Catch up: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

A young Jay was in the midst of celebrating with a group of friends late at night. His excitement indicated by the occasional grin crossing his reserved face.

It was when the group made to go that they ran into a terribly tipsy girl. Young Gigi was alone and definitely walking in zigzags.

Two guys were eyeing her from nearby. Is she alone? Shall we take her? She’s begging for it. Ignoring her wouldn’t be polite, it wouldn’t be chivalrous.

Jay, who had made to follow his friends, paused when he overheard that last part. Letting out a frustrated sigh at the guys’ stupidity, Jay turned and walked toward the rather drunk Gigi.

Oblivious to her surroundings, Gigi bumped into the tall figure in front of her. Oh gosh, a pole…so sorry.

“Are you okay? Are you alone? Are you with anyone?” Jay asks her.

“I’m alone. I’m completely alone. Seriously alone,” she giggles.

Her dad passed away on March 2nd so she’s alone. Also, she broke up with her boyfriend so she’s seriously alone. A bout of giggles overtakes her.

Jay looks at the hopeless case in front of him. She must at least have a friend.

That she might have but just as Gigi is about to reply, she fully collapses, her head hitting Jay’s chest and glasses breaking on the street.

“People don’t like me so I have no friends,” she says with a laugh. Why does she smell alcohol? She starts sniffing poor Jay who’s honestly at a loss in this entire situation. The fact the strange girl is sniffing him suddenly becomes clear, especially when she bites his shoulder.

Gigi can’t stop laughing, she can only see a blurry world.

Jay takes her to a nearby park hoping she’ll sober up soon enough to figure out how to safely go back to wherever she came from.

“Actually I do have one friend,” the drunk Gigi confesses to Jay who’s sitting next to her on the grass. “But I can’t reach her when I need her and I’m having a really hard time”.

Maybe she’s busy. That must be it, they just have such bad timing. Yet Gigi can’t help but voice her feeling that if she was with Sue on a day like this, she’d probably feel like a loser.

“My boyfriend suddenly started being busy and said he was always tired. When my dad passed, he didn’t even come. That’s when it hit me. Still, I pretended not to know for a whole three months!”

She pretended because being alone would only be sadder. Gigi had noticed that her boyfriend was smiling at Sue a lot, but that was natural since Sue was nice, pretty, and cute. She also was her only friend.

Jay lets her talk, listening without a comment.

Sue might be nice, pretty, and cute but standing next to her makes Gigi feel like a big fat loser.

“If that’s how she makes you feel, don’t be her friend. Who cares if she’s good or bad? You’re uncomfortable, isn’t she bad for you?” Jay can’t help interjecting.

“Do you know what it means to not have a family? Have you been on a boat? After my dad died, it feels like I’m on a boat every day. My feet are firmly planted, but the boat keeps rocking. I feel anxious, I want stability, I want to step on solid land. Sue’s the only one who will be my land,” Gigi tries to explain.

But all this is because she’s a loser. The end.

Guess that makes him a loser too since his mom passed away fifteen years ago. After some time, he got a stepmother and younger sibling. They’re good people but he can’t help feeling strange. He hates it.

“Wow, you really are a loser,” Gigi declares. Jay spits out the sip of drink he took, that was unexpected.

She should get a grip, the real loser is right next to her! What happened to his mom is sad, but the fact his dad could start over is a good thing, right?

“My dad should’ve done that, if he had he wouldn’t have died,” Gigi says in a sad voice.

“My dad was able to start over but he died too. Don’t think that way,” Jay tries reassuring her.

The two youngsters had shared that moment, falling asleep right there on the grass. Their stories are bittersweet, their hurt real, yet shared to an extent regardless.

Jay had woken up later that morning to find the young Gigi gone.

• ◘ •

He’d met her again completely by accident at university. Was the girl an upperclassman? He started noticing her by the same spot feeding a little kitten.

One day, Jay had even taken the initiative of buying the little creature a snack. When winter brought a wave of snow, he’d build a rough wooden house of sorts for it to take shelter in.

Though the two shared the care of the little stray kitten, they never met. Jay never took the initiative to approach Gigi.

One day, he’d noticed the kitten making its way in the middle of the street, far away from its safe little alcove. Without hesitation, he’d run straight for the creature just as a car approached.

When he’d joined U&K’s marketing team, he’d been introduced to the team and that’s where he saw her again.

Yet, once more, he didn’t seize the chance he was presented with. He’d thought it was one he shouldn’t seize seeing as Gigi was getting lovey-dovey with Mino.

However, it’s different this time. Awaking after the accident with that black heart on his chest over a decade before his fateful end, Jay resolved his time being passive was over.

He takes off his jacket and women can’t stop talking about it

He walked into the office that morning as a transformed sexy man. He’d taken Gigi’s suggestions about the contacts and outfit into consideration and you know what, he did feel better.

Not that he hadn’t been handsome before these minor alterations in style. Now he simply exuded confidence and made sure to tell a satisfied Gigi with a smile.

Watching this mini-interaction, Mino demands Gigi follow him to an empty conference room.

“Didn’t I tell you? He’s interested in you,” he starts.

“What are you saying? He has a girlfriend,” Gigi says dismissively.

Is that what he said? Did he say that himself? Gigi’s acting so naïve, why would that matter?

“Let me tell you about men. All men cheat. So he has a girlfriend? He could have a wife and still like someone else! That’s men! Do you know what a guy’s ideal type is? An unfamiliar woman. That’s men, okay?” Mino gets really into his lecture.

Gigi watches him, the perfect example of the despicable character he’s painting. Are all men like this?

“Don’t be so foolish, that’s why you’re the problem. Guys are playing tricks because you look easy,” he goes on.

“You wouldn’t do something like that, would you?” Huh? That makes him pause.

“Never mind, I must’ve thought all men were like you,” Gigi says with a fake smile.

They’re all like that except him! He’s excellent. Mino is just “educating” her to be careful.

Mrs. Y along with Helen interrupt to grab Gigi. A timely rescue on her end because she really felt like physically hurting Mino.

Meanwhile, Jay’s causing a stir in the hearts of the female office members.

Were his shoulders always that broad?

Never mind those, look at that waist and back.

It’ll take two days to look at him closely!

Did you see how tall he is? He has everything!

He’s insanely hot!

And all he did was take off his jacket to read a report while standing inside his office. Thankfully for his new fans, the glass walls provide enough eye-candy time.

Gigi gets an earful of all the fan declarations inside the break room.

“I mean it, that bottom…” Now that made her throw her eyes at the women in the corner.

“Are we the only ones who don’t care about Jay’s transformation? Everyone’s surprised by it,” she tells Mrs. Y and Helen.

“That’s not my type,” Helen declares with a shake of her head.

People realize their partners aren’t their type once they start dating. Gigi nods with a small suppressed smile for she knows their “secret”.

“I’m married, getting excited is illegal,” Mrs. Y says. This makes Gigi actually smile, what a false statement.

The ladies start discussing their meal kit project but soon Sue comes into the mix inviting herself over. She starts blabbering about irrelevant things that only she’s interested in, slowly weaving in mini stories of Gigi being high maintenance and a practical loner without friends.

That’s how it always goes with Sue. She pretends to be a close friend “caring” for her other half by sharing things that don’t benefit said friend at all.

Sue was always like that, always a leech with an endless desire for blood.

But Gigi soon finds playing with fate has repercussions. She didn’t give Sue her proposal so it seems her “friend” got in touch with their manager, Mr. K, and worked her magic on him. It seems he’s going to steal her proposal, put Sue’s name on it, and use it.

At this turn of events, Gigi needs to re-strategize. She’s in deep thought over it when Jay asks if she’d like to grab dinner with him that evening.

Looking at him for she still doesn’t know what all these interactions with the man are getting at, Gigi declines because she has plans. If it’s work-related she’ll make time, but Jay is too much of a gentleman to play onto things like that for the sake of his desire to have dinner with her.

She’s meeting Ernie that night for drinks. The two promised to clear up their past misunderstanding.

Ernie remembered to bring the breakup letter that Gigi allegedly wrote.

Do you think everyone likes you because you’re popular? YOU MAKE ME VOMIT. DON’T SPEAK TO ME!

Isn’t that her handwriting? Yeah, it is but she really didn’t write it. This means Sue is able to copy her handwriting. Gigi is beyond angry and frustrated.

As the two decide to head somewhere else to grab food, Gigi tells Ernie she has a boyfriend.

“Is he by any chance tall, wearing horn-rimmed glasses?” Ernie asks.

Horn-rimmed glasses?

“Yeah, he wore a three-button suit. He wasn’t fashionable…,” he realizes what he said, “I mean, he looked classic, and he had an expensive watch”. There, he corrected himself so as not to cause insult.

Was it Jay? How does Ernie know him? Gigi’s confused.

He’s the one who told him about the reunion.

But how does Jay know Ernie?

“Come to think of it, you’re right. I thought he was your boyfriend. He was really worried about you,” a wide-eyed Ernie tells a perplexed Gigi.

He intervenes when her boyfriend’s jealousy gets out of hand

Walking home after meeting with Ernie, Gigi feels someone following her. In fear, she starts jogging as much as her heels allow only for a figure to pop up right in front of her!

“Are you crazy? Why are you overreacting?” It’s Mino.

Was the person following him?

“Why? Were you hoping it was another man?” he asks in a petty tone.

Why would he follow her like that, he could’ve just called out instead of scaring her.

“Why should I make you comfortable? You don’t even pick up my calls! You’re being overly self-conscious, men aren’t interested in you. Go it? Still seeing you scared made it more fun,” Mino lets out a sneer.

Scaring her was fun for him. Making her uncomfortable was amusing.

He starts nitpicking on her lips being red and her face having a blush. Who was she hitting on? What was she up to? She’s being just like her mom.

Gigi’s mom had abandoned them, apparently running away with another man. But Mino did not know that since she’d never shared. Sue must have told him about her mom.

Mino doesn’t give up, is that perfume he smells on her? She doesn’t often buy clothes but here she is with new ones.

He forcefully grabs her wrist demanding where she went after work. He wants the truth.

His grasp is squeezing her wrist so much that Gigi not only can’t escape but exclaims in pain. He ignores her, tightening his grasp even more. Gigi recalls the abuse in her past life, how can she forget what this beast is capable of?

Suddenly she’s free, someone grabs Mino from behind and, in a swift move, he’s lying down on the floor coughing from the impact.

Is that Jay standing over him or is he seeing things? Sir?

“What’s your deal? So what if you’re the General Manager? What’s going on between you?” Mino yells having gotten up rather quickly.

Jay grabs him by the collar, memories of the man in his past life insisting “She was going to die anyways” as the police dragged him away.

Gigi rushes to Jay trying to stop him. He can’t do this! She tries to break through Jay’s obvious fury.

Finally free, Mino makes a run for it. He doesn’t realize until much further that Gigi isn’t with him.

Meanwhile, Gigi sits on a bench hit with the hard truth her husband was someone who would leave a woman behind in a situation like this. Honestly, considering everything, this is by far one of the lightest disappointments.

Jay sits next to her, is her wrist ok?

Gigi has a question of her own, what is he doing here?

“I had business in the area…” Jay attempts but at her disbelieving look, he reveals he’s there because she wouldn’t answer her phone. “I figured nothing happened, but just to be sure”.

“Why are you worried about me? It’s after work hours. Even if something happens to me, it has nothing to do with you,” Gigi tries to reason.

“Yes, it does. I’m worried Mino might hurt you,” Jay maintains.

Why would he think that?

“People don’t change, they repeat their actions,” he tells her.

Mino did have violent tendencies, did Jay catch on to that? Gigi looks at the man next to her pensively. She hadn’t been aware before she married Mino, was his inert nature obvious enough to outsiders? Had she just been plain stupidly unaware?

When she insists Mino has never hurt her, the wrist being a situation other than that, Jay gets up. No one is allowed to hurt her like that, he resolutely exclaims. He should’ve broken Mino’s fingers.

Gigi also stands. “The way you’re acting is uncomfortable. I don’t want you to worry. Your feelings make me uncomfortable,” she straight out tells him.

Does she know how he feels?

“I don’t like cheating for personal reasons. I don’t think a person should betray anyone,” Gigi informs him.

“I’ve taken care of that,” Jay responds.

Taken care? Is his girlfriend a task to be taken care of? Wow, she didn’t take him for that type.

“You’re worse than I thought,” a frustrated and disappointed Gigi tells him, “Helen is a very precious person to me. She’s so nice and pretty, she’s very lovable…Forget it, I’m going to talk to her myself,” Gigi grabs her bag from the bench ready to leave to do just that.

The audacity of the man. She’s reeling from the betrayal her dear new friend is about to suffer.

Jay attempts to stop her, she needs to calm down for a sec. Can she just hear him out?

“You think I’m dating Helen and I’m trying to cheat on her because I have feelings for you,” he rehashes the situation ensuring he understands where her anger is coming from.

She’s right but only about the part of him liking her. He pulls out his phone and makes a call, the caller ID she shows Gigi, he’s calling “Most Beautiful”.

Helen’s voice comes through. Why’s he calling her so late at night? It’s scary.

“Helen…” he starts.

“The phone will self-destruct in five seconds if you don’t get to the point,” her sleepy voice instructs.

“I love you,” he tells her. She hangs up.

“Does she sound like my girlfriend?” Jay asks Gigi next to him.

“Most Beautiful” calls back. For Gigi’s information, Helen saved her number under that name, it wasn’t him!

He picks up her call. “I shouldn’t see you for a month after that! But I’ll have to see you at work tomorrow. Are you terminally ill or something? Are you leaving the family registry now?” Helen’s overexcited voice ends with a pitch. Jay hangs up.

Poor Gigi realizes something that never occurred to her. Helen is his sister! What to do? She apologizes.

“Please forget everything I said today, I’ve made a huge mistake it’s a big misunderstanding!

“You didn’t misunderstand all of it. I…” Jay looks into her eyes, “like you a lot”. He hopes she can see and feel the sincerity of his feelings.

Jay walks her to her front door. She turns to thank him and bid him goodnight when he takes a step closer to her. Then another and another until he’s close enough to start leaning in.

Gigi has milliseconds to try to figure out what’s going on, is Jay going in for a kiss? She’s surprised since taking what’s not given isn’t his style.

When, just as she’s about to make a move (whether to push him away or not), he collapses on her shoulder. Gigi puts her arms around trying to hold him, the man has gone limp in her arms.

What to do? Gigi’s seriously concerned. Jay! Jay!

The man fainted.