. I definitely need a tool,"
"Hey," he cut off, protesting really hard on what he just heard. "You're not trying to kill me, right? No way, no tools allowed, miss, barehand," he waved his hand to dismiss the bargain.
"Ah, no fun," I laughed and he started to laugh along.
"Finish your dinner, we need to catch up for the virtual meeting," Rowoon reminded me and I immediately realized. It was already 7.45 PM and the meeting will be in an hour and fifteen minutes.
* * *
The meeting was held on time, took around 45 minutes for the discussion. Until they concluded and wrapped the result. The General Manager told his secretary to help collected all the data and instructed us to keep going with the last sampling destination in San Jose.
We were in Rowoon's room and the virtual meeting was about to end. The General Manager talked to the CEO Park of my company—yes, my company was also invited to the meeting along with Kiyong. CEO Park told me to collect as much data as I could and slightly pressured me to finish all the work by the end of this month.
I gulped in nervousness as I nodded. "Will do, Sir," I promised him and saw Kiyong was smiling beside the CEO. He slightly nodded to let me know that I did a great job.
The meeting finally concluded and closed by Rowoon. He hit the leave the meeting button and closed the application. I slumped down to the couch backrest, felt tired and relieve at the same time.
Rowoon's phone vibrated, "my secretary had checked us in for our flight. You can get ready and start packing, we'll leave the hotel early this morning, before dawn," he informed me the next schedule, i nodded in response.
Here comes the long flight. More than 16 hours flight including 3 hours 15 minutes layover at Narita Airport. We had to travel for 2 hours to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and flew to Japan at 8.50 PM.
I peeked at the digital clock on my phone screen. It was almost 10 PM. I nodded to Rowoon and still lazy to move from the couch.
"Feeling tired?" he asked as he gathered his stuff and put it inside his backpack.
"Yeah," I felt a little drowsy, to be honest. But before I fell asleep in his room, I was about to get up. But then I remembered something. "Hey, Rowoon," I called him over when he walked to the cabinet and stuffed his backpack inside the drawer.
"What?" he answered, peeked his head behind the drawer door.
"I'm curious about something," I started and the guy closed the drawer, he took off his suit and started to loosen his necktie, pull it off, and threw it on his bed while unbuttoning two buttons of his shirt. As if he was deliberately letting his upper chest exposed. I was stunned for a moment upon witnessing the scene but quickly restored my mind before I turned insane. I cursed on myself.
"What is it?" he asked me, throwing his long posture to the couch near me and laid one of his arms on the armrest. He rested his head to the backrest and stretched out his long limbs. He turned his head to me, he brushed his strong and masculine fingers through his hair, letting his messy hair now fell on his forehead.
My mouth gaped. What the actual f—.
I nearly forgot what I was about to say but then I blinked a few times. I massaged my forehead with my index finger and smiled sourly. "Uh, nothing. Nothing's important," I pulled back my words and wiped them away. I couldn't really focus right now. Maybe I was exhausted.
"Hyeyoon, if you wanna ask me about the past, ask me anything, I told you already, " he said it lightly.
His words quite surprised me as if he was reading my mind. "Can I do that? You don't mind?" I asked him for confirmation.
I let out a light smile and nodded. Okay then.
"How's with that girl?" I started my question.
He frowned, "That girl? Who?" he seemed clueless about who I was referring to.
I let out a soft breath and looked down, "the girl, Seorina? Or Seorinah? I'm not really sure,"
"Oh," he said briefly. Then stared at me back again to ask, "what's with her?"
Now it was my turn to frown at him. Did he seriously clueless about my question? "You were with her, weren't you?" I slowly asked again and the guy fixed his seating position.
"Well, yes, to be honest. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth that time, but yes, I was with her when I was still in high school. It happened way long before I had met you in the university," he explained, yet his explanation didn't make any sense to me.
I frowned and tried to clarify myself. "I knew she was your ex in high school," I paused to check his expression and he just remained silent, waiting for me, "and you guys back together again, right? At that time?" I spilled everything out and he seemed to get the idea after a few seconds looked dumbfounded
"Ah!" he exclaimed. Then laughed lightly at me, as if the concern I mentioned was just a mere joke to him. I shut my mouth and waited for him to calm down and responding to my question. He finished laughing and shook his head. "Oh, come on Hyeyoon. So, all this time you were thinking I broke up with you because I want to get back to that girl? Seriously?" he chuckled.
I sighed and crossed my arms in front of my chest. Plastered a serious look at him and he started to stop chuckling. "So?" I asked him when he stopped.
He smiled meaningfully and stared at me rather gently, his stares got my heart thumping rapidly without my consent and I needed to slightly back up, avoiding his dangerous charm.
"No, Hyeyoon," he started explaining slowly. He told me that he never got back to the girl and after our last encounter at the café, he never wanted to see the girl again. Seorina called him a lot but he completely ignored the girl to the point he did change his phone number.
To be honest, I was still doubting the fact he just told me. Oh, the handsome Kim Seok-woo, he was that famous among the girls in the university, he could choose any girl he desired to date easily. Breaking up with an ordinary girl like me must be not a big deal to him. I scoffed and he heard that.
"I think I had told you that I was with her that day because I was no longer with you, do you remember?" he asked me back and I tried to recall the event. My hazy memory did recall something about him saying that but I failed to remember the details. Rowoon sighed helplessly.
I was left speechless, still doubting what he was just saying, I confirmed one thing, "so you made her as a distraction?" I asked him, actually started to feel a bit skeptical. Did he really need to do that?
"I'm sorry for her but yes, I did," he said. I didn't know why but this couldn't really convince me with what actually happened that time.
I pursed my lips and thinking of a few possibilities. Why would he need a distraction, anyway? He was the one who wanted to break up yet he distracted himself with another girl.
"No way," I said that as I didn't get it. "Why would you do that? I don't understand, Rowoon. Why did you break up with me anyway if you ended up hurting another girl just for your distraction?" I let out the question eventually.
He looked down as if he was trying to recall the past event and started telling me his story, "I was so broken that time, Hyeyoon," he started slowly. There was sadness in his tone, but he proved he was a real man and tried his best to hide his emotion.
He then started telling all his story, everything that happened behind the scenes. Things that I hadn't know for years, that he had kept to himself so selfishly. He never wanted to make me worry with his concern so he kept it to himself, alone. He bore all himself. All the family burden was on him as he was the only son in the family. His sister was already married and she couldn't afford to bear all the expenses they need to pay after his father deceased.
He decided to be selfless to himself and put his personal affair aside so he could bring the family's stability back. After all the rapid events, he was working really hard to finish his degree, and luckily, he got the job from the programming competition winners' recruitment. He started from the very bottom to build everything and until he achieved his position now, he just realized that he was too late for everything, and didn't know if he could ever catch up.
"I'm so sorry, Hyeyoon. I couldn't let you know all of this before, and I know I'm too late to explain this to you just now," he shut his eyes tightly as if he tried to hold his emotion.
He then stared at me with an intense gaze. He let out a long breath and turned serious. "I always wanted to tell you everything, Hyeyoon. If this is the right time and the only chance I got to tell you everything, I'll do it now or never," he was being serious and I couldn't really know how to react.
He then added, "Regardless of everything I just said to you, I'm not expecting this will do anything with our situation right now, though," he inhaled before added slowly, "or, our status right now.
"But I feel like I have the obligation to explain this to you, and you also have the right to know everything," he paused, "don't take this as I'm finding excuses or affecting any decision in your life, Hyeyoon. Your life is yours; you have the ultimate right to decide on whatever best for you, please, just don't take me wrong," he convinced me and I turned away from him. Facing the other side of the room, avoiding his intense gaze right now.
"Yes, what's the point of telling me all this now, Rowoon?" I was so pissed at him right now. He was just too late. "Sometimes, I was wondering to myself, back then," I then turned to see him back and the hurt in my eyes must be clearly visible to him as his gaze softened towards me and he leaned his body forward to me but seemed to hold himself up to reach me.
I continued, "I have no idea whether you ever being sincere toward me, Seok-woo," I did call him by his birth name and his eyes widened, didn't expect that he would hear the name came out of my lips now, "or did you really love me at that time? Or was I just like the other girls that happened to be one of your girlfriends," I let out a heavy sigh. He shut his mouth tight, unable to utter anything.
"You know what," I tried to sound easy as I could. Just not to make me look so pathetic in front of this man, "I once had this thought in my mind that, maybe, I was being too much to you, so you'd always felt bothered whenever I came to your place just because I had missed you a lot," I laughed at my clumsiness as I recalled that event. "I thought boys won't like it when their girlfriend being too clingy so I tried really hard to be less clingy to my current boyfriend,"
I let out bitter laughs and continued, "and I did it, though. I never tried to find him whenever he was busy with his works for days and ignored me. I'll just think that he probably busies and let him be. Turned out that was a good idea, he's always the one who tries to find me most of the time," I let out a dry laugh. I found the story funny so I laughed it off myself yet the man in front of me wasn't showing any reaction but remained silent and his expression was unpredictable.
I told him one more thing, "you told me before, I should find the right man for me, and I should not wait for you. Do you remember? You know what, and I actually did. I did everything you said to me. Now, if I think about that, I was always being so obedient to you, I don't know why. But I was so foolish by doing whatever you told me. I was so naïve," I said this one calmy yet my point was clear.
Rowoon seemed a bit nervous and he restlessly shifted on his seat. "It wasn't your fault," he sounded, "It was me,"
"Oh, come on, Rowoon," I cut him off, chuckled at him. "It's so cliché, don't say those things, please," words like 'it's not your fault, it's me' were so cliché and I couldn't bear to hear it from him, it was useless anyway.
"I know," he said weakly. "I'm sorry," he apologized again. I sighed hearing all his sorry. It won't change anything, though.
Actually, I was thankful to him. I didn't know why but his honesty somehow put my mind at ease right now and as if I could let go of the past, I could finally understand his situation that time and he already explained everything. I concluded that there was no more misunderstanding between the two of us. Hopefully.
"Stop apologizing," I told him. "I had enough sorry from you today, I'm sick of it," I chuckled and he smiled hearing it. "I have something to say, too," I told him.
It seemed to pique his interest as he suddenly changed his position. He turned completely facing me while prompting his head with one of his hands and his elbow was resting on the couch backrest.
"What?"
And he clearly saw me blushing right now. Yes, I was so embarrassing.
He raised an eyebrow and looked at me with amusement. "What?" he held his laugh upon seeing my sudden change of expression.
"You know what, I was so embarrassed with myself for crying in front of you that day," I said honestly and he literally burst out laughing. "You don't have to kiss me to make me stop crying, you dumbass! I was so embarrassing so I was angry with you that time," I facepalmed, tried really hard to hide my red face. "Sorry!" I nearly cried out of embarrassment yet this man was still laughing his ass off.
I glared at him, showing my unsatisfied look just to make him laugh even harder. I pouted. He was really a jerk. Now, I regretted telling him the veracity of the event.
"Stop laughing," I hissed at him. I reached out and punched his bicep. He didn't flinch a bit, of course. I was just playfully punching him.
When he finally stopped, he then faced me and stared at me with his deep eyes, "Hyeyoon," he called out.
I turned to him, without responding to his call, just waiting for him to proceed with his sentence, "Back then, when we were still together, it really wasn't your fault, Hyeyoon. Please, don't ever think that you're not a good girl or a clingy type girlfriend. Not at all," he paused.
Took a few seconds before he went on, "it was me who didn't appreciate your presence," he sounded again, "I failed to make you as one of my top priorities and had always busy with myself. I really am sorry, Hyeyoon for everything I did to you, had done to you, all the sins, wrongdoings, everything," his voice came out gently and sounded like a melody in my ears. I was speechless and stunned when he said the last thing with his eyes pierced into mine, "forgive me,"
He slowly reached out his hand and brushed the strands of my hair on my forehead aside. His gesture was slowly and gently, I couldn't help to skip a beat and slightly dodged away from his touch.
He hung his hand to wait, not rushing his movement, and stared at me rather intensely with his sharp and deep eyes. When he saw me stop moving, he reached out once again, slower this time. He patted on the crown of my head gently and flashed his gorgeous smile again. The identical smile he always had since years ago. The smile that always melted me every time I had seen it.
* * *
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Beep! Beep! Beep!
I frowned upon hearing the noise. Scrunching to my position, I felt so extremely sleepy right now. I was thinking to get some more sleep and snooze the alarm for another 5 minutes. I cuddled more to the warmth and pulled up the fabric to cover myself more from the cold.
How low I set the air conditioner temperature before I slept? Why it was so cold? I was wondering in my mind. I think I was lack of sleep now, I hadn't felt this tired for quite some time and now I really wanted to sleep.
There was a movement that pulled me lightly so I could find a more comfortable position. It was so warm and comfy. I cuddled more to sleep as I heard another beep from the alarm.
I heard a long-disturbed sigh and soft groan near me and I frowned in my sleepy state. I was groaning?
I felt another movement and pulled me deeper into the warmth and I started to hear a slow and steady heartbeat. I could hear my own heartbeat? That was cool.
It was just when I felt a soft blew of air on my crown that jolted me up to open my eyes. What?
My sudden movement seemed to wake the other person up and I slowly raised my face to see Rowoon's face was only inches away from me and he was cuddling me to his body. I was sleeping on his chest, moreover on the couch. How come?
A thin blanket wrapped around my body and I was dumbfounded, staring at him with a confused look. I got up and Rowoon's sleepy face was looking clueless with my sudden motion.
How did I end up sleeping in his room? And in his embrace?
"Oh?" I cupped my face in panic. "I fell asleep here?" I roamed my hand to the table in front of me to get my phone and shrieking upon seeing the time. "Oh crap! We need to rush! Rowoon it's 3.40 AM. I haven't packed!"
Rowoon who heard me in a panic now realized that we were late to get ready. We had to leave the hotel at 4 AM and travel to Guangzhou to catch a morning flight at 8.50 AM.
"Shoot!" he cursed and immediately gathered all his belongings in the cabinet and I rushed back to my room, packed in lightning speed, and got ready in another 15 minutes.
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A/N :
Hello... here's the chapter that I was working on and finally finished it.
So, I've told you right, in my previous chapter that every event I put in this story had its purpose in the story development. Why would I put this into the story, and why would I choose the conflict, it has its reason and it was needed to as the story progresses.
Everyone was curious about whom Hyeyoon would end up with. I can't spoil anything for now.
Hehehe...
You'll find out when Hyeyoon is ready to set up her mind and ready to decide. For now, these two stubborn kids need to clear things up in their past. So that they'll ready to move on to the new phase of their life.
Their work trip isn't over yet, there's still one more destination...
Thank you for all the support and I'm so happy that there are readers who stay for this long and read the story up till this chapter was published.
I know this story is far from perfect, there are flaws and I as the writer still needs to improve more. I'm still lacking, but I'm happy that the readers like the story, support the story until reaches 33 chapters. It's such an achievement.
I'll try my best to finish and wrap this story with a conclusion that fits this story well, hope everyone is still willing to support and anticipate how this story will end.
So, I'll see you again in the next update! ^^