Chapter 19

Between The Lips

 

Love, this love
will be perfect
Largo, adagio, don’t rush
Slowly, baby slowly, very slow,
with a slow tempo

Our love, this love
will be electrifying
Love ya,
baby love ya
When my red lower lip
touches your top lip

 

-IU; Modern Times

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I’ve had enough with that cold, demanding, narcissistic perfectionist coffee-addicted boss!  He wants me to do this huge pile of paper work in limited time, make a million calls to business associates, clean his sofa, and on top of that make him several cups of coffee!” I crumple more sheets of paper, making a ball out of them and trying to pull out some points by shooting it down the trash bin.  

 

 

“And last time I checked, my job description doesn’t include part-time coffee-maker!!”

 

 

Obviously, I at trash can basketball due to the amount of paper balls littered all around the can.

 

 

Meanwhile the person beside me is enough to enter the trash can basketball Olympics with the way all the paper balls shoot perfectly down the can.

 

 

“Egotistical, conceited, know it-all, exotic… animal chef!  He wants his favorite wine then, fine! How about he just drink it until it fills up his lungs and turns him in to a… a goldfish!  Maybe then the goldfish society would be happy to have a new family member.  And what is with those teasing, mocking, smirks?” Bom shakes in frustration, crumpling a small paper bag before angrily throwing it.  It doesn’t go down the bin this time and earns a tantrum that I thought I felt the earth shake.

 

 

This cues in my turn.

 

 

“Where did all those sweet words and caring gestures go?!  Did he leave it back in New York?  When I said I wanted my boyfriend back I meant him being back body, heart and soul.  All I have right now is… body!” feeling the huge effort of crumpling and throwing I then resulted to tearing as it was way easier and a little bit liberating.

 

 

“You guys called me for this?!” a new voice interrupts our barrage of complaints and I don’t even have to look behind to know that it is Dara.  I could hear her heels clacking down on the cemented floor as she moves closer to us, inspecting the mess we are making at Belgatto’s storage room.

 

 

Paper balls everywhere near the trash can, half-empty plates and bottled drinks from our lunch which finished a couple of minutes ago.

 

 

“Unbelievable.  Okay, you first, explain,” Dara demands, looking ready for a meeting with her blue sleeveless blouse and black pencil skirt, as expected from a top events planner.  She narrows her eyes and points a finger at Bom.

 

 

“Chef problems and I do not want to talk about it anymore because I am mentally tired,” Bom mutters back at her with a heavy sigh and Dara shakes her head.

 

 

“Oh well, what’s new?” Dara comments before looking at me this time.

 

 

“And you, what is this thing about bodies, hearts and souls I hear?”

 

 

“Her Jingyo bear is back,” Bom says dully, swirling the liquid inside the bottle of orange juice.

 

 

“What?! The boyfriend is back? Since when??” Dara’s high tones sing along the four walls of the room, almost making my ears bleed and giving me a headache.

 

 

“Yes he is.  He showed up this morning as my cold-hearted boss and I do not want to talk about it any further because I’ll certainly have a mental breakdown if I do,” I say in the same dull manner as Bom’s. 

 

 

“Wait, does that mean that he has been working for your father all this time?  So, when you were crying a Seine River back in Paris, looking for him, he was just drinking coffee at your company’s office??” I could hear the sarcasm in Dara’s speech and I was sure that she’s ready to tie Jingyo down a chair and torture him.  All I could reply to that was a groan before sitting back down one of the chairs.

 

 

“I guess I have to go back to work now,” I mumble after a minute of silence.

 

 

“Aren’t you too eager to see him?  You’ve just been here for twenty minutes,” Bom teases and I give her a glare while Dara sits next to me, forking on Bom’s blueberry cupcake.

 

 

“Eager?!  How am I being eager?!  More like scared!  He hates tardy employees and believe me I’d rather remember him as warm, gentle and loving, kissing me sweetly at Incheon airport, rather than a fire-breathing monster wearing a suit and tie, ready to fry me alive!” I explain bitterly while they both let out light laughter.

 

 

“It’s really not funny!  How about you guys exchange places with me then?”

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago

 

 

“In my office now,”

 

 

I feel a sudden bump at my side and that instantly snaps me out of my deep thoughts.   Jinu oppa just elbowed me to get my attention and follow him inside Jingyo’s office.  Like a lost kitten, I walk behind him and enter my boss’ office for the first time.  His office reminded me so much of the first time I entered his room back at home after he returned from France.  There remained artistic touches despite the cold and modern city theme.   I could even see through my peripheral a huge painting hanging by the small sofa lounge at the side.  

 

 

As expected, the place was sparkling clean.  I bet there wasn’t even a speck of dust in this room and that the air is clean enough for fireflies to thrive here.  Cleanliness has always been Jingyo’s number one priority. 

 

 

His table is filled with a few papers organized perfectly on top of each other, a laptop in the center, a stylish pen holder, a small metal robot figurine next to it, a metallic lamp on the right side and a plaque with his name and position embossed in it.   On the table behind him there were company awards lined up, displaying just how much respect he is demanding, which was very high to be honest.   By the end of the last award two framed photographs sat side by side.  One was him with his family and one with his cousin Minji.  Speaking of which, I’ve been feeling really bad for not being able to visit the Kwon clan.  It’s also been four years since I’ve seen haraboji and halmoni.  I didn’t even get to see them before I left to study abroad because of a very busy schedule.  Nevertheless, I called them before I boarded a plane and up until now I still try to keep in touch, just as I’ve promised them.

 

 

“What’s the update on the new project?” I hear Jingyo ask as he picks up a piece of paper placed neatly on his desk for him to read.  Up until now he hasn’t sat down his chair and continues to stand behind his huge table.

 

 

“The proposal has been sent sir, we just have to be ready for our upcoming presentation,” Jinu oppa reports.  It seems like he has been used to doing this by now.  They continue on with more updates about all the advertising department’s projects and events to anticipate for this month.  They were also slight problems to be discussed but it wasn’t really that serious.  

 

 

Meanwhile, all I could do is stare at him.  He looks good, he always does.  However, I could notice how tired his eyes looked like.  He must be getting less sleep.  It wasn’t exactly easy to be head of department or in any high position for that matter. 

 

 

“Is that all?” Jingyo asks in finality and I suddenly felt nervous, especially when Jinu oppa glanced at me.

 

 

“Ah sir, this is our new assistant executive, Lee Chaerin-ssi,” Jinu cautiously says before nudging me to speak.

 

 

“It’s… nice to meet you… I promise to do my best…” I bow uncertainly, not really knowing what I was doing.  I felt Jinu oppa nudge me, a warning look on his face, reminding me to add a tiny but important thing I was forgetting in this setting.

 

 

“uhm…sir,” that makes him place down his papers, although his eyes still remained focused on them. 

 

 

“Good, because of all my employees you are going to be working the hardest,” he says casually, ing his overcoat before sitting down his work chair.

 

 

Did he just say… the hardest?

 

 

“I want an extra copy of those files quick,” he points to the envelope he gave me earlier, the envelope I am still holding on to.

 

 

“And make me coffee,” he adds as Jinu quickly speaks with regards to that, probably already an everyday habit.

 

 

“Would it be the usual macchiato at Twosome Café, sir?”

  

 

“No not you, she’s going to make me coffee,” he says monotonously while signing something on one of his papers.

 

 

“Sir?” Jinu oppa and I questions at the same time.

 

 

“She already knows what I want,” came his meaningful reply, his eyes gazing back at mine for the first time.  This catches me off guard, making my insides twist and flip.   That particular intense gaze is what was infamously known as the lady-killer look.  To be honest, I am the only one who survives it because I’ve lived my life going through that every day, thus being immune to it.  

 

 

However, no matter how immune I was before, I cannot say I feel the same today.   I have loved and honestly still love this man, I missed him too much for the past four years and now he is in front of me giving me that infamous look all women would strip for so, you can never blame me for the weakening of my legs.

 

 

“Is there a problem with that, Chaerin-ssi?” he asks with his brow perfectly arching up and I could tell there was a hint of taunting in his voice.  If I hadn’t known him it would come off as a really scary threat, it actually still does for most of the part.

 

 

“No…” I answer, shaking my head a bit before being nudged by Jinu oppa again, a little warning for that little something I keep forgetting.

 

 

“No?” he challenges, the tone of his voice asking me to speak properly.

 

 

“…sir!  I mean no, sir,” I immediately correct myself which seemed to satisfy him as he looks back down on to his work, waving a dismissive hand at the both of us, a signal for us to go do our work.

 

 

And I guess that was how I ended up stirring furiously inside the office’s pantry.  I’ve just learned to use the photocopy machine a while ago and dear god, that had me sweating at the back of my neck.  That piece of junk is no joke at all.  I think I wasted a lot of paper and if it wasn’t for Jinu oppa checking up on me I would be paying for a new bundle of A4 paper or a new photocopying machine.

 

 

I then added in a bit of milk and two cubes of sugar, grumbling about how arrogant Jingyo is all throughout the process. 

 

 

Hmm stirring coffee is actually pretty calming.  It suddenly reminds of me of the time when I was ten.  That time when…

 

 

 

 

“Jingyo, why can’t I drink coffee?” I asked, looking up at him as he places in some coffee powder in his cup.  I’ve been watching him ever since he started making my hot chocolate as I sat beside the kitchen aisle with my arms underneath my chin.  Now that he has finished my drink, oppa is now making his.

 

 

“Because coffee is only for grown-ups.  It’s bad for cute little kids like you,” he smiles, gently patting my head.

 

 

“But… but… it looks good.  Can’t I even have a tiny tiny sip?” I say, my eyes pleading at him as my curiosity grows even bigger.  He only smiles and shakes his head.

 

 

“Please? Please?  Am I not your favorite princess?”

 

 

“That’s not going to work on me this time, my favorite princess,” he says confidently, now taking the newly boiled water pot from the stove to pour it in his cup while I pout, feeling dejected.

 

 

“Why don’t you make coffee from that thing?” I asked after a couple of moments, pointing at the coffee maker where I always see my parents take their coffee from.

 

 

“Because oppa does not want to do coffee like that.  I prefer doing it like this and besides, it tastes better if I do it by myself.  This is what I call my special Ji-Roo coffee,” he explains, giving me a wink. I look back at the coffee he is making, an idea popping up in my head.

 

 

“Can you teach me how to make your special Ji-Roo coffee?” his smile brightens at that idea as he leans down a bit towards me and whispers.

 

 

“Listen and look carefully because I’ll never share this secret with anyone else, okay?” I nod as he continues.

 

 

“Ji-Roo coffee actually stands for Jingyo and Chae-roo coffee because it reminds me of me and you,” he says as my eyes widen in surprise.

 

 

“It’s our coffee??” I blurt out before he hushes me immediately, making me cover my mouth with both hands.

 

 

“Okay, let’s start.  Now I’ll tell you… this black liquid is me,” he says proudly, pointing at his cup.

 

 

“You?  Why? You aren’t that black, oppa,” he chuckles at me before explaining again.

 

 

“It’s not because of the color but because coffee, when you drink it like this, is too bitter, too strong.  You’ll probably spit it out the moment you take a sip,” he begins while I make a disgusted face at him.

 

 

“It’s me because I am manly, I am really strong, enough to protect you and I don’t like to do cute things you want me to do, remember?  Only at times just because you ask for it… but I still don’t like it and so I turn in to a bitter monster afterwards,” I giggle at that, remembering the times I’d make him dance cutely.

 

 

“Boring oppa!” I tease and he is quick to defend himself.

 

 

“Hey, not all the time, princess, only when you ask me to do aegyo,” he clarifies before clearing his throat and going back to the topic.

 

 

“Now these two things are related to you,” he says, taking out the milk and sugar while I stare at him curiously, my head tilting a bit to the right.

 

 

“I’ll add a little milk because you love milk and because this black sad coffee brightens up when milk is around, just like what happens to me when I see you,” I grin as he softly pokes on both my cheeks before reaching for the sugar.

 

 

“And now the sugar, this one is definitely you because you are very very sweet to oppa.  Once your sweetness comes out I will not feel bitter but better, always,” he smiles.

 

 

“Can I put in the sugar then?” I ask eagerly as he nods, telling me to put in two sugar cubes making funny sounds as I dump it in his cup.  I giggle even more as he takes my hand and guides me in stirring the coffee with him making even more funny sounds.

 

 

“See? The color looks very nice now!” he exclaims while I could only wish that I would turn eighteen quick like Jingyo and be able to drink this special Ji-Roo coffee.

 

 

“What does our coffee taste like, oppa?” I ask once he takes a delicious sip with his eyes closed.  It takes him a while to savor the flavor before opening his eyes, a huge smile forming on his lips.

 

 

“Perfect!”

 

 

“I helped you make it so it’s even better than perfect!”

 

 

“That’s true.  This is the best Ji-Roo coffee I’ve ever had.  Thank you, princess,”

 

 

I open my arms wide, wanting to hug him as he automatically leans down in to my arms.  I circle my arms around his neck, hugging him tight.

 

 

“Jingyo, I can’t wait to be an adult so I can drink our special coffee with you already,”

 

 

“I’ll be waiting for that time to come, sweet Chae-roo.  Ah will you make coffee for me again?”

 

 

“Yes oppa!!  I’ll make our special coffee for you tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that… and the many many days after that,” I say once our hug ends, excited to make that drink again.

 

 

“Really?  Until you grow old?!”

 

 

“I will!  I promise!”

 

 

I stare down at the swirling brown liquid in front of me, a light smile creeping up in my lips.  It was a beautiful memory and somehow it made me miss those days when we were inseparable, always stuck to each other’s side, never apart… never.

 

 

My mood lightens at the warm thought as I head back to his office.  Jinu oppa, who passes by reminds me to hurry up before the dragon comes out and breathes fire.  He, however, does a double take when he sees the coffee cup in my hands.

 

 

“That’s his coffee?  Doesn’t he like the high-grade type?  He always tells me to go out and buy from those fancy cafés across the street,” he asks while I sigh.

 

 

“Yup, this is what he ‘wants’,” I answer, stressing out the last word.

 

 

“Chaerin, you … how did you know that he likes this?  And about what happened earlier, is there… something between the two of you?” he inquires hesitantly, watching my reaction closely as I pause in front of Jingyo’s office.

 

 

“Uhm… we met before,” I answer vaguely and I could tell that he was frowning in confusion but before he could ask further I entered the office, letting out a sigh of relief.

 

 

What was I suppose to answer to that?  That he and I, we go way back?  That he was my butler?  But he isn’t a butler anymore.  He is a respected man in this company already.  And how was I supposed to answer the question about the real deal between the two of us? 

 

 

Are we still even together?

 

 

What are we now, oppa?

 

 

But then my thoughts and questions disappear when he points over to a huge stack of paper and folders which I have to work on.   Instantly, the warm melancholic mood I had a second ago dissipates like it wasn’t even there in the first place.  I scowl at him secretly, cursing profanities in my head while he leisurely takes a sip of his coffee and before I could make out whether he gave me a teasing smirk or not he dismisses me with a wave of a hand… again.

 

 

Psh.  You… I hate you and your handsome face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What… happened to you?” Bom and Dara ask me as we all sat down at one of Belgatto’s tables.   I lay down, sprawled out on the circular sofa seat in exhaustion and stress.

 

 

“You look like you’ve been enlisted to the army,” Youngbae who just came back from the washroom comments, sitting next to Dara.

 

 

“Mind your own upcoming enlistment, Dong Youngbae,” I mutter with my eyes closed.  I could already tell that Dara gave him a sad look when I mentioned it.

 

 

“You haven’t answered our question, Rin-rin,” Bom speaks before munching on a piece of garlic bread.  At this, I inhale and exhale loudly before gathering the last ounce of strength I had left to sit up and face them gloomily.  I felt like I’ve aged to about forty in just a day.

 

 

“Work,”

 

 

“Wow, I get stressed at work but not like that, are you sure it’s just work stress or… something else?” Dara asks slyly before Bom looks at her.  And I could already tell that the jokes—

 

 

“Dara-yah, could it be… something sinister, evil and y dangerous like a huge big bad dragon?” Bom dramatically says, her hand gestures helping in on the dramatic act.

 

 

“I wonder the same Bommie, what are your thoughts Bae?”

 

 

“Evil spirits, ghosts, zombies…” he starts but then the other two give him a disapproving look.

 

 

“…or dragons,” he finally states after a momentary pause, surrendering to these two crazy queens.

 

 

I just don’t know whether these friends of mine even grew up or what.  

 

 

“Stop.  I get it,” I grumbled before letting my tired body lean on to the cushions behind me.

 

 

“Work is harsh and brutal.  I never thought office work was this tiring.  I was running all over the place with all the errands and the paper work—god, if I see paper one more time I swear…I am going to go jump off a cliff…” I shake my head in complete disbelief.

 

 

“Or you could jump off to a pool of water, a soft plush Rilakkuma bed, a safe jumping platform…” Dara suddenly interjects as I narrow my eyes at her, invisible dark clouds hovering above my head.

 

 

“Millions of buckets of cotton candy, a whole room filled with balloons, soft warm freshly baked bread…” Bom continues dreamily as Dara nods in agreement before turning to Youngbae.

 

 

“A dragon…” he blurts out, earning two disapproving looks once more so he clears his throat and,

 

 

“…or a pool of water,”

 

 

“Fine!  Fine! Stop. I really get it, okay?  It’s… Jingyo,” I finally said, raising my hands up in the air in surrender. 

 

 

The three of them sigh at my answer, all of them giving me a look that tells me that I finally said the correct reason.

 

 

“Chaerin-ah, don’t you think you two should finally do the talk?  You haven’t seen him for four agonizing years and then suddenly…surprise!  I mean, if that happened to me… Dara tell her,” Bom whose high standards for men earned her zero points in the love department tells me before looking to Dara for help.

 

 

“If that happened to me, I’d be mad as hell!  I mean, long distance relationships are no joke and for you to hang on this long only to be brushed aside is… is a crime! ” Dara bursts out, putting a hand on my arm.  Bom nods furiously.

 

 

“B-But that’s not—,”

 

 

“Chaerin-ah, stop defending him.  He owes you an explanation!”  Dara cuts me out.

 

 

“Well, actually he—,”

 

 

“He is your first boyfriend and should treat you like a queen.  He has already been behind for four years in the romantic aspect,”

 

 

“He’s been invited to a business dinner with the company’s vice-president tonight so…” was all I could say instead. 

 

 

I know that some of what Dara said was right.  I also know that they are worried about me but then there wasn’t anything I could do at the moment.  I didn’t even get a chance to talk to him.  Plus, it wasn’t only him that I want to have the talk with but also… my father. 

 

 

He knew about this all this time.  He kept me in the dark.

 

 

“And when are you going to talk to your appa?” Dara asks seemingly able to read my thoughts.

 

 

“Probably this Sunday, when I visit home,” I answer darkly.

 

 

Yes, I live by myself now.  I’ve wanted to continue my independence beck in France but this time I’m lessening the household help being sent by my parents and really live like normal people do... or something close to what normal people do.  I only wanted nana Hye Mi but then omma insisted I let butler Seo provide security for me thus, I have them both living with me now, although, I am so sure that my appa’s undercover security is lurking around me all the time.

 

 

“Just remember, Chaerin-ah.  We’re here to back you up.  If there is anything that you need, we're here for –,” Bom tells me only to be cut off by her assistant manager.

 

 

“Excuse me, general manager, I’m sorry but… uhm… chef Choi is asking for you…”

 

 

“And what does he want this time?!?” Bom almost screams out if it weren’t for Dara and I holding her back.  There were other patrons present and commotions are one thing restaurants should never have.

 

 

“It… has something to do with a certain seafood dish in the menu, general manager,”

 

 

“Don’t tell me he is possessed by this new found inspiration from Vienna again?!” she hisses, scrunching up her hair in frustration while Dara scrambles around to fix it.   Youngbae on the other hand reminds her about the peace and calm breathing exercises while I take the menu and fan her with it.

 

 

Putting all my little issues aside, one must always remember this—

 

 

 You do not want to mess with an angry and hungry Park Bom.

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago

 

 

“Call Mr. Park and re-schedule my appointment with him,” Jingyo tells me as I enter his office, hand outstretched to give me a piece of paper containing the contact number and appointment details.  He seemed to be reviewing something in his laptop and a couple of papers, the source of his intense focus. 

 

 

This would probably the third time I’ve been called in the office since I returned from lunch break.  Mind you, lunch break ended an hour ago.   I took the paper and started to head out when he speaks again.

 

 

“Use my phone,” he orders, never taking his eyes off the screen.

 

 

I slowly turn around, spotting the company phone on his desk, walking over to it and making the call.  Not long after I made the call, clarifying the sudden change of schedule, that he hands me another paper, another person to call.

 

 

Another appointment change.

 

 

Another event to confirm.

 

 

Another table to reserve.

 

 

A woman?!

 

 

Oh I so don’t like this last piece of paper.  Apparently, I have to call a woman named Natalie Canning in behalf of my, MY Jingyo and politely decline her invitation for a small party tomorrow.  She spoke fluent English and I am already envisioning this model-like fashionable woman once I heard her sultry voice.  I began my very polite speech about how Mr. Kwon had plans and would not be able to come to her dinner party.  

 

 

“I’m leaving by Wednesday and I’d really love to spend time with him before I leave.  Inform him that I’m staying at the W hotel right now and I want to invite him for dinner tonight,”

 

 

The nerve of this woman! 

 

 

Doesn’t she know that he’s taken and is currently rejecting her?!  Is she that insensitive?? Can’t she take a hint?!

 

 

Spend time?!

 

 

 Hell no!!

 

 

“I’m sorry Ms. Canning.  He is unfortunately booked until Wednesday,”  I say, hoping she’d get the point.

 

 

“Is he there at the office right now?  I want to hear all this from him and not from a… mere secretary,” she says and I could hear the arrogant tone in her voice.

 

 

She did not just call me a…

 

 

“He’s currently busy right now,” I answer back, not even bothering to use any more politeness.

 

 

“Look, I am a very close friend of his and I want to talk to him.  Pass him the phone.  Now,” she said, voice laced with venom.

 

 

And she thinks I would give in and not fight back?? 

 

 

Think again.

 

 

“Well, if, IF, you really are his close friend then I’m pretty sure he’d call you back on his free time… which I doubt because of his VERY busy schedule,” I spat back, my eyes squinting in irritation with a hand on my hip.  I could hear her scoff on the other line.

 

 

“Seriously?  Are you implying what I think you are implying?  Who the hell are you?  And what right do you have to say that me?  Do you even know who I am?”  she questions over the phone, obviously angry and definitely not in the mood to hide any of her stubborn attitude.

 

 

“First of all, yes I am serious.  Can’t you tell?  Second, I am implying what you think I am implying.  Third, I am just a ‘mere secretary’ doing his biddings.  You have no right to talk to me that way either.  I have no interest in getting to know you.  And lastly, Mr. Kwon is TAKEN so please just get the hint,”

 

 

“How dare—,”

 

 

I slammed the phone down before I burst and lose control of my choice of words such as you dumb b*tch.  My breathing was heavy and my heart was pounding.  I was thinking of all those calming breathing exercises Youngbae taught us with my eyes closed that I didn’t notice him pause from his work and slowly look up at me.

 

 

When I finally got my raging feelings back to normal I open my eyes to meet his amused ones.  This suddenly gets me conscious and embarrassed of myself that I immediately clear my throat, averting my eyes from him.

 

 

“Are there… any more calls you need me to make, sir?”

 

 

But then instead of answering me he stands up from his seat, straightening up his polo shirt, adjusting his rolled up sleeves and stepping aside.  His bare arm brushes mine as he passes me by suddenly creating goosebumps on my skin.  I was about to scold myself for having weird tingly feelings and to be more professional but then warm breath hits my skin at the back of my neck.  More goosebumps appear on the skin and my hair parted to the side to expose half my neck isn’t helping at all.

 

 

“Sit down,” with his deep voice in between a whisper and a low command he had my heart racing again.   I could even feel his presence behind me and never have I felt the room suddenly grow so small.

 

 

Darn it, I think I might get some scolding because of the phone call with that dumb b*tch.

 

 

Trying to get my mind clear of any of those other thoughts, I began to move towards the chair in front of his table but then he speaks again.

 

 

“Not there,” he says, I felt his hand wrap around my arm, right at my elbow, pulling and motioning me to his seat.

 

 

Dear lord

 

 

Despite being confused, I obliged, slowly sitting at his seat and wondering what in the world is he thinking at the moment.  I couldn’t quite look up at him which means I could not read him at all.  I was about to ask when he hands over the paper he was looking at awhile ago.

 

 

“Type this,” he orders as I stare at the white sheet and then at the laptop in front of me. 

 

 

“You type and I’ll make the calls,” he adds and at that point I couldn’t help but smile, biting my lip and looking down so as not to make it even more obvious.

 

 

I start typing away as he engages in a call with one of the department heads while finally my heart calms down…

 

 

…or so I thought.

 

 

I was already making a graph like the one in the paper and as I grab on to the mouse to hover it on one of the icons I suddenly felt his presence next to me.  His call had just ended and he is now right beside me, looking at my work.  Somehow, this adds a whole lot of pressure on top of my shoulders making it harder to concentrate.  It isn’t exactly a nice feeling to be watched by your boss while working—

 

 

“You can type this instead,” he suddenly points out, reaching out to type while his other hand stays at the back of the chair, near my shoulder.  He then holds on to my hand which was on top of the mouse, redirecting it to another icon on the screen.

 

 

I don’t know if my mind is messing with me but I definitely felt that tender brush his fingers did on my skin before he places his hand on top of mine.  It stayed there for awhile even when he didn’t really need the mouse.  His touch brought a different kind of warmth as I feel him lean down even closer, his chest touching my back.  His voice lowers as he softly speaks at the back of my ear.  Telling me more about computer shortcuts which I’m certain, isn’t really registering in my brain.  All I could really think of is his lips brushing on my skin for a second or two.   

 

 

The room becomes smaller again.

 

 

The distance lessens.  

 

 

The space becomes limited. 

 

 

My heart exploding just like the first time.

 

 

Four years apart but then little by little and the walls separating us crack and start to fall.

 

 

“Try it,” he whispers with his lips nearing my cheek and four years of loneliness finally become forgotten.

 

 

“Like… this?” I whisper back, clicking the mouse using my fingers trapped underneath his.  I could feel his free hand slowly covering my shoulder, sliding down to my arm and four years of sadness vanish in to nothingness. 

 

 

“Yeah… just like that,” he murmurs as I slowly turn my head a bit to him, our faces only inches apart and four years worth of longing seems like it never happened.

 

 

One look in to his eyes and I could tell they reflected mine.  Questions slowly become answered.  Explanations already explained.   Words don’t really matter at this point.  What matters right now was that only one thing remained… his eyes wander at the object hanging on my neck, the necklace he sent me on my graduation day.  

 

 

Our hearts never changed.

 

 

I miss you too.

 

 

Four years was damn too long.

 

 

He leans in and slowly captures my lips, breaking a bit, again and again, egging me on, slowly pushing me over the edge before leaning in again for a much deeper kiss and this time I meet him halfway, my eyes closing as I get lost in to him.  I felt his other hand at the back of my head, pulling me even closer, fearing that I might break away any moment.  My hand slowly leaves the keyboard and gently caress his face as he tilts his head a bit to the side, kissing me even more until I was already in need of air, we both were.  His hand holding mine intertwines right on top of his desk, his laptop now non-existent.

 

 

“Sir, here are the files you… asked for,” Jinu oppa says, his voice trails off as he finally looks up at me standing awkwardly and browsing papers at the side of the table while Jingyo stood on the other end, probably keeping his gaze on one of his prized certificates.

 

 

We must have looked really suspicious and weird as I clumsily shuffled papers, fixing my hair every second and hoping that my lip tint hasn’t smeared too much.  I glanced at Jingyo with his hand covering his lips like he was thinking really hard on something.   I’m worried that I must have hurt his shoulders from pushing him away hard seconds ago.  If it wasn’t for his fast reflexes I bet he would have fell and tumbled to the floor.

 

 

“I-I’ll uhm… go finish… working on these files,” I stutter stupidly before walking to the door, passing by a very baffled Jinu oppa.

 

 

“Include this one,” Jingyo suddenly says, a folder on his hand which I carefully took and once more his fingers come in contact with mine, a light brush, a small unnoticeable caress filled with promise.  I glanced at back his intense dark orbs for a moment and like some sort of understanding passing between us silently I finally understood the line we were crossing.

 

 

That’s what I am truthfully stressed about, something I have never experienced before… the thrill, the nervousness, the anticipation, the complications and consequences coming with it, all rolled in to one.

 

 

My secret love affair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butler’s Note

I’m sorry I thought I could but I was wrong.  With her, that voice, those eyes, that enticing scent lingering temptingly and those delectable lips…

 

I’m bound to lose all control. 

 

Jingyo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.N.:

Hello pretty people. Guess who is early today?

 

I've been re-reading comments lately and I just realized that maybe I should place a waning sign in all my chapters-- NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.  Other than being my story being emtional rollercoaster to readers with the happiness then the sadness, truly, the Jia love-hate disease is back... and then some parts of this fic bring in tears, runny nose and hiccups (?!)

Now I don't know if I should feel happy about making other people cry or not > o < but SORRY NOT SORRY  haha

 

Back to the story, I can definitely tell that I won't be getting tears of sadness or hiccups tonight ^^  Hope you all loved my little gift.  I guess I'm getting inspired because of the SkyDragon interactions lately.  This wasn't how this fic should go (I completely changed the original chapter) but then I remember how light this was supposed to be so, enjoy~
 

THANK YOU to those who SUBSCRIBED, COMMENTED, UPVOTED & STALKED Suit and Tie.  

 

300+ subscribers already!!
 

 

Have a happy Monday,

Love,

Jia