NOW

MARCH 2017

MAYBE, Jongin thought, that he had crossed the line. Maybe he shouldn’t have troubled Naeun by playing more tricks when she has had already enough problems. He looked at his cellphone and contemplated for one minute that maybe he should apologize. After all, Naeun never really did misuse his passcode.

He tried typing in his own passcode into monitor by the entrance door but was thrown back to have his access been denied. He felt apologetic too soon, he thought.

What did you do, Son Naeun?

Jongin was starting to get annoyed. He felt betrayed, but he thought better than to vent it on her. He punched her number, managed his breathing and greeted her calmly when he realized the call was connected.

“Yes?”

“You got me,” Jongin said quickly. “You win.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jongin.”

“Don’t lie. I can already see you throwing your head back and let out a silent victorious laugh.”

“I didn’t do this. You did. You were very rude to me, and you didn’t even say sorry. Don’t you feel bad for troubling an already-troubled person?”

“I’m sorry,” Jongin said dryly at the end of the line. “Just tell me what my new pass– wait, did you sneak into my house to reset the passcode? When?”

“I did it online you fool.” Naeun snapped back just as harshly. “I wouldn’t disgrace my feet by stepping into your house. Besides, what do you take me for to sneak around some stranger’s house? A thief?”

“What’s my passcode?” Jongin asked under his breath. “Hurry up. I need to get inside. It’s freezing.”

“Exactly. It’s freezing, right? You must be dying to get inside. Well, I guess you should wait. I’m on my way in 10 minutes. This is the least you should pay for making me doing Math.”

“It’s just a simple prime number.”

“I know,” Naeun said cockily. “Though telling me directly would be much better.”

“You didn’t even say thanks.”

“You made me solve prime numbers you ignorant douchebag!” Naeun yelled before hanging up on him. And she never felt better after yelling at someone and hanging up on them at the same time.

NAEUN crossed her arms as she neared Jongin who has been waiting patient, perhaps, by the glass door. He was wearing a thin layer of long sleeved shirt and a pair of denim jeans. His hair was tousled but it still looked good on him rather than making him look homeless.

Though he was actually homeless for the last 15 minutes.

“You said you’d be here in 10 minutes,” Jongin snapped coldly when Naeun was close enough.

“I said I would,” Naeun said flatly. “Not I will.”

“I don’t understand why you would reset my passcode. It’s not like you couldn’t figure it out.”

“I could not figure out your passcode by myself” Naeun said dryly. "I had to use google. But it was still nice to have you tell me the passcode without any tricks.”

Jongin rolled his eyes, pissed off and exhausted for the night and he was eager to get home. “Whatever. Just tell me the passcode.”

“Say it again,” Naeun lifted her chin and looked at him intensely. “The sorry word. Say it again.”

“I told you I was sorry.”

“I want to see your face when you say it.”

Jongin shut his mouth in a tight line, turning his head away as he mumbled something under his breath. He looked forward again, holding Naeun’s gaze and exhaled deeply.

 “Sorry,” he finally said. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Naeun was genuinely taken by surprise at his willingness to apologize. She did want him to apologize, but to actually hear him utter the word ‘sorry’ to her face-to-face was still something she thought could never happen.

But it did and it made Naeun felt good.

“It’s your birthday,” Naeun stifled a short smile that lasted for only 3 seconds at him. “I used your birthday because I didn’t want to forget. It’ll be a whole lot of new mess if I did.”

Jongin stood there, rather speechless when she had admitted it. He never stopped looking at her sour face when she first arrived, ands was still looking at it when she turned away to enter his passcode for him. He swallowed, but he felt something was hanging down his throat and it won’t go away.

“Then you should use your birthday for your passcode,” Jongin said as they both entered the apartment building.

“I am using it. I just remembered it when I was resetting your passcode.” Naeun took a deep breath as she turned to look at him in the eyes again. “And I’m sorry for resetting your passcode. I was angry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Jongin didn’t know what to say back to her;  words couldn’t exactly came out at the moment, and watching her standing so close to him, her beautiful eyes looking at him with pure innocence; it was something alien to him. Instead, he chose to give her a small nod and pressed the ‘up’ button to the elevator.

Once they got inside, the small cube was filled with purposeful silence. Jongin didn’t know why but he kept on wanting to look at her face even though he was only looking from the corner of his eyes. She looked rather troubled that night. She was not like how he saw her in the office every morning, or every other time. Tonight, she looked different. Jongin wanted to ask what was wrong but he did not know how to put in on a friendly term. He did not know why he cared to know what kind of day she had that particular night, but he was glad he didn't have courage to ask more.

The bell on the elevator rang when they reached 11^th floor. The door slid open and Naeun held the door by pressing the ‘open’ button. He got out slowly, his broad back her.

“Jongin,” Naeun called, still wearing her sad look despite forcing a smile at him. “Good night.”

He turned around in a swift glance, giving her a short smile. “Good night, Naeun.”

JONGIN took off his shirt before settling for a quick hot shower. He changed into a one-piece and threw on a pair of loose slack before hitting his bed. But as his head landed on his pillow, he was remembered of Taemin’s sad look when he thought of Naeun.

Something feels off.

Jongin glanced at the alarm clock by his bed and sighed when the red digits flashed 10.13 PM. He then looked at his closet, and decided to read one of Taemin’s letters.

Just one, he thought, and we’ll see what to do next from there.

He grabbed the box and headed over to his study desk. He pulled out a chair and placed the box right under his nose.

Okay. Let’s do this.

He took the most on-top letters that were bundled neatly together and tore open the white envelope. Jongin didn’t know how his friend was writing for but he never wrote any name or address so Jongin thought maybe Taemin never wanted these letters to be sent.

Maybe these letters were actually meant for him.

   June 26th 2014 - 1:10 AM

I could almost hold you in my arms, but then you turned away from me and slipped away. Then I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. It was still early morning when I looked at the clock on my wall - a birthday present from Jongin and Sehun that I always treasured.

I cried when I think of you later that night. I couldn't sleep afterwards - I needed to see you and hold you. Seeing you in my dreams was not enough.

Why can't you see that?

   Love always, Taemin,

Jongin reached the last word of the letter, and his eyes felt burning suddenly. He traced his fingers on the letter – a painful reminder that his friend was still breathing when he was writing this letter - and then cried his heart out.

His friend was gone by now. And he was wrong about the letters.

THE phone rang continuously on Jongin’s table the next morning but he wasn’t there yet to pick up. Naeun, who just arrived shortly after getting her usual morning coffee down the hotel cafeteria, picked up the receiver hastily and greeted the morning caller.

“Hello. Blue Diamond Hotel here,” Naeun greeted naturally, taking short sips in between. “How may I help you?”

This is so cool. I sound so professional.

“Hello. I am Jimin, calling from Armani boutique,” said a lady with a sweet voice kindly. “May I speak to Miss Son?”

“Miss Son speaking.”

“Oh,” the lady gasped before laughing shortly. “I just wanna inform you that the dress you sent for tailoring is done, and we would like to know when would you be free to do the fitting in case we need to do a few readjustments.”

“Oh right, the dress!”

“Yes, Miss Son.” the lady managed politely. “Because this time around we only used your previous body measurement, so we are not sure how the size will fit you. Do you think you can come by our boutique by today?”

“Of course. Lemme check my free schedule first. Just give me a minute, okay?"

Work customary - We all need to look like we're busy.

“Well what do you know?” Naeun added in an excited voice. “I have like, meetings and dates with client all day long but I wouldn’t wanna keep you on hold, so I guess I can squeeze you in. How does 12.00 PM sounds?”

“Perfect, Miss Son,” the lady answered briskly. “See you today at 12 then?”

“Sure, Jimin,” Naeun smiled before saying farewell to the kind caller.

“Meetings and dates with clients all day long?” A hoarse voice from behind interrupted rudely and startled Naeun was already dwelling in a fantasy about her new dress.  “Real smooth there, boss.”

Naeun turned around and her smile turned upside down in a second. “Shut up, Jongin. Just where were you anyway? And why are you coming in later than me? No one ever did that.”

“I got stuck in traffic.”

“Don’t ever do that again,” Naeun snapped. “What kind of assistant lets his boss answer her own phone call? Do you know how available that makes me look?”

“Well I’m sorry you don’t have a packed schedule, boss. Shall I arrange actual meetings and dates for you?”

Naeun scoffed off and rolled her eyes at Jongin in annoyance, and left without saying a word.

THE telephone to Jongin’s desk rang again that morning. Jongin put his work on hold before he went to answer the call.

“Miss Son’s office,” he began coolly.

“Hi. This is Kira, calling from the CEO’s office. May I speak to Miss Son?”

“Just a moment,” Jongin paused. “Let me put her through.”

Jongin then pressed number ‘01’ on the phone to connect Naeun through. Once he heard Naeun’s voice greeting Kira on the line, he put down the receiver.

Being a secretary is actually pretty cool.

Moments later Naeun came out of her office, looking flustered and flushed. She dragged her feet quickly to Jongin’s desk and took some moment to fix her composure before nodding at Jongin calmly.

“C’mon,” she said. “Let’s go meet our big boss.”

“Why?”

“You’ll know.”

“The big boss – he wants to see me?”

“Not really,” Naeun shrugged a little. “But you still need to come. In case I black out.”

“What?” Fine lines started to form on Jongin forehead as he raised brows at Naeun’s incoherent excuse. “What are you talking about?”

“Will you just come-” Naeun snapped finally and pulled Jongin by his sleeves. “He’s not gonna eat you anyway – unless you have a good answer.”

“What good answer?”

JIHOO held his gaze proud and firm on her daughter who was sitting right in front of him, and never bat an eyelid at Jongin was has been standing at the door since he and Naeun walked in.

“Dad,” Naeun began finally, breaking the tensed silence. “Why- ”

“It’s Mr. Son,” Jihoo corrected sternly across her sentence.

“Mr. Son,” Naeun said right away, stifling an awkward grin. “Why do you call us over?”

“I don’t know,” Jihoo shrugged as he threw a file across the table and it landed with perfect accuracy under Naeun’s nose. Jongin who has been a silent observer could also feel the rising tension between them two.

“Care to explain this?” Jihoo asked again, this time he looked very unsatisfied.

Naeun picked up the file and browsed through.

Proposal of Renovating the Entire Gymnasium – it read on the front cover and Naeun knew right away she didn’t need to leaf through another page.

“I heard when the meeting is conducted, you chaired the meeting. And guess what else you did? You -Son Naeun - have approved the idea that cost about half a million won when we just, literally, spent a quarter of million only last winter to change the whole gymnasium. So tell me, Naeun, what is this nonsense?”

Naeun fell silent - she got tongue-tied by just looking at her dad’s disappointed expression. She carefully put down the file and took a deep breath.

She did not know what to say actually but she needed to appear like she was thinking of something.

“I guess,” Naeun began slowly. “People need new change.”

“What kind of new change?”

“Pssh,” Naeun blew between her lips and accidentally glanced at Jongin who seem engrossed in something else. He was not even looking in her way. “Why am I doing all the talking? Jongin,” Naeun called quickly. “Come over here.”

“Me?”

“Him?” Jihoo mused, looking confused and alarmed. ‘Who is he?”

“He is my new secretary.”

“What happened to Mina?”

“Jongin is an intern, and he’s here to fill in for Mina, cuz she will give birth soon and I wanted her to take some days off.”

“Okay,” Jihoo exhaled, his expression reflected his surrender to Naeun’s bottomless new ideas.

“Jongin,” Naeun called again under her clenched teeth with hand gesturing at him to come over. “Come here. Just come here – or I will drag you down.”

Jongin looked rather confused, but he forced his feet to take another step so Naeun wouldn’t actually come to drag him down.

Jongin took the empty seat next to Naeun and clasped his two hands between his thighs. “Yes?” He asked curiously after he turned to look at Naeun for a moment with a what-the- look in his eyes.

“Jongin here, frankly speaking, is the mastermind behind this brilliant idea, dad- I mean, Mr. Son,” Naeun stammered in a cracking voice as she gave an awkward pat at Jongin’s thigh.

“Huh?” Jongin narrowed his eyes, frowning as he looked at Naeun with a forced smile. His nostrils were flaring up at her. “I am?”

“You are indeed.” Naeun then gave a small slap across his thigh before pulling her hand away. “Which is why it’s best to have you to do the explaining.”

Jongin tilted his head sideways he was still not aware of what Naeun was actually saying. “Do the explaining on…-”

“On the real reason why you think it is best to change our entire gymnasium, which cost us 500K won by the way,” Naeun said quickly, eyes looking straight at his dad who still found the whole idea very unreasonable.

“Wow- ” Jongin scratched his temple as he tried to juice out any idea from his head to get himself out of this loophole. “I did not know that the completely nonsense and unnecessary gym make-over-,” he said under his breath whilst giving Naeun a deep scowl. “-would actually cost half a million won, like can you imagine how many poor, poor kids can you feed with that much money. But I guess, I was too selfish and ignorant to think about that.”

“You bet you were,” Naeun snapped back, shaking her head in shame.

Jongin chuckled and ignored Naeun who was really starting to get to his head. “But, I think that we should look at bright side instead.”

“We should?” Jihoo asked, holding his face with his hand. “So, you’re suggesting that to waste that big amount of money on something that is completely unbroken and still very much functional is - fine?”

“No!” Jongin almost startled Jihoo with his sudden outburst. “No, sir, of course not. What I meant here, is that rather than crying over spilt milk, why not we make a full use of that gymnasium? So that every won we spent is worth – spending over,” he ended awkwardly.

“Do explain further.”

“Okay. To be honest, we know not all hotels actually give a prominent detail about some of the services they provide, especially on gymnasium. Frankly speaking, some – or most – guests who choose to stay over usually would only come to, literally, sleep over. They don’t make a full use of the luxury they have in our hotel because most them are time-constricted and extremely busy with something else - something that does not involve being in our hotel. So, when I suggested this over-the-top idea-,” he said, still being sarcastic at Naeun without even glancing at her. “I was hoping that maybe we could expose our guests to something new that only our hotel can provide, in which no other hotel can do so far. Let the guest we know me mean business here.”

“So, you’re saying, we should let our guests know what differs us from other 5-stars?”

“Exactly, sir.”

“By renovating the entire 1000m² hall?”

Jongin loosened his neck tie to let some air go into his head. “Yes…?” 1000m² ? That’s some bigass gym.

Jihoo exhaled, looking very disturbed by the idea. He sat back, staring at Jongin for the longest moment that Jongin himself thought he would probably get fired that instant.

“Alright,” Jihoo said finally, giving Naeun and Jongin small smile. “I guess that is kinda true.”

“You – what?”

“I mean, what the hell right? Half a million isn’t exactly that much money. Can you imagine the number of guests we will have by this summer once we updated our website about this new change? Talk about double ka-ching! They’ll be running on their butts trying to be the first one to book the gym. Jongin, I never thought I would say this, but you better squeeze out more ideas from that brilliant head of yours,” Jihoo exclaimed with a generous smile before holding his hand out for a shake.

“Of course, sir,” Jongin smiled in relief, and took Jihoo’s hand.

That was very unexpected.

NAEUN snorted when they both got out from the office and headed towards the elevator. “Who thought that would happen, huh?”

“Dammit – “ Jongin finally spat harshly at her once they both got inside the elevator. “I will not have you deceive me like that, ever again, okay?”

“Relax,” Naeun insisted. “It went well, right?”

“Don’t ever trap me like that, Naeun, or I won’t tolerate with you anymore.”

“I got it,” Naeun scoffed. “Calm down, will you?”

“Seriously? 500 000 million won on a brand new gym? Are you kidding me?”

“What?” Naeun asked with a slight lift in her shoulders. “I thought it sounded reasonable at that time.”

“Were you not here last winter Naeun? Were you not aware that they already renovated the whole gym-”

“Ssshhh,” Naeun snapped across Jongin sharply when her ringtone finally went off and echoed throughout the constricted space. “Ssshh. Shut up. Shut your mouth.”

“Yah Son Naeun,” Jongin argued, clutching on his two hips. “You did not just-“

“I said ssshh,” Naeun spat again, irritated by the stubborn Jongin who refused to keep his mouth shut. Naeun quickly ran her finger to Jongin’s lips and pressed over them as she went to pick up her phone.

It was her fiancé.

“Hello,” Naeun tried breathing properly. “Minhyuk. What’s wrong?”

Jongin closed his parted lips directly when her fingers landed. He shoved her hand off his face, feeling rather mad, and rolled his eyes. Jongin laid back, waiting patiently for the elevator to reach 8^th floor.

“Nothing,” Minhyuk answered calmly. “I was just wondering if you have a free schedule this evening?”

“This evening?” Naeun asked, her gaze suddenly averted to Jongin’s brown eyes. She then looked away, feeling embarrassed and out of place. “I guess I am free. Why?”

“Do you wanna have a late lunch with me at 3.00?”

“Oh. Okay,” Naeun drawled slightly.

“I’ll come pick you up.”

“Okay. Where are we eating?”

“You’ll know when you get there. Goodbye.” Minhyuk then hang up on her after his not so unkindly dismissal.

Naeun frowned a little as she stared at her lit off screen. “Bye,” she mumbled weakly despite realizing how late she was. Naeun then raised her gaze to look at Jongin’s expression and for a moment their gaze met in an electrifying pull, which was very strange to her.

Naeun bit her bottom lips’ she was having this urge inside her to offer Jongin some sort of explanation of her conversation but she knew Jongin wouldn’t care less. Time flew as she made plans inside her head and the loud ring went off at the 8^th floor. They both then jumped in unison.

“We’re here,” Naeun said, pointing her finger awkwardly to the free walkway outside.

“I know,” Jongin nodded, and walked out naturally.

*****

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