Chapter 30. Signs

She laid flat on her stomach and counted the seconds she held her breath. She could still hear his voice this morning when she called for her excuse not to go to work. She mustered a cheery voice and pretended that she was okay. All her life she was pretending that everything is okay—that nothing could hurt her. But his silence and the way he was treating her were driving her crazy.

She turned and gasped for air while her arms spread on the bed. The feeling was so different when she struggled to get back her normal breathing after his kiss especially the one in his house. Suddenly, she wanted to hear Euna’s voice but the clock on her side table warned her not to—he was surely home. Joohyun shut her eyes tight and the battle in her head started in full force. To call or not to call.

She d for her phone under her pillows and dialed her number. It was turned off. Was it a sign? She was not sure if it was the angel or the devil in her suggested calling their house. If he answers, she could easily drop the call, her choice. So she did… first ring… second ring… third ring… she was ready to hang up when his mother’s voice vibrated on the other line.

“Yoboseyo, eomonim, good evening! Joohyun here, I’m so sorry to call at this time but Euna’s phone is turned off. Can I speak with her please? Oh she’s asleep now… okay, never mind then… thank you very much. Have a good evening!”

She put the phone gently and covered her face with a pillow. Why does she feel so disappointed?

~~~

“Hey, hi… can I talk to you for a minute? It’s about last Friday. I’m sorry if I acted like a jerk maybe I just had too much drink. I’m so sorry—really… I hope I can make it up to you, since I have a meeting tonight, is it okay if I buy you lunch tomorrow? Or dinner perhaps?” Yonghwa smiled to himself and hoped he doesn’t sound too desperate taking her out. With that new found courage, he stood and wished himself luck for the speech he memorized.

He remembered how his mother laughed at him when he ran to the phone after she said that Joohyun called but he felt dejected when she continued saying that half an hour had passed after the call. He really could not understand himself anymore.

Yonghwa found her at the corner of the lobby talking to someone on her phone. It was a perfect location to execute his plan since the place was usually empty during that time. He waited and tried hard to control himself from eavesdropping. From where he stood, he was sure that he could not see her yet since she had her back on him and she would usually look down whenever she was on her phone.

“Yes, okay… hmmmm… Yonghwa-ssi said okay already and his taking Hyoyeon to the meeting instead of me…”

He became even more interested after hearing that.

“Sure. I’ll just finish up everything. No don’t pick me up. Yes, oppa, ne… wear something dashing for the dinner. Of course, I want my favorite oppa to be the most handsome!”

Yonghwa frowned. She told him she has an important errand to attend to. Dinner. She excused herself to prepare for a date? That thought didn’t settle on him so well.

Joohyun continued to giggle, “Thanks, I got it. You’re sense of fashion is better than mine. I really love the dress, I just got it actually. No worries, I have the perfect pair of heels. Of course they’re killer! Okay, see you later!”

He turned and walked away—with clenched fist.

~~~

“I hate being forced to go out on a date!”

“Yeah, me too!” Joohyun rolled her eyes while double checking some entries.

“Do you remember the guy I told you about that my dad wants me to date?” Hyoyeon whispered closer.

“Yeah, the one who hates make-up. Don’t tell me you went out with him…” she laughed when Hyoyeon just nodded, “So did you put wear some?”

“Yeah, I did and well, of course I HAD to put layer after layer that I could not even recognize myself in the mirror! When he saw me, he almost jumped! He was so scared, until I told him who I was. I really looked like a hooker, by the way. Urgh!” She faked a shiver the continued, “After coffee, he said he had a headache and maybe we should go home already, I told him that I am having soooo much fun and I still didn't want to go home. People were looking at us and he was so embarrassed. I, on the other hand, was having way too much fun! I tortured that man for three long hours until I let him go.”

“Awwww, Unnie! You are such a tease! Poor guy!!!” Joohyun continued to laugh. She was signing the papers and was ready to go. She smiled when she saw Yonghwa approaching but it changed into a confused look when she noticed his annoyed face.

He walked past them but stopped midway to his office, “Hyoyeon, finish the presentation for the Board’s meeting on Friday. I want them on my table tomorrow. Joohyun, go with me to the meeting tonight.”

“But—“ Joohyun was speechless with that suddenness and she exchanged questioning look with Hyoyeon.

“Something must have happened,” she remarked when Yonghwa banged the door close, “What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know…” she fidgeted, “Maybe I’ll just go with him and tell oppa that I will be late. Does that kind of meeting take too much time?”

“Hmmmm… I don’t think so,” Hyoyeon tried to make her feel better seeing her worried look, “But I know the budget for that project has been approved so I think they’ll just be signing and confirming so maybe at least an hour?”

~~~

Almost two hours have passed but the meeting was still on. The conference room has been transformed