Substitute Soulmate

Changing

"Hi," he greeted cheerily.

Embarrassed, Namjoo grew shy. She felt dumb suddenly. "Um...sorry for calling you down."

"It's fine," he said. "I noticed you weren't at work today."

She flushed and hoped her cheeks weren't a shade of pink. "Oh...yea, I had some things going on." Hesitating, unsure how to string words together she started, "Other day...I mean, the other day I realized I didn't thank you properly. I uh...so I made you lunch...I mean, it's to pay you back obviously."

Thrusting the lunch box forward she waited for him to take it. When he didn't she bravely glanced up to see a laughing smile on his face.

"Well, thanks," he said finally taking the lunch box from her.

Finally breathing when he took it, she felt like a bomb had been taken off her chest. Namjoo almost choked on her breath when he suggested, "Lets eat together."

This was as far as it went. Eating together would mean a whole new different thing. She just meant to drop lunch off and leave...immediately.

"I already ate," Namjoo interjected.

"Then, sit with me at least," Sehun said. Without waiting he turned and walked into the cafeteria. Namjoo wanted to wham her head against the pole. Why had she been impulsive with this stupid lunch? By all means, she could have just treated him to a meal during the weekend then they'd be done and over with.

Sitting with him Namjoo flushed with shyness when he opened the lunch box to view the food inside. Anxiety squeezed her from inside. She didn't want to believe she had been anticipating his reaction to the food. Geez, it would have been even better if she had left after dropping the lunch box off. Now she was stuck with watching his reaction.

"Wow," he mused, "it looks good. This is more than what I made for you. Are you sure you don't want to eat?"

"I said I ate," she repeated more aggressively than she meant to. Lowering her eyes, she bit her lower lip. She was working herself up more than necessary. Cool down, cool down she chanted to herself.

"What'd you do today?" he asked after popping the food into his mouth.

"I..." she paused wondering if she wanted to go further. "I took my in-laws to the hospital. My uh...father-in-law, Mina's father just got out of the hospital. He's going through therapy."

"Sorry about that," he sympathized. "Mina told me."

Namjoo glanced at him feeling somewhat relieved that she didn't have to explain further. She had never talked about it before to anyone outside of her circle...their family.

"I'm an only child. My parents are still healthy, farming their little place in Busan," Sehun explained. "I'd never had difficulty or experienced anything too traumatizing. It's my first endeavor into adulthood here."

"You sound like you're having a good time," Namjoo added.

"Well, yea," he shrugged. "I'm meeting a lot of people. There isn't anything I don't like."

Which was very much like Yeol. He liked everything and everyone. And everyone liked him.

She glanced down at her hands silently wondering what she was doing, sitting here chatting it up with Sehun. What point was to come of it?

She glanced back up to watch him slide something across the table toward her. A movie ticket.

"I got it from Hyeok Seok," Sehun told. "The last available day is tomorrow."

Was he asking her if she wanted to go see a movie?

"We could meet up at the movies. I'll wait for you there if that makes you more comfortable," Sehun said masking his own nervousness. "I could give the tickets to someone else if you're not interested."