Coughing profusely, Se-Young wrapped her arms around Dong-Hoon’s neck and tried to stand up and he gladly supported her by placing his hand on her waist and guided her towards his car. “I don’t think you will be able to ride your scooty in this condition.” he said and Se-Young did not say anything in return, she was still fazed.
He took that as a yes and helped her to get into the car and fastened her seatbelt, all through this she was clenching onto the lapels of his coat, not wanting to let go but as he pulled himself away from her, she grabbed the lapels more tightly and brought them closer to which Dong-Hoon’s face got closer to her as well.
“Don’t leave me here.” she was trembling and her eyes are still glistening with tears and looking at her red face, Dong-Hoon just wanted to hug her tightly.
...
Ji-Hoon kept grabbing his phone and then placing it on his office table again. He kept repeating the process unsure of whether to ask Yoo-Na to be his date or not.
Taking a long breath, he again grabbed the phone and was about to touch her contact but again placed the cell phone on the table. “I think contacting her assistant would be better.” he thought to arrange an appointment via his assistant.
“But is not it rude?” he sighed not knowing what to do and it was not some kind of business meeting between them that he needed to use his assistant.
“You can do this.” he again picked his cell phone and finally dialed her number. The bell was ringing and his instincts were telling him to cut the call but before he could listen to his instincts Yoo-Na picked up the call.
“Hello, Ji-Hoon.” he heard her coy voice.
Clearing his throat, he said, “Hello, I contacted you... because...”
“Because?” she asked, her voice was really coming out amorous.
“Actually, there is this business event held by Hwangs and it is basically a...”
“Are you asking me on a date?” he could hear the surprise in her voice.
“Yes, NO... no I mean not on a date but as a date… I mean, you know...” Yoo-Na was surprised by his hesitation.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, your mouth runs like a fast and furious car during meetings but look at you now. Don't worry, I will not think of it as something else.” she huffed and Ji-Hoon felt really grateful that she was being thoughtful for once. “But don’t expect me to act like a friend. I am going to take full advantage of the situation.” she slightly laughed.
Ji-Hoon like a flustered boy did not say anything. “Hello...” she cooed not getting any reply from him.
He exhaled a deep breath and said, “I will pick you up at eight.”
“Aa-ha-ha-ha, don’t need to pick me up. I will go to your house.” she suggested.
“No, you are going to probably say something in front of my family. I will pick you up at eight sharp.” he refused.
she sighed. “Ok mister. I will wait for you.”
After the call Ji-Hoon was thinking about Hani and Tae-Hoon since the day he patched-up with Tae-Hoon, he had been trying to read the relationship between those two more but it seemed to be going nowhere.
And now he was thinking whether it was because of him that both of them could not step ahead in this relationship.
He really wanted to do something that would make others realize that the past had gone past them and both of them are supposed to work on their future.
...
“Don’t leave me.” Dong-Hoon sighed looking at her and got into the car from that side itself while she was still holding onto him.
With quite a bit of difficulty, he finally settled himself onto the seat but he could not fasten a seatbelt around him because of Se-Young holding onto him.
He wrapped his right hand around her. “Are you feeling fine now or should we go to the hospital?” he asked her.
She was still crying silently and did not answer him, he could not understand why she was behaving like that because last time in the hospital she was even laughing after that incident but right now it felt as if she was greatly hurt and his mind traveled to that man. “Se-Young, who... who was that man?” he asked hesitantly not wanting to make her sadder than she already was.
Hearing this she snuggled into him more placing her head onto his chest and even in this grin condition, Dong-Hoon’s heart fluttered at her actions. “Promise, you will not tell aunty.” she asked him.
He swallowed while thinking what to say and since he wanted to know, he agreed. “Ok, I promise. I will not talk about this to my mother.”
“He is my f... father.” her voice came out in a waver and his eyes widened hearing that. He just disrespected his future father-in-law and kicked him out of the Hotel but none of them was important if Se-Young was this afraid of him.
“I don’t know what he wants from me but... but I don’t want to see his face anymore.” she started to cry again. “It is okay, he will not be able to approach you anymore. Don’t worry and stop crying.” he wiped her tears with his thumbs and caressed her hair to calm her nerves down.
~Flashback~ (the Year 2000) (Se-Young 8-years-old)
Little Se-Young was playing with her toys and her father was anxiously walking to and fro. When he received a message from his wife, he halted in his steps.
‘We have a business dinner, I will not be coming back till midnight. Take care of Se-Young and make sure she takes her medicine. We will talk about that thing you mentioned later.’ he read that message somewhat aloud.
He exhaled a deep breath running his hand through his hair in frustration.
“This mad woman, I told her that I need to talk to her. Well, I don’t care anymore.” he pulled out some papers from the drawer of the side table and picked a blank paper as well.
He sat down right there on the floor and started to write.