A Lie That No one Asked For

"Must you really bring all this people with you? When you asked for my help, I didn't know I would be your tour guide." Leira sighed for the up tenth time.

"I told you I'm busy so I'm bringing my team with me."

Leira looked fresh as ever walking ahead of her friend who had just landed in South Korea for work. She was suppose to meet Kai today but to avoid getting cold sweats in telling him about her mother's proposal, she uses her friend as an excuse for delaying purposes.

"Are they okay staying in my house though? Wanna book a hotel instead?" Leira pushed her door open and welcomed everybody in. Daniel shook his head.

"If its bothering you for them to stay here then-"

"Not at all. I'm just worried that you guys won't be comfortable. It is a duplex after all. I have only 2 guest rooms."

"We're fine, Miss Leira. Thank you for your concern." One of his team spoke up and the others just smiled warmly.

"Hey, you guys worked with him not me. Just Leira is enough." Leira grinned and continued giving her new 'friends' a tour in her duplex.

Daniel watched her with an amused smile. His secretary took note of his eyes that never left his lady friend. Leira is very dear to him and they can see that clearly.

"Do you guys want anything? I'm going to buy lunch." Leira said as she came out from her bedroom with a coat on her white fitted turtle neck crop top that paired with a wide legged jeans.

"Are you sure its a good idea to expose your belly? Its cold outside."

"I grew up in Canada." She retorted casually and raised her eyebrows at the staff.

"We're fine with anything, Leira." One of them said. Leira nodded.

"As your tour guide, I'm gonna by some Korean cuisine for all of you."

The team laughed and just agreed with her.

"I'll drive." Daniel said and went ahead of her. She hummed and took out her phone.

"You're cancelling." The person said as soon as she picks up the call.

"Sorry, Chae. Can we meet up tonight then? Daniel forced me to be his tour guide. You know how brick headed he is." Leira sighed, getting in the car.

"Kay. Hwi is bringing his girlfriend by the way and you're coming. I am living!" Chae said giddily on the line making the girl chuckled amused.

"You're something, Chae. See you."

Ending the call, Leira looked at the familiar road, exiting her neighborhood. She starts to navigate for him so that they could arrive at the restaurant.

//

She browse through the menu and pointed the foods to buy while Daniel ordered them at the counter.

"There, a full cuisine." Leira chuckled. He waved his credit card paying and followed her to the table to wait for their food.

"The spicy rice cake here is very- Oh Chae." Leira said as she spot her making her way out of the restaurant.

"Lei!" Chae exclaimed and pulled Leira into a bear hug, lifting her in the process.

"I manifested you and I actually get to see you early. I miss you hoe."

"Yeah right." Leira scoffed jokingly and looked at the people with her.

"Hey there familiar faces." She said. Her eyes stopped at the pair of eyes that she used to adore.

The irony for her to bumped into him twice after her arrival in South Korea. Seunwo nodded subtly, greeting her as he tucked his hands in his pockets.

"Doc." She greeted with a small smile.

"Come here, you." Dohyon said and open his arms at her to which she just scrunched her nose and hugged him anyways.

"Welcome back, Leilei."

"Are you going to eat here?" Chae asked before noticing the familiar tall male in full suit and tie standing besides Leira.

"Nah, we're just ordering for takeout."

Dohyon cleared his throat and subtly remind her about her ex who is actually standing there with them.

They all looked at the man in suit in front of them. Leira looked to her side and smiled knowingly at him.

"Oh right, this is Daniel. My-"

"Fiancé. Nice to meet you." Daniel said and shook hands with Seunwo.

The friends balked while Seunwo just nodded like it didn't affect him at all.

"Lei?" Chae asked questioningly.

"Yeah well. There you go." Leira jabbed Daniel slightly to which he bit back his laugh as his phone rang.

"Ah, I have to take this call. Be right back, Ra." He excused himself. Chae thinned her lips, amused.

"So your parents arranged this?"

"He would be the second family choice after Kai. Since the one I chose left me." She continued looking straight into his eyes.

Seunwo looked away.

The buzzer vibrates indicating her food is ready just as Daniel came back.

"Nice timing, Dan." Leira snorted. He just laugh and pick the paper bags up swiftly alone.

"Aight got to go. We have children to feed."

"Congratulations on your engagement." Seunwo spoke making the friends glared at him.

"Thanks." Leira nodded. Daniel noticed how she tensed and slip his free hand into her hand.

"Let's go."

Chae could see how Leira was holding back her threatening tears and how Daniel instantly comforted her when they stepped out of the restaurant.

"Why did you say that?" Chae snapped.

"What?" Seunwo sighed and walked out. Chae followed suit pulling him back from running away.

Dohyon could only watch how Chae starts to pressure the older male.

"Can you really let Leira be someone else's? Huh? Can you? You even tense when he held her hand, your prick."

"This is the best for her."

"Again, why did you decide that yourself? What if she's happy with you-"

"Chae, I barely had time for her. She deserves better. I don't want to hurt her more than I already have." Seunwo faced Chae seriously.

"Can you overcome your feelings for her then?"

He paused at that.

"If Kai was in your situation, he would fight for her. Stop being a coward. What you're doing right now is thousand times painful to her and yourself."

"She's moving on. I don't want to hold her back."

//

"So are you going to tell me why you guys were eating with him earlier?"

"We were just at the same place and at the same time. You happened to be there as we walked out. The end." Chae said nonchalantly. Dohyon just chuckled and nodded agreeing, helping the woman opened up the garage door.

She went to switch on the lights, brightening up the place. Her 90's car collection were visible right after they walked in. They were hanging out Leira's warehouse where she always runs to when she wanted to have a day with her friends to put mind off things.

Now that they stepped into adulthood, the place was left unused.

"How is this place not dusty and smells nice like you, sis?" Chae asked throwing herself on the super comfy sofa after touching it, checking if its full of dust. Leira hummed, getting the food and snacks ready from her kitchen area for their mini bonfire.

"Daniel's trusted friend come here every week to make sure this place stays the way it is. This warehouse exist because of his idea anyways. He said I should have one hidden place for my artifacts souvenirs that I got from my adventures."

"Rich people things." Dohyon snorted making her rolled her eyes and tossed him a bag of marshmallows.

Chae huffed when she dragged a bean bag closer to the 360 degree fireplace. She lowers the fireplace to the floor so that they could use it on their level.

"Dodo, help me with these bean bags. I'm too lazy."

"Then sit." He chuckled and easily carried the bean bags around the fireplace. Chae plopped down grinning, starting to take pictures for the gram.

"Hashtag Welcome back Leilei, hashtag bestfriends, hashtag-"

HORN

Chae flinched and almost drop her phone when the familiar Audi R8 pulled over in front of the warehouse. She glared at the driver briefly before getting entirely giddy when her eyes landed on the person in the passenger side.

"Hwiyun is here!"