Runaway Rich Guys Love Endeavour - Chapter 88：I'll miss you

Ray ran out of the restaurant with a frown on his perfect face. He started to feel anxious once he couldn’t spot Ye-Jin anywhere near the private booth they were chatting in or out on the streets. It had been only two hours but it felt as if years had passed while the history was retold.

Fortunately, Ye-Jin couldn’t go far. She found a quiet alley beside the restaurant to calm herself. She was regretting so many things that happened. She wished she could turn the time back so that she would be bold and confess her feelings to Ray the moment she realised them. She blamed herself for wasting too much time playing a pointless game. She felt like she was the dumbest person in the whole world. He was going to leave soon and it was going to be hard for him too and here she was drowning in self-deprecation.

Steeling her mind and heart, Ye-Jin walked out of the alley only to be pulled into someone’s arms. She almost hit the person ut of reflex but stopped short when she heard his apology.

Ray: I am so sorry Ye-Jin! Please forgive me! Don’t disappear like this, please! I feel lost without you! Ye-Jin I-

Ye-Jin: (pushing him away) I am fine. Your father is in there? Why did you come after me? He’d be upset.

Ray wanted to pull her into his arms again but he couldn’t. He was hurt when she pushed him away but it was natural given he hurt her. He let his arms fall to his sides limply.

Ray: (pouting) It’s alright. He will understand.

Ye-Jin: (breathing in) ok then, I’ll see you tonight or not?

Ray: (chuckling dryly) I’ll pick you up in the evening.

Ye-Jin nodded her head twice in satisfaction and walked away from him. Ray hung his head down not able to look at her departing figure. He too left after a few minutes since he had a lot to prepare and the first was to announce his retirement.

***

It was almost night and Ye-Jin was still in her cabin with her head buried in some documents. her assistant Matt cleared his throat softly to gain her attention but it didn’t work.

He was confused by it. His boss had sensitive ears and she didn’t respond to him that meant only two things: either she was asleep or she was mentally not present in the room. Matt shook off the first possibility and wondered what kind of miracle would cause his boss to divert her focus from work!

He tried again and this time he softly tried calling out to her

Matt: boss?

Still, he didn’t get any reply. Feeling defeated he resigned his fate to put overtime that night. Almost all the company staff had left and with a few security personnel, he was the only one remaining with his boss in their huge office building. He sighed and continued to work silently.

A sudden chirp caught the attention of both of them. Ye-Jin who was imitating a statue sprang to life and eagerly checked the text.

Matt didn’t know what happened after that. His boss who was so focused on the important take over papers in her hand threw them away like they were trash- well, his heart bled a lot when that happened. What hurt him more was the fact that she didn’t spare him a single glance before hurrying away leaving him all alone in her cabin.

Ye-Jin wasn’t even aware that her secretary was present with her. After she returned from that ‘lunch’ she had been brooding and pondering over the issue and couldn’t focus on anything. She was busy whole afternoon and evening, coming up ways on ‘how to cope with long-distance relationships?’ or ‘how to handle the pain of a breakup?’

Because there was this fear nailed in her head that if Ray left then they would break up. It was unthinkable for her yet logical at the same time. And what made her spring back to life was a simple text.

‘Ray: I am here.’

That’s all it took for her to trash the important documents and hurry out. If they were really going to break up then she didn’t want to waste her time- being petty- once again.

***

The drive back home was quiet. Ye-Jin was quiet because she didn’t want to say anything and Ray was quiet because he didn’t know where he should start from. Ray drove to his little house where they spent the night together yesterday.

He ordered some take out for their supper. Both of them had not eaten anything since afternoon and food helped them fill up the silence. After they were full and satisfied Ye-Jin began grilling him.

Ye-Jin: when?

He knew what she was asking about. He was saddened by the fact that her tone was emotionless. There was nothing but acceptance in it.

Ray: (solemn) This Sunday.

Ye-Jin: That means we have only a week?

Ray nodded mutely. He didn’t know what she was thinking but he wanted to explain things to her. Before he could say something she began again

Ye-Jin: (dryly) so our relationship wouldn’t even last for ten days?

Ray: (surprised) what do you mean?

Ye-Jin: (nonchalantly) I mean you’ll leave this Sunday and that’s three days from today. And we starting dating yesterday. That makes it five days. I know it’s childish of me but will you forget me after you go back? I mean after we break up-

Ray was stunned to silence by her once again. The last time was when she confessed last night. He didn’t know how he should react.

Ray: (almost choking) b-break u-up? Y-you w-want t-to b-break u-up?

Ye-Jin: (defensive) why would I want to break up?

Ray: you said it yourself!

Ye-Jin: when did I say that I wanted to break up?!

Ye-Jin: (flushed) Oh… It’s really nothing!

She tried to hide her flushed face away from him. It was the result of her overthinking that she assumed that they would break up once he left her. She didn’t want to let him know out of embarrassment.

Ray: (intrigued) you’re making me curious now. Should I guess the reason?

Ye-Jin: (annoyed) Ugh! I just thought so. It’s no big deal.

Ray was amused would be an understatement. She was trying to hide her red face behind her little palms and escape from the embarrassment. He had been so stressed recently that he forgot the possibility of her coming to weird and awful conclusions. He wanted to laugh but was afraid of upsetting her.

Ye-Jin peeked at him from the gaps between her fingers. She could clearly see his mouth twitch.

Ye-Jin: (smiling) You are allowed to laugh.

That was it and he laughed hard. She too joined him and for a good few minutes, there was nothing but the laughter that could be heard from the duo. Their eyes were filled with tears from all the laughter and it was a bittersweet moment.

It was thus established that they were not going to break up and make this long-distance relationship work.

Ye-Jin: (wiping away her tears) I’ll miss you… a lot.

Those simple words were enough to convey what they were feeling at that moment. All the anxiety, fear, pain and anticipation disappeared in the blink of an eye after those simple words were spoken.

What surprised Ray more was that Ye-Jin took the initiative to bend over plant a quick kiss on his lips. Before he could grab her arm and pull her for more, she escaped into the bathroom to clean herself up for the night.

Ray sat smiling goofily staring in the direction of the locked bathroom door. She was shy when it came to intimacy but he had lots of patience.