(18) Just A Little Crush

"Eunha?" Yerin asked her little sister who was busy inspecting the fridge. Probably looking for something edible. "Are you still shocked from earlier?"

She was pertaining to that incident at the rooftop. The lovebirds were highkey shocked to what she just revealed but Eunha may got the end of the stick. As fast as her little sister went up to meet them, she abruptly left the scene when she heard of the news. Yerin was about to follow her then but Sowon stopped and shook her head like it was a bad idea.

Sowon told her to let Eunha have a space of her own to think. This made Yerin worried but she knew her friend was right. Just who in their right mind would blurt out something as scandalous as that when Eunha has yet to accept her relationship with Sinb? Why was her life so complicated?

It was a Sunday morning when Yerin woke up. She decided to make breakfast first for the three of them before she go to the farm and instruct her staffs there. But someone was first to get before her. And it seemed that her sister was hungry as she was inspecting inside their fridge.

Maybe now's a good time to talk to her about it?

"Nope," Eunha answered her flatly as she was still busy looking for something to eat. "I mean, sis, you just said to me that you're going to be a freaking mother. Who wouldn't be surprised?"

"Uhm," actually Yerin doesn't know what to say. So it wasn't a good time then.

Eunha stood up straight and looked at her older sister. She heaved a sigh. "Do I need to faint for you to get my answer?"

"N-no, of course not," Yerin answered. She decided to start making breakfast to atleast lessen the awkwardness. "If you're not yet ready, I think I could wait."

She heard Eunha sighed after that. What was that? "Unnie, there's nothing I could do about it right?"

"What do you mean?" Yerin asked confusedly.

"You. Being a mother. There's really nothing I could do about it now," Eunha replied clearly. "If you're really going to be a mother then so be it. But!"

Oh thank heavens Eunha finally accepted her! Yerin was ready to hug her sister and maybe jump around the kitchen or maybe the whole house? But just as she was about to celebrate, Eunha made her stop.

"Hold your horses first unnie," Eunha clarified. "I still do NOT accept Sinb."

"What? B-but she'll be the one carrying the baby!" Yerin argued.

"So?" Eunha answered nonchalantly. She was yet to accept Sinb as the girlfriend so the latter was still far to be a mother and possibly, Yerin's wife, for Eunha. "Let me make a proposition for you unnie."

"Oh what's with the propositions lately?" Yerin muttered with a bit of irritability. Why does people want her to decide? Gosh.

Eunha raised an eyebrow as she went near her sister. "Who else made a proposition with you?"

"Her mom," Yerin answered. "Apparently she doesn't like me for Sinb so she made me choose. It's either I should back out or accept the challenges."

"So the relationship was doomed from the start," Eunha concluded. "And here I thought I was the only one against the relationship."

"Wow, thanks for the support there, lil sis." Yerin deadpanned. "What's your version of a dare Eunha?"

"Why? Still not going to let go of Sinb? I mean, you could be a wife and a mother without having to associate yourself with her," Eunha said as she opened the cupboards. Geez! Does this resthouse this empty before? They should really stack foods later.

"That's why I accepted the challenges," Yerin informed her. "I volunteered to man the delivery today so Umji could permit to take a one week absence from the flowershop just to be Sinb's mother's replacement."

"You what?!" Eunha stopped her motions when she heard what her sister announced. "Why unnie?"

"Because I want to gain her trust. Then we could tell her mom that she's pregnant. It's just the right thing to do Eunha. I'm taking responsibility for what I did, well, half of it actually." Yerin explained.

She got herself a pan and some eggs to fry with. What should she even make today? Hmmm, maybe some scrambled eggs?

That made Eunha silent for awhile. And while Yerin was cooking, she was aware of how Eunha bore her eyes at her. Yerin was feeling a little bit tense because of the gaze but decided not to give in.

"Then gain my trust too unnie," Eunha finally said. Yerin stopped what she was doing and stared at ther sister. "Since Sinb is carrying the baby, she's not fit for the proposition I'll be making. So you need to do it in behalf of you dear, arghm, girlfriend." Eunha swore she was about to choke the word 'girlfriend.'

Why of all people Yerin needs to impregnate with, it must be Sinb?

"What are the conditions?" Eunha smiled a sly one. "After breakfast, you do the cutting in one greenhouse. Then after, I would like some burgers for lunch and maybe a massage later before we go to the city?"

Yerin was dumbfounded. Eunha must be crazy. There was no way she would do the work at the greenhouse! She the freaking owner for pete's sake!

"Won't do it?" Eunha suddenly asked innocently. "Then might as well break up with her. That should be simple."

Yerin returned her focus on the egg she was frying. "Then I should be cooking this fast so I could complete all tasks."

Eunha's smile suddenly got erased. So Yerin will accept the challenge huh? Oh girl, her sister's in for the fight. Oh well, might as well make her challenges worth her time.

"Okay," Eunha said. "That's just the tasks for the day unnie. After your one week stint at her mother's place, you go back to me."

----

"This is real torture," Sinb muttered under her breath. If this was some horror movie like the one in Saw, she was sure that she'll be the first one to die.

Four days already, one more day and hell week will finish. Four days and Sinb can tell that if Tiffany's urgent meetings will continue until tomorrow, she can count how many labored breaths she could make. Sure, workload won't kill a person. But fatigue and stress can, she thought. 

But Sinb knew what's worse than the hectic workload she has.

If Yerin will continue wearing those sinful attires for work, she would really lose it. Thank the heavens there's only one more day left. Her thoughts was interrupted when Yuju came inside her office. Ugh, more paperworks, that would mean.

"Chief, you have a meeting with the board now." Yuju informed her with a sense of urgency.

"Why the short notice?!" Sinb irritatingly asked. Why do meetings suddenly pop up when you're about to do finish some reports? Damn being the managerial line. "Don't they have something to do with their own divisions?"

"That's already scheduled you twit. Don't tell me you didn't read the mail I gave you?" Yuju said. Yuju was multi-tasking at that moment, and to say that she's doing a pretty good job would be an understatement. Though Sinb's schedule was given a day before hell week and everything seemed to go according to plan, Yuju saw other work not included in her friend's schedule. So she planned and re-sched everything.

"Do I look like I have time to check on it?" Sinb throwed her own version of a question. "Why didn't you say earlier?"

"Do I look like I have the time to inform you?" Yuju answered back. "Maybe that's why I emailed it you right?"

It was clear they were both stressed at the sudden meeting. Plus the fact that they still got a lot of things to work on. All hail Jessica and Tiffany for bringing hell to Sinb.

"Hey you guys, don't stress yourselves," A voice suddenly reminded them. "And you Sinb, try not to be stressed. It's not good for the baby you know."

Sinb and Yuju stopped and the former drew her eyes to the one who called her.

And damn, what a bad move to take.

Because standing at the door was the one she was sure to take her last breath away. Clad in white sleeved blouse matched with a black leather skirt and high heels, was her extremely hot being.

Why?

Why does she wear something so sinful for Sinb's eyes? Can she return to being that cute one? She preferred it more than the racy being infront of her.

Of course, who was she kidding? That fifth outfit of Yerin was all too good not to have a double look. Or even a long stare at that.

"What are you doing here? Should you be inside the board room?" Asked Yuju to Yerin.

"I'm here to fetch her," Yerin simply answered. "The meeting won't start without the Chairman right?" 

Yuju looked at Sinb. Oh my, her friend was so smitten. Yuju silently shook her head. "Then, what are you waiting for? Take her to the board room since I think, she's grown roots in her table."

Yerin chuckled.These past few days she can't help but notice that Sinb was acting weird. And not just any kind of weird, but the weird kind of weird. Especially when she was in the area.

But she'll take it. If she wants Sinb to be that cute, she would be glad to wear these kinds of outfits. After all, what's a little reward for herself right?

Yerin took Sinb's hand and guided the frozen pink-haired woman outside the office. "Chill Sinb, you seemed tense." Yerin said as they are walking the hallway. "You've done so many meetings in four days, you shouldn't be nervous about this one."

(Author, am I doing a good job not trembling when I took the initiative to hold her hand? God, you must know how I'm feeling)

(I'm the author here right? Of course I know how you feel)

(Just making sure. Now you can hit the play button again if you want)

"I-I'm not n-nervous about that," Sinb stuttered. She was trying her best not to look at the woman dragging her. The was just too much to take. Geez, Lord, why make me suffer?

"Then why the stutter Sinb?" Yerin asked innocently as she stopped in her tracks. "Tell me what you feel, maybe I could ease it."

Oh girl. There's no way Yerin could ease what she has been feeling. Not when she was the reason behind all this. Darn!

"N-nothing," Sinb answered.

"Hmm?" Yerin held Sinb's hand firmly as if telling her that Sinb won't get away with an answer like that. She saw Sinb squirming and looking at different directions. Ah, it must be the clothes, Yerin thought. She smirked as she released her grip on Sinb and held the latter's face with both hands. "Why won't you look at me Sinb?"

Sinb closed her eyes. Oh God. It must be the hormones. Right, it must be the hormones on why she was feeling like this. She opened her eyes once she found some sort of a resolve within herself. But damn, she was face to face with Yerin, and all resolve she just had, vanished like a bubble. She's so... so... damn! She's attractive alright?! "I-I'm looking at you now, s-see?"

Yerin smiled. "You're looking to me just now. Wait, do I look ugly to you?"

"N-no!" Sinb immediately answered. "Who told you that you're ugly?! No one in their right mind would say that! I myself included."

Oh my, what did I just say?!

Sinb was wishing for the walls to collapse and maybe hide her from embarrassment. Freaking frog eggs! Just where did her cold facade go when she needed it the most?

Yerin chuckled and went closer to Sinb. She could feel Sinb's hitched breath hit her skin. "Then look at me. Look at me Sinb. Oh wait, let me rephrase that for you."

Sinb gulped. What more will Yerin say to her? "I want you to look at me Sinb, only me, get it? I'm not wearing these outfits just so you could have one or two looks at me. Make my effort worthwhile, please?" Yerin then leaned away from Sinb and she held the stunned woman's hand again. "Let's start with the meeting Chairman?"

----

"I think they gotten closer," Umji said to Yuju while observing their persons of interest at a nearby table. They were having lunch at the usual place Yuju and Sinb would go to. "Way closer for comfort."

"Well I would say, your friend has a knack for teasing my chief," Yuju commented before taking a bite of her steak. "And I think, it's working magic. Just take a look at my friend. So smitten."

Umji looked at the pair again. Yerin was smiling to Sinb who was just...keeping her eyes on her plate. Where's the cool Sinb she came to know in the past weeks? "Do you think Sinb might have a crush on Yerin?"

"With the stutter and shy looks, maybe." Yuju answered. "Hey, what about we ask her later about that?"

----

"How's your day?" Sowon asked via video call to Yerin.

"Busy," Yerin answered shortly. She was doing some accounts sales for the week while keeping track of the employees' reports. "And the skirt's a little tight."

"Well that's leather for you," Sowon replied. "Care to share if Sinb liked it?"

Yerin stopped for a moment to look at her friend. How would she put it when she doesn't know the reaction herself. "Seems like it. She always stutters and acting shy around me. Must be your clothes."

Sowon laughed. "Hey, is Sinb that tad numb around you before? Gosh, that brat. Or maybe, she has a for formal attires?"

"Sowon!" Yerin scolded the make-out machine. Geez, sometimes she wonders why dud she have a friend like Sowon.

"Hey! Respect your elder!" Sowon argued back. "Well anyways, how's Sinb's mother to you?"

"So far, she hasn't given me another task to do," Yerin informed while continuing her work. "Should I be thinking that I made a good job?"

----

It was 6:45 p.m. and both Yerin and Sinb were not done yet with their respective works. Well how will they finish if there are other surprise works that kept on filing up their desks. The only difference was that Yerin kept a happy tune while doing Jessica's job. Accounts sales and settlements were no problem for her. She's a businesswoman, she has tackled these things before. While on the other hand, Sinb, seemed to be the tortured satan herself.

Tiffany's job was no joke. Being a chairman to the one of the biggest hotel franchising group means a lot of work. There are meetings from different kind of franchisers, assess and give solutions to their problems, propose projects to these franchisers, maintain and regulate the smooth conduct of operations, and other matters for that sort. And to think Tiffany doing a job like this and how she manages on her own makes Sinb think that her mother could be a cyborg.

Sinb wasn't ready for this kind of job yet. But it wasn't like she has other choices. She's the only child Jessica and Tiffany have. If she only has an older sister, maybe she doesn't need to do this.

"Sinb!"

Sinb shot a glare to whoever disturbed her again. And seeing it was her weird friend from Planet Weirdo, she unconsciously rolled her eyes. If it were some meetings again, she would really file a leave starting next week. "What do you want?"

"We want to know something," Yuju started while motioning for Umji to go inside the office. "You know, something trivial."

Sinb raised an eyebrow at the two unwanted guests. "I'm still at work. Can that wait?"

"I'm afraid not," Yuju said. "I do believe work's important right now," Sinb deadpanned as she continued signing some papers. Can't Yuju see that she's stressed right now? Oh God.

"So Yerin unnie's not important to talk about?" Umji innocently asked.

That seemed to stop Sinb in her tracks. The pink-haired woman looked straight at Yuju and Umji who were now seated at the couch. Now what are these two up to?

"What about her?" Sinb tried to sound casual though she was very much intrigued.

"See?" Yuju looked at Umji. "She's interested about Yerin."

"Wh-no!" Sinb denied immediately. "You totally said something important right? Whether it be Yerin or not, if its something urgent, then I should listen!"

Oh my, why do I need to explain?

"Okay," Umji said. "Do you have a crush on unnie?"

"So straightforward," Yuju commented. "I liked it."

They focused their gazes on Sinb for her reaction but all they could see was...Sinb in her poker face on. Was asking her that a landmine they just stepped on?

"W-what?" Sinb asked them. How come did they come up to that? "That is what you call important? Geez, and I thought something happened to her."

Yuju was confused. So was her friend still stuck on her break-up? But the way she interacts with Yerin makes Yuju and Umji feel like Sinb has a crush on the brunette. So they were wrong after all. Because what they were expecting to see was a shy and maybe a blushing Sinb at the mention of Yerin's name. But hell no.

Yuju and Umji shared the same confused look. "So we're jumping to conclusions then, I guess." Umji said.

"You really think I have a crush on Yerin?" Sinb asked them. How could they? Does feeling attracted to her with those clothes be considered as having a crush?

"Well, we thought so," Yuju dissapointingly remarked.

Then the door opened and came Yerin with some folders in hand. "Oh partner, you're here! I thought you went back to the shop?"

"The staffs can handle an hour all by themselves," Umji answered.

Yuju turned her gaze to Sinb. Oh.

There in front of them was Sinb, frozen again from her spot. Her eyes seemed to only see the one who just entered like it would vanish once she focused on something else. Yuju smirked.

There could only be two things, she thought. It's either that Sinb was into Yerin's clothes so bad or Sinb just got a tiny little bit of what she called 'crush.'

And Yuju knew there was no way Sinb would admit the latter. As if Sinb would admit the former too.

"What's with the smirk?" Umji whispered to her.

Yerin was now near the uncomfortable Sinb detailing her what was inside the folders. Yuju silently pointed at the two for Umji to focus on and then grabbed her phone to take a candid shot of the two.

"Why are you taking pictures of them?" Umji further inquired when Yuju doesn't answer her.

"I think I know now how to make chief admit her feelings," Yuju slyly said.

----

"Oh Sinb," Yuju singsonged as she leaned from the emergency exit door. She managed to fool Sinb that there was another meeting in another division and that she was needed there. She told her that the emergency exit eould be the fastest way to get there and Sinb followed without even asking questions.

Sinb glared at her friend. What the hell does she want now? Can't she see that there's a meeting she trying to get to?

Then as if Yuju heard her silent whining and irritation, she saw in Yuju's hand some pictures of her...seeming shy and super aware of...Yerin's presence. Sinb's eyes grew wide. Since when did she took photos of her?!

"Hey weirdo, since when did you took that?" Sinb said trying to be as cold as possible.

"This?" Yuju looked at the photos and smiled. "This week. And you know what's my favorite among these?"

Oh no.

Sinb saw a picture of her and Yerin in the hallway early this morning for the board meeting. Sinb, in the picture, was clearly blushing with Yerin's face so close to hers with the latter's hand pressed on her cheeks.

What. The. Freak.

"Where did you---" Sinb didn't attempt to finish her sentence as she was trying to grab the particular photo out from her friend's hand. "Give me that!"

"Not until you explain why you did that kind of face," Yuju teased. "C'mon girl, spill it. Tell me what's the reason behind those."

Of course Sinb wouldn't tell. Not when she hasn't thought about it yet. She knew Yerin was attractive these past days but she was solely blaming it to her hormones. Ditch the hormones!

"I don't have a crush on her alright," Sinb denied while still struggling to get the damned photo. Was Yuju this tall before? Drat, she must be on freaking pills!

"So you're just about her?" Yuju asked.

"Wha-NO!" Sinb retaliated. But then, she blushed when she remembered Yerin's attire for the past four days. Those suits with the loosened ties (damn the ties!), formal dresses that either showcased the woman's healthy and cheeky behind, up to the brunette's outift today like she would go to some party later on with the freaking. leather. skirt. "I'm not!"

"So the cold princess a ert huh?" Yuju teased more. "Tell me, are you just or you're attracted to her already?"

Wait. Attracted?

But that's just the hormones!

Sinb looked at her friend. Yuju wouldn't let go of this trivial matter so easily. Sinb knew that. And here she was cramming to get to the damned division who called for a sudden meeting again and Yuju came to stop her for this kind of matter.

"Okay fine. I have maybe a tiny bit of a crush on her, alright?" Sinb admitted. She still has yet to internalize everything but knowing Yuju... she won't get away from her if she won't say anything.

"Explain,"

"Wha-do I really need to explain?" Sinb asked irritated. "Look. I need to get to that meeting now."

Yuju smiled. Of course Sinb wouldn't divulge those parts...yet. Time to let go of the trivial matter now. Yuju stood straight and gave way for the pink-haired friend of hers.

Sinb was about to leave the scene when Yuju stopped her again. "Hey Sinb, the meeting's just a lie. I just told you that one to have you admit your feelings on Yerin."

What?!

----

9:58 p.m.

Yerin yawned. She just finished all Jessica's workload for the week and she felt accomplished. She was arranging all her things when she decided to call Sinb's office. She always checked Sinb every three hours or so just to make sure that the pink-haired girl was not stressed by the workload. Though Sinb always answered her with the infamous 'I'm fine,' she knew Sinb was still stressed. So for the past days, she would always try to finish her workload to help Aphrodite's daughter in her own stack of work. But Sinb doesn't let her, so she would always buy dinner for them to share and probably tried to tease the busy woman.

"Why hasn't no one picked up yet?" Yerin asked no one in particular. Just then someone picked up the other line and she immediately knew who the other person was. "Yuju! I was just calling to check on Sinb. Where is she?"

"Sinb left her office quite some time now. She said she was just going to grab some folders inside her car." Yuju informed. "She hasn't been back for like fifteen minutes now?"

"Oh, okay." Yerin answered disappointed as she ended the call. "That's weird. She shouldn't take a long time to get to the parking lot, she thought. She decided to shrug it off and continued to arrange her things.

Yerin heaved a sigh. She was feeling different. Like something was not right. She dropped the folders in her hands and immediately went to grab her phone to call Sinb. "C'mon, pick up." But no one answered.

What could she be doing?

Yerin was getting anxious every time Sinb doesn't pick up the call. She was fighting every thought inside her head and saying she was just vexed because of stress. But every ring she heard, her anxiety just grows.

Yerin gave up calling Sinb. There was only one way to end her anxiety and worry. She immediately grab her purse and went out of Jessica's office.

--oo0oo--

(19) The World Against Me

--oo0oo--

Should've posted it earlier this week but I'm getting enough Sinrin content lately and of course, work. :)