Ji-Eun stared at his outstretched hand for a few seconds, not saying anything.
"Ji-Eun?" She heard Hyun-Shik ask.
She looked at Hyun-Shik's face and nodded mutely as she accepted his gesture, taking his hand gingerly.
"Great," the elder said happily. "Off you kids go."
The two of them exited the drawing room in silence. While Hyun-Shik felt at ease holding Ji-Eun's hand, she couldn't say she felt the same way. At that moment, she didn't really know which emotion to express, so she settled on just staring at their intertwined hands.
Noticing her silence, Hyun-Shik decided to break the tension between them by talking.
"You're awfully quiet," he voiced out his thoughts. "Are you that uncomfortable with me?"
Stopping in the middle of a rather large hallway, he turned to face her. He noticed her staring at their hands and he suddenly became aware of his thoughtless actions.
"I'm sorry for being too forward back there," Hyun-Shik patted her hand and released it from his grasp.
Ji-Eun relaxed. "I'm not uncomfortable," she said in a small voice. "I was just surprised."
It wasn't as if she didn't have this kind of experience before with other men. She had dated, of course, and skinship was not really a big deal for her. It's just that, with her and Song Hyun-Shik, it came too fast for her liking. Even with all the backstories they heard about each other, they were still basically strangers at this point.
"Is there any room in particular you wish to see?"
It would be too much if I asked to see her room, so... Hyun-Shik stared at her side profile, thinking. "How about you take me to the area where you like to stay the most?"
Ji-Eun raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment. "Ah, that would be my living space."
The 'what' now?
"Follow me then," with her emotions finally in her control again, she gestured for him to follow her. Ji-Eun turned to make her way back towards the direction of the drawing room. "We have to go upstairs."
They passed the drawing room and walked straight through an impressive atrium in the middle of the mansion. The rectangular stretch of living space was softly lighted, the skylight serving its purpose perfectly. There were about four sets of couches placed in specific locations in the atrium. Some were exposed to the skylight, while some were tucked away in the shaded areas. Hanging from the ceiling too, were some plants and some decorative lamps. The area was also tastefully colored in neutral tones and was not overwhelming at all.
Hyun-Shik stopped walking. This place is amazing... Hyun-Shik thought as he gazed up and around. Does she really live here? Just how many people live here exactly?
"I think I may have found my new favorite place..." he whispered.
"Father will be happy to hear that," she craned her neck to look at him while they were walking. "He likes this place the most too."
At the left side of the atrium, Ji-Eun pushed open a door and they were met with a grand staircase. She proceeded to go up and he followed, all the while wondering about the living space she mentioned earlier.
When they came onto a landing on the third floor, Ji-Eun turned around and held her arms out to her sides.
"Feel free to walk around," she said. "This whole area is mine."
"What?" He said questioningly as he looked around.
On one side of the carpeted living space, there was a cozy receiving area with a hanging daybed, which created a kind of hidden nest that he liked. He also noticed that the walls surrounding the area were equipped with floor-to-ceiling bookcases, each one stacked full of books he had no doubt Ji-Eun collected.
"You have to tell me one thing," his jaw dropped open. "How many people live here?"
I mean, this place is ridiculously big... he added as an afterthought.
"We have a lot of helpers, but only three people live here," she laughed. "Father, myself, and Grandpa Chen. I don't stay here often as I'm always working outside..."
She stopped for a moment. "Oh, and Jaehyun sometimes stays here too. So, that makes four people. He has his room and office on the second floor. He shares that floor with Father's secretary, but Secretary Lee doesn't stay here."
"Oh Jaehyun?" Hyun-Shik followed her as she moved towards the bookcases. "Your secretary stays here too?"
"If I ask him to or if we both need to work on something urgent for Father," she answered.
"You two seem close."
"We've been friends for a long time," she said.
Friends, huh? Hyun-Shik stopped just in time to avoid colliding with her as she paused in front of a bookcase.
"And your Mother?"
"She's not here," there was a change in her tone as she answered him, a slight chill. "We haven't really seen her in years since she left."
"Ah..." Hyun-Shik was at a loss for words. Madam Chung... left?
Any mention of her Mother seemed like a topic she wanted to avoid, so he didn't ask further.
"Let's go," she pulled at one bookcase, moving it aside, revealing a well-lit hallway behind it. "This way."
"Ji-Eun? Where are we going?"
"You wanted to see where I like to stay, right?" She finally relaxed and smiled at him. "We're going to my room."
They went through the hallway and came upon a door at the end.
"Here we are," she opened the door and went inside.
Hyun-Shik paused just outside the door and peered inside her room.
"What are you doing there?" Ji-Eun asked him. "Come inside."
He stepped in cautiously, looking around. He was mildly surprised to find that her room, compared to other areas he saw earlier, was decorated simply. With the exception of the ridiculously large bed near a tall window, everything else seemed normal and nothing else besides the bed was over the top.
There was a vanity, but he didn't see anything on top of it. No cosmetics, no skin care, no jewelry. That's weird... Most girls would have at least their skincare splayed out somewhere in their room. This looks... a little too plain, he thought to himself.
On one side of her room, there were two Japanese-type sofas with several books scattered around it.
"This room is..." Hyun-Shik started.
"Hmm?" Ji-Eun had opened her closet and was rummaging through it, looking for something.
"It's nothing like I imagined," he said truthfully.
Ji-Eun laughed, causing Hyun-Shik to look at her. She seemed more relaxed here, he thought as he watched her remove the slim coat she was wearing, revealing the plain white shirt underneath, and exchange it with a simple gray cardigan. She ran a hand through her hair and tied her long hair back into a ponytail.
Oh wow... With her hair tied back, she looked even younger, he thought to himself.
"Do you want anything to drink?"
She moved across the room, towards the direction of the sofa, and opened a fridge hidden behind a wall. She took out a canned coffee and then looked at him questioningly.
"Anything's fine," he answered.
"I don't have a beer in here," she said thoughtfully and then took out a soda can.
She handed him the soda and plopped down on one of the sofas.
"You must have a lot of questions for me," Ji-Eun said. "Come and sit here, so we can talk."
Hyun-Shik walked towards her and sat down on the other sofa.
It's true, he had a lot of questions. But the thing is, he thought as he watched her enjoy her cold coffee, he didn't know where to start.