Chapter 11

Woman who can't cry, Man who can't smile

"Oppa, i need to sleep now. My flight is early tomorrow morning." Jihyo talks over the phone with Gary.
"Really? I thought Donghoon wants to go after lunch."
"Manager Ha? He does not following us. Only me, Yoona and MinAh."
"So again you are going as his behalf? Aishh..this man!"
"No oppa. That is our team's strategy. Unless it is outside Korea, he will be the one who will be flying there. Beside, i am uncomfortable with the good treatment he gives me after knowing about us."
"Jihyo, i always tell you this. I never force him to treat you that way. You are a good worker and he confessed that to me once. He know how to repay for people's kindness."
"Oppa...are you coming to Busan?"
"Hmmm..i don't think i can make it. I..i..have some appointment with one of our shareholder."
"Its okay oppa. At least i know you won't come. It will be awkard all over again if you keep give surprise visit."
"Oh jihyo ah, did Donghoon told you anything?"
"What is that oppa?"
"Busan is a special place for my father. Our first branch was set there, that was my father's condition. So basically everything about Busan's office, the president will be in charge. And...don't be surprised. Father will make his visit there."
"Seriously?! Omo! I never directly deal with him. What..what am i going to do?" It is true enough, Mr president rarely involved in any of general meeting and even he is present in KG Comm, only a meeting with board of director and Team Director.
"Honey..just chill okay? You can do it.. Let me tell you what you need to do, take notes for your team also." Gary end up teaches Jihyo the whole night about how to present and deal with his father.

It is their last day in Busan. Three days since Jihyo left Seoul but she still clueless about president's visit. As teaches by Gary, Jihyo already prepared whatever they need.
"Unnie, i feel uneasy though. Is it okay for us to go back to Seoul this evening? We already sets everything up here. They are ready for launching next week." Yoona sighes as she took seat between Jihyo and MinAh.
"Yeah. I am thinking the same. Its okay, come let us do our final check up." Jihyo stood up and grabs both her friends' hands. three of them gigling towards their office when one of the worker runs to them.
"Oh there you are! Mr President is on his way here." Yoona and MinAh gasp upon hearing that but Jihyo remain calm and pulls her friends forward.
"Come ladies, we had a job to do!" They continue their steps towards the meeting room.

"How about the coverage? We rarely achieve our target here since its been open. Busan community is not as much as Seoul. Beside, some part of Busan still outside of our network coverage." Mr Kang still reading the paper in front of him. Every part of the reports, every line of the paper, he will continue make a comment.
"It is true, busan still not 100% within our network coverage, that is why we are focusing at the fixed line here. As you can see from the distribution here, we cover almost whole of Busan." Yoona shows the graph as she presenting to him.
"That is impressing. By three days your visit here, you guys seem to know Busan better. It is such a beautiful place here. I always tell my son to focus about this branch, seem he send a good team to help here. For marketing team, i hope you can follow the strategy that been create by Production team. Congratulations on your hard work."
Jihyo smiles happily as he can sense that Mr president loves their work. She kept in her mind to thanks Gary later for his tips. Indeed only a son can understand his father better.
"Who is production team's leader?" Everyone glances at jihyo soon after hearing Mr Kang's question. Suddenly Jihyo feel uneasy with all the eyes focusing at her.
"Oh..can i meet you later?" Jihyo nods her head upon the request.
After the big group leaves the meeting room. Jihyo left inside with Mr Kang. She took a seat at the side near him as instructed.
"You are?"
" i am Song Jihyo."
"Song Jihyo ssi. I never see you in Seoul branch. How long you been there?"
"It almost 2 years."
"Oh, i'm sure you learn a lot in such a short period. Is Manager Ha trained you?" Jihyo nods her head.
"But..i saw your written report in our other branches as well. It seems that your strategy there is different from here. Your strategy here, reminds me of someone. Someone who close to me. And i am the one who taught him."
Jihyo starts to feel nervous. Did they been caught? Will she been fired? she feel like been choke for a while.
"It is similar with what i taught my brother. But unfortunately, he left my family at his early age." Jihyo able to breathe normally again after hearing the words.
"You are talented. I will make sure Gary kept you well in the company."
"Thank you Mr President." Jihyo keep bows to him. She is grateful with the compliment.
"I think i had to make excuse now. I need to go back to Seoul. There is family meeting for my son's engagement."
Jihyo froze in her position. She tries to swallow whatever she heard just now. But she still gives the awkard smile to him. Once he left the room, Jihyo unknowingly falls on her seat. She is hurt. 
"Why oppa didn't tell me about this? Appointment? Is that why he didn't come here? Engagement? What are we then?"

Jihyo reaches her house that evening. Soon after she drops her bag, she found out that her phone is out of battery. After she had a good and relaxing shower, she can heard few rings and notifications from her phone. Knowing who is that person, she ignores it. Instead, she make a call to someone.
"Kwangsoo ah, where are you? Can we hang out tonight?"

Kwangsoo watches as his sister took a seat next to him. Without a warning, she grabs his drinks and in one gulp she able to finish it.
"Noona, are you mad now? Why you took my drink?" Kwangsoo whined over it.
"Don't be a nagger tonight. Get me few shots, i need to release my mind for a while." Kwangsoo just following her orders even he does not like it.
"Where is Gary hyung? Did you guys had a fight?"
"Yah! Can't i be alone? I need my own comfort zone also." But Kwangsoo can detect in her tones that she is unhappy with that name so he changes the topic.
"Why you want to see me tonight? Its rarely for you to force me for meet up on friday night."
"I am bored at home. Plus Gary is busy with some family issue." Upon hearing the words family, Jihyo feels hurt all over again. along the way back from busan to Seoul, she thought about their relationship. She agree for them to have this secret kind of date, she agree for the risk but knowing that her man is getting engaged is like she is being his mistress.
"Noona, you hear me?"
"What is it?"
"You drinks too much. It just not you."
"Can you tell me about your life instead? I want to hear it." Jihyo listens to kwangsoo's story for the next hour. Sometimes she laughes loudly upon the lame jokes she heard, sometimes she pouts her face when hearing a sad story. Without knowing, she already drunks but fortunately kwangsoo knows that his sister is drinking to forget her problems which is likely due to Gary. He just let her have her way. He didn't drink much and still sober to bring his sister home.
"Noona, come..i send you home. You are drunk." While grabbing his sister's arm, he can hear her phone ringing non stop. He looks at the caller ID, its Gary. He is hesitating to answer at first but after few times he kept calling, kwangsoo had to take it.
"Hello?"
"Who is this? Where is Jihyo?" 
"Oh hyung! Kwangsoo here..noona is with me"
"Where are you guys now? Why it so loud there?"
"Noona seem mad about something and she asks me for a drink. But she is drunk now so i need to bring her back."
"Oh kwangsoo ah, tell me where is the place. I will fetch her."

Jihyo groans as the splitting headache attacks her soon after she wakes up next morning. She open her eyes slowly and scanning her surrounding.
'This is not my room!' She turns her head and found Gary next to her still sleeping while backhugging her. She is just about to touch his face before she remembers why she drinks last night.
"Yah! Kang Gary!" She yells at him. Gary opens his eyes and nearly hit the headbed due to shock.
"Why? What happens?" He tries to pulls her hand but Jihyo quickly release herself and move out from the bed.
"Why am i here? And how you found me?"
"Jihyo ah..slow down. Kwangsoo is outside. I try to find you whole day yesterday, luckily Kwangsoo answered the call."
"So, you already finished your appointment?" Asks jihyo in her sarcastic tone.
"Appointment? Oh..ya..ya..we finished it quite early.." 
"You ask me to be honest, now can you tell me the truth now?"
Gary keep silent as he still clueless about what Jihyo is trying to interrogate with him.
"Are you mad about something? Is this about my father? Is everything going well there?" Gary is worried about their meeting as he heard from his father's assistant that Jihyo had one to one talk with his father after the meeting.
Jihyo remains in her position while Gary already approaching her when he notices the silent from her.
"What did he say? Tell me..don't worry, i'm here. No matter what happen, we will be together." Gary talks softly and tries to hug her but Jihyo quickly removes his hand from her. She is facing him now.
"Yes. We are talking about your engagement. Care to tell me now?" Jihyo stares at him after she finishes her words. Gary gulps down his saliva and unable to face Jihyo for now. He starts to sweat and he never been that nervous from just a stare.
Now its Gary's turn to keep silent. She gives up on waiting and make move towards the bathroom. After she comes out from there, Gary already waiting outside. He pleads her to have a talk first but jihyo resists everything. She stormed up from the room and pulls kwangsoo who is happily watches TV at living room.
"Kwangsoo ah, send me home now!"
"But..but..we had breakfast date today.." Kwangsoo points to Gary but he only receives a deep stare from his sister.
"Jihyo ah, listen to me first. We need to talk!"
"Just leave me alone!" She grabs her brother's hand tightly while pushing Gary aside. 
"Hyung..sorry. I can't make it today." Gary only able to see both of them leaving his house. He punches over the door as he can't make Jihyo to stay and listen to his explaination.

Gary knows it will be useless for him to call and visit her house as she won't give way to him. The only way to see her is at their office. It is Monday today, soon after he reaches the building, he straight away head to Jihyo's department. Passing by her room, he noticed that she is not there. Few staffs noticed the tense in his face and they didn't dare to greet him as they try to hide themselves.
"Kang Gary? I thought you said to me last night you had important things to do this morning? Why you ended up here?" Haha asks him as he saw Gary took a seat on the couch in his room. Judging by his frown, there must be something bothered him or to be specific, something that stressed him up.
"She found it!" Gary answers while looking through the window.
"Who? Found what?" Haha now only looks at his friend's face again.
"Jihyo..she found out about the engagement. And she didn't want to hear from me again."
Haha laughs in his evil tone but slowly he stops as Gary stares at him.
"Is that funny to you? She will leave me!" 
"I warn you guys already. Both of you can't be together! this is what i am afraid of."
"No! We still can be together. It just one of the bump in our relationship. I trust her, she will listen to my plan well."
"Gary ah, you already fall too deep. No matter what i said, you will deny it. But i'm worried about her more. Think about her future. Your family might hurt her."
"If they did something to her, then i don't have any family!"
"Then, are you willing to give up on KG Comm?" Gary stunned on Haha's question but he really out of his mind right now, he ignores his friend.
"Tell her to bring the Busan report to my room. I want her, not you or anyone." Gary instructs while walking to the door.
"She took leave for 2 days. I will send one of my team member or else i will send to Mr Kang this afternoon."
"Damn it!" Gary mumbles that words before he slammed the door behind.

"Unnie! How are you? I heard you fall sick after came back from Busan?" MinAh hang around jihyo's desk when they see each other that morning.
"I'm getting better now. Maybe because i didn't sleep much there."
"Thanks God you are here today. You know our CEO keep bashing us about the report in Busan this two days. I don't know what in his mind right now! He kept scolding and throwing files. He even blames the Marketing Team." Jihyo calmly sips on her coffee while listening to their stories. She knows that Gary purposely doing that so she will confront him but she had another plan in her mind.
"Unnie, you heard me?"
"What? Yeah..i heard it, the CEO is mad for no reason."
"And can you come to help us today? Please unnie.."
"Where you want me to go?"
"Meeting with CEO" 
"So you want me to get scold also?"
"No! But he insists for Team Leader to presenting the paper."
'Aish this Kang Gary..' Jihyo clenches her fist to hold her temper. She need to act cool now.

"Come in." The stern voice from inside make Jihyo's heart flutter. She miss the soft and romantic voice from that man but she knows that soon she had to get use with that tone.
"CEO Kang." Gary raise his head immediately when hearing her voice. 
"Jihyo? You back?" Gary was about to leave his seat to drag Jihyo to the couch but his move stopped when seeing 2 more female worker enter the room. 
"I am the leader appointed by Director Ha for Production team in Busan. Sorry for being late to present this paper as i heard from my team member that you are unhappy with the report. I need a few adjustment to assist you." without looking at him, Jihyo remain professional and continue her works. She presenting in her diligent way while the other team mate try to read Gary's expression. Gary was not really heard whatever she talks about, he is busy watching Jihyo from his table. 
"So can we proceed with this plan? The president seem to approve that day but he is respecting you for any changes that you want."
"Okay." Gary nods his head. The other two ladies already shows their hidden excitement.
"Thank you Mr Kang. I will give you the written proposal by today and proceed as soon as possible." Jihyo bows to him and about to leave the room when Gary calls her.
"Both of you..can leave now. I need to discuss with your team leader." Jihyo sighes on that request but she slowly walk back to him. Her heart thumping faster when Gary approaches him. She just let whatever Gary do to her. She has so much hatred now to this man and she need to teach him a lesson.
"Jihyo ah...i'm sorry. I should be honest to you." Gary's hands roaming at the side of her body while he whispers near to her ear. He just about to land his lip towards her neck when Jihyo pushes him slowly.
"Gary ssi..i'm sorry. We are at office now. I'm respecting you as my boss so please.."
Gary holds himself from getting near her. She still mad at him.
"So what can i do to make you listen to my explaination?"
"I hope you can distinguish between work and personal things. Don't make your personal problem affect the office situation. Its not good for the staff."
"Fine. I know its my fault. Can we meet tonight? We need to talk."
"I will wait for you at my home." With then Jihyo quickly leaves the room while Gary is already jumps inside his heart knowing there is a hope for them.

Jihyo is sitting calmly on the sofa. She glances at the clock near the door, it still early for him to come. She watches the TV when an advertisement of their company is play on. She smiles watching it as she remembers how Gary will agree on any of her idea from their company production. She had done much for KG Comm and she can bear to leave it soon..for them. Tonight, she will choose her career over him. Even it will hurt to see him in the company and it will risk her job status there, but she loves her job more. The caption from their advertisement suddenly hit her. 'Happy for being success is success to happiness.' 
'Am i happy with the decision?' She continue to have her deep thought until she heard the doorbell.
"Am i late?" Jihyo shakes her head while allowing Gary to enter the house. they both took seat on the sofa end. The gap between them signifies how much the tense between them. 
"Oppa.." Gary looks at her face. She is about to cry but he knows she can't cry. It hurts him to see her in such pain. He knows she holds it for long until tonight.
"Its okay if you left me for another woman. Your father know what is better choice for you. Don't make me fall deeper for you and don't worry i will overcome this in my own way."
"You..you want a break up? What are you thinking? I thought we are discusing and solving our issue here. Why must you make your own decision without listening to me?" Gary's mood changes when hearing the first words from her. He never thought of break up.
"But you will be someone fiancee and i don't want to hurt anyone!"
"I won't getting engaged or married unless it is you! Now listen here Song Jihyo. It is my family's decision and i'm not aware of it until the day before you go to Busan. I don't know her! You know how my father controlling my life since my childhood? I need a break! This time i won't follow his order."
"You mean..you cancel the engagement?" Gary nods his head, when seeing Jihyo's face less tense, he approaches her.
"This is what i want to tell you. Trust me. I don't lie to you.."

Flashback
"Don't be late and don't try to escape the meeting. I will tell Seojun to bring you home for that day." Mr Kang warns Gary after he told him about the engagement meeting.
"But.." He stops at his words when seeing his stepmother stares at him.
"Gary ah, you are reaching your age to get married. How long you want to plays with women outside? Think about your future." Mr Kang already stood up from his seat leaving his son without any words to defense.

"I need to monitor our project in Busan. That will be 4 days. I can't make it." He speaks it loud for his father to hear.
"We had a deal remember? This engagement or you can leave KG Comm. Beside, i am the one who always go to Busan."
Gary watches as his father leaves the room and what make him annoyed is seeing Mrs Kang smirked at him before following her husband. He tells Haha about the engagement and as usual Haha asks him to follow his father order. He
calls Jihyo that night to make sure she really leaves to Busan. She don't want her to hear gossip and rumors at office.
The Yoo family came as planned by his father who just came back from Busan. It was a big feast at Kang mansion but none of Gary's friends were there. Gary tries to calm his nerves as his rebel plan kept playing in his mind. He need to do this or else he will regret. He glances at the girl that supposed to be his fiancee, he knew that she also been forced for it. It make things easier for him. In the middle of the party, both of them been called forward as their engagement will be announced.

"Lets hear what our young boss, Gary said for this happy day!" The emcee gives him the mic which he gladly took it.  looks up at saw few eyes watches him. He sighs before continue his words.
"Father, i'm sorry. I can't do this. Mr Yoo, i'm sorry i had to disappoint you this much. I cannot lie with my feelings. I can't get married with her." He looks at the girl amd continue his words. "Just say if you really want this. We are not their trade marketing products, we have our own decision in life."

"Appa...i'm sorry." She cries soon after hearing Gary's words. Mr Yoo seem calm about this.
"Gary ah, what are you thinking? Remember we had a deal?" Mr kang pulls him aside while whispers to him.
"I already got someone in my heart and i dont want to hurt her. I want to be with her forever even you againsts it!" With that Gary storms out from the mansion and finds Jihyo but at that time, Jihyo already knew about the news and avoiding him.

End of flashback

"But oppa...how about KG Comm? Its your hard work, you can't lose it. Oppa, have a words with your father. Tell him to spare you or just go for the engagement. Its for your happiness."
" you think i will be happy without you? You think you can bear to see me married another woman?" Gary shouts out his frustration to her. 
"I'm sorry oppa...it just, i don't want you to regret about this. Its too much for you to sacrifices KG Comm for me. I'm not worth it.." Gary quickly touches her lips to stop her from continue.
"Jihyo ah, honey..listen. This is to tell you how much you mean in my life. I can't live without you. Its okay, i can start with new company if father really means his words. As long as i have you, there is nothing impossible to achieve. Trust me, stay with me."
For the whole night, they make promise to each other. They had to expect the worse outcome from President decision. Jihyo was really touched with how much love Gary had for her and she promises to always be with him all this time.

It is an annual meeting with Mr President and board of directors that morning. After spending quality time with his woman last night, Gary comes to his office with new determination. Its like having a superpower, he feels like all his burden been lights up from their talk last night.
"As a Mr president of KG Comm, i am glad to have this company for all this year. The great achievement made by our company ever since its been started had open eyes in the industry. I think i had enough of it.." Gary looks up at his father. He knew his father will do big announcement today. He is ready to let go his position as CEO.
"After been thinking and analyzing few candidates, i had come to my mind who can replace my position in this company." Everyone starts to make a noise. The president will be replaced. Even Gary didn't expect it from his father.
"I introduce to you..Kim Tae Oh." A young man at about Gary's age enter the room. Gary's eyes widened upon hearing his name.
'Kim Tae Oh? Out of anyone but him?' He following others clapping their hand as welcoming the new president.

Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
Fansmcindo #1
Chapter 24: Thanls for update
iamrainy #2
Chapter 23: Thanks for update... Next author... Please
Fathi_Ishak
#3
Chapter 23: Wow....that's some evil plan they hve there...
Fansmcindo #4
Chapter 23: Thanks for update..
Ann020 #5
Chapter 23: Thanks for update.
Fansmcindo #6
Chapter 22: Thanks for update
Ann020 #7
Chapter 22: Welcome back and thanks for update authornim.
Fathi_Ishak
#8
Chapter 22: Omg....thanks for this long awaited update,author-nim!! I really appreciate it! XOXO
Ann020 #9
Update soon please .
Marcella90 #10
Chapter 21: Author nim...oediya??