The Smile You Bring Me

Unexpected

"Ms. Song. Manager Han. I must —really— go now. Excuse me!" Dal-Mi said, slightly bowing her head, and she entered the elevator.

After Dal-Mi left, Min Ah asked Ji Pyeong, "Is she the Dal-Mi I know?"

Ji Pyeong smiled proudly as he answered, "Yes!".

"Oh...I see..." she said, and the smile on her face slowly faded away.

"By the way, what are you doing here?" Ji Pyeong curiously asked.

"I'm here to give this!" And she showed him a small paper bag.

"To whom?"

But when Min-Ah was about to answer, Dong-Chun arrived.

"Min-Ah!" He called.

"Oppa!" Min Ah said, raising her hand.

"Oppa?"Ji Pyeong said with a surprised tone.

Min-Ah instantly held Dong-Chun's arm, "Dong-Chun is my cousin from my mother's side of the family," Min-Ah replied to the curious looked of Ji Pyeong.

Dong-Chun removed her hands from his arm, " No, I am not!" he denied, but Min-Ah stopped him.

"Dong-Chun doesn't want me to call him Oppa. I think he's shy about me or something," she said, teasing Dong-Chun more.

"Why are you here?" Dong-Chun impatiently asked.

"Mom wants me to give you this!" Min-Ah said, handing the paper bag to him.

Dong-Chun suddenly lightens up as he looks inside the bag, "I've been looking for this! Where did you find it?"

"Asks mom! She's the one who found it," Min-Ah said while looking at Dong-Chun's child-like-excited face.

"By the way, do you two know each other?" Dong-Chun curiously asked Ji Pyeong and Min-Ah after he noticed Ji Pyeong hadn't left yet.

Min-Ah looked at Ji Pyeong, "Yes! We went to the same university," she answered. Ji Pyeong was somehow disappointed by how simple — and honest— Min-Ah answered.

"I see!" And Dong-Chun didn't ask more.

Min-Ah looked at her watch, " I think I will have to go now! I still have surgery," she said and bid Ji Pyeong and Dong-Chun goodbye.

"Nice seeing you again, Min-Ah!" Ji Pyeong said

"See you again next time!" Dong Chun said.

And they went in separate directions.

............

Everyone was usually busy, and time passed by quickly. Ji Pyeong didn't even notice that it was— already— time to go home.

"Mr. Han, Aren't you going home yet? Do you still need me?" Dong-Chun asked.

Ji Pyeong looked at the time, and only then he noticed it was past the working hours already, "Do you know if Dal Mi is still at her office?" he asked Dong-Chun.

"No sir, I don't know! But I can check." Dong Chun said.

"No! No! It's okay! I'll check it myself," Ji Pyeong said.

"If that's the case, can I leave now?" Dong Chun asked.

" Sure!" Ji Pyeong said, and he got ready to leave too.

Ji Pyeong was on his way to Cheong Myeong Company's office when he saw Dal Mi heading in his direction too.

"Dal Mi!"

"Ji Pyeong!"

They took the elevator together, but Ji Pyeong felt the awkwardness of Dal-Mi. When they were in the parking lot, Dal Mi suddenly stopped walking. Ji Pyeong looked at her— with a puzzled expression, "why?" he asked.

"Ahm...Can we forget our conversation earlier? I don't want us to be uncomfortable with each other!" Dal Mi said.

"What conversation?" Ji Pyeong said. It made Dal-Mi smile.

They continued walking until they reached Dal Mi's car. Then Ji Pyeong's phone suddenly rang.

Ring...ring..ring

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Dal Mi asked.

Ji Pyeong brought out his phone, and he saw an unknown number. He swiped to cancel.

"It's okay! I don't know the caller anyway," he said.

Then, after he canceled the call, it rang again.

"Answer that! It might be important," Dal Mi commanded.

He obeyed her and answered the call, "Hello?" he said. Ji Pyeong looked at Dal Mi, who also seemed curious about the caller.

"Ji Pyeong?" the woman's voice said in the other line.

"Yes!?! who is this?"

"It's me! Min Ah! Song. Min. Ah."

Ji Pyeong's expression changed, and Dal Mi could see that he was glad to hear the voice of whoever called.

"Min Ah, why did you call?" he asked.

Upon hearing her name, Dal-Mi's mood changed; she didn't want to hear more. And suddenly, she was in a hurry to search for her car keys in her purse.

"Are you free tonight?" Min Ah asked.