Ch 6

Narrator

“You are home!!! Finally!” Jiyu attacks the younger with a crushing bone hug and it didn’t help when Jiso joined. “Unn-nie, I ca-can’t-” Jiso pulled away then pulled Jiyu away from Jihyun.

“Sorry,” the two sisters smiled sheepishly. “It’s ok. Just, never do that again, ever,” she sneered and hugged each of her sisters’ arms and dragged them to the living room, making all of them fall on the large couch with a thud.

“Where are the kids?” Jihyun asked as the house was quiet, too quiet for a house that has 3 kids in it. “They are out with mom and dad to the toy shop, fun-land, and ice cream parlor,” 

“Oh... I see…” Jihyun looked around the space as silence welcomed them. It wasn’t awkward in any way and Jihyun was looking forward to resting her body before she packs for her trip tomorrow.

“Hey, let’s go shopping! We’ve never had the time for each other anymore,” Jiso suggested suddenly after the sudden pause, making her two sisters blink. “Sure, why not. besides you’re going to be in Japan for a while… come on baby, what do you say?” Jiyu nudged their youngest sister and waited for her reply.

“I just got home,” Jihyun whined and flapped her hands like a bird. “Come on,” her sisters cooed, pulling her hands and swinging them. “Alright, but not for long. Because I have an early morning flight tomorrow,” she said giving up and her sisters cheered.

“We just need a few minutes to change and inform mom and dad about our whereabouts. You know, just in case the kids came back early,” Jiso cheekily responded and ran upstairs with Jiyu tailing her, saying something similar. 

Jihyun could only sneer at her sisters’ act. “They never change…” When they came back down, they all got in Jihyun’s car and went to the shopping mall. There wasn’t anything in particular to look for, but Jihyun tagged along as her older sisters window-shopped and browse.

Both moms got a little something for their kids and husbands, despite their claiming not to want to buy anything.  Meanwhile, Jihyun bought a new pair of shoes and a summer dress for her trip. Plus, she secretly got one shirt for Chris without her sisters’ knowledge. 

She didn’t know what came over her, but when she saw it was on sale and it attracted her as she thought of her employer. “It’ll be good for the acting… yeah, that’s why I bought it… I hope he likes it though…”

***

Jihyun arrived at the airport and tried looking for the tall figure, Chris, her boss, and her boyfriend. The moment she got to the waiting area, she finally spotted Chris, he was at least 10 meters away from her, as he had his back facing her and she can see he is clearly not alone. 

She took a deep breath and checked if she has everything with her. ”Passport check, plane ticket check, luggage check, anything else I forgot to bring with me? What about the shirt I got him yesterday? Where did I put that again? Am I forgetting something? Why do I feel like I am?”

She concentrated and blinked at her things as if she could scan them with her eyes through the closed bag. Jihyun didn’t even realize Chris was coming her way.

“Chris, isn’t that Jihyun?” Luke pointed when he spotted her from afar, as she was checking her things. Chris turned to look in the direction Luke said and he was right, Jihyun was there. 

Her hair was down which is a bit new since she always ties her hair up in many styles during working hours, he'd never seen her hair down like he is seeing right now. She wore a plain black tee tucked in her black skinny jeans, a long dark blue cardigan, black ankle boots, and a pair of black sunglasses, which is simple but eye-catching.

It made Chris feel a tad bit possessive when he sees the way some onlookers, especially males, as they passed her and eyed her up and down. “Has she always been this attractive?”

“That’s her?” Justine slung his arm around Chris’s shoulder and eyed Jihyun up and down. “Yes, that’s my girl,” He empathized with the word before pushing the younger’s hand off his shoulder and going to Jihyun, who didn’t seem to realize his presence.

“Finally, you're here,” He sighed when he reached her, which made Jihyun jump a bit and her head bumped into his board chest. “Oh, Chris!” she put a hand over her chest, a breath of relief escaped as she takes off her glasses and stared up at him. 

He had a plain black tee with matching jeans, and his hair was gel back, showing his forehead. On the v of this shirt, rests a pair of shades as well, making the female rethink her own attire. A part of Jihyun had to admit, that he was a gorgeous-looking man. ”Wait… are our clothes color matched?” She tried not to let it get into her head and focused on him.

“Sorry if I scared you,” he apologized and took the luggage she had with her. “I can pull that myself,” she said and pulled back her luggage but Chris held her hand with his free hand.

“They’re watching,” he said through greeted teeth and made eye contact with her. Jihyun looked behind him and sure enough, his friends, the engaged couple, and others are watching them like a hawk.

“Jihyun, do you trust me?” Chris's sudden inquiry made her look up at him in confusion. Before she could answer him, she felt his lips on hers and she could not digest anything else. She saw nothing else as his tall figure had curtained their little audience, but still, she did not expect him to kiss her.

Jihyun's eyes widen as she squirmed and Chris’s free hand held her by the neck to stop her. After a few squirms, she stayed calm and let Chris be, timidly kissing him back. Her hands gripped his side as she felt shy kissing him out of the blue. Jihyun hasn’t been kissed in ages, so she was afraid he could tell, but nonetheless, she kept up with his pace.

He didn't expect her to kiss him back, but he decided to just go on with it as the other cups her cheek, rubbing soft circles and he could have sworn she sighed. Chris pulled away from her, panting and huffing, he eyed her cautiously before taking her free hand into his. 

Entwining their hands, he pulled the slightly dazed Jihyun towards the crowd of his friends. “Guys, this is Jihyun,” Chris casually introduced as soon as they reach them.

Trying to catch her breath and not look like she had just been ravish*d on the lips, Jihyun offered a shy smile. “Hi, my name is Song Jihyun,” Jihyun bowed politely and push a strain of hair behind her ear. ”Let the pretending begin I guess,” she thought, still panting from Chris’s surprise as they began to introduce themselves to her.

“Hi, I’m Justine,” the male came forward and take her right hand, planting a kiss on the back of it. “Uh, hi,” Jihyun awkwardly pulled her hand back, making the rest of them laugh silently at the sight. Justine stood there awkwardly, his body still slightly bend down, because no girl had ever done that to him. But he let it go, composed himself, and smiled.

“Justine, do me a favor and just stay away from her,” Chris groaned as he snaked his arm around Jihyun's waist pulling her towards his front, making sure she stayed close to him.

Chris didn't know what got into him that made him react like that. “What’s happening to me? Why am I acting like this?” Jihyun’s heart skipped a beat but she ignored her beating heart and focus on the people instead.

“I’ll try. I mean, I get why she’s yours. But I don’t think I can hyung, especially with her beauty,” he winked in a flirty manner at Jihyun before he gave some space for the rest to make their introduction. 

Chris rolled his eyes and sent glares to his single friends, his hands holding tightly on her waist, squeezing her but not too hard. Jihyun blinked confusedly at him. “Is something wrong with him?”

“Hi, I’m Hana,” the girl with red hair came as her hand was hooked with another, a girl with long brown hair. Jihyun noticed them from afar, she was curious about them as they were not on the list of pictures yesterday.

“And I’m Yura,” the other smiled in greeting and her eyes turned into a crescent shape, making Jihyun smile in return. “We’re Aliaa’s best friends,” they chorus together and Jihyun nodded her head, understanding. “So that’s why Chris didn’t tell me about them, they are with Aliaa… he probably doesn’t have a picture of them, it would be weird if he does…”

“Unnie, you made it!” Aliaa jumped out of nowhere and attack Jihyun with a bear hug. Her hug separated Jihyun from Chris and it shocked them with the surprise attack. Chris eyed his cousin with annoyance at her act. “Why am I annoyed?”

“Uh, baby… I think Jihyun’s still not used to this,” Luke tapped his fiancée’s shoulder as he looked at Jihyun’s shocked expression. “Oh, sorry,” she smiled sheepishly and pulled back. “I was just over the moon that unnie fulfilled her promise,” Jihyun could only chuckle and grin nervously. 

She was still a bit awkward and flustered at the number of people because she thought it was just going to be her and Chris. Though she had a clue maybe the engaged couple would be here yet not the entourage. “Well, at least I do recognize the guys from the picture yesterday… though they look more mature than a bunch of nineteen-year-olds…”

“I’m Serri and this is my twin Sunmi. We are Aliaa’s wedding planner and organizer,” another pair of girls came into Jihyun’s line of view after Aliaa had been pulled away by Luke. 

Serri is a tall framed lady with long wavy black hair. The twin Sunmi, was slightly shorter by an inch and her hair was naturally straight. Their clothes are similar yet instead one wore skinny jeans, and the other had a pair of shorts on with a simple tee. 

Jihyun smiled at them and they step aside to let others greet her. It felt weird to be greeted by so many as if she were an important person. ”Am I? But I am just the secretary…? How important is that?”

“That’s because you are,” a husky voice whispered next to her ear and she jumped a bit, alarmed. Looking up, Chris was watching her with a smirk and she narrowed her eyes in return. Chris had wrapped his arms around her petite frame and she looked down at their close proximity. As if talking with her eyes, they said “What do you think you’re doing Mr?”

He smiled at her as if he understood and sends her a message with his eyes as well, ”This is necessary dear, we are but a couple. Are we not?” she rolled her eyes at him and he chuckled, still amused. “What do you mean?” she whispered back, leaning up close to him in frustration as she does not understand.

Jihyun seemed to forget they are in public. He smiled, somehow liking the fact she was going along with it. “Because you’re my girlfriend, that’s why you’re important,” he purposely brushes his lips with hers as he says it and Jihyun could feel her cheeks heat up. ”What is his problem?”

The people around them arched an eyebrow in amusement while some found them cute. The guys, including Luke, clear their throats at the couple and Chris looked up boringly at his friends. “What?” he deadpanned.

“You two are getting lost in each other, I thought you wanted Jihyun to get to know us before we boarded the plane,” Luke was teasing Chris and the latter was annoyed. Nevertheless, Chris nodded and loosens his hold on Jihyun, but he made sure she was still close to him. 

“I’m Hunter and this is my girlfriend Soojung,” Hunter, the tan guy Jihyun found attractive in the photo yesterday said as his hand was wrapped around a small petite-looking girl. She was cute, small-faced, and had long straight blue-dyed hair wearing a one-piece dress. 

“This is going to be a long day…” both Chris and Jihyun thought.