𝓣𝓪𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓰'𝓼 𝓟𝓞𝓥 

I have succeeded in avoiding Chanyeol Sunbae for a week and now I missed him terribly. It was without a doubt the most painful thing I had ever done and a huge, irrational part of me longed to see him so badly that I had begun to hallucinate about talking to him in the corridors and the crowded streets as if nothing had ever happened. I was barely keeping my emotions in check by reminding myself of the way our last meeting had ended.

How could I have let the situation become that outrageous and unthinkable?

How could I lose my control so quickly?

I had endured far worse temptations being around him and yet my restraint had snapped like a dried up twig in that moment.

For almost two years I had carefully hidden my feelings from him, forever hovering between the role of a naive dongsaeng and the hoobae who relied on him to the point of excessive. I had never minded either. They have both been my masks for being close to him and basking in the glow of his company that I, otherwise could never have, enjoyed.

But that was in the past.

Of all the friggin times in my life why did I have to get a then? I had not only made my intentions glaringly obvious but also disrespected Chanyeol Sunbae's brilliant art in the process.

To be honest I had never lacked for attention from men, if anything I always whined about attracting too much of it.

Once while I was having a meal in Mc. Donald’s, I had accidentally dropped sauce on my fingers and loath to the idea of wasting, I was doing a great job of it off. Little did I know that the stranger in the opposite booth misunderstood it as a ual hint and reciprocated by ogling as though he'd jump me even if I blinked.

And then there was this other instance when I was wrestling a disobedient party streamer and this senior just had to help me because he couldn't watch me struggle. In truth I was hoping Chanyeol Sunbae would offer to help but it had garnered the courtesy of an unwanted person.

I could go on and on but the list would be pointlessly detailed. I was used to people hitting on me and didn’t pretend to be shocked anymore but instead, chose to reject their advances with an apology.

Why then did I act like a helpless and starved human around Chanyeol Sunbae?

Why did my heart race at his smiles, stomach clench at his touch and breath disappear at his words?

I hadn't planned to fall for him but when the rest of my classmates had decided that the devil may care attitude bothered them to no extent and wished to decorate my body in numerous bruises, Chanyeol Sunbae had intervened like a lone defender without any care for his own safety.

He became my hero then.

He didn't have to but he did.

In the beginning I was simply interested in showing how much I worshipped and respected him. I would have swallowed pins and needles if he had wanted me to; such was my blinding faith in him. I didn't recognize that somewhere along the lane my faithful devotion had transformed into this rush of affection, adoration and attachment.

I was in love with Chanyeol Sunbae when he regarded me as that spoiled kid. Well that spoiled kid who gotten an because of him.

Way to go Lee Taeyong way to go.

Now I would never be able to stand beside him and I only had myself to blame. This was a scenario that I confronted in my wildest nightmares, but now it has become my reality.

Practically slumping in dejection against the wall in the passage I nonetheless plod ahead recalling that there was an instrumental composition lecture to attend. Thankfully the farthest bench in the classroom is occupied by Joosung and I half- heartedly react to the greetings extended while I march to it. The stormy winds, the grey sky and the chaotic drops of rain reflected my current mood accurately.

"Dude your eyes are bloodshot! Did you smoke weed without me?" Joosung grills impatiently. The crying session that had dragged on well into the middle of the night was finally revealing its effects.

"I don’t roll or do joints unless there’s a test or a funeral" I scoff at the idiotic pothead’s accusation.

My routine for the past few days had been going home completely exhausted and then sulking in the rooftop until I bawled like the child that had gotten lost in a supermarket. I cannot remember the last time I had a good night of sleep and some tone deaf imbecile who couldn't differentiate between the bass clef and treble clef was annihilating the piano, increasing my irritation.

"YAH Heejae, if you’re going to destroy the keys then sit your ing down" I yell, losing my temper and pull the hoodie lower, hoping the huge thing would conceal my appearance.

"Bruh what crawled up your and died?" Joosung taunts stupidly.

"Your mother" I retort not even guilty about taking it there.

"That's not cool man" he grumbles sourly.

"Then stop getting on my nerves. You know I've been going through an absolutely ty phase" I grouch.

"Two years is not a phase son. It’s your life" he mocks and I glare at him.

"Do you want to die?" I threaten him and an amused voice from the entrance remarks,

"Aren't you a lively bunch?"

My entire body freezes and boils simultaneously.

Chanyeol Sunbae, Chanyeol Sunbae, Chanyeol Sunbae my subconscious chants deliriously.

I remain crouching; too shocked to lift my head from the desk and wonder if the constant moping had forced a higher power to magically summon him.

"Sunbae" the whole class squeals in joy. Men and women alike swoon over themselves. They hoot and cheer for him, applauding the entry of their favorite senior. Some cling to his muscular arms and I fume in jealousy.

It was common knowledge in OAA that you flirted with the other guys just for the sake of flirting but you flirted with Chanyeol Sunbae for the sake of getting semi with him. He was so hot he should have worn a ‘warning flammable’ symbol.

"I get it, I get it. You brats want a free period so you're kissing up to me" he laughs catching on to everyone’s ploy.

"Yes" they answer in unison.

"Pardon my French, but that's not ing happening. We will be working with drums in this lesson, ladies and gentlemen. I expect your full participation" he declares, cheerfully crushing their expectations.

Why God why? There were plenty of other, harmless instruments in this hall, like the percussion or the guitar or even the bloody pandeiro.

Observing the second exit of the room longingly, I calculate exactly how many paces it would take to reach there from my position.

Maybe 10? Or 15 if I crawled fast enough?

"No" they groan loudly. I slide down from my chair slowly and move diagonally on all four limbs. I had been reduced to the state of a dog due to Sunbae.

"Broo" Joosung hisses and I elbow his leg hard. I almost reach the door but when I try to slide it, a large hand blocks the movement.

"TY you wouldn’t be planning to bolt somewhere, would you?" Chanyeol Sunbae questions, bending close enough to bump our noses and I crash to the floor with a loud thud while his devious smile widens.

For 's sake wasn't there anything I could do properly around him?

"N-no-nno" I splutter cursing my slow reflexes and turn beet red in embarrassment.

"That’s good news. Since you’re staying you can select any composition and queue me in" he announces tugging me by the wrist till the empty seat in the front row and I fight against his unrelenting grip.

"Sunbae I can't" I complain but he outright ignores my plea and pushes me into the bench.

My skin blazes fiercely from where he had held me and I rub it unconsciously. Keeping my gaze firmly trained on the ground I refuse to look at him while he tests the condition of the set and taps a random tune.

"Taeyong you can start" Chanyeol Sunbae urges and I frown at the piece of paper lying on the stand. When it doesn't seem like he's going to give in anytime soon, I reluctantly make modifications to the sheet music and place it in the elevated rack.

"This resembles Led Zeppelin’s Moby an awful lot. You must hate me quite a bit" He chuckles acknowledging the underhanded trick.

If I was going to struggle to keep my sanity for the next two hours I might as well have my share of the entertainment and let him fumble.

It was the same song that bewitched the crowd in the auditorium when Sunbae had performed flawlessly at the freshman's orientation. A thousand watts bulbs would have paled in comparison to Sunbae while he wrecked the 10 minutes intense piece and I was beyond mesmerized by the sheer joy that radiated from him.

"Taeyong, why are you burdening Sunbae with your stupid requests? He is doing us a huge favor by being here so we should be learning gratefully instead of misusing his kindness" In Ha, my sole nemesis, disciplines and I suppress the urge to growl back at her like some savage animal.

This girl, more appropriately a witch, was always finding ways to cause a rift between Sunbae and me. I don't know how or when she had discovered my real feelings for him but she had made damn sure to interfere whenever there was the slightest chance that we would be alone or within five feet of each other.

"In Ha it’s fine. Been a while though, so be prepared to cover your ears" he grins brushing off her concern and I snort.

"But Sunbae..." she whines and I picture her phony face splattered against the concrete. Not so pretty.

"No one asked for your opinion In Ha" Joosung snickers and that prompts a cheeky giggle from me.

Sunbae scrutinizes the page thoroughly and I can tell for a fact that he's memorizing every snare and cymbal. He preferred performing from memory rather than the pointers that everyone else used. Which is why, he is the unparalleled king of instruments in OAA and Baekhyun hyung was probably the only competition who could give him a run for his money.

The initial beats have me reeling in shock and I realize there isn’t a single difference.

Well there is a difference: the first time I was a little less absorbed and a lot more amazed. But besides that nothing else, it was just as mind-blowing.

Is there anything he couldn't do?

This perfection made my defense weaker.

"If anyone requires medical assistance please visit the infirmary" he expresses sheepishly and I want to cool myself in a sea of ice.

However, there is an outpouring of compliments and he reddens under the praise. Dear Lord how can he be this cute?

"Alright since you were all nice to me today I'll give you a sneak peek for the new song that I've been writing and creating for years" he beams and I am sweating profusely.

It can't be what I’m dreading can it?

I mean he still hadn't gotten the approval to release the project so shouldn't it be kept a secret? What with it being confidential and all that official .

Oh who am I kidding?!

This is Chanyeol Sunbae we were talking about; he would release his entire record for free if it meant that everyone could listen to it.

Well this was not happening. If my reaction last time had been that drastic I couldn't imagine what it would be like now.

I begin to slink away from the disaster rapidly approaching me but Sunbae's lean legs are obstructing my path and it’s obvious that he is doing it on purpose. Before I can gather the courage to protest, he is crooning the first verse and I shake so violently that I’m left no choice but to drop onto the chair.

I try to shut out the sound desperately but it's too late and my body is already reacting to his voice. Nothing sneaks past Sunbae’s shrewd gaze as he observes my actions and it makes me skirmish.

It’s like someone has poured kerosene on my spark of surprise and sent every neuron in my brain firing in both directions at once. It was the best and the worst kind of panic. The devil works hard but Chanyeol Sunbae worked harder.

Do not get a Taeyong don’t you even dare.

Think of grandma in a bikini or grandpa in a bikini or dad in a bikini and all the germs that are probably crawling up your shoes. My germophobia nearly gives me a concussion at the latter.

Thankfully, he stops after the chorus and I feel a sense of rationality returning. The rest of the period is a blur until I feel calloused fingers prying my fist open and soothing the crescent shaped welts that had formed from clutching firmly. I hadn’t noticed the painful sting.

The are gentle, tender and I realize that this touch was more familiar than my own. Wincing at the jolt of recognition that shoots through me and I swiftly disentangle my palm from his grasp only to have it pulled back.

“Stay still” he reprimands and rummages in his pockets. Retrieving a rectangular shaped band aid Sunbae removes the coverings neatly and places it on the wound, securing it warily. His face is a mask of agony and I wonder which one of us had gotten hurt. He was always generous and sympathetic to people’s pain or their faults.

“Thank you Sunbae, I’ll be leaving early” I announce jumpily and hurry ahead. Suddenly the ground beneath me slips forward and gravity welcomes me backwards while I’m spun around. A muffled scream escapes my mouth and I hang onto Sunbae’s wide shoulders as he clasps me by the hood.

“What are you doing Sunbae?” I mumble and attempt to flee.

“We have to talk” he asserts steadily and I despise those words. In my opinion any sentences that started that way never ended pleasantly.

“About what Sunbae?” I test nervously.

“Why have you been avoiding me?” he interrogates point blank.

“Av-avo-avoiding you? That is crazy and impossible Sunbae. You’re mistaken, I've been busy with assignments and AP classes” I answer evasively.

“Are you sure? Then did I dream of you throwing a can of banana milk and scampering in the opposite direction as if you’d met a ghost when I was clearly waving at you?” he challenged confidently. I didn’t consider the minor detail that he might have seen me. So much for trusting my Ninja skills.

“NO!” I exclaim and clear my throat to reduce the suspicion “That wasn’t me Sunbae.”

“I have my tricks Tae-ah but I'm not a wizard. I cannot make a person appear out of thin air unless they were already there” he sighs and I feel cornered for being understood by him so easily. My instincts are screaming at me to run and I am overwhelmed by it.

“Sunbae can I please go? I don’t want to be late for the next lecture” I dodge the subject altogether.

“I think you owe me an explanation at the least” he prods unyielding and I am hopelessly flustered. Where was this curiosity coming from? He was never the pushy type of person and preferred keeping his nose strictly in his business.

“Sunbae there is nothing to explain” I mutter shoulders sagging in remorse.

“That wasn’t nothing Taeyong. You had a-” he pauses his statement midway and I cannot breathe. Shame clouds my conscience and I can barely respond to his confusion.

“I am truly very sorry for that Sunbae…it was never my intention” I whisper head hung low and I couldn’t imagine how uncomfortable Sunbae must be.

“I don’t need your apology Taeyong, what happened to you isn’t unusual. Anyone could experience that and I’d be the biggest if I blamed you for something I’m used to dealing with” he states as if trying to clarify the matter.

“Used to?” I echo his phrase.

“I know it sounds conceited but this isn’t a new concept for me and you’re certainly not the first. I wish you would let me help instead of sidestepping the problem” he continues obliviously and my vision dulls.

“What would you have me do Sunbae?” I humor his advice and my chest burns in anguish. Was this disappointment?

From me?

Towards Sunbae?

“What made you…I mean why did you react like that?” he seeks, unaffected.

“Sunbae already knows so why are you doing this?” I retort, aggravation paving the trail for resentment.

“I honestly don’t. I tried to but I can’t. Please clue me in” he concludes quite simply and I loathe how coolly he is handling this. Why was I beating myself up over this when it was so straight cut for him?

“Stupid Sunbae! It is easy for you to ignore and assume everything is exactly what you see while I am worrying myself to death over it” I shout, craving to unleash the bottled up frustration.

“Taeyong what’s wrong? Please make me understand. You can’t do things in the spur of the moment and expect me to treat you normally” he appeals for reason.

“Sunbae if you haven’t understood by now then there is no point in justifying, consider your ignorance as bliss and stop concerning yourself with me. I can deal with this on my own” I convey and draw back from his grip. I stagger to the door, snubbing his attempts to resolve this godforsaken conversation and he calls my name repeatedly.

“Taeyong you’re confusing me” he finally roars, behind me.

“GREAT!” I yell and dial a certain number that had become my savior. Granted, he was a savior with drastic methods but the end definitely justified the means here.

“Hello handsome, are you ready to go on a date with Mr. Fabulous yet?” greets the voice on the other end of the line.

“Hello Ten. I can meet you this Saturday” I agree to his offer. There was no particular argument for accepting but a distraction was necessary and I couldn’t think of anyone better than him.

“Seriously? After rejecting me twice what changed?” he queries curiously.

“Not much. I am doing it because I want to” I stubbornly emphasize.

“That is a noble cause Mr. Lee, see you on Saturday” he proclaims happily.

“Yes. See you later."

  𝓑𝓪𝓮𝓴𝓱𝔂𝓾𝓷'𝓼 𝓟𝓞𝓥

It is 9:00 am on a Monday morning and I'm hunched over the pantry counter contemplating, where my life had gone so horrendously off course that I was tasked with brewing a fresh, steaming pitcher of Café Americano for the modern day Lucifer.

The usually vacant break room has a guest reading the daily newspaper and I don't bother exchanging pleasantries. Trying to fill Mr. Oh's ‘chosen’ mug of the week with coffee as per his specifications I find myself baffled and offended. I didn't know where to begin; the man's tastes were not only luxurious but also fleeting and expendable.

He sets his favorite cup for each week and creates a gigantic, rage storm when he's not served in them. I was forced to learn this when I had tended to his caffeine request in the red, printed dish I had spotted on his table, during the times he summoned me to his cubicle for delivering a detailed report of my inferior skills.

He had labeled my blunder the definition of crude and demanded an essay full of regret or remorse.

I hadn’t quite figured out which, yet.

I have grown accustomed to his preferences but not to his unreasonable demands or his temperamental behavior. He was working me to the bone everyday as his Assistant or rather an errand boy and I was awfully close to snapping.

I assumed after our trip to Mr. Zhang’s Company, things would have improved slightly but he was still the same mean machine who fancied being brutally honest.

In spite of everything, he had the better card up his sleeve and snatched any opportunity to eagerly remind me of that.

The appliance releases an odd beep and I switch it off in alarm. It is so complex that I only understood how to operate the basic combinations.

A red light blinks suspiciously and I squash every single button in the hopes of discovering the correct one but it only makes the sign extra noisy.

"May I help you?" enquires a concerned voice. I am about to decline but the thought of Mr. Oh’s hissy fit and my obvious lack of knowledge in this area halts me in the middle.

"Something went wrong and I am the biggest doofus when it comes to electronic gadgets" I confess mortified to an inexplicable extent and the towering gentleman inspects it efficiently.

"You forgot to add the beans in the container" he notes in amusement and I am beyond horrified at my level of intelligence. I had been so busy sulking that I hadn't even completed the important step.

"Silly me! I must be half asleep" I admit uneasily.

"I wouldn't blame you it's rather early to be a human" he provides and I giggle good-naturedly.

"Thanks" I express tipping my head lightly.

"You are welcome Mr...?" He trails off.

"Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun" I introduce myself.

"Jung Yunho, the Vice President of Operations" he returns the gesture with a handshake and I accept it courteously. Another wolf in the elite pack.

"The Director will be expecting me" I claim in an attempt to excuse myself when the contact lingers longer than is obligatory.

"You are the Director's Secretary? How is it that the COO has not been notified of the cute newbie’s appointment?" He criticizes disagreeably and I am uncomfortable in his escalating interest. What is with this dude? Did he not have a brain to mouth filter?

"It was nice meeting you Mr. Jung" I evade the enquiry entirely and retract my grasp.

"The pleasure is all mine" he pronounces and something about that is sleazy in capital letters. He strolls back to the table and I lock down to boiling the beverage for a second time, realizing I had taken a lengthy break.

Mr. Oh would probably arrange for the goons to fetch me and Rafael or John were the last people I wanted to encounter. Those judgmental bastards.

I finish quickly and add two cubes of sugar, swirling it until the lumps have dissolved. I dash towards the exit and catch Mr. Jung blatantly staring at me.

"This won't come as a surprise but Sehun is no fun and I am sure he has already bored you plenty. Why don't you drop by my office for a while?" He suggests and goose bumps cover my arms. His offer and his tone were both extremely unpleasant.

"Not at all, Mr. Oh is funnier than the SpongeBob and grumpy cat memes combined" I vouch for him and the fakeness reflecting off the statement is very self-explanatory.

If threats and murderous aura were considered funny, Mr. Oh would be the funniest man in the whole universe according to me.

"I see you are polite as well and now I have to insist" he flashes another toothy grin and I bite the urge to be rude.

"I couldn't possibly impose Mr. Jung" I retort, immediately refusing the invitation.

"Nonsense, I would be delighted to continue this discussion" he says. And I would not.

Either this guy is dumb as a bat or one among those pushy creeps that I had read stories of. In that case it was best to cut this short, here itself.

"Mr. Jung you are too kind" I mention and grab the cup in a hurry to vanish.

"I guess your face isn't the only adorable feature..." he speaks from the seat he had abandoned and I nearly drop the tray in my astonishment.

Maybe I would have to sell my organs to buy him a mug that resembled this.

"Excuse me!" I splutter, riled.

"If you don’t mind me saying, your is cute and y" he repeats casually and I dart outside without another word.

Holy mother of what the hell was that?

Just how many ing weirdos were in this hell hole?

And why did I have to talk to all of them?

I pat my unconsciously as if consoling it and scurry into Mr. Oh's cabin.

"I was beginning to conclude you might have ventured into Tanzania to prepare my coffee Mr. Byun" he strikes curtly and I place the source of my morning chaos in front of him instantly realizing that it did not belong to him. Sweet Baby Jesus.

"Mr. Oh please wait a second" I pipe in before he can slaughter me like a live pig for being this careless.

Mr. Oh was dangerous as the shark in the ocean, if he smelled blood meaning my stupidity, he'd attack viciously.

"Mr. Byun did you perhaps spend 30 minutes that you could have used for organizing the presentation on a beverage that is not mine?" he observes, a prominent nerve twitching in his forehead and suddenly the door swings open.

Ha! Not today Devil, I rejoice quietly.

"Baekhyun-ssi you are far too clumsy. You seem to have exchanged my coffee with Sehun's" he snickers and I almost jump out of my skin.

Whose fault do you think that was? I scream internally.

"I'm sorry Mr. Jung, my foolishness has no limits apparently" I mutter guardedly and ponder whether this goof up got me blacklisted in Mr. Oh's book.

He seems like someone who makes a lot of enemies and I wouldn't be surprised if he actually maintained a record of them. It was prudent seeing as many could potentially stab this hunky, psychopathic, man-child to death.

"I don’t mind at all. Any pretext to see you is welcome" he laughs and I intently watch the swirly patterns on the floor, completely missing the scathing glare Mr. Oh had rewarded him with.

"Searching for soul mates Mr. Byun? I guess I have nothing to fear about your supposedly inactive social life" he observes calmly and I shiver. He was too composed and that could only spell doom.

"Sehun can we switch our Secretaries? I feel Baekhyun and I have a great professional and personal chemistry" Mr. Jung proposes gleefully and replaces their respective drinks.

Sweet mother of Jesus, this fellow is bat crazy.

“You learned of his existence less than an hour ago. What chemistry can you have established in that short span?” Mr. Oh scorns.

“Heaps” he affirms and I scoff at his delusion.

"Yunho shouldn't you be receiving the delegates for the Gala from the Airport? Their flight is listed to land soon" He interjects coldly. The tension in the room is so unbelievably thick you could slice it using a knife and feed every homeless person on earth.

A silent staring contest ensues and neither of them shows any intention of giving in. This was worse than those wrestling matches on ESPN, the theatrics were exaggerated.

"I was but then I got distracted by this pretty little thing here. Tell me how you always get the beautiful and handsome employees while my team looks like they've got a foot in the grave" He complains ending their battle and gawking audaciously. I strain to conceal myself and crash into the cabinet containing Mr. Oh's prized possessions. I must be eager to sign and seal my own death sentence.

"How many times will I have to tell you that I hate meeting you before noon? It is absolutely annoying and ruins my entire day" Mr. Oh scolds harshly.

"I haven't broken that rule in 3 years but this is an exception" Mr. Jung argues his side.

"I have an hectic schedule to follow and would appreciate you leaving us alone. And Yunho kindly do the job you're paid for or anticipate a pay cut" Mr. Oh snaps patience gone for a toss.

"Aw come on Sehunnie! Let me have him for a day at the least. I'll send Aunt Priscilla over to you. She's remarkably efficient at filing" he replies unaffected by the jab.

"I know my input is not required but may I just jog your memory of the fact that I am not an object in the pawn shop that you can trade as you please" I interrupt them determined to protect my interests and the scowl Mr. Oh gives freezes the blood in my veins.

"Of course not Baekhyun. You are gorgeous, dazzling and cute" Mr. Jung compliments.

"That was not my point Mr. Jung but thank you" I accept it awkwardly.

"You have ten seconds or your shares are as good as gone and you'll be working in the photocopy section" Mr. Oh threatens and that finally seems to have an effect.

"Sehunnie you know Hyung loves snatching your favorite toys right? Don’t be so obvious by trying to hide them. I’ve found all your secret corners" Mr. Jung provokes and the pen Mr. Oh is holding is bending out of shape. This guy was really ticking him off and I couldn’t fathom why.

Mr. Oh was unbothered to the extent where people thought him to be emotionless and ruthless. Which were both true and also the reason why he was that impeccable.

"I don't like to repeat myself" he emphasizes sharply, disregarding the taunt.

"Okay the message is crystal clear and duly noted. However, I’ll drop by often and hope to catch you around sweetheart" he smirks and before I understand what is happening, his palm is firmly attached to my behind.

Releasing an involuntary gasp I stumble forwards chaotically and fumble to utter a sentence that explains how outraged I am but he disappears with a wink.

This ing ert.

Who the hell did he think he was? I ought to put his fingers through a damn shredder for violating my pure, precious, perky, with his filthy paws.

Dumbfounded by the atrocity I fail to notice that Mr. Oh's pen has finally snapped and there is blue ink rapidly pooling across his documents. After flashing it an angry glower he tosses the broken pieces into the bin, alerting me to the clutter.

"Mr. Byun does your talent particularly lie in creating a scene?" he accuses menacingly and I am confused. What had I done now?

"I wasn't aware he was trailing me Mr. Oh" I blurt bewildered at the fury being focused on me

"He followed you because you were lousy enough to cause a mess" he flares, irritated.

"I didn't do it because I wanted to Mr. Oh, he scared me" I practically whine.

Was I ever going to get the benefit of the doubt from him?

"Mr. Byun your excuses are pathetic and make me question whether my generosity has been wasted" he implies, crowding me against the wall and I detect the spreading stain on his shirt. He was livid as a fire blowing dragon and not ready to hear anything I had to offer.

"Mr. Oh your cuffs are ruined, let me clean them for you" I steer the topic evasively and grab tissues to scrub it but he glares at me like that was my fault too.

I am the ing victim here so why was I suffering the third degree treatment?

"Perhaps you thought this was Tinder Mr. Byun but my company has a strict to severe, non-fraternization policy. I do not tolerate nor appreciate inappropriate relationships between Co-workers" he articulates sternly. 

"I apologize if it gave you that impression Mr. Oh, but it wasn't like that" I assert defensively.

"Please save your breath Mr. Byun. I am not interested in what you choose to do in your personal life but inside this building you abide by my rules. If that's going to be an issue for you then the exit and your expulsion certificate can always be arranged" he warns indifferently and I am at a loss for words.

Not only had I been manhandled by some stranger but also gotten scolded for being disturbed when I played no part in it. I mean what's next? Blame me for the murder I didn't commit or better yet call me Kylie Jenner's baby daddy when we all know it was the hot bodyguard!

“Mr. Oh you are jumping to conclusions” I counter unhappily.

“Need I remind you why you are working for me Mr. Byun?” he intimidates.

“No sir” I surrender grimly.

“Fulfill your contract and earn your freedom” he finalizes.

"I will be careful in the future Mr. Oh" I answer grouchy as all heck.

"Pack your bags Mr. Byun" he states picking his coat off the hanger.

"Mr. Oh I already promised not to repeat the mistake" I reply grumpily.

"It was not a metaphor for leaving Mr. Byun, I literally expect you to do that" he sighs exasperated.

"But why Mr. Oh?" I exclaim.

"I have a meeting in the Hong Kong branch tomorrow and you are accompanying me" he deadpans.

"Rafael did not inform me of that and I reserved appointments in Seoul" I mutter, terrified.

"Cancel them" he states evenly and I gape. They were the big clients and flagged as VIP in the briefings.

"How long will we be gone for Mr. Oh?" I ask racking my brains for stories to convince my parents.

This would not end well.

"Hard to say" he responds monotonously.

"I'm not sure the flight tickets will be available on such short notice Mr. Oh" I highlight the obstacle praying he would change his mind.

"We're taking the jet" he solves the crisis smoothly.

“I have prior plans Mr. Oh” I request.

“Mr. Byun, look at me” he orders and I heed his demand.

“Which part of me seems like I care?” he urges and I am momentarily blinded by his stunning features.

“None” I mumble dazed and he walks away to the conference hall.

What kind of nightmare is this? I'd have to travel thousands of miles with Lord Sehun and cater to his privileged attitude all the while reciting to myself how being locked in a prison was worse than his I’m sage and you’re lame demeanor.