Soo-ah is ready for her much-awaited intrigue.
"You missed him…" she is not asking; she is stating the obvious. "I will never understand how 2 capable adults torture themselves with a bullshit principle masquerading it to be a logical decision"
"Hmmm, you became bolder sweety. I like that, now you're talking like a real adult. I guess you're not scared anymore since you're done with me..." I teased. But seriously she's right. I'm here at this place closer to him. His territory, but why am I still torturing myself? I could just call him right away. But how am I going to talk to him? I left him without a goodbye.
"I think he is still single, there's no news of any wedding bells yet. Although last year he made the headline about his supposed wedding. You know how famous he is. Do you want to read? It's about his family setting him up for marriage to a certain congressman's daughter. She was pretty young though. We're probably the same age," this girl knows how to strike my nerves. Soo-ah is 10 years younger than me, but looking at her now, I can no longer see the semblance of the timid girl from 3 years ago.
"Are you being mean right now? How can I miss someone, I didn't even have?"
"You missed him. You can't hide that smile Miss Ara. Why don't you just call him and tell him you're here?" she said with some sort of hope I will do what she says.
"I can't. I don't want to cause another stunt" I am agitated just thinking about it and I felt sad thinking about how he could move on.
"Stunt? So, you knew?" she asked puzzled. Which makes me more confused.
"I knew. Didn't we all know about that day?"
"Uhmmmm… are we talking about the same situation now, Miss Ara? Have I not told you anything about it for the last 3 years?" I looked worried now. Is there any other situation other than that one I am thinking?
"Is it the same situation about that picture in front of the elevator, that conversation we had before you left us?" I'm full of doubts now, and by the look on Seok-ha's face, she has something else.
"Not really, there was another news after that. About what happened after me and Joon-o left," she felt a little worried now, and probably ashamed that she never filled me up about this sort of information.
I let my thought take me back to that night. He was waiting for me to open that door, hoping to hear me to say back the same words he just confessed. And I did, I was hesitant at first, but seeing that he was still standing there, I have to let the words out. "I am attracted to you. And I know I might regret the thought of never seeing you again because I can stop my heart from fluttering every time, I see you. I don't understand how I feel this way, but I just did. I have never felt this comfortable to anyone else. I am excited and giddy every time I think of you. I don't understand these feelings rushing over me, and I am scared that if I tolerate it, I might lose control. But I know I don't want you to go right now, without doing this…" That's how it started, me kissing him. And we spend the night together but ended up leaving him the next day with just a note because I was scared to confront him, I was scared to face whatever the result is with my action. I never imagined, something else will come out of it.
"Apparently, someone from the hotel leaked information about you and him spending time inside one hotel suite alone together, and images of both of you in a really passionate kiss outside the door of your suite" although, she felt a little sorry, I can see in her eyes a hint of taunting.
Then she come to my computer and search for all the juicy-tabloid entertainment news from 3 years ago. There are indeed pictures of us kissing and this time, it's a real passionate kiss. And I am the one who initiated that kiss again. Soo-ah translated all the headlines: who is the mystery woman? A night of kisses, an affair to remember, etc. Jae-woo never answered any speculation, but eventually the rumors died down when Nan-do and Seo-hyun finally tied the knot with him giving his ex-wife away at their wedding day. That was seen a noble act especially when he became a godfather also to their daughter. And he was being paired to a lot of actress and models ever since, people speculated on how he became a playboy after his divorce, the most dashing and eligible divorce'.
I can't look past through his pictures though, I half listened to Soo-ah's translations but lingered at his images, he looked as handsome as always, there's a little longing I felt. No wonder everyone wants to date him, I know I would. She read until recent news, from his supposed engagement to the Congressman's daughter to the mystery woman who probably has his heart. Then a video interview pop-up. Soo-ah has a mission of her own, I guess. I have restricted myself for the past three years to be looking for him. I was too busy with other things.
"This is his recent interview, if you want to see this, there is subtitle, so you probably don't need me for it. Only if you're up for it…"
"How's your housing arrangement?" I want to change the topic.
"Nope, I will not come here and stay with you..." she teased. But she knew I'm not going to let her stay. She knew how I can be when I'm in full business mode. And this place is not as big as the one in Copenhagen, not to be bumping into each other or even hear my screams when I've become frustrated.
"I wanted to see where you live one of these days, but isn't your college closer to where I live?" I knew she was living in a rooftop apartment, and I was a sucker of Korean dramas. When she got me the loft, I was envisioning something with a rooftop, the terrace is not bad, but the vibe is not the same as those I watched from the dramas.
"I am barely home when there's too much to do at the university hospital, so I will let you know if we'll have a chance to have your long-awaited drinking by the rooftop obsession. I arranged the side dishes in the fridge. My mom wants me to tell you that you are always welcome in Incheon. Your cleaning lady will come every Monday, she's Filipina, all the important numbers to call is at the drawer by the kitchen. I have booked your kickboxing classes, I left some pamphlet for you for yoga or Pilates, they are the centers close to here so you can either walk or just bicycle," as usual, she's proving to be a gem. Aside from her internship at SNU, she still manages to be my assistant. I'm not sure if she's doing it because she feels indebted or that she really enjoys taking care of me, like I did with her in Copenhagen. I hope it's the latter.
"Wow, I know you're busy with your internship and all, but don't you think you're overdoing it? Hmmm, is there something you're not telling me?" I teases her, she's 26, I know we are already close to each other, but I still feel somehow a stranger about some aspects of her life.