When I Grow Up (Seventeen Jeonghan x CLC Seunghee)

Seventy Seven: When Giving Up Is Not An Option

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The following days become more hectic for Seunghee than they already are. Apart from her work at the Cube office in the morning and her part-time tutorials in the afternoon, she has to make time to call or text Jeonghan during her free time. From which she either gets hung up or never replied back. But it's okay to her. Despite that, she still checks him out after her schedules. One time, she brings him some homemade pancake for snacks. Another day, she brings him some freshly brewed coffee when she sees him a little exhausted inside the store. She always makes sure she gets to see him before going home if not talk to him.

It's cute if it's a teenager doing this thing to her crush almost every day, but it's a 29-year-old woman we're talking about here and a professional at that, an owner of a piano tutorial shop next door and a gorgeous looking female. Not to mention, almost queen-like and visually enchanting. So it's a wonder for the shop workers that she's doing this stuff only to get the attention of their ever mysterious boss, who looks dazzling at the counter.

The female and male sales staffs gossip about her at a distance from him.

"Hey, have you seen the lady today?" she asks.

"Not yet, I bet she'll bring something again," he replies.

"She's too pretty to be this desperate, if that's the right word. Do you think something happened to them in the past? I bet they have a past."

"Well, it's not normal for a woman to be this hopeless. Maybe they had something."

"I only know men doing this stuff. It doesn't really look nice on her. There are lots of other guys out there. She definitely has other options with a pretty face like that. But why the boss? It really keeps me thinking every time I see her."

"Maybe he's a sorcerer, he has her under his spell all these years," he laughs.

"Nonsense, maybe she's done something so bad to him-"

Jeonghan can clearly hear them despite not reacting. But he shuts them up with a command, "You there, maybe you can start your inventory now."

"Yes sir!" both the sales agents almost run to the stockroom to get their checklists.

It's almost 5PM and Seunghee hasn't shown up yet. Jeonghan stares outside the glass wall watching the people passing by. He doesn't admit it, but he's slowly getting used to her again. Every time she walks in the front door with something for him, it somehow makes his day. And today, he's actually anticipating what she has for him. But it looks like she's not coming. And he thinks that it's better for him to be this way. She can't let her in his life again. Not this early. He needs time to reassess his position in coming back here. He needs not to rush things. He needs to be on guard for everything.

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Seunghee plans to invite Jeonghan for dinner. She needs to talk to him about them. She wants to start pursuing him completely so she won't have any regrets. It doesn't matter to her if she's the one chasing him. She doesn't need her pride now. Cuz it wouldn't have been like this if it weren't for her. She has all the blame on herself and she will make everything right. She just wishes there's still a place in his heart for her. If not, she'll force her way inside again but if he doesn't allow her, that's the time she won't know what to do next.

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She opens her shop earlier than usual. She finds everyday worthwhile now that Jeonghan is back. She peeks at his store time and time again, just to see him and it makes her feel delighted every time she catches a glimpse of him. How she longs to talk to him like they used to, how to laugh with him like they used to, how to be with him like they used to. She wants to bring it all back and she's slowly gonna make it happen.