Chapter Nineteenth

I apologize for any mistakes and any typos or any grammar or whatever errors in this chapter. Please bear with me

Miss Sooyoung and I got nominated for ‘The Best Couple Of The Year’. The other candidates included Yoona and Kim Soo Hyun; one of the engineer at the engineering department, Hyoyeon and Eunhyuk, and a few other couples. Sunny wasn’t interested to be part of this even though she got Hyomin as her date. But she still felt excited to know the plan of the other couples.

Miss Sooyoung and I became the center of attention to others. They placed us as their favorite couple. I don’t think there’s any special reason why they chose us as their favorite. I don’t get it. Miss Sooyoung remained calm as ever. When someone made a joke about it, she just showed poker face or didn’t take them seriously. Once in a while, when we were working or standing closer to each other, we will be asked whether our relationship was more than a worker/employee relationship. Miss Sooyoung will just smile meaningfully while looking at me. Then, with the same smile she gave to the person who .

That smile however, always confused my mind and my feelings at the same time. At this point, sometimes my feelings played me. Whether her smile was indeed carried its own meaning or it’s just my feelings were playing me?

Our most awaited day has arrived, we departed to our destination by luxury coach at 5:00 PM from our office building. I sat together with Hyoyeon in that bus, while Sunny and Yoona took a seat behind us. Miss Sooyoung was sitting with Yuri at the last third row from the back of the bus. During the journey to our destination, we filled it with karaoke. Everyone was showing off their hidden talent of singing, being a comedian and even playing games. Long story short, we didn’t feel really tired even though we arrived one hour late from the original schedule.

At Sol Beach Resort, we were welcomed by Sega dancers and garland flowers. I felt like I was in Hawaii instead of South Korea. It was so happening, the resort even had a red carpet to welcome us to their resort. We felt so happy. The dinner was already served at the outside of the hotel which near to the beach. The wind blew strongly. While we were enjoying our dinner, Mr Jun Jin started to read the names for handing the hotel room key. I was in the same room with Hyoyeon, Yoona and Sunny and Miss Sooyoung with Miss Taeyeon. We took our luggages after the dinner and headed to our respectively room. The only thing in my mind right now was to take a nice, hot bath and get some sleep. I mean, a lot of sleep.

*****

Five minutes before the clock showed 8:00 am, the door of my room already being knocked from the outside. At that moment, I was getting ready. Sunny and Yoona were standing in front of the door when I opened it.

“Where’s Hyoyeon?” Sunny asked.

“Where else she could have been?” I replied, shutting the door.

I sat at the same table as Mr Jun Jin, Hyoyeon and Miss Boa once I saw Yoona and Sunny sat with their own boss. I saw Miss Sooyoung headed toward our table and pulled one of the nearby chairs, placed it between Hyoyeon and me and sat in it. It’s not like I felt uncomfortable with her, in fact, I was used to her presence. Wherever I went, she would be there too. But, if can, I wanted to avoid her for a short while. I didn’t want others to misunderstand our relationship, especially I have invited her to become my date tonight. I didn’t want this topic to be raised and to be discussed by the people who sat with us at this table. It’s like a big mistake when she sat together with me at that table.

“Good morning,” her voice can be heard clearly.

They all greeted her back as well as me. I could feel the warmth of her body against mine. How close we were at this moment. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eyes. I knew that somehow she felt a bit uncomfortable to sit in such tight and limited space between Hyoyeon and me. I scooted over aside to give her more space so that she can sit there comfortably. Our eyes met indirectly, and we smiled to each other instantly. I quickly took a sip of my hot drink. I scared that the people who watched us will misinterpret our smile. Suddenly my heart raced. Nervous, frightened and stormy.

What’s wrong, Jessica? I am used to her, I snapped in my heart. I shouldn’t feel like this early in the morning. It’s too soon and too quick. And I have to stay strong to face them. It’s not just Mr Jun Jin, Miss Boa and Hyoyeon I have to face. I have to strengthen myself to face Miss Sooyoung too. In front of them, I have to deal with my own feelings, I don’t want to be defeated by it. I didn’t want anyone to know about my stormy feelings right now, how disturbing it was every time Miss Sooyoung was near. I didn’t want them to find out my real feeling.

Miss Sooyoung however, still being calm like she usually did. As if nothing ever happened to her. I am such a fool to feel like this! Do I really like her? No, this was just my attraction toward her. The rest of it, I didn’t have any special thought or feeling for her.

But… is it true?

The air grew tense around us, no one ever tried to break the ice. I remained silent, so did she. The people who were sitting with us were like keeping to themselves. In the quietness of the five of us, Hyoyeon spoke at last.

“So, how’s your preparation for tonight’s event, Soo?” Hyoyeon started the topic I’ve been trying to avoid since earlier.

I kept quiet, getting pressured all over again.

“What do you think?” she answered with a question, as if given a riddle.

Hyoyeon laughed, and Miss Boa just smiled. Mr Jun Jin who was looking at me was smiling too.

“Poor your secretary, Soo. Jessica here troubling herself to be your date, now you are playing hard to get.” Mr Jun Jin said.

I stole a glance at Miss Sooyoung, after that I looked at Mr Jun Jin, “well, she is just playing hard to get to someone else. But not to me. I just snapped my finger, she agreed right away.” I cut in casually.

Hyoyeon laughed and Mr Jun Jin grinned.

“Oh, really?” Miss Boa said, half surprised. She stared at both of us. But, eventually her reaction turned into something more meaningful.

“Hmm.. No wonder. You two, seemed a bit different than anyone else. Can I ask you one question?” Suddenly Miss Boa asked with a tone that made me curious.

My attention changed to this 35 year old woman who was still maintaining her natural beauty. Once in a while, her eyes were on me and then at Miss Sooyoung, after that back at me.

“When I look at you two closely, I feel like there’s something you hide from us. Sometimes you guys seemed to get along with each other, sometimes you two like a stranger. Stranger I mean here, one is a boss and the other one is a secretary. Your relationship should’ve been better from now.. so far yet so close.”

I let out a small laugh, but no one can read my true feeling right now. I felt ashamed, how small I was when without knowing, Miss Boa could read my situation. I tried to hold on. No one should know. I won’t allow it! I laughed to ease the burden in my heart and with this laugh will trick all of them. And I turned to look at Miss Sooyoung. Our eyes met again for the second time.

“What do you want to know, Boa unnie?” I asked once my laughter came to stop.

And right now, four pairs of eyes were focused on Miss Boa’s face.

“Well, I know that you want to win that title, but what makes me wonder is, of all couples we have why you two become their favorite?