Chapter 17
A good heart
The party went on and Dara just smiled, seeing everyone having a good time. Mr. Jang went around the room to introduce his wife to his staffs. Dara finally was able to enjoy her food after she got the chance to sit.
“Hey, enjoying the night?” she said to Jiyong who was sitting silently watching Mr. Jang from afar.
“I told you I’m only here for Mr. Jang,” he answered her.
“Why don’t you try to mingle around? At least try to get their names,” she said to him. He just looked at her like she just said the most ridiculous thing.
“No,” he said, and crossed his arms.
“Aigoo, stop acting like a baby,” he stared at her.
‘Did she just mock me? No one dare mocks Kwon Jiyong’
‘Doesn’t she realize I’m the boss?’
Dara finished her food and grabbed a glass of champagne. She stood up and walk towards the other. Unknowingly, he also stood up and followed her. He made up his mind to attend and that’s already a major step for him. He didn’t think about mingling and socializing around. He wanted to leave earlier but Mr. Jang asked him to stay a bit more.
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“Dara, thank you for all of this,” Mrs. Jang hugged her. Dara was surprised at her gesture because they weren’t really close but nonetheless she hugged her back.
“I haven’t seen him smile like that in a long time since I was ill and he had a hard time taking care of me,” the old woman explained to her while clutching her palms warmly.
“It’s nothing Mrs. Jang,” she smiled at her.
“Don’t need to be so formal, call me Aunt Minah,” the old lady said to her.
“Aunt Minah, it’s nothing really. I just want his last moment with VOGUE to be filled with warm memories. He worked really hard for the company and this is just a small appreciation event from us to him, it’s really nothing compared to what he did for us.” She said sincerely.
“Aigoo, You are such a sweet girl,” Mrs. Jang said to her. Dara just bowed her head shyly.
“Why don’t you come visit us in Jeju if you are free?” she asked her. They had a cozy vacation house by the beach with many guest rooms.
“Honey, would you mind if I invite Dara to Jeju?” Mrs. Jang said while patting her husband’s arms. He just looked at his wife who had her other arms holding onto Dara. Mr. Jang just smiled at them, seeing how his wife so fond of Dara.
“Sure. But don’t force her honey. You know she’s very busy,” Mr. Jang said. He knew how persistent his wife could be.
“Aunt Minah, that’s really nice of you, but,” Dara didn’t have the heart to reject but the idea of spending days at her boss’s house is a bit awkward for her.
“Aigoo this girl, he’s not your boss anymore. Just treat us like one of your Aunt and Uncle,” she said as if she knew what was on her mind.
“Do you have a boyfriend? Maybe I could introduce you to our son,” she said excitedly.
‘oo oooo I don’t like the sound of this’
Dara was speechless. If she said she doesn’t have a boyfriend, Aunt Minah would drag her to her son; and if she said yes she would be lying to her and her boss, who was also standing beside them.
“Aunt Minah, Uncle Jang,” Jiyong called from her back.
“Oh Jiyong, I didn’t see you there,” Mrs. Jang said and waved for him to come.
He walked towards them and stood beside Dara. She looked at him, silently thanking him.
“Your Aunt was nagging Dara to come to Jeju and even wanted to introduce her to Siwon,” Mr. Jang said to Jiyong.
“You did?” Jiyong looked at Mrs. Jang and back at the embarrassed Dara.
“But Aunt Minah, she’s seeing someone already,” he said while recalling the time he saw her with some guy before.
Dara was shocked to hear that but surprisingly she didn’t deny either.
“Oh, I see. That must be some really lucky person,” Mrs. Jang said. She just smiled back.
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“Thanks,” Dara said while making her way back to the table.
“I don’t know why I am always around saving your ,” Jiyong joked.
“Pshh.. you make it sound like you’re some kind of superhero. Plus I don’t need your help. I can manage on my own,”
“Oh really? Then why were you having the expression like you’re about to pee in your pants?” He laughed at her again.
“I did not,” she protested.
“Yes you did. But none could top the one during the…,” he said while acting like how she did in the airplane, squealing 1000 words per second in a high pitched voice.
“Yahhhh,” she raised her arms about to hit him but she realized they were not alone. She stopped and made her way to other colleagues, almost running. She knew that he would not follow her to where the girls were gathered. She looked back and saw him heading slowly to the table instead.
Then she had an idea of getting back at him.
The party was originally for both of them, Mr. Jang and Jiyong. But when the staff noticed the latters’ cold attitude on his first day, they were hesitant if he would even like the idea of a welcoming party. So instead they just stick to Mr. Jang’s farewell.
“Bommie , Teddy Oppa I need your help,” Dara said as she approached them. She whispered something to them and Teddy nodded while Bom gave her a questioning look.
“If it fails we could get fired for this,” Bom suddenly thought about the consequences.
“Don’t worry, I already had Mr. Jang’s approval,” Dara assured her.
“Just don’t go overboard ok guys,” she said with a smirk.
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“Ladies and gents, I hope you’re enjoying the night,” Teddy said while standing on stage.
“Now let’s have some fun tonight. How about we play a game?” Bom said excitedly. It was unplanned but Teddy and Bom were heating up the atmosphere, convincing everyone to join in the game.
Jiyong shrugged at what’s going on. Then suddenly he was pulled up to the stage by Mr. Jang.
“Before we start, let us give a big hand to the new addition of V to the O to the G U E,” everyone shriveled at the Teddy’s attempt at rapping. o.O
“Give it up for… Kwon Ji Yoooongg,” Bom continued and stood with her hands towards him posing like a salesgirl with Jiyong beside her like he was something on sale. The room cheered and clapped at the wacky pair on stage.
“The first game is, ‘who am I’?” Teddy introduced the first game. Since Jiyong was new, he was made to memorize everyone’s name and an interesting fact about them.
Dara was standing among the crowd and didn’t realize what she had done. She only told Teddy to get Jiyong to know everyone’s name, but being Teddy he won’t settle with something boring. So he changed it a little to make the game more exciting.
Jiyong looked at Dara but she was acting all innocent, she even gave him a fighting sign.
‘The nerves of that girl, after what I did for her’
‘You wanna play a game huh?’
“Now everyone, take turn to introduce yourself to Mr. Kwon and also include an interesting fact about yourself,” Bom passed the mic to the first person standing in the circle.
“I’m Lee Hayi or Leehi, Urm, I like the color pink” Leehi said, trying to not make things difficult for the boss.
“I’m Gong Minzy. I like dancing,” Minzy said and pass the mic to the next person.
“I’m Kang Seungyoon, I play guitar and sing during my free time,”
…
The mic was passed to Dara. She didn’t know what to say about herself.
“I’m Park Sandara, I… I like cats,” she said.
“I’m Park Bom, I love working out during my free time,” Bom said proudly.
“I’m Gummy. I don’t have any likes so thank you.” Gummy ended the round of introduction.
“So now, we will test Mr. Kwon here,” Teddy said.
Everyone was looking at Jiyong onstage as now it’s his time to speak. They didn’t care if he gets the name wrong, they were just glad seeing him join the game. Bom was standing among the crowd ready to pull a person forward randomly.
“First person, dugu dugu duguuu..,” mimicking a drumroll sound.
She pulls Seungyoon out.
“Kang Seungyoon, plays guitar and sings,” he answered. Everyone clapped.
“Has a big crush on one of his co-workers” he added, which was clearly not mentioned. Everyone was surprised but they thought Jiyong was joking. Seungyoon blushed and returned to his seat.
Then Bom brings Leehi out.
“Lee Hayi, likes pink,” he answered correctly again.
“Tablo, likes mountain climbing,”
“Jessi, likes watching movies and her most unforgettable one is Miracle in cell No. 7,”
…
Jiyong got everyone’s name right and even the extra info they mentioned.
“Gong Minzy, likes dancing,” Minzy smiled and nodded.
“Who also likes baking cupcakes, her famous ones are Lime and Green Tea,”
silence.. silence.
“How did he know?”
“So that’s what the green lumps were,”
Jiyong smirked at Dara who stared at him in disbelief.
‘oo ooo.. I smell trouble’
‘I’m next. He’s about to expose me??’
But then the focus was on Gummy as Bom pointed to her.
“Gummy, who thinks she likes nothing in particular. Her favorite flowers are yellow and pink tulips, and not just local ones but the ones imported from Holland,” Gummy gasped and surprised that he noticed them in her room.
‘Ok, calm down, so maybe he saw them on her table’
Teddy continued. “Wow, you’re on a roll here Mr. Kwon,”
“Next is my lovely assistant,” Teddy pointed to Bom.
‘Noo.. No.. he better not say them’
“Park Bom, works out in her free time. And because of that she..” Dara shook her head as if she knew what was coming.
‘If he exposes Bommie’s real weight, I don’t even dare imagine what Bom would do to him’
“.. has a toned body,” she gave a sigh of relief.
“Which she loves to show off with wearing the white turtleneck top,” he added like it was a normal thing to say. Some of the ladies chuckled, and Bom was too stunned to react. She wore them once this week and didn’t even think that this cold person who barely glanced at her noticed what she was wearing.
“So I guess we’re finish here. Congratu…” Teddy said but Jiyong cut him off.
“No we’re not, there’s someone you missed,” Jiyong said. Everyone looked around wondering who it was.
“That lady hiding over there, Park Sandara,” he said loudly.
Dara moved forward from the place she was hiding.
“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t see you,” Teddy said to her.
“Park Sandara, likes cats but afraid of dogs that she couldn’t even get near one,” Jiyong said. Everyone looked at him but he was looking straight at Dara.
“Park Sandara, who also happened to be the person that broke the hot chocolate vending machine in the pantry,” she gulped and smiled at everyone shyly and apologized.
“Park Sandara, who spilled a glass of coffee into the plant on someone’s table, was the reason the plant is dead after few days,” Leehi gasped. It was her potted plant that suddenly withered for unknown reason.
“Park Sandara, who once got the designer’s name and address mixed up in a letter, that’s why you never got sponsors from them ever since,” Gummy and Bom now turned to her as she had her head bowed.
“Park Sandara, who tried to iron her coat secretly in her office once, was the cause of the blackout on your floor and I believe because of that some of you lost your unsaved works,” everyone was looking at her like she just committed a murder. She stopped apologizing and looked towards the ba$t@rd in front.
‘You are dead meat Mr. Kwon Ji Yong’
Jiyong clearly enjoyed the death glares, laser beam, ultrasonic waves, flying darts, piercing arrows, fireballs, spider webs, whatever Dara was throwing at him with her imagination.
“That was fun,” he said as he went down the stage.
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