paths of fate and future - a jidal endgame fanfic

chapter seven: drinking in sunlight

author's note: 

hello guys! first of all i want to thank yall for reading my story, this is my first fanfic written in english and its been an amazing journey so far, you guys are literally the best.

another information: because of the changes on the story we are now having ten chapters, the last one being an amazing epilogue i cant wait to write and share with you guys

so, in this chapter i gave yall what you've been asking and lemme say: i think i actually made a great job. with that being said, have a great reading and i see you at the end of the chapter. 

(see the end of the chapter for more notes)

xx

"This isn't working." Dal-mi said, frustrated after doing the same operation twice.

They were now four hours in the worst assignment ever, the sun long gone outside the office. Turning a bunch of data and research into beautified graphics and convincing words was hard enough without the pressure of having investors second-guessing the company.

Dal-mi was stressed and tired, her mind working badly after long minutes forcing the numbers to make sense. This was too important for her to mess up.

Foodie was Dal-mi's link to her father. Turning his business plan into reality was one of the greatest joys of working in this field.

Losing Foodie meant losing the connection to her father, and she had lost enough already.

"Can I?" Ji-pyeong offered to try, seeing how distressed she was.

Her weak nod made him go for her pen, despite having a million other ones available on the table. Caressing her hand in the process, Ji-pyeong did his best to make Dal-mi relax a little.

"You are just looking at it..." he started to say, scrambling numbers over the paper while consulting the available information on the computer screen "in the wrong perspective." Ji-pyeong finished by circling the number they were looking for and smiling at her.

Working with him felt so familiar and comfortable that Dal-mi could easily pretend they were doing this for years now, not hours. Ji-pyeong was there at every step, helping her when needed and provoking the CEO with questions to sharpen Foodie's reports.

She would sometimes stop working and openly stare at him. Watching Ji-pyeong turn impossible numbers into comprehensible data and revising what she had written made Dal-mi remember their Hackathon's days. Days when he still felt like a stranger to her.

Since that time, Dal-mi was the accelerator, and he was the brakes, conducting her ideas to the right place.

Reminiscing made her heart ache because it meant remembering all the signs she chose to ignore. All the acts of love, the small gestures, and constant presence around Dal-mi. From when Ji-pyeong instinctively protected her head while she entered his car to the day he kept others from seeing her crying, everything with Ji-pyeong was about giving love and wanting nothing in return.

Looking at him writing and helping her felt like one of these actions. Ji-pyeong's caring and attentive eyes making Dal-mi wish to be the person giving love to him.

"Why are you looking at me like this?" He asked, head in hands and eyes entirely focused on her now.

"I think I never said thank you for everything you did to help me." Dal-mi said, heart open and unafraid to be honest with him. "Thank you."

Dal-mi's words hit Ji-pyeong where it hurts, the affection in her tone working as a balm on the wounds and insecurities he still carried. There were many issues to work on if Ji-pyeong wanted things between them to work out, but he was willing to walk every damn mile for Dal-mi. For this woman, he would do everything.