23 He Intends Proposing To Nana In The Presence Of His Best Friend.

"Thanks for coming to get me," Mr. Lee said to Nana immediately after they left the clubhouse.

"You know that isn't necessary. How have you survived without me?" She asked, slinging her right hand over his shoulder affectionately. She was slightly taller than her father, who was of average height.

"I missed you, and I can't wait to hear all about your job," He said as they walked towards their house.

Nana suddenly thought of Tan, and her heart suddenly ached. There was no need to think of him. All she needed to do was push him out of her mind. She had to focus on her boyfriend.

"What's your plan for tomorrow? Where is Ji-Tae taking you?" Her father asked her with a curious smile.

"What plan? What is happening tomorrow?" She asked with a confused frown making her father give her his 'are you kidding me?' look.

"Tomorrow is Valentine's day. It's a day where people share love and lovers..." Her father said, wanting to enter his lecturing mode. He always worried about things that were not worth wasting energy on.

"I get it. It escaped my mind because Ji-Tae isn't around," She interrupted with a wistful smile.

"I've been wanting to say this since we stepped out of the club, but I don't know how to tell you," Her father said, giving her a pensive look.

"What is it? What is wrong?" She asked with a worried frown.

"That I'm famished," He said, holding his stomach like a little boy in a way that made her laugh.

"Of course you are. Let us get you something to eat before we get home."

He grinned back. "That sounds amazing."

**********

Ji-Tae and Min-Jung sat in their car on their way back from the airport. Ji-Tae's driver had picked them up on Ji-Tae's instructions, and he was to drop Min-Jung at her place before taking Ji-Tae home.

Ji-Tae watched Min-Jung from the corner of his eyes. She had been acting strangely since she received the call from Nana earlier... He wondered what they had discussed and why she had been quiet. She wasn't her usual chatterbox self these days either. Maybe it was because they were constantly engaging in one form of argument or the other.

He couldn't wait to see Nana. He suddenly realized how much he had missed her. He'd have to surprise her tomorrow with his visit. He was sure she still thought he was far away from her. And if he was lucky enough, maybe he could finally get her to allow him to break her innocence tomorrow too. He would try convincing her again to accept money from him so she could pay off their loans. He wanted his future wife and father-in-law to be debt free.

Min-Jung sat still as she thought about her conversation with Nana and a way out of the mess she had willingly put herself into. What was she going to say to Nana when she met her? As much as she didn't want to lose her best friend, she didn't want to lose the only guy she had ever really loved. After all, Ji-Tae was initially supposed to be her man. She was going to look for a way out of it. She had to look for a way to tell Nana without hurting her too much... Or maybe she could plant doubts in Nana's heart concerning her relationship with Ji-Tae, that way, Nana would easily let go of him.

She would think about Nana later. Right now, she had to focus on her man, Min-Jung said to herself.

"How are we spending valentine?" Min-Jung suddenly asked out of the blue, making him give her a surprised look.

"What do you mean by 'how are we spending valentine'? Didn't we spend a whole week together? I'm spending tomorrow with Nana," He said, glancing outside the moving car's window.

"Why will you be spending Valentine's day with someone you intend to break up with? Or do you plan on telling her about us tomorrow?" She asked with a hopeful smile.

Ji-Tae knew he had to be careful. He needed to do things with Nana quietly. He would advise her to keep the details of their relationship from Min-Jung and could give her hints that Min-Jung was trying to seduce him. That way, if worst came to shove and he had to force Min-Jung away, no harm would come to his relationship with Nana. He smiled at that.

"I'll break up with her, darling, but not just yet. I haven't seen her in a long while, and it wouldn't be right for me to end things without tangible reasons. I need to find enough faults in her so I can let her go without any suspicion of foul play," He said, drawing her close to kiss her forehead.

"Ok then, I guess I'll just have to spend tomorrow all by myself," She said with a cute pout giving him a sad face.

Soon the driver dropped Min-Jung in front of her house and drove off with Ji-Tae.

He has to make preparations for tomorrow. In a week, he intends to propose to Nana in the presence of his best friend. He said to himself, smiling proudly at the thought of being married to Nana.

**********

"What do you mean you can't give your staff details?" Tan barked into the phone as he paced around his room impatiently with his phone in his ears.

"I'm sorry, sir. But I really can't help you." Min-Jung's boss said from the other end of the line.

"Alright, I want to hire her again. Send her back to me immediately," Tan said in a voice resonating with authority.

"I can't do that either, sir. It was expressly written in your agreement that you couldn't hire the same girlfriend twice. That clause was there to discourage any form of emotional attachment between our staff and clients," He said calmly and politely.

Tan closed his eyes and mentally counted to ten. He was about to lose his mind. He hadn't read the contract because he hadn't counted on falling for his hired girlfriend. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

"How much? Just name your price, whatever it is; I need her number," He said pleadingly.

"I can't take any money from you. However, I could tell her you want her number, and if she agrees, I'll hand it over to you," Min-Jung's boss said in a sympathetic voice.

"No. You can't tell her that. She doesn't want me to find her. Please help me." He pleaded.

"I'll see what I can do. But I think if she doesn't want to be found, you should stop searching," The man said, ending the conversation. He felt sorry for Tan, but there was nothing he could do. It was simply against the company policy.