Meeting up with her father wasn't ideal,

seeing Eunwoo and his family was just that little bit worse...

but greeting both at the same time? 

It's actually catastrophic. 

At least meeting them one at a time gives Sojung some spare breathing room to move about... 

She may not be able to retaliate against her father's orders but at the very least all she had to do was make him happy by obeying him for a time, being before the man will eventually get up and leave her to her lonesome. With Eunwoo, his presence may disgust and tire Sojung out, but at the very least she didn't have to try to hide it with the guy at all...

But now with both of them together... a small problem had seemed to surface

You see, to make her old man happy she must at least make it seem like she kinda enjoys Eunwoo's company, but for that to happen Sojung is going to need to put on an act... an act that she truly doesn't believe she'll be able to hold onto for long...

And she has a feeling, Eunwoo is very much aware of this himself, holding onto Sojung's waist, hugging her and getting close to her whenever he seizes the chance. Even going as far as smirking towards the CEO whenever her father wasn't looking...

Because he knows he would be able to get away with it with Sojung's father here.

He knows there would be no consequences... at least for the time being. 

He knows that Sojung can't do anything to retaliate...

With that reality setting in as the night proceeded, the CEO could do nothing but swallow down her pride and protest as she counted down the remaining second of the night whilst continuously putting up a fake smile to keep everyone happy. 

To keep her father happy.

An hour passed by and Sojung may have already excused herself for the bathroom a bit too many times for her to use it again. So sitting there and trying her best to contribute to the conversation without ever dropping that smile for a little longer... she felt her sanity slowly chip away as she wished for nothing more than for this god damn dragged out dinner to meet its end already.

It's funny though... because... 

It's in her lowest moments now where she begins finding herself reminiscing back to the younger secretary.

To Jung Eunbi. 

She couldn't quite explain it, but for some reason, even for a little bit, she wished that Eunbi was there... and at least next to her. 

Even her sheer presence alone would've made this night just that little more bearable... and honestly, Sojung couldn't exactly comprehend why that might be.

Perhaps she misses the younger, missed her presence and missed just being near her.

It's quite foreign to her, in particular, that it's in her hardest moment that her mind seems to always travel back to the shorter blonde. The feeling itself makes her feel endangered... more so than interacting with Eunwoo and her father together...

but even so, Sojung can't help but wish she was talking to Eunbi instead, wished she could be having dinner with her rather than a lousy crowd whose only interests are in an individual's net worth.

And then... in that instance, as if the world has finally heard her cry for escape, Sojung's phone suddenly lights up from a notification. 

A notification that made her jump out of her chair and everyone's else's head to follow.

Excusing herself to the bathroom one more time, reasoning that her stomach was going through a hell day, Sojung practically ran towards the exit at the back of the restaurant...

And there she was...

Eunbi, 

Jung Eunbi, 

Her secretary, dressed up casually, staring back at her, holding up two white plastic bags.

***

"Eunbi-" Sojung was shocked, to say the least, "What in the world are you doing here!?"

Smiling widely before running towards the older and grabbing her hand, the younger pulls her away from the restaurant building. 

"Saving you from you hell, now let's go!"

"Wait wait-" Sojung tried to resist against Eunbi's pull after a few steps. "What do you mean? Where are we going?"

"Like I said, away from your hell"

"Yes! I'm aware, but I can't just leave this dinner?"

Eunbi tilts her head sideways "But you just left didn't you?"

"Through excusing myself to the bathroom, not by any means of taking my leave"

"Alright... so message them and tell them you'll just need to excuse yourself a bit longer"

"What? are you crazy? My father- wait- what are you doing?- Eunbi!"

Ignoring Sojung's complaints, Eunbi quickly grabbed Sojung's phone, noticing it's still unlocked, she backed away from Sojung a bit before scrolling to her father's name.

"Mr Kim? That's your name saved for you father I'm guessing? And good jesus, why is my name here 'Blonde Jung'?"

"Eunbi I swear to god-"

Tapping the screen a few times, Eunbi quickly gave the phone back to the CEO who snatched it away instantly.

Sojung's eyes widens as she looked at the device. "You turned my phone off?"

"Yep, so you wouldn't be so distracted and can stop worrying about it so much. I sent a message to your dad and now you're free for the night."

The fact the younger had even written to her father is already sending waves of anxiety in her stomach... but before acting on pure instinct... Sojung just had to ask. "And what exactly did you write...?"

"Just that you have severe diarrhea and needed to quickly run home"

"Eunbi! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND!? You can't just grab my phone and interrupt an important meeting like that! I could fire you for this. I really can!" Sojung's head was about to explode from the panic that shivered through her body. "I don't think you realise what my father is capable of- You can't just do that and expect this to-"

"Sojung." The blonde quickly interjects "It's a valid excuse, you're sick, no one should force themselves to attend any event when they're feeling unwell and you have every right to leave"

"Heh..." Sojung just frustratingly looked to the side "Not with him you can't"

"Look... " Eunbi let's out a deep sig