I stared at the ground, unable to meet eyes with the person sitting in front of me. My mentor.

"You can’t even do this properly? You’re useless!" She exclaimed, throwing the document in my face. The papers hit me in the head and scattered around, filling my vision with paper covered in fine printed words. I could hear people gasping in the background and not-so silent chatters erupted.

I had shown my hot-tempered mentor for my internship, the report I wrote for the recent increment in sales. After just briefly glancing through the 6 pages report, she sighed and asked me what was that.

"This is the report you asked me to write." I replied, hesitantly, studying the look on her slightly wrinkled face. "This is not a report! This is just 6 pages of rubbish!" She shouted, alerting the nearby workers who were typing away at their desk, causing them to look up and focus their attention on the two of us. 

Feeling my face heat up, I lowered my head, leading to the current situation; papers being thrown at me. 

"I’m sorry, I’ll do it again…"I muttered as I bent down to pick up the fallen papers. My eyes stung with the tears threatening to fall out. Blinking rapidly, I somehow managed to keep it in. 

I had just begun my internship one week ago and my life was already a living hell thanks to my mentor, the department manager. Her standards are ridiculously high and some of my co-workers have told me to “Be careful of the tigress,” and that they feel pitiful for me. At first I thought that they were just overreacting but soon I found out that they were serious. The first time she leashed out on me was because I could not get a 3 page report on the department’s budget out by the end my first day, and it just got worse after that. 

"It’s not like you’re going to do better anyways so give up! I hate people like you, useless and not even trying to improve! Ugh, this is why I hate greenhorns." She bellowed and stood up from her place. "Rina, you better hand up the company budget report to me tomorrow. 7 in the morning, sharp." I heard her shout before leaving for the day, apparently. 

I stayed crouched down even after I picked up the papers, just to stable my emotions. It wouldn’t be nice to cry in front of others on your second week of work now would it? I held the paper close and took deep breathes to calm my heart down. My tears managed to stay away and boy was I glad. 

"Hey, she’s always hard on people, don’t take it to heart alright?" A gentle voice said as she helped me up. I recognized her as Rina, the co-worker that helped me a lot these few days and the one who has to hand up a report first thing in the morning tomorrow. 

"Yeah." I replied, looking away from her. 

"You should hurry home and rewrite the report. I’ll be here if you need me, just ring me up." She said as she followed me over to my desk and briefly helped me pack up for the day. "But I should re-" I tried to explain but she hushed me. "Do it at home. The report will never be finished with people chattering behind your back, you know." She whispered with a smile and saw me out of the company building, giving me tips on how to write a report that may satisfy ‘the tigress’. 

"Thanks, Rina." I thanked as I strolled out the company building, feeling better than I did ten minutes earlier. "Welly, see you tomorrow, _____." Rina bid me goodbye with a light hug and headed back in to work on her report. 

I dropped by the nearby ice-cream store for some cold spirit-lifting sweetness. I opted for a cone and ate it while walking back to my shared apartment with my boyfriend. Eating the ice-cream sure lifted my spirit and I felt better about meeting my boyfriend now. He is very supportive of me starting my internship at his friend’s company and I haven’t told him anything about my demanding mentor yet. I would not want him to be too worried for me since he is really protective and might just stop me from continuing my internship. 

Unlocking the door after a few deep breaths, I chimed, “I’m home!” 

"Hey, babe. Welcome home." Rang a soothing deep voice as I took off my shoes and placed them on the shoe rack. With a smile plastered to my face, I leaped into his embrace. "I’m home, Yeollie."    

I snuggled closer into his chest and took in his woody and slightly citrus smell, the smell of home. Then, the earlier happening came rushing back to me. I clutched onto his thin t-shirt as I willed the tears away. 'I shouldn't. I can't. I mustn't.'

Chanyeol pulled away shortly after, he must have felt his shirt balling up in my grasp. “What’s wrong, babe?” His baritone voice asked, worry lacing his words.

"It’s nothing, Yeollie." I said keeping my sight on his broad chest. I dare not look up, the tears are on standby, ready to spill over when I let my guard down. Opting to change the subject to separate myself from Chanyeol naturally, I exclaimed, "Ah! I’m hungry! Won’t you make me dinner? I’ll go take a bath! Thanks Yeollie. Ah, I’m really hungry!"

I turned and headed for the bathroom immediately, holding onto my sling bag as a form of support to keep the annoying tears in properly.

There was a few seconds of shuffling sound and my arm was caught by my giant boyfriend with ridiculously long legs who can cover the distance between us with three to four strides. 

He span me around and I face palmed his warm chest. My nose hurts. 

My sling bag fell to the floor beside me as I released my grip on it and the strap slipped off my shoulders. “What’s wrong, babe?” He asked again, the same as moment ago.

"Nothing." ‘Everything.’

"What’s wrong, babe?" He persisted, sounding as gentle as ever.

"N-Nothing." Oh, how much I wanted to just tell him all my problems and be done with it all. Maybe he can help me with the report then we can cuddle and I can finally sleep peacefully, without the stress that has been weighing down on me ever since I started my internship.

"What’s wrong, babe?" Again. I can never win against him, can I?

"Work. Mentor. Stress." I whispered, loud enough for him to hear as I hugged him close. A low chuckle erupted, "I see. Took you long enough to tell me."

I pulled away after hearing his words. “What do you mean?” I asked, studying the expression on Chanyeol’s face. It was a mixture of relieve, sadness and happiness.

"I mean Jongdae did tell me about the ‘Tigress’ of your department. I was going to comfort you on your first day and get you to come over to my dad’s company and work with me…But, you said that it was alright and that you really enjoyed the day. So, I thought that it might not be that bad.

But, seeing you so stressed out when writing your reports and reviewing stuff, I thought that you were just putting up a strong front. I wondered why didn’t you tell me and figured that maybe I was not that reliable. I decided to give you some time, ya know.” Chanyeol explained, holding my hands and gave me a sad smile. 

Well, what a terrible person I am. I was so drowned out in my own feelings that I did not notice how Chanyeol was feeling. All this time. Realization dawned on me and the tears that I have been fighting so hard to hold back finally pour out in full power.

"Waa~I’m soh sorrie, Chayol…" I bawled out. Another low chuckle followed as I was pulled into his arms. Patting me on the head, he whispered over and over, "It’s alright, I love you." 

"I will tell you everything! You are the best boyfriend anyone could ever have. I-I just didn’t want to make you worried over me. I’m sorry!" I said in between sobs, separating my face from his warm chest slightly just to make sure he hears me clearly.

"It’s alright now, _____. You can always tell me about things that have been happening, no matter good or bad. We can work them out together and that’ll save all the trouble and heartache." Chanyeol reasoned with a smile hanging on his face, sounding like his usual cheerful self again as we joined together in a hug again. I nodded and hummed to agree but the tears wouldn’t stop.

The guilt I felt could not be erased so easily. 

"Oh, come on. Stop crying." Chanyeol cooed as he lifted my face with his right index finger and thumb, naturally forcing our eyes to meet. I looked up and stared at him through eyes blurred by tears. 

He leaned in and, instinctively, I closed my eyes. 

I waited for the small peck on my lips but it didn’t come. Just as I was about to open my eyes and see exactly what he is up to again, there were kisses peppered into my cheeks, more specifically, on the semi-dry tear trails. It was soft, as if he was touching something very delicate. 

"You kissed my make-up, disgusting." I pouted after he pulled away, feeling my lips pull into a smile. Chanyeol beamed his 1000 watts smile and leaned back down to reach my face again. Giant boyfriend.

This time he gave me a proper kiss. It was soft and relaxing, the one I am so used to. I felt like all the troubles have been lifted off me with that soft peck. So easily. 

"You kissed your make-up, disgusting." He mimicked and I broke into a fit of laughter looking at his pouting face after we parted.

Oh god, he definitely is the best boyfriend anyone could have and he is mine. 

"I love you, Chanyeol."

"I love you too, _____."

Author's Note: Done. Yes. Please drop a comment or two below to support me or tell me what I can do better. :) -hands out cookies-