Thirteen

“Get that stuff out of my face didi,” Luhan grimaced, and Kadence laughed as the youngest member tried to shove whatever concoction he had for lunch into the boy’s mouth.  While she wasn’t technically on a break she couldn’t help but linger with EXO-M in their practice room while awaiting her next task.  When she had entered the room to drop a package off she had found Yi Xing chasing Minseok around the room, the older boy running to hide behind her.

“I’m just trying to make sure you’re well fed.”

“More like you’re using me as a test dummy to see if it’s poisonous,” he cried out, choking as the spoon was shoved into his mouth.  Kadence was trying extremely hard not to laugh as she moved to pat the boy on the back, freezing as she almost clashed hands with Wu Fan who was doing the same.

“Well would you look at that, looks like you’re out Luhan.  We have a new umma and appa pairing,” Jongdae noted and she began to blush lightly as all their eyes fell on her.

“Hey, wouldn’t it be amusing if they ever dated?  Kadence and Kris, they could be the Double K couple,” Minseok added excitedly and her eyes grew wide, unable to stop herself from side glancing at Wu Fan.  He seemed to be as flustered as she was about the comment and she cleared to speak when there was a knock on the door.

“Would I be able to have a word with you please Kadence?”  Minah asked as she stuck her head in and the red head nodded.  Moving out into the corridor she closed the door behind them and Kadence turned to her expectantly.  “This morning did you send off two emails for Daesuk and Cheolmin?”

“Um, yes I did.  Daesuk asked me to send an email to the sign writing corporation and Cheolmin to our related businesses,” she said, confused and the older woman nodded once.

“Are you aware that you sent the cancellation letter to the businesses instead?” Minah asked and the redhead’s jaw dropped open.  There was no way she had made a mistake that big.

“B... but how?  Cheolmin told me to send the document on the desktop and Daesuk the one in the letters folder,” she said, her brow furrowing as she tried to discern where she had gone wrong.  Minah let out a loud sigh, rubbing her temples.

“Did no one tell you this morning that there was interference with the radios? Messages have been crossing over each other,” she asked and Kadence shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes.  “Aish, seriously?  I told them specifically to let you know.”

“I’m so sorry Minah, even if no one told me I should have known better.  I should have checked what was in the documents before I hit send.  Now I’ve ruined everything... all those companies that think we’ve cancelled our services with them, oh my god,” Kadence gasped, letting out a sob.  The tears that were pricking at her eyes spilled over and Minah shook her head placing a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s ok Kadence, it was miscommunication... or perhaps a lack of communication.”

“I’ll go and fix things straight away and apologise to all the companies profusely.”

“No, I’ll handle that.  You just go and calm down; it won’t do us any good if you’re so wound up you can’t focus for the rest of the day.  If that happens you’ll just continue to make more mistakes,” Minah urged, Kadence now almost starting to hyperventilate in her panic and the westerner nodded.

Heading for the fire exit she pushed the door open and began to descend, coming to sit at the bottom of the first set of stairs.  Ripping off her headset she flung it to the ground moodily and buried her head into her knees.  She tried not to lose the plot completely, knowing they were just tears of frustration at herself.  She had been growing increasingly stressed over the past couple of weeks and this was just the event she needed to tip the balance.  She didn’t bother to look up as she heard the door open behind her and a figure sit down beside her.

“Hey, it’s alright Kay,” the figure spoke and she let out a groan; there was only one guy she knew who’s voice was that deep and spoke in English.  Wu Fan was the last person she needed to deal with at that moment, especially when he wrapped his arm around her.

“Is it really?  I could’ve just single handedly ruined the company.  I’m going to be fired for sure,” she sniffed and he let out a sigh, pulling her towards him.  She tensed up with the feeling of their bodies pressed together, hardly daring to breathe.

“Yes it is, I’m sure the companies will understand it perfectly when they’re told what the issue was.  And you won’t be fired, Minah knows what’s going on,” he said and there was such certainty in his voice that she was forced to lift her head to take him in.

“Minah might be understanding, but I’m sure the likes of Lee Soo Man won’t be when he hears about this.”

“He’s not a cruel man Kay.”

“No, but he is a business man,” she said softly and he shook his head almost exasperatedly at her.  Turning around to face her head on he placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her steady.

“Kadence, breathe.  Calm down.  Everything will be fine, you’ve helped out the staff immensely since being promoted, they’re not going to fire you over this.  It will all be straightened out and simmer down in no time,” he said sternly, forcing her to look him straight in the eye and she took a deep breath, nodding.  “Good, now no more tears.”

She jumped as he released her shoulders and reached up, wiping her tears away with his thumbs and she turned her head away from him.  She saw his hands fall into his lap out of the corner of her eye and she cleared , pushing herself to her feet.

“I guess I should go find Minah, and get everything sorted,” she sighed and he too stood up, his brow furrowing as he shook his head.

“I think you should have a bit more time to unwind,” he urged and she shook her head, eager to be away from this confined space with him.  She tried to move but he stopped her, towering over her.  “Sit, relax.  I have to get back to practice anyway.”

She stood where she was and watched as he retreated up the stairs and back into the hallway, for the first time being the one to walk away instead of her.

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This is probably one of two favourite chapters.  I hope you guys liked it as much as I did.  Also for some good news, I finish work next Wednesday, and have a few weeks free before I move to Melbourne, so hopefully I can finish this off in that time!