“Jae-Jaejoong,” Jessica stuttered, taking another small step back. Her eyes darted around quickly in search of any possible escape routes, but all she received in return were stares from colleagues that had heard Jaejoong. She was acutely aware of Jay’s presence behind her, as well as the weight of everyone’s eyes on her.

Jessica wished she could sink into the floor and disappear.

“Jessica!” Jaejoong continued, still waving and still smiling. She watched as he walked closer and closer, all while fighting the urge to cover her face with her hands and run away. When the two of them were only inches apart, he looked down at her with a sparkle in his eyes. “I got you some flowers.”

She almost snorted. Acting for the bystanders, huh?

“Thank you so much,” she forced out, giving him the biggest smile she could manage at the moment. Jessica reached forward and took the bouquet from his hands as he smiled down at her. She saw some people watching them and whispering to each other, which only made her face even hotter. Pretending to smell the roses, Jessica buried her face in the flowers and prayed for a quick death.

After a few seconds had passed, she lifted her head back up and met Jaejoong’s eyes. “What are you doing here?” Jessica asked, fighting to keep her voice soft, through gritted teeth. “You’re early,” she added pointedly, holding her phone up to his face to prove her point.

“I just couldn’t wait to see you,” he replied cheerfully. Jaejoong placed both of his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into what looked like a loving embrace. In her ear, he said, “Changmin thought it’d be a good idea for us to be seen publically.”

“I hate him.”

“That makes two of us.” Jaejoong straightened up, pulled away from her smoothly and seemed to see Jay for the first time. He blinked a few times in confusion, turning to Jessica and lifting one eyebrow. “Who’s this?”

Jessica turned to look at Jay as well, cringing internally at the look of complete and utter puzzlement on his face. She forced a laugh and pasted on the brightest smile she could manage at the moment. “This is Jay, my new photographer.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Jaejoong told Jay, shaking hands with him.

“You too,” replied Jay, still looking confused. He turned to Jessica. “So he’s your…boyfriend?”

She shook her head quickly, not even on purpose. It just happened as an automatic reflex. She scrambled for words. “He’s just my – “

“Fiancé,” Jaejoong interrupted, reaching down and slinging his arm around her shoulders.

Jessica nudged him sharply in the side with her elbows and blushed again, though he didn’t seem to feel it at all. She cleared loudly. “Actually, Jay, you see – “

“We’re planning on getting married next summer,” cut in Jaejoong again. He turned to her, his smiling even wider, as he stared at her, cuing her to hurry up and play along. Then Jaejoong turned back to face Jay, pulling Jessica even closer to him. “We’re madly in love.”

Jessica looked around awkwardly while continuing to force herself to smile, not sure what to do or say. She was sure that by now, her face was just as red as a tomato. Then she suddenly remembered the reason why Jaejoong was even there.

“So, Jaejoong, are we going to be leaving anytime soon?” Jessica said softly, trying to make it so that no one else would hear their conversation. Jaejoong didn’t seem to be aware of that – in fact, he talked even louder than he had before.

“Don’t you want to stay and talk to your colleagues?” he asked cheerfully. In a softer voice, he added, “Changmin wanted me to talk to your boss to make sure the articles won’t be affecting your job.”

She immediately felt her anger dissolve. It was quickly replaced by a rush of warmth. Changmin was just too kind. Then another thought occurred to her. Jessica turned to Jaejoong and glared. “So why did you have to come? Why couldn’t it be Changmin?”

Jaejoong returned her glare, but just as quickly covered it up with another smile. “Because I’m your fiancé, of course,” he replied, reaching up and readjusting his tie. He looked around the lobby. “So, where’s your office?”

She stared up at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m completely serious.” Jaejoong turned to Jay. “Can you show me where Jessica’s office is?”

“…Can’t you just ask her yourself?” Jay asked, looking more confused than ever.

Jaejoong shifted so that his body was facing away from hers, though Jessica still saw him shake his head. “Since you’re her photographer, you must know all about her mood swings. But I suppose when you love someone, you accept all parts of their personality.” He raised his eyebrows and leaned in closer to Jay. “But her anger issues really are no joke – “

She coughed and spluttered. “Jaejoong!”

“That was a joke, honey,” he answered, casually slinging his arm around her again. Jaejoong looked at Jay and shot him a charming grin. “Please, Jay, lead the way.”

“All right,” Jay replied slowly, glancing at Jessica as if asking for her permission.

She just blew her bangs away from her face, already knowing that Jaejoong would do whatever he wanted. Jessica nodded wearily. The three of them started walking towards the elevators, with Jay and Jaejoong in the front and Jessica falling back behind them.

When they stepped inside a crowded elevator, Jaejoong inched back to stand next to Jessica and elbowed her sharply in the side. She glanced at Jay to make sure he hadn’t noticed before glaring at Jaejoong and elbowing him right back.

“Were the flowers really necessary?” Jessica hissed, looking down at the huge bouquet. The middle had an extravagant gold ribbon tied around it. “It’s twice the size of my head, for God’s sake.”

Jaejoong gave her a look of disbelief. “Don’t tell me you don’t like flowers,” he muttered. “I always knew you were different from other girls, but I didn’t think it was to this extent.”

“Very funny.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s just weird to bring it around with me.”

“Why?” He turned to her with his brows furrowed. Then Jaejoong’s eyes cleared and he laughed silently for a few seconds. “Oh, you’re afraid that people will misunderstand and think you’re seeing someone.”

Jessica fixed him with a cold stare. “And that’s funny because…”

“Because you are seeing someone! Me.” He laughed again. “In fact, we’re engaged.”

“On second thought, maybe it is a good thing that you came today,” mumbled Jessica. “Everyone in my office has been calling me a behind my back for about a week now.”

Everything in the elevator was silent for a moment, save for a few people whispering here and there. She looked up to see a serious expression on Jaejoong’s face. It surprised her; just a few seconds ago he’d been laughing like there was no tomorrow.

“See, this is why Changmin wanted me to do this,” he said softly.

Jessica suddenly found that she couldn’t look away from his eyes. She felt locked in place, and she could’ve sworn that the world was twisting and turning around her. “I know,” Jessica replied. “I appreciate it. And for the record, I do like flowers.”

The elevator suddenly jolted to a stop, snapping Jessica out of her reverie. She jumped, startled, and immediately scooted a few steps away from Jaejoong. He cleared his throat and looked away as well.

Jessica saw Jay crane his neck back to look at the two of them from his spot at the front. “Jessica’s office is on this floor,” he called out to Jaejoong.

Jaejoong nodded and readjusted his tie again just as the elevator doors slid open, revealing Eric, Saehee, Yura, and Donghae waiting to get on. Jessica’s eyes widened in panic as she took them in. She knew that she would have to go see Eric, but she had hoped to hide Jaejoong’s presence from everyone else.

Saehee gasped immediately, followed closely by Yura’s jaw dropping. Jessica barely noticed their reactions; she was too busy watching Eric’s dumbfounded face, which was the strangest mix between confusion, realization, and complete and utter shock.

“Eric,” Jessica said quickly, stepping forward. “I can explain.”

“Well, you better,” replied Eric, looking around incredulously, as if wondering if he was stuck in a dream. “What the hell is going on?”

That’s what I’d like to know too, answered Jessica silently in her mind.