We were heading back to the hotel as both of us filled the cabin with silence. Only filled with the faint sound of the car audio played random songs. I was busy checking the presentation on my tablet as we were still stuck in light traffic near the hotel.

The car audio playing Twilight of Kotaro Oshio and Hyeyoon was humming following the melody beside me. I stole a glance at her and the girl was busy scrolling her phone screen.

"Oh," the girl exclaimed. I immediately turned to see at her. She was reading something on her phone and looked at me with excitement in her eyes. "That Potala Palace was built by King Songtsan Gambo for his talented and beautiful wife, Princess Whencheng, 1.300 years ago. Well, it said, the palace was built in the Tang Dynasty era,"

I locked my tablet and put it down to the car seat. Diverted my attention to what Hyeyoon was saying. She then explained what she was reading about the Potala Palace and its history. About the King who married the Tang Princess and brought the lady to Tibet. The great woman was famous for her wisdom and intelligence that had the King head over heels in love with the princess.

To prove his devoted love to his wife, the King then built the white palace and the palace so far was listed as the highest palace in the world by UNESCO.

"Wow, I never heard about that before. Would be very challenging to visit the palace someday," Hyeyoon concluded her explanation with her desire to travel to Tibet.

"Yes, it's a beautiful place, moreover in the winter," I commented briefly. The girl turned to look at me and her eyes got widen.

"You've been there?" her voice risen as she sounded very curious.

I held my smile and just smirked silently. "No," I told her. "I read it on a book,"

"Ah," she cast her gaze away from me back to her phone.

And soon, the car finally entered the hotel area and the driver pulled over the car in front of the lobby entrance. After being stuck in the traffic for almost 45 minutes, we finally reached the hotel at 6.30 PM. It was almost dinner time and we need to have dinner before the virtual meeting.

I was glancing at the girl beside me and calling the hall-porter to help us delivered our belongings to our rooms.

"Let's eat dinner first," I told Hyeyoon and escorted her to the elevator. The Seventh Son restaurant was placed on level 2. A few visitors were seen filled the restaurant as we entered the entrance.

"Two-person dine-in," I told the receptionist and another waiter immediately helped us to find our table.

He led us to the table near the window, fit for two persons. The spot was quite private as it was placed right on the corner of the restaurant.

"Thanks," I muttered lowly to the waiter and he smiled.

"Would you like to order now, Sir?" he handed us two menus. I scanned the menu briefly and already decided what to order. Glanced at Hyeyoon, she was still contemplating her preference.

"Are you ready to order?" I asked the girl and she pursed her lips as if she was still thinking hard of what dish she would like to order.

She took a soft breath and closed the menu. "Just the same as yours," she said finally.

I nodded and turned to the waiter, "Two pan-seared salmon with cordon bleu, and two lychee sparkling water," I told him and the waiter quickly took our order into a note, after repeating the order, he excused himself to leave us alone.

My gaze automatically back to see the girl in front of me, she threw her gaze outside the windows. Seemed to enjoy the night view of Shenzhen. Her thin lips formed a slight smile and she looked so dearly under the light with her pose like that. Her shoulder-length hair fell on her slender posture, and her haircut made her indeed looked more mature.

I was about to initiate a conversation when my phone suddenly vibrated. I took the phone out and got surprised upon seeing the caller ID.

Jang Kiyong.

I frowned and stared at Hyeyoon which now also staring back at me.

I got up and excused myself to the restroom.

"Yes?" I answered the call when I reached the restroom door.

"Mr. Kim. I'm so sorry for disturbing you, my apologies," the baritone voice was heard across the line.

"Yes, is there anything wrong, Manager Jang?" I replied to him flat and when I saw my reflection from the mirror near the restroom, my expression indeed looked as cold and rigid as marble.

"Are you with Hyeyoon, now? I'm just wondering if she was with you right now since I can't reach her phone. It's switched off," Jang Kiyong concerned voice was clearly heard and I instantly turned to look at the girl from afar. She was still in her seat. Watching the night view from outside the windows. "Just wondering if I'm not bothering your work, may I speak to her, please?"

I was contemplating whether or not to tell him the truth or just simply saying that the girl was busy and unavailable at the moment.

As if I couldn't control my step, my feet unconsciously walked by themselves back toward the girl and stood tall next to her. Hyeyoon was stunned upon seeing my appearance and throwing a questioning look at me.

What are you doing here, Kim Rowoon?

My internal thought was giving me a warning, yet my tongue worked by itself as if I had no control over my body.

"Here, Jang Kiyong is calling me, he said he can't reach your phone, did you switch it off?" I gave her my phone and the girl blankly took it.

"Hello?" she excused herself to the restroom and answered the call.

I watched her talking on the phone while sometimes flashing a smile and giggling. My hazy mind diverted to what that old lady at the China Folk Villages had said. "You have to learn how to appreciate precious things that universe had sent to you, rather than being so arrogant and prideful of yourself, it's useless, or else you'll lose your precious one repeatedly,"

I indeed had lost someone so precious. I let out a wry smile, bitterly admitted the fact. My insidious side had told me to snatch the girl back and claimed what was mine. But then, my inner thought and sanity wouldn't let me do such cheap things. What would it make me if I force the girl and did the things out of her consent?

I couldn't do that.

I sighed in frustration. But laughed at me one second later. Why was I so melancholic? Since when? Smiled bitterly at my stupidity, I saw Hyeyoon walked back to our table and gave my phone back.

"Thanks," she said lowly.

"What happened with your phone?" I asked her as I took my phone back.

She took out her phone and checked on it confusedly. "I have no idea, it's nothing wrong. But I hadn't got any notification from him," Hyeyoon tried to tap on her phone a few times, opening and closing the messenger application just to make her looked more confused about what was wrong with the device.

"Let me see," I reached out my hand and asked for her phone. She handed me her phone and I checked it a few times.

Seemed like the device's speed was slowed down due to excessive use. "When did the last time you restart your phone, Hyeyoon?" I cleared the junk files and tap on the clean the cache before restarting the device.

"I don't know. Is there something wrong?" she replied. The waiter came and served our meals along with the drinks. "Thank you," she thanked the waiter and the man excused himself.

"Nothing's wrong, just device speed slowing down due to excessive use. You need to scheduled auto-restart in every two or three days," her phone turned back on. I opened the setting and set the auto-restart on her device care setting. "You phone was put-on high-power saver automatically, your battery dropped really fast, too," I checked on her power consumption tracker and her battery dropped 75% rapidly in 3 hours.

I sighed and turned her phone back.

"What?" Hyeyoon checked on her phone and a few notifications start to appear.

"Nothing, but I think you may need to buy a new phone," I told her.

Her eyes widened. "What? Why? This phone was only two years old. It's still functionally well with me,"

"No, your battery tracking consumption started to show a malfunction. It dropped rapidly in 3 hours. Did you plug on your charging port to your device all night, Hyeyoon?"

"Oh," her expression turned dark, "yes," she said weakly.

"Most of the time?" I confirmed the probability and she nodded. "Hmm..." she always this bad maintaining his digital device. Her habit since years ago remained the same. "Don't do that from now on. Charge it when it dropped below 30% and take the charger off as soon as it fully charged. Also, try uninstalling the unused applications. It unnecessarily consumes your power, too," I suggested to her and she said will do it later.

"Did you do that, too?" Hyeyoon broke the silence when we started eating dinner.

"Did what?" chewing the salmon, I raised my stare and looked at her.

"Your phone? Did you treat your phone like that, too?"

I swallowed slowly and answered, "yes, and my phone still works pretty fine even for 3 years long. Well, the first thing that will decrease in every device is its power-saving or battery. Just like a laptop, cell phone. If you want to use it for a long time, you'll need to take good care of its power source and utilization," I explained to her and she nodded in understanding.

"Okay, will do it. Thank you," she said finally.

I smiled. Seemed like her mood was getting a lot better now. Her facial expression wasn't that awkward as early today. I couldn't help to feel grateful. I saw her phone vibrated again and she smiled upon seeing whoever the messenger sender was.

Her delicate fingers were typing on her phone skillfully. Showed me the solitaire ring around her ring finger. Such as a hard slap right on my face, I had to chew back the embarrassment feeling as to remember how I behave in front of her in these past few days.

So helpless. So pathetic.

I need to get things straight before I could embarrass myself even more, and lost my dignity once again. This so-called man's pride. I knew I still love her; I couldn't lie to myself anymore. But snatching her from her man who also loved her like that was not me at all. Well, I had enough seeing it myself and know that Hyeyoon had her every right to have her happiness, too.

"Hyeyoon," I called her and the girl raised her face to looked back at me.

"Hm?" she responded.

I licked my lips nervously and fixed my sitting position. "I—" I hesitated. I swallowed hard the nervousness and the pride then continued as the girl now was seen anticipating what I would say to her. "Uh, I would like to apologize to you, Hyeyoon," I finally said that.

The girl was silent. Her expression turned from expecting to stunned. She put down the cutleries and stared at me with her flat expression yet a slight hint of a surprise there.

I took a deep breath and proceed, "I'm sorry for what I've done to you," I halted, tried to check on her expression but she stayed still, waiting for me to finish, "I'm sorry I kissed you before," I finally said it. The girl's shoulder was slumped down and she sighed lowly.

Okay, this wasn't what I meant. I didn't mean to bring the topic up again after a very peaceful and happy event.

"I mean, I'm sorry for being a jerk and did inappropriate things to you, that's all," I concluded and didn't expect much from her, or hoping she would immediately forgive me. But at least, Hyeyoon needed to know that I was being sincere with my apologies. I didn't want us to be so awkward to each other, maybe we could start all over and I was trying to make amend. 

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A/N :

The story is still progressing :D
And I made a few adjustments to the plot so things need to go slowly but sure for now.

And I'm saving up the HOT SCENES a bit later. LOL

Save the best for the last XD

Wait a bit and you'll have it when you less expected it. Be prepared. Hehe

I have the double update on progress, hope it'll finish written soon. I'll post it right away, once I'm finished.

And uh, apparently the after put it unpublished for some times, the story was like restarting its ranking and all. I wonder if not all of you got the notification when I put it back on publish.

Anyway, enjoy this one first. Hopefully, I can publish the next chapter soon, or probably tonight? I'm still not sure. I'll try to do it as soon as I can.

See you very very soon~ ^^