Michelle tried as much as possible to avoid Hyunmin the following day, she was too nervous to face him. She couldn't get her mind off the kiss he gave her, she was a bit glad about it but she just couldn't shake off the thought that maybe he did it under the influence of alcohol or he was just hallucinating, but again he looked sober at that time, his eyes were clear and his fever had gone, wait!! Why should I even be thinking about this? It's not like I have feelings for him or do I? She thought to herself.
Michelle couldn't wrap her head around the whole thing, she sighed from frustration and rested her head on the desk.
"Hey dimples, you've been quiet lately. What's up"
Jiyoon suddenly walked in only to see Michelle resting her head on the table looking exhausted, she quickly took a seat in front of the desk.
"Mich, what's wrong, you looked restless"
Michelle looked at Jiyoon and sighed again
"Jiyoon, I don't know what to do, should I talk to him or just avoid the topic"
"Hold on!! Who are we talking about again?"
Michelle narrated the whole story from when it started in Busan to what happened in Hyunmin's Mansion.
Jiyoon was dumbfounded, she stared at Michelle for what felt like ages before she suddenly squealed so loudly, Michelle had to cover her ears.
"I can't believe this! The boss kissed you and you two became friends while in Busan"
Jiyoon's wide grin dwindled and turned to a frown when she realized something.
"All this happened and you didn't think to tell me, am I really your friend?"
Jiyoon pouted her lips angrily and glared at Michelle
"I'm so sorry Jiyoona! It all happened very fast and I forgot to tell you, Please forgive me and please lower you voice before someone hears you"
Jiyoon looked away, she didn't budge.
Michelle looked at her wristwatch and saw it was almost closing time.
"I'll buy you a few drinks and snacks on our way home"
Michelle pouted cutely and made puppy dog eyes at Jiyoon. If there was something she couldn't resist, it was Michelle's cuteness.
"Fine!Fine!!, I forgive you so stop making that face already"
Jiyoon said in between her laughs.
Their cheerful conversation was interrupted by the ringing sound of the telephone on the desk, Michelle picked up the phone only to hear Hyunmin's voice.
"Michelle, can you come to my office before you leave? I want to talk to you" His voice sounded somehow softer than usual which made Michelle feel anxious.
Michelle gave Jiyoon an apologetic look
"It's okay go ahead but you better not call me when you get home"
Michelle laughed heartily, this was Jiyoon's ironic way of telling her to call, She always loved her sense of humor. Michelle walked out towards the elevator and Jiyoon followed after.
"Take a Seat Michelle"
Michelle was unsure about what Hyumin was about to say, she could only guess it wouldn't be bad cause he had an unusual soft expression on his face as he gazed at her.
"I apologize for what happened the other day, You shouldn't have seen me in that condition but Thank you very much for staying with me"
Michelle knit her brows, she thought he was apologizing for the kiss.
"It's alright, you were drunk so you didn't mean to do it"
"Do what?"
Michelle's eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief
"You don't remember?"
"I didn't remember most of the things that happened when I woke up the next morning but what were you talking about"
Michelle couldn't help but feel sad that he didn't remember the kiss but she thought it was better for him not to know, He still hadn't gotten over Yeon Ju yet.
"Ooh! it was nothing important"
Hyunmin had a feeling she didn't want to tell him what happened and that bothered him because he wanted know what he did that night.
"Do you want to talk about her?"
Michelle wanted him to talk about Yeon ju, she wasn't sure he was comfortable talking about her with other people but she felt it would help him lift the weight of his chest.
"I mean your Fiancee, Yeon Ju"
Hyunmin stared bleakly at Michelle for a few minutes, there was an awkward silence between them which made Michelle assume he didn't want to talk about her.
"You know what! Just forget about it, I shouldn't have asked"
Michelle got up from her seat and started towards the door
"It was on April 16th 2019"
Michelle turned her body slightly and slowly walked back to her seat,
Hyunmin had a solemn look on his face as he continued.
"We had our engagement party on April 15th, You can't even imagine how happy I was that day. I never thought I could fall in love with Yeon ju because our relationship was arranged by our parents for business purposes and I was completely against the idea until I met her and started getting to know her. She was an exceptional woman; she was tough, though she appeared to be a Soft-hearted person, she was very stubborn and she loved food just like you"
Michelle gave him a small smile
"She made me feel comfortable and filled me with the happiness I couldn't get from my own life or my family, my life became bright and colourful and for once I felt loved, I felt valued but that all ended when death snatched the only source of joy I had in my miserable life"
"She was a very independent woman so she had an apartment of her own and decided not to Iive with her parents, everything was fine until I suddenly got a call one day that her house was on fire. I drove there like a madman and almost got into an accident but It was too late by the time I got there, the fire had escalated"
"I rushed towards the fire in an attempt to save her, the firefighters tried to stop me but they couldn't. The only thing on my mind was to save her, I saw her in the fire; her clothes covered in blood, I tried to enter the room but she begged me not too. She told me she would die happily knowing I loved her to death"
Tears were begin to fall from his eyes as he spoke but he cleaned it with the back of his hand.
"I heard her scream in pain as a burning plank fell on her, I rushed towards but I fainted before I got to her because of the smoke. I still heard some of her screams as the fire burned her before I fell unconscious, I went into a brief coma for a few days and when i woke up I was told about her death. I didn't want to believe it so I went to see it myself, she was burnt beyond recognition; The police suspected arson but the case was closed 1 year later due to lack of evidence. I really wish I didn't listen and I saved her that day, maybe she would have survived"
Michelle placed her hand on his shoulder
" It wasn't your fault, you tried your best but there was nothing you could do, wallowing in self-pity like this will only make her sad. You know what!"
Michelle suddenly stood up from her seat causing Hyunmin to look at her in confusing.
"Let's go grab a bite, you need a distraction"
Hyunmin nodded his head in agreement and they both left the office.
After they had dinner, Hyunmin drove Michelle to her house.
"Thank you Boss"
"Thank you Michelle, It feels good to talk to someone, after such a long time I feel relieved"
"You need to free yourself from guilt, that's the only way to lift the heavy burden of your chest so you can finally find happiness again. It's what Yeon Ju would want for you"
Hyunmin smiled at her, He didn't know the reason why he always felt so comfortable and at peace anytime he was around Michelle.
Michelle looked at him for a moment as if contemplating something before she engulfed him in a hug.
"I know what it's like to lose someone you love; the pain can be unbearable at time but I want you to know you are not alone, you can count on me to always listen to you, to keep you warm when you fell cold, to help you when you feel exhausted and to make you feel comfortable when you're restless"
She slowly and softly rubbed his back with her hands as she talked. Hyunmin froze for a moment but he eventually hugged her back, he didn't want to admit it but he liked the warm feeling her hug gave him.
"Just like this, I will be by your side. It's my promise to be as a friend"
It was at this moment that a waves of memories from the previous night hit Hyunmin like a bomb.
Michelle slowly withdraw from the hug.
"Good Night Hyunmin"
She turned and walked into the building. Hyunmin quickly walked into his car, he creased his brows in confusion. He couldn't believe Michelle stayed with him all night and took care of him when he had a fever, he even remembered kissing her and then it dawned on him that Michelle was talking about the kiss the other time, that's what she didn't want to tell him. Hyunmin mentally slapped himself for doing something so inappropriate but then the feelings he had at that moment also came back to him, He ran his fingertips against his lips as a sensational feeling coursed through him, A small smile crept up his face at the vivid memory of the kiss.
Meanwhile, Mr Changhak had quitely observed the whole scene between Michelle and Hyunmin though he reminded silent in the front seat as if he saw nothing. He watched all of Hyunmin's actions as he kept smiling like he won a lottery, Mr.Changhak smiled knowing he had a lot to tell Ma.Seo at mansion.
Unknown to both Hyunmin and Michelle a black car parked a few blocks across the street was watching them the whole time.
"How dare you Michelle!! Who do you think you are to just walk into our lives"
Hannah was leaving the office early but decided to go see Hyunmin before going, she was about to come in when she heard him talking to Michelle about Yeon Ju. Hannah eavesdropped on the whole conversation. "He was never this open with me" she tightened her fist so much it turned white, they were very close friends since childhood but even as a child he was always very quite and played less, he was so brilliant and talented but also kind. These were one the reasons Hannah loved him even before she was wise enough to understand her feelings, she always felt a burning jealousy anything she saw him with other girls.
Hannah sneakly followed Hyunmin and Michelle till he brought her home, She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Michelle hug Hyunmin and him also hugging her back. He had hugged her too on a few special occasions but the way he hugged Michelle was different, he hugged her tightly and rested his head on her shoulder, he looked very comfortable.
Hannah felt like screaming her lungs out; how could a nobody like Michelle crawl up to him and start playing the comforter, as if that's not what she has been doing all this while still she hasn't been able to win his heart. "When did they even start to get so friendly with each other, he is always so frosty with everyone else so what's special about her" Hannah thought out loud, she suddenly laughed wickedly while gripping the steering wheel. The look on her face was filled with hatred and mischief. "I didn't go through so much trouble just to have some foreign girl snatch Hyunmin from me, he is mine and mine only" she started the car engine and zoomed off.