Ocean Wide

3. Homecoming

Son Ye Jin

𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒕 𝑰𝑪𝑵. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆. 𝑯𝒆'𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕.
𝒀𝑱

I put my phone back in my tote bag and sit back. I am really not expecting this ride. I was about to call my manager when she messaged me that my 'secret admirer' already sent a ride for me.

Secret admirer is of course my secret code for Bin on my phone. It's how he always addresses himself since the beginning anyway. Although it started with a blind date, everything that has happened after that, it didn't feel like we were going in blind.

That's the strange thing with us. Even though we've only been to two dates - yes, I counted the one where he showed up at my place our second date - so far, it feels like we've known each other a lot longer than that.

There is no awkward moment, only sweet tension that keeps on building. The way he ensures that I know I'm constantly in his mind is extraordinarily sweet. We kept our communication intact even when I was abroad. I could expect a good morning call before my first appointment, a couple of texts along the day, and another call to end my hectic schedule.

It's only a little more than a month since we met, and yet, I already crave his attention. No one ever court me as gently as Bin does.

That's what makes him so special. Aside from his status as A-list actor.

Because of who we are, we need to be careful with our relationship. We are not just everyone. Once the media catches up with what's going on, it's gonna be a circus. And I don't want that.

This thing between us is so new and so exciting that I want to protect it by keeping it a little while longer inside a bubble.

Ah, bubbles. That reminds me when Bin showed up at my door almost a month ago, bearing foods, champagne and flowers. Him showing up at my place felt premature at the time but now I'm glad things happened the way it did.

"Bin-ssi?"

"Ye Jin-ssi. Surprise!" Bin held out the flower bouquet to me. I looked at him with amusement. And confusion.

"What a nice... surprise?" I tried giving out a smile but I was sure it came out more like a grimace. And he took notice.

"I'm sorry if I didn't tell you I'd be coming over." He stated softly.

"I... yeah, isn't it too soon?" Now, he winced at my question and looked mortified.

It was just... my apartment was my sanctuary, one of the place that was off-limits for people outside my inner circle. Yes, our first date was incredible and I couldn't wait to meet him again, but... here? I probably should have known with the way he said 'see you' in his last text.

Wasn't it too premature, though?

"Oh, God. I'm sorry if this offends you. I have no intention to make you uncomfortable," he launched into a speech, "I was only thinking about how I can see you today, and with such limited time..."

He was so cute rambling like that. Not at all looked like the suave gentlemen with a smooth liner I met last week. Or the one who keep sending me food and flower every day.

"What's in that brown bag?" I cut him in the middle of his rambling pointing into the brown bag he brought. He stopped abruptly and looked at the bag in question.