A few days passed, since the unexpected kiss, Boss couldn't get his mind off her even though he acted so collected and quiet. He wasn't the guy who pushed himself to other lives if a person didn't want to. He had been thinking a lot about what he would do about his feelings toward her since he believed that she was fond of Kwan and she liked the pretty boy, and he wasn't. And the kiss was still a secret since Killa didn't remember, and Boss didn't mention it after, or perhaps because she didn't mention it either. Another secret that they had shared together was that they lived together. Kwan didn't know about it. They came to work like normal people. But something that caught Kwan's interest was the vibes. The vibes between them were getting higher than the vibration of the romantic comedy in the teen movies he watched.
The conversation between Boss and Kwan happened when Killa didn't have her shift at the Café. To clear things up and figure out the solution, was to confront. Boss didn't know that Kwan had a secret with Killa, so Kwan decided to tell him everything. If he didn't, this romantic drama wouldn't have ended happily.
One night, Kwan walked back home, and there were thugs who cornered him, beating him up. Honestly, this bullying situation had happened to him almost every day. And that night, one of the nights that he was going to be beaten up, it was different because Killa was there, appeared out of nowhere kicking and fighting back those fuckers away and threatening them not to bother Kwan anymore. After that, Kwan didn't face them again.
Boss: 'So, that's why you are very close.'
'What should I do with these guys?' Kwan thought.
Kwan: 'You like her, don't you?' He looked at his Boss's stunned face. Come on, you treat
her differently, and your eyes keep looking at her.' Boss said nothing. "How did I know? I observed you since the first day, Boss." Kwan explained after seeing his reaction.
'Have I been interested in her since the first day?' Boss thought.
'Realized now, right?' Kwan thought. "Then tell her," Kwan told his Boss, but he shook his head.
Boss: 'She likes you.'
Kwan exhaled with the attitude. "Yes. And I told her that I am gay; you know what she said to me?"
Boss stopped his action and stared at him,
"Gay, guy, girl, it doesn't matter to her," Kwan said, making him even more nerve-racking. "And when she was so worried about me, beaten up. She offered me to walk home together. She's just a young girl who was so reckless like that, even if she knew how to defend herself. Anyway, she told me—Gay, Guy, and Girl are all the same; dangerous is dangerous. We don't have to differentiate the group and type; which one is more likely to be the target."
Boss was stunned as he watched Kwan explain carefully,
"She's something else, I can tell." Kwan said, "But she likes me as a person, as she likes everything that is pretty. We're closed because we have shared something together. She helped me because she's a good person."
Kwan: 'You know what I am trying to say, right?' he did the sign, 'Nothing is telling or showing that she likes me in a romantic way,'
Boss was processing and pictured her in his room, kissing him, the way she was always wondering why he hated her.
"Boss, you are an adult and all grown up. You're quite smart, almost good at everything...but for come to love, you are so dumb." Kwan told him with an annoyed face.
"Did you just call me dumb?" Boss asked,
"Yes, she likes me as a friend, not for a romantic relationship," Kwan repeated. I helped you only for now. The next step is up to you." Kwan told him, pressed his hand on Boss' shoulder, and left.
After the conversation between Boss and Kwan, he started to approach Killa more and tried to be nicer and gentler with her. It was hard for him to accept or admit to himself that he really wanted to win her heart. But whenever he reached the point that he had created in his mind, the red point, he tried to stop himself and never crossed that line. Even if he tried to stop the action, he did what his guts told him anyway when it was about Killa. And his actions made it apparent that he fell for her.
Everyone had their own past, which they wanted to forget or at least try to live with. For Boss, no one knew what had happened to him and how it would affect his life because he had never told anyone, not even Kwan.
Also, Killa realized that her behavior towards her Boss, which was more than her co-worker's relationship and emotion with Daiki, couldn't compare to her feelings for her Boss.
The Café
As time passed, on a normal day at the Café, Killa stayed at her station at the cashier's, where she took customer orders. And one guy who looked so familiar. Killa looked at him without a blink. He had dark hair and tan skin but wore a black cap.
"It's 125," Killa said,
"Here," And that guy spoke out his voice.
'Not just his face but his voice too,' Killa thought and took his cash. While Killa was keeping the money inside the cashier machine, he immediately looked at Killa and noticed her hair color.
"Miss Killa!?"
Killa looked up. It was a guy who worked at Riagán's club, the guy who saved Killa from taking off her clothes, the guy who Killa kissed when she was drunk.
"Joonwoo?" Killa called his name,
Then Killa and Joonwoo were sitting at the table, having a conversation.
"I never thought I would find you here, Miss Ly.." Joonwoo said,
"Just call me Killa," Killa cut him with a smile, "What are you doing here? In this city," Killa asked first,
"I work here," Joonwoo said,
"Don't you work at Ree's club anymore?" Killa asked,
"No, after you left, I also left that place," He told her the truth.
Killa slightly nodded, "...I see, so what are you doing now?"
"I work at the construction," he said; he watched her feeling surprised. "You seem surprised." Joonwoo smiled a little.
"Is it hard? Working at the construction?" Killa wondered.
"It's different from what I had done...but I like it." Joonwoo said. "So, how are you? I heard
you go to university? What do you study?"
"Art..." She said. "You seem surprised." Killa teased him back.
"Haha, yes," He chuckled. Because his little laugh showed his little fangs out. Killa wasn't surprised if he was the top worker at Ree's club because of his handsome face and charming looks with a badass body. Joonwoo had a lot of clients. "So you work here in this cafe?" He asked and looked around the place.
"Yes, part-time job."
"I never imagined you would work as a part-timer. Do you like it?"
"I really like it," She smiled and JoonWoo glared at Boss behind the counter because he was always watching her. "I gotta go to work now." Killa said,
"Oh, okay, sorry to keep you here," Joonwoo said,
"Pleasure," Killa smiled.
Because her sweet, familiar smile that he received back then made him feel like he was home. "Killa, can I see you again...I mean, like hanging out?" Joonwoo asked,
She nodded, "...sure."
Killa and Joonwoo didn't spend much time back in Southland. But there were a few moments and some situations that had happened between them that could make a thousand times stronger than other relationships compared to some companies that have known each other for so long. Killa had saved him from the Mafia gang, Canaanite, the most famous and dangerous gang in the South Continent. They were strafing the Ree's place. Killa could run away, but she insisted on staying with him, killing the Canaanite's men and protecting him until Liselotte destroyed the bomb.
'You are the only one who doesn't look down on me because I'm a prostitute.' He said the last word before she left Southland.
Boss' room
"Boss, I might be late this weekend," Killa told him during dinner.
Boss: 'School works?'
"Meetup with my friend," Killa said,
'Friend?' Boss thought. "You're going to drink with your friends?' he asked,
"Maybe a little bit," she said honestly,
"Don't drink too much..." He was a bit worried.
She felt embarrassed. "I'm sorry about that night."
'That night? she.. remembered?' Boss opened his eyes a little.
Boss: 'That...night?'
"You always see me when I'm a mess…I won't drink too much."
'So, she doesn't remember,' Boss thought. And he was a bit disappointed. "I can pick you up."
"It's okay..."
"Your friends will call me to pick you up anyway." Boss teased,
'Why do I feel like I'm such an alcoholic person?' Killa thought. "I meet up with another friend."
"Who? Your senior, pink-haired guy?" Boss wondered.
"No...Do you remember the guy who visited last time, the one with the cap," Killa explained while having her food.
'Yes, I remember…' he answered in his head. Killa continued enjoying her dinner. 'And you are going to drink with him... alone?' the Boss thought with a furious face.
"You should sell your food too. It's very delicious." She suggested happily.
"Don't you have any assignments this weekend?" Boss asked, ignoring her suggestion.
"I bet the professors will give a new one...but,"
"Then you should focus on your study." Boss said,
"Hm?" she tilted her head. Yes, I always do. I will finish before going out." 'Why is he so serious all of a sudden?' Killa thought. "No need to worry, Boss. I will not give you a hard time."
'That's not what I meant...' He thought.
"I'll wash the dish for you." Killa got up and took her plate in the sink.
'Why is she so stubborn to go? ' Boss thought.
The night walk after drinking fresh drinks to refresh each other's heads. And catching up with their present life without the past interrupting. Joonwoo decided to walk Killa home while strolling and admiring the light in the middle of the night view.
"Are you considering going back...to Southland?" Joonwoo asked.
She paused, "...no." and shifted her eyes to him, "Are you?"
"I admit there were several times that popped up in my head, but after I saw you...that thought has slipped away," Joonwoo said,
"Why?" Killa asked.
"If I go back, I won't be able to see your face." Joonwoo had another confession for her.
"Hahaha," She chuckled.
The way they talked with each other was just like the way they had been friends for so long, even if this was the first time they had a chill and laid-back conversation.
After separating, Killa walked to the Cafe by herself and breathed fresh air. The wind brought the petals of the blooming flowers from the tall trees down. She could feel the fresh spring while the breeze ran through her body, which was almost gone.
"How long have I been living here?" Killa mumbled by herself and took a deep breath in. Killa was thinking about living here without anyone bothering her. Anyone, including her family.
"Hooo—" And she breathed out, closing her eyes, and held her own body tightly,
"Boss?" She turned to see a huge tall body standing in front of the Cafe. "Don't tell me...that he is waiting for me?" Killa talked to herself while staring at him, waiting for her. In a second, he turned to see Killa. Killa stopped walking and just smiled at him. Then he walked toward her instead. "Why are you out here?" She asked.
"Waiting for you," he said,
"Oh god...if he keeps doing this, I won't be able to let go..." Killa didn't intentionally speak it out loud.
He was watching her with a steady face,
'Shit' Then she cursed inside her head. "Let's go inside, Boss." She dragged him in with a blush face.
Boss' room
"Did you have fun?" Boss asked her after watching her doing her stuff in the kitchen.
"Yeah," And she felt his silence behind her. Killa turned to see him while bottoming her water bottle. "What were you doing while I'm gone?" Killa asked him with words and also sign language.
'Waiting–thinking—mostly waiting—and thinking,' He answered her in his mind.
Boss: 'Not much—Have you eaten?'
Killa: 'Yes'
'Of course, you have,' Boss seemed a bit upset.
Killa: 'You?'
Boss: 'Not yet,'
She looked at him, "Should we eat something?" she asked. "I'm kind of hungry. I didn't eat much—mostly drinking."
He said nothing and approached her in the kitchen. Killa watched his movement curiously. He stepped closer and closer to her, and he leaned his face near her face. His nose was far from her nose, just one or two millimeters from each other. Killa leaned back a little bit; her heart was pounding like crazy.
Sniff
Boss tried to smell the alcohol from her; he sniffed her lightly.
'Not that strong...she still smells good after the whole day.' He thought. "What would you like to eat?" Boss said into her ear.
"Anything you want..." she said softly,
Thirty minutes later, he made the spaghetti for the late dinner.
"You seemed more hungry than I do," Boss said to Killa after witnessing her eating so deliciously.
"Actually, I just wait to come back home to have dinner with you," she said,
He kept staring at her while she was eating her spaghetti. 'She was…waiting to have dinner with...wait…did she just say home?' He thought, and his ears started to burn.
'Wait, did I just say home?' Killa thought, and then she immediately stopped her fork in the middle of the air. And then they both were in silence. Killa slowly looked up to see his reaction. 'Maybe he didn't catch that,' Killa consoled herself.
After Killa caught his eyes staring at her. He put his hand on her head and slowly slid down on her side cheek; he patted her. But in Killa's sense, his affection was somehow more luring and sensual to her, or any kind of touching from him,
"I love..." he said, drawing Killa into the deep blue in his eyes. "I love it when you say home."
Killa just tried to control her emotions and calm her hot temperature, which was rising nonstop.