DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BOF.

Chapter 10: An Invitation

Yi Jung broke the hug and stared at her loving yet broken eyes staring right at him as well. He could feel her pain as much as he feels his own. For a few more moments, they just stared at each other, with his hands still wrapped around her slender waist and her hands locked behind his neck. They did not mind the fact that they're so close to each other, with Yi Jung's forehead resting against hers. For that few moments, the two of them have their hearts thumping so loud, the first time it ever happened in their lives. Their hearts seem to be beating in a rhythm that the sound it makes is music in their ears. They seem to be drawn into each other's eyes and soul. Even if they have only known each other for a short period of time, it felt like they have already known each other longer than that.

Yi Jung suddenly felt another pang of kissing her and so, he leaned down his head so that their lips were to meet again. Seeing his actions, Ga Eul closed her eyes again, waiting for the impact of his lips on hers. Unfortunately, the kiss they were about to share again was interrupted with a ringing of a phone. At that, Yi Jung backed off his head and just smiled at her. he removed his right hand from her waist and pointed to Ga Eul's phone ringing on the sofa besides them.

"I think you should answer your call. It might be something important." Yi Jung told her as he grabbed her phone from the sofa and handed it to her.

Ga Eul took her phone and smiled at Yi Jung as well. She stood up from her carpeted floor and walked a few feet away from him. "Hello?"

"Ga Eul- ah!" Jan Di's voice could be heard from the other line. "Tell me, is it really true that Woo Bin already has a girlfriend?"

"Jan Di- ah..." Ga Eul called her friend's name to calm her down. Apparently, Ga Eul's soft and soothing voice was not enough to keep Jan Di from talking.

"…Then why did he act that way all these years? I mean, he was so nice to you…" Jan Di was still ranting over the phone but Ga Eul's thoughts were focused on what Jan Di was saying. Each word that her friend says sounds like a buzz of bee in Ga Eul's eyes. As Jan Di was still talking and talking, Ga Eul looked back and saw Yi Jung cleaning up their cans of beer. At that moment, the kiss they just shared ran through Ga Eul's mind. 'Did we just kiss?' she asked herself. Every moment of the kiss she remembered seems to be only a part of her imagination. But really, the kiss happened. Proof of that is Yi Jung's unbuttoned polo shirt that shows off his muscular and bare chest and abs.

"Jan Di- ah, I'll talk to you some other time. I'm not in the mood to discuss things." Ga Eul said to the other line as she could no longer bear the voice of Jan Di ranting and shouting from the other line. From Ga Eul's statement, Jan Di's tone suddenly turned into a concerned one.

"Are you okay? I could go over there for you to have some…"

"No. I'm fine, Jan Di- ah. Don't worry about me." Ga Eul quickly told her friend before Jan Di could even finish her sentence. "I'd like to be alone tonight."

Oblivious to Ga Eul, Yi Jung was listening to her conversation over the phone. 'She wants to be alone?' he asked herself. At that, Yi Jung stood up from the floor as Ga Eul continued to talk over the phone. Probably, the things that happened tonight were enough. Yi Jung fixed his polo shirt, buttoning it again and tucking it. He straightened himself and pushed his hair back. He then grabbed his coat lying on the sofa and walked over to Ga Eul. Just in time, Ga Eul ended the call. As she turned her back, she was shocked to see Yi Jung standing behind her with his polo shirt fixed and his coat hanging on his shoulder. "I'll go now." He told her.

"Oh." Ga Eul replied to him as she bit her lip and nodded her head. "Are you going to drive home?" Ga Eul asked as she saw Yi Jung fishing something out of his pocket.

"Nope. I'm getting a little tipsy already." Yi Jung replied as he held his car keys in front of her. "Give me your hand."

"Huh?"

"Give me your hand." Yi Jung said as he flashed his smile to her. Ga Eul did as she was told. As she opened her hand in front of her, Ga Eul was shocked to see Yi Jung putting his car keys on her palm and closed it. "I'll leave my keys to you."

"W… Why?" Ga Eul asked, stuttering.

"I don't want to be tempted to drive. I'll just take a cab home." Yi Jung then walked towards her door. He was about to exit her condominium unit when he heard Ga Eul's footsteps following closely behind. He looked at her and smiled. Yi Jung grabbed Ga Eul's hand, pulling her closed to him. He gave her a hug and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Good night, Ga Eul- yang." he whispered into her ear. Afterwards, Yi Jung broke the hug and flashed her his heart- melting dimpled smile.

C,")

Ga Eul was tapping her pen against her notebook inside the conference room. Eun Jae was in front, talking to them about the upcoming release of the magazine's next issue, with Yi Jung as the cover, which is to be released next week.

It has been three days since that night; yet, Yi Jung hasn't called or contacted her. His car keys are still with her. As much as she wanted to, she doesn't want to call him because she doesn't want to appear like she's missing him or something. But really, since that night, Yi Jung's face never left her mind. The events that happened that night replayed in her head once in a while like it's a song that has inflicted a last song syndrome to her.

"Ga Eul?" Yi Jung's voice broke Ga Eul's reverie. Ga Eul was snapped back to reality as she saw Eun Jae's smile. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." Ga Eul replied. "Just tired. That's all." She lied.

"Okay. Now, going back to what I'm saying, this month's cover is none other than So Yi Jung, the potter prodigy who just came back from Sweden after four years of study there. I think we are all aware of this, right? The sample magazine will be delivered here today. Proof readers, please make the necessary corrections and I want you guys to finish it today." Eun Jae gave her last instruction to her team and the adjourned the meeting afterwards.

Ga Eul was still in her dreamy mode as she walked back to her desk. However, when she reached it, her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a bouquet of red roses on her table. Ga Eul picked up the bouquet and looked for the card that must be attached somewhere. She then found the card attached to the side. Ga Eul opened the card and read it.

Lunch? I'll meet you downstairs in 15 minutes. Hurry up, I'm hungry. :)

And bring my car keys too. I miss my Lotus. :D

She smiled to herself as she quickly guessed who that person is. She put back the flowers on her desk and grabbed her bag from the side. It was near lunch already, maybe she could leave earlier.

As Ga Eul was waiting for the elevator to some, excitement can't seem to leave her as she was going to see him again. Three days of not seeing him has been a torture. She's glad that he's there, downstairs, waiting for her.

Her smile could never tell that just three days ago, she was this broken woman who drank beer and kissed another broken person, just like her.

C,")

"Hey!" Yi Jung called Ga Eul's attention as he saw her exit her office building. He waved his hand to her so that Ga Eul could notice that he was there. As soon as she saw him, Ga Eul smiled and walked towards his direction. "Where do you want to eat?" Yi Jung asked her as she was only a few feet away from him.

"You choose." Ga Eul replied.

"Okay." Yi Jung replied with a smile as he led her to the black Mercedes parked. Inside the car, "I'll be picking up my car later, is that alright?"

"Of course." Ga Eul then opened her bag and searched for his car keys. "Here." she handed them over to him.

"Thanks." Yi Jung said as he pocketed his keys. "Sorry for making you keep my keys. I was in Jeju Island for three days. Had some meeting."

"It's alright. You don't really have to explain anything." Ga Eul replied. But deep inside, her heart is fluttering with joy because she knows that he hasn't forgotten her.

C,")

Yi Jung and Ga Eul were out eating in a famous Japanese restaurant. They had a small room for just the two of them two eat. Both were enjoying the tempura, maki, and others before them.

"So, how were you?" Yi Jung asked.

"I'm good." Ga Eul replied as she continued eating.

Since they were out together that day, they have acted quite casually towards each other, unlike before where they would often address each other with formality. Now, it's merely "Yi Jung" and "Ga Eul" for them. It may not be that evident but after that kiss they suddenly felt quite comfortable with each other. With that kiss, they had a special connection between them.

Once they were down to their last bite of their food, Yi Jung pulled something out of coat pocket and handed it over to Ga Eul. It was a gold envelope with Yi Jung's name printed on it. "Why are you giving this to me?" Ga Eul asked, confused.

"Just open it and read."

Ga Eul did so and found a gold envelope inside it as well. As Ga Eul read through the invitation inside, she found out that Shinhwa's CEO, Gu Jun Pyo would be celebrating his birthday next week. As soon as she found out about it, Ga Eul suddenly felt her heart break again as she realized that Woo Bin and Jae Kyung would be in the said party. It was an F4 member's birthday celebration, anyway.

"What do you want me to do with this?" Ga Eul asked as she put down the envelope on her side.

"I'm not asking you to come because Woo Bin would be there." Yi Jung blurted out.

"Then why?" Ga Eul retorted back.

"You see, I don't have a date yet." Yi Jung said. "I'm just wondering, maybe… maybe you could be mine?"