Chapter 05
Zero Gravity
"Lee Joon!"
"There's no need to shout, darling." He draped an arm around Amber's shoulders. "Now, why did you call?"
"One, we're not close." She shrugged his arm off her. "Two, I'm not your 'darling'." Amber shuddered from the affectionate name. "And three, what the hell happened?"
Amber's room was as neat as it could be but her things were not in the same place as she left it.
"Well, I was doing the cleaning like you asked and yours was so messy, so I decided to clean up and rearrange your room," Joon stood next to her bed. "The bed's now facing the windows and I took down the curtains. You won't be needing an alarm clock since the sun will be shining brightly into your room, making it the first thing you see when you opened your eyes."
"Besides that, I cleared the drawers too and I've gotta say," He looked at Amber. Specifically at her chest. "I would never have thought you had any of it. But you proved me wrong. Why would you hide them under those hideous sports br-"
"Get out!" Amber's face was flushed red and she's on the verge of strangling him. How can she not be mad? All her personal stuff was gone through by a total stranger, and he's a guy.
"There's no need to shout, darling." He draped an arm around Amber's shoulders. "Now, why did you call?"
"One, we're not close." She shrugged his arm off her. "Two, I'm not your 'darling'." Amber shuddered from the affectionate name. "And three, what the hell happened?"
Amber's room was as neat as it could be but her things were not in the same place as she left it.
"Well, I was doing the cleaning like you asked and yours was so messy, so I decided to clean up and rearrange your room," Joon stood next to her bed. "The bed's now facing the windows and I took down the curtains. You won't be needing an alarm clock since the sun will be shining brightly into your room, making it the first thing you see when you opened your eyes."
"Besides that, I cleared the drawers too and I've gotta say," He looked at Amber. Specifically at her chest. "I would never have thought you had any of it. But you proved me wrong. Why would you hide them under those hideous sports br-"
"Get out!" Amber's face was flushed red and she's on the verge of strangling him. How can she not be mad? All her personal stuff was gone through by a total stranger, and he's a guy.
She reached for her vibrating phone and flipped it open violently. "What!" She snapped.
"Uh.. Amber. It's Henry."
"Oh." Her voice immediately soften. "Hey, what's up?"
"Did I catch you at the wrong time?" Joon stuck his head in the room and made faces at Amber.
"Can you hold on?" She whacked Joon's head and pushed him out, slamming the door in the process. "Yeah, something to do about the office." She fell onto the bed and groaned. "So why did you call?"
"My meeting just ended." She checked the clock on her bedside table. "So I was wondering whether you'd like to have lunch together."
"I'm kinda swamped at the office right now, and I don't think I'm having lunch." Amber answered without thinking twice. "Sorry."
"Oh, I'm actually at your office's lobby right now. I could bring take away for you."
"You're here? It's okay, I could just eat a few biscuits and have a cup of coffee."
"It's not good for your health. I'm coming up no matter what." Amber couldn't risk him finding out about her so called job and gave in.. "Fine, I'll have lunch with you but you'd have to wait." She threw the phone onto her bed and dashed to her closet.
"Uh.. Amber. It's Henry."
"Oh." Her voice immediately soften. "Hey, what's up?"
"Did I catch you at the wrong time?" Joon stuck his head in the room and made faces at Amber.
"Can you hold on?" She whacked Joon's head and pushed him out, slamming the door in the process. "Yeah, something to do about the office." She fell onto the bed and groaned. "So why did you call?"
"My meeting just ended." She checked the clock on her bedside table. "So I was wondering whether you'd like to have lunch together."
"I'm kinda swamped at the office right now, and I don't think I'm having lunch." Amber answered without thinking twice. "Sorry."
"Oh, I'm actually at your office's lobby right now. I could bring take away for you."
"You're here? It's okay, I could just eat a few biscuits and have a cup of coffee."
"It's not good for your health. I'm coming up no matter what." Amber couldn't risk him finding out about her so called job and gave in.. "Fine, I'll have lunch with you but you'd have to wait." She threw the phone onto her bed and dashed to her closet.
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"Henry, the next time you suggest having lunch with me, please confirm with me beforehand," Amber chewed her food and swallowed. "I'm very busy you know."
He laughed. "Okay, I promise I'll do that next time." He cut his steak into small pieces. "You were determined of not having lunch with me but when I mentioned that I was at your building, you immediately agreed to have lunch. Sounds fishy." Henry eyed her. "It's like you lied to me about your job as a HR executive when you're actually the low ranking office clerk.. Am I right?"
"What?" She exclaimed in a choked voice. "Are you alright?" Henry went over and patted her back. "I was just kidding."
"Never joke when a person is eating." She told him and downed the glass of water. "You could kill someone."
"Sorry." Henry said timidly as he went back to his seat which made her feel bad. "Why did you suddenly ask me out to lunch?"
"Oh that." He smiled. "Well, I have a favour to ask from you."
"I have a wedding to attend and it's tomorrow. I don't have anyone to go with and I was hoping you'd go with me." He explained further when Amber gave him a blank look. "I mean, not as a date, I want you to attend this with me, um, as a friend. Don't get the wrong idea, we're not dating or anything.."
"Chill, I didn't say anything about it, did I?" She pinched his cheeks. "It's cute when you get nervous. Sure I'll go with you, I'd do anything my friend asks."
He laughed. "Okay, I promise I'll do that next time." He cut his steak into small pieces. "You were determined of not having lunch with me but when I mentioned that I was at your building, you immediately agreed to have lunch. Sounds fishy." Henry eyed her. "It's like you lied to me about your job as a HR executive when you're actually the low ranking office clerk.. Am I right?"
"What?" She exclaimed in a choked voice. "Are you alright?" Henry went over and patted her back. "I was just kidding."
"Never joke when a person is eating." She told him and downed the glass of water. "You could kill someone."
"Sorry." Henry said timidly as he went back to his seat which made her feel bad. "Why did you suddenly ask me out to lunch?"
"Oh that." He smiled. "Well, I have a favour to ask from you."
"I have a wedding to attend and it's tomorrow. I don't have anyone to go with and I was hoping you'd go with me." He explained further when Amber gave him a blank look. "I mean, not as a date, I want you to attend this with me, um, as a friend. Don't get the wrong idea, we're not dating or anything.."
"Chill, I didn't say anything about it, did I?" She pinched his cheeks. "It's cute when you get nervous. Sure I'll go with you, I'd do anything my friend asks."
~~
"You're the first friend that I've made." Amber said when they were walking back to their cars.
"Really? Didn't you have any friends in school?" Henry looked at her quizzically.
"I was home schooled." She looked at him. "That's why there's none. Besides my family, I don't really have anyone to talk to." She nudged Henry. "So now that I have you as a friend, I won't let you go that easily."
"Who said I'm your friend?" He nudged her playfully.
"Well, you did. Didn't you ask me to accompany you to the wedding.. as a friend?" She smiled broadly. "Now I've gotta get back to the battle field."
"What happened just now when I called?"
"There's a new employee and he's been troublesome ever since he came. Plus, he's the younger brother of my employer." She took out her car keys. "He's really getting on my nerves. He just came into my room and went through the stuff as though as the room is his."
"Well, teach him a lesson." Henry closed the car door after she got in and Amber rolled down her window. "I've to get back to the office too. See you tomorrow." He waved to her before getting into his car.
"Hmm.. a lesson?" Amber smirked to herself, already thinking of an idea.
"Really? Didn't you have any friends in school?" Henry looked at her quizzically.
"I was home schooled." She looked at him. "That's why there's none. Besides my family, I don't really have anyone to talk to." She nudged Henry. "So now that I have you as a friend, I won't let you go that easily."
"Who said I'm your friend?" He nudged her playfully.
"Well, you did. Didn't you ask me to accompany you to the wedding.. as a friend?" She smiled broadly. "Now I've gotta get back to the battle field."
"What happened just now when I called?"
"There's a new employee and he's been troublesome ever since he came. Plus, he's the younger brother of my employer." She took out her car keys. "He's really getting on my nerves. He just came into my room and went through the stuff as though as the room is his."
"Well, teach him a lesson." Henry closed the car door after she got in and Amber rolled down her window. "I've to get back to the office too. See you tomorrow." He waved to her before getting into his car.
"Hmm.. a lesson?" Amber smirked to herself, already thinking of an idea.
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"Yah!" Joon stormed towards Amber. "What did you with my stuff?"
"What are you talking about?" She asked innocently and winked at Victoria when he wasn't looking. "What are these doing in my drawer?" He shoved something into her hands.
"Oh, that." She held it up for everyone to see and Kibum choked on his drink. "I was in a good mood and decided to do the laundry when I came across your clothes." She went to the couch and sat down.
"It seems like there was a rat running around and decided to gnaw on something. We repaired the holes in your shirts the best we can but unfortunately your underwear wasn't spared. So since you had none left, I went out and bought you a few pairs. Don't you like it?"
"It looks more like someone went through them with scissors rather than rats. The ones you bought.. like it?!"
"Yeah, it suits your age."
"Why would a Ultraman underwear suit me!" Krystal snorted as she tried to contain her laughter. "You're immature, so what suits you better than a trip to the children' section."
"You better watch out. You're gonna hear it from my brother." With that, Joon turned his back and stomped up the stairs, bumping into Sulli as she came down the stairs.
"Like his brother would care." Amber scoffed and checked her watch. "I'm going to be late. See you guys later."
"We're going out too." Victoria said as they both walked out the door. "Sulli, hurry up!"
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"Zhe wei shi ni nu you ma?" (Is this your girlfriend?)
An old lady asked Henry in front of Amber when they greeted her. "Popo, ta bu shi wo de nu you! Ta shi wo de peng you." (Grandmother, she's not my girlfriend! She's a friend of mine.)
"Ni hao, wo shi Liu Yi Yun." (Nice to meet you, I'm Liu Yi Yun.) Amber smiled and bowed at Henry's grandmother.
"Ah, hen hao jien dao ni, Liu xiao jie." (Ah, nice to meet you, Ms. Liu.) His grandmother adjusted her glasses and studied Amber before turning to her grandson. "Zhe wei xiao jie yiu mei yiu hen you li mao. Ni yao hao hao zhen xi ah." (This girl is pretty and has good manners. You ought to value her.) She said not so discreetly before a relative guided her to her seat.
"Seems like you've never brought a girl to a family affair before. Every relative of yours think that we're a couple." She teased Henry who had his face buried in his hands. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. I'm as embarrassed as you are."
"I'm not embarrassed. I actually find it quite flattering," She smiled at a passing guest. "The praises are uplifting." Henry snorted and led her to their table. "Just because of that."
"Henry!" A girl sat in Amber's seat before she could and Amber glared at her as she sat in the next seat. "Unni told me that you're attending the wedding, that's why I came too." She said even though no one asked. "If it wasn't you, I wouldn't have agreed to come." She whined when she realised that he was paying attention to her.
"Oppa, why didn't you return my call? I haven't seen you since that morning when you left my house!" Amber raised her eyebrows at Henry and shook his head wildly. "It's not what you think." The girl stopped talking and followed his gaze. "Who the hell is she?"
"Don't be rude, Miyeon." "I'm his girlfriend." The girl named Miyeon and Henry stared at Amber.
An old lady asked Henry in front of Amber when they greeted her. "Popo, ta bu shi wo de nu you! Ta shi wo de peng you." (Grandmother, she's not my girlfriend! She's a friend of mine.)
"Ni hao, wo shi Liu Yi Yun." (Nice to meet you, I'm Liu Yi Yun.) Amber smiled and bowed at Henry's grandmother.
"Ah, hen hao jien dao ni, Liu xiao jie." (Ah, nice to meet you, Ms. Liu.) His grandmother adjusted her glasses and studied Amber before turning to her grandson. "Zhe wei xiao jie yiu mei yiu hen you li mao. Ni yao hao hao zhen xi ah." (This girl is pretty and has good manners. You ought to value her.) She said not so discreetly before a relative guided her to her seat.
"Seems like you've never brought a girl to a family affair before. Every relative of yours think that we're a couple." She teased Henry who had his face buried in his hands. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. I'm as embarrassed as you are."
"I'm not embarrassed. I actually find it quite flattering," She smiled at a passing guest. "The praises are uplifting." Henry snorted and led her to their table. "Just because of that."
"Henry!" A girl sat in Amber's seat before she could and Amber glared at her as she sat in the next seat. "Unni told me that you're attending the wedding, that's why I came too." She said even though no one asked. "If it wasn't you, I wouldn't have agreed to come." She whined when she realised that he was paying attention to her.
"Oppa, why didn't you return my call? I haven't seen you since that morning when you left my house!" Amber raised her eyebrows at Henry and shook his head wildly. "It's not what you think." The girl stopped talking and followed his gaze. "Who the hell is she?"
"Don't be rude, Miyeon." "I'm his girlfriend." The girl named Miyeon and Henry stared at Amber.
"What!"
"You heard me." Amber reached over and pried Miyeon away from him. "I'm his girlfriend and I don't like other girls clinging on to him, so please let go." She dropped Miyeon's hands. "By the way, could you please find another seat. The one you're sitting on is mine." She stared at the girl until the latter got up and left. "Thank you very much!" She called after the girl.
"Thanks Amber."
"You heard me." Amber reached over and pried Miyeon away from him. "I'm his girlfriend and I don't like other girls clinging on to him, so please let go." She dropped Miyeon's hands. "By the way, could you please find another seat. The one you're sitting on is mine." She stared at the girl until the latter got up and left. "Thank you very much!" She called after the girl.
"Thanks Amber."
"No problem. Who is she anyway?"
"She's a relative of the bride. She confessed to me sometime ago and asked me to be her boyfriend but I turned her down. She's been pestering me ever since no matter how many times I pushed her away politely. That's why I asked you to attend this wedding with me. Or else I would be stuck with her throughout the dinner."
"She looks young. How old is she?" Amber turned around as she felt someone staring at her. Miyeon was glaring at her while stabbing the the slice of fruit in her orange juice. "She's 29."
"She's my sister's age." She told him and placed the napkin over her lap. "Wait. She called you oppa but aren't you 27?"
"She's a relative of the bride. She confessed to me sometime ago and asked me to be her boyfriend but I turned her down. She's been pestering me ever since no matter how many times I pushed her away politely. That's why I asked you to attend this wedding with me. Or else I would be stuck with her throughout the dinner."
"She looks young. How old is she?" Amber turned around as she felt someone staring at her. Miyeon was glaring at her while stabbing the the slice of fruit in her orange juice. "She's 29."
"She's my sister's age." She told him and placed the napkin over her lap. "Wait. She called you oppa but aren't you 27?"
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"Unni," Sulli leaned out of the Chinese store. "Why aren't you coming in?"
"Huh..uh.. coming." Victoria closed her eyes. "It'll be so embarrassing if I meet him again."
Sulli took her arm and pulled her into the warm shop. There wasn't a lot of customers in there and she was relieved when he was nowhere in sight. "What do you want to eat tonight? I'm in a good mood."
"I want that Chinese herbal chicken soup that you cooked the other day." Sulli pushed the shopping cart lazily. "Come on! I can't wait to taste it!" They were picking out the ingredients when Sulli accidentally knocked into a display and some of the products fell onto the floor, causing a lot of noise in the process.
"I'll pick these up, you grabbed those that are rolling away." Victoria knelt on the floor and piled the dented cans aside. "Thanks." She said to the store employee when he came over to help her. "I'll pay for it since it's our fault the cans are damaged."
"It's okay. It's the store's fault. We placed it too far out, making the aisles narrow. We apologise for the inconvenience." Victoria look up and found herself looking at the friendly face of that employee. Oh man, it's him!
"Thanks, that's a relieve." Victoria laughed awkwardly and stood up, trying to get away from him as fast as possible. Where the hell is Sulli! The stray cans couldn't have rolled to the back of the store. She tried to walk away calmly.
"Excuse me." Victoria stopped and he went up to her. "The thing that you said to me the other day."
She felt blood rush to her face and bit her lips nervously. "Yeah. What about it?"
"Huh..uh.. coming." Victoria closed her eyes. "It'll be so embarrassing if I meet him again."
Sulli took her arm and pulled her into the warm shop. There wasn't a lot of customers in there and she was relieved when he was nowhere in sight. "What do you want to eat tonight? I'm in a good mood."
"I want that Chinese herbal chicken soup that you cooked the other day." Sulli pushed the shopping cart lazily. "Come on! I can't wait to taste it!" They were picking out the ingredients when Sulli accidentally knocked into a display and some of the products fell onto the floor, causing a lot of noise in the process.
"I'll pick these up, you grabbed those that are rolling away." Victoria knelt on the floor and piled the dented cans aside. "Thanks." She said to the store employee when he came over to help her. "I'll pay for it since it's our fault the cans are damaged."
"It's okay. It's the store's fault. We placed it too far out, making the aisles narrow. We apologise for the inconvenience." Victoria look up and found herself looking at the friendly face of that employee. Oh man, it's him!
"Thanks, that's a relieve." Victoria laughed awkwardly and stood up, trying to get away from him as fast as possible. Where the hell is Sulli! The stray cans couldn't have rolled to the back of the store. She tried to walk away calmly.
"Excuse me." Victoria stopped and he went up to her. "The thing that you said to me the other day."
She felt blood rush to her face and bit her lips nervously. "Yeah. What about it?"
"I was wondering if the offer is still on? The one of me being your boyfriend."
Her mind took a few seconds to register what he had just said and when it finally did, she couldn't control her wide smile from forming.
"Of course she will! Right unni?" Sulli answered for her instead as she appeared from her hiding spot. "You've been here all along?" Victoria hissed. "That isn't important right now unni." Sulli grabbed her shoulders and turned Victoria to face the guy. "So what's your answer?"
She didn't say anything except for the following while grinning. "What's your name?"
He gave her a childish smile at her indirect answer.
Her mind took a few seconds to register what he had just said and when it finally did, she couldn't control her wide smile from forming.
"Of course she will! Right unni?" Sulli answered for her instead as she appeared from her hiding spot. "You've been here all along?" Victoria hissed. "That isn't important right now unni." Sulli grabbed her shoulders and turned Victoria to face the guy. "So what's your answer?"
She didn't say anything except for the following while grinning. "What's your name?"
He gave her a childish smile at her indirect answer.
"Nichkhun."
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