The Fool - I
FateThe Fool I
‘Hyung, you’ve got to stop drinking. It’s not going to help you with your problem!’ It was Myungsoo’s billionth attempt trying to snatch away Sunggyu’s vodka but Sunggyu managed to dodge.
‘Just let me do what I want! It’s his fault that I was like this!’ Sunggyu yelled and he shoved Myungsoo aside and with a loud ‘thud’, Myungsoo fell onto the ground flat.
Sunggyu was heartbroken. Simple reason being he was dumped by his boyfriend whom he loved so dearly. He allowed himself to drown in alcohol every day since he had resigned his job on the day he broke up with his boyfriend, he worked at the same place as his boyfriend.
‘Hyung, I’m begging you. Can’t you see that there’s still a lot of people caring for you? It’s not the end of the world that he left you, it’s never your fault that he had an affair, you’re perfect in many people’s eyes and I’m the one of these people. Hyung, I look up to you since young, please pull yourself together okay? It hurts me seeing you in this state’ Myungsoo’s voice was trembling as he struggled to get up, and Sunggyu became silent.
Sunggyu put down his bottle and went back to his room, slamming the door shut. Myungsoo just sighed as he cleaned up the mess made by his drunk brother. Back in his room, Sunggyu lie on his bed. He thought about what his brother had said just now and he was actually touched by him, since Myungsoo was the type of people who do something quietly for those he cared and it was rare to hear him saying these sort of stuff. Although he was still drunk, he had a clear mind and he had made a decision: He’ll find a job tomorrow and start his life as a new person who look ahead, not behind him. With that determination, he fell asleep, still fully clothed.
The hangover in the next day was horrible, Sunggyu felt as though his head was cracking open and he rushed to the bathroom to puke the minute he opened his eyes. He still smelt of alcohol and he decided to take a hot bath to feel better. It did him good as the headache seemed to ease a little. He walked out of the bathroom wiping his hair with his towel, and saw the breakfast Myungsoo had prepared for him. There was a note beside the fork.
Hyung:
Enjoy your breakfast and don’t drink anymore alcohol. :) You only live once so live it well.
Myungsoo
Sunggyu’s lips actually curled upward for the first time after the break up. Yes, he would only live once, so he was going to live it well, starting from today.
Sunggyu finished his breakfast in a flash and switched on his laptop, his job hunting mission begins. He was hunting for accountancy since he studied business and his previous job was as an accountant. He took down some of the phone numbers of the company he was interested in and took out his phone, in the end, his search result was narrowed down to only two options. He changed into his suit and called in to set an appointment for an interview.
After 30 minutes, Sunggyu marched out of his home carrying all the necessary documents required for the interview, he checked his phone for the daily horoscope, something that was already installed in his phone and he couldn’t seem to delete it either so he just read it for fun.
‘You will meet someone that will change your life. That person is very important although there might be accident happening to you today.’
Sunggyu snorted. What bull was this? Accident? Laugh out loud, Sunggyu literally did and as he walked past a café, someone knocked onto him and ‘splash!’ Sunggyu yelled instantly.
‘Oh My God! What the hell! Hot! Hot! Hot!’ Sunggyu jumped around like some lunatic while the person who was holding an empty coffee cup looked at him with eyes widen, some of the passers-by looked at them weirdly.
‘I-I’m so sorry…’ The person who literally shower Sunggyu with a cup of hot coffee stuttered, he reached out to help to wipe off some of the coffee but Sunggyu slapped his hand away.
‘Do you know that I’m going for an interview for a job? How on earth am I able to go like this?’ Sunggyu glared at the person angrily. ‘And you said what? Sorry? If the word ‘sorry’ can make this satin away, I will not be mad at you! Yah! Do you walk with your eyes looking around? How can you knocked onto someone like this? Not mentioning that this is hot coffee! You’re really lucky that I’m not scald!’
‘I-I…’ The person didn’t seem to know how to react but just helplessly staring at Sunggyu’s shirt.
‘Yah! Nam Woohyun! Where’s my coffee?’ A very familiar voice broke the awkward moment, Sunggyu narrowed his eyes while he turned around.
Bingo. It was Lee Sungyeol, his brother’s friend.
‘Hi Sunggyu hyung! Omo! What happen to your suit?’ Sungyeol looked at Sunggyu with a shocked expression.
‘You should ask your dear friend over there.’ Sunggyu jerked his head at Woohyun’s direction.
‘What happened?’ Sungyeol looked at Woohyun, who seemed to be very nervous at the moment.
‘I…I spilled your coffee on his suit…’ Woohyun said in a soft voice, it was clear that he was frightened by Sunggyu’s outbreak just now.
‘Ah I see. Gyu hyung. I apologise on his behalf. Woohyun is one of the clumsiest kids around here. I shouldn’t have asked him to help me get my coffee. It’s my fault, I’m so sorry.’ Sungyeol bowed. ‘I’ll pay for your washing bill.’
‘Aish. Forget it. I was on my way to a job interview but I guess I have to cancel it. ‘ Sunggyu’s anger had subsided so he just waved it off.
‘How about I lending you my suit? I mean, my home is not far from here. You took the train here right?’ Sungyeol offered.
‘Sungyeol, I don’t think I can ever fit into your suit.’ Sunggyu wasn’t as tall as Sungyeol and this giraffe kid’s suit would be so big that Sunggyu might trip and fall due to the length of his pants.
‘H-how about me lending you my suit? I mean, I may be shorter than you but you can fit into it at least.’ Woohyun timidly offered.
‘You?’ Sunggyu looked at his height, Woohyun was shorter than him by at least 5 centimetre. ‘Are you sure?’
‘I have a suit that my mum bought and it was a little bigger. I think you can fit into it.’ Woohyun nodded his head profusely. ‘my home is just beside Sungyeol’s so it’s near here. You don’t have to cancel your appointment.’
‘Okay then.’ Sunggyu finally agreed since he figured that it was impossible for him to go back to change and it sounded even more ridiculous if he were to buy a new suit, he had like at least ten in his closet.
Woohyun’s home was really near his interview place, it would only take him 5 minutes to walk there so Sunggyu took his time to change. Woohyun was right. The suit fit him so perfectly that it felt as though it was his own suit. Although it was Woohyun’s fault that his suit was soiled, but he was still grateful of the younger since it would mean that he still have a chance of finding a job today.
‘Does it fit?’ Woohyun asked cautiously when Sunggyu came out.
‘Yes. It’s perfect. I’ll return it to you after washing it. Thanks.’ Sunggyu gave him a polite smile and felt a little embarrassed about the earlier incident.
‘It’s okay. It is a must to do this since I had caused you trouble anyway.’ Woohyun smiled back.
‘Handphone.’ Sunggyu stretched out his hand.
‘Huh?’ Woohyun was confused.
‘Your handphone.’
‘What’s wrong with my phone?’
‘Give it to me.’
‘Eh?’ Woohyun was taken off guard.
‘I’m giving you my phone number, or else how am I going to return you your suit?’ Sunggyu rolled his eyes at Woohyun.
‘O-oh. Here you go.’ Sunggyu took Woohyun’s phone from his hand and used it to call his own number once then saved it in his contact. ‘I’ve got to run. See you.’
Sunggyu walked into the big company labelled ‘Yoon Corporation’ and pushed the door to go in.
‘Welcome to Yoon Corporation. How can I help you?’ The lady at the reception desk greeted Sunggyu politely.
‘Um. I’m here for an interview.’ Sunggyu said.
‘Is your name Kim Sunggyu ssi?’ The receptionist asked.
‘Yes.’
‘Please travel up to level 35 and there will be a staff waiting for you. He will bring you to the CEO.’ The receptionist made a call and turned back to Sunggyu, Sunggyu thanked her and walked to the lift.
‘Kim Sunggyu ssi?’ A guy greeted him the moment the lift’s doors are opened. Sunggyu nodded. ‘This way please. The CEO will meet you now.’
Sunggyu gulped as he knocked the large wooden door with the tag ‘CEO office’ on it.
‘Come in.’ A voice replied to the knock.
Sunggyu took a deep breath and opened the door. He was welcomed by a middle-aged man. He stole a glance from the glass name tag placed on the table. ‘Yoon Kye Sang CEO’ it read.
‘Good afternoon Sunggyu ssi. Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable.’ He beamed at Sunggyu and Sunggyu felt even more stressed.
‘I will just ask you a couple of question, as you see this is a huge company and I need another accountant to work with my present one. Why did you leave your previous company?’
‘I resigned due to personal reasons.’ Sunggyu did not want to tell some stranger or even his going-to-be-boss that he left the company because of him breaking up with his boyfriend.
‘Okay, that’s understandable. Do you lost your temper easily?’
‘It depends on the situation. I think as long as it doesn’t go too extreme it will be find.’
‘I’ll tell you one thing before you reply me the last question. My current accountant is the clumsiest person on earth but he is really good, that’s why I hired him. He will make you agitated from time to time, but he’s a okay fella to work with. Are you able to work with him? I need to ask this because too many other people who have worked with him resigned as they couldn’t stand his clumsiness. He is the best accountant that I ever had so I’ll never fire him. So are you willing to work here with this type of person?’
Sunggyu pondered a while before giving his answer. He needed this job, no matter what, he should have the perseverance to work on, right?
‘Yes sir, I think I can work with him. I’ve already meet someone who is very clumsy.’ Sunggyu gave his answer.
‘Good! You’re hired! You have to report to this office again at 8.30am. Don’t be late!’ The CEO beamed at him and heaved a sigh of relief, as though he was really glad that he found someone who was willing to take on the job.
‘Yes sir.’
‘You may go now. Have a good rest tonight!’
Sunggyu retreated from the room and the guy who brought him in smiled at him.
‘Welcome to the big family.’ He extended his right hand to Sunggyu for a handshake and Sunggyu accepted it.
‘How do you know I’ll be joining this company?’ Sunggyu looked a little surprised.
‘Sixth sense.’ The person just continue smiling. ‘Anyway, my name is Lee Howon and I’m from the marketing section. Nice to meet you, Sunggyu ssi. You can call me Hoya though.’
‘Nice to meet you. I’ll see you tomorrow then.’
‘Yup. Better get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow will be a tiring day for you.’ Hoya waved.
Sunggyu was feeling a little weird, he just couldn’t understand what Hoya meant by tiring day. Well, it was going to be his first day of work tomorrow right? Why on earth would it be tiring? Sunggyu shook his head to get rid of all the funny ideas as he took out his phone once he stepped out of the company’s compound.
‘Hello? Myungsoo? Let’s have dinner tonight at the XXX restaurant. My treat.’ Sunggyu said the moment Myungsoo picked up the call.
On the other hand, Myungsoo, who was staring at his phone like it was some alien, looked up at instant when Sungyeol called him from a far.
‘Yah! Kim Myungsoo!’ Sungyeol yelled in his high-pitched voice.
‘Huh?’ Myungsoo looked up with that confused look.
‘What’s wrong with you? You’ve been staring at your phone for like five minutes and I called your name for almost the hundredth time!’
‘Nothing. What? I thought you’re supposed to be in the printing room to print out the articles?’ Myungsoo looked at Sungyeol.
‘I’m asking you whether you have time tonight. I want to eat barbeque but nobody is free to accompany me.’ Sungyeol pouted.
‘Sorry. My brother just called me to ask me to have dinner with him.’ Myungsoo looked apologetically at Sungyeol who wailed. ‘How about tomorrow?’
‘But I’m carving for barbeque!’ Sungyeol whined.
‘Don’t be such a kid and a pregnant woman who is craving for food. I’ll eat with you tomorrow.’ Myungsoo turned his attention back to his computer.
Tonight, he would find out what’s wrong with his brother. It wasn’t a bad thing that his brother recover from the breakup but there was something fishy about the whole dinner thing. Myungsoo felt that his brother might be insane.
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