EUPHORIA ¦ PARK JIMIN

Chapter 23

November 1, 2010

With a wide, cheerful grin plastered on Ha Eun's face, she left her house extra early to treat herself breakfast before heading straight to work. She had treated herself a white dress which she had bought yesterday and wore it today and went on her way to the café that Yoongi had once brought her in. She took her time eating her favourite chocolate muffin and left as soon as she had finished. She wished that today would go on as good as she hope it would. With the smile never rubbing off from her face, she stepped out of the café and bumping into someone's shoulder as she headed towards her car.

'Omo, mianhe,' She quickly apologised and bowed at him.

The man she had bumped into lifted his cap and removed his sunglasses, looking at her, as if he was trying to identify whether he knew her. It was difficult to do so with her face facing the ground. However, he recognised the necklace hanging out of her neck.

'Ha Eun?' He had guessed.

Confused, Ha Eun perked her head and she gasped as he recognised his face.

'Hae Jin Oppa!' She exclaimed with an obvious reaction of delight on her face.

'Aigoo, my sister has grown up so much,' He cooed and pulled her into a tight a hug and planting a kiss on her head. 'I missed you so much,'

They retracted from the hug and the smile on Ha Eun's face got even more wider. 'I missed you too! Wow, you're still handsome as ever,'

'Thanks,' He pinched her nose with a smile on his face and chuckled. 'Happy Birthday, my little sister,'

'You remember?' She teased.

'Ah, bwoga? It's my favourite sister's birthday, how can I forget?' He said.

Ha Eun grinned and playfully punched him on the arm. 'Appaneun eodi issni (Where is dad)? Since when were you guys here?'

'We just came yesterday and appa is at the new house,' He replied.

'New house?' She muttered with a thought that made the smile on her face even more wider and her eyes twinkling. Hae Jin knew what exactly she was thinking but anticipated for her to blurt it out herself. 'You're staying here for good?'

Hae Jin nodded as they both began to walk along the streets. 'I was about to call you actually since Appa wanted you to visit,'

The wide smile that was plastered on her face was quickly rubbed off. 'Hajiman, eommaneun... (but mother is...) yeogi issda ( here),'

'Ara (I know), but we haven't seen you for nearly 5 years, Ha Eun. Appa misses you and so do I. Please, just come visit us,'

'Arraseo, arraseo. Eonje (Fine, fine. When)?' She gave in unable to resist her brother.

'Oneul bam (Tonight). At 7pm,' He said.

'I'll be there. But now, I gotta head off to work,' She said as she glanced at her watch.

'I see. Do you want me to send you?' Hae Jin suggested as he took his keys from his pockets.

'Aniyo, gwaenchana,' She proudly presented and took out her keys then laughed. 'Actually, it's a company car,'

'Arraseo. Take care. I'll text you the address for tonight,' He said and opened the car door for his sister.

'I'll see you there,' She bid and drove away.

Seeing him for nearly five years of being apart was a relief. Hae Jin wasn't really her real brother. As a matter of fact, he was that twelve year old guy she met around the around the neighbourhood and that guy that every girl around his age had a crush on. She never really expected that a few months when her mother had passed away, her father remarried to Hae Jin's mother who's husband had divorced with her.

She was just six when Hae Jin's mother and her father got married and Hae Jin was twelve. She barely even understood anything about what was happening around her but during those times that Ha Eun cried when she was asleep because she missed her mom, Hae Jin comforted her. He even fought for her when his mother ordered Ha Eun around to complete tasks. Her life was a complete cliché.

When Ha Eun was 14, she had moved out of the house in her own will to study in Busan and stayed with her aunt; it was because she had to stay away from Hae Jin's mother who hated her so much. She never knew why, even until now. She held grudges but during those times when she was still young and stayed with them, she had overheard Hae Jin's mother telling her dad to send Ha Eun away. While the rest of her family had migrated to Los Angeles because Hae Jin had received a scholarship ship, she made no contacts with them although she ached to.

She missed her father and Hae Jin. And five years ago, Hae Jin had visited Ha Eun but it only lasted for a few days since he had to get back to Los Angeles immediately.

Upon reaching the office, she stretched out her lips for a smile then headed up to 15th floor

'Saengil chuka hamnida~' He co-employees begin to sing while Minji held a cake as they stood by Ha Eun's desk.

She was surprised seeing Jimin standing beside his office door smiling. As soon as he saw her, he had gave her a nod before he slipped inside his office, unnoticed by his employees, except Ha Eun.

'Oh, Kamsahabnida,' she said and bowed at them.

'You deserve this for all your hard work,' HwanSeong blurted out followed by rest of the employees agreeing to his statement.

'There's no need for it but thank you so much,' She said again.

'Actually...' Minji began and gestured her to come closer. 'Geuneun geugeos-eul sassda (He bought it),'

'Nugu?' Ha Eun questioned and all of them pointed at Jimin's office.

'Jeongmal?'

While she stood in disbelief but at the same time thankful and her heart, strangely racing. While they all shared the cake, Ha Eun carried a piece of it and a cup of coffee to Jimin's office.

'Huijang-nim, keikeu-e gamsa deulibnida (Thank you for the cake),' She said and bowed at him.

'I'm glad you like it,' Jimin replied with a small smile and took a small present box from his drawer. 'It's for you,'

'Kamsahabnida, huijang-nim,' She bowed and opened the box and seeing the watch that she liked so much. She had been trying to save up her money to buy it.

'Huijang-nim...' She began but she couldn't croak out another word instead she thanked him all over again and bowed.

When she had finally found the words to say after examining the present he had given, she closed back the box and placed it on his table. 'But... I can't accept this,'

'Wae?' Jimin questioned. 'Do you think I gave you that because of my arrogance and you reject it like you did when I tried to buy you that dress?'

'Ani-imnida, huijang-nim. It's just that the cake is more than enough as a present from you and this watch is super expensive. It's very extravagant,'

'Eotokke? I can't return that since the shop is at the other side of the world,' Jimim sighed and stood up from his desk.

He picked up the box and opened it before taking out the watch. Unexpectedly, he took Ha Eun's hand and removed her existing watch and replaced it with the new one. He himself was shocked of his own actions while Ha Eun's heart raced from the sudden contact.

'Take it. It's yours,' He said and with a smile that Ha Eun has never seen before, he left his office.