Chapter 8: SPY.

Dasom came in the office, sporting a tiny black dress and pumps, Youngjae was typing on the laptop, even though he noticed her presence, he pretended he didn't and kept typing until she stopped before him, then he looked up, she had a flawless makeup on and fleshy red lips.

    “What are you doing here?” Youngjae asked rudely.

    “I'm here to thank you for the cheesecake”

    “How did you? You weren't there and I threw it away”

    Dasom gave Youngjae an enigmatic smile, went over to him and sat on his lap.

    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Youngjae said, mouth wide open, his eyes fixed on her.

    “Anything you want me to” Dasom moved her body against his and whispered in his ear and then she chewed his earlobe and kissed down his neck sending shivers through his body before taking his face in both hands, Youngjae shut his eyes and waited for the kiss, he couldn’t think straight, her perfume was intoxicating just like her moves.

    “Kiss me!”

    Youngjae opened his eyes and found a mop on his lap in Dasom’s place; the mop wore a wedding dress and had cartoonish arms that grabbed him possessively.

    “Kiss me” the mop rubbed its bundle of strings against Youngjae's face while Youngjae tried to push it away unsuccessfully.

Youngjae woke up in shock, he'd dropped off on the job and had the scariest dream ever, a seductive Dasom enticing him and then a mop dressed as a bride kissing him. Youngjae watched his laptop, Dasom’s profile was posted five hours ago and it already had 3.000.000 hits. It was the first time in Ego’s history that a new and unknown model got so much attention. A lot of brands wanted her to be the face of their products, variety shows wanted to interview her, even male idols called asking to meet her.

    “Favorite food cheesecake, favorite body part thighs, frequent habit her lips...”

    “Hi, may I come in?” Daehyun asked with his girly voice from the threshold. The door was open, but he didn’t want to step in without permission and give Youngjae an excuse to bark like a mad dog.

    “I'm dreaming again?” Youngjae slapped himself while he studied Dasom’s look, she wore a baggy sweatshirt instead of the y dress in his dream.

    “What do you want?” Daehyun walked towards Youngjae without the provocative attitude in his dream.

    “I don’t want anything from you” Youngjae said apprehensively, imagining that Dasom was going to jump on him at any time, but she just crossed her arms.

    “You sent your secretary for me”

    “Ah... Yes... This is the contract...” Youngjae reached into his desk’s mess and gave her a folder.

    Daehyun had never seen a contract, so he pretended to read it, there were a couple of papers and all looked the same. Youngjae stared at her, it was clear that she didn’t have a single clue on contracts, her puzzled face was adorable though, she bit her lower lip a few times and her lips as well freaking Youngjae out, it was too appealing (if Dasom didn’t plan to jump on him, he planned to do it)

    “I'm getting 30.000 per month?” Daehyun looked at Youngjae and Youngjae broke eye contact.

    “Yes… You have any objections?” Youngjae played with his laptop anxiously.

    “I read an article about Sumin getting 100.000”

    “She's an established model, you aren't”

    “And the mansion? The article says the magazine gave her a mansion to live”

    “I know the article you're talking about. The mansion was rented for the photo shoot, we said it’s hers to make her more glamorous and opulent, but actually she lives in an apartment, a very nice one, though, paid by her own”

    “What? I just took this job because I need a place to go! You don't give mansions away?”

    “We aren't real estate or charity”

    “Fine, 30.000 is a lot, I can get a flat, can you give me a cash advance?”

    “We aren't bank”

    “But I need money! My aunt already packed my stuff”

    “What are you talking about?”

    “I've been kicked out of my family house”

    “I don't care, just sign and take your telenovela somewhere else” Youngjae gave her a pen.

    “I should have hit you harder” Daehyun mumbled through his teeth.

Jongup ran downstairs, carrying a box full of roll films, his boss instructed him to develop the photos by the end of the day, that's why he was in a hurry, then he tripped and fell and the films flew all over the floor.

    “Are you ok?!” Daehyun was heading to the elevator (still fashioned as Dasom) when he saw Jongup tripping and falling.

    “Yes” Jongup said, annoyed, but seeing as Dasom helped him up, a smile appeared on his face “I’m ok”

    “You are the photographer”

    “I'm just the assistant” Jongup said out of breath, it was like she put a spell on him, everytime he saw her, his knees weakened and butterflies fluttered in his stomach.

    “Let me help” Daehyun bent down and collected the films across the floor.

    “The films!!! Hyoseong’s going to kill me and then fire me!!!” Jongup picked up the rollfilms and found one with cracks “It’s broken! I’m dead!”

    “The film may be fine, it’s only the cartridge that’s broken” Daehyun said.

    “You think so?”

    “There's any darkroom here?”

    “I was just on my way over”

    “Take me there and let's see this baby, I'm sure it's fine”

    Jongup took her to the darkroom. It was the biggest darkroom Daehyun had ever been, it was a thousand times bigger than the one in the newspaper, the equipment looked high tech and expensive.

    “You’re not supposed to be here, Hyoseong noona just let her staff in” Jongup said.

    “This is a film cassette opener?” Daehyun, excited, took the opener “At the newspaper I have to use a fork! Give me the roll”

    Jongup obeyed and Daehyun opened the canister with the opener and scissors and pulled the film out carefully.

    “Oh” Daehyun said, looking at the film.

    “What?! What?!” Jongup was a very chill dude; with the exception that he could be fired for damaging the photos he had to develop.

    “There's some torn parts”

    “I'm gonna lose my job”

    “Calm down, you only need tape”

    “Oh yeah, I know, the photography class taught that! I can't remember!”

    “Sure you do, but you're too terrified, give me tape, I'll do it”

    “Tape, tape” Jongup hurried to the drawers looking for tape and within the next hours he watched Dasom fix the film and once she was done, the film seemed brand new.

    “You're amazing, how did you know what to do?”

    “Eh... I took classes too...”

    “Really?”

    “Yes”

    “It's amazing! Nobody cares about photography anymore, since everybody can be a photographer with...”

    “A phone with camera” Daehyun said.

    “Yes!”

    “But I do, I care about photography, it's my dream to become a photographer”

    “But you are a model”

    “Yeah... It's a very long story...”

    “Anyway, thank you; you've saved my life literally” Jongup said “It’s night already, sorry I kept you late, I’m sure you had better things to do”

    “Nothing is better when it comes to photography and cameras and films”

    “I feel the same” Jongup liked Dasom because she was pretty, but now he liked her more because she was passionate about photography like him “Let me buy you dinner, I guess you haven’t eaten and the cafeteria downstairs is always open”

Himchan was at the studio, admiring the cosmetics that arrived from abroad, his favorite thing was the new lipstick from L'Oréal, he could spend the whole night watching it, however, every dream had an end and Youngjae ended it by coming by and asking him out.

    “Let’s go to the new Japanese restaurant everybody’s talking about” Youngjae said.

    “I’ll go anywhere, I haven’t eaten since breakfast”

    “Don’t be dramatic, I was with you at breakfast and you ate for two” Youngjae said and they left the studio.

    They walked right past the cafeteria, all the employees ate there, but Youngjae never cared until that night he saw Dasom through the window, she was having a hamburger with a man younger than her.

    “Who's that guy?!!!” Youngjae glared at the couple.

    “It's the photographer” Himchan said.

    “Isn't Hyoseong the photographer?”

    “It's her assistant”

    “What's he doing with her?”

    “Eating hamburgers?”

    “Why?”

    “Because it's dinnertime?” Himchan said.

    “Who got hamburgers for dinner?!”

    “Any hungry one? Come on; let’s go to that Japanese restaurant”

    “We'll eat here”

    “You said you’d rather die than set foot in there”

    “Are you hungry or not? Don’t be so picky” Youngjae entered the cafeteria, Himchan followed him, he was too hungry to argue and sat at the first table he saw.

    “Not this table” Youngjae dragged his friend to the table next to Dasom’s.

    Youngjae sat, facing Dasom, and hid behind the napkin holder while Himchan sat beside him.

    “Are we spying Dasom?” Himchan asked.

    “We aren’t”

    “You’re right, we aren’t, just you”

    “Where's the waiter?”

    “There's none, it’s a buffet, you serve yourself”

    “Buffets are disgusting”

    “We can still go to the Japanese restaurant”

    “What are they talking about?”

    “I dunno, I forgot my spy kit”

    “I'm not spying” Youngjae said “I'm just worried that employees date each other, it’s against company policy”

    “There’s no such policy”

    “If I say there is, there is”

    “They aren't dating” Himchan looked at Dasom and Jongup “They're just chilling out and having dinner like friends do”

    “You’re too naive, today they're having hamburgers and tomorrow they’re having babies”

    “You’re insane and Dasom can date whoever she wants, unless you’re interested in her…”

    “I'm not interested in her”

    “Oh, sorry, you're interested in Jongup” Himchan said sarcastically “We’re friends since forever, you can trust me and tell if you have feelings for her”

    “No. I don’t know... I dreamed about her” Youngjae said “We were going to kiss, but a mop took her place, the mop was in a wedding dress, it had long arms that grabbed me and then kissed me”

    “Your wet dreams are weird”

    “It wasn't a wet dream”

    “Because the mop interrupted you”

    “Yes! I hate him! It's his fault for hitting me with the mop!”

    “Who hit you with the mop?”

    “I went to the newspaper where Dasom works; she wasn't there, just a lunatic that attacked me with a mop”

    “How did that lunatic look like?”

    “I don’t know, he wore a mask, near my own age. Call me crazy but I think he was hiding from me; he didn't look me in the eye... Even if I didn’t see his face, I have the feeling that I know him, maybe he’s an ex-employee or classmate or neighbor, I don’t know!!! But I swear I know him, I’ve met him before!!! Whatever, he became bananas and hit me with a mop!”

    Mmm, I bet that lunatic that attacked Youngjae is Daehyun... As much as Himchan wanted to tell his friend that that lunatic and Dasom were the same, he couldn’t, since he promised Daehyun to keep the secret.

    “Nevermind, whoever that psycho is, I won’t bump into him again, so let’s focus on what matters, go to tell Dasom and Jongup they can’t date, go and stop it!!!” Youngjae demanded.

    “They aren’t dating and even if I do what you say, they’re already gone” Himchan pointed the empty table, Dasom and Jongup left while Youngjae complained about the guy that attacked him with a mop.

    “What?” Youngjae looked out the window and saw Jongup and Dasom in the hallway, the photographer said something fun and Dasom burst in laughs.

    All frenzied, Youngjae got the hell out of the cafeteria and grabbed Dasom’s arm.

    “Youngjae?” she said, confused.

    “Youngjae-nim?” Jongup said, just as confused.

    Youngjae felt stupid by his actions, he didn't have feelings for Dasom or whatsoever and yet he held her arm like he could lose her at any time.

    “You're the new photographer, right? Don’t you have work to do? I heard Hyoseong has a lot of work”

    “Yes, I have to develop...”

    “So go, go to work, go”

    “Yes, sir” Jongup said and took one look at Dasom, he wanted to spend more time with her, but Youngjae was right, he had work to do “See you later” he said to Dasom with a charming smile and left.

    “I hate you” Daehyun slapped off Youngjae’s hand.

   He wanted Jongup to ask her to join him to develop the photos; he had never worked in a darkroom like the Ego's, it may have been an amazing experience and Youngjae ruined it.

   “It's late, tomorrow you have a photo shoot, I'll take you home” Youngjae grabbed Daehyun’s arm again.

    “I don't need you to take me home” Daehyun shook him off.

    “It's late; you can be robbed or kidnapped or murdered or…”

    “You said I'm so ugly nobody would do anything to me”

    “You remember everything I say? Are you in love with me or what?”

    “I’d rather die than be in love with you”

    “You wish I had a crush on you”

    “You have?”

    “No. I'll just take you home” Youngjae grabbed her hand and dragged her to his car.

Daehyun got in the car with Youngjae and thought running away at the first red light, however, there was no red light, Youngjae drove smoothly through the streets away from Daehyun’s house. Daehyun wanted to say his house was in the opposite direction, but then he thought about his aunt insulting and threating him and the idea of being with Youngjae driving nowhere felt better.

    That’s what I like, that's what I like by the fire at night Silk sheets and diamonds all white Lucky for you, that's what I like

   “Can you change the song?” Daehyun said.

    Youngjae was already changing...

    I'm in love with the shape of you We push and pull like a magnet do Although my heart is falling too I'm in love with your body

    “Seriously, pick another song”

   “I'm trying”

    I only wanna do bad things to you So good (so good), that you can't explain it What can I say, it's complicated

    Youngjae gave up and turned the radio off.

“Here we are” Youngjae stopped the car and got out.

    “I don’t live here” Daehyun said, looking out the window and seeing a classy building where only elite people live.

    Youngjae ignored her as usual and entered the building; the receptionist bowed to him and gave him a keycard. Daehyun, with his head down, followed Youngjae to the elevator; he was too ashamed of wearing a hoodie and sneakers in a high class place like that.

    Youngjae took Daehyun to the sixteenth floor and led him to apartment 16B and opened the door with the keycard.

    “What is this?” Daehyun asked “You take all your lovers up here? You ert, that's why you played those songs?”

    “Me what? No!” Youngjae replied “You said you were kicked out of your place, so I arranged this apartment for you”

    “You said the magazine doesn't provide places for the models”

    “This is on me”

    “Why are you being kind to me?” Daehyun felt something was off.

    “I’m not a ert!” Youngjae said as she looked at him with suspicion “I don’t want anything in return, you don’t have to do anything…”

    “Nobody’s this nice for free, especially you”

    “I’m not a monster or a ert!!! I’m just doing my job, as your manager my duty is take care of you, I can't let you live on the streets or any cheap flat” Youngjae said “This apartment isn’t fully furnished yet, I thought bringing you after all was ready...” Youngjae shut up before betraying himself, he was so jealous of Jongup for getting Dasom's attention he wanted to do something impressive to impress her.

    “Uh... There's a bed in the room and there's clothes too, Jooe did the shopping...”

    Daehyun hugged Youngjae, it was a surprise for both of them, Youngjae didn't expect to be hugged and Daehyun didn't expect to hug him, he wasn't fond of showing affection for others after his parents died, he wasn't even able to show affection for Natalie, who he loved, so he didn’t know why the hell he was showing it to Youngjae.

    However, Youngjae didn’t return the hug, he was just nice because it was his job, Daehyun thought and pulled away, embarrassed.

    “Thank you” Daehyun said, staring at his feet.

    “You’re welcome” Youngjae said “I’ll be going… Uhh… Bye…”

    “Bye” Daehyun replied awkwardly.

Once Daehyun was alone, he looked around; the apartment was big like a house. He lived in a small room until that day, so he didn't know what to do with a place as big as that, maybe he had to throw a party, but he didn’t have friends, except Himchan, he was his best friend for being the only one who knew his secret.

    Daehyun sighed and texted Himchan asking him what a manager is.

    A manager is someone that's in charge of your schedule, organize it and take care of you, assist you, drive you, feed you, be with you 24/7

    ??? Youngjae said he's my manager, it means he'll do all that stuff and be with me 24/7???????!!!!!!!

    You must have misheard; he's the editor, not manager

    I hope so; I don't want him 24/7

    Don't worry, he won't find out Daehyun and Dasom are the same. Next time he meets Daehyun again, you can hit him with the mop again, xoxo

    How did you? Did he tell you? Uhh, I’m not worry; I just don't want him stuck like a sticker. I hugged him by accident >.< is he going to think I have feelings for him?

    Do you have feelings for him? Why did you hug him? You doesn’t seem like the kind that hugs and shows his feelings easily!!!

    He did something nice for me, Daehyun thought, most people would say what Youngjae did wasn’t a big deal, but it was to Daehyun, actually this is the second time he's done, Daehyun thought about the meal, he still kept the note that Youngjae wrote. Growing up in a family that didn’t belong to him and having few friends and feeling lost most of the time; it was good to have someone, even if that someone was 99% mean, Daehyun could live with the 1%