3. New Friend?

At Seogwipo Beach – Jeju Island.

The wind slowly blew over the leafless trees causing the creaking sound whenever the wind passes through, the flower started to grow up, it shows that it's already been days since the spring season has comes.

The sound of wave hitting the shore for Lin is the best and peaceful sound for healing her mind.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down on the soft sand with her legs straight out to the sea while closed her eyes and let the wind breeze blows gently towards her face.

But it was disrupt by a sudden vibrate from her cell phone, she tried to ignore it first but when she saw her name on the screen, she knows that she needs to answer that call or otherwise it will keep ringing nonstop for the rest of the day .

She reached out her phone then answer.

[Ana: Hello..Lin listen...I'm so sorry I've got no choice but told Jay about you, otherwise he'll report you for a missing person.

Lin: Did you tell him, where I am?

Ana: No I didn't...

Lin: You did great..I'm sorry Ana to have caused you so much trouble but I need to get away from there for awhile.

Ana: That's okay but you need to let me know how you are doing, at least text me"

Lin: Sure, thank you Ana

Ana: And please be safe okay.

Lin: Okay]

She then hung up.

She does feels sorry for dragging Ana, her best friend right into her own problem even after what she had done for her, and yet she's always be there to help her and backed her up.

For that she will always be grateful towards Ana, that she ended up reminiscing the time when she met Ana on her first day of working.

***I'm sorry Ana for makes you worried but I need to do this to stay away from him and everyone.

There are so much bittersweet memories that they've had done together through ups and down.

She didn't even realize herself smiled alone while her eyes are still mesmerized by those sparkling view because of the reflection from the sun to the sea water.

***It's beautiful

Then suddenly,

"Would you mind if I sit here?" An attractive manly voice comes from her right side.

She turned to her right and startled to see a man holding a glass of cocktail.

***Seriously that drink looks insanely good.

He was wearing a dark blue shorts above the knees paired with a sunset printed Hawaiian short sleeves shirt; Unbuttoned. Letting those tanning six packs showed like a bar of chocolate shining under the sun.

***He is super hot and could pass as a model I would say.

She just stiffened by his question, since they are at the beach and its quite open for everyone, but she still confused to know the reason why does he wants to sit with a stranger like her.

"Hmmm…sure?", she said sounding unsure but being the kind person she is thinking that it might be a little bit rude to refused him since he can sit anywhere he wants on this widely space so she just let him be.

"If you don't like, I can sit somewhere else" he said.

"No…no…no…you can sit here by all means…I don't mind" she replied as she shakes her head while her hand pointed to an empty space beside her.

After her approved, he showed a wide smile on his face and saying "Thanks", he took a sit beside her and she took this opportunity to study his face and no doubt, this man is so handsome.

***Damn he's hot….

***No…no…no...Get it together Lin.

She shakes her head once again trying to get those wild thought out of her mind and he's literally saw her while doing that and it makes him confused.

While sitting side by side, she couldn't do a slightest movement because of the awkwardness as he's being too closed to her.

"Are you here alone?"

He finally started a conversation and just look at her with those dark green attractive eyes, those smoldering looking face on him really got into her eyes and almost got swayed by his stunning smile for a moment.

***Is he Korean?

***Don't even bothered Lin just focusing on your life

Honestly she couldn't resist to stare at his handsome face but instantly turned her face straight towards the sea when a moment she realized that her heart still owned by Jay.

She takes a long deep breath then, "Yes, I 'm just taking a break for days" she replied in a low tone.

***He's not even asking you that stop embarrassing yourself

Then everything just goes awkwardly silent, as she suddenly playing with sand and let it running through her hands onto her legs.

And he saw her randomly acts as if she was on her own world and he found her so cute and attractive.

He couldn't help but smiled and he also trying to enjoying the beauty of nature himself.

"I'm sorry for bothering you" he suddenly apologized, Lin then slowly turned towards him and she now feels wrong.

He slurps his drink before continued. "I have my reason for doing this and you help me a lot…so thank you", while patted her head and sincerely smile at her.

She just looked at him with confusing looks on her face.

***What is he talking about?

"But I didn't do anything" she said, still doesn't know what exactly happened. He gets up as he rubs that sand off from his shorts.

"Okay I think I better get going, thank you for your time miss….?" He paused while looked at her tend to know her name.

***Why is he looking at me like that?

He reached out his hand intends to shakes hand with her but she seems did not get his point.

She's dumbfounded while staring blankly at him not until she realized that he was actually asked her name.

"Ooo…..I'm sorry…I'm Lin" she gets up immediately then replied his handshakes back.

***Should I ask for his name too?

***Only as if we'll be seeing each other again.

But the curiosity just wins over her that she ended up asking him 'And you are?, without even a bit of hesitated in herself.

***Shame on you girl

"I'm Nick, nice meeting you Lin" He smiled, and then again with those mesmerizing smiled just strikes again like a lightning bolt striking straight to the heart.

He then walked straight away to the entrance and just standing by the trees, and he looks like he's waiting for someone.

But when she look at him again, Lin somehow got a feeling that he does seems familiar but then maybe just because of his handsomeness that really makes her think in that way.

She smiled unreasonably.

***Gosh, his body looks so fine ….like …Jay

All of sudden a man with a white Range Rover Evoque just arrives and picks him up soon after that.

***Who's that?

Whilst Lin just standing still and looks at him. Her eyes have completely fixed on that car until it slowly disappeared from view.

Then again her smile suddenly fades away when she began to think about Jay.

***Don't keep thinking about him Lin you've promised to yourself

She decides to take her time walking near by the seashore and let those waves touches her feet and makes her feel relax and comforts as if washing away all of her worries and sadness.

About 15 minutes she let those feet standing on the smooth wet sand and soon found herself walking for about a quarter of a mile, and realized to that she then stopped her stride and immediately turns around and going back to her rested spot.

As soon as she gets back, she then grabs out her phone from her bag to check.

13 Missed calls

28 Unread Messages

5 Voicemails

She tried to hold herself from looking at those, as she was scared that she might ran towards him if she ever heard his voice at that moment. She quickly turned her phone off and keeps it inside her bag.

***You can do it Lin just holds in for a week.

"Let's get back to the hotel for now" she said to herself.

She folds her mat and packed everything inside her big tote bag then heading back to the hotel for a nap.

***Until next time beach!! Maybe I'll bring him here someday, wish me luck.

She smiled.

For Lin being at the beach was probably her favorite things to do the fact that she actually didn't find comfortable wearing a bikini like any other girls because of her feeling insecure and it was too exposing for her.

So she always ended up wearing sleeveless baggy dungarees below knee dress with white thin shirts inside.

***Ana always says that I look good on those though

She has her owned fashion; she always said to Ana that she only dress to feel comfortable but not to impress anyone.

*********************************************

At "The Shilla Jeju" [Hotel],

When it comes to dining alone, she usually brings a book while enjoying her little moments and sometime just sitting in silence while observing everything around her as she savoring her meal.

She decided to go for dinner at the hotel's restaurant, since she got nothing to do; so she just go there a bit early and luckily there weren't so many people in there yet at that time.

Dinner time has come; she just sitting alone while eating her meal slowly and with relish since she craved for croissant and coffee so she just ordered two croissants, one with melted cheese and blackberry jam and one with chocolate caramel and lastly her favorite black coffee with 2 cubes of sugar.

***Yummy!!!

At the same time, she was reading a book, which she held open with one hand while she drank coffee in the other hand.

She loves this kind of feeling when there's no rush, no pressure that there's nothing to worry about (at least for now) while a beautiful song was being played, inside this calm environment then last but not least being served with an aromatic black coffee.

***Best feeling ever I would say

She closed her eyes while enjoying the smell of food aroma coming out from the kitchen and stopped her from reading.

***Unharmed Distraction

Every time the hotel staff going in and out from the kitchen, she could smelt it.

***My gosh that's smell just makes me drooling, quite satisfying

***But what with this intense feeling is about?

She saw a man sitting alone at one of the tables outside the restaurant and for some reason she feels like he was looking at her from afar but Lin couldn't see it clearly as she didn't wearing her spectacle but she just ignore that feeling maybe she was mistakenly look at him while he looking at someone else nearby.

She continued to read.

All of sudden,

"Hey" A familiar voice appeared. It could be someone else with a same voice pattern.

She stopped reading as she look at him and surprised to see that voice owner was none other than Nick.

***How can he be in here? Does he stay in here too?

"Hi" she shyly replied his greets. She then closed her book and placed it on the table.

"What are you doing in here? Asked Lin, she eventually couldn't hide her excitement of being able to see him again which she has a lot of things and questions to ask him.

"I'm staying here and you?" he answered as he giving that same question to her.

Then there it is again that attractive smile that he shown on his face but somehow she didn't even reacts to that anymore the fact that her mind was now completely filled with curiosity.

"Yeah, I'm staying here as well…" she exclaimed tend to make him stay for awhile.

***Please just stay for a while

"Hmmm…mind if I join?"

"Yeah sure" she offered him a seat.

Right after he took the seat, she looks at him and just realized that he's wearing all black sports attire with a Nike brand on every each one of them even on his gym bag as well.

"Going somewhere?" she suddenly asked him. He just looked at her feeling confused but soon after, he seems to realized the reason why she asked such a question when he look at his sport attire.

"Oh….you mean this?" he touched his sport shirt collar.

She nodded.

"I just got back from the gym and just thinking to have a drink here before I leave." He explained.

"Anyway it's been nice meeting you again Lin, and I'm sorry for disturbing your day once again" he said with a sense of guilt.

"That's okay….really" she calmly replied.

"So what would you like to drink, I can make it for you?" He suddenly offers her a drink.

"My treat' he continued and obviously Lin would love to try that but somehow she feels it was not really necessary for him being nice with a stranger.

"That's okay…I'm just fine with my coffee"

"No…really I insist…just think of it as my gratitude after you helping me yesterday" he said with a firm insistence.

Then again he makes Lin in puzzled by his mysterious statement, the fact that she never did anything out of ordinary thing on that day but then he keeps saying Lin had help him.

***I 'm helping him?, what exactly did I do yesterday?

"But..." he then cut him off before she can even say it.

"Please pick one" he persistent.

"Hmmm…okay..i don't know what should I pick, could you just choose for me I wouldn't mind" She smiled.

"Okay then if you said so, I would recommend a tropical cocktail, it's so good and refreshing beside its alcohol free" he suggested.

"Is that okay?"

"That would be perfect" she nodded then smile at him.

"Good I'll be right back" he enthusiastically walks towards the bar counter just right at the corner beside the door entrance and it's not far from her table.

She started to questioning Nick's identity when she saw him giving "high five" hand gesture towards a bartender and he gladly accept it as well.

***Does he work here?

He then just freely roaming around as he took out few types of liquid bottles and poured it into a cocktail shaker and just shake it gradually, Lin keeps staring at his every movement and it became stranger as he just walking around the kitchen like it was his own.

***Who is this guy..Really?

After a while he's back with two glasses of drinks;

"Tadaaaa….special treat from me so please enjoy your drink Miss Lin" he exclaimed in excitement in his voice while playfully served it to her like she was some kind of princess.

"Thank you" She replied and chuckled on his childish manner.

It makes Lin even more surprised to see such astonishing colorful drinks that he made, it definitely required some professional skills to make such a stunning tropical looking drinks and the color was not even mixing together at all.

***How is this possible?

Her eyes brows just raised and her lips parted, admiring her drink like a piece of art.

"What an exquisite looking drinks you made here, my gosh! Just look at the colors, I can't believe you made this" she stunned while her eyes fixed on her drink.

But before she's about to get a taste to that drink there's one more thing she needs to know.

***Just ask her Lin

"Anyway, if you don't mind, can I ask you something?" she said. She feels hesitated first.

"What is it?" He asked. He took a sip of his drink, watching her over the rim of the cup with focused gaze.

She paused before start talking.

"About what you said, me helping you yesterday…I don't really quite understand what did you meant by that" she said it at last after so many times halted because of the situation.

All of sudden he just burst into laugh while Lin just staggered.

***Did I say something funny?

She frowned.

"I'm sorry, I guess I owe you an explanation after what I did, and well actually I ran away from home" he proudly said while playfully crossing her legs..

He smiled as his lips tightened while looked at her and waiting for what's her reaction will be.

"So…sorry"

"You what??"

"I...i.. mean why?" She stammered astound by his unexpectedly confession.

For some reason, she can feel that they were the same as matter of fact she also ran away from her reality and from him. His story somehow makes her feel uncomfortable and anxious as if he's talking about her life too.

***This is awkward, I shouldn't have asked.

"I'm sorry for being rude, I shouldn't have asked and invade your personal matter" she apologized instantly when she realized this might be a sensitive topic and she knew it very well when he is not responding to her question making her feeling thirsty all of sudden; she then takes a slow, thoughtful sip of her cocktail.

That's when she started to feels something coolness sensation inside of her throats moreover there are sweetness and sourness from some tropical fruits really just mixed well together and there is a little bit of saltiness in it and that's really balancing all the flavors together.

***Wow! This is really good.

She takes a glimpse on her drink as she lick a drop of cocktail from her lips before she looked back at him.

She didn't expect any replied from him and she respect that.

But to her surprise he answered him back, "Hmm, actually it's hard for me to explain my situation right now"

"Is just that I want to live my life just like I wanted to not being control by someone…I wanted to do something that I enjoyed doing so…yeah it just so complicated." He revealed with tight-lipped smiles on his face.

For a moment Lin can see a glimpse of sadness in his eyes but then replaced with a smiled on his face.

Her eyes just blink repeatedly after hearing his proclamation, and yet he still didn't answer her question.

She knows it's not her place to ask him more questions even though she was so curious but still thanking him for telling her.

"I'm sorry to hear that but I hope everything will eventually goes well with you"

"Thank you….that means a lot" his sincerely smiled showing while staring straight softly at her.

Lin feeling uncomfortable of his stare, she tries to move on to another question, "Hey! You haven't answered my question".

She frowned, "But why does it have to do with me helping you then?" she crossed her arms waiting for his explanation while squinted her eyes at him.

Their eyes unexpectedly meet again and for some reason Lin stared back at him and she can see calmness in his dark orbs with his mysterious gaze that she couldn't confounded, but her gaze disrupted when he started showing his dimpled smiled and chuckled.

"I was being followed and I know it was my father's doing. He has been hired people to follow me and watch my every movement. Then I saw you sitting alone and that's when I get the idea to pretend like we're couple to get away from them and surprisingly it worked" he chuckled.

She couldn't even want to believe that; he actually telling her the real situation of what exactly happened yesterday.

"Ooooo…kay" she sound disbelief as she never thought this only happened in the drama was actually happening in real life.

"Oh there's more, you seem to know him pretty well" she said while pointing her finger towards the bartender.

"I didn't know you have been stalking me" he teased her, Lin feel flustered and replied to him, "I am not!"

He just laughed but continued to answer her curiosity "He's good friend of mine and he's actually the owner of this place".

Her eyes have suddenly wide opened after hearing everything he said. She couldn't help it as her jaw dropped while staring at the bartender.

"Seriously?" she was surprised. He just nodded his head.

She couldn't believe herself to have meeting peoples like them and obviously, their life was way in different level than her ordinary life.

Just like what people always says, Don't judge book by its cover, by meaning he's being a bartender working inside that small counter while serving the customers even though some of them were usually disrespect him most of the time without knowing the fact that he's actually their boss and the owner of this hotel.

"Yeah, being a bartender is part of his dream and hobby' he added.

She suddenly goes silent; Nick intentionally clears his throat and moved his chair a little bit closer to her. Meanwhile Lin just staring at the bartender admiring his firm points of view and his perspective.

"So since I've answered all of your questions, now it's my turn to ask you" he said with fingers intertwined and leaning on his chin whilst staring straight to her eyes showing his interest, not wasting any time.

Feeling nervous all of sudden due to his action, she instantly move backwards until her back lean on the chair and replied,

"What is it you wanted to know?' with fake confidence as she unsure what questions he will throws at her.

"Why are you here?..I mean what is your purpose of coming here" He asked with a quizzical smile.

"No offense but someone's like you… I'm sure you will not come here just for fun…There's must be specific reason why you stay here. Did you run away from home too or maybe someone?"He teasingly smiled at her but his voice full of curiosity.

Feeling exposed; Lin suddenly feeling flustered that he hit the right spot.

"What?" she sound disapproval and smiled bitterly. However, she remembered, Nick has actually told her his secret twice already.

***Should I tell him?

"I mean I told you one of my secret so it's your turn….then we're even" He claimed.

His glowing eyes really concentrated towards Lin hoped for telling her story. For some reason Nick just feeling comfortable being around her whereas they just met two times only but there's something on her that attracts him and wanted to get to know more about her.

She sighed.

"It's a long story" she sounds bored. She sit in slouched posture while her head resting on her hand.

"Try me" he said with a smile on his face as he sit back with his arms crossed and just waiting for Lin to start her story.

She was hesitated at first but then finally decided to tell him. "Well, I'm actually fallen in love with someone and I've been keeping it for a long time and one day I decided to confess to him but..." Lin bitterly smiled and she can feel her tears already building up.

She paused for awhile but Nick continued for her, "But it didn't end well is it"

Lin chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, I was rejected. He only see me as a sister" showing small smiled.

"I'm sorry" Nick said while looking at her with sympathy.

"Its fine, I'm trying to move on and forget him that's why I'm here to unwind myself"

"He will regret it, I'm sure he will"

"Why are you so sure?"Lin asked.

"Because it will be such a shame to lose such a beautiful and kind person likes you Lin. It's his loss, not yours" nick said. She can feel her cheeks heated from his compliment.

"Ummm…thank you" she shyly smiled.

"Hmmm...Well that's quite interesting" he replied while his finger playing with his glass.

"Interesting?" her eyes brow raised and just focusing on him.

Nick nodded as he bites his lower lip trying to come up with something to say. As matter of fact Nick was actually being possession of PhD in Psychological and Behavioral Science in UK for years.

"You want me to help you out" he offered a help. He seemed to have a knowing smile on his face. She looks doubtful at first.

"Unless if you don't want to" he continued.

Lin somewhat hesitated about his offer but then she also wants to know about his idea.

***Well, that's actually a good call, okay let's hear it..Its better be good.

"Like what?" she asked.

She let him continued. He clears his throat before he started to talk.

"Well, I think…you just need to give a little bit more space for yourself and for him, well I didn't asked you to forget about him but hmmm…maybe just take a break for awhile, you know try not meeting him constantly"

" …and If you think that he also has feeling for you so why not just let him show it himself and just go with flow" he added.

Her jaw dropped, she stunned by his explanation, because for some reason he does has a point which she couldn't help herself from asking him more questions.

"Is that possible?" She confused.

"Everything possible" He grinned.

"My Point is don't pushed him to yourself Lin…beside he knows about your feeling anyway so just let time changed everything…I'm sure the time will give the answer" he added.

"So from now on you need to focus on your own happiness first I'm pretty sure you have something you want to do" he continued.

"I know it's hard but we can't force someone to love us back right?"

"Most importantly you surely brave enough confessing your love to him, in that aspect I'm really proud of you" He explained, and for some reason his words really makes her feel warm and comfortable.

Lin just amazed by him.

Her lips parted in speechless. She smiled; it means she gets his point.

He returned her smile with cheers of drinks.

She really does enjoy that tropical cocktail made by him. But she almost forgot to ask about who is he really is.

***And why is he helping me?

But before she's about to ask him a question, her mouth just slightly open to speak, but then suddenly he glanced towards a man with a black suit looking at him from afar standing beside a black SUV. Lin also saw it too and her question halted.

He then hurriedly rising from his seat, "They're here, I should get going"

"But I thought you ran away….."

"Tomorrow is my grandma's birthday so I need to be there" He smiled widely.

He was probably the weirdest person I have ever met, he ran away from them yesterday and now he's waiting for them to come and pick him up.

***What's with this guy?

***Wait….what about my question? And I still need his help…

She abruptly gets up and just watching his every movement before managed to grabs his arm and started to speak.

"But I need your help with…" she worried that this is probably be her last time meeting him.

***I still need your help Nick.

"Trust me you're now ready to go back…. go meet him and just be yourself" He encouraged her.

He unexpectedly gives her nice big warm hugs showing that he will always be supporting her even when he's not there.

He grabs his gym bag and walks toward the vehicle, and even from afar he still managed to say something to her.

"Remember just go with flow,…no presh okay" he winked and giving her thumbs up.

"I hope I can hear your story someday.. go back and kick his ass for me okay"

"See Ya"

"Thank you Nick" She replied his waves.

She then gets back to her seat and grabs her book on the table. She started opened through her book and soon found a piece of photo.

And it was a photo of her, Jay and Kim sitting happily together while enjoying their precious moment on the Marathon event during their final year celebration, and it was the day when Kim's passed out.

Lin couldn't help but smile while looking at that picture; she also realized how happy they were during at that time just seeing from that photo itself; before that smile have been taken away because of Kim's diagnosis and promises.

She then focusing on Jay's photo, It shows how much she embraced him and love him knowing the fact that she might not be able to be with him at all, as her heart started to feel ache and sad.

She then said quietly, "Happy Birthday Jay"