15. Under the Mistletoe

 

      

 

 

 

"Incoming call."

 

 

"It's just a call," Seulgi whispered as she anxiously tapped onto her desk. "You say hi, you ask a few questions, how was your day, are you okay, what are you planning to do next week, then you hang up as if nothing happened. Easy."

 

"Incoming call," the female voice repeated.

 

"I heard that," Seulgi nervously said. "It's just a call where you say—"

 

"Incoming call."

 

"Seulgi would you please pick the damn phone," Jisoo growled.

 

"I am trying!" Seulgi retorted. "That's exactly what I am doing, I just need to prepare myself for it beforehand."

 

"Prepare for what? Is mumbling random stuff really going to help you when the call you've been waiting for all week is finally here?" Jisoo sighed before taking a chip out of her bag. "Plus you should be prepared enough. It's just a friend."

 

"If we were friends do you think I would look so destabilized?"

 

"Incoming call."

 

"Just don't answer if you don't want to for God's sake."

 

"But I can't do that! I called first. I even left a message on his voicemail saying awkward stuff. I can't just not answer," Seulgi panicked. "And don't eat in my office!"

 

"Then answer! Gosh it can't be that hard, you only have two options," Jisoo sighed like a kid. "Listen Seulgi, you've been talking about this Christmas date for weeks now and even though I know it stresses you, my ears are going to bleed because of your phone so answer him."

 

"It's not for this that I called him," Seulgi blushed. "You know about Wendy's usual Christmas party, right? Of course you do, you always go."

 

"Of course I go when your friend invites me, she's so nice and she cooks well, I have nothing to lose," Jisoo shrugged before letting a sigh of relief when the phone stopped ringing."

 

"Well I did, I used to have a lot to lose by going so I never did," Seulgi started to explain. "So I wanted to make a change this year by going."

 

"So what? What does Jongin have to do with this?"

 

"I was scared for the Christmas meeting—"

 

"It's a date, just saying," Jisoo corrected her with a knowing look.

 

"Anyway I was scared for the Christmas meeting because that's just so me to stress at the slightest situation involving them you know," Seulgi continued nevertheless.

 

"Of course I know," Jisoo scoffed.

 

"So there you have it, I was stressing and imagined all kind of stuff because Jongin and me aren't that comfortable around each other."

 

"You said you were fine though?" Jisoo frowned.

 

"I thought so too but then I realized that it was because we were in a car going to an amusement park. It was only for an hour and it was just after we debated on a childish stuff so it was fine. It was easy because I didn't even have to look at him in the eyes or anything since he was driving," Seulgi enthusiastically explained. "But! Imagine us two awkward exes who last talked to each other one month ago on Christmas Eve, in a restaurant full of couples, stuck in this awkward and disturbing atmosphere while eating in silence. I know it won't bother him because he is naturally quiet and this kind of thing is nothing to him, he won't even find it strange to simply eat in silence but for me, it's catastrophic! I am going to stress myself by thinking too much and worrying for nothing. I will be too nervous to talk correctly and I'll end up messing up our reunion."

 

"I admit it is a pretty intense situation," Jisoo nodded. "But I also have to say that you see problems where there aren't any," she shrugged. "What if it isn't quiet since Jongin has something to say and what if you feel more comfortable around him than you think? You don't even know that."

 

"That is why I am not taking any chance by making myself a bit more comfortable around him by asking him to accompany me to Wendy's party," Seulgi revealed.

 

"Oh! So he's your date for the night!"

 

"Not a date! We'll share the same car on the way to the party and on the way back home that's it," Seulgi corrected.

 

"Call it however you want, at this point I don't really care."

 

"Incoming call."

 

Seulgi's pupils started shaking again as they always did when the phone started ringing and she nervously looked at the caller ID to see that it was indeed Jongin.

 

"You just proved that you had a good reason to ask him to come with you, just tell him that and get this done!" Jisoo snapped when she saw that Seulgi still couldn't pick up the phone.

 

"You're funny! You think I can just blatantly tell Jongin that I asked him that on his voicemail because I was scared of him?!" Seulgi scoffed. 

 

"Incoming call," the phone continued to repeat loudly.

 

"Kang Seulgi would you pick up the damn phone I am going crazy!"

 

"Then go back to your office, I don't know!"

 

"You called him first, you have no right to do that to him," Jisoo argued.

 

"Why do you care about Jongin's mistreatment?" Seulgi retorted.

 

"Incoming call."

 

"Just answer!"

 

"No! I don't want to!"

 

"Seulgi!" Jisoo warned.

 

"No!"

 

"Yes!"

 

"I said no!"

 

"Incoming call."

 

"YES!"

 

"NO!"

 

"Incoming cal—"

 

"Yes hello?Who is this?" Jisoo asked as she picked up the phone. With her good reflexes, she easily avoided Seulgi's hand who reached for hers when she saw it going for the phone. Seulgi's expression fell and she became extremely pale as Jisoo casually talked on the phone with Jongin. "Yes, you want to talk with Seulgi? She is a bit busy now, that's right it is unfortunate. She went to the bathroom a few minutes ago, I don't know when she will be back, you never know what can happen in there."

 

 

Seulgi wished she could have fainted and lost consciousness long enough for Jisoo to stop her prank and forget the idea of tarnishing her reputation with Jongin. She wanted to get up and snatch back the phone but she was stuck in her chair.

 

 

"Oh no! She is not sick don't worry. It's just that Seulgi does that when she is stressed," Jisoo smiled over the phone. "No it's not because of work, she is a very organized person. In fact, it's because of you! Yes, you. Why are you so surprised?"

 

"Jisoo," Seulgi pleaded. She didn't even know where she found the energy to say that but she felt like if she didn't stop her friend soon things would get out of hand.

 

"Oh no! You didn't do anything wrong. It's just that Seulgi is very shy and she worries a lot on her own so she was scared of disappointing you with her uneasiness. She is a sweet girl isn't she? Yes, very nice too. You're right, Seulgi is very considerate."

 

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Seulgi angrily whispered.

 

"Why am I the one telling you this, you say? Hm…." Jisoo awkwardly chuckled. "But anyways! The problem here is that Seulgi wanted to invite you to Wendy's party so that you could go together just like she said in her message but she got so shy that she couldn't answer your calls—"

 

"Enough!" Seulgi said as she hung up by unplugging the phone. "Have you lost your mind? Is that it? Are you crazy Kim Jisoo?!"

 

"I was helping you!" Jisoo said before taking a few steps back in fear that Seulgi's anger became physical. "He was chuckling and laughing, he even said that you were considerate and complimented you with other things! Maybe if you answered his calls you would know, just saying."

 

"Don't look at me like that, you're in the wrong this time."

 

"A wrong that brought a good consequence!"

 

"That I have yet to know," Seulgi sighed.

 

 

"Hum… Director Kang?" Ten said as he passed his head between the door frame. "I've been knocking for a while now but you didn't answer," he shyly continued.

 

"Yes, what is it?"

 

"There's someone on the phone for you, he says that your phone doesn't work anymore."

 

 

Seulgi looked down to see the phone plug in her hand as Ten looked at it with a curious expression. He probably would have asked her why in the world was her office phone unplugged but Seulgi thanked him and asked to have the call transferred to her office's phone in embarrassment.

 

 

"Now get out!" Seulgi snapped. "I have an important call to make and a few apologies to give."

 

 

"Me?" Ten asked in horror.

 

"No, not you! Her," Seulgi reassured him as soon. "Plus, yes please return to your desk Ten."

 

"This is favoritism! You're not allowed to do this boss," Jisoo whined.

 

"I am not your boss," Seulgi said before jokingly hitting Jisoo's arm. "Return to your office or go bother someone else I don't know, kid."

 

"Is Taeyong here? Do you think I could use his phone to play games?" Jisoo asked as she  randomly took a candy out of her pocket.

 

"I don't care, get out!" Seulgi yelled. "Please?" she pleaded.

 

"You can't even be mean correctly, how disappointing," Jisoo sighed. "Fine, I'm out."

 

"Thank you!" Seulgi rolled her eyes before turning to her phone that she had yet to plug. When she would do it, Jongin would be waiting for her on the other line, it was nerve-wracking.

 

 

She felt her heart pound heavily in her chest which didn't help to steady her breathing. Seulgi took two deep breaths before bringing the phone to her ear.

 

"Hello?" she nervously said.

 

 

"Seulgi?" she heard Jongin ask with surprise. "I didn't think I was going talk to you at this point," he laughed. "I talked to a woman earlier and then another person, he said his name was Then I think."

 

"Ten," she corrected a bit hesitantly.

 

"Yeah, Ten. He's nice," Jongin chuckled. "He kept me company after the phone call suddenly came to an end. I mean, after you hung up."

 

"How do you know?" Seulgi gasped.

 

"Enough!" he teased by mimicking her voice.

 

"You heard that?"

 

"Of course," Jongin answered. "Well I'm glad you weren't stuck in a bathroom stall with a stomachache."

 

"Please don't listen to what she said," Seulgi face palmed herself. "Jisoo was joking around."

 

"I figured."

 

 

It was just an impression but Seulgi could almost imagine him smile through the phone. His tone was jovial and he even joked a bit with her even though she had been ignoring his calls for hours. Jongin was obviously not nervous to talk to her at all just like Seulgi thought. Jongin wouldn't be bothered by an awkward silence even if it was because she was too nervous to talk, he wouldn't notice her uneasiness.

 

 

"So what did you want to talk about?" Seulgi nervously asked as she got up to walk a bit in the office. She had taken off her heels and toed her hair in a ponytail without too much care since most employees were still out for their lunch break. Only Jisoo who only used her break to visit other people's office and eat snacks, Ten who was always back early from his lunch break and Taeyong that he influenced in a positive way were there. Although she was sure that Taeyong was probably dozing off on his desk while Ten organized some files. The department was quiet and it made Seulgi feel comfortable. 

 

 

"You say this as if I called you first," Jongin mocked. "I should be the one asking you that."

 

"D-didn't you get my message?" Seulgi stuttered.

 

"Yes I did," Jongin nodded. "So what do you want?"

 

"If you heard my message then y-you should know."

 

"I didn't understand much, you were mumbling most of the time and the words weren't caught by the phone so it looked like 'Jongin do you... Wendy's party this Friday... I know we... Maybe I am bothering... you.... But please... call me back. Bye!' "

 

"Really?!" Seulgi gasped in embarrassment. "Oh no!" she cursed under her breath. She knew that at some point of her call her words were inaudible because of her whispering (this was the repercussions of losing confidence in a matter of seconds and regretting something she hadn't even done yet) but she didn't know it went on for the whole call.

 

"So what about Wendy's party?" he asked her obviously amused by this situation. "I mean what about it with me?"

 

"I-I thought that we could maybe go together," Seulgi bashfully answered. "Just go together, nothing more. I am not asking you to be my date or anything."

 

"No, of course I understand," Jongin chuckled. "Sure it's fine with me."

 

"So easily?" Seulgi frowned. "You don't want to ask me why? Don't you think it's a bit sudden? Wendy's party is in like two days."

 

"I don't think I should be suspicious of you Seulgi," Jongin seriously answered. "I mean unless you want me to. Do you want me to ask you?"

 

"In fact, not really."

 

"Great, I didn't feel like it either," Jongin admitted. "So when do I pick you up?"

 

"Huh? Hm... At 7," Seulgi decided. "No, I changed my mind 6:30!"

 

"As long as you answer when I ring your doorbell, I'm fine."

 

"I will!"

 

"Alright, then I'll see you at your doorstep," Jongin greeted. 

 

 

Seulgi nodded although she knew he couldn't see it and said bye before hanging up. A breath of relief escaped her lips before she knew it: it was done. She had asked Jongin and it went well!

 

"Jisoo!" she yelled when she came out of her office. Just like she thought, Jisoo was still eating her snacks while playing with Taeyong's phone who was dead asleep on his desk while Ten was busy doing a little work. "I did it."

 

"Thanks to me," the latter giggled. "You should thank me."

 

"Like I already said, you crossed the line!" Seulgi sighed. "You shouldn't have done that but thank you."

 

"It's too easy to manipulate you," Taeyong mumbled with his eyes closed.

 

"Weren't you sleeping?" Seulgi asked with a grin.

 

"I can't when Miss Loud over here decides that it's not fun to talk alone," Taeyong explained as he pointed to Jisoo. "Although I do see how meaningless it can be to ask questions and be the only one answering. Too bad I don't care."

 

"Bo-ring," Jisoo rolled her eyes. "You're not as fun as you look."

 

 

"But I am as tired as I look," Taeyong said snatching his phone back. "And you're not allowed to play."

 

"Ten pass me your phone," Jisoo said as soon. "Please," she added with a bright smile when Seulgi gave her a sharp look.

 

"Don't bother my employees would you?" Seulgi joked before sitting on the chair next to Jisoo. "Especially not Ten, he is the only one who gets things done without making me ask twice."

 

"I do that too!" Taeyong said with a frown. "When you tell me to get lost I do it in a snap of fingers."

 

"Get lost Taeyong," Jisoo tried. "Why is he still here?" she turned to ask Seulgi, utterly surprised that it didn't work as if Taeyong couldn't hear her.

 

"I don't think that's what he meant," Ten chuckled. "Well yes, it's Taeyong so he totally meant it but Director Kang doesn't say those exact words," he added before excusing himself to go the bathrooms.

 

"Finally someone with a bit of common sense!" Seulgi cheered.

 

"Exactly what I was saying," Jisoo shrugged. "Anyway do you know what you're going to wear on Friday?"

 

"No."

 

" I bought a dress last night and I thought it was really late but you're really something," Jisoo sighed.

 

"What happens on Friday?" Taeyong asked as he jerked his head up.

 

"Wendy's annual Christmas party, she's going all out this year," Seulgi answered. "Do you want to come?"

 

"Ah! So that's what this weird email I received was about! I deleted the invitation thinking it was spam," Taeyong honestly said before resting his head on his desk again. "Tell Wendy to not make weird puns next time."

 

"I will," Seulgi chuckled. "Why don't you two come together? Wendy has this special event called the Mistletoe Duo and you can only participate if you come with a partner."

 

"That's why you asked Jongin to come with you!" Jisoo finally realized with a gasp. "You want the prize!"

 

"What prize?" Taeyong asked as he jerked his head up again.

 

"It depends but Wendy and Chanyeol both like to give to those around them so they always find excuses to gift people expensive stuff, last year it was tickets to go see a show, the year before that a massage and other things you know," Seulgi explained. "And no, I didn't ask Jongin just for that!" she spat. "Although I'll admit that it's better for me."

 

"I'm coming," Taeyong finalized. "We are going to win this Jisoo."

 

"That was quick!" Jisoo chuckled. "I am in! Seulgi, you better watch out. We are going to get the prize."

 

"It's just an event, I don't care," she rolled her eyes.

 

"We'll see that once we get the expensive prize and you get nothing!" Taeyong mocked.

 

"True!" Jisoo  added.

 

"This company is filled with kids, this can't be," Seulgi smiled. "Enough with this, I'll be happy for whoever wins this. You know, Mistletoe Duo used to create couples! Maybe we'll get another miracle in December," she winked.

 

 

///

 

 

If it's Christmas, then it's red. It wasn't so difficult to choose the dress' color because it had to be the most obvious thing about this whole holiday (although Seulgi hesitated to wear a sparkly black or beige dress, she opted for a red velvet one because it was more sobre). The dress itself had been the result of a lot of walk i