After Dark (Prompts)

Confidential Assignment - 18

A/N: Another double update for the weekend!

Warning: Suggestive content ahead. Please do not proceed if you are a minor or if uncomfortable with these themes.

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Baek Jang-mi ate her lunch at the park near the shopping district while waiting for her friends to come by after work. She initially planned to wait at Min Tae Gu's shop but he wasn't there today.

"He had an important errand," Pyo Chi Su said, haughtily.

"Fine," Jang-mi replied, also making a face. She didn't know what it was with the man but he really irked her. He probably slighted in her in a past life. Or maybe she was the one at fault. If it were the latter, she desperately hope she caused him a lot of pain.

The note Tae Gu included in her package explained his absence.

I haven't visited my sister in awhile so I'll spend a few hours there to think and reminisce. I'm sorry I'll miss you today at the shop. I'll call you later. Please take care of yourself.

Since she saw Min Tae Gu again, she dropped by daily to get her food at the pawnshop. It really didn't matter if there was packed lunch for her, she just need to see his face. She'd been receiving text messages from him everyday as well.

"Good morning! Spaghetti is on the menu for today. Sorry nothing fancy."

"Good evening! Do you have dinner? I have extra food if you want. What are your plans tonight?"

"I'm about to turn in. Don't sleep too late. Stop binge watching his dramas and get some rest."

"Guess what? I'm watching your favourite actor's movie. Another movie recommendation popped up, should I watch this? The actress looks gorgeous. Can you check if she has a project with your actor? That I might be interested to watch."

Jang-mi found herself rolling her eyes. She might have created a monster in that one.

She was almost done when her phone rang. "Yeoboseyo?"

"Hi, Darling," Min Tae Gu said quietly.

Her heart melted again. "Hi. Are you okay?"

She heard him sigh. "Yes. Sad. I wonder if I'll ever visit her and not feel sad."

Biting her lip, Jang-mi said carefully, "If, uhm, if you want... I could go with you next time."

"Would you really?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded, even if he can't see her. Her only knowledge of what to do was based on movies she saw -- bring flowers then bow your head, and she hoped that those were enough to show Min Tae Gu that she was sincere in wanting to be with him and share his grief.

"That would mean a lot."

"Why did you visit her today?" she asked. "Is today a special day? Was it her birthday?"

He chuckled. "No. It's mine."

Baek Jang-mi gasped. "Oh my goodness! It is?!"

In her life, she never understood the fuss about birthdays. The group she was in did celebrate but to save money, it usually was a group celebration after they hit the streets. However, with her stint at the office, she saw celebrations for her friends.

There were decorations and the cake at the office. Then, the husbands would arrive with a gift and flowers to take them out for their "special day". The next day, they would have new jewellery or a new dress from their spouse.

When it was the partner's birthday, it was the same thing. Her friends would spend days looking for a good gift, buying ingredient to cook a special meal for him and then they would leave early or take the day off to spend it with them. Ok-geum even said that she had a wild night with her husband as his birthday gift.