Chapter 8

Zen jogged towards Ha Eun, taking her hand with him. He pulled her to go inside.

"What are you doing out here? Let's get inside, you'll be sick.", Zen said worried.

Ha Eun stood her ground and in the other hand, pulled Zen back.

"No, stay here."

"What's wrong?"

Zen doesn't really like the melancholic look in Ha Eun's face.

"You know, how did we end up here?", said Ha Eun.

"What do you mean end up?"

The night just become colder for Zen as he felt chills down his spine. Is this the talk? He surely doesn't like the sound, the sentences and the look at Ha Eun's face. She hasn't met his eyes once, only kept her focus on the building

"The first time we met. What do you think if I didn't say yes when Jumin asked if I wanted to see you or not? What do you think if I hadn't agreed to go to Rika's apartment in the first place? Can you believe it, all the things in the universe that happened, guides us here? What if the universe just missed one turn? What happened if I turn left when I am supposed to turn right? Do you still think I'll be here with you?"

Zen places his hand on Ha Eun's face, turning her face towards him, meeting that beautiful eyes directly.

"It doesn't matter if you didn't join RFA, I believe I will find you. In one way or another, we'll be here. We'll be together.", said Zen.

Ha Eun moved closer and surround him with a tight embrace. Zen replied even tighter. He felt like an idiot for worrying about Ha Eun trying to break up with him. It is rare for her to be sentimental.

"But I know, it's your period, and it's your hormones doing the talking, that's why you're this sentimental.", said Zen.

Zen gives a grin to Ha Eun who looked at him with both disbelief and a small laughter. Is there anything he doesn't know about her?

"What, don't you like it when I'm all sentimental and romantic?"

"It's usually you that is on the receiving end of my romanticism. Let's keep it that way."

The two entered the apartment with happy faces.

---

Bang! Bang!

The party popper rained confetti on Yoosung's head. It was Seven's idea of bringing a party popper. Jumin made up his mind if the owner of the place demanded they clean every bits of the confetti, they'll just leave Seven behind.

"Congratulations of your graduation, Yoosung!"

They celebrated Yoosung's graduation with dinner at a grill restaurant. A place Chairman Jumin never steps his foot into.

"Our Yoosung is an adult now!", Seven said.

"Yes, now you have more responsibilities.", continued Jaehee.

"No more LOLOL!", exclaimed Zen.

Yoosung's happy face turned into a frown because of his 'seniors' and their advices.

"Look, you made him sad.", said Ha Eun.

"I just graduated! I need to have some fun!", said Yoosung.

"Fun is when you have already succeeded.", said Jumin.

The talks continue around the sound of sizzling meat and the smoke arising from it.

"But really, did you have a place you would like to work at?", asked Ha Eun.

"There is this cool pet clinic, they're very modern and advanced. But I'm a bit afraid that they won't want some newbie like me."

"You wouldn't know before you tried!", said Zen.

"Or, you could ask Jumin to hire you and become Elizabeth 3rd private vet.", said Seven.

Seven's idea was met with disapproval glare from Jaehee, Ha Eun and Zen.

"He'll end up staying awake the whole time. Jumin will be calling him 'I think Elizabeth 3rd just shed 1 fur more than the usual, I don't think she's fine'", Zen said mimicking Jumin.

"That can be true.", continued Ha Eun.

"And Mr. Han would be blaming everything that happened with Elizabeth 3rd on poor Yoosung.", said Jaehee.

Yoosung's head fell down on the table hard and he cried sadly.

"Aaaahh, why does the future seems very dark for me? I'll just be a professional LOLOL player!"

"No, no! That's as bad as working as Elizabeth 3rd private vet."

The laughter and their togetherness continued till the end of the night. It has been a while since everyone really gathered and had a time to talk together. Family will always be together.

---

Ha Eun recognizes the Christmas music, Christmas decorations filling the shopping centre while she walks with Zen.

"It's going to be Christmas already.", mumbled Ha Eun.

"Hm? Christmas, huh?"

"I never really celebrated Christmas, I don't have anyone to celebrate with."

"Oh, we're the same then! I just stay home with my drinks or sleep early."

"Don't you celebrate Christmas with your last girlfriend?"

The question strike Zen with surprise. They never talk about his past relationships before.

"I don't really remember. It's been 5 years."

"You don't remember or you don't want to tell me?", asked Ha Eun.

Zen gave a look of deep thought while Ha Eun waits for an answer. She know he will turn it into a cheesy answer somehow.

"I don't want to tell you. Because I don't want to think about other girls when I'm with you. Besides, my old girlfriends are nothing compared to you!"

"Huh, that's quite a good answer. It'll do for now."

Most of the shops have already decorated their place with mistletoes, Christmas tree, Christmas candies.

"Do you want to celebrate Christmas?", asked Ha Eun.

"With you, I'll celebrate even every day."

"Stop it. How about we buy a gift for each other and we'll give it on Christmas day. No peeking and no teasing until Christmas day. How about that?"

"Deal."

---

For Christmas dinner, Ha Eun had made the table full with delicious foods. With small candles as a finishing touch. She stashed her gift inside the wardrobe, Zen should've seen it was there. But promises are promises, he didn't even touched it. It was even stranger that she hadn't found Zen's gift yet. He shouldn't be a better at burying treasure than her.

"So, dinner first or gift first?", asked Ha Eun when Zen emerged from the bedroom.

"Gift first! The suspense is killing me!", cried Zen.

"Who goes first?"

"Rock-paper-scissors?"

"Fair enough."

Zen won the first round. Ha Eun asked for a rematch and she won. The deciding third round ends with Zen's victory.

"You go first.", said Zen happily.

Ha Eun took the big box that had stayed on the bottom drawer for the past few days. She had it wrapped nice and tight.

"Wow, what is it? So big!"

He knew it was big, but seeing it by itself, not covered by dangling clothes, it looked even bigger.

Zen peeled the wrapper slowly. Not wanting to ruin anything.

"Is this..."

"A professional camera."

"What...."

"I know you take lots of pictures of me every day! And I can't have you taking ugly photos with your phone, so use this next time!"

Zen laughed at Ha Eun's words. He pulled her close to him and greeted her with a gentle kiss.

"Thank you so much. My babe is just so thoughtful."

He checked the camera, it's really about time he own one. He shouldn't be the one getting his pictures taken all the time.

"Isn't this very expensive?", asked Zen.

"Yes, a bit expensive than the others. But the quality are much better."

"How can you afford this?"

"When have I said I was underpaid?"

Zen ran a random express scan at his memory. She works in a university lab that never did any real work, but she never did say she was underpaid. Her clothes, shoes, bags, they're not flashy or stands out but he knows they must've cost something. Their capsule coffee machine! Zen should've realized it since then.

"The paycheck's too good that's why everyone would kill to be working in the lab. Anyone who wants easy money.", commented Ha Eun.

Voice seemed to have escaped Zen's lips.

"A very pressurizing first blow.", he mumbled slowly.

He sighed.

"Thank God, I picked this."

Zen reached his hand inside his pocket, and took out a long black velvet box. The box was always with him, even in the shower. He always put it inside any pocket he can find, jacket, pants bag.

Inside it was a necklace with a ruby red gem sitting beautifully as its pendant. The colour was bright it reminded Ha Eun of Zen's eyes.

He walked behind Ha Eun and clasped the necklace on her neck.

"Ruby stones are usually for protection, they are very protective and they said it protects against unhappiness.", he explained.

Ha Eun was a science person, she was trained to think with logic. But strangely, the necklace that Zen had placed there seemed to have warmed her. She was in awe.

"And they say it increases passion, romantic love, and alleviates sensuality.", Zen said in a playful voice.

Ha Eun knew exactly where this is going. She silenced him with a passionate kiss.

---

It was one of those days where she was suddenly forgetful. She had forgotten her note that she had to return back to the lab even after halfway on her way home.

She had told Zen to just go home first.

A feminine figure with a bright brown hair seemed to be hiding near the corner of the road. She seemed to be looking at something, discreetly.

Isn't her face familiar?, Ha Eun thought to herself.

"Choi Kyungju?"