11 PM.

Coming home so late, Jungkook is sure Yeri is already asleep. He opened the door very carefully, trying to not wake her, but it was a useless effort because Yeri is basically waiting for him at the door.

"Welcome home."

She said those words with so much hatred and he can already guess what kind of conversation he's going to have with her.

"Are you waiting for me to eat ?"

"No, I already ate. Why would I wait until midnight for dinner?"

She talks fast and so full with sarcasm but still takes out food she made for him and sits at the dining table while waiting for him to change his clothes. 

He becomes more uncomfortable when Yeri is not saying anything as he starts his dinner. 

"If you want to curse at me then do it. It's awkward to see your flaming eyes but still staying here watching me.."

"I still could get mad while taking care of you, it's normal."

"Of course it is."

He's Tired too so he doesn't take the arguments further because he knows precisely that Yeri has been holding this for months.

"I quit my job."

He stopped eating right away when she said that. It wasn't a good thing to hear. She already talked about this for weeks, asking if she would quit her job to help him deal with the company and he always said no.

"You told me that I could do whatever I wanted."

"When? I told you not to quit if you enjoyed the job."

"But i didn't. How can I take care of other people's families when my own is suffering on a daily basis?"

"Who? Me?"

Yeri is feeling mad when Jungkook is laughing at her.

"This week you came home late four times. Three of that night you were sleeping while crying,  I need to stay up, afraid if it's getting worse for you..."

"I was just tired, you don't need to do that...it's.."

"I did it, because you helped me too before."

They stop talking and Yeri is feeling more upsets than ever, she doesn't even know why. She's becoming more easily annoyed by what Jungkook did these days.

"I'm fine."

"I talked with Jieun everyday, it's been two months."

She knows for sure that he will hate this. He didn't wait for her before he took all his dishes and left the food back in the kitchen. He is definitely pissed off.

She's following him while feeling bad and sorry but also annoyed because she won't be doing this if he's just honest with her about what is going on.

"I told you, I'll involve you again if you feel better, right?"

"I am."

"You're not the one who can declare that."

"Then who can? You? This is my mind, my depression, my brain, my body, I know how I feel. You're just using it as an excuse."

Seeing Jungkook who's not even looking at her when she already said what she wanted makes her realize that this won't change just because she wants it to change. He seems firm with his decision, he's not apologize even when she is clearly angry at him, this is useless.

She ended up covering her face and looking at him with teary eyes before she's back to her room and shut the door. She used to lock it after a fight with Jungkook a few years ago but she never did it these days. 

****

Jungkook spent hours finishing his work even though his mind is completely shattered by Yeri. He never expects her to be aware about what is going on with him. 

His life, calling it disastrous is exaggerating but calling it fine is also a total lie. The situation he needs to face at work is challenging everyday.
 

He can barely catch up with work after struggling for months, and when he thought he finally can go back on track, people are attacking him from everywhere. They were trashing him everyday in a meeting. All of his policy and proposal was being declined non stop. He can't do anything to them like before because he doesn't have his father to back him up anymore.

If he messes up, no one will help him to fix it, so he really needs to be careful all the time.

It's totally stressing him out that sometimes he regrets his choice for coming back. Not to mention that Jooyoung and Mrs. Jeon leave abruptly, handing over all their responsibilities to him without him knowing what has happened for the past two years.

"It's not like she can help me that much."

He also became annoyed with what Yeri just did, even if he let her attend events and come to his office , it won't change people's perception of him immediately. They will just treat her as entertainment like how they usually treated her. It was his fault because he never stopped rumors about her being a golddigger back then but that's what people see on her even now. They're just delighted because Yeri is pretty, young, and charming.

He spent the rest of his night working on a presentation, he's been revising this for more than five times because all the other executives don't like it. Even though he has people like Jieun and others who's completely supporting him and helping him, nothing can compare with help from his father when he was alive.
 

Jungkook just learned about how he did good and excellent at his work because he was cold and only focused on one thing, Success. He never considered people's hearts or feelings, it was always his father who fixed that for him. And now that he's gone, he needs to work a thousand times harder. Thinking about every aspect because he can't afford to ruin any of it. Not even a small thing.

Yeri's alarm is blasting right at 6 AM, like usual. She wakes up right away and finds the room is cold, Jungkook didn't sleep here.

It's disappointing, but she can also understand why he acts like this.

She takes a quick shower and is ready to start her routine, preparing a breakfast for Jungkook. Since she doesn't have a job anymore, she can spend more time on this.

"Where is he?"

The guest room is empty, and Jungkook is nowhere to be seen, she already guessed that he probably stayed at his office all night to work. She knocked on his office door but got no response so she opened it. He's really here.

His computer is still ON, there are paper documents everywhere and two cans of coffee, his phone is ringing but he's not even bothered by it. She picked up the call for him and of course it's Jieun.

"He's sleeping." 

Yeri doesn't know why her heart feels heavy and lowkey annoyed by Jieun so she talks to her in an unfriendly way.

"Mrs. Jeon?"

Jieun seems aware of her annoyance so she speaks very carefully now.

"What time does he need to come?"

Before she can receive an answer, Jungkook wakes up and grabs his phone from her hands immediately. That's offending in so many ways, especially after he left her without saying a word.

It wasn't harsh or hurt or anything but Yeri found herself in a very bad mood after he did that.

***

"You don't need to do that, i'm late."

Yeri is finished making his breakfast when Jungkook is ready to leave. He seems aware how mad she is because he talks while avoiding her eyes and keeping himself busy with other things but her.

"This is my hardwork. Eat."

Jungkook knows that avoiding Yeri will just make everything worse, so he follows her walk to the dining table and sits on his place while watching her pouring a glass of orange juice for him. There is no smile or words from her, things are completely awkward and uncomfortable.

Yeri's been acting like this for the past week, she's being overly sensitive and easily offended by everything, and it makes him tired too.

"This looked good."

But he definitely has enough conscience to admit that he's done things wrong to her and she deserved to get annoyed at some point. So he's trying so hard to not make her even more angry by telling her sweet words and acting like he has no problem.

He received no answer from Yeri, so he decided to focus on his food rather than dragging her with useless conversations.

Yeri doesn't usually eat breakfast, and she usually leaves him alone while getting ready to go to work. She quit her job yesterday and now she's here, watching him with such intimidating eyes, following every movement he made.

"I'll accept it. If you want to nag me, just say it."

And Jungkook thinks it's better to get lashed out instead of receiving her silent treatment.

"I'm still thinking."

"What do you mean?"

She lets out a sigh and finally frees him from her stare while looking at their breakfast.

"I'm still thinking what is wrong with you that you're acting like this.."

"Hey.."

"No, I know what is going on in your life right now, you don't need to act like you were fine and everything is under your control, because i know it's not. I was just thinking why you're not coming to me when you feel tired and down.. I think we both agree that we need better team work for our marriage?"

Yeri is definitely aware that Jungkook must be feeling so bad at her judging from how he's not arguing or avoiding these conversations like last night.

He seems so troubled that he has already stopped eating now, the only thing he's doing is looking down while sometimes taking a glance at her.

"Tell me.. why are you acting like this?"

"You won't like what i was thinking."

"At least I deserved to know."

Yeri can see that Jungkook is basically telling her that he's going to say something bad.  

"I don't think you can help."

And he is right, Yeri is beyond offended to hear this. It's ridiculous.

"It's different than before, it's all messed up that i don't want to risk you for uncertain results.."

"I told you that you're not that great to take all the hardships by yourself."

"It's not because i think myself is great, it's just the situation is completely hard, i don't want you to get hurt."

Yeri is doing nothing when Jungkook doesn't finish his breakfast, takes his coat and tries to leave .

“Let’s talk when i get home.”

She can’t even do anything when he leaves just like that. She’s too dumbfounded and confused to do anything, not even crying. This is such a horrible approach from both of them to deal with this.

“Mr. Jeon, it’s either you do it or others will do it.”

Jieun is already at the edge of giving up her work as Jungkook’s secretary, this company is basically a hell for her. She’s on a team which is unpopular and portrayed as antagonist by everyone, each mistake and blunder this company made, Jungkook and his team is the one who’s getting blamed. It’s tiresome.

"If we proceed with taking this project, and let's say something is wrong. Who do you think will receive the blow? me, us."

"I know, but if it's work. It's going to compensate all our blunders for the past months."

Jieun knows why Jungkook is being very careful about this, because one failed deal will result in a hundred problems for him. Of course, he is a skillful player in this business and his success ratio is more than 95%.  When his father is still alive, his 5% failure will definitely be backed up, so people see him as someone who has 100% perfect results. But since his father is gone, that 5% will definitely get bigger , overshadowing his success just like what has been happening these days.

"It's too risky."

"Let's see what we can do first, then ask the other department if they wanted to do it or not."

She knows for sure if the old Jungkook receives this offer, he'll take it in a heartbeat, the ambitious and fearless young CEO who has nothing but greed will be thrilled by something like this.

"I'll see what i can do."

He only responded to what she said with short words, and proceeded to tell her to get out from his office. Everything needs a proper calculation and she understands why he's behaving like this.

"Mrs. Jeon is here."

Jieun was only a few meters away from Jungkook's office when one of her staff told her that Yeri is here.

"What is she doing here?"

"We don't know, Mr. Jeon told us that she can’t be here and we shouldn't let her in whatever happened, so the security is still holding her in the lobby."

She walks fast while trying to call Yeri, but she's not picking it up.

"Don't let Mr. Jeon know that she's here, I'll talk to her."

"I understand."

Jieun is walking fast to ride the elevator and get Yeri out from this building. The situation is no longer like a few years ago when she can come here to see Jungkook, bringing him lunch and spending time with him while people call them cute. It's totally different now.

****

"Is he in a meeting?"

Yeri finds this is weird that she was told to wait, like some kind of stranger. People who work here know her, maybe not the security but people who pass by and smile at her are definitely aware who she is.

"His secretary will see you, Miss. Please wait here."

Well, maybe since Jungkook is an executive, procedures should be like this. It's been years since she used to come here anyway, things probably changed.

"Can you tell her to wait for me when she's here, i need to use the restroom."

"Sure."

Yeri thinks if Jungkook is being arrogant and acting like she can't help him , then the only right way is to give him proof that she is fine now, and she deserved his acknowledgement to do something helpful for him. That’s why she’s here.

She left a bag full of food she brought for Jungkook on top of a wastafel and used one of the cubicles of the bathroom while being aware that three other women were talking about her outside.

"Did you see what she's wearing?"

"Sure, it's expensive."

"She shouldn't be doing that after her husband basically ruining our company."

No need to think twice, Yeri definitely notices how hateful they are when they're talking about her and Jungkook.

"I used to respect him so much, but after that mess he did, I doubt he's capable of doing anything that his father is now gone."

Yeri is already finished, but she chooses to not come out and keep eavesdropping their conversation.

"Do you know the rumor about him being abusive?"

"about his wife coming back because they have a contract where money is involved? I doubt it was just a rumor."

"True, judging from how she came here, wearing her most expensive clothes and acting pretty, I am sure she came here for something staged."

If this was happening a few years ago, Yeri will probably come out and show herself to these women while being confident, because she doesn't care about what people think regarding her, she didn't care if Jungkook was trashed as long as he can successfully shut his employee with his successful work. But right now, she can't.

She can't even move, because her whole body feels numb, and her hands are shaking so much. Her eyes are teary and her head is spinning. She gets hurt, very badly, that she's worried if her body will respond to her panic excessively.

"She definitely came here with a lunch for her husband, act like she made it, and give it away to some people, she used to do that, you know. For a fake persona. What a trash."

Yeri can still not move when everyone is out of the bathroom. She can't believe that this is happening to her right now.

"Yeri-ssi?"

She wipes her tears and fixes her hair when Jieun is coming inside the bathroom calling her name.

"I'm here."

She's trying so hard to act like she is fine after hearing so much insults. Jieun in another note doesn't look too happy to see her.

"Mr. Jeon is having a meeting right now, you can wait at his office."

"Sure."

Honestly, if Jieun is not here, Yeri is going to go back home because she's pretty much shaken by how much people changed, both others and herself.

"It's yours, right?"

Jieun is definitely confused because Yeri acts like a lost kid, like this is her first time being here. She almost got out of the bathroom without taking her belongings, which is obviously a home made lunch from Jungkook and his staff, she used to do it a long time ago.

"Ah, right. I made this."

"I know, You're not working today?"

"I quit."

Yeri seems to dislike the idea of her asking too many questions, because she walks fast and Jieun has a hard time to catch up with her.

Everyone is looking at Yeri and she knows why.

For these people who do not know all the full story, Yeri and Jungkook are the antagonist on their work life, the reason why their boss died, the reason for why they don't get any significant bonus for the past two years, the reason why the image of this place was s. 

"You can wait here, I'll inform Mr. Jeon after he's done with his meeting."

She was going to tell her that Jungkook can not see her because of work but she already came this far and it's probably better for her to at least see her husband first, to make her feel better.

"Alright, Thank you, Jieun-ssi."

She watched her take a seat while hugging his lunch bag, looking around with her uncertain eyes. Just like a young kid who's being lost.