Best Laid Plans

Hamburg

Warning: This chapter is 18+ as it contains sexual situations. And affair. If you are offended by the subject matter, please do not read this chapter. 

This story happened two years before Eun Jung

He knew he was supposed to be paying attention to the keynote. If no other reason than the speaker was a personal friend. But all Jeong Hyeok focused on was the woman in red a few rows in front of him. His eyes had been drawn to her almost immediately, even though all he could see were the raven hair and the bright red outfit. He hadn't understood why he was so drawn into her until she turned her head slightly, just enough to give him the briefest of peeks at her profile.

His breath hitched in his throat. It couldn't be her. Not here, thousand miles away from home. Not after all this time. He tried to tell himself he was imagining it. He'd barely seen any of her faces, he could easily be projecting. Still, his eyes refused to budge. Maybe it was her posture. Or the way she leaned forward at all the right moments. Maybe the way her head tilted back when the speaker made a joke.

Whatever it was, he couldn't shake the feeling, deep down in his bones, he knew, that woman in red was Yoon Se Ri.

He shifted anxiously in his seat, his knee bouncing with nervous energy. He barely noticed the side eyes he was receiving from the man in the neighbouring seat who clearly didn't appreciate the incessant toe-tapping.

He didn't know why he was feeling this way. So what if it were her? They'd been broken up for eight years. He'd moved on. It had been a struggle at the beginning. He'd been all alone, learning how to fend himself. He had succeeded, but he'd been lonely. So when his father came knocking, looking to buy them out, he hadn't fought against it as he should. And honestly, it was a relief, being back in the fold. His family was difficult, but they were his family. And as happy as he was that he'd had the opportunity to prove himself apart from the family business. In the end, he wound up where he belonged.

And on the personal front, after years of intermittent dating, and short-term relationships that left him feeling unfulfilled, he'd met someone who could be something. They'd been together for almost a year now. The long-distance was difficult, and they were both busy with their careers, but slowly, they had fallen in love. His parents had been thrilled, and he was happy too.

So why did it matter if Yoon Se Ri was at the same convention as him? He was over her. Wasn't he?

Jeong Hyeok was broken from his thoughts by the sound of applause. The speech was over and judging by the standing ovation, his friends had killed it. He should go congratulate him. But then, the woman turned, bending down to grab her purse and there was no longer any question as to her identity. Before Jeong Hyeok could think about it, he was pushing his way out of the aisle.

His heart was pounding in his chest, beating at an unnatural rhythm. She was caught up in conversation with another woman as she made her way up the aisle towards him, completely oblivious to his presence.

"Well if it wasn't Yoon Se Ri, as I live and breathe," the words came out easily, almost confidently, though he was anything but.

He saw the spark in her eyes as she registered the sound of her name through the din of the crowds. She looked away from her conversation to search for the source.

He stood still, not daring to breathe. Her eyes finally landed on him and she blinked, trying to make sure she was seeing what she thought was seeing. And then, her beautiful eyes brightened with recognition and her lips turned up into a beaming smile.

"Jeong Hyeok? Oh my god, what are you doing here?" She took the last few steps to close the distance that still separated them and threw her arms around him. The hug was genuine and warm but nothing that two old friends wouldn't share. It only lasted a moment, but that was all it took. His body was buzzing, aching for more.