CHAPTER 17: UP & DOWN

Sae Mi was washing the dishes after the family dinner in the kitchen when suddenly Mark appeared behind her.

“Want me to help?” He cooed right next to her ear making her jump slightly.

“YAH! Stop scaring me!!” Her Korean mixed with the English slang. She turned towards the sink again, ignoring his question just now.

“Why are you doing the chores? We have maids you know.” Silence greeted Mark.

“Are you going anywhere tomorrow night?” The sounds of cricket chirping were heard throughout the silent night.

“YOON SAE MI!! I’m not talking to a wall am I??” He bursts out in anger at last when Sae Mi didn’t respond to him after he said some more random things. She wiped her hands and her feet brought her to the living room with Mark trailing behind her.

“Sae Mi~~” He whined and grabbed her arms, swinging them to the side.

“What is it, mister??” Her tone came out annoyed.

“Do you have plans tomorrow night?” He grinned sheepishly to be on her good side.

“No. Why?”

“Nothing. Just keep it that way. I have made a reservation for a dinner just to inform you.” ** Mark slapped his cheek when he realized that he had spill the secret when he was planning to surprise her.

“Alright then.” Mark sat down on the couch and Sae Mi on the floor with a laptop in front of her. Her camera was connected to the laptop so that she can move the pictures of their honeymoon into the hard disk. Mark was watching a variety program played on the huge screen in front of him, leaving Sae Mi with her own work even though he is just right behind her. He kept peeking at the pictures and smiled dreamily when Sae Mi went through their pictures.

Sae Mi was shocked to find so many candid pictures of her when they are at the peak the other day. The one she was sitting alone at the bench, staring deep into the sky. There was even a picture of her drinking water. She stared at the laptop screen in disbelief and scroll for more. She didn’t realised about it since she didn’t even bother to view the pictures Mark took because it will just be a waste of battery in her point of view.

Mark can’t stop the smile etching on his lips, wider and wider by every picture, praising himself at how the pictures was so beautifully taken by him. He pats his shoulder discreetly. Sae Mi turned abruptly to Mark making him swiftly pretend to focus on the show again. She eyed him suspiciously and then Mark pretended to laugh so hard at the program even though the TV was showing an elimination round of a singing competition.

“Don’t try to pretend Mark~” She said, making Mark turn to her with the oh so innocent face of him.

“Huh? You were saying…” He averted his focus back on the tv, continuing with the play pretend he played alone.

“Pabo.” She whispered and turned back to her laptop. She continued on the picture marathon which contains the beautiful scenery, Mark’s posing as the model for the background and her candid which is ugly for her but she was too lazy to delete it anyway.

But then, Sae Mi stopped pressing the next button which also stopped on a picture of a teddy bear couple. Slowly, her mind drifted away from the Tuan’s living room, thinking to confess about her real self tomorrow at the dinner that Mark planned. Mark eyed her curiously as to why she was not pressing anymore because he was excited to look through the rest of the pictures. Mark had prepared a gift for her new love that he will give tomorrow, not knowing to what will came into his life on the next day

“I hope I’m making the right decision. I will give try giving us a chance after I confess tomorrow.” She whispered to herself softly, making sure that Mark can’t hear what she’s saying to herself.

An urgent meeting had been called after break time the next day regarding their new project. A few leaders from various departments also joined in the meeting to keep updated with the big project. Sae Mi held the black pen drive that consists of all the presentation that was needed to be done in her right hand. It was still halfway done but the most important one which is the rough blueprint is done and can be presented today because Mr. Tuan is present today and he wants to see the progress before approving it. Mark was sitting next to Papa facing her and James who were at the front of the meeting room to begin the discussion.

Sae Mi stood at the stage with a laptop which was connected to the VCR and waited for James’ signal to open the file. The moment James finished introduced the main purpose of the project; he turned to Sae Mi and nods his head.

Sae Mi connected the pen drive to the USB port and opened the folder but to find nothing on the pen drive. Sae Mi double checked it again and flustered when nothing appears in the folder. She felt nervous, her legs shaking, her hands trembling. Cold sweats started forming on her forehead. She remembered that the pen drive was in the same place after she went to the toilet for a while before lunch. She didn’t check it because the laptop was already turned off and she didn’t have the time because she got an emergency call to the bathroom. When she came back, she didn’t suspect anything because all of it seemed normal to her. She was in responsible of the pen drive because James told her so.

*Oh my god!! What should I do?* She screamed in her mind. The audiences could see very well since it was connected to the projector already and Mark felt bad for her. The team leaders were whispering to themselves as Sae Mi’s face went white. James turned to look at the screen but to find nothing.

“Sae Mi, what are you doing?” He mouthed towards her.

“It’s not here.” She pointed towards the screen and shook her head a few times.

“WHAT?!” His mouth was wide agape.

“I’m sorry. There seems to be some problem. Excuse me.” James said as he walked towards Sae Mi’s spot.

“Where is the file? Everything else? Where is it?” He whispered, breathing hardly as he was also as nervous when he saw there was nothing on the screen. He had never been nervous before this as he is a professional but seeing all the important files were gone, he felt insecure and anxious.

“I… I…” she tried to reason something, but no words would come out of her dry lips. She was as nervous as hell because she thinks all of that was because of her clumsiness.

“Sae Mi, where is it?!” His voice came out sterner even though he spoke in a whispering tone. Sae Mi’s shoulders jerked up as she was startled by his angry voice and it was the first time for her af