Spring Moon

17

I really thought that I knew Joochan well. Maybe better than I knew Kevin since I had a relationship with the latter before. But, surprisingly, I had to admit that there were some parts of him that I never knew of. It was like I just unveiled it today, after the breakup.

He never stopped chasing after me. Not to get me back or to resume our relationship - I wouldn't want to either. The perseverance was to make me talk. He really meant it when he said he wanted to reconcile, he wanted to mend things. But, the only problem that existed here was, that I had closed the door to that reason a long time ago when he broke the promise we made.

However, Hong Joochan never backed off. He kept trying to knock on my door, asking for permission to come in and talk. His action made me wonder; was it difficult to understand that I refused? Why must he keep doing something I despised?

Above all, I hated it more since he carried out this nonsense at the time I was busy running when the deadline was chasing after me. When I stepped out of my compartment for a 5-minute break, I did not mean to see him standing outside waiting for me, or annoyingly offering a cup of coffee to convince me that he had no ill intention.

"I swear, Rosie... I don't want to be disturbed in the next 1 hour. This is the last part I need to amend," I glanced at the girl across from me who came into my compartment to make sure that I was still sane after 5 hours of breathing in the alphabet.

Rosie must have understood me too well to tell that I never meant those words for her. When I sternly said that, I was meant for them to be thrown to that demeanour - who was pacing back and forth, outside my comfort space waiting for me to come out.

Why must he do something that would trigger other's curiosity?

"Urm... I've been meaning to ask," Rosie clasped her hands together, and her brows furrowed. "Why do you and Joochan look so tensed together for the past few weeks?"

Damn.

This was what I meant. When he started chasing after me like a mad person who couldn't move on, I already imagined all the staff inside this building to be suspicious. Not to forget that a few other writers were working here too, I did not own this team for myself. What kind of bad speculations would they make against this mess-up situation Joochan created?

I always hated attention and gossip and Hong Joochan out of all people inside this building should know it well.

"We argue about the book cover, that's all," I shrugged, trying to focus on my laptop again. But, Rosie seemed to not buy it. At least, not so easily. Because she didn't budge even an inch, processing what I just said. "C'mon... I need to finish this and send it to Juyeon by today."

"Oh, okay!" Rosie beamed, trying to light up the tense air. "I'll be just a heartbeat away if you need me."

She pursed her lips at me for the last time before she twisted the knob and pulled the door open, making me meet eyes with Hong Joochan who looked so desperate outside.

"Ivy-"

"You have to discuss it with me, Mr Hong," was what I heard from Rosie as she swiftly cut him, closing the door in the process.

That's my girl.

*

Little did I know, it had been 1 hour and 45 minutes since I was stuck in this comfortable room, typing on my keyboard and raiding my brain to cooperate. And yes, the good news was, I'm done.

For the past few hours, I'd been blocking all sorts of disturbances physically and virtually like I was an outcast, not knowing what was happening in the outside world. Successfully sending the manuscript to Juyeon and receiving a reply within a second, I grabbed my silent phone just to find tons of notifications on the screen.

All kinds of notifications. My mother's text, the group chat, shopping and...

"What's on Earth?" My widened eyes started to blink ever so rapidly at the sight I saw.

Kevin's text.

It was rare to see his text appeared but what was rare even more was the content. Congratulations, was what he said and I swore, I had goosebumps. It felt like he was watching over me from somewhere I didn't know.

Creepy as it sounded, a part of me suddenly felt ecstatic at the thought of being watched by Kevin Moon. Up until this point, I was sure that I needed his attention so badly that it delighted me if he was keeping track despite not talking to me every day.

But, deep inside, I knew that it was all my imagination. Nothing of that had happened.

"Get a grip of yourself, Ivy!" I shook my head vigorously, slapping my cheek even before typing a reply.

I didn't have to wait long until my text to him which read What do you mean was read. Kevin Moon probably was on break right now which made him actively using his phone. But, the reply I waited for from him never came. Instead, he called.

"Don't you feel somewhat eerie when I congratulate you?" That was the first thing he said when I picked up. No greeting, no I miss you, and no I wish you were closer.

For, those were my wishes, not his.

"You were MIA and suddenly you come back becoming a psychopath?" I joked, rose from the swivel chair and walked up to the transparent glass which I could access the outer world from the second floor.

"You... must be disappointed that I always went missing, right?" There was an emotion tinting his voice and a wave of guilt suddenly crashed over me. I didn't mean to hurt him with my speech but maybe I'd made a wrong choice of words.

"Kevin, I-"

"Nah... I'm okay," he beamed, swiftly changing the topic next. "Haknyeon told me you were struggling with deadlines today, and you didn't join Chanhee rambling in the group chat earlier, so, I assumed now you are free!"

I was at a loss for words. I already knew that he was a tsundere, nonetheless, I never expected that he would be silently caring at me up until this point - keeping track of me from all the insiders he knew. God, I love him more.

Kevin must have been startled when I didn't respond to his explanation. Because, he then cautiously asked, "You've submitted the manuscript, haven't you?"

I giggled, "I did! It's on the next stage now. What we're going to do now is wait for the printed copies!"

"Now, I can congratulate you properly," he cleared his throat once. "Ms.Ivy, congratulations on your upcoming masterpiece. You've been through a hard time but you overcome it really really well. I'm proud of you."

He's proud of me?

It felt like a dream to hear that from him. This upcoming book of mine would be the first book I wrote while in an official relationship with him. I really wanted this book to do well, maybe better than my previous books. I wanted him to feel more prouder than he already was so that if someone was telling him how good Ivy's book was, he could smile and brag something like that is the love of my life.

"I promise you, Kevin... You will be the first person who will see my book later," I remarked in which he playfully gasped, pretending like he didn't understand what I meant.

Maybe, while we were only best friends, he never paid any attention to me, he never studied me ever so deeply to tell how was my character.

And I hoped this time he would see it clearly in the daylight that I would always keep my word.