Chapter 10
Zero Gravity
"Um.."
Joon tried to take back his hand but Boa held on firmly, looking at him in the eyes as if searching his soul. "Nice to meet you?" He reminded her with another shake, bringing back her attention and breaking the intense eye contact. "Nice to meet you too." She gave him a wide smile which made him feel uneasy.
"You're Donghae's brother, I assume?" Boa stood with her arms crossed. He just nodded. "Hmm." She stared him for a while longer before turning away and his rigid body posture relaxed a little. Although she smiled at him like they would get along well, he doubted that they were going to be friends.
"This is all?" Boa walked towards the suitcases while the others went back to their seats. "Yup, ten of them in total." Krystal yawned. "I'm gonna bathe and head to sleep." She bade them goodnight and exited the room.
"Take them." At Boa's command, the men that had entered the room earlier with her, emerged from the shadows, bowing at her before moving the suitcases. "I guess that's all." Boa glanced at her watch. "I have other things to do. We'll meet next time." She refused to look at Joon and smiled at the others. "I'll be going." She turned and followed after her men.
"Wait unni!" Sulli got up from her seat and rushed towards her. "I just remembered that Krystal and I are gonna have a party on our birthday. It's just the few of us and I hope you can come." Boa paused to think and laughed when Sulli gave her a puppy eyed look. "Okay, I'll come, you little brat!" She pulled Sulli's nose before stepping out of the door.
Joon tried to take back his hand but Boa held on firmly, looking at him in the eyes as if searching his soul. "Nice to meet you?" He reminded her with another shake, bringing back her attention and breaking the intense eye contact. "Nice to meet you too." She gave him a wide smile which made him feel uneasy.
"You're Donghae's brother, I assume?" Boa stood with her arms crossed. He just nodded. "Hmm." She stared him for a while longer before turning away and his rigid body posture relaxed a little. Although she smiled at him like they would get along well, he doubted that they were going to be friends.
"This is all?" Boa walked towards the suitcases while the others went back to their seats. "Yup, ten of them in total." Krystal yawned. "I'm gonna bathe and head to sleep." She bade them goodnight and exited the room.
"Take them." At Boa's command, the men that had entered the room earlier with her, emerged from the shadows, bowing at her before moving the suitcases. "I guess that's all." Boa glanced at her watch. "I have other things to do. We'll meet next time." She refused to look at Joon and smiled at the others. "I'll be going." She turned and followed after her men.
"Wait unni!" Sulli got up from her seat and rushed towards her. "I just remembered that Krystal and I are gonna have a party on our birthday. It's just the few of us and I hope you can come." Boa paused to think and laughed when Sulli gave her a puppy eyed look. "Okay, I'll come, you little brat!" She pulled Sulli's nose before stepping out of the door.
~~
"I have a feeling Boa doesn't like me." Joon muttered. "She.. hates me."
"You think too much," Amber tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. "How do you know she hates you? Did she tell you that herself?"
"I just know!" He said agitatedly. "How many girls stare at me like that? They'll look at me and get jellyfied. Turned to goo!" He pushed his shades back onto his nose bridge when it slided down from his outburst. "Is jellyfied even a word?" Amber glanced at him as she steered the car left.
"Is jellyf-- What?! Who cares whether it's a word or not!" He palmed his forehead. "That is none of my worries!" He took off his sunglasses and pointed at his face. "THIS!! Ladies would fall over from shock.. from my-- "
"Ugliness?" Amber said innocently while trying to keep her face straight. "No wonder they fall over from shock. Poor them."
"Whatever." Joon narrowed his eyes at her. "My point is that Boa does nothing of that sort. Did you see her smile? It looks kinda fake. I have this feeling that I can't explain. There's definitely something that she doesn't like me."
"Who likes you at first glance?" Amber laughed at him as she stopped the car in front of the building. "I know I definitely did not."
"Oooh," His face was near hers as he smirks. "Does that mean you like me now? I'm flattered." He placed a hand on his chest.
"Yeah, whatever you say Casanova." Her finger pushed his face away from hers. "Get out. Say hi to Donghae for me." She told him as he got out of the car. "Do you need a ride back?"
"I'll let you know, See ya." Joon closed the door and waved to her before she drove away.
~~
"Can I take your order?" The waitress went up to the new customer after her friends persuasion. The boy looked up from the menu at the sound of her voice. Gosh, she tucked her tucked her hair behind her ear, conscious of her image, he's cute.
"I think I'll wait for my friend to arrive first." He smiled at her before turning back to the menu, signalling the end of their short conversation. Clearly disappointed, she left him alone and went back to the counter where her friends were watching her. They mouthed and gestured wildly for her to get back to him. Thank god there aren't many customers today, she shook her head, or else I'd be so embarrassed.
"What about you order a drink while waiting for your friend?" She suggested to him which prompted him to look at her again. She couldn't see he was slightly annoyed because his symmetrical bangs had covered his face. "Um, okay." She observed him as he flipped his hair out of his face, searching the drinks section of the menu.
"I'll have a glass of orange juice." He told her and went back to reading his menu but looked up again when he noticed she had not moved. "Yes?" Now, she could hear the irritation in his voice. "We have free refills for fresh juices. Refills for orange juice. For you." She said while her face got redder with each sentence. "Okayy, thanks for informing me." He said slowly while nodding his head. "I'll let you know if I want a refill."
What is wrong with me? She scolded herself mentally as she recorded the order in the computer, You explained it to him as if he was a five year old and we don't even allow refills! "Good afternoon sir." She looked up from the computer and greeted a customer. "Table for one?"
"I'm looking for a friend." He took off his sunglasses and looked around the small cafe. "Ahh, that table." She followed his gaze. Oh, that's the friend, she smiled at him and led the way to the table, they're both so good-looking.
"What drink would you like sir?"
"Orange juice." The waitress left the table as Henry sat down. "Good choice." He placed his napkin on his lap before looking up. "And why is that Amber?"
"There's a free refill." She shrugged her shoulders while using her sunglasses as a headband to keep her long bangs from falling onto her face as she studies the menu. "I never knew this restaurant allows free refills."
"Me neither." She said, tearing her gaze from the menu to look at him for the first time since he had sat. They looked at each other. Henry glanced at her outfit and she knew what was going to come next.
"No point dressing up." Amber shrugged again, waiting for their waitress to set down his glass of drink before continuing. "I don't like those outfits anyway. They make me look.. awkward." She had not worn her work outfit to lunch. She was wearing her usual attire - baggy shirt, leather jacket and skinny jeans(her usually baggy jeans had somehow 'shrunk' during the wash but Amber suspects Krystal had something to do with their appearance) - since she's going to tell him the truth.. or the altered one.
"Okay." Henry was mad at her for lying to him and he made sure to look angry when he met her for lunch but the moment he saw her as he entered the restaurant, he immediately soften a little and in the end gave up on being mad. "Why don't we order something first?" He opened his own menu.
"I've been going through this menu ever since I sat down but I can't decide on what to order." Amber whined as she flipped through it. "Everything looks delicious." Henry laughed as she said it to herself. "Just order something. You can try the others on another day." He suggested to her while he signalled the waitress.
After the waitress went away with their orders, the both of them became quiet. Amber, who refused to look at him, was swirling her glass of orange juice with the straw and Henry took the chance to look at her. It had only been a week since he last saw her but he couldn't stop thinking about her. She would sometimes come across his mind while at work and he would also wonder what she's doing at that moment.
"I'll just make it short." Her voice cut through his thoughts and brought back his attention. "It's true I lied to you but not all of them are lies." She took a sip of her drink before continuing. "I do work for Matsuka. Just not in the administration part."
"You mean," Henry leaned back into his chair. "You work off the contracts?"
"You can call it that," Amber looked at him and turned away. "That's all I can tell you." He wanted to say something but paused when the waitress arrived with the food. "Have a good lunch." She said to them but he noticed she was looking at Amber when she said it. Henry only continued after the waitress had refilled their glasses of orange juice and they were left alone.
"Is what you're doing illegal?" He asked. "Something dangerous?" His fork pushed the green beans around his plate.
"I'm not going to say anything definite about my job except that I work for Matsuka." She ignored his earlier questions and continued eating. "What about your family.. do they know what you're doing?" Again. He received no reply from her. "Eat." She pointed at his untouched fish fillet. "Or else it'll turn cold."
"I won't eat until you tell me something." He stood his ground and one of his hands stopped her in the process of slicing her chicken. His warm hand touched her cool skin as she sighed. "Fine. I will tell you only this and that is all."
"I'm a professional at what I do and it's the safest." Amber paused to think about some of her near misses. "Most of the time it's safe."
"What about the first time I met you?" He ate a small piece of fish. "In that alley? Has that got something to do with your job too?"
"No. That was an accident." He took another bite of his food and set down his fork. "Why can't you tell me more?" He added hopefully. "I promise I won't tell."
"If I tell you," She looked at him in the eye. "I would have to kill you."
"Haha," He scoffed at her. "Yeah right.. He stopped smiling when he noticed she wasn't. "You're kidding."
"No, I'm not." Amber looked at him with a serious expression and he looked taken aback before she burst out laughing. "HAHA! Got you!" He relaxed and laughed with her. "That's not funny." He playfully slapped her arm. Yeah, it's not funny. Amber looked at him as he shook his head, laughing. If I told you more about me, you wouldn't be walking out of here alive.
"So, you can't tell me?" Henry took his plate and passed it to her. "Take it." Amber pushed aside her empty plate and took his. "How did you know I want it?" She laughed while slicing the fish fillet. "Let's just say, I know you well enough." Henry grinned. "Hey, we were taught not to let food go to waste." She defended herself as she grinned back at him.
"Yeah, I'm not telling you anymore of my job." She swallowed her food before continuing. "The less you know, the better off you are."
"For one thing, I can see it's a high paying job." He said. "Yeah, it is. For my profession." She nodded while finishing off the last slice. "You're not working as those.." She looked at him when he trailed off. "You know.. those ladies that.. at night.. old men.." He said quietly while avoiding her eyes. "What are you talking about Henry? Spit it out." Amber took her glass and took a gulp of juice.
"Are you," Henry said cautiously. "A e?"
Amber tried her best not to spit out her drink and choked. "Henry!" She coughed very badly and put her hand out to stop him from going near her. "What the hell?" Amber took her napkin and coughed hard into it. "Didn't I say never to joke when someone is drinking?!" She gasped and tried to get her breathing back to normal. "You didn't really say that," Henry passed her his untouched glass of water when she finished hers. "You said not to joke when you're eating..." He stopped talking when she glared at him.
"How can you have thought of that?!" Amber waved her hands around herself. "Do I look like a e?!" She said hotly.
"No no no." Henry shook his head innocently at the angry woman in front of him. "It's just that you said you worked off the contracts and quite well paid."
"And that automatically leads you to that." She said dryly. "Why can't you think of something else? Like for example, a hacker?!" She took another sip of water and looked into his eyes, then something lighted up in her head. "I can't believe you. You tricked me?!"
"What are you talking about? Trick you? I wouldn't dare." Henry crossed his arms, smirking at her. "Of course you wouldn't be a e. How can you be when you have a temper and personality like that? Plus the clothes.." He laughed. "So you're a hacker?"
"Ha bloody eff ha." Amber narrowed her eyes at him. "Laugh all you want at my choice of clothes. Hacker? I'm nowhere near that and I'm not saying anymore." She got up and slinged her bag over her shoulder. "I'm leaving. I was going to treat you to lunch but now the tables are turned, you," Amber slapped his back when she walked past him. "Get the bill."
"Hey, wait up." He followed after her and went to the counter. "Wait for me." She stood outside the restaurant and glared at him. "That girl.." He laughed as he placed his credit card on the counter. "Thank you sir and please come again." Henry took back his card and was about to stepped out the door when a hand held him back.
"Sir, could you pass this to the friend of yours?" The waitress that served them earlier, pressed a piece of paper into his hand. "The guy you were having lunch with." She said clearly with a flushed face when a look of confusion came across his face. "Ahhh." The frown on his face disappeared and he laughed. "Okay, I'll do that." He waved at the waitress before joining the 'guy' outside.
"This is for you." He took her hand and passed the piece of paper to her. "What's this?" Amber turned the piece of paper around and opened it. "Who's number is this? And who's Joori?"
"That's the waitress who was serving us." Henry grinned at her and placed an arm over her shoulder as they walk. "Girl, someone has the hots for you. Why else would they give me their number to pass it to you, blushing while doing so." Amber threw the crumpled piece of paper into a nearby garbage bin.
"Has this ever happened before?" If Amber was wearing the usual feminine clothes she wears when meeting with Henry, people would have mistaken them as a cute couple with the gaze Henry was looking at her.
"Once or twice." Amber said nonchalantly. "Do I really look like a boy?" She turned to ask him.
"Do I have to answer that?" He squeezed her shoulder before letting go. "Ask your sisters." She laughed and waved at Henry as they went their separate ways.
~~
Nichkhun was on the phone with his informer when a tall girl with dark long hair and aviator shades entered the small grocery shop. His eyes followed her and he noticed how out of place she looks. She was dressed like a supermodel, wearing a cropped jacket over a plain white-shirt and skinny jeans with high heeled boots. She was browsing the shelves without taking off her sunglasses and he wondered how can she see because the shop was quite dimly lit.
Victoria took out a piece of paper with a list of items she was to buy, "I don't think he's working today." She said to herself as she looked around the shop. She placed a few of the items she had taken into the small trolley she was pushing and went into the canned food aisle. "Victoria." She stopped in her tracks when he stood in front of her. "Hi." Nichkhun smiled at her.
"Hello." She said softly and moved out of the way to let him pass when she noticed he was carrying a loaded box. "I'm sorry."
"That should be me saying it." Nichkhun said, setting the box on the ground. "I apologised for running out on you the other day. I just remembered that I've something important to do. I didn't mean to leave unexpectedly." He bowed at her. "I'm sorry."
"Oh, I see." Victoria pursed her lips and bowed in return. "I shouldn't hold you up on your work," She nodded at the box. "Nice meeting you." She bowed again before walking past him.
Nichkhun felt the hostility displayed by her and turned around to stop her. "I know you're mad but please forgive me." He said while thinking about his cover. "Let me make it up to you. Why don't we go out for dinner after this? My shifts about to end." He smiled a little at her emotionless face. "Please?" Victoria stared at him before walking away without another word.
Damn it, he dropped the smile and picked up the box. Now I've to find another cover. He walked to the next lane and started piling up jars of pickles on the shelves. Today they have something going on in the medical shop and I need a solid cover to go in, he adjusted the cans properly so that there's enough space for the pickles, I guess I just have to try my luck.
"Nichkhun." He looked away from the pickles and was surprised to see her next to him. "I'll go out to dinner with you." Victoria had taken off her sunglasses, looking at him with her big eyes. "That's great!" He smiled at her. "Let me get out of my work clothes. I'll be with you in a minute."
"But I can't have dinner with you today." She said apologetically. "I'm busy." She shifted the heavy bags of purchases from one hand to another.
"Oh, that's okay." He waved his hand, brushing it off. "We can have it another day. No problem."
"Okay." She gave him a small smile. "I'll be going then. Bye." She walked away while shifting the bags again. "Hey, why don't I help you with your stuff?" He took off the apron he was wearing and walked towards her. "That's okay. I shouldn't bother you. You have a job to do." He waved his hand at the cashier and took some bags from Victoria.
"It's almost at the end of my shift. My boss wouldn't mind me taking a few minutes off early. I've never slack off on my work." Her hand tingled from his touch when his fingers brushed by hers as he took the bags. Victoria turned to look at him but he didn't give any signs of feeling it too. Maybe it's just me, she looked away, embarrassed.
"You must be the employee of the month for months now." She as they walked side by side. "Nah, but I have bonuses." He shrugged it off. "Which is better than the status of employee of the month. I can send the money back to my family."
"At least they're under the care of your parents." She took out the car keys from her handbag. "My parents are dead." Her hand paused from retrieving the keys. "Your siblings are living on their own then?"
"No, they're staying with my aunt." She led him to the silver Bentley and the boot automatically popped open when she pressed a button. "This is a nice car." He said, changing the topic. "Oh.. yeah, it is." Victoria nodded, placing the bags down. "Thank you for your help."
"When can we have dinner together?" Nichkhun asked as he shut the door after she got into the car. "I'll let you know." She started the engine and took out her phone. "Can I have your number?" He listed out his number and she keyed it in.
"Thank you." He said abruptly before she could drive away. "What for?" Victoria was puzzled. "For not pitying me.. that my parents are dead." He smiled lazily at her. "You're the first."
"I know how it feels and I tell myself that everyone has to leave in the end, it's either sooner or later." She tapped her steering wheel and looked at her watch. "That's from my point of view. Hope you don't mind."
"It's okay." Nichkhun waved his hand. "I've got to go." She smiled apologetically at him and waved. "I'll call you."
"I hope nothing goes wrong." He looked at her car disappear after the turn and walked to the medical hall. A bell chimed softly in the background when he entered the brightly lit medical hall and was greeted with the strong smell of Chinese herbs. He glanced around the empty store, mentally taking in the surroundings when he was interrupted. "How can I help you?" A man in his mid-forties came to him from behind the counter.
"I would like to see the physician. I'm not feeling quite well." Nichkhun smiled wearily at him as he went away to fetch the physician and he was left alone. Stores like this don't usually have security cameras, he observed a small semi sphere on the wall at all four corners of the room, unless there is something worth guarding to put these things up.
"Hello," A lady appeared and gestured for his hand. "I'll be your physician today. So how do you feel?" She took his hand and turned up the palm, resting her fingertips lightly on his wrist. "Uh.. I have a slight headache and dizziness." Nichkhun came up with random symptoms on the spot and sniffed his nose. "And sometimes I have a bit of runny nose." She nodded and he felt the slight pressure exerted by her fingertips on his wrist.
"Your body is a bit on the heaty side," She let go of his wrist, took out a pen and jotted down her findings, "Try not to take too much spicy food and cold drinks. How do you want your medicine to be?" She looked up from her writing. "Liquid or do you want to simmer the herbs yourself? The herbs will take a longer time to pick out," She informed him. "Just so you know if you're in a hurry."
"It's okay. I'll take the herbs." She nodded at him again and took out some brass scales from below the counter. "Can I use the washroom?" She set a box of dried leaves on the top. "Enter through that door and walk down the hallway to the very end and turn right. It's the first door on the left."
"Thanks." He left his seat and followed her instructions. He pushed past the door and entered a long dimly lit hallway with doors on both sides. He could see light seeping from below of the closed doors. Nichkhun strained his ears but he could not hear anything from inside the rooms. Huh, he scoffed as he turned right, they soundproofed the place.
"The first door on the left." He muttered to himself, his eyes spotted the door with a plate on it 'Washroom'. "Changsik said the drugs are in the storage room which is directly opposite the washroom," His head turned to the right. The door was different from the others because it was made of metal, not wood and it has several locks to it plus a finger print scanner to access the room. Nichkhun went nearer the door for a closer inspection when a man came out from the door next to it.
"What are you doing here?" The man was twice his size and that says a lot because Nichkhun was quite tall himself and his head was almost touching the ceiling. "You're not allowed in here." The man's body filled the small hallway and stood in between the storage room and Nichkhun. "I wanted to use the washroom and the lady said I could come in here." He scrutinised Nichkhun and pointed at the door behind him. "The washroom is behind of you."
"Oh yeah." Nichkhun laughed breezily and turned away from him. "The door caught my eye.. that's why. Well, thank you." He looked to his left before entering the washroom and locked himself inside one of the stalls. Damn it, he placed the toilet lid down and sat on it, I didn't see the camera that was facing the door.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Tell me why are we here again?" Joon ran a hand through his hair as he yawned. "We're getting gifts for the twins' birthday." Victoria scanned the rows of jewellery that was brought to them for viewing. "Their birthday party is on Friday," Amber said from behind of them. "Which is two days from now." She was lying on the couch, playing games on her phone. "Unni, next time, try to get their presents earlier on." She paused her game and took a sip of her drink. "We're always rushing to buy their presents at the last minute."
Joon got up from his chair and stretched his body. They'd been greeted and ushered into a small cosy private room, away from the main viewing lounge the moment they arrived at the jewellers' store. Victoria said something to the manager that was serving them and they brought in trays and trays of jewelry for them to view and they have been in the room for about an hour. "I'm getting out of here. My had become super flat after sitting on the chair for so long."
He came out of the room and walked around the exclusive jewelry store that is the favourite of many celebrities, socialites and wealthy people. "I gotta admit," he looked at a glass case which held a set of jewelry in it. "Their designs are a class above the others."
"Duh," Amber came up next to him. "Considering how much you're paying for these." She dragged Joon by the arm and walked to the other side of the store. "Unni had finally decided on the necklaces and earrings," she said as both of them glanced down at the glass case. "We're supposed to pick out the rings now, Victoria said she's too tired."
"Who wouldn't after staring at trays and trays of 'bling bling'," Joon nudged her and tilted his head closer to her ear. "Let's do it this way. We'll just look at this section only and choose the two best rings out of the ones here and, ta-dahh, we're done for the day."
"Good idea." She sat down and spoke to the sales attendant serving them. "Can you bring out these section for us?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mr. Kim, what are those?" Henry pointed in the direction of the pile of construction materials near the entrance of the shopping mall.
"Those should be the materials for the upcoming Christmas decorations for the mall." He stepped onto the escalator after Henry. "They're scheduled to take measurements, plans and information from the department today."
"Well, tell them to leave their stuff in another place, away from the public." They arrived on the first floor and proceeded to the second. "It's not good for our mall's image." Mr. Kim nodded. "I'll tell them to do it. But let's take a walk around first."
Henry is at the Royal Court, one of the many shopping malls that his father's company owns, conducting a monthly inspection of the place. As his secretary took downs notes of his comments about the inspection, his eyes wandered around the place.
It was a Saturday and the mall was packed with people who took advantage of the weekend to spend time with their families. Most of the people in the crowd had spill over from the amusement park which was next to the shopping mall. It was another business project of the company and was also Henry's idea to set up an amusement park next to the mall. Henry's presentation of the idea won over the board of directors and investors which led to his father to approve his proposal.
"Dad, if only you could see this now." Henry said softly to himself as he looked at a father with his son on his shoulder, walked past him. "I won't let you down."
"Henry, that's all for today." Mr. Kim closed his note book. "Are you going to head back to the office?"
"No, I'll walk around before going home." He bowed at the secretary. "Ajjushi, you should head home early too. I'll see you on Monday." With that, he bowed again and walked in the opposite direction with his hands in his pockets. "Dad, I've been too busy lately." He muttered as he strolled the place. "I'll visit you later."
Henry walked around the mall at a leisurely pace and got off the elevator at a random floor. "Why isn't there many people?" He looked around the less crowded floor before realising. "Oh, I'm at the higher-end stores floor." This is the floor where all the well-known brands are situated at and the stores around him had their doors closed and security personnel standing at the entrance.
"So, this is the store those celebrities frequent to." He walked to a store's display window. "Sooyoung bought from this place before." He said as he thought of his former lover. "She loved their simple and elegant design." He stared at the jade stone necklace in the display case and noticed a couple behind it, choosing jewelry.
"What do you think of this one?" Joon passed her a huge diamond ring. "Krystal would like it."
"Yeah, she would." Amber didn't bother looking up as she was choosing between two rings. "If she were to get married to a rich guy."
"Well, as long as she likes it, we can get this ring for her." He pushed the ring right in front of her face. "Look."
"Yeah, yeah. It's nice but it's too old for her." She pushed his hand away and brought two rings to his attention. "We'll get this two. What do you think?"
"Whatever. If you say so." He nodded his head impatiently and showed her the ring again. "You should try wearing this."
"I'll take this two, together with the ones we've picked out earlier." The attendant took the rings and bowed before walking away. "Why should I? I don't like this things."
"Because you'll never ever gonna receive a ring like this from a guy." He sneered at her.
"I can always buy it myself." She retorted while scowling. "I do not need a man to buy it for me and besides, It's not like I can't afford it."
"Come on. Just give it a try." Joon took her hand and placed it on her palm. "It won't hurt trying it."
"Sometimes, I wonder whether you and Krystal are the male and female versions of each other." Amber sighed and put on the ring. "Fine. I wore it." She stretched her arm, admiring the ring on her finger. "How does it feel?" Joon took her hand and looked at it.
"Heavy." She exaggerated by weighing her arm down. "I was expecting the word 'married'." He laughed at her. "I can't imagine you being married! Who in their right mind would want to marry you?"
"Very funny." Amber glared at him. "You're gonna eat your words when the day comes."
"Seriously?" Joon got up from his chair. "You can imagine a guy doing this?" He took her left hand and knelt down before her. "Would you marry me?" He said in the cheesiest voice she had ever heard.
"You-- " She wanted to whack him on the head when she noticed someone behind him. "Henry!"
"Hey Amber. it is you." Henry came over to them, smiling which was the direct opposite of Joon's reaction. "What are you doing here?"
"It's obvious isn't it?" Joon scowled at him as he remained kneeling on a knee. "I'm on my knee. Ring." He pointed at the ring resting on her left hand. "A marriage proposal if you're that thick in the head."
"Hah! And you said which guy in their right mind would want to marry me!" She laughed at him and took off the ring. "I'm here with Joon, you remember him?" Henry nodded. "And my sister. We're picking out birthday presents for the twins. What about you? Buying gifts for your girlfriend?" She but felt weirdly annoyed and hope he doesn't have one, why am I like this?
"No, I don't have a girlfriend." He shook his head. Amber's heart did a small leap of joy when he said that and she was puzzled with the feeling. "I was doing an inspection of the mall. My father's company owns the place." He added when she looked at him confused. Amber opened to say something but was interrupted.
"Hello. Who is this?" Victoria stood beside her and glanced at Henry. "Unni, this is Henry. Henry, this is Victoria." She introduced both of them to each other. "Nice to meet you." Henry bowed to her. "I'm a friend of Amber's."
"Really? You've never told me about it," Victoria looked at Amber slyly, who was a bit embarrassed. "You see, our Amber here never had any friends. So, I was a little surprised." She explained to Henry.
"Yeah, she told me about it." Victoria raised her eyebrows at Amber who avoided her gaze.
"You should go if you have something up." Amber told Henry when she saw him checking his watch. "Yeah, I've to visit someone. See you later." He waved at her. "It's nice meeting you." He bowed at Victoria and merely nodded at the still scowling Joon.
"He seems like a nice guy." Victoria said to Amber, watching her expression. "He's okay." She shrugged and left her and Joon to pay the bill. "He's an ." Joon crossed his arms. "You've met him before?" Victoria looked at him with surprise.
"Yeah. I went over to his house once to give Amber a ride home." He looked at her and asked. "You think he's a good person, huh?"
"It's too early to know," Victoria shook her head. "But he's gotta be something or else Amber wouldn't befriend him. I trust her." She stood still for a moment, lost in thought. "Well, maybe we should know more about him since she's close with him. I have an idea."
"What idea?" He dropped his arms and faced her.
"I'm not telling you and neither will you be telling Amber any part of this conversation." Victoria took out her phone and dialled a number. "It's gonna be a surprise."
Comments