Story: News for You

Dating Jisung was like being someone you can call your own without having to wonder what he felt like with you. A normal day with Jisung was he telling me that he loved me, post-it notes on my desk, and his cheesy little one-liners through text that made me laugh to myself because of how cute it was. 

I needed this. I needed this cheeriness and Jisung was perfect in giving me what I needed.

Once we started working at MBC together, it was like everything fell into place. My relationship with my best friend and a good-paying job. Today, for example, I had woken up to see Jisung staring at me from the side, his arm over my hip and I blinked. 

The moment he saw that I was awake, he scooted closer, his lips finding my cheek like it did every morning and he kissed me once, then again. Then again before I groaned, a hand going up to hide my face, Jisung frowning at how I pulled away.

"KBS, my noona said--" he began and I peeked from between my fingers. 

"Jisung, don't you have any thoughts of your own?" I asked, Jisung blinking at my words. "It's always, "My noona said." or, "Chenle said" or, "Jeno said no."." 

"Yeah, but my noona really said...'' His voice trailed and I squinted at him, Jisung's cheek puffing out so I sighed.

"What did she say, Jisung?" 

"She said this." Jisung pulled his phone out, showing me a text from New York. It was a text telling him to come home because she missed him and I nodded, trying to roll away. "She texted me last night."

Sure, no one knew about us. Jisung's bed was next to mine but most of the time, he slept on my bed, my boyfriend showing a level of clingy I didn't know could exist. Jisung scrambled closer but I scooted away, knowing that if we stayed in bed, Jisung was the type to eagerly suggest: Let's stay in bed and cuddle all day today! 

And I was the type to tell him, no! We had to work today!

We balanced each other well and I slapped his hand softly, standing up and raking a hand through my hair. 

"If she sent that to you last night, why are you still here?" 

"You fell asleep so I didn't want to wake you up to tell you. I contemplated putting on an alarm so you would wake up but I didn't because I didn't want to leave." Jisung smiled at me and I rolled my eyes, Jisung's features changing into a pout. "What did I tell you about rolling your eyes, KBS."

"That you don't like it," I finally answered. Jisung was a tad bit too sensitive and being sensitive as my friend was fine-- us dating, we had rules to put up (under Jeno's orders) because Jisung found certain things I did offensive. No eye-rolling, no shying away from him when he wanted to give me hugs and kisses and little things like asking him if he wanted anything from the convenience store. 

You would think I was the dominant one, that I would make the rules but Jisung's naturally demanding nature made me comply with him. He was vocal about it: "You never show me the same love I show you!", he would whine, "I always care more about your feelings than you do about mine.".

I was naturally blunt and I normally hated affection. Not with Jisung, though. With Jisung, I tried. 

"We have to go to work kind of early today. Zen is out today, remember?" I asked, Jisung nodding and stretching on the bed. "Up now, Jisung."

"Hug first," he demanded and I gave him a pointed look. He raised an eyebrow as if he was testing me, looking like he would go through a full blown whiny tantrum if I didn't comply. I fought the urge to roll my eyes because Jisung didn't like it and went to him, lowering my upper half to hug him when he happily buried his face into my shoulder. 

"Happy?"

"Yes," he hummed and it didn't take long for us to finally get ready. I was done and I was putting on perfume, Jisung's hands wrapping around my waist to give my neck a small kiss when he coughed, the perfume going into his nostrils. "Well, damn."

I waved my hand in front of his face to wave the scent particles away when I quickly ushered him out the front door. I reminded him to tell his noona that he was on the way to work, Jisung nodding and sending her a quick text. When I got off the cab, I was about to walk into the building when Jisung pulled me away to plant a small kiss on my cheek.

"I love you," he whispered and I winked at him, looking around to make sure there were no people. I quickly pressed a chaste kiss against his lips and pulled away. 

We were in the MBC building now-- we would have to act like we were friends. It was quite hard, Jisung always taking the opportunity to be handsy when he got the chance. It was small pokes and hidden winks, sometimes stolen kisses behind the shelves if he caught me in time. 

I had always told him to be patient. That he just had to wait until after work.

We entered the building and it was busy. It was a Monday and Mondays were always filled with people groaning about how the weekend had been too short. I saw a few people in our department and we quickly entered the elevator, Jisung and I being pushed to the back. 

I felt his hands slip into mine and I quickly brought it behind me so no one would notice when a guy turned back and smiled at me. I recognized him... He was in the camera team and I had worked with him a few times. 

"Hey," he greeted, grinning at me. Before I could answer, I saw Jisung slowly edge closer to me. The elevator doors opened and more people filed in from the fourth floor when suddenly, Jisung was standing right in front of me, my boyfriend blocking my view.

It looked like one more round of people coming in would make them kiss. 

"Hi." Jisung grinned, his hand still s behind his back as he held mine. "You're very close."

"Hi, Jisung," Mr. Camera-man (who I couldn't remember what his name was) said before motioning to me. "Yeah, I was talking to her."

"Yeah." Jisung blinked, nodding slowly. "Yeah, well. She's... behind me." 

Wow, way to point out the obvious, Jisung. I bit my lip, watching my very jealous, very sensitive and over protective boyfriend stare down the man but with a small smile on his face. I squeezed his hand when the guy tried to look over Jisung's shoulder, Jisung not having any of it.

"Look, I just want her to have lunch with her."

"Lunch? Why lunch? I also want lunch." 

Another awkward round of staring before the guy finally gave up, nodding.

"Sure, Jisung." 

"Nice. Didn't think you'd say yes," Jisung answered happily when the elevators opened and he had to leave. "See you at lunch... Jimmy."

Oh, so that was his name! Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy... When everyone left and it was just the two of us, Jisung turned to me, a frown on his face.

"I do not like Jimmy and you will not go to that lunch."

"I won't, Jisung. You have to, though," I pointed out, chuckling at the situation that Jisung had put himself in. 

"Oh, I will. I will go to lunch with Jimmy." He made a face with the name when he noticed that we were alone, the male turning to trap me between his arms against the wall before swooping down to kiss me one more time. I ducked under his arm, Jisung glaring at me. "KBS! Our second rule! Do not run away from my kisses!"

I stuck my tongue out at him, pressing a kiss onto his cheek soon after when he looked up and a flash of panic flitted through his eyes.

"Oh no! The elevators have cameras!" he whispered and I looked up. Jisung suddenly reached out to punch my shoulder and I yelped, saying his name. He beamed. "For good measure."

I chuckled, Jisung pecking my lips before the elevator doors opened and we had to go about our day, as colleagues.

"I kiss and don't tell," he said to me, pinching my cheek as both of us went straight to our cubicles. 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

People knew me as the one who once worked for KBS and it was funny how much I identified with the nickname. I saw Jisung by the coffee machine and frowned. Jisung didn't drink coffee so I watched as he filled a cup of coffee before going into the director's office. 

Maybe he had a couple of things to report. 

"Hey, KBS!" A voice called for me and I turned around to see one of the journalists. She was a person with a good work ethic and she somehow had so much luck when it came to getting scoops. "I just read your article. Good job."

I smiled at her compliment, the female finally looking over to the director's office.
"I wanted to ask you if you knew what Jisung is up to," she began and her question made me quirk up an eyebrow. "I know the Director had asked him to go see him but I'm curious as to why. I saw them choosing a camera person, too. You're close to Jisung, can you find out for me?"

The reason why she got scoops was that she was always so curious. Somi looked eager and it wasn't long when the director's secretary peeked her head out as if she was looking for someone when she finally spotted me. 

"Oh, you! Ex-KBS..."

I let out a breath, pursing my lips. I preferred her to either just call me KBS or go by my real name. 

"The director is calling for you."

With a final nod to Somi and promising her I'd tell her if it wasn't confidential, I headed into the director's office. Jisung was already sitting with the director, my boyfriend half standing up when he saw me before he reached out to grab my hand.
And then he awkwardly shook it.

His action made Director Jinyoung frown, the male saying that he thought that we were close friends. Why would he shake my hand, he asked, both Jisung and I looking like a deer caught in headlights when Jisung stuttered.

"S-She deserves it," he blurted out and I looked at him. Why did he have to make it so awkward? "She deserves a handshake. She's very good at what she does."

"Yeah? I suppose so," Director Jinyoung mused, nodding at him. "Well, I'm here to tell you that I need a team for a scoop. We'll wait for the camera man... He should be here in a bit."

And the door suddenly opened, Jimmy walking through the doors.

"Oh no," Jisung whispered to me, his eyes widening. "I don't like Jimmy!"

"Hi, Jisung," Jimmy said from the door, taking a seat. Jisung turned red. "I see you're here."

"I am," Jisung mumbled under his breath. "See you at lunch, Jimmy."

"Will do, Jisung."
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jimmy, Jisung and I would be a team. That was what the Director Jinyoung told us. We would handle cases that needed smaller teams and we would have to be ready to be on call at all times. The smaller the team, the faster we would be able to go from place to place. Jimmy would be a cameraman and a driver at the same time. 

"Emergency team." the director called it. "Unlike big teams, you'd work with flexible schedules and shifts. You and Jisung get along well and Jimmy knows the ways of handling cameras and the equipment so I expect nothing less from a power team like this."

The first case that we would be tackling would be a politician that was said to have committed tax fraud. The thing is, I had to find out when he would be out for questioning so I would be on the front line, demanding comments while Jisung would be outside, summarizing it for the citizens to see. 

I had to do some investigating and that would be enough to keep me busy for the next few days. Jisung and I walked back to our cubicle, Jisung still whining at how we had to work with Jimmy.

"I do not like Jimmy but Jimmy is strong," he was saying and I laughed at his words. "Jimmy always holds the cameras. Promise me you don't like Jimmy, too."

"Why do you not like Jimmy?" I asked, frowning. "He never did anything bad to you--"

"Jimmy has bad intentions with you," he said and we stopped by the coffee machine. I pressed the button, waiting for my coffee. "It's not fair... Why does Jimmy like you and not like me? I like Jimmy."

"Jisung, you literally said you don't like Jimmy."

"I was lying, okay! I want to be liked by Jimmy. My noona says that relationships are very important in the workplace."

The scent of coffee wafted to my nose and I pressed the button one more time. I needed more than two cups of coffee with the lack of sleep I had been getting. 

"Jisung, the only person who is important should be me," I told him, Jisung giving me a pointed stare.

"Well, KBS," he began as-a-matter-of-factly. "Are you going to hold the camera for me? Look, I need Jimmy as much as I need you--"

"Uh." A voice sounded from the side and I turned, seeing Jimmy with an empty cup, looking stricken. I had no idea how long he had been standing there or how much of the conversation he had heard when he spoke slowly. "I... I am just going to leave."

"Jimmy!" Jisung cried out suddenly and I jumped from the panic in my boyfriend's voice. "Jimmy! It's not you, it's us! For the record, it was never about her! It was about you, you took the best camera angles..."

"Jisung, I understand," Jimmy began, holding up a hand. Jisung froze, his eyes darting back and forth. "I know how hard it is... To be in a closet. I will keep your secret."

"What?", both Jisung and I echoed. 

"I will keep your secret. I just want you to know that my ball is not on that side of the court," he repeated, Jisung frowning and tilting his head at him.

"You will? Our secret?" Jisung asked, Jimmy nodding when I realized what was happening. A hand went to Jisung's elbow and I pulled him closer, whispering to him.
"Jisung, I think Jimmy thinks you are gay. And that you like him." 

Jisung's eyes widened, Jimmy already making his head towards the elevator when Jisung yelled out Jimmy's name, running after him. I followed him, ready to pull him back if it went out of hand.

"No, Jimmy! Wait! I like her!" Jisung pointed at me, Jimmy pausing and stopping with his empty cup in his hand. "Jimmy--"

"Look, Jisung. I know that's what they always say. Don't worry."

"Oh no! What is going on?" Jisung wailed, almost pulling out the strands of his hair. "I have been inceptioned. Not like it's a big deal, but it's not true!"

"Jisung, I don't mind, okay?" Jimmy was trying to explain to him and it seemed like Jimmy had already made his mind. "I just have to tell you that I have a girlfriend."

The elevator dinged.

"What... You do?" Jisung asked, Jimmy nodding and entering the elevator. "Wait, Jimmy..."

"You'll find someone who likes you the way you like me, Jisung. I promise," Jimmy concluded and the elevator closed shut, leaving both Jisung and I very confused. Jisung threw his hands in the air.

"Well, KBS. You just have to tell everyone I'm gay and they will never think we are together. Problem solved!" Jisung sighed, scratching the back of his head. "But how do we contain it so no one other than our workmates know?"

"Impossible," I told him, Jisung pouting as he dragged his feet behind me. 

"Yeah, my noona will definitely ask. She has asked me before," he told me, both of us entering the glass doors that separated our workplace and the floor lobby. 

I told Jisung to go first and I would be in the bathroom. By the time I came back, I saw that there was a post with a drawing on it and a lot of hearts. 

I chuckled, looking up to see Jisung sit across from me, beaming. Somi sat beside me and she didn't look like she knew who it was from but she had seen me get a couple the moment I began working there. 

The day before it was a chicken, today it was a rooster. Park Jisung always took some time to practice his drawings the night before and I have seen a couple of crumpled papers with animals by my desk. 

"You have a secret admirer," Somi said to me and I chuckled.

"Not so secret," I told her, Somi asking me if I knew who it was. I nodded and she told me to make sure the director did not find out. 

I thought the day would go smoothly but for some reason, my stomach began to hurt. It didn't take long before I ended up in the bathroom, puking my insides out. I had no idea what I ate but I did remember having a banana the day before and it tasted weird. 

I felt like , bent over the basin in the girl's bathroom when Jisung came in with a cup of hot water. I told him he shouldn't be there but he shook his head.

"I don't care, you're my girlfriend," he told me, gathering my hair back to keep it away from my face. "Oh, KBS. I told you that the fruits you buy in the convenience stores aren't fresh. Maybe we should check next time we buy groceries--"

The door of the bathroom opened and he shut up almost immediately when two of our workmates came in, surprised at the fact that Jisung was there. 

"Oh, Jisung."

"Hi," he said meekly. "KBS is sick."

"Oh," they looked concerned and I lifted up an okay sign in the air, finally puking whatever was left that was inside my stomach, Jisung rubbing my back. "You guys are so cute together." 

"Of course, we're--" Jisung began before he cleared his throat. "Best friends."

I felt another wave of nausea, one of them telling me that I should take the day off. I sighed, tying my hair back, knowing that I had no other choice. Jisung shook his head, asking me if I wanted him to take me to the doctor but I shook my head, telling him that it was best for him to just stay and work.

All I needed was rest and a way to detox my body.

"Reminds me of when you drank and ended up puking on the blankets," he told me and I pouted, smacking him on the arm. I didn't need to be reminded of how faced I got before. I finally decided to apply for a day off, clutching my stomach as Jisung supported me when we left the bathroom.

Two of the girls were at the side and I heard them whisper to each other.

"Do you think there is something going on between the two of them?"

"Nah, impossible. Jimmy told me that Jisung kind of likes him."

At the mention of Jimmy, both Jisung and I exchanged looks before Jisung helped