17 | ICEBERG

Soobin

I woke up this morning all alone in my bed. For a second, I almost thought last night was nothing but a dream. Thanks to his scent that lingered on my sheets, I knew it wasn’t another one of my disturbingly vivid dreams.

The only thing Baekhyun left me was a text message saying that he left at around 6:30 AM which was an hour before my alarm went off.  I’d be lying if I say I wasn’t looking forward to waking up next to him in close proximity this time.

But that’s okay. I completely understand.

He didn’t even have to be there in the first place. But he was. All because I acted out foolishly and showed him a side of me that I shouldn’t have.

At the same time, I have never been more grateful to him. He’s the first person to ever care about me being gloomy and sad and actually taking action to stop it.

It wasn’t another ‘You can get over it if you really want to.’ or ‘Don’t forget how lucky you are. Other people have it worse than you do.’ that people around me, like my family, would normally say. What can I say? I was raised with tough love.

But last night, it was nothing but tender care. From Byun Baekhyun.

And I never once would have thought that … that’s all I needed to feel better. I needed him and it’s a very scary realization. What am I supposed to do the next time I feel the same way? I can’t be bothering him again. I’m afraid that I’d end up letting this happen over and over again until I am addicted to it. Or to him—if I’m not already.

That’s never a good sign.

A knock on my office door awakens me from my short-lived trance. I look up and watch the door open before I could even say anything.

I was not expecting the familiar face that comes in. It’s Ra Miyoung.

I find myself standing up really quickly that I almost fell. My whole body stiffens in panic. How do you greet a person whom you thought was your friend and then things happened and you grew apart, and even after she came back and literally works across from you every day and is probably dating your boss again, she still hasn’t come to see you personally to catch up?

I am very bad at this.

I don’t know what to say.

She leans against the door frame, folds her arms, tilts her head to one side before giving me that awfully familiar smirk of hers. “Hey, Soobin.” She coolly greets.

How could she be so cool? We created a bond—at least, from what I believe—during our time in SCORCH Steakhouse & Bar and briefly in The Alley Cat before she broke up with Kyungsoo.

And I get a simple Hey, Soobin like it’s nothing at all?

“Okay.” She steps into the office completely and drops her hands to her sides. “I know I’ve been back for a few months now and believe me when I say that it’s been very hectic for me at SCORCH. I’m still pretty new to everything.”

Is she … explaining to me?

I can’t believe my heart is actually racing with a combination of excitement and nervousness. My nervousness is solely coming from the fact that I may be reading this completely wrong and she’s actually not trying to imply that I’m her friend who deserves an explanation for her absence.

“And I know we met very briefly that one time—which, by the way, shall be another topic for us to discuss another time. But anyway.” She snaps her fingers before walking towards me, creating that loud click-clack sound with her stilettos.

“How have you been?” She pulls me in for a hug that makes me flinch and freeze.

A smile threatens to form on my lips but before it could fully happen, I spot Kyungsoo leaning by the opened door of my office, having that same smirk Miyoung had earlier. “Okay, stop the bull, Ramyeon. Just ask the favour now.” He said.

“Okay, this is—” Miyoung hisses as she lets go of me. She then turns to Kyungsoo with a glare. “What bull? Can you, like, walk away and not bother me right now? I’m being genuine here.” She argues.

I stand there motionless as I look at her.

A favour? Is that all?

Miyoung turns to me again with that same sweet smile that I am now doubtful of. I don’t want to guess anymore. I’m always wrong anyway. “Yo—you need a favour?” I ask.

She groans and glares at Kyungsoo again before proceeding with her words. “Not exactly a favour but—uhm, you see—I have a friend with me today, visiting your restaurant. He’s planning to hold this huge ball in one of the most prestigious hotels in the city and he’s considering having SCORCH to cater this big event for him. But—”

“Personally speaking, I’d say he should get The Alley Cat to cater instead since—I don’t really know how this set-up is working out at all if the dude obviously needs something from us, not from SCORCH. I know we never cater but—really, this doesn’t make sense to me.” Kyungsoo interrupts again.

“As I said, this doesn’t concern you so shoo, old man.” Miyoung throws her arms up, motioning my boss to leave.

“I own this place, remember Sweetheart? I told you, this is not going to work. Just give this event to us to make things simpler for everyone.” Kyungsoo argues back.

“I was asked by him first and your restaurant doesn’t suit the theme of the ball. It just so happens that Soobin is what he wants and let’s be frank here, Soobin was from SCORCH originally anyway.” Miyoung yells back.

Oh my god. Here we go. I feel like I’m reliving my life from a few years back. Just standing here silently as I watch these two people bicker. I haven’t experienced this in a long time but somehow, I don’t miss it at all. I mean, who would?

Arguments and fights freak me out. I never liked it.

And to think that I had to deal with it when I used to work with these two, I don’t know how I survived.

Because I am certainly barely surviving right now.

“I tho—I thought you two were back together.” I manage to say, surprisingly. But I can feel my fingers tightly gripping on my pen as I push the top of it over and over again to relieve my tension even just a bit.

Miyoung turns to me with a nod. “Yeah, we are. Why?” She asks casually as if they weren’t just biting each other’s heads off with sharp words just now.

My chest is tight with anxiety as I look at both of them. “Can I ju—can I just hear what the favour is, please?” I fake a smile but I know that I am close to losing it today. I wasn’t expecting to be in between this kind of chaos. My brain could not handle it. Especially when I am still a bit on edge from last night.

It just keeps building and building up.

And I don’t know how much longer I could take until I blow up.

“Okay fine,” Miyoung sighs. “This friend of mine, his name is Park Chanyeol. I don’t know if you remember him but I brought him here once for the soft launch. Anyway he—how do I put this in a nice way, uhm—he’s interested in you and he would like to get to know you.” She grins with her hopeful eyes.

What? Interested in me? Someone is interested in me? And him? I just met him at the supermarket recently.

I didn’t feel anything that would have implied that he’s interested.

“This is stup—” Kyungsoo scratches his neck in frustration. “I am not involved in this. Soobin, this is up to you. I’m not going to force you just because it’s her asking the favour, trust me. I love her but she’s being unreasonable here, I’m so sorry.” He shakes his head in disappointment before walking away.

Miyoung cups my shoulders making me recoil in shock. “Don’t listen to him, okay—” She pushes the loose hair around my face and I flinch before moving my head away from her hands. “Don’t be mad, I promise you won’t regret this. Soobin, he’s amazing. Remember? Tall, handsome and rich? You’d look great together. Both of you have dimples.” She smiles widely before pressing her fingertips right into the groove of my dimples.

I flinch again but this time, really hard that I fell against the edge of the table behind me.

I’m not mad at her.

But she’s touching me a lot and I don’t like it.

“And I heard you recently went through a break-up. I’m so sorry to hear that but hey, this is your chance. He’s a big upgrade, I’m sure. I don’t even need to meet your of an ex and I already know Chanyeol is an upgrade.” She nods eagerly at me and I can just tell just how much she wants to be involved in this event.

One of my weaknesses, amongst a lot, is saying no.

I’m not good with saying no. I