⇋

One week.

One week of burying himself into endless piles of documents. Of answering calls. Of leaving voice messages to the President’s answering machine reminding him he has so-and-so schedule today. Of sitting in his cubicle, minding his own business while the giant entrance fronted by two doors remain closed.

The receptionist had been right―the President is a very busy person, and a week passed by with Sehun barely seeing him at all.

Which is good. Which is fine, to Sehun.

If the pay isn’t so good, Sehun would’ve quit the moment he got himself together.

Which he did.

Sehun is fine.

And if Kai wants to be Jongin now, and wants to pretend like they never knew each other, then. Okay.

Sehun will do what Kai―Jongin―wishes.

⇋

“Did you get the documents signed already?” Junmyeon, one of the company’s directors and apparently Jongin’s cousin, asks.

Sehun looks up from his desk. “Which one?”

“The liquidation of Meha Enterprise. We need Jongin’s signature to buy it.” The other makes an impatient noise. “I told my secretary to tell you to have it taken care of ASAP. Did you miss the memo?”

Sehun resists the urge to purse his lips. Junmyeon’s secretary did dump a bunch of files on him this morning, telling him to look at it, but Sehun had been too busy with the other files that he had neglected it. “I’m sorry,” he says, shifting through the papers to find the exact one. “I’ll file this to Mr. Kim now.”

“No, it’s going to get buried in his mountains of paperworks again,” Junmyeon snaps, gesturing to Jongin’s door. “Go tell him to sign it. And bring it back to me immediately. I’ll be waiting in my office.”

Without leaving Sehun a chance to respond, the other man stalks away, and Sehun sighs quietly. This is what happens when you’re working as someone’s underling, Sehun, he tells himself. It’s okay. He’s higher-ranked than you. So do what he tells you to do so you won’t get on his bad side.

Live peacefully, Sehun reminds himself.

The problem is… Sehun glances uneasily at the doors to Jongin’s office. Junmyeon is right―if he waits until the stacks of papers are brought to Jongin periodically, it will definitely take a longer time than if he were to go into the office right now and asked the man to sign it himself.

This means he’d need to see Jongin face to face, though…

All for the good of the job, Oh Sehun, he murmurs quietly. This is a good job with a good pay. Sowon is starting Elementary School next year. You’ll need the money for his school supplies. This is for Sowon.

With this chanting inside his head, Sehun steels himself and knocks on the door.

There is no answer and Sehun has to knock harder the next time for a voice to call, “Come in.”

When he opens the door after great trepidation, the first thing he sees is Jongin hunched over his desk, scanning over some papers.

“Mr. Kim,” he starts, “Director Junmyeon would like you to sign the documents to buy Meha Enterprise after their liquidation…”

When Jongin finally glances up to him, his eyes are bloodshot, like he hasn’t slept in days.

Something pangs inside Sehun’s heart.

Sure, Jongin might be loaded, and being the president to such a wealthy and powerful company is every man’s dream comes true, but…

If it’s at the cost of his health…

The Kai that he knew wouldn’t let himself be shackled by an office position like this. That Kai might not be as wealthy, but he would look a lot healthier, and maybe―

―maybe happier, too.

Wait, what do I care about what Kai―or Jongin, whatever―wants to do with his life? Who cares if he looks like death warmed over? Not my business―

“Give it here,” Jongin says, snapping Sehun out of his internal thoughts, and the latter stumbles towards the desk and hands him the folder.

Jongin is quiet as he reads and signs, leaving Sehun to stand awkwardly waiting for him. Once the man is done, Sehun internally sighs in relief, taking the document and about to high-tail it out of there, when―

“Wait. Can you brew me a cup of coffee and bring it here?” Jongin’s voice rings just as Sehun’s hand is on the doorknob.

“S―Sure,” Sehun replies. “Any flavor?”

The other hesitate for a moment before speaking, “Hazelnut. One spoon of sugar. Don’t make it too bitter nor too sweet.”

Sehun nods jerkily before walking out.

⇋

After delivering the documents to Junmyeon, he takes the elevator down to the company’s cafeteria.

There isn’t really anyone here yet, since it’s still early in the morning and not yet for break, and Sehun finds himself quietly brewing the coffee.