Jackson was a little lonely after feeling the emptiness of a day of work without seeing you at your desk.

Although you were technically his superior, both of you were of the same age. From day 1, when he set his eyes on you, he regarded you as an equal but your capabilities at work kept him in check.

As he strolled to the nearby cafe for dinner he bumped into Bambam.


"Jaeksun hyung!" Shouted Bambam from behind.
He turned to see the polished young man running up to him. “Yah! You never change I told you to say it right it’s JACKSON!”

"Ahh kwenchana! It’s Korea so in Korean it becomes Jaek-sen" (if u hear how Bambam really calls Jackson it does sound like that).
Frowning but too tired to debate he gives up.

"Why are you here hyung?" Bambam asked while hanging over Jackson’s shoulder and walking along with him.
"To play. Duh! Of course to eat!!! It’s a cafe!!" Jackson replied in his signature exclamation pointing to the signage ahead.

"A-aaarraseo okay okay. But why are you by yourself? " Bambam asked as they reached the door.
"I’m unpopular. Just like you." Replied Jackson in deadpan fashion. He wondered why he had to bump into Bam of all people, his annoying younger co-worker from the design department.

"Ani-yo!! I’m waiting for a friend! But you can join us if you’re alone!" Offered the sweet kid with a smile.
"Ttwae-sseo!! I would like some peace and quiet thank you very much!" Jackson replied grumpily and signaled “1” to the server who was about to usher them to a 2 seater table.

"It’s okay hyung!! Come and join me anyway I’m alone!" Bambam dragged Jackson and waved the server to a table of 4 instead, and sat him down.
"Yah yah what do you think you’re doing huh? Who’s the hyung here? I don’t even know your friend!" Jackson got up to leave only meeting with Bambam’s insistent whiny voice.

"ungggggg ~~ I’ll buy the dinner hyung….. don’t go…" he started his aegyo that made Jackson put a face of disgust.
"Okay stop!" Jackson sat back down, with this hands over Bambam’s mouth and took the menu. "I’ll only gonna stay cos you’re buying!"

Happily Bambam took out his phone and texted his sister and his BFF Yugyeom.

Bambam : Hey guys I’ve reached and I brought my colleague with me hope you don’t mind!

Not long after, Bambam’s older sis and a happy Yugyeom came in, hand in hand.
Recognising Jackson from behind as the same guy he had dinner with when you and Mark brought him out, he was more surprised at the coincidence.



"Jackson?" He called out as he saw his side profile.
Seeing a lady and hearing his name called, Jackson automatically stood up and bowed.
”Oh? Aren’t you.. Mandy’s brother?" A smile instantly came on his face.

Surprised that they were acquainted, Bam and his sis took a seat together letting Jackson and Yugyeom converse a little longer.

It turned out that Yugyeom had always known of Jackson but never met him until the dinner with you and Mark but he wasn’t able to expose how he got to know of Jackson in front of you.

"Oh such a surprise!" Jackson patted Yugyeom on the back glad to see a familiar face.
”Hyung, oh. …. Can I call you hyung?" Asked Yugyeom.


"Sure! Oh so you are Bambam’s friend and Mandy’s bro? Wow what a connection.. we must be fated!" Clasping his hands together, Jackson animatedly exclaimed, a sheer change in mood from awhile ago.

"Actually, I knew you even before… 3 months ago I went for a secret showcase and I saw you perform there. But I couldn’t tell my sister about it that day cos….. she never liked me frequenting that place." Yugyeom shyly confessed feeling guilty towards you, his beloved sister.

"AHHHH I see. I quit that place and started working with your sis at the company anyways. Furthermore why does she not like it?" The curious cat in Jackson emerged.

Looking up at Bambam who by now sensed the situation, quickly intervened.
“Ah Jackson hyung let’s eat I’m hungry you can talk later!”

Over dinner they talked casually and agreed to keep the meeting a secret from you. He didn’t want to complicate working relationships or seem like Jackson was trying to get close to you for ulterior motives.

As they parted ways Yugyeom reminded Jackson not to mention seeing him today as he was supposed to be “with bambam” but had secretly taken a day trip with his sister instead ……. (for who knows what but that’s for another chapter).

Arriving home, Yugyeom found the lights on but no one around. Because you left in a hurry with JR, even your bag and keys were there. Unsure of why and starting to get worried, Yugyeom decided to check the voice call on the home phone.

"50 missed calls ??????? ….. from…. Mark??"

He opened the message box only to hear it filled with a ton of messages from Mark, panting, breathing urgently, asking where you went and how worried he was and to call him asap. Quickly Yugyeom called Mark.

M: Babe! Wh-
YG: it’s me Yugyeom. What’s going on? I came home and found her bag here but she’s not here!
M: She’s not back yet? Arghhh…… Jjincha!! I’m coming over give me a minute.
YG: What’s going on??
M: -hangs up-
YG: YAH!! You——!!!!

————————————————————————————-
In Jr’s car you kept quiet and let him drive, wondering what he was up to.
After a long while he broke the silence.

"Did something happen today?" He asked with concern.
“We had a good day…. didn’t we?” feeling puzzled, you really didn’t understand.

“I meant, before we met.” JR turned to you and decided to pull over so he could focus on the conversation. He was met with your silence.

“It’s okay, you know that we go way back, you can count on me to keep secrets.” JR made a motion to zip his mouth.

“Well.. something did happen…” you were hesitant unsure what to say, “but it’s okay Jinyoung-ah, thanks to you, I really felt better.” you smiled reassuringly.

He sat quietly, looking at you, resisting his urge to just comfort you with a kiss and a hug. He could feel that you were trying to get over something and it sure had to do with the missed calls on your phone. He wanted to genuinely take care of you, and not leave your side.
You hadn’t realised at that point you left your phone with him, and started reaching in your side pocket.

“Are you looking for this?” JR held out your phone.

“Oh, don’t worry about it..” you said while scrolling through the messages, your voice starting to get downcast as the memories of yesterday night with Mark came into your head.
After abit of hesitation, JR decided to speak.
“Let me take care of you.” he blurted.

You looked up, meeting his face that was suddenly serious, giving you a look of pure sincerity in his eyes, the kind no one in the right mind would reject. To be honest, it did move you and a part of you just wanted to relent.
“I may not be the best or most good looking, or tallest…. or most eloquent, but I will be the best….. to love you.”

Gosh it sounded like a marriage proposal.
He continued.
“If you let me.” With that, he offered his open hand to you, not forcing you, but just waiting for your response.

In the still of the night, surrounded by moving cars, JR’s sincerity had touched you again, it wasn’t about trying to put Mark away but there was just no way you could reject him so many times when he was the only guy that truly wanted you and only you for himself, from the beginning, despite all odds.
You looked into the open palm of his smooth hand, and looked into his eyes. His unwavering gaze finally getting a response.

Slightly confused, JR asked with his hand still held out for you “…..so is that a YES?”
You shyly nodded and hugged his coat that was over your chest.
Overcome with intense excitement, he reached over suddenly wanting to take you into his arms. But he forgot his seat belt was holding him back, jerking him back to the driver’s seat. You laughed at his absent mindedness which only made you more convinced that he had eyes only for you.
Releasing your belt instead, you reached over and pulled him by his collar and planted your first kiss with him, onto his red plump warm lips - a feeling you would never ever forget. As you opened your eyes, you saw a bright red flush from his cheeks to his ears that looked as if they were about to shoot blood out from their tips.
“OMO omo” he quickly cupped his hands over his ears and laughed in embarrassment.
Softly with a frown in a shy gentle whisper he said, “yah……… why did you do that……. i wanted to do it first.”

Notes