“Yeah, sure!” Bom exclaimed.

 

------

Seung-hyun was inside the make shift dressing room for the male models, putting on the uniform designed and tailored by his ex-wife, Bom. He carefully buttoned up the dress shirt and examined his tall figure in the mirror. The suit fit him perfectly. Although he’d like to think that this is because Bom knew his figure so well, he couldn’t take credit for the fact that his former wife is just too skillful at her craft of making men’s clothes.

 

As he wore the dark grey suit, the final piece to his outfit’s ensemble, the phone from inside his pocket rang.

 

“Yoboseyo?” Seung-hyun asked at the unidentified number.

 

“Seung-hyun, this is President Kim. I’m with a few friends of mine and they’ve got good properties to offer. Will you be able to come here and meet them?” Suggested the president of the real estate company Seung-hyun worked for. “I’m in Japan.”

 

“Sajangnim, you want me to go to Japan now? I don’t know how that will be possible.” Seung-hyun replied realistically. “Would they be okay if I go there tomorrow?”

 

“Ani, ani, these two are flying to Paris tomorrow, you have to meet them today.” President Kim insisted, the tone of his voice more strained. “And I want you to meet them since you were responsible for the business model for our international expansion. I’ll send for the company jet to fetch you, just get to the airport as soon as you can.”

 

“I understand. But we both have meetings with the board of directors in the afternoon, sir. Are we going to reschedule?” Seung-hyun reminded the president coolly, although deep inside his guts were exploding in joy.

The guy has flown in and out of Korea many times before, but this was different. Who gets to ride a first class company airplane? Hardly anyone!

 

“Ahh-ahh, that can’t be delayed either. After we meet with my friends let’s go home directly. I’ll have the company chopper take us from the airport to the office later when we get back from Japan. Where are you and what time can you get to the airport?”

 

“Sajangnim I’m in the YG fashion house for the models’ fitting for the rebranding event. Without traffic I can be at the airport in less than an hour.” Seung-hyun relayed in shock. First the company airplane, then the company chopper? What next? The company submarine?

 

 

-----

Seung-ri watched carefully as Daniel continued to smooth talk his way into befriending Bom. Curse those commonalities the two had; within minutes they were able to speak comfortably as though they have been friends ever since time immemorial.

 

“But what I do like about Korea is how safe it is to withdraw money from the ATM machine.” Daniel said as Bom worked on getting the right set of clothes for Daniel. “You know when you’re in the States, even in the morning, you have to constantly look behind you if you’re planning to withdraw…”

 

“I know! Here you can just casually walk with the money you withdrew in your hand.” Bom added. “This country is too safe I feel like it’ll have to take an immense amount of bad luck to get robbed in broad daylight.”

 

“Why the heck is hyung taking so long.” Seung-ri thought as he swayed his head to the dressing room where Seung-hyun was taking his sweet time to get dressed in.

 

“Bom.” Seung-hyun called as he hurriedly made his way out of the dressing room.  He wore a ridiculous frown on his face which suggested that he had noticed Daniel’s innocent flirtations. Slowly, he made his way towards the fashion designer to return the uniform he would be using for the fashion show. “Thanks for the outfit, it fit perfectly. I have to go now.”

 

“Oh, sure.” Bom said.

 

“Already, hyung? But you just got here!” Seung-ri commented, trying to signal Seung-hyun to his new arch nemesis

 

“Change of plans, I’m heading to Japan.” Seung-hyun explained, then acknowledging Daniel’s presence. “Oh, hi Daniel. It’s good that you’re here. I won’t be able to make it in the meeting later.”

 

“Seung-hyun.” Daniel acknowledged as he shook Seung-hyun’s hand. “Busy day, I can see. Are we postponing to another day?”

 

“Just delaying, unfortunately.” Seung-hyun uttered apologetically. “I’m sorry to leave you a bad impression. I don’t normally skip meetings but this trip was abruptly set by Mr. Kim. Let’s reschedule to the afternoon? I only have a meeting until three.”

 

“You’re going to kill yourself, man.” Daniel warned. “No really, my team can wait until tomorrow.”

 

“But tomorrow I’ll be in Jeju the whole day.” Seung-hyun replied pensively as he thought of another time when they could meet up. “I’ll be staying in Jeju until the end of the week, and I don’t think I’d like to cause delay to the design phases. Let’s just meet later.”

 

He looked at the other male models and bowed to say good bye. “Anyway, I have a flight to catch. I’m pretty sure Seung-ri can take care of the preparations for the fashion show, right maknae?”

 

“Yah, why am I still the maknae? There are a lot of younger employees than me now!” Seung-ri retorted, not wanting to be tagged synonymously to a child. “If you’re just going to tease me just hurry up and go! That’s all you do nowadays anyway!”

 

Seung-hyun took time to put Seung-ri into a head lock before leaving. He took one glance at Bom and sighed inwardly. “Bye.”

 

“Psh. That hyung seriously.” Seung-ri muttered.

 

“Has he always been going out a lot?” Daniel curiously asked the younger guy. “I’ve been in the company for a month and whenever I need to speak with him he’s either overseas or at some far off place in Korea.”

 

“Just recently.” Seung-ri explained. “Second half of the year’s usually the busiest. He goes in and out of the country a lot. Not that he likes being away from Korea.”

 

Seung-ri shifted his gaze to Bom. “Especially now.”

 

“Now that must be exciting. Going in and out of the country for work.” Daniel remarked, impressed at his newfound knowledge of Seung-hyun. “Don’t you think so, Bom?”

 

 

-----

Flashback

 

“Yeobo…” Seung-hyun whispered to his sleeping wife. He had come home late again, way past the time he was supposed to. The guy gently tucked Bom’s hair behind her ear, leaning over to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Good night.”

 

“Tabi…” Bom uttered, shifting herself onto the bed so she was facing her husband. “You just came home?”

 

Seung-hyun nodded and sat at the edge of the bed beside her wife. He carefully positioned her head onto his lap and said, “I’m sorry I woke you up.”

 

“No it’s okay, I’m glad you did.” Bom fluttered her eyes sleepily. “Did you eat dinner already?”

 

Seung-hyun chuckled gleefully at his wife’s caring gesture. It was three in the morning, would she have served him dinner if that was the case? He her auburn hair with his long fingers. “Mmhmm, go to sleep.”

 

Bom shook her head. “How was work?”

 

“Heavy.” Her husband replied. Seung-hyun had been truly busy the past few days because of the land he had to acquire as a newly appointed manager in his real estate company. “I’m beginning to hate it. Work keeps me away from you.”

 

His wife beamed groggily, her eyes closed. “Work keeps me away from you too but I don’t mind.”

 

“I know. You mean person.” Seung-hyun’s grin persisted. He continued to play with his wife’s hair, massaging her head from time to time. “I hate that you’re away for weeks, but you seem to love it.”

 

“Just kidding.” Bom replied lazily, peeking at her blissful husband. “You’re still wearing your work clothes.”

 

“I just got home, that’s why.” Seung-hyun answered back.

 

“You should change and go to bed.” Bom advised as she fully opened her eyes to study Seung-hyun’s features. His eye bags drooped carelessly while his eyes were blood shot. “You look like a zombie.”

 

“I’m lazy.” Her husband said, stretching his legs onto the bed. “Can’t I just sleep like this?”

 

“You haven’t even brushed your teeth.” Bom supposed, pushing herself up until she was positioned next to Seung-hyun. She poked her husband’s eye bags with her two index fingers; tracing his face until she reached his temple and massaging it with her hands. “People will think I’m a bad wife if they see you like this. You shouldn’t overwork yourself, Tabi.”

 

Seung-hyun held her hands with his and stared lovingly at his wife’s tired eyes. “Speak for yourself, workaholic. My sister scolds me whenever she sees you. She asks if I ever take care of my lovely wife.”

 

“Well do you?” Bom questioned.

 

“I think I’m lacking, but I do the best I can.” Seung-hyun said honestly, pulling Bom closer so she could rest her head onto his shoulder. “This is the longest we’ve talked with each other in weeks.”

 

“We’ve both been busy.” Bom added as she welcomed Seung-hyun’s motion for her to put her head on his shoulder. “I got home from Japan yesterday but you were in Busan for the night.”

 

“I don’t like this.”

 

“Waeyo?” Bom closed her eyes again, secured at her lover’s tight hold.

 

“How do we ever make children if we’re always busy?” Seung-hyun remarked seriously, although it made Bom grin slightly. “Even more… How will we raise our child if we’re always away?”

 

“I’m sure we’ll manage when the time comes.” Bom reassured her husband who seemed to be in deep contemplation over the matter. She studied his frown carefully and laughed at his exaggeration.

 

“Bommie.”

 

“Mmm?”

 

“I want to have kids.”

 

“Yeah, we will eventually.” Bom agreed.

 

“This is crap.” Seung-hyun concluded after seeing all the designs for his socialized housing project.

 

After arriving back to Korea, he and the president proceeded with their meeting with the board of directors. Following the meeting, he went straight to the design team to have a work shop for their new socialized housing project. He knew this was important because it was their first time to venture into the low-end market. Keeping their luxury lifestyle in a low budget setting would prove to be a challenge: a challenge badly accepted by Daniel’s design team. “Close the door. I want to talk to this guy.”

 

The rest of the design team went out of the conference room, leaving Seung-hyun and Daniel inside to converse alone.

 

Seung-hyun got a pencil and drew over Daniel’s previous sketches. He encircled parts of the design and said, “what the heck do you mean by this?! Are you asking them to accept that their bathroom will be beside their bed, only to be separated by a divider?!”

 

“I’m sorry I should have consulted you first.” Daniel apologized as he was getting scolded.

 

“Is this your first design?! Tell my why you think it would be a nice idea to use a divider between the toilet and the bed. It only requires common sense to realize that it’s not! Have you been living in a cave?!” Seung-hyun shouted infuriatingly. “Just because it’s socialized housing doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the design seriously.”

 

“I do take it seriously.”

 

“This looks like a laughable design to me.” Seung-hyun leaned his back onto the swivel chair. “Mr. Henney, you were recruited here because we wanted you to lead the team of designers for socialized housing developments. You were hired on the basis that you already know sh!t about what you’re designing, so why are you giving me this crap?”

 

“I’m sorry it won’t happen again.” Daniel promised. “I should have re-checked the designs. I promise to do better next time.”

 

“With this inexcusable draft you have given me, all I will be expecting from you is better.” Seung-hyun commanded, his eyes dead serious. “Because of your pitiful execution, I think it’s best that we meet again tomorrow. I want to see a fully revised version of your designs.”

 

“Ah, but Seung-hyun aren’t you going to be in Jeju tomorrow?” Daniel asked.

 

“Daniel, do you know why I decided to hold this meeting today?” Seung-hyun asked rhetorically. “Because the designs are supposed to be approved by the president before he leaves for Santorini on Friday. If he’s not satisfied with what you will give him, it will take another two weeks before he can see your revised draft. That would have delayed the project by two months, if we include all the nuances of working for license to sell.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Now tell me, do I have a choice to go to Busan early tomorrow if I have a crappy design team presenting laughable sketches to the president?” Seung-hyun added. “Not only would you have lost your credibility, my project would have been delayed by two months. THAT is why I’ll be choosing to stay.”

 

“I’m sorry.” Was all Daniel could say.

 

 

-----

“I’m sorry I have to cancel, Bom. Something urgent happened in the office so I’m forced to have over time tonight.” Daniel called from the other line.

 

“Oh, it’s okay I understand.” Bom replied understandingly.

 

“And I don't think a rain check will do. Your husband was hella furious, telling me to do my job before I flirt with you. I'm sorry, I didn't know you had one." 

 

"Huh?" Bom articulated. 

 

"Seung-hyun was terribly mad. I don't think I'd like to cross his path." Daniel told Bom.

 

Bom smiled unknowingly at what she had learned. "Don't mind him, Daniel. A rain check will do. I'll explain to you then." 

-----

A/N: A little boring chapter for me, but what do you think? Just tryng to put some things into context. :) 

 

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