~***~

EMOTION

“So, what’s the score between you and Jiyong?” Choi Sooyoung asked while giving me my lemon soju.

“What score?” I frowned to the elegant lady in front of me. The only one closest female acquaintance in the company by far.

We were sitting on a sofa in the middle of club, celebrating Sooyoung’s younger brother birthday, Choi Minho. She was still a cousin to Jiyong, but an indirect one. Unlike Seunghyun’s mother that married to Jiyong’s uncle, Sooyoung’s father is the brother of Seunghyun’s mother. Sooyoung inherited genes of the Choi’s I’ve had known, tall, pretty and elegant. Definitely a fine woman. She was the very first person who’s asked me out for a dinner during my first day work. Instead of bringing me to the best restaurant in Seoul, she brought me to Namdaemun market. Laughing at my expression, she said that she’d heard about me craving Korean food. While knowing that I’d nobody to accompany me around Seoul, she chose to go with me.

She’d been my friend since then.

“Well, you’re his direct subordinate, I just want to know your perspective towards your boss.”

“Minus one hundred if not more.” I sighed while sipping the drink in my hand, “he seems so eager to get rid of me from the Monsant project.”

“You asked for that, lady.” She playfully reminded me.

“I asked for a chance, not a mental bullying every time we’re on meeting.” Sooyoung laughed upon hearing my hopeless tone.

“He’s just not ready for the arrival of a goddess within our company.”

“Bull.” I said, gulping the rest of my drink in one shot.

Kwon Jiyong. The thought about him alone already made my mood drop several levels. I didn’t get it why he always looked uninterested towards my ideas. Even since our very first meeting, he seemed already hold a grudge to me. As far as I remember, I never did something wrong or out of respect towards him. Though he’s just a year older, he was still my boss, the future of this company. I respected him as a leader, a brilliant one if I may add. His business plans and strategies were smart and on point, despite his young age. He knew how to connect with his subordinate, to appear smart for male and charming for the female, to act respectful toward the elder and easy-going toward the younger.

Well, except to me.

I really was clueless about his demeanor. His cold eyes, impassive tones, abstain gesture, oddly, served only for me. At first I thought, that was just the way he was, naturally a cold-hearted man. But when I saw the way he looked at Nana and Dara, or simply to Sooyoung, I concluded that cold attitude was mine only.

I might be a new worker in this company, but experience value, I wasn’t a newcomer either in this industry and my journey to reach my position now hadn’t been easy, despite everyone judgment that I was a daughter from a well-known business mogul in South-Korea. I got my master degree in business development from Harvard University, magna laude. Heck that alone should draw a certain interest toward my capability. During college, I’d been an intern in Google, handling their AdSense for six months long. Even as a fresh graduate, I was trusted to secure Narisawa Restaurant in Japan from the bankruptcy. It’d been my pride, because I nailed it. Look at their position right now, stood tall and strong like Fuji Mountain, crowned as one of the famous restaurant in Japan.

Like a flame, after that achievement, business insider started to whisper my name. They started to join me into their circle, invited me to their parties and conferences, even openly proposing me even before my contract with Narisawa ended. Approximately, I’d have three companies asked for my service, including Kwon Building, ltd. And if it wasn’t because of my father, I wouldn’t be here.

Heck, if I knew what I should face in this company, I wouldn’t even consider to agree. I didn’t register to be a subject of bullying.

How ironic, when his father were the one who was so eager to recruit me, to the point he approached my father himself to convince me to work for his company, yet his son was the one who was so eager to expel me from my position.

“Stop doing your job, Sooyoungie. I know you’re a good manager, but quit analyzing everything. Let’s just party hard tonight.” I said to her while an amusing smile plastered on her lips, eyes glancing to something behind me.

“While I believing you’re beautiful even in the plainest office suit, the way you dressed now only accentuate that you’re way more than the word beautiful itself.” Sooyoung said, praising me. She was really good with words, making the complements that came out from feels ten time pleaser.

Well, it did the same to her innuendo and sarcasm.

“Youngie please, don’t make me blush.”

“well, I’m just stating the fact.” She shrugged, “so it’s very understandable for that Dragon to do that, already more than a while now.” My eyebrows creased at her ambiguity.

What dragon? Do what?

” Also, I’d be surprised if your back hasn’t perforated yet, seeing the intensity of his gaze on you.” She said rather nonchalant, munching still her red velvet cake.

“What do you mean?”

“I have to say that your choice with this backless gown was great, Yeonnie.”

“Nothing can’t go wrong with Channel.” I chuckled, still didn’t get her words.

“Oh well, I’d like to say it more than your garment’s label, lady.”

“What? What glare? What are you talking about?” I asked in confuse. Her eyes still trained to some object behind me with her trademark amusing smirk decorated her lips.

Curious, I spun my head toward her line of her gaze, only to be greeted by a pair of soft brown eyes.

Kwon Jiyong’s soft brown eyes.

At the moment his gaze drawn into me… time stood still.

I couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, and couldn’t even catch anything else except those mesmerizing orbs.

I didn’t know that he could held such a rich emotion within his eyes, because all this time what I behold was emptiness. Well… again for me only.

Few times I’d witnessed his eyes flicker with emotion, that time with Nana in the restaurant, Dara when she gave him the ticket for her movie premiere, every time he saw Youngbae and Seungri, and the most beautiful was when he interacted with his little nephew I’d witnessed during their family dinner.

At that time, it was like only us in the screaming colors, while our surrounding was dropped into a monochrome tones. Feeling it for the first time, overwhelmed me. so I turned my head back in nervous, playing my glass as a distraction and an act for saving myself from the excruciating gaze Sooyoung had given me.

“You might want to reconsider about that minus one hundred score?” Sooyoung asked, tone lacing with amusement.

“Don’t you see it yourself, he still gives me his resent gaze even at the party like this.” I called the waiter for another shot. Damn, that certain Kwon Jiyong and his damn eyes must be out from my head otherwise I won’t be able to enjoy this party.

“I assume that Harvard is not that good? If its magna laude graduate can’t even get the slightest clue from that not-too-subtle intention.” Her eyes flickered with playfulness, “on contrary, they could actually get the code, but hiding it in subtlety for a certain reason and keep acting like nothing happens. Well, In that case, Harvard is the best.”

I know this This Choi Sooyoung could be blatantly honest to the point of savageness. But the way she pointed out about the matter was in another level. I didn’t only catch me off guard but threw me into a corner with almost zero possibility to escape.

“I don’t know that Harvard has Telepathy as one of their major. It’ll be very helpful though I don’t have to guess our client’s plan and avoiding the ugly ones.” I replied, voice sounded so impassive. I praised myself for that. Sooyoung raised one of her eyebrow as a response.

“Let’s dance?” She said with her sincere smile, seemingly caught my discomfort. “It’s a shame if we abandon such a good music. My brother didn’t hire Steve Aoki for nothing.” She stood up, pulling my hand with her.

“Too comfortable to even get up, “I laughed, “go first, I’ll finish my drink.”

“Tsk, Kim Taeyeon. Do you realize that you’re just ruining my entertainment?” She huffed, both hands on her slim hips. “I just want to show you a little bit clearer about that fella intention by having you dance with me. Well, in case you really didn’t catch his previous one.”

My mouth gaped open, trying to make some excuse but nothing. It felt like there was a big lump inside my throat, blocking the words to come out.

I wasn’t the one who easily taken aback with anything, but damn this girl and her sharp analyzing ability.

“You look like a fish gasping for air inside the aquarium.” She laughed openly, “and Minho is coming to your way. Brace yourself.” With that said, she walked away.

“Noonaaaaa!” just like a cue, the younger man’s voice was heard despite the loud music. Not long after that, a pair of arms was threw around my shoulder. “I miss you.”

I chuckled before spun my body around, “you say that you miss me, but didn’t even bother to pick me up at the airport.”

“I didn’t even know that you’re back!”

“Even ginger was there with Jessica and my parents!”

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