Chapter 2 – Getting closer

 

The next day,

You were all set to go to work. You brought all the things that Jeongho sunbaenim asked you to bring.

You waited for the bus to bring you to your new workplace.

 

Once you arrived at Around Us Ent, you greeted the receptionist.

“Good morning. Oh… may I ask what your name is?” you asked

“Oh… I forgot to tell. It’s Yoojung.” She said with a smile

“Oh. Good morning Yoojung sunbaenim.” You said

“Eyhh… what’s with the sunbaenim? Don’t say that because I’m just 2 years older than you. Just call me unnie. You don’t have to be so formal here.” She said

“Yes. Yoojung Unnie” you smiled and went upstairs.

You are not the type of wearing high heels and heavy makeup. You only apply light makeup and lip tint.

 

“Good morning everyone.” You greeted all the seniors.

“Oh! Good morning Yookyung-ah… In the mood for work?” asked Jeongho sunbaenim

“Yes! So what’s my first task?” you asked

“Oh Suyeon will help you with that.” He said

“Oh! Yookyung-ah come here~ “she said while signaling her hand for me to come to her desk.

You went towards her.

 

“Yookyung-ah, this is going to be your new desk. We’re desk mates!” she said excitedly.

She seems very bubbly. You thought to yourself

You smiled at her warmly.

“Suyeon sunbaenim, so what’s my work?” you asked.

“What? Sunbaenim? Just Suyeon Unnie is fine. Don’t be so formal here. We’re not a public office. We’re a team. Be comfortable” she said

“Yes… Suyeon unnie” you said

“Good morning” said CEO Yang entered the room. Wow… he looks so nice

“Oh. Daepyo-nim why are u here?” I asked accidentally

“Oh?...” he looked at his staffs. “This is my workplace. So…” he said

“Ah! Yea…Sorry. I mean aren’t you supposed to be in the military?” you asked

“Ahh~… I took the whole week off to handle the company.” He said

“Daepyo-nim, she’s our maknae.” Said Jeongho sunbaenim

“Ah! Yeah… Our maknae~ I forgot. Oh! Why don’t we go for team dinner tonight? Celebrating our new maknae?” he asked his staffs loudly

“Wow! Yeahhh~ sure will do~” they all agreed.

“You guys agreed because it’ll be on me” Said CEO Yang and they laughed

“Let’s finish early today okay?” said CEO Yang.

“Yes!” said the staff. “Is it okay yookyung-ssi?” he asked you.

“Ah! Yes. It’s okay.” You said and nodded

“Hwaiting!” he said as he smiled and went to his office. While your eyes glued at CEO Yang.

 

“You like CEO Yang right?” whispered suyeon unnie

You turned to suyeon unnie with a shock expression. “Unnie, no. Really no.” you shook your head a lot of times.

You received a message, suyeon unnie saw your lockscreen is yoseob’s photo.

“No?” asked suyeon unnie sarcastically.

“Okay… okay…” you said. “Yookyung-ah, don’t let the daepyo-nim vatch you okay?” she asked

“If he knew about this?” you asked. “He’ll fire you” she said.

“What?” you said loudly and stood up. The staffs looked at you.

You bowed to all of them “Sorry.” And sat down.

“Is it really true?” you asked

“I’ll tell you a story at lunch break okay? Right now, let’s do our work.” She said

“Okay. So what’s my first task?” you asked.

“Okay… I am going to email you all of the information. Since CEO Yoon is coming back in 3 months, we have to prepare the suitable picture to post in our social media. But you are in charge at editing, make it look creative and also have some wit. You know to make it more fun to read.” She said

“But right now our main focus is for Around Us Ent audition. I’ll give you the information, and you have to design it properly. After you’re done, you can refer it to me or Youngjae. Our Team Leader for Marketing. Okay?” she said.

You nodded and continued the work until it’s time for your welcome party.

Your mom texted you to pick up a parcel at her friend’s house. Thank god the house is near the company.

Time passed. Now it’s lunch break.

“Yookyung-ah, let’s go eat lunch” said suyeon unnie

“Ah! Yeah… Let’s go” you said.

“What do you want to eat?” asked suyeon unnie

“I’m suddenly craving for fried chicken.” You said

“Oh! Are you guys going to eat chicken?” asked Minhyuk A&R Department leader.

“Yep! Let’s go together” said suyeon unnie.

“Guys~ let’s go eat lunch with the new maknae.” Said Minhyuk.

“Should we ask Daepyo-nim?” said Jaesun 2^nd manager for Highlight after Jeongho.

“Daepyo-nim will have lunch with CEO Yong” said Jeongho sunbaenim

“Oh! Yeah I forgot~” said Jaesun

 

CEO Yong? Wow… Managers and artist have different chat rooms.

“So unnie, does CEO Yong also came to the office?” you asked

“Of course~ He’s still our CEO.” She said

“But…” you wanted to ask

“About that, only the higher ups know. We as staffs cannot interfere. We have to follow the instructions.” Said suyeon unnie while eating.

“Daepyo-nim said to be careful. Don’t let the news of Yong CEO is working with us.” She said

“Why?” you asked

“Yang CEO said it’s private. Basically telling us it’s not our business.” She said

After lunch break, we head back to the office and continued our work.

 

 

“Are we all ready?” said CEO Yang as he came out from his office while holding a jacket at his left hand.

You stood up “Sorry daepyo-nim can I pick up an important parcel. I promise I will join you guys. The place isn’t far from here.” You said.

“Oh… okay then. You’ll join us right? Since it’s your welcome party.” He asked

“Yes. Yes. I will. Thank you daepyo-nim!” you said and quickly left.

 

 

Yoseob POV

“So everyone’s ready?” I asked

“Yeahhh!” shouted the staffs

“But daepyo-nim, where are we going to eat?” asked Changmin A&R Department

“At the usual place” I said

Oh yeah someone have to text the new maknae.

“Oh! Before I forgot. Suyeon-ah share the location with our maknae okay?” I said

“Yes. I will” she said

“Hyung let’s go” I said to Jaesun our 2^nd manager.

 

“Yoseob-ah, aren’t we supposed to wait for Dujun to welcome the new staff?” asked Jaesun

“I know~ it’s okay. We can let them meet again another time.” I said

“Waaa… Is there a special reason?” he asked

“Just. She’s an interesting character. You know that a lot of our fans want to work with us in the A&R Department. When I told them, no personal feelings towards the CEO’s. And then they said they are sorry, and they left although some of their resumes are okay. But this one just asked me a weird question?” I said

“Oh! What?” he asked

“What if the CEO doesn’t know? Is it okay?” I said

“Isn’t that like obvious?” he asked.

“I know right~ But she is serious on working at the Marketing Department. That’s why I took her in” I said

“I can sense that she can do her work properly.” Said Jaesun hyung

 

Yookyung POV

You took the parcel, and you were on your way to the place where suyeon unnie shared at kakaotalk.

You were walking slowly since everyone texted they just arrived.

You heard something near the pile of garbage’s. You saw a black tail wagging. It was a dog.

You called him but then it barked loudly and started to chase after you.

 

“What the” you said and quickly ran

“Yaaa! Don’t chase after me!” you said loudly as you tried to find something in your bag to distract the dog.

You kept searching and there was a piece of chicken leg that you bring back to the office during lunch break. You threw it to the dog, and you continued to run.

You reached the place in a much messed up situation. Your hair was so messy due to running. You were out of breath trying to calm down holding both of your knees while you stand

“Yah! Yang Yookyung! Are u okay?” asked suyeon unnie.

 

Yoseob POV

“Let’s wait for our maknae first” I said to everyone.

“Yah! Yang Yookyung! Are u okay?” asked suyeon who sat beside you facing the entrance.

Woahhh… What happened to her?

“I…. I can…. Explain…” she was out of breath.

“What happened?” I asked

“Daepyo-… Daepyo-nim. There… there was a dog chasing me. Can I rest first?” she said and flopped down at the floor.

“Yookyung-ah~ Breath! Breath!” said suyeon

“Breath in Breath out” said Jeongho hyung

“Aigoo…. Pity our new maknae. So can we start now since she’s here?” asked Jaesun hyung

“Let her settle down first.” I said and went towards yookyung

“Yookyung-ah are u okay? Should we cancel?” I asked

She sat down while suyeon fixed yookyung’s hair.

“No no~ I’m here now so let’s start.” She said. Looks like she calmed down now.

“Okay. Shall we start?” I asked.

Yookyung sat infront of me with Jeongho hyung. We raised our glasses and everyone drank the soju except for yookyung.

 

 

Your POV

“Yookyung-ah why aren’t you drinking?” asked Jeongho sunbaenim

“Ahh~… I don’t drink soju. It kind of make me feel very sleepy. Even after one small sip.” You said.

“Really???” asked suyeon unnie.

“So your parents never drink soju? “asked Jaesun sunbaenim

“They don’t drink soju. I once accidentally drank soju while I was working. Someone poured it inside a small cup, it was a very hot weather, so I thought that was water I saw on the table. Turns out it was soju. My manager was there and he said I slept until night shift” you said.

“Okay…” said CEO Yang while he took the soju bottle and the small cup in front of me then put it in front of him and Jaesun.

May I say how gentleman he is? How can I not fall for him? You thought

“I’ll take a glass of water for you” said CEO Yang.

“It’s okay. I can take it myself daepyo-nim” you said.

“Eyyhh… this is your welcoming party. Enjoy it.” Said CEO Yang

“CEO Yang is always like this. He respects everyone he meets. But this is just CEO Yang. Wait until you see all of them together.” Said Jaesun sunbaenim

“All of them treat us like family. So that we can work in a comfortable environment” said Jeongho sunbaenim while eating.

“Here you go” said CEO Yang while he puts the glass in front of you.

“Thank you.” You bowed slightly and drink the water.

 

We ate a lot, talked and it felt like a family. Back then, your old company never treated you like this. It felt different. After the welcoming party, no second rounds as a lot of them are actually married, so they had to go straight home. You were about to walk at the same path you took then you realized the dog was resting there. .

 

“Yookyung-ah… See you tomorrow.” Said Jaesun sunbaenim

“Daepyo-nim, I really want to see you tomorrow too but the dog is still there. Pleaseeee….” You said so they could give you a lift.

“Really? Then, sure.” Said CEO Yang

“Just to the nearest bus stop” you said as you enter the car.

“Eyyh… It’s dangerous for a girl to walk around at this time of night.” Said CEO Yang

“But… What if people misunderstand?” you asked.

“About what?” asked CEO Yang

“About me in your car, and sending me home?” you said.

“No need to worry, sometimes one of the staff asked for a lift. We’re family. People won’t see it as a problem if you wear the AU tag on your neck.” Said Jaesun sunbaenim

“Oh~…then okay.” You said.

 

CEO Yang send you home safely in front of the gate. He lowered the car’s window.

“See you tomorrow~” said CEO Yang.

“Thank-“ you were cut by CEO Yang. “Oh! The dog!” he said making you startled.

“Where?” you asked looking at both of your sides.

“Joking” he said while he smiled cutely you though.

“Ah… Daepyo-nim~.” You said. “Haha see you tomorrow” he said while he wave goodbye and Jaesun sunbaenim drove away.

 

Yoseob POV

That was funny.

“Sudden interest?” asked Jaesun hyung

“I’m just playing a joke with the new maknae” I said.

“Really~…” said Jaesun hyung with a playful but teasing tone.

“Just drive hyung. Yanggaeng is waiting for me.” I said.

I recalled what yookyung said. “I really want to see you tomorrow?” seriously, she’s too obvious.