4

Myungsoo, together with Secretary Ahn, entered the conference room. It was already filled with people, most likely the Board of Directors and the major stock and shareholders. There was an empty chair at the far end of the table and Myungsoo was led to sit there. Secretary Ahn stood in the corner.

“Should we start?” Park Sehun politely asked, after he saw Jiyeon and the rest settled down in their respective seats. Myungsoo comfortably lay back, as if signaling him that he’s ready to listen.

Seeing this, Sehun stood up and started speaking. “I hope everyone here in this room is well informed that a very important deal is in the making through this conference. We have Mr. Kim here, as a prospect investor to the company. He came all the way from America to express his interest in us.” Sehun pointed Myungsoo and was given a loud applause by the people. “To further deepen your interest, Mr. Kim, the President is here to give a full report on the company.”

At this moment, Sehun sat down and Jiyeon stood up to take over. However, she was not like herself and it seemed like she lost all her confidence. She cleared and started speaking. At first, she stuttered but eventually she took hold of the situation. She prepared a PowerPoint presentation, with figures, tables and charts that tackles about the income made by the company for the last three years. She boasted the company’s building as the best in the industry and the numerous positive feedbacks and awards that the company achieved.

 It took her a little more than 30 minutes to finish. She officially ended her report upon saying, “Our economic situation is a little shaky and I admit that sales are not that stable compared to the past years, but if you would extend your hand and trust us with your money, I promise that we will be doing our best to get back to the top and maybe focus on expanding the company globally.”

Everyone gave her a warm applause, including Myungsoo. Jiyeon stayed in front; a sign of relief visible on her face.

When the applause died, everybody was all ears when it was Myungsoo’s turn to speak. “As Park Sehun said earlier, I came all the way from America for this. That means I consider your company as eligible to receive my funds. However, it’s not only that because I am also in need of an Asian company to be in a partnership with MegaWare Corporation. And I am thinking to make the partnership with you,”

The people started to jump in excitement since they only thought he was an investor and not to the extent of a partner.

“and so if I’m thinking to that extent, I will be needing time.” Myungsoo stood up and buttoned up his suit and added, “I’ll have to think about it. Thank you for today.” Together with Secretary Ahn, Myungsoo went out of the conference room, leaving everyone hanging.

While everyone in the room was busy, Jiyeon, together with Sehun, left the room and went to her office. “Are you okay?” Sehun asked.

“I’m fine. I just you know, I felt nervous.” Jiyeon replied. She sat down and rubbed her face with her hands.

Sehun’s expression showed worry and he sat beside her. “That was unusual. You were not like yourself during the meeting.”

“I don’t know….” Jiyeon responded, more flustered.

Sehun hugged her and patted her back. “But you did well; my Jiyeon did a good job…”

“But more than that, I think you’re just hungry. Come on, let’s eat something.” Sehun added the moment he sensed Jiyeon had calmed down.

“Secretary Ahn, you can go back to the hotel. I’m going to eat lunch with someone.” Myungsoo told his secretary when they got out of the building. He went into his car and drove while Secretary Ahn went into the black car together with the guards.

Myungsoo arrived at a tonkatsu restaurant in Dongdaemun. Also arriving a little later is his neighborhood hoobae (junior), Do Kyungsoo. He treats him like a little brother as he also pays his tuition fees in the same university he attended.

“Hyung!” Kyungsoo greeted him before they went in the restaurant.

“Kyungsoo waaaaa you’ve grown so well!” Myungsoo told him when they sat down.

“Eyyyy hyung, people grow… that’s nothing new.”

“How are you? How’s university life?” Myungsoo asked at the same time taking off his suit.

“Mmm it’s quite good… now I’m on my junior year. I’ll be having my training on real courts.” Kyungsoo studies Law and in a year, he’ll officially be a lawyer.

“Did you move in to a new house? I sent you money for that….”

“I got the money hyung but I didn’t use it to move to a new house. I used it to pay my tuition fees in advance.”

“What? I told you to move. That small, cramped house is not good, it will just distract you when you study.”

“I have a part-time job…. I used the money I earned to move.”

Myungsoo almost smacked Kyungsoo but his heart softened when he knew the kid was working hard to support himself. He likes Kyungsoo because he is like his old self. Kyungsoo’s parents are both gone, he was a poor boy but he had an intelligent mind.

“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life depending on you hyung. You’re not even my blood relative yet you’re more than my parents in supporting me. I want to be dependent, I want to spend and waste the money that I earn through sweat.”

“Eyyyyy this jerk,” Myungsoo ruffled Kyungsoo’s hair and added, “I’m always okay with providing you the fees, you just have to promise me to study hard, alright?”

Kyungsoo chuckled and nodded. Myungsoo stood up and went to order their food. He paused and looked up at the menu on the wall. While he was thinking, he heard someone talking beside him.

“Do you want to have the belly soup?” It was Sehun, and beside him was Jiyeon, all cuddled up with him.

“Nope, I want tonkatsu.” Jiyeon whispered in Sehun’s ear and if seen by any person, they look like just another couple so in love with each other.

Myungsoo saw them, but they did not.

“Two servings of tonkatsu please,” Sehun said.

“Two servings of tonkatsu and belly soup for me please,” Myungsoo followed. By this time, Jiyeon saw him. She stared at him continuously, tracing every move he makes- from getting his wallet, paying, and walking back to his table.

Sehun failed to notice and just paid for the food.

The whole time Jiyeon and Sehun were eating, there were a couple of times that Jiyeon dozed off their conversation because she was focused on taking glances at Myungsoo. Myungsoo on the other hand has his back on her and was instead joyfully taking every bite with Kyungsoo.

Jiyeon and Sehun left first, and after a little while, Myungsoo and Kyungsoo did.

“Do you want me to drive you home? I need to see if you picked a good house….” Myungsoo asked.

“No, it’s okay hyung. I still have somewhere to go to…” Kyungsoo politely responded.

“Where?” Myungsoo’s eyes widened.

“You know… there’s this girl, and I kind of like her so uhmm, I’m gonna go check her out.” Kyungsoo ran without turning back.

“Hey!!”

--

When the night came, Myungsoo was taking his time reviewing the data and report presented earlier by ProHomes. He scanned the papers while being comfortable in the couch. After a while, he put them down and changed his clothes to go to his parents for the dinner that he promised. He drove his bike and reached the house after about fifteen minutes.

“Hi mom,” Myungsoo muttered when he entered the house, only to find a table filled with food.

“Oh you’re here! Sit down, I will tell your father to come,”

His mother went out for seconds to call his father who was in the greenhouse. A moment later, the three of them were seated around the table.

“How was your day today?” Myungsoo’s father asked.

“Mmm, it was good. The company that I’m looking into looks fine.” Myungsoo replied, as he munched down his share of food.

“So did you make the deal already?”

“Nope, not yet. I’m still thinking about it…… maybe it will take me a few days here.”

“Well that’s good, you get to stay here….” His mother added.

“But your son has also work to do in America…. He can’t stay here for long.” His father interrupted.

“What’s important is that I’m here with you today,” Myungsoo told them. “By the way, I met Kyungsoo today. Remember him? The one I told you, my neighborhood hoobae…”

“Ohh, I remember, how is he?”

“He’s on his junior year in studying law, seems like he’s grown up so well..”

“Well that’s good, you should tell him to come over sometime.”

“I will tell him that,” Myungsoo replied as he finished eating. He stood up and muttered, “I’ll be in my room. I am so tired I think I am going to sleep early.”

“Alright, I prepared the bed for you. Have a good sleep.” His mother answered.

--

The morning came and Myungsoo woke up early without making a noise to wake up his parents. He just wrote a note saying he’s leaving early for work and left it on top of the table. He hopped on his bike and drove down the street.

He stopped by Jiyeon’s house- that big mansion along the street, and stared at it intensely. Nothing about it changed, still having the tall gate and pointed fence grills. Except that it was tainted old by the weather throughout all those years that had gone by.

Myungsoo continued to stare at it from afar, until he saw Jiyeon come out of the house, welcomed by Sehun in his black car. Sehun kissed her on the lips and muttered, “Good morning,”

Jiyeon hugged him for a while and told him the same thing. At this moment, Myungsoo drove his bike and passed by them, with his face straight on and not even batting a glance. Jiyeon saw him pass but never really had the courage to call him. What was strange was that she felt incredibly weird.

“What is it? Are you okay?” Sehun asked her when he sensed something was wrong.

“No, no, it’s nothing….. let’s go.” She replied and went into the car.

After taking a bath and changing into formal clothes, Myungsoo went to ProHomes in his Mercedes Benz.

He graced the glass floors of the company and made his way to Jiyeon’s office. He knocked once, and Jiyeon’s voice told him to come in. Without a doubt he went in, and gently closed the door. Finally, it was only the two of them in the room. Jiyeon surprisingly looked at him, and Myungsoo calmly walked towards her.

“We need to talk.” The both of them spoke at the same time.

A/N: OMG finally Jiyeon and Myungsoo are all alone in the room. Is it the right time to talk about the past? Stay tuned for more updates! Comments, upvotes and subscribers are always appreciated!