Chapter 8:

The night of the Mr. Kim meeting Jiyong picked up Hyoyeon, who was wearing a flattering black dress that went well with the black on black theme Jiyong had decided to go with for the evening. The cufflinks she got him the shiny accent to his outfit, while hers was a sapphire necklace that sparkled like a star.

Bringing a date to the business meeting was merely a formality, which meant Hyoyeon was there to be seen and not heard. Yet, like as of late, things just never went as planned and Jiyong got another surprise -- which he loathed. They had just entered the hotel where they would be dining, Jiyong spotting Mr. Kim and his flashy date already being lead to their table when Hyoyeon spoke up.

“The Mr. Kim you’re here to meet is Kim Ryeowook?” she inquired.

“Yes,” Jiyong replied slowly. “How do you know him?”

“Old regular,” she answered matter-of-factly. “He blackmails his guilty clients for three times the regular fees to keep his business afloat.”

“How do you know that?”

“In honesty,,” she raised a brow at him. “I was more of a therapist as an . No meant you had to do something to fill the time, and men blabber when drunk,” she explained.

A slow smile broke across Jiyong’s face as he stared down at his date. “Well aren’t you connected,” he smirked.

“To CEO’s and business men, sure, but don’t you usually deal in the underworld side of things?”

“You really are a winner, love,” he beamed as he lead them to the maitre d.

Jiyong felt Hyoyeon’s gaze on him for a moment, like she couldn’t understand what he meant, and in reality Jiyong wasn’t sure himself. Love just seemed to be a fitting nickname for the girl, much like sweetheart had been for Jinjin at the time. As for Hyoyeon being a winner, perhaps the right wording would have been Jiyong was the real winner, having the girl on his side seemed to come with unexpected benefits he had not been looking for when they signed that contract.

As they neared the table where Kim Ryeowook and his date were already seated Hyoyeon looked away from Jiyong and took on the persona of his ever perfect date. Head held high, hand lightly around his bicep and beautiful smile in place. Yet again with Hyoyeon around another surprise arose that actually almost had Jiyong breaking his stern character to laugh.

“Doe?” Ryeowook gaped at Hyoyeon. He even jumped up from his seat, thighs bumping into the table carelessly as his gaze lingered a little too long on Jiyong’s date. The woman on Ryeowook’s left looked frazzled for a moment before she shot a smug leer at Hyoyeon as she stood with her date, arms slithering about his shoulders in a possessive manner.

“Evening Mr. Kim,” Hyoyeon said politely. Jiyong watched as she turned her head slightly to take in the tiny woman -- with the obviously fake chest -- with a can’t be bothered look that almost had Jiyong breaking character again. “Flower,” she greeted the older woman.

Clearing his throat and composing his expression Kim Ryeowook pulled his arm free of his date’s, Flower’s, grip. She did not look pleased at being brushed off. “I was told you weren’t working anymore,” he said.

“I’m not,” Hyoyeon replied.

“Then why--”

“Awfully familiar with my girl, aren’t you Mr. Kim,” Jiyong finally spoke. The older man almost seemed to flinched and Jiyong quirked a smile.

“Aw oppa,” Hyoyeon cooed up at Jiyong.

Despite who she directed the endearment to, Ryeowook still responded with, “Yes?” Realizing his mistake he gestured to the chairs and quickly urged everyone to sit. “This is a business dinner, shall we get to work,” he muttered taking his own seat.

Jiyong agreed to get down to business even though he found Mr. Kim’s flustered appearance around Hyoyeon highly amusing. As the men chattered the girls were quiet, a waiter stopping by to pour wine into their glasses and take their orders. They had just finished the main course when Jiyong saw Hyoyeon shift in her seat so she was facing him more, then a weight settled on his lap that almost had him stammer his words. Continuing what he was explaining to Ryeowook, who seemed to be intently listening, Jiyong lowered a hand from the table so he could feel what was now in his lap. Legs, they were Hyoyeon’s legs draped over his own. Why?

When he finished what he was saying Jiyong gazed sideways at the girl, who’s friendly, professional smile was now gone as she glanced from Ryeowook, to her wine glass then to Jiyong before repeating the cycle. He wanted to ask why she was acting so strange, but just as the thought occurred to him something grazed his knees that was following the line of Hyoyeon’s legs. He shuddered unpleasantly at the touch at the same moment Ryeowook’s words faltered. That explained it.

Narrowing his gaze at the law firm owner Jiyong said, “You have your own date Mr. Kim, leave mine alone.”

“Ah,” Ryeowook stammered. “I wasn’t -- it was an accident.”

“Oppa,” Hyoyeon said leaning towards Jiyong, legs still in his lap. “Go easy on Mr. Kim, he’s a terrible liar and gets performance anxiety,” she hummed in a joking tone, though it was clear she was not teasing for the fun of it.

“Doe!” Ryeowook gaped. “Why would you say --”

“The truth?” she finished with a dark hint to her voice. “Because I’m not Doe anymore. My name is Gho Hyoyeon and you have poor manners.” Side-eyeing Flower she quickly added, “And taste in women if Flower is your second choice.”

“Hey!” the boomed.

“She was all that was available,” Ryeowook snapped back.

“Hey!”

Snickering Jiyong let his hand rest on Hyoyeon’s thigh as he leaned back in his seat. “So tell me, love, what else do you know about Mr. Kim here?”

“Quite a bit, oppa. Where do you want me to start?” she replied smoothly.

“Wherever you’d like,” he hummed.

“Okay then--”

“Alright!” Ryeowook broke. Face flushed and head lowering in defeat. “Alright I’ll sign your current contract, just stop. Doe you’re so cruel.”

“No,” she said coldly. “You people who buy humans for fun are cruel.”

You people who buy humans for fun are cruel. Hyoyeon’s words had stuck with Jiyong since that dinner. They really shouldn’t have since he knew how cruel of a man he was. He worked primarily in the underworld and there were no good people in that grimy and filthy world. Yet a pang of guilt resounded in his chest every time he recalled the way the words left Hyoyeon’s mouth. Harsh, cold and like a sword to the guy.

Maybe that was why Jiyong had summoned her to his office at BB Loans about a month later with their contract rolled out on the coffee table, to relieve the nagging guilt that wouldn’t leave. When Hyoyeon arrived Seunghyun let her into Jiyong’s office where she took a seat on the couch across from Jiyong with a curious look on her face. She glanced from him to the paper on the table between them then back, brow arched questioningly.

“I think we can terminate this contract,” he stated, breaking the silence that seemed to ring between them.

Hyoyeon said nothing, yet something seemed to flash in her eyes that Jiyong