DO NOT PANIC!

You're reading the right chapter. :D As you can see, I deleted chapter 3. Well, it wasn't really chapter 3. It was an update and not part of the story. So, yeah. We're on chapter 24 now. :D

so, you guys still remember me? T.T I'm sorry if it takes forever to update. :( Anyway, here it is! :) A boring chapter first before we proceed to the exciting part. ;) Kill me if I won;t update again tomorrow! Please enjoy. <3 Comment| Subscribe|Vote :*

Cherrie’s POV

Autumn quickly passed, giving way to the coldness of winter—just like the coldness of my heart after that afternoon. Every day feels like a battle between remembering and forgetting, numbing everything that’s left of me.

“Hello? Earth to Cherrie?” Eunji waved a hand over my face. It was lunch break, a Saturday with the temperature dropped to 2 degrees, leaving the sun useless as the clouds hover around it.

I blinked at her, as if waking up from some kind of reverie—a habit I’m quickly developing whenever something  deep inside me had the chance to tell my brain to think about—things. “Did you say something?” I asked bluntly and continued playing with my food I’m in no mood to eat. Eunji groaned inwardly, slightly annoyed to the fact that she’s been talking and apparently, I wasn’t paying attention. I’m such a great friend.

 “Nevermind,” she replied and took a bite of her clubhouse sandwich.

I sighed and stared back at my lasagna. “Sorry,” was all I said, almost in a whisper. Eunji looked up at me and half-smiled, “What’s wrong? Is something bothering you? You don’t seem like yourself since this morning.” She said, the worry in her voice showing. I was never myself since I last saw him..

I shook my head and forced a smile, “Don’t worry, nothing’s bothering me.”  I said, forcing myself to a a bite of my lasagna which I regretted. It was already cold.

“Then, what is it? Are you sick or something?” She pressed on. Knowing Eunji, she knows she won’t drop the subject until she gets answers.

“I’m fine; I didn’t sleep well last night, that’s it.” I  tried  to avoid eye-contact. Though not sleeping was true, the ‘fine’ part wasn’t. And last night wasn’t the first night I had sleep-deprivation and I’m not planning on telling Eunji about it. Yet.

Eunji pressed her lips together in a thin line then spoke, “Well, you don’t look good. You should clock out early,  I’m sure Eunseok won’t mind.”

For a moment she thought about considering it, but I want anything but to be alone. It will only give me all the time to torture myself by thinking more about Kevin Woo. I look at my ruined lunch and forced another smile without glancing at her. “Nah, I’ll be alright.” Eunji knowing I don’t want to talk about it, she shrugged and changed the subject, “Hey, have you heard about that hotel construction near the boardwalk? They’re opening jobs and will start recruiting tomorrow.”

This caught my attention, but tried not to show my interest to her. “Oh,” I replied.

Ignoring my uninterested reply, she said, “I think you should apply. I know you work in a 5 star hotel back in Seoul. They’ll surely offer you a high position. And maybe I should apply too—“

“Hey, mind hurrying with lunch? People are coming in, we need more people here.” Eunseok said in one breath and hurriedly carried a freshly baked basket of bagel outside the pantry.

 Great. Time to escape Eunji. “I’m done.” I stood up and carried my lunch and tossed it in the nearby bin.

-

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[Kevin’s POV]

“Sir, you have a visitor.” Mrs. Jung, my secretary called from the speaker. I lift the receiver to my ears, “Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s the chairman, sir.” She answered. I stared at the closed door for a moment, in shock or probably bewilderedness. I told Mrs. Jung to let him in.

“Kevin,” he said as soon as he saw me standing by the large glass table. Mrs. Jung closed the door for him.

I bowed slightly, “Dad,” I offered him to sit on the leather couch and I sat across him.

“How are you, son?” He asked with a smile so warm that I smiled back at him. He barely smiles like that at work.

“If you’re asking about the hotels, it’s doing great. The construction in Yeosu will finish in less than a month. We’re planning the opening on—“

“I’m asking about you, Kevin.” He said, chuckling softy, his eyes replicating mine whenever I laugh, though the lines around his eyes due to old age and lack of sleep became visible when he does. “I know the hotels are doing great. You said so during the meeting. I’m asking about you, Kevin. How you’ve been.”

For a moment I just stare at him, is this really happening? My father, Chairman of Woo group of hotels, a businessman who never had time for his family is asking me how I’ve been now. I was lost for words. “I—I’m okay, still the same.” I replied. I couldn’t think of anything else to say. He doesn’t know what kind of things I’ve been through—being bullied in school, becoming the cold-hearted college boy in the United States and the girls that I spent nights with without even remembering their names, and then changing again—to the old me—because of her. The only thing he knows about me is that I was good at keeping his business alive. I wonder what my dad is up to now.

He nodded, “Well, that’s good to hear.” He cleared his throat, “Kevin, you know I’m never good at this,” he gestured a hand toward me and him; he looks uncomfortable. He’s better at being my boss than being a father. He sighed, “Anyway, that hotel in Yeosu, I want you to manage it.”

I was dumbfounded. It took me a moment to answer, “Chairman,” I started; I call him chairman whenever we talk about business. “Take me anywhere, you can take me to the most remote place in the world and I’ll say yes. Please, assign me anywhere but Yeosu.” I sounded I like I was pleading.

My dad’s brows knitted together in confusion, “Why? You’re the one who proposed to expand to Yeosu. You know your job in Seoul Grand is done, the hotel got its reputation back. And I believe you were the one in charge of the planning before, am I right?”

“But—“ I didn’t know how I should finish my reasoning. My mind was already filled with fear—her face when she saw me, the fear in her eyes that haunted me for months. But deep down is the desire to see her again to ask for forgiveness again. But I shrugged the lingering thought. She’ll probably hate me forever.

“I’m talking about this with the board members, Kevin. I don’t see anyone else fit for the position than you.” He took a glance at his watch and stood up. “I have to go.” I absentmindedly nodded and walked him towards the door.

He glanced at me as he turned the door knob, “Think about it, Son. You have a week. I’ll hear from you ‘til then.” He said and closed the door behind him and I was left staring at oblivion. Cherrie.. why is it so hard to stay away from you?