Thy Art | Park Seonghwa

3.2

Seonghwa held onto Yunhee's hand up until they reached the parking lot. When the lass saw how his chauffeur was running his way, she immediately let go off his hand. The lad looked back at her briefly before sighing, knowing just what was in her head.

"Sir, why didn't you call for me?" the look of panic was evident in the old man's face.

"Mr. Jung, can I have the car keys?" the CEO queried, though surprised the latter had pulled the car keys from his back pocket, handing it to his boss. "I'll be driving, you can stay here." Before any retorts were made, he quickly dragged the girl behind him to where the car was parked, opening the door for her as soon as possible before taking her laptop from her hand to throw it at the backseat.

"Where are we going?" she questioned the man beside her as she pulled her seatbelts on.

"Somewhere to eat. You can't have only coffee for lunch," he immediately answered.

"Says the one who didn't have his lunch at all," she retorted, glancing at him with only the sides of her eyes.

"Oh wow, you noticed," he chuckled, "you love me that much?" Yunhee could feel her cheeks slowly heating up and she was sure by that point, it was already starting to be tinted red. She simply crossed her arms, looking away and yell at him to get it moving.

The car ride was quiet. No words were exchanged as Yunhee kept her eyes outside, admiring how the sun was bathing the trees and flowers outside. All these while that she was back, it hadn't felt like spring at all and it finally did then. She could see the leaves hanging strong on its branch, all of them was green, some tinted yellow but all were vibrant in color. She was lost in a dazed when she felt a hand reaching for hers, lacing their fingers together after. It stayed that way until they reached a small restaurant. The brown-haired girl immediately recognized the place as she saw the old lady through the glass door.

"This place is this up and running!" she immediately exclaimed. The said place had been one that holds a lot of memory. It was the first place she ate at when she got close to the group of 8 boys. It had been the place they frequently visited after school. It was the place where she learned, for the first time, that Seonghwa liked her because Wooyoung was being loud about it one evening, and it was after they finished eating that she had admitted to him how she liked him as well. Of course, Seonghwa being the man that he is, didn't ask her to be his right then and there, he wanted him asking her out to be grand, but it had all started there, in the small barbeque restaurant that doesn't serve expensive meat but still had the best quality of meal.

"It does, the boys still come here from time to time." They both exited the car and as soon as the bell chimes from the inside and the old woman's eyes immediately widened upon the side of the two.

"Oh my, would you look at this," she greeted them with her best smile, still the same old one. She quickly ushered them to a seat near the corner where it used to be their usual spot. Although it has been years, she still remembered what the two had loved the most when they come to visit. It took both of them by surprise as she recited exactly what they'd like to order even before they told her. The other boys may have come to eat but Seonghwa barely remember the last time he ever did as even the mention of the place had made him travel down memory lane.

The taste of the food didn't change a bit. None of the side dishes were changed as well. Everything stayed the way it was 5 years ago. And both of them were glad they were back there, sharing the same feeling that they did, back in highschool. They didn't leave until two hours later as both got carried away by the flowing conversation they were having while they finish up the food ordered.

The one thing Seonghwa loved when he was with Yunhee was the fact that with her, he could talk about anything and everything. He could blabber about nonsense, he could complain to her about anything and she would listen attentively. She would be patient, with her chin rested on her palm and listen to him talk. She would always tell him what she thinks, giving her opinion when he asked for it and she wouldn't half-ass it.

By the time both of them got back to the office, everyone was readying themselves to leave. Some cars were already gone, most were already tidying up their table. Seonghwa insisted to drive her back home to which after a good amount of convincing, she agreed to. But she still had to grab her bag and all the other things she had brought with her to work that day and though the lad deemed her proposition unnecessary, she had told him to drop her off the car first before he parked so no one would see them go down the lift together.

After rushing to stuff all her documents into her bag and tidying up her work space, she went back to the parking lot where Seonghwa was already waiting for her inside the car. Boys really just have to grab their coat huh, she thought.

All the way home, the lad had noticed how the brown-haired girl seemed to be deep in her thoughts. It's like she was building something up inside her head. The whole day was like a roller coaster ride but he had been enjoying it too much with her, fear started stirring up in his stomach.

Yunhee didn't immediately get off the car when they pulled up infront of her apartment building. She sat silently as she balled her fist tight on top of her jeans. Seonghwa slowly turned his body to seat sideways, facing her. He took her hand in his before placing a kiss on the back on her hand and she finally brought her head up to look at him. She bit the inside of her lips, taking a deep breathe before uttering her words as soft as she can. "Hwa, whatever happened today, should not happen again, yeah?"

He looked at her momentarily, processing the words she just said although he knew damn well what was meant by that. The way he froze as he tried to think of the right way to answer her, had quickly brought tears back into her eyes. The same burn as the one from earlier in the afternoon, came back. He had yet to answered her so she decided to continue pouring out what was in her head. "You know, its been awhile since I last felt so happy. I was so happy today I could cry but this is not going to work anymore. You're engaged, I have a daughter, the world conspires for us to not be together by this point. So let me stay by your side, just as your friend, alright?"

"What if I tell you I'll break off my engagement?" she widened her eyes for a second upon hearing his query.

"You can't do that, you know this engagement is more than just a simple tied knot."

"Can't you just give me a chance?" his voice were laced with so much desperation in them, she wanted to give in and say yes, "I let you slip through my finger once, Yunhee. I finally got you back, I'm not about to lose you again." He knew if he didn't try then, this would be final for them.

"Hwa, don't do that. We both know this is not only about us."

"I'll work this out for us, okay?" Yunhee could see his eyes glossing as her own had let the tears drop, "I promise you, I'll work this out for us." She could feel his hand slightly shaking as he held hers. She could feel his fear radiating through his touch. All she wanted to do right then was to nod and say she will give him a chance in making them work, she will give him a chance to cross out the thousands of reasons why they shouldn't be together.

"Yunhee, please. This time, I promise you I'll give us a happy ending."