|After all|☆KSJ☆

☆2☆

"Jiu!" I ran as fast as I could. I can't let this oppotunity pass by me. It could be my only chance.

"Stupid Seokjin." She mumbled her words but I can still hear them. I hate my childish self for doing that prank on her.

"Jiu! Please!" I followed her in the middle of the field. There were a few students that were still on the school grounds after the school's festival.

She refused to hear my plead so I picked up my pace until I overtook her, making her stop.

She did not even look at me before leaning to another direction.

"Jiu..." I reached out to her arm right before she escapes again.

"Stop it. I don't want to hear anything from you." she tried to free her arm but I did not let her... not until I say it.

"I like you. No, nevermind that. I love you. I love you Hong Jiu!" I shouted the last part. I don't even care if teachers heard it.

"You think I'll be swayed with that? You made me think you're dating another girl and now you're telling me you love me?!"

Huh?

"What do you mean? What girl? I thought you're angry because of the fliers of us going around?"

She finally looked at me with a puzzled look.

"I heard you say that you can't wait to cook for your girl when you get back... home?"

I laughed heartily after hearing that, "Are you saying... you're jealous of my sister?"

"Ya!" The feisty girl stomped on my feet before she begins to run away again with her flushed cheeks.

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The fond memories I have with Jiu came flashing back.

What is she doing here in my restaurant?

"Eonni!" Eunji approached Jiu with excitement. Her voice made me convinced that this is reality.

"Boss, this is my neighbor, Hong Jiu."

"Eunji, I think I'll just... look for another-" Jiu speaks softly, looking embarassed.

"No!" My voice stopped her from finishing her sentence, "I-I mean, let me interview you."

"Oh! Daeseong, you came here with your mom?" Eunji bent down and is seemingly talking to someone behind Jiu.

A kid?!

A little boy came forward to Eunji nodding.

"Ah, this is my son, Daeseong." Jiu guided the boy in front of her, "Say hello Daeseong."

"Hello." The kid look shy, refusing to look at my handsome face.

He really looks like her. I wonder who his father is...

"Eonni, don't worry about Daesong, I'll play with him while Boss interviews you." Eunji smiled to the older female before turning to the boy, "Come Daeseong, let's look at the kitchen." The boy willingly came with Eunji inside.

"How old is he?" I asked Jiu once we're left alone.

"He just turned seven." Her eyes were avoiding mine.

"Is he... mine?" I asked without hesitation. I needed to know.

"No Seokjin. You know that's impossible. We moved in Gwangju right after graduation." There was hostility in her voice.

Right.

"Alright. I just... I wanted to clear that up." I held my nape to hide my embarrassment.

I cleared out my throat before starting, "Okay, have you ever worked as a waitress before or some similar jobs before?"

"Yes. I have worked menial jobs for the past 5 years." I can almost hear her sigh after her answer. She handed out her resumé.

I scanned through it and as if on purpose, my eyes landed on her civil status - she's not married. Further reading her document, it seems that she had a rough life after highschool graduation... she worked in different kinds of low-paying jobs in Gwangju.

"If you work here, who will take care of your kid?" I asked her with a straightforward question. I don't want her to feel that I'm setting aside her circumstances just because I know her.

"Daesong will be entering a school around the neighborhood this spring. I asked Eunji's mom to take care of my son once he goes home." Her words felt distant, making the atmosphere a little more awkward.

"Are you staying at your old home?"

"Yes."

"I see. Alright, come here before eight in the morning tomorrow. Eunji will train you for a week before she takes her leave." I leaned backwards and crossed my legs, "Now, aren't you going to ask me about anything?"

Jiu looked surprised as I have thought, "I... I don't think its proper."

"Why? Because I'm your ex?" Jiu nodded as an answer.

"Jiu, rest assured it won't be a problem as long as we remain civil with each other. What we were, that was from a long time ago but we can't avoid the fact that we knew each other."

"Aren't you mad at me though?" She finally asked me something.

"Mad? Why would I be?"

"Because... I just broke up with you without any reason." Her eyes continue to look elsewhere.

"Jiu. Look at me." Oh, this reminds me of something.

Jiu did as what she was told and set her eyes on mine as she did before.

"I'm okay. Maybe what you did back then was for the best of both of us so please, don't feel bad about it." I hope this convinces her. To be honest, I'm not really mad at her even though we did end up in a sour note.

I saw a sudden change in her expression. Her eyes that was shielded a moment ago was stripped of its barriers. Tears flowed down her cheeks freely as if it was the first time that it has done so.

"Thank you Seokjin. Thank you... You don't know how much this means to me." I can feel from the way that she cried that a heavy burden that she's been carrying for a long time has been taken away.

I reach out my hand to her to give her some sort of comfort but held back.

"Hey mister! Why are you making my mom cry?" The little boy's voice echoed alongside his mother's sobbing in the restaurant.

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