(1)

Morning, Bosslady.
Won't be in the office until sometime after lunch today, I am going straight to the interview.
I have sent the contact number and address of the gallery to your email address.
OK
. Thanks.

(2)

Morning sunshine!
Don't forget we have lunch at the usual place today
Call me when you finished with your morning chore.
Shut up. It's called work. Might be a little late.
Woo Bin might join us though.
No probs.

(3)

Wanna join lunch with the girls?
Why not..
About one-ish at that horrible coffee place near Jae Kyung's office.
Their 'fried rice' is made of cauliflower.
Don't ask. Something to do with healthy organic paleo food or something… whatever that means.
They had coffee in paleo era?
Shut it Einstein, just get your ass there at one.

(4)

Your husband has decided to take a break of his busy life and takes you to lunch.
Does he now? Well too bad because your wife has already made plan to see her friends for lunch.
Oh come on! When did the last time we had spontaneous lunch date just the two of us.
Oops, sorry. But I really have promised Jae Kyung to join her and Woo Bin.
Why don't you pick me up and we'll go together.
Where's the meeting place?
That trendy paleo café near Jae's office.
What's so trendy about paleo? Isn't that the disease you have to give babies vaccine against?
Oh dear….. Just pick me up at 12.30.

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The short hand of her watch had struck eight exactly by the time Ga Eul asked her driver to drop her off at a park not too far from the meeting place. She had left Yi Jeong's house a bit too early and as a result there's still an hour to kill before the interview was due. Her last one before finishing the project and she could move on to another one. She was rather excited since the next planned project was about adventure travel and the art of back packing, her preferred holiday style.

With a quick sweep with her eyes, she decided to go to a little coffee joint not far from where she was standing. It was a rather cute little place, perched at the corner of the park with white paint, light blue door and large window frames. A couple of outdoor seating place were in place for those who liked to have their coffee while looking at the green lawn and delicate flowers surrounding the place. Feeling better already, she inhaled the fresh morning air. A cup of cappuccino in the morning usually eased her gently to the busy day ahead. She wondered how she had survived all those years where her morning routine did not include a steaming cup full of caffeine goodness.

Walking slowly, she thought about Yi Jeong and his rather subdue demeanor since he came home last night. For a reason she couldn't think of, Yi Jeong had been a little off-kilter, not quite his usual self who seemed to always ooze confidence and pride wherever he went. Their conversation during dinner time was somewhere between half hearted and forced. It was as if he had had some niggling thoughts in his head.

With a sigh, she opened the blue door and started to the counter where a young looking girl greeted her with a smile. She looked like a high school student, although judging by the hour and the fact that summer holidays was over already, it was probably not the case.

Nodding politely she placed in her order, deciding at the last minute that she would also like to have a piece of scrumptious looking chocolate covered Madeleine with her drink, and paid quickly before walking to the table closest to the window and waited for her order to arrive.

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Red velvet or rainbow cake?
Red velvet
Chocolate mousse or tiramisu?
Uuugghhh hard one. Tiramisu.
Guacamole or avocado smoothie
Yikes. None.
WHY!
Ugh. Green and disgusting?
OMG BLASPHEMOUS.
They look like thrown up baby food.
You are SO wrong!
They are a slice (a dollop? a sip? a gulp?) of heaven.
But I judge a book by its cover.
SMH.
Speaking of judging a book. That Mr. Bodybuilder villain? He's an art dealer. Now what do say to that, Ms. Stereotype?
How do you know?
I'm meeting him for my interview. Didn't I tell you?
You most certainly did not. He's an exception to the norm, then.
*rolls eyes*
I thought you're doing the interview this morning? Why are you still texting me.
In 30 minutes. Anyways. See you guys at lunch.
Don't be late. JanDi says Jun Pyo's coming as well. And fiancée also says your BF's going to join.
K.

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The first thing Yeong did when he came to the office that morning was calling his father. He had retired from his position as the director of the museum a few years earlier when Yi Jeong took over and left Seoul altogether, opting to live a quieter life in the country. That life, obviously, was not as quiet as Yi Jeong had imagined it to be. Fucking bastard, he silently cursed as he picked up the phone that morning. To say that his relationship with his father had greatly improved would be a step too far, but he did manage to build a few small bridges over the years.

He didn't have to wait long before his father answered, voice all surprised from the sudden call. Does he want to talk to his mom, his father asked. To which Yi Jeong said it's probably better if his mom remained unaware of any conversation at all.

What followed was a terse exchange, an alternating shift between hot and cold in matter of seconds. Yi Jeong had stayed almost awake the whole night, thinking about the best way to approach his father. The years of sudden impulse, action first and think second, had long gone. He's a more calculated man nowadays.

What is this all about, his father asked when he started asking questions about the girls Woo Bin mentioned the day before. Yi jeong's mind whirled, he paused to think as the silence on the other end grew decidedly more uncomfortable. After a long sigh he started from the very beginning, all the way to the latest revelation.

'Are you still there?' he asked when it was over. 'Dad? Are you still there?'

It was seconds later when his father finally answered, his usually confident voice hoarse, almost like a faint whisper. 'What… that's….But I… No, that cannot be….' Shocked. Appalled. Horrified.

But his denial was filled with unspoken guilt; he could almost hear it dripping thickly like poured maple syrup on a stack of pancake. Thick and messy.

'You're still there? Dad? Hello?'

But there were no more words in response to answer him. He was still sitting straight in his office holding his mobile when the line cut off with a resounding click from the other end.

His father had ended the call, and it was confession enough for him.

'For fuck sake, Dad', he mumbled tiredly as he sank in his chair.

He's not going to let this go easily. Not this time. Fuck him, he rested his elbow on the arm rest and rubbed his temple in circular motion, willing the burgeoning headache to settle down. He would have to talk to Ga Eul about this and he's afraid to see her reaction to the news. What would she have thought about his fucked up family? Not that it was such a shining pillar of peace and harmony in the first place.

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(1)

What time will your interview be finished?
Do you want me to pick you up from the gallery?
I'm joining you guys for lunch.

(2)

Sorry, slight change of plan, I have sudden meeting, probably a bit late.
I'll send Driver Jung to pick you up. Call him when you're ready please. I'll go straight to the café.

(3)

They have that lava cake today!
Do you want me to ask them to set one aside for you? It's pretty busy today.
What time will you finished? Yi Jeong says he couldn't get in touch.

(4)

"Hi you reach Chu Ga Eul's number. Please leave a message."
"Hi honey. Can you give me a call please? I've been trying to call you but they all go to the message bank. Driver Jung said he didn't get any call from you ever since he dropped you at the park, are you still at the gallery? "

(5)

Hun, are you OK?
Been trying to call you but no answer.
Everyone's here already. Where are you?

(6)

"The number you are calling is not available please try again later."

(7)

"The number you are calling is not available please try again later."

(8)

"The number you are calling is not active of out of coverage area. Please try again later."

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