Hyukjae-ssi texted me back two days later at night, telling me that he would personally sent the details of the calculation to me tomorrow morning. I was confused on why he had to send the file personally since a man on his position should have been able to send his employee with only a flick of his finger.

But after I thought about it, probably that was his company’s policy or he just wanted to be polite by coming by himself. Either way, I just replied back with a short ‘Fine.’.

Today was the day he was supposed to come, and he even texted me that he would come around lunch. I was talking with Yoona when I spotted him from the elevator. He looked at me and gave me a smile, a smile that really was similar to Monkey.

….God, I think I should rest. I had to have missed Monkey so much until I imagined Hyukjae-ssi as Monkey. I admitted sometimes I had a wish to come back to the forest and played with Monkey to relieve my stress, but there was no time at all. The forest was quite far from here, and I couldn’t afford to even lose one day.

“Donghae-ssi.” He greeted and handing me a brown envelope, “Inside is all the paper with complete details of the calculation.”

“Ah, yes, thank you.” I took the envelope and asked Yoona to bring it to Jiyong. Yoona nodded affirmatively and walked to the stairs because Jiyong’s office was downstairs.

I glanced at Hyukjae-ssi after Yoona left and he seemed to observe me with his deep eyes. While I, dumbly just standing there awkwardly since his stare was kind of piercing and deep and I didn’t know how react.

“Donghae-ssi.” He finally spoke, “Have you eaten lunch yet?”

“Huh? Ah- no. Not yet.” I stuttered because I was surprised he suddenly asked me while he was still staring at me.

“Then shall we have lunch together?” He asked suddenly, surprising me. “I haven’t gotten my lunch too, and I know a nice restaurant near here.”

I fidgeted with my fingers while looking at anywhere except his face. Was this an invitation to date? Or just a lunch between partners of business? But… Hyukjae-ssi knew nothing about me, and we were just acquainted for a few days. Probably he was just being polite. He seemed to be a polite person after all.

“Okay.” I tried to answer with a calm tone, “Let’s have a lunch together.”

I left a note on Yoona’s desk that I would eat lunch outside today so she could ring my phone if someone or any matter came urgently and didn’t panic at all. Hyukjae then led me to the parking lot just next to my company’s building. It was a shared parking lot with the other company since it saved money a lot by sharing it when I first bought the land.

One look at the parking lot and I knew which car was his, since his car was an expensive one and no one around here had that kind of car because this area was around middle class income after all.

I got in after he politely opened the passenger door, then he started the engine and began to drive silently.

“Donghae-ssi.” Suddenly he broke the awkward silence that surrounded us. “I hope you like Japanese food?”

“Oh, yes, I quite like Japanese food.”

“Good.”

Our conversation stopped until that. He didn’t seem like wanting to make a conversation to me, and I didn’t know what to talk to him since we just interacted for two days including today. I couldn’t treat him like a client since he was the one who invited me to a lunch too…

“We’ve arrived.” He announced while parking the car.

I got startled and looked at the big writing in front of the restaurant. Oh, I knew this place. I usually came here with dad when I picked him up after work or if he left an important document at home. This place brought many nostalgic memories to me…

“Donghae-ssi?”

He already stood in front of me and tugged my arm gently to pull me into the restaurant. I let him did that since I was looking at the parking lot, remembering how dad usually had trouble to search for the empty spot since the restaurant was extremely popular.

We entered the restaurant and Hyukjae-ssi asked the waitress for a table of two. But I looked around and the restaurant was crowded so I guessed we had to wait. But unexpectedly, the waitress bowed politely to Hyukjae-ssi and me and took us to the second floor, which I had asked before was reserved for high profile people only.

“What do you want to eat today, Donghae-ssi?” He asked after the waitress handed us the menu.

I flipped open the pages until I reached the page with ‘Beef’ titled at the top. I smiled nostalgically and said to him, “Beef Teriyaki.” It was dad’s favorite food.

“Is that so? I’ll take Udon, please.”

We then sat awkwardly when the waitress left us with our orders. It was awkward for me, at least, but I didn’t know what he felt since he was busy typing with his phone.

“Sorry, my boss is just kind of annoying.” He said after placing his phone back to his pocket.

“Oh, it’s fine.” I muttered. At least with him being busy with his phone, only me would feel awkward.

“Do you like this place? It’s my favorite restaurant.” He said, “Since this is near your company, do you often come here?”

“This place is nice.” I nodded in agreement, “I often come here before, but nowadays not. Too busy with stuff.”

“Your company’s quite famous though. I was recommended by one of the board directors when we decided to expand the business.”

I smiled politely, “It’s nothing, really. I inherited this company from my father, and the reputation is from my dad’s time. I’m still a newbie in this.”

He shrugged, “If you say so. But you’ve done a great job at handling this company too, in my opinion. How long have you inherited that company?”

“It’s just two years, Hyukjae-ssi.”

“Two years is a long time.” He commented.

“How long have you been working as the vice president too?”

“Me?” He chuckled, “Just one year. But I had to work really hard from the bottom since my hyung, the president, didn’t want to give me the position so easily seeing I had no experience at all.”

I widened my eyes in surprise, “Your hyung is the president, Hyukjae-ssi?”

“Yes, he is. Him being my hyung has nothing to do with my position though. I admit I have some difficulty at the first years since..” He pursed his lips while I listened, intrigued, “I had some problems.”

“Oh…” I nodded unconsciously, “I’m glad you can solve your problems then, Hyukjae-ssi.”

“I’m glad too.” He finally flashed his smile which was really similar to Monkey, “Now that is just a past though. A pleasant past, I must admit, since now I am really educated thanks to that.”

Our conversation was interrupted when the waitress came back and brought us our orders. I smiled widely when I saw the food that dad liked was served in front of me. I quickly took the chopsticks and gulped the food, forgetting that I was not alone and that I was with Hyukjae-ssi, a business partner. Until he chuckled, and I just realized that I was with him.

“Sorry..” I grabbed the nearest glass and gulped down all the content. This was so embarrassing! I didn’t even know him well yet I ate the food like I hadn’t eaten for years.

“Don’t be. It seemed it’s your favorite food?” He chuckled like it was amusing. It was amusing to him maybe, since I tried hard to be composed and calm but that was destroyed by my stupid act.

“I’m just hungry.” I tried to regain my dignity, “It’s normal to be like this when you’re hungry, right?”

Hyukjae-ssi just continued chuckling while he stared at me, “Agreement accepted. But I’m not like that when I’m hungry though.”

“Everyone has different taste.”

“Okay, okay.” He just sneered, “I know, Donghae-ssi. Just calm down and keep eating.”

I grew more embarrassed but didn’t reply back to him and started eating again, this time in a more mannered way. He’s an acquaintance and I didn’t even know him well, what had I done embarrassing myself today?

“Why don’t you eat like before?” An amused tone was clearly heard in his voice.

“Hyukjae-ssi…” I glared while he started chuckling again.

“Fine, I’ll stop.” I breathed a sigh of relief, “If….”

I raised my eyebrow, and he continued, “You give me your monkey strap.”

“Huh?” This was an odd request.

My monkey strap was nothing special. In fact, it was my first design that I tried to make it as a new product, but then when I tried using the company’s machine to create it, I pressed the wrong button and this ended up as a defect. To make things worse, I lost my design. So this was the only one left. But the eyes weren’t balanced and the left arm was slightly smaller. The only reason why I was still using it continuously was because I didn’t really use my phone and I was too busy to even buy a new strap.

“You heard me. I want your monkey strap.”

“But why?”

“Because I like monkey.”

“It’s a defect though. The left arm is smaller than the right, and the eyes-“

“I want it.”

I frowned but say nothing as I fished out my phone and took out the strap then gave it to him. He looked satisfied when the strap had changed hands and even admired the small monkey doll, looking it from the front and the back repeatedly.

“This is perfect.” He grinned, “Thank you, Donghae-ssi. I was joking about it before but you gave it to me for real. I’ll treasure it though.”

“Do you really like monkeys?” I couldn’t help but ask since he seemed so admiring the strap.

“I love monkeys.” He smiled while started eating again, “Especially gorillas.”

“Ahh, gorillas..” I smiled remembering the Gorilla family. It had been six years… “I like gorillas too. They are cute, aren’t they?”

“Yeah. And they are caring too.” He agreed.

“I agree.” I smiled widely. The time spent with the family was really valuable and I still hadn’t forgotten the hug that Dad Gorilla gave to me. “Have you met a real gorilla, Hyukjae-ssi?”

He seemed to be taken aback for some reason but then nodded, “Yeah, I have.”

I hummed before answering, “I have too. It’s just a coincidental and a short meeting but that time is really valuable to me.”

“Where did you meet a gorilla? At the zoo?”

“Oh, no.” I beamed, “In fact, at a real forest. I even interacted with a real gorilla! Hyukjae-ssi, a real gorilla isn’t as fearsome as it’s seen. They are a gentle creature and also really kind!” I then realized that I had been too excited because the waitress that had come to pour us green tea gave me an odd look. “I’m sorry, Hyukjae-ssi..”

“No, no, in fact, I’m intrigued by that. Where exactly did you meet this gorilla?”

He was asking me with a genuine curious expression, and so, I began telling him that I got lost at a forest and kind of wandering around when I met the gorilla family. I left the part when Monkey came because I’d like to keep it as a private memory between Monkey and me.

“So you meet the gorilla family just like that? Accidentally?” He asked incredulously.

“Yeah. They are so kind and there’s a baby gorilla! I think she’s a female so I named her Gori.”

“Gori. Pfft.” He tried hard to stifle his laugh but failing because in the next second he already burst out laughing, “That’s so uncreative!”

“I had no idea at that time.” I pouted, “Don’t insult my naming sense!”

His laughing finally stopped after several minutes, “Okay. Fine, I’m sorry, but that’s just plain funny.”

“What will you name her, then?”

“Georgina?”

“Georgina.” I repeated while giving him a disbelieving stare, “Isn’t that a human name?”

“She’s as much as human to me.”

“You say things like you know her personally.” I laughed.

“What if I know for real?”

“Huh?”

“No. Nothing.” He sighed, “Do you want a desert, Donghae-ssi?”

I looked at him confusedly. I thought I heard him say something, but then he said it was nothing so it was probably only my imagination?

“Donghae-ssi?”

“Oh, no, thank you.” I rejected his offer, patting my stomach to show him that I was full.

“Very well then. Should we go back now?”

He paid the bill (after I tried to argue that I should be the one who paid the bill) and we got into his car again. The ride back was less awkward this time; we could talk almost like a friend. Except I knew almost nothing about him and vice versa.

“Thank you for the lunch, Hyukjae-ssi.” I thanked him after he pulled up just in front of the front door, “Next time, I will be paying.”

“Will there be a next time?” He said with an amused tone.

“I should repay you back, aren’t I?” I grinned, “Next time, I’ll be the one who choose the restaurant.”

“Okay.” He agreed immediately with a smile, “See you later, Hae.”

Before I replied, he had raised the window up and drove away, leaving me dumbfounded. Did he just call me Hae?

--

A/N:

HAPPY NEW YEAR <3 I know some of the countries aren't new year yet but in my country, it has so yeah, happy early new year too I guess? xD
And this chapter is really lengthy I know lol Initially I wanted to cut it into two parts, but then this is a new year so long chapter is nice(?) xD

Have you guys seen the Break Down teaser and Hyuk's hip ing and crotch grabbing at MBC Gayo Daejun? You should see it now (if you haven't ofc) <3 This year seems to be great as well, since EunHae started it with a hug like last year :3

See you in next chapter~

P.S: Maybe Hyukjae is the Monkey... Who knows? lol

P.P.S: If any of you have tumblrs, mind helping me reblog this? http://dancinghyukhae.tumblr.com/post/38961014141/i-have-a-free-sf-s-ver-b-and-spy-and-i-dont-need 
This is my friend's giveaway so please help me in promoting this post :3 Thank you guys!