Chapter 42 - - Un-Engagement Impossible, Part 2 (1/2)

I must have fallen asleep waiting for Lee JiHan. Sitting on the living room sofa with my eyes open, I looked around. The sky outside the window was still dark just like when he had left.

Glad that I hadn't been asleep long, I pulled out my cellphone. Unlike my assumption, it was already past 3 a.m.

Why hasn't he called yet?

I sat up straight in surprise. My body was so sore from working out in the morning that I moaned. Even though I wanted nothing more than to lay back down, I forced myself up and headed to Lee JiHan's room to check if might have come back. At the same time, I called him.

I took a deep breath and entered his room. As expected, he wasn't there.

He wouldn't still be with JiKyung, would he? Did something go wrong? As anxiety started to hit me, I heard Lee JiHan's voice through the phone.

"Why aren't you sleeping yet?" he asked.

"Uh, where are you? Why aren't you coming home? Did something go wrong?" I asked.

"I'm still talking with my brother," Lee JiHan replied in an incredibly tender voice. It was as if he was a completely different person from the one who had fought with his brother earlier.

"Still?"

"We're having a good talk, so there's nothing to worry about," he said. "Na AhJung, you can go back to sleep comfortably."

"You're sure you're having a good talk? Not overreacting… You're trying to gain approval from JiKyung, right? You're not having a fist fight, right?"

I heard him laugh through the phone. Immediately after, he said, "You'll see in a couple hours."

"What?"

"Don't worry and go to sleep. I'll come pick you up when the time comes. I'll take you to where my brother is so you two can talk things through." Lee JiHan spoke in a calm and a trustworthy tone. "I told you to look for me when you're nervous and you actually did."

"Oh."

"If I was in front of you, your body would have found me," Lee JiHan added regretfully. "Hold that nervous thought, and you can resume when I wake you up later."

He had spoken in such a serene voice, I couldn't help but believe there were no obstacles in our way. Thanks to Lee JiHan, I was able to significantly calm down. But, it didn't decrease how much I missed him.

After ending the call I slid into Lee JiHan's bed. I laid my head on his pillow and inhaled his scent. With my face buried in his pillow, I closed my eyes pretending it was him. Hugging the pillow, I fell asleep.

***

After several hours, and the sun was up, Lee JiHan came to pick me up as promised. He drove us to Incheon airport.

Curious about what they talked about, I asked him for details. Lee JiHan only told me that it went well and to hear the rest of it directly from my brother.

He said it went fine, and his expression was bright. A small ray of hope formed inside me, making me believe that everything would really will be fine. Remembering JiKyung's attitude from the previous night, it was hard to believe he had changed his mind overnight.

When we arrived to Incheon airport, Lee JiHan led me to Starbucks. Hearing that this was where I was supposed to meet JiKyung, I stepped inside nervously but found that he was not seated anywhere. He hadn't arrived yet.

"This is the place where we first met," Lee JiHan said as he looked around the interior of the Starbucks. "Do you remember?"

"Of course I remember."

It had been the day I came to see JiKyung off to his business trip. Lee JiHan had seen me and dragged me away like a prisoner. Thinking about the past he still gave me the chills.

"Ugh…" I got goosebumps while reminiscing about that time and rubbed my arms together.

"Are you pretending to remember when you actually don't?" he asked.

"Uh, no way. That was the scariest day of my life," I replied.

"Then, guess in which seat we sat." Lee JiHan was testing me.

I immediately pointed to the table we had sat in that day.

Lee JiHan smiled crookedly and patted my head. "Correct. We'll sit there for old time's sake."

"Should we?" I headed towards the table I pointed at.

As I did back then, I sat in the same chair and faced Lee JiHan. He continued to smile beautifully watching me. It was the same place and person, so how could he be so different?

"My brother must be running late. Let's order," he said.

"I'll buy for old time's sake!" I stood up feeling I should show some sort of gesture to show my gratitude for this miracle.

As I started to walk toward the cashier, Lee JiHan grabbed my wrist. "You're going without even asking me what I want to drink?"

"It's the sweetest thing here. The one you like the most," I answered, remembering the drink that Lee JiHan had ordered before.

"No. This time it doesn't have to be that sweet," he said.

"Oh, really? Why? I thought you liked sweets."

"I like sweets when I'm angry," Lee JiHan said. "I don't feel the need for sweets this day."