Stardust Hotel was suggested a great deal with another hotel business company, so in order to accept the deal in appropriate manner, the CEO and his fellow co-workers had arrived in Quebec, Canada yesterday. Everyone being jet legged took rest inside their respective hotel rooms for a whole day.

It was a great thing anyway. Seokjin could observe how his hotel branch was doing all this while without his presence and he wasn't disappointed. He requested the manager to change a few things for better tourist attraction. Their company employees booked their rooms in the same hotel and took preparations to stay for a few days here in this country.

Seok Jin and Yoon Min's relationship had still remained unchanged. Their secret feelings were begining to show more, but their guilt was holding both of them from doing the right thing. Both were cautious about their emotions. So they would control themselves no matter what happened.

But only they knew...how painful it was for both of them to stay unaware of their own beautiful feelings.

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"Uh...I think there's a problem, Sir." Yoon Min spoke in between of her countless tries of calling the secretary of Mr. Eric for the past few minutes.

Seokjin glanced at her and asked, "What?"

"Mr. Mark isn't answering. He probably wanted to tell me something important."

Both of them were on their way in a car to meet with Mr. Eric Kim at a cafe for the confirmation of their deal. Sitting together in the backseat was a rare situation they hardly ever were in. Most of the time, either she drove or him and the other would sit in the backseat. Though there was an unfortunate safe distance between them, he was mindlessly getting attracted by her side view.

Yoon Min finally managed to get her call answered as she suddenly raised her voice out of excitement,

"Oh Mr. Mark! Good Morning. I'm so sorry I couldn't pick up when you called me earlier." she spoke in English much fluently.

Seokjin only remained silent though he was slightly getting anxious for the call. His eyes were fixed on her face in a serious, silent way.

He saw her nodding her head a few times and talking with the male secretary quite in a sweet tone. Something she had never done with him all these years. And for that, he badly wanted to throw the phone away from her.

The secretary finally hung up after some time and looked at him, "Sir, they cancelled today's meeting due to an emergency. Mr. Eric gave his word that he would definitely meet with you tomorrow."

Seokjin first let out a few disappointing sighs before nodding his head.

"Alright, let's get back to the hotel. What a waste of my precious time..."

He didn't suggest or ask, he simply ordered like he always did. When he found her not replying, he opened his eyes and looked at her, only to find her pouting.

"What's with the long face?"

"Why don't we both have a walk around this city since we've come so far anyway?" She shot him an innocent grin.

Of course, she would never ask for his company unless she was scared to travel alone in a foreign country. He knew her that much at least.

"Well--"

"Come on, we are in Canada for God's sake! Don't you wanna have a look around this marvellous country?" She complained loudly as if there was no driver in the car.

Seokjin sighed and rubbed his forehead, "Look kid, I've been here many times before you. And trust me, there's nothing to see around here." He lied. He never even wanted to walk around and admire the attractions, to put it one word, he was lazy and uninterested.

But could he ever stop his outgoing secretary? "Well, today's your lucky day! Because you get to hang out with me!" she pointed her finger at herself and grinned.

He chuckled at her behaviour, but wasn't convinced.

"Sir, please? Like real please? I never would've asked you if I wasn't scared, right?" now her attempt was puppy eyes.

Her cute actions always sparked his heart. Sighing, he gave a short reply, "Fine, just don't try to act cute."

Yoon Min cheered on her own and told the driver to take them to a certain area. She must've studied before coming here.

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Seokjin really was enjoying the time with her.

At first, they took a comfortable motorcoach that took them around the city's top sites, such as Old Québec, the Plains of Abraham, and Place Royale. On their two hour excursion, they heard stories about the city's culture and history from an experienced guide. They couldn't help but stare at the wonderfully built buildings and places as if they were suddenly two historicists. The places were filled with enchanting stories and tales which allured their concentration repeatedly.

Then they walked down the busy streets of Quebec. People mostly talking in French and English, all had a smile on their faces. Whenever Yoon Min entered a shop followed by Seokjin, the shop owners gave her free compliments a lot. They were amazed by the prettiest features of her face, that a few of them even tried flirting with her. But Seokjin didn't let that happen. He stuck beside her side all the time, like her boyfriend; as a result, the men lost their chances. He wasn't even willing to let her take the tulips the men gifted her for free, but she took them anyway.

Next, they came across a group of young teenagers who were showing a dance cover in public in front of a water fountain. People gathered around to watch, so did Yoon Min. Her crazy love for Kpop forced Seokjin to follow her to the sight and watch the boys' dancing to Seventeen's Ready To Love. She even attempted to join those random boys but because of his grip on her wrist, she couldn't. Seokjin was super protective over her strangely.

The next hours were Seokjin's golden hours because they were eating. After having a long tour, they were tired and arrived at a restaurant for lunch. The new dishes excited him so he tried every meal in that restaurant out of curiosity. He was a king of foodies anyways. But Yoon Min was acting like a child after seeing the foods, like the types who showed pure disgust after tasting vegetables. She didn't even want to eat, but Seokjin scolded her like a parent and fed her at the beginning. Unexpectedly, none of them felt any butterflies in their stomachs or blood rushed on their cheeks. Rather, it was as if they were meant to be this close.

After having meals to their tummies' fill, they still wanted to explore the area more so they continued their journey again. A hilly, largely undeveloped forest and serene lakes made the Gatineau Park. They were walking together under the forest of maple trees over the river valley. A calm, sweet afternoon with the chirpings of little birds and the whisperings of the wind was natural here.

It was an especially impressive sight in autumn. The forest could offer photo-worthy views, but to her, memories were enough. She was more than content with the fact she was walking through a beautiful natural beauty with the man she always admired silently. Knowing there was no chance of having him in her lifetime, she was always happy to do these little things with him.

"Maple is a common symbol of strength and endurance. That's why maple tree is the national tree of Canada." Yoon Min let out randomly, watching a few leaves falling from above.

She didn't hear any response from him, he just nodded. A mix of walkers, cyclists, and dog owners were enjoying the park trails along with them. So she thought maybe his mind was distracted to something else.

Red, yellow, orange leaves under her feet, crunching and crumbling as she walked forward, and more of their families falling around her was a scene of an odd serene and peace. She could enjoy this moment for eternity in the light of the sun's last hours in the sky. Upon her deep thoughts and love for these beauties, she stared at those leaves separating from the trees and falling on the ground. The leaves were so mesmerizing that almost lured her to hold one of them.

Without her knowledge, she had walked a few steps ahead of him and started to wonder in a fascinating tone,

"I once watched in a drama that if you ever catch a falling maple leaf, you'll fall in love with the person you're walking with."

She smiled more, but it was faint and soft. "Is it true?"

Again, she heard no response from him. Breaking her emotional thoughts, she turned around to look at his face, only to see something she didn't expect. Seokjin was already holding a maple leaf in his hand and staring at her in the most flushed state.

Yoon Min's eyes locked with the beautiful red leaf in his hand, her eyes glowing a reflection of his whole being. She was confounded in her place just like him in his place. Both were staring into each other's eyes so deeply, with their heart increasing their speed gradually.

Before she could blush, Seokjin tried hiding his red cheeks and ears and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Y-you should've told me earlier..." giving a lame excuse, he dropped the leaf and walked pass her in a hurry, to escape from her beautiful, yearning eyes and his own beautiful misery while being with her.

Yoon Min still stared at that lonely leaf on the ground, wondering if that leaf could actually matchmake them in the name of fate. But at the end, a leaf is only a leaf. It grows on trees, then dies. It's merely anything.

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While the sun was going down, they already came across a popular river Canadians visited during their free times. Yoon Min suggested to watch the sunset so they walked by the river with no sound between them. Both of them preferred silence over words between them.

But the secretary was always curious about everything.

"CEO Kim, do you think the universe fights for souls to be together?"

Seokjin hummed in his thoughts for some time.

"Well, I t-think so. If two people are destined to be together, if the story of their life is written in the pages of destiny; everything, from Almighty to every element in the universe will unite them no matter what." He paused for a second. "Some things are too stange and strong to be coincidences."

Yoon Min nodded positively, as in she was happy with his answer.

His eyes searched for the sun, the orange circle of fire was almost setting in the indigo canvas of the sky. The sight was somehow strangely making him open his heart.

"Yoon Min, do you think the universe also fights for Jisoo and me to be together?"

He didn't know he had asked the wrong person. He asked someone who would be very much glad to answer that question negatively. But she would never say something like that.

With a smile, she replied, "Of course, Sir. Why not?" though she was honest with her words, she wasn't willing to let that happen. There were rare times she found herself being selfish.

His facial expression gave away the fact he wasn't wishing that answer.

"I feel like...my feelings are--" he didn't finish his sentence.

Yoon Min got worried instantly and changed her eyes on him while walking steadily, "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know. Honestly, I don't know what's wrong with me." Seokjin was quiet for some minutes. Then he added, "I still clearly remember the moment I saw her. It was almost 4 years ago at a party where she joined as the guest of honour."

The secretary secretly rolled her eyes and forced herself to listen to that story again. Don't get her wrong, he explained about their first encounter almost hundred times to her, to the point she just got bored.

"She was so gorgeous. Everything about her was just perfect. I didn't think I would fall for her right there, right then. She is the goddess of our country and it felt like Cupid struck his arrow at my heart then."

"Before I could do anything to present myself in front of her, she was already in front of me, giving that precious smile of hers and--"

As he continued the same story for the next minutes, she just pretended she was listening, because she didn't want to hurt him.

"A few weeks later, we were already into each other and I had done it. I proposed to her and she gladly accepted. It was one of the few times I actually saw her that much happy."

Seokjin's soft, shy smile was visible under the last lights of the sun. But as the lights faded away, so did his smile.

"But soon enough, this relationship was starting to get suffocating for me."

Yoon Min knew he had problems with their relationship due to their busy schedule, Jisoo's toxic behaviour, egoistic actions, super jealousy and not caring about him like he did for her. But she didn't know he was being serious about all these.

With a soft look, she asked, "Since when?"

Since the very beautiful moment he met her.

"I don't know. I-I just know I was drifting away from her a lot sooner than I thought."

Yoon Min didn't know what she should say about this. Firstly she was in no position to give him her advices and thoughts. Secondly a part of her deeply wanted Jisoo and Seokjin to stay together, because she was afraid if anyone could ever make him happy like Jisoo did.

But on the contrary, she also didn't want him to suffer alone and live in a relationship where he wasn't happy.

Thinking about everything, she only managed to say,

"Sir, I believe time is what both of you need. You're both busy and most of the time, you stay away from each other. Even when you guys meet, you are tired and don't get the energy to tressure the other. None of you are to be blamed, if only you could give each other enough time for mental support."

She hated herself when she had to say things she didn't want to.

"And I also think, you should tell Ms. Kim about your p-problems. Maybe she would understand and try to make it for you?"

Seokjin shook his head sadly, "Jisoo would never understand me."

"She does, just she doesn't show it. Who knows you're not the only one feeling like this? Maybe she's also suffering, having doubts. And I know for a fact she's always worried about you leaving her." Yoon Min calmly replied.

"You know, you need to fight to save your relationship. But you have to have the will to fight."

Seokjin sighed heavily when the sun finally dripped inside the other part of the world, bidding goodbye to their side.

As much as he appreciated Yoon Min's kind, wise words, he honestly wanted to hear something else. Figuring out if she wanted them to break up was the only intention behind his confession right now. But Yoon Min was strongly supporting their half-broken relationship.

It was like he expected. She wasn't interested in a man like him. A man who had no family, who couldn't give her time, who couldn't make her happy.

Little did he know, the girl loved him wholely, from his faults, mistakes to his best sides.

But she was the kind who would think about others before her own needs.

They could never be together, even if they wanted.

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I've no idea what's wrong with me. I can't write😐

I'm controlling Seokjin in a way where his morals are important than his feelings. And also Yoon Min is controlled by her righteous mind as she shouldn't love him since he belongs to Jisoo.

So basically, how are they supposed to get close if both bury their feelings?

Seriously, I didn't think I would face this problem. Since my readers are so kind and lovely, I request you to forgive me.😩 I'm messing up their moments, thus the recent chapters don't appear with emotions. They feel dry, right?