Chapter 2 My future self.

The words we spoke were full of sincerity.

The basketball ball was rolling on the ground after it passed by the tall basket.

Sandeul looked for her with a big smile on his face.

She was jumping and her hands found his hands whilst they had that silly celebration they used to do.

"You'd been practicing!" She said looking for the ball.

She was not wearing her uniform. She left it behind long time ago. Now she was about to graduate from the law school.

"You're on your Senior year, isn't it?" As usual Eunjung had a sixth sense that let her know what he was thinking. She throw the ball to his chest. "Had you think where will you go after it?"

He didn't. He catched it. But he was sure about one think. "I'll probably study on the same college than you."

She smiled. "Yeah?" They started to play again. "That's good." She took the ball away from him and made a point. "I'm moving out of Daegu as soon as I graduated."

Just the sound of the ball hitting the ground until it came to a stop was heard.

"What?" He asked looking at her dark eyes.

"I have a job offer in Seoul. It's a little firm." She said her hand now focused on her long brown hair. "It's a good opportunity."

"Then I'll go to Seoul too!" He firmly said.

Her face softened. "Deullie..." She was the only who called him like that. He didn't know where that came from but he loved it. "You don't have to. You need to do what's better for..."

"I like you!" He confessed. He didn't care he was surely red. "A lot. I like you a lot!"

She smiled. "Oh, honey." She got closer. "I like you too. Very much." And he knew she was not saying this as a big sister to his little brother. They liked each other.

But he couldn't feel happiness. He should but his heart was aching.

"There's a but on this, isn't it?"

She smiled. And she extended her arms. They hugged. He could feel her breath on his neck. It felt so good.

"I'm old." She said and then giggled.

"Don't say that!" He complained, he didn't want to let her go.

"It's true, honey." She didn't let him go. She was slightly taller than him, he felt secure. She smelled like roses. "I'm going to live by myself now, and you... You're just starting..."

"I don't care." He mumbled.

"I do." She broke the embrace so she could face him. "Deullie, you're the sweetest man I know. You're mature and smart, and I'm so proud of you. I really want you to be happy and I really want you to care about your own future."

"I'll go to Seoul too." He said.

"You won't, baby. You won't leave your parents." It was true. He knew it. "Smile for me. Yeah? Do you want an ice cream?"

He chuckled. He wanted to cry. But he smiled. "It's too cold."

"C'mon! Noona will pay!" She took his hand. Hers was cold.

Before they left Sandeul took the ball again with a hand and throw it on the ground.

He liked the sound it made.

.

He looked at the ball until one of the kids that were playing took it again. He smiled. Not long ago he wouldn't be on the grades, he would be playing with them.

Well. Maybe it was too long ago.

"Aren't you like frosting yourself here?" Her voice asked. She was about to laugh. Probably because he was hugging himself.

He smiled.

When he went out of the radio he said Gongchan he wouldn't go with him to Baro's. He left him and drove to Han River.

He thought a lot about what he should do. He was honest. He sent a message 'I miss you. I want to see you.' And received other. 'Deullie.' And after ten minutes another one. 'I want to see you too.' And an address.

"Do you want coffee?" She extended her hand with an Expresso.

He accepted it. "Thanks." She sat up next to him. She was carrying a long modern jacket and a fancy handbag. Her black hair tied up in a bun. She looked elegant. "I waited for you like three hours."

She giggled. "You're such a liar! Your show ended at eight o'clock!"

It was true. He was there for half an hour maybe.

"Did you hear it?" Sandeul asked. He was surprised. He was blushing.

"Of course I did!" She sweetly smiled. "I recognized your voice on the radio like... Five years ago? You were starting your talk show. You work with who? How do you call him? Gongchan? Chanie? I was sure it was you when you introduced yourself like Sandeullie the next time!" She looked happy. "Back then your show aired once a week! Now it's daily!"

"Did you hear me?" Sandeul was still shocked.

"Everyday." She answered. "Except when you were on vacation and when you were in the army." Eunjung looked away. Her eyes on the kids playing. "It's good. Mino and I like it."

"Why didn't you contact me?" It hurt.

"I didn't knew what to say or do." As always she said the truth. "I was just happy to know you were doing good."

Sandeul sighed. She was like that.

"How are your parents?" She didn't let him time to say anything.

"They're well." He looked at the kids again. "I bought them a little apartment here. I live with them of course, but I had my own apartment near to the station." He didn't need to say that. But still he wanted her to know.

"You grew up so well." She said taking a sip of her coffee.

"Where's your kid?" He asked worrying about the time he had left.

"With Taeni. I usually work until late and the girls take care of him for me. Taeni and Suji had their own office so they're with him most of time. Nichkhun helps too, of course." She said without noticing. "If he was with Mino today I wouldn't have answered you. I hate to be late those days."

"Is he...?"

"Yes. He's his father." She said blushing a little. "You two would be friends. You're very sweet."

He hated it. He didn't want to be friend with that man. "I don't want to be his friend." He said.

Eunjung smiled.

"Is he good?" Sandeul asked after a few moments.

"Nichkhun?" She looked at him with curiosity. "Yes, he is good." She firmly said. "Nichkhun was a good husband, is a good father and is a good friend now. He's always helping us and Mino-yah loves him so much. We didn't have big problems. We just grew apart."

"It was too long ago? Did he hurt you?" He felt angry.

"When we divorced?" Eunjung looked at her hands. "Of course it hurted. Every divorce does. But we always remained friends. It was when Mino was two years old. He's almost four now."

Sandeul really hated that man and he knew that was not rational. But still... How could he leave a woman like Eunjung-noona?! "I want to know him... If it's ok."

"Who? Nickhun?"

He almost shocked. "No!" He pouted. "I want to know Mino!"

"Oh." Eunjung looked away. It was obvious she was thinking hard. "I don't know, Deullie." She was honest. "I don't know if... I don't know what are we doing here right now? I don't know what to do... I mean. I shouldn't be doing this."

"Doing what?" He mumbled.

She softened. "Deullie." She let her hand to touch his jacket, she fixed its neck. "I have a son."

"I know."

"It's not easy. He's my priority now."

"I know."

She sighed. "I loved to see you, baby. But I had to go, Mino should be driving my girls crazy."

"That's a lie."

"You think? My boy is so active." She chuckled.

"Let me drive you there." He stood up when she did.

She shaked her head. "I brought my car."

"Will I see you again?" He took her hand.

"Honey..." She looked their hands together. "Our friends are marrying. We'll see each other soon." They won't.

"Can I text you?" Sandeul asked letting her go.

She looked at his eyes. A little smile on her lips. "God, you make my heart run fast..." His heart was running faster. "Right now I'll say yes, but maybe I'll change my mind."

"Please don't do that."

Sandeul liked her a lot.

...

We remain the same not matter what.

Jinyoung didn't like her.

He was sure about that as he was in the past.

He repeat it as many times as he could that morning.

More than a week had passed after the day they were introduced to Baro's fiancee and he couldn't believe his own luck.

He was sitting on one of the couch in the waiting room of the tenth floor of the company he was working for. He had ended his meet with the manager of a girl group he usually produce.

They talked about the new song. The members liked it and they negotiated about the payment of the recording work. His assistant would program their schedule.

He was getting out when his gaze ended on the meeting room with walls of glass in from of him. She was there.

A pretty long dress, high heels and her long light brown hair on a styled braid. She was showing a portfolio to a man he didn't know. She was smiling.

He asked to one of the assistants who was she.

"Oh! She's our exclusive designer." The girl answered trying to make a pose to caught his attention. "She's who makes the wardrobe our groups wear on stage and the events they go. I think she's working on the same project than you."

That's how he ended there. Maybe he was waiting for her. That's what he said to the manager when he saw him. He was only waiting for an old friend.

The son of one of the bosses who worked on that floor kicked a football ball. It rounded on the rugged floor until it found her black shoe.

.

She was facing him with a pout and her delicate lips were parted. She was about to explain it to him when a boy called her out.

"Noona!" He was a ten years old boy. His friends on his back waiting for him. "Can you pass it to us?"

Her eyes opened with surprise.

She looked down at the ball and she frowned. "Yeah. Sure." She said whilst she took it and turned around.

Jinyoung smiled. She didn't feel comfortable talking to unknown kids. Well. Unknown people. How long it took for him to have a real conversation with her. That was super cute. He thought.

She was holding the ball with both hands and she sent it to the boy... It hit the ground some meters away the sender of that park.

The face the kid made was so so funny. He didn't say thank you.

And Jinyoung laughed. He laughed without trying to control himself. "What was that?!" He asked. He knew she frowned. "That was so pathetic!" She turned to look at him. Their eyes met and Jinyoung laughed again. He gestured the moves she did. "What was that?!" He repeated. "Are you really from the kickingball team?"

She was offended. Her styled right eyebrow raised like asking 'Are you being serious?' He was. He smirked.

Keri rolled her eyes. And without saying a word she started to walk away. Her cute face was deep red.

He waited a moment doubting if she would stop and wait for him... She didn't.

"Wait! Keri! Wait!" He called after he decided she was mad at him. "Keri, Oppa wanna talk to you!" He ran after her. "Keri-yah, I said Oppa wants to talk with you." He explained. His own voice going soft. "Oppa is sorry, yeah?" He said walking a step behind her. He did that all the time. For some reason it was like he thought that way he could take care of her, like keeping an eye on her. "Keri-yah, please?" His two hands together pleading. "I'm sorry. Oppa is so sorry. Oppa is so dumb." He saw her shoulders rise a little, was she sobbing? Oh! He was a dumbass. "Keri-ya? Our Keri-yah? I'm so sorry. I didn't want to make you sad." She stopped.

Right. He made her sad. And he cared. He cared so much. Why he cared this much?... Anyways. Taeni would kill him if she knew he made her cry.

His eyes were fixed on the little moves of her shoulders. He picture the clear blouse of her middle school uniform filled with tears. He was a pig!

"Keri?" He let his hand to slightly touch her shoulder. She didn't push him away so he used both hands on her shoulders to softly turned her to face him. "Oppa is really really sorry. I'm so stupid. I was being so..."

She giggled.

His heart stopped.

She was adorably keeping a hand on her lips. Her big beautiful dark eyes found his lost gaze. She laughed out loud.

He thought her laugh sounded beautiful.

She turned again and walked away for the second time.

He smirked looking at her. She was super cute.

He followed her. "So... Now you're making your Oppa a silly man? You're playing with me."

She giggled again. "I said nothing." So he was the one who made himself a silly man? He smiled seeing her back.

"That's right." He answered. He was soft for her... As always. "Sorry." He didn't care to keep apologizing. He felt happy.

"Are you going home?" She playfully asked.

"I'm on my way." He struggled. "Why are you alone?" Jinyoung repeated the question he made before that ball interrupted them.

"I'm not alone." And for some reason his heart jumped out of happiness. "My friends have club activities and Eonnie is having coffee." Ah! CNU was having coffee too. He smirked.

"Isn't she having too much coffee lately?" He said knowing she wouldn't answer. He heard her soft laugh. "Are you walking home alone every Wednesday?"

"And some Fridays." She confirmed. She was looking up to the trees. He followed her gaze. No. There were not flowers there.

He nodded. "Why didn't you tell me? Oppa can walk you home."

"There's no need." He could feel her smile.

"Oppa would loved it." He said. That was the truth. "And you know... I live close to you."

She laughed again. And he smiled. He was so soft for her. "Yes. A good neighborhood, isn't it?" She stopped and looked at him.

"The best." He agreed.

She was super cute on that day.

He looked some locks of her light brown hair falling on her eyes. He would loved to fix them. But the boy next door wouldn't have the right to... Isn't it?

"Oppa?"

.

He lifted his eyes and met those pretty big eyes he liked so much. A smile took over his face. She was surprised. "Keri-ssi."

She blinked at it. Oh! Years had passed but he was stupid as always! He should called her as always!

Even so she smiled at him. "What are you doing here? Do you work here now?" She asked.

He stood up. She was so tall now. Or were those heels. He smiled noticing he was taller. "Mmmmm... No. I don't. I make songs for some of these groups and also I produce them, but I'm independent."

She hummed at that. She looked at his eyes for a moment and after that like it was natural on them she just started to walk towards the elevators.

He walked behind her looking her little back keeping himself a step behind. "I saw you there. I waited for you."

She stopped and pressed the button. "I work here." He already knew.

He stood next to her. He was curious. How was that possible? How her eyelashes were longer than before now? How her eyes looked so beautiful now? Was she even using make-up? If she did, she knew what she was doing. "They told me. I come here a lot, I can't believe I had never seen you on the hallways."

She giggled and he felt like he was back on his way home in Daegu ten years ago. "I never come to this floor. Today I had a fight with the director so I ended up here."

"Is he making you upset?" He asked like he would go to his office and punch that man. The ring of the elevator before it opened the doors didn't surprised him. "Is he being bad to you?"

"No." She laughed. "Well. Yes, she is. She wanted to cut my budget. So I came to talk to the boss." She stepped in and waited for him to follow her. "I won."

"Oh! I'm glad!" He said a hand behind his neck. Jinyoung felt a little awkward.

"Where are you going?" She asked pressing the button marked with a 7th. She waited. "To the reception?"

He blinked. He nodded but she wasn't looking at him. He thought better. "To take you out for a cup of coffee?" She looked at him with big eyes. He smiled. They barely talked on Baro's bar that night and now he was... Just he was. "Oppa had missed you."

She lowered her gaze and he thought she was still super cute. "I can't go out right now."

"Then let's have lunch."

She shook her head. She laughed. "I'm seeing a friend today."

Oh. A friend. Was that friend more important than her Oppa? He felt some kind of rage boiling on his stomach. Surely it wasn't one of the girls. He would be invited if it was some of them.

The doors opened and she stepped outside but her delicate hand didn't let them close. "I had missed you too. I haven't seen you since your first summer after you went to college."

"I know." He looked for her eyes. "On my next holiday I went back home and your family had already moved out." He smiled. On that time he felt disappointed for some reason. "I lost your number. Did you moved to Seoul on that time?"

She smiled too. "No. We just moved in a new place near to that arboretum." Oh! They were on the other side of the town. "Chanshik-Oppa said you and Dongwoo-sunbaenim weren't coming back soon." She tilted her head. Did she feel the need to explain why they distanced? Were she thinking about that like he had been doing?

He couldn't help but stepped outside. The doors closed behind him. They both looked it.

"My office is here." She pointed the elegant hallway. "I need to talk to my assistant right now but if you wait for me..."

"I'll wait." He hurried to say.

"I can invite you to some horrible instantaneous coffee I have in the kitchen."

"I always liked that coffee!"

From Shin Dongwoo:

- Jinyoung!

- Did you read the gc? Did you read what Sunwoo is writing?

- Shit! Is he crazy?!

- Traveling in the middle of spring?! Like I can left my job thrown!!!

- I don't want to come back to Daegu!

- I'm not coming back.

- Why the dinner can't be here!

- Jinyoung?!

- Jinyoung!!!!

- I don't want to see her.