"You shouldn't have gone for a day trip. You must be tired -" 

"I'm okay," He muttered with a small smile - placing the last box on the ground and kissed his eomma on the forehead. "I just need to freshen up. Think I can start refining the lawn tomorrow,"

"There is also some stuff in the store...they said it was an online order?"

"Oh yeah...just some wall racks for the kitchen. I'll screw them in later,"

"It's okay, just rest first. Don't wear yourself out -"

"Eomma, I'm fine -"

"I know you are...I'm just saying," Mrs Kim's kind eyes reflect her worries but Jungkook makes no plan to hold back the works he's been putting in.

He helped himself into the large, double-storey terrace and went straight up to his bedroom for a quick shower. It's amazing how quickly his vision is taking place. Money does solve a lot of issues, they said! The contractors worked fast on transforming the house into what he wanted. 

The second floor is already completed, and the only works left for the first are just minor touch-ups. The light brown laminated flooring and pale white furnishings made the space looked bigger and more spacious. He ordered some yellow tables and chairs for customers to dine in but it will take a few days to be delivered so for now, there's a huge, bare area from where the entry door is.

His mother loved gardening before, so he thought he would prepare the lawn for her to pick that hobby back up. It will help her in killing time...especially seeing how quiet the island is. Lisa was right. He wondered if the cafe would have any customers at all, especially during the winter season.

Jungkook had bravely made a few contacts with some of the locals here in Jeju, and they told him that Summer and Autumn would be packed with tourists from other cities - some would drag to Fall. If his calculations are right, he should be able to survive winter if he launches the cafe by end of the month - just a few weeks before Autumn ends. 

He can't wait for the time to come, really. His long-time dream is finally here...and he has a home to call his own. Everything is going exactly how he imagined it to be, with the bonus of having Mrs Kim with him of course. The only thing that could make it to be even more perfect is...if Lalisa is here with him.

But of course, it will be greedy for him to even think about so he kept the longing deep in his heart - locking it and keeping the imaginary key in the box of 'Don't Go There' in his mind. She shouldn't be dragged into his life as how she was before. She deserves to make her own decisions - go places she wants to go, explore and do adventurous things that she likes so much. 

He did think about going back to her. Asking if she'd like to move there with him. The first week was the hardest for Jungkook, as he kept missing her beautiful face and the way they talked before. He almost went crazy too - deciding on even the smallest details with the thoughts of 'would she like it if it's like this?' But time heals all wounds...well, that's what they said anyway! 

So he started filling his mind of why Lisa wouldn't like staying here. It wasn't hard, she's a city girl remember? She shouldn't be trapped or kept hidden in a quiet place like Jeju - there'll be nothing much for her to do here. She'll probably get bored and depressed so it's better if he never asks. He wouldn't want her to force it under the name of love. 

Once he's done with showering and changing, Jungkook went back downstairs to make himself a hot tea. His mother is stirring something in the pot and it smells delicious. Another thing I won't miss is me cooking for myself and dining on my own! - he grinned past Mrs Kim.

"Did you uh...did you see her?"

The question didn't surprise him as he already mentioned that he might go see Lisa while he was in Seoul. "Yes, eomma,"

"How is she? Is she well? Healthy?"

"She is...very well and healthy. She's having her exams now," It's amazing that his mother adored Lisa, just as much as him!

"Did you gave my regards? Did you tell her to come visit?" 

Mmm...okay, so I didn't tell her that by me going to see Lisa means that it's just me standing behind the building and gawking at her! "I only saw her from afar...didn't get to talk to her cus she left so quick,"

"Oh...that's a shame...you went that far - why didn't you call her and tell her you're there?"

Yeah...why didn't I do that? Oh, I remember!! It's cus she might already hate my guts to a point of no return since she never replied to my last message and I was too much of a pussy to ever show my face in front of her again! Not saying she should reply but it does says a lot, doesn't it?  She probably too damn sick and tired of me -

"I'm sooo hungry...is it dinner time yet?" He quickly changed the subject.

...

It's officially a month and 9 days now that Jungkook had left. 40 days...that's 960 hours - 57,600 minutes to be more exact - and she still wonders why her heart still misses him as if it was just yesterday. Lisa stares at the clock on the wall, waiting for the second hand to pass on to number 12 which would mark the end of her final paper for the semester. 

She scans around the front of the hall. It will be the last time that she'll ever be in here. 2 years might seem like a long time, but she never really took the time to properly look around her classes. Only now she realized that the dark blue walls are not really painted, but is actually a kind of fabricated upholstery. 

Huh...weird that I never noticed it. It looks pretty actually! Like it compliments the dark shade of oaks on the panels...

Perhaps it was the silence in her life that had brought out these senses in her. As if it gave her more room and space to think or observe all these little things she never cared for before. Not to say that there are no sounds at all but she had been spending 80% of her time being alone in her room. 

The instructor announced the end of the exam and started collecting the papers on each table. One by one, Lisa watched as the students packed their bags and leave the hall. She could hear the noises starting to appear from outside as they shared their personal takes on the questions and answers. 

"Thank you," She muttered as the instructor took hers. She then chucked her pens into her bag, slung it across her shoulder, and walks out.

It's not just her, Leo's been a little under the weather too. He's been purring lesser nowadays and she swore he smirked at her at least 10 times since last week! Perhaps he misses the apartment. He liked to sit at the narrow balcony, staring out every evening as if the air up there gave him answers of his existence. There is no balcony in Lisa's room at her parents' house, and he wasn't allowed outside of the house since he was never an 'outdoor' type. 

What if he gets lost and never come back? Or what if he found more comfort outside and chooses to leave her for it - just like Jungkook did? Aishh...stop -

"Lali!!"

She turned to the two shrieking voices behind her. Chaeyoung linked her hand in one arm and Jisoo holds the other. What are they doing here?

"How's your final paper?" Jisoo asked.

"It's...okay, I think. Why are you here - you finished your exams yesterday right?"

"Yeah, we're just here to pick you up," 

"Pick me up? But I - I drove,"

"We're gonna have cakes today and Jennie wants to introduce you to someone," Chaeyoung lifts one fist up and wiggles it excitedly.

"Oh..." Cakes! Yayy - wait, what's the last part? "Oh no...no, no, no -" She stiffened.

"Yes!! Come on, she's waiting outside!"

Before Lisa can even resist, both Chaeyoung and Jisoo is pulling her out of the faculty. As much as it terrifies her, the two animated characters' giggles are making her laugh the hardest as they tried their very best to drag her to the pavement - where she could see an all-tinted black BMW is parked.

"Stop - oh my God, unnie!! When did you get so strong??" 

"I exercise with Tae a lot -"

"Eww - we don't need to know that!!" Chaeyoung stopped her actions immediately and made an annoyed face. Lisa laughed even harder.

"What? It's to keep ourselves healthy -"

"And healthy relationships - which are not forced into anyone - are good!!" Lisa backed her up for her own benefits.

"It might look like we're forcing you, but it's actually just a nudge -"

Jennie cleared her throat loudly and all 3 looks up at her. Oh no... "Hey Lali...this is my friend, Ji Yong," They brought him here??

Standing tall beside her, the guy had on a small smile that never reached his eyes. At first glance, he looks like a bad-ass superstar - with his yellow chops, black shirt that's left unbuttoned until the fourth, and a leopard-printed blazer. Wait, where did she get this guy - YG Entertainment?!

"Uh...hello," She dipped her head slightly.

"This the girl you've been telling me about?" His voice reflects the calm and collected man as he asked Jennie - but not quite taking his eyes off her. Jennie nodded and he took a few steps closer. 

The scent of his perfume hits her nostrils quickly. It smells strong and woody, no doubt explaining his character as he stood without hesitations before her. Lisa felt weird all of a sudden. The back of her neck shivers and there's a sense of not belonging to where she is currently standing. 

It's not because her friends wanted to set her up with this guy. It's not the smell or the leopard-printed jacket - it's something else. Something she'd felt before...once...when she thought someone was staring at her.

"Lali...she told me your name is Lisa. Which one should I call you by?"

Lisa couldn't pay attention as her eyes began scanning around within her visual field. Her friends must've realized it as she heard Jisoo's voice saying 'it's Lisa'.

"Well, Lisa...you look like a doll, so I might just call you that - is that okay?"

Doll... She nodded. He used to call me that... As she looked to her left at Jisoo, her eyes caught the back of a familiar leather jacket on the same, familiar built, far behind her friend. It's too small to make out who it really is as the guy has a helmet on - getting on his motorbike around 6 yards away from her. And within seconds, he rode off. 

It might be silly for her to think that it's Jungkook, but her heart cries for it nevertheless. It beats hard and loud, enough for her to hear the echoes in her world. He looked exactly like him - but it's not the same bike! Why then...why do I feel this way if it's not him?

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry, I have to go!" She sprinted past Jennie and towards her car, leaving her friends to call out her name hopelessly. 

...

"It's no problem, son. Maybe next time when you're in town?" Silence. 'Son'? Who is he calling 'son'? "She's well...better - much better," Who - who is well?? "I'm sorry too. But I wasn't keeping in touch with you just because of her. I hope you know that I really do care," What the hell - does he have a mistress and another set of children I don't know about?? "As usual, update me once you land. And don't forget to send my regards to your mother," Oh hell no -

Lisa pushed the door open abruptly - shocking her father a little with her sudden and sassy entrance. Marco's eyes widened and he hangs up the phone immediately. She was going to ask if he's heard anything about Jungkook's whereabouts but her father's hushed conversation behind closed doors stopped her from doing so. 

"Sweetie! You're back so early -"

"Who was that?" Lisa crossed her arms.

"What? Who?" He looks down onto his desk - as if he's trying to find tiny elves that were clearly not present! Is that really the best he can do??

"The one you were on the phone with - and don't lie to me, dad - I know you're hiding something. You're always in here - whispering on the phone with someone so who was it??" It's the first time that she was ever this serious with her father.

"Lalisa, what are you -"

"Are you having an affair? Are you cheating on mom and had another child??"

"What - no, of course not!"

"Then why did I hear you calling whoever-the-hell-it-was 'son'?! You better tell me the truth or so help me -" She tried squinting her eyes really hard, just so he knows how upset she is. 

"I always call people 'son' - don't misunderstand this -"

"No, you didn't - you always call people by their names, oh, I know!! I've been your daughter for 19 years, dad! I know!!"

"Lalisa...calm down. It's not like what you think -" Marco leans back to his leather seat - still trying to act nonchalant over the situation that's clearly gotten a little out of hand.

"So you're not gonna tell me who it was? That's okay...you know what I think?" She lets go of her arms and walked to the door where she first entered. "Mom!!!" 

She shouts as loud as she could and heard the tumbles of the chair and muffling sounds behind her - pleading her with a bunch of 'no' and 'please'. It would've made her laugh if she wasn't so determined!

...

Jungkook closed the door and flips the small sign to 'CLOSED'. He sighed in relief that the day had gone well - actually, it went better than he thought it would! - before heading to the kitchen area. The one staff he had hired looked exhausted, so he asked the young boy to leave without having to finish his tasks. It's only a few glasses and plates anyway - Jungkook could do it himself. 

His mother is already resting upstairs. He thought about getting her one of those massage chairs after seeing how actively she tried to participate in today's operations in the cafe. Even when he had asked her countless times to sit and rest, he would always catch her at the kitchen - trying to help in some ways - bless her tired feet!

It was the grand opening of LittleLeo Cafe - yes, he named his cafe after her cat, only because it's far less obvious than having La Lisa on TripAdvisor.com! He had only 3 sets of customers in the morning but it picked up since noon, all the way until dinner time. It was an accomplishment really...he didn't think there'd be more than just those 3, to be honest! 

He had been plastering warm, inviting smiles all day that his cheeks started feeling a little sore now, but he can't help from smiling more. It's truly the life-changing moment he's been waiting to feel. To be able to finally be here at peace...to not have to think about his past and all the things he didn't deserve. If only she could be here for this day...that would've been so great.

He wondered what she would think about the place. She's such a cafe-person, would she think it's good enough to hang out? Would she like all the yellows he had put into the place? What about the small-potted flowers hanging delicately around the terrace - would she find it too much? It was his mother's choice by the way because Jungkook knows nothing about flowers! He thought of having mosses covering the walls outside but Mrs Kim it would look too old and haunted. The logic didn't make much sense but he couldn't turn her down.

Anyway, he couldn't wish more than how he already felt today. His visit to Seoul 2 days ago was to invite her here but what he saw made him change his mind. It was obvious - even from the distance - that the unknown guy was there for her. It's the way her friends were looking at the two...hoping or appreciating the likely couple with happy faces, made him feel like he shouldn't interfere. She could have moved on...or trying to move on - and he shouldn't be there to hold her back. Maybe it's a sign -

Jungkook stopped washing and switched off the sink pipe when he heard the knocks. Is it Soobin? Did he forget something? He wiped his hands and rushed to the door when the knocks became more rushed and aggressive. Okay, okay, I'm coming! Don't break the door or I swear - 

It's not until he switched the lights back on that his eyes widened at the sight of her.

...