A speedy update because new readers make me heppi!!!

(Like these two do hehehe!)

09.

Jinae trudged her way to her department. She stuck her head out from behind a corner and observed left and right. Amongst the few bodies that were moving around the large office, she could not spot Manager Lee. Huffing a triumphant sigh of relief, she straightened herself briefly and made a dash for her desk. She almost giggled with glee until she reached her cubicle and was met with a piercing pair of livid eyes, boring a hole through her head from her office chair.

“Hwang Jinae, give me one reason why I should not fire you.”

“S-songsaengnim…”

“I will ask you once. Why are you late?” Jinae could feel the sweat forming on her backside. I really should not have tried to seek out Kim Jongin. She swallowed dryly and fought to keep the stress from overwhelming her. She felt the heat build up around her neck and ears. Quick Jinae, think!

“Songsaengnim!” Manager Lee sat up straight in his car and stared at Jinae bewildered.

“Hwang Jinae why are you crying?! Stop it this instance you are drawing attention to this conversation!” When she didn’t calm herself he rose, took a fistful of her lanyard and dragged her to the small outdoor overhang. “You. You. Out!” The two male coworkers addressed quickly discarded their cigarettes and scampered inside. “And you,” he pointed a pudgy finger at Jinae before releasing her from his hold, “sit down. Now tell me why on Earth you are having a mental breakdown at work.”

Jinae wiped at her crocodile tears, sniffed and inhaled dramatically. “My appa is marrying me off to a wealthy, heartless …” She hiccupped and let her lips quiver pathetically, praying that the old man would pity her and let her off with a warning.

“I see.” Manager Lee made no effort to speak any further. He watched Jinae with thoughtfulness and waited until she was no longer sniffling before asking, “Do you know why I refer to everyone as honey bees Miss Hwang?”

Jinae almost let her jaw drop. What wavelength was lazy, lurid Lee on?!

“Honey bees are amazing creatures. They all strive for the same purpose in vastly different environments and conditions, and with infinitely different resources. Individually, they reach out for miles everyday, but always return home to build collectively. They are the only creatures on Earth to facilitate environmental improvement without preying on others. We must be like those bees, Miss Hwang. We must work together ethnically to better our immediate surrounding. Maybe our results with start a larger ripple of goodness. That is why I need my employees to be at their best, to work uniformly. Your performance lately has been very inconsistent and that is not acceptable in my department.”

It would be an understatement to say that Manager Lee’s explanation was simply surreal. Jinae never thought there would be depth behind his compulsive obsession. She looked down ashamed - ashamed for belittling him, his morals, and for not being able to live up to his expectations of a measly intern.

Manager Lee took her reaction as a sign of understanding and self-reflection. “I realise you may have large personal issues to deal with. I will allow you to take the two weeks of your bonus annual leave if you require it. But this is your last warning Hwang Jinae.”

“Yes Sir. Thank you for the opportunity. I would be grateful if you could approve an annual leave for me in this dreadfully tough time.” Jinae stood and bowed with solemnity.

“I can’t help you with boy trouble, Miss Hwang.” Manager Lee spoke up as he turned to leave. “But we have a whole room of lawyers in there ready to find all the legal loopholes necessary for you to kick his sorry if the occasion arises.” A soft smile spread across his thin lips. “Honey bees, Miss Hwang. Honey bees.” The diminuendo of her manager’s voice brought a smile to Jinae’s lips. For the first time in a year and a half she was glad to be at Hwang Enterprise.

Jakyung clenched her pen tightly and clenched her eyelids shut.

“Byun Baekhyun, can you cut that out? I can’t ing get the accounts to balance if you keep slurping that damn thing like that.” Baekhyun withdrew his attention from the street view from his window seat and apologised half-heartedly. He squashed his juice box to a deformed state and set it aside. Jakyung heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, some god-forsaken silence after 20 horrendous minutes of incessant slurping and .

Jakyung finished her paperwork with unfaltering focus. She stretched her tired arms to celebrate only to notice Baekhyun glumly staring at his empty juice box.

“Yah, Knuckle Head. What’s up?” Baekhyun frowned and fiddled his fingers.

“Jakyung, you're a girl right?” Her eyes dimmed.

“Nah man, I'm a polar bear during the day and a turkey at night,” she countered in monotone.

Baekhyun sighed and ignored her sarcasm. “What can I do to work out whether or not a girl might have feelings for me?”  

Jakyung shifted uncomfortably. “You could ask her?”

Baekhyun leaned back offended. “Hell no. That’s so embarrassing! Isn’t there like a test or something I could do on her?”

“Well… I’m assuming you like this girl,” she stated with a questioning tone. “I guess you could think about how you behave differently when you're around her and then observe and see if she reacts to you similarly.”

“That’s the worst advice I’ve ever heard you butch- florist. Even a primary school kid knows that boys and girls function completely differently.”

Jakyung shrugged. “Yah don’t blame me. Since when was I the one to go to about relationship advice anyway? If you like her so much why don’t you just tell her and see what she says?”

“I don’t even know if I like her.”

“Well then don’t sit around uselessly moping about it and asking me stupid questions.”

“But Jakyung what if-“ She cut him off midsentence.

“Can you go talk to Areum about this stuff?”

“You were the closest person I could reach during lunch break.” Baekhyun pouted, unsatisfied with their unhelpful ‘deep and meaningful’.

“Feeling the love man, feeling the love.” He glared at her. “Your eyeballs are going to fall out if you keep at it. But seriously Baekhyun, please leave me in the serenity of my flower heaven and get the hell out of here.”

He gathered his suitcase and rubbish and advanced towards the door. “I hate you, Jakyung,” he huffed.

“Love you too.”