NOW

APRIL 2017

                MINYUK loosened his tie and fell back against the back of the chair as he rested his throbbing head. The day has been long and tiring for him and unfortunately it was far from over. There were still a high stacks of many different files that he needed to read through word by word and that alone would take up a full 3 days.

                Bin, his old time secretary who has been with him since the day 1 came knocking on the door to inform him of his next appointment.

                “Meeting with the Russian investors? Today?”  Minhyuk mumbled in great exhaustion. “But I thought that would be by this weekend. Not today. Park hasn’t even reached the goddamn main point of the presentation. What do they expect us to say?”

                “I’m afraid the investors had to bring it forward because they are booked by another meeting this weekend, and they cannot ignore that request. They have emailed you saying to just highlight the important part of the deal so they could give their answer right away during the meeting. I know this is on short notice, but I see this as a great opportunity sir. They are willing to be lenient on this matter because they have to bring forward the meeting that isn’t due until this Saturday and I think we should accept their offer.”

                “What about next week? You know I hate doing things hastily.”

                “They are not available anymore. They are already in Korea as we speak now. If we miss this one, they are gonna offer their conditions to another company and we might just miss this one completely, sir.”

                Minhyuk shut his eyes, tired, and nodded weakly. “Fine. Fine. Let’s just get it over with.”

                “Also, sir,” Bin added some more, and Minhyuk opened his eyes altogether.

                “You look serious. What’s wrong?”

                “I don’t mean to be rude to you, but a woman is pushing me to squeeze her in today because she has something very important to talk about with you, sir.”

                “You are rude,” Minhyuk stated simply. “Why does she think she’s so special? You know I hate people with special connections. Either book the appointment like most normal people would do or ignore her completely. I know you know how good you are with your job. Or are you beginning to fall behind that you need my lecture on how to properly do a secretarial job?”

                “It’s not that, sir,” Bin was clasping and unclasping her fingers in and out of a knot. “She wants to talk about Lana.”

                Minhyuk fell silent, surprised, but Bin could not tell that from his perfectly impassive expression. Minhyuk leaned forward slightly, and raised a dark gaze at Bin.

                “And this woman’s name is?”

                “Hyorin. She’s, um, a CEO of Haneul Hotel.”

                “Okay,” Minhyuk agreed reluctantly. “Is she here? Send her in.”

                THE atmosphere felt a bit awkward and tensed too in the spacious working room Minhyuk was in. Hyorin walked toward the sofa as directed by Minhyuk and she soon noticed the uncomfortable expression plastered on his perfectly symmetrical face.

                Minhyuk had one foot sitting on top of the other and he sat back in a calm position. His calm demeanour suggested how little did he expect out of this unplanned meeting.

                “Can I get you anything to drink, Miss Hyorin?”

                “Mrs,” Hyorin corrected as she fixated her gaze on Minhyuk. He smiled a little, unapologetic, and tilted his head slightly. “And no, I’m fine. I’ve just had my breakfast.”

                “Oh. I’m sorry,” he offered.

                “Thank you for making time to meet me. I understand how busy you are these days,” Hyorin paused, making cautious side glance at Minhyuk who was sitting on her left before she looked forward at the empty black leathered sofa in front of her. “I can’t tell you how-”

                “Sorry to be rude, but I’m gonna need you to be completely straight with me and just get down to your – our,” he corrected crisply. “Business.  I’m afraid time isn’t the luxury I have today as I have an unscheduled meeting with potential foreign investors in less than 50 or 60 minutes, perhaps, and I cannot afford to make a bad first impression to them by being late to our first meeting.”

                “Oh,” Hyorin gasped. “I see. I, uhm,” she hesitated before continued to ask, “Don’t you have any question you want to ask me?”

                “I do,” Minhyuk nodded. “But I’m gonna need to hear what kind of information do you have about Lana.”

                “I am not her close friend, or anything, if you may ask. But I have questions I wanted to ask her ever since I saw her on the news. I didn’t - it didn’t occur to me she is still alive.”

                “How do you know her if you’re not a close friend?”      

                “She, I believe, was admitted to the same hospital my little sister volunteered at and they have since formed quite a special bond while spending much time there. I have a photo of them as well, if you want to see.”

                “May I?” Minhyuk sat forward, obviously baited by the physical evidence Hyorin was about to show him. Seconds later, the photo that came out of Hyorin’s purse switched hands.

                It was as though the time froze around them when Minhyuk was seemed engrossed in the liveliness of the picture. Lana, timelessly gorgeous, wore a bun on top of her head, a hairstyle Minhyuk had never seen she wore before, was smiling at a young girl who had her arms around Lana’s waist. Both of them were smiling and looking so impossibly connected to one another, sharing jokes no one ever knew.

                “Who is this girl?”

                “Hyeri,” Hyorin answered almost to impatiently. “She was a younger sister of mine.”

                “Was?” Minhyuk asked in a gentle tone. This time, Hyorin could no longer sense the coldness that stilled around him. How funny what little talk bring people to.

                “She died in 2014, and she was only 20. She fell down the stairs in her home, being 2 months pregnant.”

                “Pardon my manners,” Minhyuk managed in a bitter, confused way. “But how is this conversation related to Lana? I mean, I’m sorry that you lost your sister in a tragic way, but I still don’t see how this goes back to Lana? Unless you’re suggesting-”

                “My sister,” Hyorin insisted, and her voice began to crack. “Was married to a horrible man who abused her mentally and physically when she was only 19. They did not share a happy marriage and to my horror, Hyeri decided to keep all this pain and suffering to herself. I only found out about this after I talked to a guy whom she claimed was her lover. I did a little research on my own after that, and I found out that this horrible man who was my sister’s former husband, was first married to Lana. And I since have sworn on Hyeri’s name, that if I could not save her, I should do everything in my power to bring this man, who is still out there, kicking alive, to justice so he could suffer the rightful punishment he is well—deserving of, and I cannot do this without a living witness.”

                Minhyuk breathed out a heavy sigh, processing every detail as he could before simply declining the offer. “I understand where you’re getting at, but I am not about to let Lana walk down that road again. I’m sorry.”

                Hyorin felt a glass shattering inside her chest. Her heart was heavy and she felt as though the air in the entire room has been squeezed out, throwing her mental and physical in someplace suffocating and unreal. Hyorin gazed sharply at Minhyuk, taken by grave surprise.

                “What do you mean?”

                “I can’t let you do that. I’m sorry,” Minhyuk refused to meet Hyorin in the eyes, and he was fixing his coat as a dismissal gesture in which he desperately wished Hyorin would understand.

                “You’re kidding, right?” Hyorin was smiling, but it did not reach her eyes. “Please, listen to me,” Hyorin began tugging at Minhyuk’s arm.

                “I have listened,” Minhyuk said assertively as he tried to be as kind as possible to remove the weigh off his hand. “And I have listened enough. I’m sorry, but I need to get ready to my-”

                “Please, Minhyuk,” Hyorin finally broke into tears, pleading in despair as she continued to cling to Minhyuk. “You need to help me. I want my sister to rest in peace and I cannot do that unless that man goes into prison. Please, please…I beg of you.”

                “Don’t – beg, Hyorin,” Minhyuk said in a sad, fleeting pleading whisper. “Because I really, really cannot help you with this.”

                IT has been half a day and Naeun has been very dismissive and stand-offish around Jongin. She didn’t bother to look at him when she walked past his desk like she usually did and only gave order through sticky-note sent by a third party. Jongin knew, after a short while, whatever problem Naeun has with him has got to end now when a sticky note magically appeared on his laptop screen while he was out on the short trip to the restroom saying how he was not needed in the 3.00 PM-staff meeting; where he has stayed up at nights completing the power point, because he has had enough.  Jongin, deeply devastated, peeled the note off and crumpled it into a ball before throwing it into the paper bin.

                This woman doesn’t even have the balls to break the news to my face.

                Jongin got off his chair and stormed into Naeun’s office, and as usual, without a knock.

                “YOU and I need to talk. Now.” Jongin hung both his hand on his hips, looking down at a surprisingly calm Naeun who was seen to be engaging something on her laptop. Naeun lifted her chin in split second, unamused, and went back to typing work on her laptop.

                  “I’m busy.”

                “We all are,” Jongin snapped back, feeling ridiculous. “But I cannot ing concentrate on my job with zero communication between us, for no good reason, and stop making Gary or other staff send me any more sticky notes and just directly talk to me.”

                “Okay,” Naeun parroted icily, still avoiding his gaze.

                “Look at me,” Jongin said before closing his lips in a distate line.

                “If you’re done talking, please get out.”

                “Why am I excluded from the staff meeting?”

                “You’re not our official staff.”

                “I know that,” Jongin smirked cynically, though inside his stomach just turned. “But I was told to present slides on the new hotel in Jeju and I have completed the whole thing. What would the board of directors say-”

                “They won’t say anything.”

                Jongin scoffed, shaking his head in pure disappointment as he offered a mocking bow before leaving the room, slamming the door behind him.

                Naeun’s fingers stopped dancing on the keyboard the moment the room was filled with loud silence and as she lay back against her chair, her shoulders shook. Naeun cupped her face with her two palms, rubbing it slightly before reaching for the phone.

                “YEAH, but dad, he’s already finished with the needed materials. Why won’t you just squeeze him in? It’s just regular staff meeting.”

                “Do you know how many interns in our company that took part in the internship program? If Jongin is allowed to present his report, we’re going to need to include all the other interns too. Do you know how much time will that drag us?”

                “Then why did you ask him to do the presentation in the first place if you’re just gonna bail out on him? He seems very - mad. Can’t we set up another different meeting for this presentation?”

                “We sure can. Unfortunately, I’m afraid I have to go China this weekend for a business meeting and I can’t chair the meeting. Unless you wanna- ”

                “I cannot chair a meeting,” Naeun spouted in surprise. “Are you serious?”

                “Then tell Jongin to just email the slides to my assistant. I’ll take a look at it.”

                “What do you mean you’re gonna take a look at it? That slides is hard sweats and hours long of staying up.”

                “Then what do you want me to do? I already give my best options available.” Jihoo’s voice tone rose slightly.

                “Fine," Naeun heaved a sigh. " I’ll set up a different meeting for the presentation view.”

                “Thank you,” Jihoo murmured, shaking his head. “This conversation drains me 10 years off of my life.”

                HIS entire countenance seemed neutral and composed the whole time Naeun has been secretly peeping over her intern through the glass window. She was walking around in the room, contemplating ways to approach her intern.

                Is he sulking?

                Naeun braced herself, fixing both her hair and attire before walking out and towards Jongin’s desk. She stood in front of him, awkward and out of place before blurting something under her breath.

                Jongin made a face, obviously irritated by how low her voice was.

                “You sound louder on sticky notes, boss,” Jongin commented without doubt. He glanced at her, displeased, before looking down on his paper work.

                “I was saying that the meeting is on. A new one.”

                “What meeting?”

                “The meeting to view your slides. All of you guys are expected to attend and present your own slides at the meeting.”

                Jongin looked up again, this time he held her gaze longer, searchingly. Naeun, taken back by how good-looking he looked in that seriousness that she had to peel her eyes  away;  feeling  extremely embarrassed to be stared at in such a way that she stumbled upon her own words by saying, “I’ll let you know about the tetails later.”

                “Te-what?”

                “Details,” Naeun corrected, blood drained of her face. “I said details.”

                “You said-”

                “Shut up, intern. I know what I said,” Naeun spat out before walking away. She went back into her office, almost hitting the door before quickly pushing it open. Inside, she was already crying over her fat tongue and lack of body coordination.

                Jongin watched as she scurried in a clumsy manner to her room with a smile; and this time the smile reached his eyes.    

                SEHUN slumped into Jongin’s bed, propping up with his arms against the soft mattress. Jongin was still shirtless, racking over his wardrobe to pick out a good shirt.

                “Who are you tryna impress, Romeo?” Sehun teased, raising his brow with a naughty twist to it.

                “No one,” Jongin denied neatly, unaffected.

                “Yeah right.”

                “It is true.”

                “Is your crush going to be there as well? I’m actually nervous though. I don’t know anyone else there but you and Kyungsoo.”

                “I don’t have a crush. And you know Soojung,” Jongin added. “Don’t forget the host.”

                “Correction. She knows me more than I know her.”

                “Don’t worry. You got plenty of time getting to know her later at the party, and the rest of the kids.”

                “You and Soojung go to the same hotel for your internship, correct?”

                “Correct,” Jongin nodded, naturally putting on the good shirt he found folded underneath an old sweater that once belonged to Taemin. He stared at it momentarily before shutting the wardrobe door.

                “You don’t invite Naeun? It’d be fun to have her at the party. I can at least mingle with her to ward off unknown strangers.”

                “You want to mingle with Naeun to ward off strangers? And Naeun is not a stranger?” Jongin squinted his eyes, looking rather thrown aback. He walked over to the dressing table to fix up his hair.

                “She is, but not after I get to know her.”

                “And how is she different from other strangers that you are yet to mingle with? And why Naeun specifically?”

                “I don’t know. I saw her in the magazine today and she looks super hot with blonde hair.”

                That is true, Jongin thought without casting any doubt. But he was somehow disrupted with his friend’s sudden interest in his boss. Jongin sprayed some fragrance to his shirt before putting on his watch and grabbed his car keys.

                “It’s not my party, so, no, she’s not invited. Let’s go, dude,” Jongin said shortly, all ready to turn off the light and air conditioner to his room. Sehun got up amenably.

               “Also, she didn’t want to talk to me at all today, so we’re not on good terms for now.”

                “What happened?” Sehun asked, his smile faded in a flash.

                “You can try asking her for me,” Jongin answered with a shrug, looking rather impassive, as though the bickering did not affect him in any way. Sehun nodded slightly, and gave his friend a short smile.

                “Are you ready to meet some strangers who have interest in you from just a photo?” Jongin said in a natural tone, letting Sehun walk past him out of the room.

                “I don’t know,” Sehun said casually. “It happens to me a lot so I cannot tell anymore.”

                “Get out of here.”

                NAEUN was busy choosing the right colour for her new Burberry autumn coat when she was waiting for the elevator to arrive. She liked burgundy because it would bring out her skin colour (yeah, she said it alright) but pale redwood is easily matched off to any innerwear. This was her first online shopping since her big day got trashed so she didn’t think buying both colour was an act of excessiveness.  And so, she bought both.

                Seconds later her phone vibrated, indicating an incoming call coming through. Minhyuk’s name appeared across the screen, sending sudden chills down her spine. Her face turned, disgusted, though her finger did not to slide the call away.

                The elevator then arrived with a ‘ding’, revealing people inside. Naeun glanced up in, looking unexpected when she saw Jongin and a guy clinging one arm around the shoulder walked out of the elevator. Naeun hastily turned down the call and moved a bit to the side  to let them through, naturally drifting her gaze away from Jongin who looked fairly surprised.

                It’s that party. He’s going to that beautiful girl‘s party.

                “Hi there,” Sehun said, breaking the awkward silence between them, and offered a hand indirectly the moment Naeun turn around to have a proper grasp of what just happened.

                Naeun stood still, blinking her eyes before hesitantly took the handshake. Jongin nudged Sehun in the elbow, face stiffened.

                “I am Jongin’s best friend,” Sehun said first-hand, beaming. “Sehun.”

                “Hi…” Naeun frowned, and quickly let go of his hand that felt somehow warm and fitting.

                “He’s from the same home shelter I was in,” Jongin interrupted, smiling.

                “I heard a lot about you,” Sehun said again, still hasn’t wiped of the stupid smile off his face. “From this intern of yours,” Sehun tilted his head insolently at Jongin, who was fighting the urge make a runaway and grab Sehun with him before beating some sense into him.

                “Oh,” Naeun nodded slowly. “I hope he didn’t talk bad things about me.”

                “I don’t know,” Sehun shrugged, smiling. “I only remember the good parts.”

                “Ow-kay, you’re done,” Jongin cut across them briefly before pulling weird Sehun away from Naeun. “Dude, can you go wait in the car first, please?” Jongin was partially pleading while gritting his teeth before shoving Sehun away, handing him the car keys.

                “Nice meeting you, Naeun,” Sehun said aloud, offering his hand once again but was hit by Jongin rudely. He then flashed a death glare at his friend, sending Sehun away without any further hindrance.

                “Interesting friend you got there,” Naeun jeered slightly, crossing her arms altogether.

                “Yeah, well, somehow I don’t have any normal people around me.”

                Naeun was about to say something back, but eventually closed in despair. She looked around, killing awkwardness that managed to swell between them.

                “Naeun,” Jongin called, looking at her straight in the eyes, and for that time being, Naeun couldn’t afford to look away. She stood there, all ears. “Do we – how are we doing? Are we good? Because, this morning I know something happened that made you snapped at me, and I’m sorry but I don’t know what I did wrong. I cannot read people’s mind, so you’re gonna have to be real honest with me and tell me what is it that I did wrong.”

                “It’s nothing,” Naeun lied. “I’m good. We’re good.”

                “You talked to me through countless number of sticky notes. I’m surprised you didn’t run out of it.”       

                Naeun sighed, musing, because now that she’s being confronted like this, going over the reason behind the root of this silent treatment she gave Jongin today somehow felt like it was not a big deal.

                So what if Jongin didn’t introduce me to his friend? His friends are probably weird and he was just trying to protect me.

                “It’s nothing, really.”

                “Alright,” Jongin shrugged, stand-offish. “If you say so.” He took a couple of steps back, smiling bitterly as he knew he failed to make Naeun confess, and turned around gracefully before Naeun shouted behind him.

                “Next time-” Naeun’s chest rose, gasping in more air into her brain lungs. “Don’t treat me like I was not there. I was there with you in the elevator this morning, so please, make me feel like I was actually there.”

                Jongin stood there, standing and frozen, looking completely astonished. He was looking down at her, agape and amazed, before he entire expression softened. Naeun, feeling dreadfully embarrassed, quickly turned away and pressed the button to the elevator. The elevator was idle the moment she was held by Sehun’s weird friendliness. Naeun punched the button numerous times so she would leave the place in no time.

                Jongin came up to her from behind and grabbed her hand and held it tight in his own size. Naeun looked up, startled before stepping back a bit when she realised he was leaning in on her. Then everything around her stopped moving, and as time stood still, they both were only a thread close from one another

                “Okay,” Jongin nodded, smiling impulsively, and his breath felt extremely close she thought he was going to end their conversation with a kiss. “I won’t ever do that again,” he the inside of her palm for a short while before slowly letting go of it, as though he was laying down the most precious entity he has ever held. “Good night, Naeun.”

                Naeun was left in that frozen time while Jongin was already moving away in his own, and when the elevator arrived, the ding broke the whole framework into pieces, forcing her to come back to reality. Jongin was no longer in her sight, and she was aware of that, but she simply couldn’t fathom why such trivial gesture made her heart race.

                What was happening to her heart?

***

And as promised ~

Love ya all <33