3 Years and Forever [EN- Jay X OC] [EDITING]

Chapter 21: Loud Conversation

Jongseong turned to her slowly. Her question made him stare at her. He cleared his throat, feeling awkward once again. "Um, yea. She has something to discuss with me. We have a couple business negotiations with them and I'd like to go through with it. It's urgent so she asks to meet with her for a bit" he replied nervously.

Haneul didn't reply but instead stared outside of her window. Jongseong sighed. "Look, just tell me what you have against her?"

She turned to him in disbelief. She opened her mouth to protest but decided not to. "You know what, let's talk about this later"

"No. I want to hear it now" he insisted.

"Given your history, I know you would never understand if I tell you" she muttered. Jongseong clenched his jaw. "Then why even do this if you won't tell me!?"

"Cause if I told you, what? Would you try to stop seeing her even if you're a business partner?!" "Haneul, you know I can't do that. You know that well!"

Haneul snorted, leaning in her seat, arms crossed to her chest.

"I don't know where all of this is coming from" he said. "Why are you so against me meeting Lily? I never forbid you to meet Sunoo for business reasons"

She turned to him. "And why is he dragged into this?"

"You're not being fair with me! That's why! You think I don't know you have been texting Sunoo?! I told you not to get close to him!"

Haneul clenched her jaw. "You have no right to forbid me from getting close to him. Both of us are in the same boat because of someone like you! Do you know how he felt?"

He glared at her. "You had been thinking about how Sunoo felt! But did you ever stop to think about how I feel? Knowing you're close with someone I don't like?!"

She sighed, looking outside again. Their conversation ended there.

"Is it still far?" he asked.

"Nope" she pointed to the junction ahead. "Take the right exit"

After a few minutes, they arrived at a complex by the beach. Jongseong got out of the car, stretching his exhausted body after an hour of driving. Sea breeze brushed against their cheeks, both smiled. They held their belongings in hand and approached the cafe there.

A little boy ran towards the door and flung it open. "Auntie Haneul!"

"Huijin-ah!" Haneul spreaded out her arm and the little boy ran into her hug.

"Auntie Elly and Uncle Keonhee are already here" "Ouh that's great. Let's go join them"

The little boy, Huijin, noticed Jongseong's presence. They exchanged smiles.

"Who is this, auntie?" He asked. "This..." Haneul eyes trailed to Jongseong. "Is my husband, Uncle Jongseong"

"Hello, my name is Nam Huijin" he bowed to the older man. "Hello, my name is Park Jongseong" Jongseong replied in the same tone he did, making him all smile.

"I'll tell mom you arrived" Huijin ran to the back of the cafe.

"I thought we're helping at a shelter" Jongseong asked Haneul. Haneul didn't want to talk to him but still answered. "This is a shelter. And also a cafe. It's a cat cafe where the customer can play with rescued cats and even adopt them" she replied.

The cafe was quiet and cozy with a warm atmosphere. The walls were filled with posters, cat pictures and paintings. There were only a few staff working behind the counter. They greeted the cafe staff before moving to the back of the cafe where the cats stayed. They were greeted with cats meowing as they went through the door.

"Look who's here" Chaeryong came out from the food preparation room pushing a trolley of cat bowls already filled.

"Hey~" Haneul threw her arms around the latter, crushing her into a suffocating hug. "Chill, babe you're going to kill me!" Chaeryong struggled.

Haneul let go of her. Chaeryong saw Jongseog, and they exchanged smiles.

"You must be Mr. Park" Chaeryong bowed at him. "I'm Chaeryong"

"Nice to meet you. But please, call me Jongseong" he introduced. She nodded, understood.

"Elly and Keonhee at the back. For this morning, you two can help clean the litter boxes in the adoptable enclosure. You okay with it, Jongseong-ssi?" Chaeryong asked.

"Of course"

"Haneul, you can show him right?" Chaeryong glanced at Haneul. Haneul nodded.

Chaeryong pushed the trolley. "I'll be in the residence enclosure if you need me"

"Alright" Haneul replied.

Another woman approached them with a huge warm smile.

"Mrs. Nam" Haneul bowed. Jongseong followed suit.

"You've arrived" Mrs. Nam greeted. "Huijin is so excited to see you around"

She saw Jongseong and he gave her a smile. "And this must be Mr. Park"

"Please, call me Jongseong" Jongseong introduced himself.

"I'm surprised when you told me your husband is joining today" Mrs. Nam said to Haneul. "It's a great pleasure to have you here today" she looked at him and he bowed. "Thank you very much for having me"

Mrs. Nam replied with a smile. "You can put your things in the locker room. Haneul, you can guide him right? Chaeryong told you about your task?"

"Yes she did. We're on cleaning duty at adoptable enclosures" Haneul answered.

"Alright. I'll be in the recovery room. I'll see you around" Mrs. Nam was about to walk away but paused. "I forgot to thank you" she took her hands in her. "We receive a lot of customers lately because of you. And more cats are adopted too. Thank you, Haneul"

Haneul was confused. "What do you mean?"

"You know about the social media thing.. Your instagram account. After that news, we have many people coming by, telling us they discover this shelter because of you"

Haneul was surprised. Jongseong glanced at her with a smirk.

"Thank you, Haneul. We'll celebrate over dinner. How's that sound?" Mrs. Nam asked. She nodded. "That's lovely. See you around then"

Mrs. Nam left them. Jongseong stood beside Haneul, leaning his body to her to whisper. "See I told you something good will happen"

Haneul rolled her eyes at him. "Alright I see your point, Jongseong"

Jongseong followed her to the locker room to put their things and grabbed the face masks, aprons and gloves.

"Cleaning litter boxes. Is it hard?" he asked her behind him. "No. But you really need your face masks. Although cats are cute, it's not good inhaling their waste smell often" she explained.

Haneul closed the locker and faced him. "Ready?"

The two went to the adoptable enclosures.

"Hello there~" Haneul greeted the cats as soon as she stepped in.

"They're so cute!" Jongseong too was mesmerized with the amount of cats in that place. "Can we play with them?"

"They have catio at the back, we can go there later" she told him as she picked up the garbage bag. "Let's get things done fast then I'll show you around"

Haneul watched Jongseong getting excited over the cats as they visited the other section of the shelter. She smiled to herself without her noticing.