Katie told Sophie she would not insist on her because she had a career too. However, she wanted to confirm what she saw was true about them. She asked Sophie first if she would like to be Junwei's future.
"The first day Father and I saw you with Junwei, making him mad, we were happy. We never saw that side of him in these ten years," Katie said in a low voice.
"Will Junwei ever let me come close to him?" Sophie asked Katie. "I tried once, but he rejected me. I should not think if he would like me back," Sophie did not want to lie to Katie. She understood a mother's pain of seeing her child acting like a robot all the time.
"So, you do like him," Katie asked Sophie.
"I do," Sophie admitted. However, she did not tell Katie it was a crush from several years ago, which somehow turned to love for no reason. Sophie was surprised when after so many years, she encountered Junwei and her heart beat the same way when she first met him.
"Then, you must keep trying, Sophie. Do not give up so easily," Katie suggested to her.
"I will think about it, Aunt Katie," Sophie asked for some time from her. Katie promptly agreed to her request. "I will set the dinner on the table. You should stay here," Katie said when her phone started ringing.
Katie checked her phone and found it was her father. She quickly answered it.
"Katie, my two close friends insisted I should stay with them tonight in their house. I will come tomorrow morning," Grandpa Yu informed Katie.
"Sure, Father. What about your medicines?" Katie asked.
"I already have taken them with me since I knew I might have to stay a night with them," Grandpa Yu asserted.
"Okay. Have your meals, Father. I will ask the driver to fetch you in the morning," Katie stated and hung up the call. She looked at Sophie and told her Grandpa Yu would not come for the night.
"I will help Aunt Katie in setting the dinner table," Sophie said and stood up from the couch. She hooked her arm around Katie's and headed with her to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Katie asked Sophie about her parents.
"Umm… My mother passed away when I was two while my father passed away a few years ago," Sophie replied.
"I am so sorry," Katie felt embarrassed to ask about it.
Sophie passed a tiny smile to Katie and told her she would call Junwei. Katie agreed to her and watched Sophie leave.
Before Sophie could knock, Junwei opened the door and stepped out. Sophie got self-conscious as she continued, "The dinner is ready. Grandpa Yu won't be home tonight as his old friend has stopped him in his house."
Junwei hummed in response and waited for Sophie to get away. He gazed into her eyes, recalling what happened in the morning. Those eyes again brought several questions to his mind.
On the other hand, Sophie felt sad peering into his eyes. How much pain did he have hidden in them? She pondered.
They both came out of their respective thoughts when Katie called out their names. Sophie blinked her eyes and took a step back to walk ahead of Junwei. He silently went behind her, wondering why he felt different from the moment he gazed into her eyes so closely.
They settled around the dining table. Sophie smiled to see the food on the table and thanked Katie for cooking such a delicious meal. "Just by inhaling the aroma of the food, I can tell how delicious it is!" She remarked.
Junwei chuckled as he picked up the chopsticks.
"Don't try to impress my Mom by using such sweet and fake words," Junwei stated.
"I didn't use any fake words," Sophie said.
"It does appear fake," Junwei affirmed.
Katie scolded Junwei for talking rudely with Sophie and asked him not to trouble Sophie. "You should start eating, Sophie," Katie said with a warm smile.
Sophie glared at Junwei, who already had begun eating. She also started eating and savoring the food. After they finished their meals, Sophie offered Katie her help in washing the dishes before leaving.
"The house helper will do it in the morning," Junwei answered on behalf of her mother. "You should come with me because it's late at night. You need to at a time tomorrow," he proclaimed and walked out of the dining room.
Sophie followed Junwei to the living room. He threw the handbag toward her which she caught securely. "Follow me," he said and walked past her.
"Junwei, treat her gently," Katie said upon seeing how he was behaving with Sophie. However, by then, Junwei had walked out of the door.
"Tell me if he troubles you," Katie said.
Sophie hummed as she wore the mask. "Good night, Aunt Katie. I truly enjoyed the dinner," she said and took her leave.
Exiting the door, she found Junwei outside, who began walking while she followed him. They entered the elevator, where Sophie questioned him why he attempted to bully her.
"When did I bully you?" Junwei asked.
"You do it every time," Sophie remarked.
"You irritate me all the time," Junwei answered and the two looked at each other. She averted her gaze when her phone rang. She checked it and found an unknown number was flashing on the screen.
Sophie decided not to attend it, but from the same number, the call came. Answering it, she brought it near her ear. The conversation changed into a delighted one but remained short, which left Junwei curious. As they reached the parking lot, he asked Sophie about the call.
"It was from Eun Jae, an actor from South Korea. Two years back, we acted in a short drama together. After that, our contact suddenly broke," Sophie explained to him while continuing to smile.
They got into the car when Junwei asked her not to remove the mask.
"Eun Jae is in Beijing. So, I may not come tomorrow," Sophie asserted.
"You cannot escape work," Junwei pronounced as he drove the car.
"There is nothing to do there. Also, I am not your employee," Sophie protested.
"Tomorrow is the shoot. If you won't come, then get scolded by everyone. Do your personal chores later," Junwei stated as a small grin graced his lips.