Chapter 001

✥ The sight of a sunny late afternoon sun resting over Incheon’s waters never bores Incheon native twenty-four-year-old Kim Kyujong. The warm weather cried summer as the man lying on the beach bench is cladded in a white linen long sleeve and a brown cotton short that is rarely covering his knees. With his arms over his chest and eyes closed, he could hear the common noises that would immediately remind one of the seashore. In the particular location, the clashing of waves were his lullaby and chirping of birds were its melody.

The sudden contact of bird’s droppings on his bare shin woke the tired Kyujong. With an eye pop open and head tilt forward, he gazes toward his leg and sigh before dropping the back of his head back onto the seat. However, between the bench and his head is a book that was being used as his pillow. The man shut his eyes once again, trying to cover the lost moment from before. But a particular someone wouldn’t allow him to do so, “Here you are President!” a voice cried somewhere around him. “President! Why are you sleeping out here again? Please get up! There’s so much to do!” the annoyed tone of Kyujong’s personal assistant made him frown.

With the assistant’s nagging, Kyujong sit up slowly and search for the man’s glaring eyes. Off to the side is a younger man with clean black hair. Despite being covered in formal wear from head to toe, the lad possessed a clumsy body structure; his long legs appears unsturdy and his smaller body is balancing a much bigger head. At least he had his looks to depend regardless of his odd figure.

Kyujong exhaled deeply before pivoting his attention away from his helper and onto the sea’s surface before them. Slowly but surely he finally breathed the question, “Did something happen?” Resulting a scoff from his subordinate.

“President! Why are you doing this to me? I looked everywhere for you because it was urgent, but how can you,” the tall man paused to take a deep breath and lower his voice, “how can you be so calm?”

The higher in position man looked up to his angry company and smiled. It always amuses him when his favorite employee nags him, because the tone of his was irresistibly adorable to Kyujong. Hence, it made teasing the younger fun, “Take a deep breath and tell me what happen,” Kyujong say keeping his cheekily smile.

“President! Is this funny to you? Can’t you see that I’m dying here?” The youth messes up the hair on the back of his head. When Kyujong didn’t respond the male continue in a much lower voice, “Anyway, Ms. Jung came by and demanded the keys to Mr. Jung’s room. Apparently she stormed into his room and caused a scene with his mistress, maybe by now they have calm down but if you were there! I mean, if President were there then Ms. Jung wouldn’t have caused a scene….” As the fellow trailed off, Kyujong processed the information and kept his smile.  

“Wouldn’t this be the third time then?”

“President! How can you make a joke out of this situation?!”

“Is it the fourth then? Didn’t Ms. Jung come by last week too?”

“President!”

“It can’t be the fifth time either….”

“Kim Kyujong!” His helper hollered his full name, which surprised him.

“Oh you scared me,” Kyujong said glancing around for any bypassers.

“I mean President Kim….Seriously why won’t you ban Mr. Jung or at least talk to that old couple? Everyone at work is tired and stressed from their drama….”

Kyujong finally stood to meet the tall youth’s height. “Did you bring me a change of pants?”

The darkness in his helper’s face were lifted as a wide smile crawl onto his face. “Of course, President!” Kyujong look over to see that his subordinate has been carrying the jean in his hands and is handing them over. “Here you go President!” Kyujong couldn’t hide the grin on his face as he took it with one hand.

“Thank you, Lee Sungyeol.”

✥ It is a ten minute drive from the shores to Kyujong’s Grand Kim Hotel. During the ride, Sungyeol who was the driver, was emiting his nervousness by tapping the steering wheel. Meanwhile in the passenger seat, Kyujong is looking through the book that he had used as a pillow earlier. “President please remember that when we get there you must either talk to Ms. Jung or ban Mr. Jung.” Sungyeol reminded Kyujong. The president hum in response but did not look up from the text. “Also, there’s a meeting today at four. Make sure you attend or someone will keep spreading rumors about you, understand?”

A scoffy chuckle escape Kyujong’s full lips, “You’re starting to sound like the boss here Sungyeol,”

“Don’t make fun of me,” Sungyeol says under a warning tone, “if you don't start acting like a boss than someone else would have to. So basically the reasons for my actions are your fault.” The driver mumbled the rest on his own, but Kyujong heard every word of it.

“Then should we switch roles?”

“Eh?!” Sungyeol cry, as he detach his eyes from the road.

“We should switch roles, you become president and I’ll be your assistant and driver.” Kyujong insists but Sungyeol scoff heavily.

“As if! Besides, I’m much of a better driver than you. Plus why should I? President fits you since it is your family’s hotel afterall.”

Kyujong sighs at the fact and sunk in his seat, “That’s right. I forgot it was my family’s hotel.” He say under a whisper. On the side, Sungyeol shook his head in disbelief.

✥ Soon they arrive at Kyujong’s hotel—a white building that stands six floors off the ground and with huge “Grand Kim Hotel” letters installed onto the front of the construction—where a worker on the side open the door for Kyujong. The man was now wearing the long jeans Sungyeol had brought him. With his book in hand, Kyujong greet the workers outdoors before heading in.

“Go home with me!” A woman in her mid forties cry. Her wavy black locks were cut short and she was the definition of a lady in red. With bright red lipstick and red dress, she was hauling at an older man’s dress jacket.

“Let go of me!” The man shouts, but neither one was going to give in and kept pulling and pushing. On the other side of the elderly male is a younger woman, in her late twenties. She was clinging onto the other arm of the older as she hid behind him. Gathering around the scene before the front desk was both employees and customers—citizens.

Kyujong and Sungyeol make their way toward the center of attention, where they come to stand beside a female employee with a hand clap over her cheek. “What happened?” Sungyeol asks the nearby workers.

Another shaky female employee answer, “She tried to stop them but Ms. Jung hit her.” Upon hearing that, Sungyeol divert his attention to Kyujong.

“Do something President!” Sungyeol hush the cue over. Kyujong hand his book over to Sungyeol but didn't jump into the chaos right away.

“Let go of me!” The elderly man yell as he manage to push the lady off him. But she waste no time to grab onto him again.

“Never! You must go home with me or I won’t let you go! Never!”

“You annoying wench!” The older strip himself of any woman’s touch and finally use all his force and power to push her. This time she stumble back in her heels and fell backwards, but just in time Kyujong step forward to catch her mid-fall. With the shock of being pushed and almost hitting the ground, Ms. Jung bursted out crying as Kyujong keep his hands around her shoulders.

“Mr. Jung, as you are a regular I expect you to follow the rules around here. Resorting to violence will not be tolerate here, please leave our hotel.” Kyujong says amidst the sudden silence. The older man with a wrinkled face frown at him.

“I’m going to report your hotel’s poor security services! What kind of hotel allow a non-customer and uninvited guest to storm into a VIP’s room and causes trouble?!” The older ask in a scratchy loud voice. “I have never seen such hotel treats me the way yours did! You accuse me of violence?!”

“Honey stop this! I’m sorry! Please go back with me,” Ms. Jung cut in. The older pay her no attention and turn to the young woman beside her.

“Let’s go,” he says before escorting her out.

“Honey! Honey!” Ms. Jung cry before dropping onto the ground with heavy sobs. Chattering began to rise from the bystanders. Sungyeol slap his forehead and shut his eyes for a brief moment, annoyed. Kyujong, on the other hand, got down on one knee to grab the woman’s attention.

“Ms. Jung, please get up. You’ll catch a cold if you cry like that on the cold floor,” Though Kyujong try to comfort her, her anger was already on edge. She grab onto his shirt and tug him.

“This is all your fault! Because of you! You and this dog of a hotel! Always hiding married men with those, those cheap women! You make him this way! Take responsibility you worthless President!” She cry and beat him. Watchers took in the scene as Kyujong endure her fit.

“Idiot don’t just take the hits….” Sungyeol mumble.

✥ After her aimless cries and curses, Ms. Jung had fallen asleep leaning against Kyujong’s chest. As workers and customers continue on with their duties, a few workers head toward his direction. “Should we call a taxi and send her off?” Sungyeol asks. Kyujong shook his head and flash the obvious worried workers a reassuring smile.

“I’ll take care of her.” Not holding any grudges, Kyujong took her into an available room in the hotel and rest her over the red bedspread, before pulling the blanket over her. As she rest quietly, Kyujong could see the smearing of her makeup done by the tears that were now dry. Looking at her, he couldn’t help but feel bad. She was a woman who didn’t deserve to be cheated on. But Mr. Jung had the right to love whomever he wishes to, no matter how many times his love changes. Due to the pulling done by Ms. Jung, Kyujong's shirt has lost the first button and became wrinkled, and stretched.

“Man, you look like a mess,” a deep voice came from the direction of the door. Kyujong look over, already knowing who it was. When his eyes met the figure, a bright smile cross his face.

“Hyungjun,”

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