The rest of the week was spent with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo texting each other a lot.  At night they would be doing video calls that would go on until past midnight.  What they lacked in sleep gave them more energy somehow, because both found themselves looking forward to their daily afternoon study sessions.

Chanyeol was in the middle of adding his input on the 4th chapter of the gram strains research when he received a message from Kyungsoo on Kakao Talk.  

While it hadn’t been blatantly imposed that the usage of employees’ cellphones was forbidden in their cubicles, Chanyeol observed that none of the researchers and scientists did when they were doing their work.  Chanyeol couldn’t help peeking on the message though.  He felt compelled to keep responding to Kyungsoo, as the smaller one did to him.

He could hardly believe they had only known each other for two weeks.

I’m finished with all of my modules, though.
Would you like to go out for some bubble tea
or coffee with me later? 

Go out?  Was this Kyungsoo formally asking him out for a date?  

Chanyeol bit his lip to restrain a full smile.  It was Friday and only two more hours until that possible bubble tea date.  Perhaps he could suggest they do the study session outside, for a change of scenery, since Kyungsoo had been so stressed lately.  The smaller one did seem more carefree during his study sessions with him... like a teenager, and not the CEO of his own clothing brand.

Just as Chanyeol was typing his reply, he jumped as he felt an arm going around his shoulders.  He gulped and thought he was going to see the stern face of either Dr. Jung or Dr. Shim reprimanding him to keep his cellphone away.  “Mr. Riley!”

The Vice President of Do Laboratories grinned at him as Chanyeol hurried to put his cellphone in his pocket.  “It’s okay,” Mr. Riley assured him, leaning back a bit.  “You can use your phone but just keep it to a minimum.”

Chanyeol nervously nodded, subtly sliding the phone in his pocket, and turned back to his laptop.

Mr. Riley skimmed Chanyeol’s intricate notes on the screen.  “Great job.  You really continue to impress us, Chanyeol.”  

Chanyeol blushed a little.  He was grateful to the man because it was largely because of his recommendation that even Dr. Do wanted to interview him for the internship offer, which had materialized now.  “Thank you, sir.  I try my best.”

“I’m looking forward to your thesis on the reinvention of multiple sclerosis medicine.  How is that coming along?”

“Um, I’m just doing finishing touches and my professors are currently reviewing it.  With more participants, I can draw more conclusive results.  Dr. Do did say that perhaps in the future, I can conduct my research here at Do Labs, after my graduation.”

“Splendid,” Mr. Riley told him enthusiastically.  “If ever you need Do Labs to review your thesis, you can send it to me, and I can see what I can do to help you further.”

Chanyeol’s jaw dropped.  Wow, Do Labs would help him polish his thesis?  That would definitely give him all the credentials he needed if the great scientific minds of Do Laboratories would solidify his theories, and he could graduate with honors.  “Really, sir?  You’d do that for me?”

“Of course!” Mr. Riley patted him on the back.  “Do Laboratories is known for its outstanding and groundbreaking work.  You were the only one chosen out of over 200 applicants for the internship program this year, Chanyeol.  We want you to realize your full potential.”

With Chanyeol still reeling with awe from the offer, Mr. Riley looked up to see Dr. Shim and Dr. Jung approaching.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Riley,” Dr. Shim greeted, somewhat seriously.

“Did we have a meeting today, sir?” Dr. Jung asked, eyes narrowing a little.

“No,” Mr. Riley couldn’t help but laugh, standing up and squeezing Chanyeol’s shoulder.  “I just wanted to know how our intern here is doing and based on his output, you two seem to be doing an incredible job in mentoring him.”

“Chanyeol is proving to be a brilliant contributor to the gram stains research and the board is leaning towards approving to include his name in the publication of this paper,” Dr. Shim said, smiling proudly at the intern, who was staring at him wide-eyed.  

Dr. Jung nodded at him, chuckling, to confirm.

“Well, of course, I brought it up to management.  Chanyeol would be a great addition to Do Labs’ research team after he graduates.”  Mr. Riley then checked his watch.  “Oh, would you look at the time?  Anyway, I hope you have a good lunch and I’ll see you around, gentlemen.”

Dr. Shim and Dr. Jung stared grimly after the executive as Chanyeol followed them to the cafeteria.  

“What did Mr. Riley want?” Dr. Shim asked carefully, which startled Chanyeol.

“Uh, he was just asking about how my internship has been going so far and about my thesis...”  Chanyeol’s voice trailed off as his mentors looked at each other, with an expression the teenage genius couldn’t read.

“Hmm...” Dr. Jung only murmured.  “Anyway, I think they’re serving Thai cuisine today.”

***

Chanyeol had decided he would try a Honey Dew-flavored bubble tea with Kyungsoo today when he stopped in his tracks upon entering Kyungsoo’s office to find two older executives—at least that was they looked to him—on the seats in front of Kyungsoo’s desk.

Kyungsoo was nowhere to be found.

Chanyeol bowed tentatively to them, because he wasn’t aware if Kyungsoo had a previous meeting before their study session.  It was 2 p.m., wasn’t it?  He thought to turn back and check with Yeri or Heechul but then he heard one of the executives—a woman—call him by name.  “Park Chanyeol-ssi?”

“Uh, de?”  

“Please, take a seat.  We would like to discuss something with you.”

Chanyeol cautiously took a seat by the chair he had been seating, on the corner of the office where he and Kyungsoo held their study sessions.  What would they need to talk to him about?  Yeri hadn’t mentioned anything as well when he greeted her at the lobby minutes ago.

“This is regarding your affiliation with Gravity,” One of them initiated, a man, whom Chanyeol now figured out to be a lawyer, having read the designation from the man’s ID.  

He was speaking to Gravity’s legal team?

“Um... I... am Do Kyungsoo-ssi’s tutor?” Chanyeol answered, having absolutely no clue, what this meeting was going to be about.  

“That is an arrangement between you, Dr. Do of Do Laboratories and Mr. Do Kyungsoo,” the woman informed him, in case Chanyeol had forgotten.  “However, this is about...”

Just then, the office door opened and in walked Kyungsoo, spewing out instructions to his frazzled secretary.

“And that is why we have to hire more models, Heechul-ssi...” Kyungsoo’s expression immediately soured upon entering his office and seeing the two legal counsels of Gravity in his office.  “What the—?  I didn’t schedule any meeting with Legal.”  His eyes flashed some more when he realized they were there to address Chanyeol.  “I told you.  He’s off limits!”

Chanyeol began to look at Heechul for answers.  Kyungsoo’s secretary only looked back at him in panic.

“But we are trying to prevent lawsuits left and right here, especially from Park Chanyeol-ssi himself!”

Chanyeol raised his hand, as if asking for permission to speak.  “Um... I don’t see any reason to sue... why would I—?”

“It’s because there’s no written contract of you modeling for Gravity and your photos have been floating around the internet as one of the faces of the brand,” the woman, whose ID said Atty. Woo, relayed.  “By right, you should be getting a percentage of the recent sales...”

Chanyeol appeared more confused than ever.

Kyungsoo gave out a deep sigh.  “May I just discuss this to Park Chanyeol-ssi privately?”

Heechul and the two lawyers looked at each other.  Heechul gave them a nod, because he knew his boss best, and the lawyers’ rather aggressive persistence would not get any of them what they wa