Chaewon was meeting her senior, Son Ye Jin, when she saw Minho around the area. "Minho," she called for his attention.
He turned to face her, "Chaewon," he uttered surprised.
"Why are you here? Work?" she wrapped an arm around his neck and gave him a peck on his cheek. "Anyway, I missed you."
"Ch-Chaewon," he stuttered.
Minho, after a while, managed to move a muscle and grabbed Chaewon on the wrist. Yet, before he could drag her out of the place someone called for him, "Son-in-law." Without looking away from her, he just observed Chaewon's reaction, and for the first time he felt scared of the situation he was in.
She briefly scanned the place, curious to whom the elder addressed as 'son-in-law'. When she couldn't find anyone who could be the recipient, she moved her eyes back to meet his, "Minho-ssi."
He could see the confusion in her eyes, slowly covered with hope that she heard it wrong, her eyes begged him to dismiss her thoughts. Yet, he couldn't. If he does, it will only add up to lies he has been telling.
The elders walked closer to them. "Son-in-law," the elder man repeated as he did not get a response from him earlier. Chaewon could feel Minho's grip on her wrist loosen till it was left hanging mid-air. Minho turned to face the elders, "Yes" he hesitated, "grandfather."
Chaewon was dazed, tears started to form in her eyes. She held back as much as she could, and gladly she was able to.
"Who is this young lady?" The elder woman asked.
"She's," he stuttered.
"Colleague," Chaewon filled up for him, feeling the need to save him from saying things that would only hurt her, or maybe feeling the need to save herself from getting herself hurt. She knew hearing him say it would hurt more than her saying it for herself. She isn't dense; she knew what was going on. What does she expect? She's dating someone from upper class family; he was bound to get married to someone his class, either for business or for love.
"Is that so?" The elder woman said. "All good then," she linked her arm with her husband. She knew too well it was a lie, both elders can see it.
There was a lie between them, a lie that could protect each other. It's love. Love that will sure be tested for no one knows how long. "We'll go on then, see you on the wedding day." Both elders excused themselves.
Chaewon couldn't meet his eyes. "Chaewon-ah," he started.
She slightly shook her head, "Not now." She swallowed whatever was there to swallow, "Later." She turned her back on him but before she could fully turn around he grabbed her hand. "Please," she begged him to let her go, for now. Just in time Chaewon was called by her friend, "I need to go."
Minho refused to let her go but seeing how she was not backing down, he slowly let her hand go, "Later. Call me when you're ready to talk about it."
With that, Chaewon left him behind.
Soon as she reached her friend, "Are you okay?" Ye Jin asked seeing how she looked so down leaving the situation she was in a while ago.
Chaewon just nodded and lead their way inside a restaurant. "Let's go, eonni."
* * *
Six in the evening at Moon빛 Café. "Are you two really not making up?" Dong Yeon asked getting frustrated over her co-workers who has been acting cold towards each other.
"You ask that to our manager," Seul Gi irritatedly said. She can't even mention the name of the man who made her felt that way.
"Why me?" Won Geun, the manager countered. "You're the one suddenly acting indifferent," he said in his defense.
The owner, Chaewon suddenly showed up without prior notice. Dong Yeon who was standing in the counter immediately noticed the door being opened and when he turned to greet the person who entered he was surprised to see it's the owner. "Owner Moon, good evening," he said making the other two stood up from sitting. "Good evening, owner Moon," both greeted in unison.
"Um, good evening to you guys too." Chaewon decided to spend the night working there as her clothing boutique closes at five in the afternoon. She wanted to keep her mind busy not allowing herself to think of what happened at lunch. "Did something happen?" She asked sensing both Won Geun and Seul Gi's tension towards one another.
"It's nothing important owner Moon," Won Geun smiled dismissing the topic.
Seul Gi's lips twitched a bit showing annoyance at him. "That's right owner Moon," she backed him up nonetheless. It was their personal problem anyway, there's no reason to involve Chaewon in it.
Chaewon turned to Dong Yeon for his opinion, "You know I'd prefer my staffs to be in good terms." She went to the back room to put her things then placed an apron over her and when she came back she continued, "That way you'll feel and look more pleasant serving the customers."
Knowing that it was just a petty argument Dong Yeon decided to share the story. "Seul Gi noona was jealous of a customer who comes often," his words were stopped when Seul Gi reached for his ear and pinched it hard, causing to lower his head to her height. "When did I say I was jealous?" She said with a fake smile, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"A customer who comes often to see Won Geun?" Chaewon smiled nodding her head in understanding.
They were not in a relationship but they somehow learn to like each other as time passed. It was Seul Gi who got attracted to him first and openly expressed her adoration for him. Then slowly, Won Geun melted for her fun attitude and even more slowly, he sees the beauty in her, inside then outside. It was not a secret to anyone close to them and even Chaewon who have only work with them few times can see it. It was also because she always paid attention to her employees to get close to them and have a good rapport with everyone.
"How about you owner Moon?" Won Geun threw the question back at her. Chaewon raised a brow inquisitively. "You look more troubled than we are," he added politely.
She pressed her lips together. "Am I?" She leaned her back on the counter, "You kids should date freely when you can, say your real feelings when you can." She paused before continuing after replaying the situation a while ago in her head, "Because you are lucky enough to be able to do that."
* * *
Minho went to Moon빛 Boutique but didn't arrive on time. When he got there it was already closed so he went straight to Moon빛 Café after. He waited the whole afternoon for Chaewon's call and he swore he could wait longer for her to be ready but the afternoon felt so long. He realized she might not be ready to talk about it or to see him but he wanted to be there for her at this confusing time she was currently facing.
He stopped outside the entrance looking at her chatting with her employees, faking a smile. He decided to wait in the car instead.
Five hours later the Café was preparing to close. Dong Yeon was mopping the floor. Seul Gi was arranging the tables and chairs. Won Geun was doing the inventory and Chae Won was the one putting down the blinds. Minho's car caught Chaewon's attention, since when was he there? She asked herself.
"Who's that?" Seul Gi asked, seeing Chaewon's attention glued to the car outside.
She turned her attention to the girl now standing beside her. "Minho," she pressed a thin smile for her.
"So it was really him," Seul Gi murmured.
Chaewon raised her brow not clearly hearing what she said, "What do you mean?"
Seul Gi explained, "Ah. I saw him standing outside but wasn't sure it was him."
"Since when?"
"Not too long since you arrived."
Chaewon pulled down the last blind, disallowing her to see what was outside. She went straight to the backroom afterwards and when she was back, she already has her bag with her. She excused herself saying she'll leave first.
She gets in the passenger side, he's not even locking his doors, she complained in her mind. Minho woke up from his slumber and it didn't go unnoticed by her but she chose not to say anything.
"Have you eaten?" Minho asked. It was already eleven in the evening and he for sure knew she already ate something but he just wanted to ask. "Um" was the only thing she responded.
Minho drove off to Chaewon's place. It was a long silence before one of them started to talk, and it was him who broke the silence. It has to be him. "I know you're not ready to talk about it," he said not turning his attention away from the road. "And you probably don't want to see me," Chaewon's soft sigh could be heard. Minho took a short glanced at her saying, "but let me just stay with you at this time." It was his turn to sigh as he turned his focus back to the road ahead, "You don't have to talk to me," he paused briefly in between, "nor look at me."
Chaewon could only sigh once more before closing her eyes, trying to drift off to sleep.
When they arrived at her apartment, she went directly in her room and closed the door behind her. She doesn't have the energy to wash up so she sat still on her bed. "I'll be right here when you need me," Minho spoke from the other side of her bedroom door.
Minho waited for a while despite knowing he wouldn't get any response. After a moment of standing at her door, he decided to settle himself in the next room.
* * *
Yoon Hye was seated on the floor by a huge glass window, a cup of tea sitting beside her. She was circling her finger on the tip of her cup from time to time. One hand supporting a book she's reading, and the other lifting from her cup to turn pages. Yoon Hye has been reading for an hour now and she has refilled her tea twice.
Flipping one page after another and it was accompanied by the faint sound of the papers being flipped. She was almost halfway through the book when she felt there was something inserted on the later pages. Is it a bookmark, she thought. Curious as she was she skipped to that page leaving a finger in between to mark where she left.
Her eyes went slightly bigger. "It's eonni," she murmured.
* * *
Two forty in the middle of the dawn, still, Chaewon kept tossing on her bed. Sleep hasn't visited her yet. She swayed her legs down her bed and soon her feet met the cold floor. She wore her furry slippers and head for the door. Taking quite steps then slowly turned the knob on her door and continued to walk towards the guest room.
Minho didn't close the door so it was easy for Chaewon to peek on him from the outside. She stood there for quite some time, biting on her thumb, contemplating whether to give in or not. She sighed knowing she has already made up her mind ever since she stepped out of her room. Then again, taking quite steps, she went near him and lay beside him on the bed.
Minho who was also struggling to fell asleep shifted on his side as he took Chaewon's head to lay it over his strong arm. Without a word they fell asleep few moments later.
The morning came and Minho woke up first. It was the first good sleep he had in a while; he usually wakes up at six however late he slept. His body has been set to wake up at six but now he woke up an hour later.
He opened his eyes and took a glimpse at the woman snuggled beside him, a smile formed on his lips. Carefully he pulled his arm that she used as a pillow while having his other hand guiding her head to lay on the pillow. Quietly he made his way to the kitchen and started making their breakfast.
Shortly after, Chaewon joined him just in time for the breakfast to be beautifully set on the dining table. "Good morning," he said first and so did she to him with a faint voice. "Sit," he pulled a chair for her to take and she accepted the offer casually. He then took the seat opposite hers.
The breakfast was silent, and when they were done they continued to sit still waited for the other to speak first. Minutes have passed and no one spoke. Minho took it as a cue for him to do it first. "I was arranged to get married," he started. He doesn't know where to start but somehow felt like it was necessary to give her the background of the story. He sighed a bit before he could continue, "It hasn't been long and I didn't propose to her, yet somehow it came this far." He took her hand that was resting on the corner most side of the table, caressing it he said, "And I don't plan to go any further than that."
Chaewon barely nodded her head, "Who is she?"
"Kim Yoo Ri"
* * *
The night later at K-Malls, a mall that was owned by Yoo Ri's family. The mall was built luxuriously and its market was intended for rich people. Yoo Ri was talking with her secretary. "Make sure they'll cross paths. That's your job." She ordered and left soon after.
Inside the mall's famous restaurant, Yeon Joo and Chae Won have just arrived. It was the day Yoo Ri asked them to come, she invited them as a gratitude for helping her with the incident at Moon빛 Café a week ago.
Chaewon first planned to have Mina and Yeon Joo come as a formality but after the talk she had with Minho a while ago she decided to come for herself. It was a good timing as Mina told her she couldn't make it since she had plans with her friends for the weekend. It was like she's really meant to come for herself, to meet Kim Yoo Ri once again.
Her eyes roamed over the hall but couldn't find who she was here for, so she decided to go around the area in hopes to meet her. It's not like she expected to see Yoo Ri, she knew the woman would be busy to actually meet them but still she hoped, after all, this is the closest she has to meet her again.
For sure she was not here to cause a scene; she would just want to have a talk with her, now that she also knows who she is. She was also sure Yoo Ri went to her Café knowing who she was.
Chaewon took a turn and saw a sign of the toilet. And all of a sudden she felt stuffed, suffocated; she knew it wasn't because she's anxious to see Yoo Ri. She tried to calm herself by taking a deep long breath and releasing it slowly. She did two rounds but before she could calm herself a man went out from the men's toilet, a man he hasn't seen for three years now, Park Si Hoo.