Busan August 5 2019, Three years and seven months ago...

 

The moment she sat across from him in the Busan KTX station, Son Seungwan's attention was caught. It wasn't her gorgeous ponytail of her silky brunette hair, or the hourglass curve of her waist and hips that held his focus, not even the firm ample chest beneath her long-sleeve turtleneck top. Rather, it was her big dark brown eyes and tentative smile that drew him in as their eyes met for a while before she glanced back to scroll through phone.

That brief glance at her pretty face allowed him to notice subtle heartache in her expression. Intrigued, Seungwan wondered its cause. As she aimlessly scrolled on her phone, her brow furrowed in gloom. Seungwan took his time to observe her bare left hand, hope arose as there was no ring seen on her hand. But that didn't mean she wasn't taken.

 

Though it definitely gave him a bit of wish that maybe they could get to know each other better, especially with the station was put to stop indefinitely due to flooding. For the wait ahead until waters receded, perhaps their chance meeting at the KTX station could blossom into companionship.

 

They hadn't canceled Seungwan's train to Seoul yet. But he had a feeling it was coming, what with the rain pouring down like crazy outside. The train from Seoul was already running late, and by the time it rolled in with people getting off, Seungwan figured the station would shut everything down for the day.

 

This flood was forecast to intensify rapidly, dumping a large amount of water in a short time. Most likely, by tomorrow evening once the waters had receded, tracks were cleared and operations could safely resume, and they'd get the trains running on schedule again. 

 

All the thousands of stranded travelers would probably scrambling to book new rides for their journey. For now, all they could do was sit tight and see what happened. Maybe they'd get out before everything shut down...and maybe not.

 

Seungwan returned his focus to the woman across from him. Just in time to see her glance away shyly while biting her lip as she looked at her phone again. Seungwan couldn't help but smile, realizing she had been sneaking looks at him while he had been looking out the window at the weather. A promising sign.

 

Seungwan readied to strike up a friendly conversation. But before he could speak, she abruptly stood, lifting her carry-on. As she walked away, Seungwan watched her pants contour perfectly to her curves. He debated to follow her but decided against it, not wanting to appear as a stalker. Likely she was headed to the restroom and would return shortly. 

 

But... she did not return. Half an hour passed, when Seungwan's got a message to inform all at the KTX trains had been suspended until the following day, depending on the flood's situation.

 

That alert was followed by an announcement over the intercom informing passengers that the entire station was now shut down until tomorrow morning, or afternoon, depending on how fast the water receded and the storm blew through. He was stranded in Busan for another 24 hours.

 

Seungwan wanted to avoid sleeping through the night uncomfortably on the public chair along with thousands of others impacted. He quickly searched online and found a  Busan Lotte Station Hotel, which was connected to the KTX Station and tried to book a room.

 

As all other hotels and Airbnb was fulled, the only room he managed to get was an executive two-bedroom suite, which was a small fortune as he had more space than he needed. But hey the guys—his partners at RV Law Firm in Seoul —had chose him to attend the conference in Busan. So it was the company money on the line and he didn't hesitate to book. 

 

With the room secured, Seungwan hung around the station another 30 minutes, waiting like a lovestruck teen for that intriguing stranger to come back. But all he got was major disappointment.

 

His stomach started to growl, reminding him he missed lunch. He wasn't just hungry anymore but was straight up starving. So Seungwan grabbed his luggage and headed down the lobby towards the hotel, trying to decide where to eat.

 

Every spot was crammed full since everyone was stranded. He didn't want crappy fast food. What he really wanted was a burger and a cold beer, before checking into his room for the rest of the day and night.

 

Seungwan spotted a pub called the Joseon Pub House and jackpot - he'd found his restaurant. He went in and was told he could find his own seat, if there was any space at the bar or an empty table in sight.

 

Then fate shone his way. Alone at a small corner table for two, sat his lovely mystery woman. With the fact that she was eating burger with a cold beer, Seungwan was near to fall in love cause she was his kind of girl. Low-key. Down-to-earth. No pretense. A woman who enjoyed a hearty meal.

 

Seungwan smiled charmingly as he walked over. She took a bite of her burger, then wiped on the napkin as she looked up at him approaching. Clearly she saw him coming. A spark of awareness flashed in her eyes along with subtle attraction as her gaze swept over his muscled chest in the navy blue top.

 

Surprisingly, her stare didn't stop there...no, her eyes did a leisurely, appreciative look down the rest of his body, then back up again. He didn't miss the interest in her expression. 

 

Seungwan was a tall and solidly built from physical work, with broad shoulders from sports and long legs that made him stand at 6 feet. He guessed earlier she was around 1 foot shorter than him when she stood at the gate. He could picture how well she might fit against him in all the right places.

 

By the time Seungwan reached her table, she tipped her head back to look up into his face with surprise. Her eyes went wide realizing he came to find her.

 

Then she absently her bottom lip and ,the simple action was so natural, so damn y. His body stirred at the thought of that tempting mouth and soft tongue on him. Gosh, it had been since like forever  a woman made him feel this way so instantly...and he welcomed the feeling.

 

Seungwan sent a small prayer hoping that she was still single, so he might pursue the clear mutual spark between them. She still looked at him with those big brown eyes, curious but unsure. He broke the silence, "It's busy in here and you've got the only free chair in this restaurant. Mind if I sit with you?"

 

She paused briefly, just enough for Seungwan to see a flash of wariness and doubt. Seungwan braced himself for refusal - clearly something was on her mind. But then she shaked her head to clear the emotion and smiled.

 

"Oh, sorry," she said, her face reddening. "You just caught me off guard. Please, have a seat." Her warm, sweet smile made up for her hesitation before.

 

He grinned back as he sat and dropped his duffel bag. "I'm Seungwan," he said, stretching his hand out across the table to meet hers - to introduce himself and just because he wanted to touch her and feel their chemistry.

 

She wiped her hand quick on her napkin, looking cute like she was embarrassed. "Sorry, my fingers are a bit messy from the burger. I'm Joohyun."

 

"No problem. I'm all in about greasy burger." Seungwan shook her hand, holding a bit longer than needed. He liked her soft skin and the little hitch in her breathing, the way awareness grew in her eyes as he rubbed his thumb across her knuckles before releasing her.

 

"It's nice to meet you, Joohyun," Seungwan said, letting go of her hand. "Thanks for letting me join, I'm starving and it's gonna be a long night for sure."

 

"Yeah," Joohyun agreed, knowing like him the train station was closing for the night. "You can share the table, but I can't say I'll be great company right now. So I'm sorry ahead of time if I'm not very... friendly."

 

That explained her expression at the station earlier. "Bad day?" Seungwan asked, tilting his head.

 

Joohyun looked down at her plate and tried to shrug like it was no big deal, but it hinted something heavier. "You could say that."

 

Seungwan waited for her to say more, but Joohyun stayed quiet. Then their waitress came over, clearly stressed from how the restaurant was busy it than it was.

 

Do you need a menu?" she asked Seungwan.

 

"It's okay. I'll have what she's having," he said, pointing to Joohyun's plate. "The burger and beer."

 

"And another one of these," Joohyun added, tapping her almost empty glass.

 

"Thanks," the frazzled girl said, grateful they gave simple orders before moving to more demanding customers.

 

Seungwan turned back to the lovely woman sitting infront of him as she was finishing off her beer. "You come here a lot?" Seungwan knew it was a cheesy line, but hey it's a good icebreaker.

 

The corner of tugged up in amusement. "Here or Busan?"

 

Seungwan chuckled as he leaned back, liking this feisty side. It was better than her guardedness before. "Busan. Do you live here or visiting after a trip?" A casual question but it would be lying if he said he wasn't prying - he wanted more personal info about her. Perhaps it would easier to see her again if they both lived in the same city.

 

Yeah, Seungwan was thinking ahead since something about Joohyun sparked a feeling he didn't have since forever. It was her sweetness mixed with glimpses of vulnerability that had his interest piqued.

 

Seungwan wasn't sure why she brought out his care and protection, but it sure enough made him wanting to learn more and see where things might go with her. Joohyun stirred something in Seungwan that he welcomed exploring further, if she'd let him.

 

The humor from before disappeared. "I'm leaving Busan...after being totally humiliated," Joohyun admitted. "I'm heading back to Seoul where I live, because I really need to rethink things and make some changes."

 

Her answer surprised him and had Seungwan wondering what exactly happened. Joohyun's variety of emotions tonight had made sense, though clearly there was much more to her story. The look in her eyes while she replied as she avoided his gaze told him this humiliation ran deep. He was even more curious to know her full story, and hoping to ease some of the painful memories, at least for now.

 

When he decided to ask, their waitress brought their beers and his burger, taking the chance away.

 

As well as giving Joohyun an opening to change topics. "What about you?" she asked before sipping her cold beer.

 

Clearly, Joohyun wasn't ready to share those life changes she felt she needed to make. Seungwan wanted to know her secrets, but only if she freely shared them.

 

"I was here for a legal conference for estate planning law," Seungwan said as he piled lettuce, tomato and pickles onto his burger, then pressed it closed for a big bite. He chewed and swallowed before continuing. "I live in Seoul too." Then he gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm really sorry to hear something happened to humiliate you."

 

She leaned back, her pain expression changing to slowly building anger as she thought about it all. "Honestly, I should have seen it coming," she said.

 

"Seen what coming?" Seungwan asked after another bite, gently giving her a chance to open up since she seemed torn about it.

 

Pursing her lips, Joohyun shook her head and glanced away. "Trust me, it's a long, totally embarrassing story no man wants to hear."

 

"Try me," Seungwan insisted. Her doubt made him more set on proving he did care about her bad day. "I've got all night, literally. And so do you now that our train is canceled. And if it helps, whatever you say in Busan will stay in Busan, I promise." Flashing a grin, Seungwan pressed his finger lightly over his heart and he embraced the tiny smile that appeared on her lips as a small victory.

 

"You make a good case," Joohyun replied.

 

Seungwan finished his burger, and his hunger satisfied for now. Pushing his plate aside, he rested his forearms on the table facing her. "I think it might help to let out what's bothering you. Vent and release all that stress so you can breathe freely without feeling weighed down."

 

Joohyun nodded thoughtfully. "It does feel that way," she admitted.

 

"No pressure at all," he said, raising his hands calmly. Though wouldn't trying a little of reverse psychology if needed. "I understand too if you'd rather not talk about it."

 

Joohyun tilted her head as she watched him drink, seeing through to his intentions. "We barely know each other. It's too personal to share with a stranger."

 

Seungwan hoped their time together, at least the next 24 hours, could change that. "Exactly. That's better. Who am I going to tell your story that will matter to?"

 

"That's a fair point," Joohyun murmured, seeming to weigh his offer. As she considered over her second beer, Seungwan noticed her straigthen her back with a hint of rebellion in eyes.

 

"You know what? You're right," Joohyun said firmly, matching the defiance sparking inside. "I do want to get this off my chest. It's been eating at me all day and I'm sick of feeling this way. I'm tired of letting that jerk make me feel it's my fault when he's the one who messed up,” Joohyun declared boldly.

 

Seungwan raised his brows, surprised but truly liking this new bold side of her. “Alright, let’s hear it.”

 

Joohyun downed the rest of her beer, likely gathering courage, Seungwan assumed. “I came to Busan to surprise my boyfriend of six months. I thought he was away for work that weekend and might have some free time. Things have been tense between us lately, and...not great in the bedroom. So I thought I’d surprise him to liven things up with some fantasy .”

 

That was the last thing Seungwan expected to hear. He tilted his head curiously. "Fantasy ?"

 

Joohyun's cheeks flushed pink but she didn't shy from answering. "You know, role playing different scenarios. Like strangers meeting in a hotel room. It seemed fun, exciting. I foolishly thought it would spice things up and fix our relationship."

 

Seungwan hated to prompt further, but... "And?"

 

Her lips pressed together briefly. "When I knocked on his door, he answered with just a towel around his waist. His hair was wet like he'd just showered and I could still hear the bathroom water running. He was shocked to see me, but since it was meant to be a surprise, his startled look seemed normal at first," Joohyun went on.

 

"But then he claimed he thought I was room service he ordered. And he wouldn't let me inside, which confused me."

 

Joohyun paused and Seungwan let out a understanding sigh, realizing where the story led. He knew the anger and pain of learning someone you trusted had betrayed you. It was a ing awful to experience.

 

Joohyun sat up straighter, mustering courage to continue though he knew how hard this next part must be to say aloud. 

 

"While we stood staring at each other, with me waiting for some sign he was happy to see me, the shower turned off in the bathroom," Joohyun continued. "I foolishly wondered how that happened when Bogum was right infront of me."

 

"Then a woman with a towel came into view, answering my question."

 

Seungwan swore under his breath though knew the outcome. Joohyun's pained eyes made Seungwan want to punch the jerk for lying, cheating and humiliating her instead of ending an unwanted relationship - not to mention the damage to her dignity and self-worth as a woman.

 

Despite her dry-eyed, Joohyun was clearly devastated. Or perhaps she hadn't been as invested in Bogum as she thought, either.

 

"Once my shock passed of realizing his affair, Bogum told me he hadn't feeling it with me for awhile." Joohyun's voice grew somber recalling the hurt. "He showed no guilt, his only apology was sorry I came to Busan for nothing. That was it, huh?"

 

Joohyun met Seungwan's gaze, shaking her head regretfully. "I was a fool to think this surprise would magically fix our problems."

 

Without thinking, Seungwan reached across and gently held her hand, hoping the comforting contact reassured her she wasn't alone. "You weren't foolish. He's a selfish jerk. If he wasn't feeling it, he should've been honest with you before sticking his small needle into another woman."

 

Unexpectedly, a soft laugh escaped her lips. Rather than embarrassment, she chuckled again as though humor was the perfect remedy. "You're right. He's a jackass and I deserve better," Joohyun said with a small smile.

 

"And needle  is close to truth description, either" Joohyun added playfully before grinning. "Damn, It feels good to release those emotions after holding them in all day."

 

Seungwan smiled also, pleased to see her spirit lift even if the humiliation couldn't be changed. "It's the truth Joohyun, and you'll get through this," Seungwan said confidently, knowing from his own experiences.

 

Around them, the bustling station restaurant buzzed with noise as travelers ate between trains. Overhead announcements echoed off the high ceilings.

 

"Yeah, I know" Joohyun replied softly. "Looking back, I should've noticed the signs. Now I just want to return home to Seoul, box up his things and move on without seeing him again."

 

"Unfortunately, it will be a long night here at the airport," Joohyun sighed. "Too much time alone with my thoughts trying to find somewhere to rest. I was hoping for a warm shower and my bed after such a difficult day," she continued sadly.

 

Seungwan tried to steer his mind from imagining Joohyun in intimate situations, but unwanted thoughts entered his mind before he could stop them - Joohyun with water running down her perfect curves, her gorgous brunette hair spread on the comforter as she laid down on bed with her very kissable lips parted as she asleep.

 

Damn, Seungwan needed to get his head outta the clouds. It never proper to be thinking that way about Joohyun especially after what she just went through. In fact, Seungwan needed to prove gentlemen still exist, offering compassion with no alternative motives.

 

Seungwan would like to think that was one of his best quality. A gentleman. Someone she feels comfortable around, a stand-up guy who'll really listen without any other agenda. Being respectful is important to him. Maybe just chatting as friends could help take her mind off things for a bit. 

 

Even if Seungwan's mind drifted somewhere steamy earlier, that's all it was - just a little fantasy Seungwan might think on later when all alone in bed while his hand wrapped around his hard — But Seungwan's got to stay focused now.

 

"I wonder if the Lotte Station hotel has any rooms available tonight," Joohyun spoke, taking out her phone to call and check.

 

"It's unlikely. When I booked my room around  an hour ago, availability was limited," Seungwan replied. This reminded him of another option.

 

"Actually, lucky for you I was able to reserve a room with a soft bed. So you'd be welcome to rest comfortably in it and enjoy a nice warm shower too after this long day."

 

Joohyun's gaze met his, and only then did he realize how his words may have been misinterpreted. Before he could explain further, their waiter approached.

 

"Can I get you anything else?" she asked politely.

 

Joohyun glanced at Seungwan, still startled as she shook her head in response. "I think we're all set, thank you," Seungwan replied. As the server placed their separate checks on the table and left, Seungwan took them both to pay with his wallet.

 

"You don't need to do that. I can pay for my own meal," Joohyun told him. Understandably, after Seungwan poorly phrased sentence, Joohyun may have thought he expected something in return for the meal.

 

That wasn't Seungwan's intention at all. He only wished to be respectful nice guy with good manners as his parents raised him, as a teenager.

 

"I'm paying because my father would be kick my otherwise," Seungwan explained lightly. Seeing her puzzled look, he continued, "When I'm old enough for dating, my dad taught me it's polite as a man to cover the meal cost when dining with a lady. It's simply what I was raised understanding as courteous behavior."

 

Seungwan wanted to make his intentions absolutely clear. "Please know there are no expectations attached. It's just habit from what I was taught as a courtesy. I hope you understand I mean nothing untoward by it."

 

Joohyun's expression relaxed. "Oh, okay." She added as she soften, "thank you, then."

 

"You're very welcome," Seungwan said pleasantly, placing enough money on the table to cover both tabs along with a generous tip. Then he addressed his earlier unclear statement.

 

Seungwan spoke to Joohyun directly. "So earlier when I offered the extra room, let me clarify before you think I'm a creep that had just proposition you... when I call for the hotel, the only accommodation available was a two-bedroom suite, which I booked out of necessity given the I'm not keen in spending the night on a chair with thousand others tonight. So I'd like you to feel comfortable and at ease as well, so please stay in the other room if you'd like."

 

Joohyun considered thoughtfully. "Are you certain that's alright?"

 

Seungwan picked up on the hopeful tone in her voice. And he realized in that moment that he loved being her knight in shining armour who came to her rescue after what her dumb-ex did by letting her go. 

 

"Absolutely. It will be nice to have roommate for the next 24 hours until our trains are back on track. We can cram all night watching cheesy movies from the hotel menu and pigging out on all the snack options in the mini bar. Then sleep off our sugar crash all morning tomorrow."

 

Joohyun smiled back at Seungwan, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Yeahhh, cheesy flicks and snacks...You sure know how to charm a girl," she playfully teased.

 

Seungwan laughed as he pushed out his chair and stood up. "And you ain't even seen my best qualities yet," he said with a flirty wink while picking up his duffle bag.

 

Seungwan then grabbed the handle of her luggage before she could. "Alright come on, let's get out of here and start our slumber party."

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

 i still have my other ongoing fic that I need to think for the plot. Yet I'm making a new one. But this fanfic, I will finish writing all the chapters first, which maybe it will take a month or two? So seee ya in a month or two when I update again with all complete chapters.
Ohh yeah it's just that kinda typical romance, so you probably familiar and kinda has seen ton these types of movies. 

 

Enjoy!!!!