Chapter 4

Assit Him

Is she imagining this?

Minho Choi is in Seoul?

Minho smirked.

“I went here to talk to Miss Sulli Choi. I believe I have a meeting with her.” Said Minho.

“A meeting?” asked Sulli. “About what?”

“About a modelling contract.” Said Minho. “She offered me a contract and I am here to listen to what it’s about.”

Sulli felt her heartbeat accelerating.

“I may just become Carlito’s Coffee Ambassador.” Said Minho

“What?” Sulli couldn’t hide her shock.

“But…why?”

What changed him? He did say he never wanted to go back to Seoul right? So why did he suddenly wanted to go back to Seoul? And he did say he doesn’t want to be a model. Why is he so agreeable about modelling now?

“Let’s just say I have a mission.” Said Minho. “I will accept the contract because I have a mission.”

“A mission?” asked Sulli. “It’s not like a CIA type of mission right?”

Minho laughed upon hearing his own words from Sulli’s lips.

“Nope. It’s not. It’s more of the romance drama type if it were going to be a movie.” Said Minho.

Sulli bit her lip trying to suppress a smile. Minho just copied her words.

The elevator opened.

“Shall we?” asked Minho.

Sulli nodded.

They entered the elevator.

Sulli looked at Minho. His scary eyes are now back to normal. He looked ok… He looked better than ok. He looked great. But inside, is he really all right?

Is he perhaps here in Seoul because of Ailee? Because of what he saw last night on television?

Sulli clenched her hand.

Ailee could change Minho’s mind just like that. She could turn him around just like that.

That only means one thing.

Minho Choi…is still in love with Ailee. It was enough reason for him to even be here despite everything he said against Seoul and modelling.

Sulli closed her eyes for a second before she spoke.

“I…” said Sulli. “am Ailee’s friend.”

Minho did not react.

“Are you sure you’re ok to work with me?” asked Sulli.

A smile lifted Minho’s lips.

“I am Ailee’s Ex-boyfriend. Are you sure you’re ok to work with me?” asked Minho.

Sulli was startled. Her words were thrown back at her like a boomerang.

Sulli sighed.

“I guess so…” said Sulli. “As long as we don’t talk about Ailee, I guess we’ll be fine working together.”

Minho nodded.

“That’s right.”

Sulli sighed.

“Why… are you really here in Seoul, Minho?” asked Sulli, her voice almost like a whisper.

Minho stared at the view outside the elevator.

“You did say I was brave right? You said you thought I was brave when I handled the breakup.” asked Minho. “But I am not brave. I am a coward.”

Sulli saw Minho’s intense eyes like he’s thinking deeply.

“There are things I have to face in Seoul.” Said Minho. “I can’t be back without a reason. I can’t just return here and face them. My pride won’t allow that. That is why I need an excuse to be back.”

“Ailee?” asked Sulli.

Minho did not answer for a while.

“I thought we agreed not to talk about her.” Said Minho.

“Oh,yeah. Sorry.” Said Sulli.

“I need to face a lot of things here in Seoul” said Minho  “It’s a list I thought I have already buried deep in the ground. Ailee may now be included in that list.” Said Minho.

Sulli noticed she hasn’t pressed any button on the elevator. She pressed the19th floor.

 “The modelling world is not too far from the entertainment world.” Said Sulli. “If you plunge into the modelling world…”

“You’re talking about me and Ailee, are you? If I were going to be a model and she’s a singer, our worlds will connect at some point.” Said Minho.

Sulli nodded.

“I have a lot of unanswered questions.” Said Minho, his eyes starting that scary angry look again.  “And a lot of things I need to understand. So if the only way I’d get the answers is the inevitable reconnect of our worlds…then so be it.”

Sulli sighed. Minho…still has unresolved issues and feelings towards Ailee.

 “If that time comes, just console me again. Go with me for a drink for another night of drunkenness.” Said Minho.

Sulli’s eyes widened.

“No. I will never ever go out with you on drinks ever.” Said Sulli.

Minho’s lips curled into a smile.

“Why not?” He asked.

“Huh?” Sulli felt her cheeks burning.

“Why will you never ever go out with me on drinks?” asked Minho. “Ever?”

Sulli could not find any coherent thought in her mind for a second.

“I just… don’t really know myself well when I get drunk I… I tend to forget everything.” Said Sulli.

“Forget?” asked Minho. “Everything?”

Sulli bit her lip and then she nodded rather too energetically.

“I totally forget everything. It’s like a blank space in my mind, like a black hole, like a stolen memory.” Said Sulli. “I hate when that happens so… I don’t want to go out getting drunk again.”

Minho’s eyes were furrowed.

“Umm… I’m going to introduce you to my Boss after I discuss the contract with you.” Said Sulli. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you.”

And then the door of the elevator opened and Sulli went out.

--------------------

Minho could see Sulli’s Boss’ smile reaching his ears. It was so wide Minho could not believe a smile like that is humanly possible.

“I’m sure you won’t regret this.” Said Sulli’s Boss while shaking Minho’s hand. “Opportunities like this are rare. It may only happen once in a person’s lifetime.”

Minho gave a really nice smile and then he looked at Sulli.

“She convinced me to come here.” Said Minho.

“How did you do it, Sulli?” asked Soyu, the girl who went to his café to convince him to sign the modelling contract. She’s wearing all pink today, whereas she was wearing all yellow back then.

“Tell me, how did you convince Mr. Choi?” repeated Soyu.

“I…Umm…”

On the other hand, Sulli looked… confused. Her eyes were closed together as if she doesn’t know what to say.

“She showed me that nothing can stop her from her passion at work. She had to even brave the storm and got sick in the middle of it.” Said Minho. “I have never seen such passion at work.”

Soyu and the Boss’ eyes widened.

“You should have told me you’ve gotten sick. You are at work then. I should have sent help or something.” Said the Boss.

“It’s fine Boss.” Said Sulli almost immediately even before her boss was done talking.

“I am all right now.” Said Sulli.

She obviously didn’t like to go back to the suburbs and even asked the pink girl to go to him to get him to sign the contract. And yet she still braved the storm just to make him sign. That’s being overly passionate at work. Her Boss should reward her for her major effort.

“Our clients will be amazed to hear what you did just to get them an Ambassador.” Said Sulli’s Boss.

“We have a very tight schedule for Mr. Choi.” Said Soyu. “I will explain your schedule for the next weeks. The target is to have the first commercial released in 10 days, a press conference in 12 days and the grand opening of the first branch of Carlito’s exactly 2 weeks from now.”

That’s a very tight timing.

“What’s the first in my schedule?” asked Minho.

“The contract signing.” Said Soyu. “It’s scheduled for tomorrow.”

“We’re moving on a very fast phase.” Explained Sulli’s Boss. “Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?”

Minho noticed Sulli biting her lip. She’s anxious.

Minho smiled.

“I will go to the contract signing.” Said Minho. “Just tell me the details.”

“Oh, sure!” said Sulli’s Boss.

Soyu immediately gave Minho a paper with all the details of the contract signing.

“Are you all going to be in my contract signing?” asked Minho.

“Of course.” Said Sulli’s Boss. “I and Soyu will be there for sure.”

Minho took a glance at Sulli.

“And Sulli?” asked Minho.

“Oh. Sulli’s handling a different project. We just pulled her in for Carlito’s because we had some problem in finding a model.” Said Soyu. “I will personally assist you on your work with Carlito’s.”

Sulli’s eyes widened, and then she nodded. She looked like she suddenly had energy.

“That’s right. They’re actually right.” Sulli looked like she was surprised to realize it. “It was Soyu’s project in the beginning. It is only right I give the project back to her.”

Hmm… Why does it feel like she liked the idea of not being assigned to Carlito’s overly much?

“Sulli was the one who convinced me to be a Carlito’s model.” Said Minho. “I would not be comfortable if I suddenly work with them without her.”

Sulli looked down on the floor. She looked disappointed.

Minho smiled.

Sulli Choi is so easy to read.

“Oh, in that case…” Sulli’