Chapter 5

Kwon Yul was leaning against the wall of the 7^th floor TREX’s hallway by the secretary’s desk, waiting for his interim boss. Morning passed fast and an awkward lunch time had taken placed just half an hour ago. Don’t get the fireman started on how that worked out. It was torture. A total torture. Not that Hwang Tiffany had terrible table manners or she was a picky eater. It was that Kwon Yul didn’t even get to sit down for more than 10 seconds. Even he was one second out of that duration, he will always without failed got told off doing something for TREX prized fashion designer. The title was not given to this ambitious woman just because of her extravagant presence. She was definitely the most prized one of them all. For instance, right at the beginning of lunch at the cafe on the ground floor – though they sat on separate table – as soon as Kwon Yul got his lunch, just when he was about to sit down, Hwang Tiffany called him (having fun at it when she saw him about to get the first bite) and had him running up and down the stairs just to deliver a pen drive. From the fitting room to the administration office to the training room, Kwon Yul had grown tired as if he was running for a town to town marathon. Now, that lunch had passed, Yul just stood by waiting for this ‘meeting’ Tiffany mentioned to end.

Pushing his back off the wall, the fireman started to pace the floor, getting impatient. He could’ve got into the office and drag her now. But he knows that would get him in more trouble than he was in now. He fished out his phone and slid his finger across the screen. A pop-out notification was shown. There were 3 text messages so far. Clicking on one of them, noting it was from his boss back at the Fire Station; he quickly opened it and read:

Yul kiddo, how’s work with Hwang The Terrible? I hope she’s not giving you a rough time. Hang in there. Btw, if you see any pretty (also single) models there hit a brother up and get their numbers for the bachelors here. Feel free to get one for yourself. ;)

“Ah, that old man.” Closing up the text from his boss, he then clicked open the second one. Noticed that it was just an advertisement, he quickly closed it and headed to the last text. It was from his sister, Kwon Seohyun.

Oppa! Please try to behave while you’re there, ok? I really don’t want to hear bad things about you. Rumours fly fast, just so you know. Tell me what it’s like that when you get home. BB out.

He smiled. Quickly, he hit the text box and wrote:

BB! Mong! Mong! Oppa is doing fine. There’s no need for me to get all crazy up in here, HyunHyun. People are crazy to begin with. Will talk about it later. Ang!

Just when he thought his quiet time could go on, the door of the office swung open and Hwang Tiffany came out carrying her laptop and messenger bag. “What are you doing standing around like that? There’s a couch over there. Gosh, for a fireman, you’re a bit slow in adapting what’s around you.” Kwon Yul could snap back at her, he would but he promised not to mess this up especially when he was just starting. So, instead, he smiled at her and says nothing.

Sensing her ‘attack’ didn’t work the kicks, Tiffany dumped her belongings onto the latter’s arm and walked off, no looking back. Yul quickly walked behind.

It was undeniably fun to have someone who you can boss around without caring what the other might think or feel. Before now, Hwang Tiffany always thought having another set of hands would be troublesome. She had always done things on her own. Always on her own because to her, that way everything would go perfect and according to plan. Although she was often offered to have a personal assistant, she would make up any valid excuses to turn it down. Now, she might be thinking of having a real one once the fashion show ended. But there’s one thing that bugs her out when Kwon Yul arrived that morning. Knowing that she’s TREX best fashion designer and she would often got all eyes on her every time she walks by, however, this time it was noticeably and utterly different. Like in the hallway she was walking pass right now. She could actually see how those star struck eyes diverted so further away from her, leaning inches to the person behind her. Most from her own fangirls.

All looked so entranced by the tanned skin, tall, athletic, sleek short haired fireman named Kwon Yul. She hear them whisperings, ‘Who is that?’, ‘He’s a cutie!’ and ‘He’s hot!’ every time she walks by. It starts to get really annoying. Some part of her even think that hiring this man was a terrible idea. Even re-thinking about it now. Walking out of the lobby, heading off to the stairs – since the elevator was under maintenance due to the fire – finally free from those stupefied eyes; Tiffany finally found the peace and exhaled. “You should know-“ she started off, trying to start of a conversation with the fireman after spending nearly half of the day avoiding this moment with him, “Days to come won’t be like this. Lucky for you, there’s not much to do on your behalf today. So you can go home early.”

“How about your suit? You don’t want my help on that?” Yul spoke up.

“No thanks.” The latter quickly said, as they climbing down the stairs, heading to the 1^st. “I’ll handle on that by myself. No offence but I don’t think you have any basic idea on fashion, seeing the pile of clothes you dumped in the dressing as a starter.”

Yul raised his eyebrow. “I’ll have you know, Hwang-ssi, that I have an incredible fashion sense. Unlike yours, I’m more casual, fun and out-going when it comes to what I wear.” That earned him a dagger-like stares but Yul stood his ground. “I may look silly, I admit that, but at least, I didn’t look like a walking lamp-post.”

“Puh-lease!” Tiffany retorted. “You were a walking circus!”

“Well-“ Yul responded, feeling his temper starting to boil. “That is the ‘FUN’ of it, Hwang-ssi. You should get some of that. You were so uptight and tensed; your clothes looked like cotton buds on steroids. They’re puffy, smooth to touch but just plain awful to look at all!” That was not even funny.

“Woah! Say the man who wore hideous outdated leopards this morning!” The fashion designer shouted, her voice piercingly echoed throughout the staircase. “I swore I just got a call from the zoo asking if I see any missing beast on the loose. I think I should give them a call to take you out with a tranquilizer!”

“You’re sure about that? I guess I should call the exorcist and had that stupid ugly blazer of yours exorcise because it sure possessed you to the point that you think it’s one of a kind, making you risking your precious life!”

“SHUT UP! YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS TO SAY THAT! YOU’RE JUST A FASHION TERRORIST!”

“WELL YOU’RE A SELFISH LITTLE BRAT WHO THINKS SHE’S ALL THAT! LOOK WITH YOUR EYES FOR ONCE IN A WHILE! WHAT’S THE USE OF HAVING THAT EYE-SMILE OF YOURS IF YOU’RE NOT USING THEM PROPERLY!”

“THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOU TO HIT ON ME, KWON YUL!”

Kwon Yul exaggerated gasped. “WHO’S HITTING ON YOU!? I RATHER DATE A GORILLA THAN SOMEONE LIKE YOU! AT LEAST SHE’S MORE FUN!”

Not liking this one bit, Hwang Tiffany angrily kicked the fireman in the knee with her killer heels and dashed off to the nearest door, leaving the man behind hurt by her attack. Kwon Yul sat down on the steps and groaned. He held his knee, rubbing the pained spot. “What a brat.” He hissed. “I’ll rather have her suing me than doing this bunch of crap. Damn it.”

On the 1^st floor, finishing up the gory film she was planned to finish the day before; Kim Hyoyeon now resting on the couch of her fellow colleague, the maknae of the circle of fashion designers, Park Luna. Like Hyoyeon, she has this similar wild sense of fashion, making her one of the challenging and carefree person. She and Hyoyeon shared so much similarity; they could be like real twins separated from birth, except on appearance-wise.

“Is the guy as cute as in the movie?” Luna started off, trying to resolve her curiosity. She had heard what had happened so far in her Unnies’ life. Well, most on what went on hours ago since yesterday.

Kim Hyoyeon propped up against the couch. “What movie?”

“The one that Go Soo and Han Hyojoo starred in. “Luna replied, as she drew a sketch on her notepad. “The fireman and the doctor. It’s kinda same to the situation with Fany unnie except that she’s not a doctor and she’s more of Go Soo’s character in the movie and judging from what you told me about the guy, he’s like Hyojoo’s character. The upbeat one.”

“If you say it like that, it could be.”

Luna nodded. Closing up her notepad, she then looked up at the older woman at the couch and wondered, “I know Tiffany unnie is not the kind of person who would like a guy so easily but do you think this Kwon Yul-ssi might be the one who can crack her out of that workaholic zone? I mean, we both don’t even know what’s the ideal type of hers.” She exhaled. “We did try to set her up in a blind date but that ended up having the guy scarred for life.”

The older woman quickly sat up on the couch and grinned at the enthusiastic maknae. “Here’s a good stuff for you, Kwon Yul looked like he’s not backing down. Whenever they got together, it’s like cat and dog. Bickering a lot. I kinda like it. It’s so cute.”

The latter looked on, amazed by the fact. “Oh, I wanna see them bicker, it’d be fun!”

Just when the atmosphere inside the maknae’s office was about to blossom so much, the door quickly swung opened and Hwang Tiffany emerged, fuming so badly that there were smokes gushing out of her ears. Door tight shut, she then dropped onto the couple and grumbled. Hyoyeon and Luna looked on in curiosity. They quickly shared a look and turned back to the fuming pink-loving Hwang Tiffany.

“He is such a di—mmftt!” Hyoyeon jumped in and stopped her just in time. Clasping her hand against Tiffany’s, she then started to pat the furious woman’s head, attempting to calm her down. It worked. Just a little. Taking this state of her friend calming down, Hyo pulled away her hand and waited. Tiffany turned her head to her and sighed, before settling down back against the couch, cursing quietly.

Hyo looked on. “Did you guys fight?”

“No. We were conversing really well, I think we might get married and have beautiful babies together—what do you think!?” roared the pink loving Hwang, startling both her friends. She then pinched the bridge of her nose and calmly said, “He’s an idiot. What did he knows about what we do here... You know, he was being such a heartless man talking about my works. My work! I’m pretty sure one single masterpiece I created cost more than his life insurance. Pfft! Cotton buds on steroids, pffft. He’s more of a cotton candy on steroids... psshh.”

Luna then said, “Sorry... cotton...Um...what?”

**********

“I’m off to class!” Goo Hara grabbed her backpack from behind the counter, taking off the apron and tossed it onto Kim Shinyoung’s head. Noting that the upcoming fit coming from the older woman, Hara flung her backpack over her shoulder and hurried to the other side of the counter, hoping she wouldn’t get lectured. Well, she was about to get bucketful of them when the Pastry Chef glaring at her from the counter. But luck is on her side, as she strolled out of the restaurant to the street. Looking on, just coming out of the kitchen area; Lee Soonkyu – carrying a plate of shepherd pie – walked past the irritated looking woman and giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder.  It was getting late in the afternoon now. People had come and go to the Sherbets, feeling satisfied.

Also feeling satisfied, Jung Jessica had been making progress with her draft for her upcoming novel. It may only a collection of words and character’s traits but she knew that it’ll be another exciting project. She never thought she would get excited about writing another book for that matter. You see, whenever she writes, there’s always something that block her pathway to creative and magnificent world. Always there’s something. Maybe because now, her mind was at ease and her troubles were just vague shades of nothing.

Thinking of it now, Jessica should really thank the man who opened up her cheerful self even though he did it in an indirect way. Her eyes never failed to cling on to him whenever he walks by. Honestly, she had never smiled this much when she was with--  

“Do you need anything?”

She was wandering off when a voice shook her off from her little world. As she adjusted her eyes to the man in white standing in front of her, she quickly put on a smile to match up with the one shown on the man’s face. If she could describe what she was feeling right now, if she want to write it down, it’ll be ‘sunny’.

Soonkyu took the empty chair and sat down, making the latter startled yet happy about the sudden action. “I hope you don’t mind me sitting with you, Miss Jung. It was quite a busy day and I barely sit down or have someone to talk to... so, I thought why not I talk to my best guest. Not a trouble, yeah?”

“No. Not at all.” Jessica shook her head, surprised by her luck, “And Lee sunsaengnim, I would really like it if you would call me by Jessica. ‘Miss Jung’ is a little too formal.”

“Ok. I can do that.” the latter responded, liking the idea. At last, for weeks since, he finally has the courage to come up to her and just strike a conversation and settle aside the formality. It’s been driving his crazy, actually. Because he always seen her in his restaurant, secluded herself at the corner and always eating alone. Not that he was expecting someone else to be with her. If she was, he wouldn’t be here talking to her. “I would like it, Jessica-ssi, if you can call me by my first name.”

Jessica’s eyes brightened up and chuckled breathlessly. Tucking her hair over her ear, she then looked up at him and said, “Soonkyu-ssi... how’s that?”

‘Wow, this is easier than I thought it would...’

Yeah, Soonkyu, you wished.

‘Wh-what?’

Look around, buddy.

Snapping off from his day-dream, he stood up from the counter and looked around the room. Jung Jessica was not in her usual spot. However, her belongings were still there, along with her newly ordered cup of cappuccino. But where’s the author? Somehow, there was this distinctive chill in the air. Must be the heavy rain outside that had been pouring non-stop two hours ago or must be the fact that someone had the door wide open, making the bell up above hung awkwardly on the edge of the door. There, at the doorway, he saw a man, in black sleek suit, hands in his pocket, looking so condescending. He then took a step forward, brushing off the drips from his suit lazily. Just then, at the right side of the restaurant, Jung Jessica had just left the ladies room, adjusting her skirt.

That’s when the man spoke up, in such arrogant tone, it shook up the entire place. “Yah, Jung Jessica!”

Author Jung stopped halfway, frozen when her name was called. Slowly lifting her gaze up, Soonkyu noticed how Jessica’s eyes started to widen and gaped. She was obviously surprised but from how Soonkyu sees it, she looked scared.

“Seong Woosung...” She drew out, still firm on her spot.

The man stood there, smirking. “Is that how you welcome your groom? Come over here! Come on! Ey!” Seong Woosung hurried forward, towards the shocked looking author and quickly engulfed her in one tight embrace. “Ah, that’s my girl!” Even though Woosung seemed to be enjoying himself, but on the latter’s side, Jessica did not like this one bit. She held her arms still by her side, not dared to return the hug. Her gaze was on the ground at first but as she looked up, she saw Lee Soonkyu’s ever smiling face turned sour. A face she never thought she would ever see. It breaks her heart.

What she doesn’t know, it also happens to break Soonkyu’s.

Author's Note:

Trouble Trouble Trouble~~~ *shoots arrows at readers* Stay tuned for the next chapter in 2-3 days.