here yoo go! *whispers* finals is over mi amiga!

—xoxo, nick ♥

DAY 8 : WHY?

love💕: jiho, have you eaten? it's almost past thirteen hundred, make sure to grab something to eat. your health is important

💕: i'm about to have a meeting in less than a minute but i'll make sure to contact you once again after the meeting's finished. oh and if you're busy now, just don't forget to contact me as soon as you're about to go home ASAP. when i say about to go home, it's when you're packing your things

love💕: don't step out of the company all by yourself, take care.

love💕: i'm going to fetch you later

monday and eleven hundred. the clock stroke eleven hundred when jiho received four texts from jeongguk reminding her for the umpteenth time to never ever step out of the VANTE corporation with just by herself. whenever an hour passes by, jiho would receive texts like she was some sort of child. the man had even offered a ride to her office on the morning which shocked the woman. honestly, jiho was quite surprised of jeongguk's recent actions – it was quite . . .well, making her – what's the right word—uncomfortable and confused.

what is he trying to do?

sure. jiho couldn't hide the fact that she liked the way jeongguk seemed to care for her. the text messages somehow brings back some good memories when they were just starting off in their marriage — jeongguk was always messaging jiho every hour, never failing to tell the woman what was up in his office. back then, jeongguk's messages was heartwarming, it had helped her when things at work become messy and her clients was being an asshole on her. the woman would immediately feel okay the moment she reads jeongguk's message saying that he loves her, he misses her and just wants a kiss to energize him, but — just like everything and nothing, the sweetness and warmth from jeongguk just stopped and disappeared like bubbles.

❝ love💕 ❞

jiho's eyes trailed on the contact name, it was ironic how she still kept the i.d. that way even though jeongguk probably doesn't have the same name in his phone. the thought make her heart tear but she knew jeongguk was only acting this way because he took pity on jiho.

sighing and fingers pressing the keys, she started to change the name of jeongguk's id.

YES | NO

❝ solomon ❞

YES | NO

YES | NO

YES | NO

YES | NO

solomon, precisely king solomon. in their early marriage, jeongguk and jiho once stumbled upon the word. it was a well-renowned name, the person it signifies was a wise man who never failed to make the best decisions, he was great and mighty, a great ruler of his kingdom but, there was one area he had failed to master — his heart. the great king's heart always wavered and he never sticked to loving only one as he had polyamorous relationship.

"you're the only one who have my heart ji and i would never be like solomon" jiho remembered the way jeongguk spoke those words with passion and determination but right now, it's just so ironic how he ended up being just like solomon.

YES | NO

solomon, she had intended to name his contact that way as a reminder that everything jeongguk's doing right now is out of pure pity and nothing but an act out of human welfare. jeongguk didn't belong to her anymore just like solomon never belonged to his first wife.

even if what happened yesterday was quite . . . well — traumatic, she knew that jeongguk was only pitiful of her, nothing more and nothing less. even the miraculous tight embrace jeongguk gave her on their sleep yesterday was nothing but pure pity. jiho tried to push the irrational thoughts that maybe — maybe, jeongguk was starting to love her again.

but then again, why would the man ask for divorce if he still loved jiho?

"jiho, are you okay?" jiho's thoughts were cut short as she had realized the way she absentmindedly stared at her computer screen, not even noticing the way mihyun entered her office.

wary eyes meeting mihyun's, she uttered. "oh, um, i'm sorry, i was just thinking. but, what would you like me to do, mihyun?" jiho spoke trying to divert the attention of those worried bright brown eyes from her green ones.

jiho wished that mihyun would took the bait but, "cut the act, kim jiho" jiho's eyes widened as she knew that this was going to be a long girl - one - on - one - talk.

"what are you saying mimi? i'm okay, why wouldn't i be?" jiho voiced out, still trying to dodge the question.

"why would you lie to me!?" mimi slammed the paper and the box she held unto jiho's desk. "i am your friend! your only girl best friend to be exact! and how the hell do you expect me to believe that you're okay?! for the past week, you've been going to this goddamn office looking so down — eyes swollen, cheeks sunken and you've been thinning! and what's even worse is that — that husband of yours! don't you dare take me for a fool! i saw it, i saw it with my two eyes how he let that goddamn leech stick her body unto him! how would you make me believe that you're okay? you're fucking not okay so don't give me that—"

"enough!" jiho shushed, leaving mihyun speechless, "just . . . just enough" jiho choked, trying so hard to suppress her threatening tears. she always tried to dodge mimi but, somehow, the girl could read her like an open book. "it's true. i'm not okay, i'm not close to being anything but okay. but, even if i am not okay, what do you expect me to do? do you want me to just mope around because my husband wants a fucking divorce cause he says he doesn't love me anymore?"

"i— jiho—" mimi's expression softens, she tried to speak, only to be cut off by jiho. "oh! or do you want me to cry out for pete's sake cause my stalker's out there in the open, just waiting for the right time to devour me? what precisely, mimi? can you freaking enlighten me? tell me! what do you want me to do!? i'm trying to be strong, i'm trying for yeon. i'm trying so hard not to fall but, but—can't you see that i'm so tired? everything's just not okay and i don't know what to do, i don't have anyone. jeongguk's about to leave me cause he doesn't love me anymore. don't you know how hard that is for me? the only person i've loved with all my heart is going away, cause his feelings with me aren't the same anymore. i want to sleep, i just want to sleep this reality cause dreams are far more better than waking up. i don't—"

"you have me, jiho" mimi voiced out, tears on his cheeks as she poured every bottling emotions through jiho's outbreak. "i'm so sorry for snapping at you, jiho" making way to the other weeping woman, mimi engulfed jiho in a tight embrace.

"you have me, i'm right here. i'm your bestfriend and i won't ever leave you"

it was around thirteen hundred when jiho received a bouquet of flowers and a big blue teddy bear.

"who's this from?" confusion filling her head, when jiho returned to her office, the only thing that caught her off guard was the big blue teddy bear that sat on her office desk and a bouquet of the blue forget - me - nots which were her favorite flowers.

fishing her phone, she decided to contact mimi only to receive an incoherent answer, "i don't know who's it from. the delivery man just said that it's for kim jiho so, i took it from him and brought it to your office. isn't there any returning email?"

"oh, i completely forgot about that, lemme check then i'll contact you after" jiho hummed, ending the call as she clearly didn't know what to feel about the gift. she has a vague hunch on who might have given her the toy. she had three persons in mind but even as much as she wished that it was jeongguk, she pushed the thought away.

so, she's now only left with two people — her brother and her boss.

her boss— kim taehyung. the woman sighed, feeling her heart pick a pace just by thinking of that name. for the whole day, jiho has been trying to avoid the man after what happened last two nights ago. is this a peace offering because he kissed me?

oh honey, if only you knew.

could it be brother? thoughts trailing on her blonde, witty and sunshine brother, she couldn't help but miss him. how's that ball of sunshine doing? maybe, just maybe this was also a sorry gift for not being able to meet her because of his tight schedule as a doctor.

hands touching the gift, jiho searched for any clue on the bear. sure, it was cuddly and cute and huggable but, she just couldn't help but feel like there was something wrong with these gifts, she just couldn't pinpoint it.

"aha! found you!" she murmured once she finally found a little card resting on the bear's pocket. "now, let's see who's the person who brought you here"

" handle with care, princess"

princess? questioning herself, it was quite weird as she knew there was no one who dared to call her that pet name, unless – unless —

click. a click then a screeching radio sound, jiho's eyes trailed on the words at the very far corner on the card. no, no, it can't be— eyes widening, lips quivering, she dropped the card on her hand as the pieces finally fit together. "my dear princess—"

no, no, no.

it can't be—no, no! "the prince misses you, my princess"

tears erupting on her eyes, her feet stumbled to move away from the stuff toy, she heard another sound. "you look pretty in that office work dress, i bet you'd look good under me too"

click — and that was it. "no, no, no!"

trembling frame hugging herself, a scream desperately escaped her lips as it rang outside her office. the woman came stumbling on the ground as her legs gave up on her. jiho's body limply met the floor, trembling with fear—

"i'm going to get you and nothing's gonna stop—"

"leave me alone!" the woman desperately screamed, helpless and scared.

hearing his voice made her cower, it was like a switch inside jiho. a switch that could make her gasp for air, insanity slip and thoughts of suicide resurface as if everything around her just ceased to exist and only the monster talking was behind her. "leave me alone. leave me alone. get away from me, leave me alone. leave me alone. jeongguk, jeongguk, jeongguk—"

"jiho!" snapping her thoughts, her consciousness started to resurface as the deep and comforting voice rang on her ears, vision becoming clear as she finally made out her boss' worried face.

"everything's going to be okay" taehyung cupped jiho's cheeks before protectively embracing her trembling state, enclosing her trembling figure on his large built.

"get that fucking weird teddy bear and flowers out of this office. burn it into ashes!"

i hope nobody would throw spears at me because i used king solomon :( i used him as an on - the – spot metaphor cause i think, i just think that it fits jeongguk's image very well in this story. jeongguk is wise and almost perfect but, not wise enough to fight temptation — just like solomon.

if you're bothered with the metaphor, i'm truly sorry (not sorry) cause i needed it and i won't change it no matter what happens. well, that's all! love you lots!!!!

—xoxo, nick ♥