CHAPTER 16

Sunday.

Hana.

There's no office today but sadly, I still have to continue working and other than that, Xiumin asked me to come along to check on Stephanie. I still don't know if Kris knows that Xiumin's the one behind this and I can only wonder what his reaction will be once he finds out.

Yawn. What time is it? I turn my head to the side and look at the clock hanging up on the wall. It said eight in the morning and I gave a deep groan. I should be sleeping in late, I should be making the most out of my this day! Specifically, sleep the whole day then go back to work tomorrow. It's not that I hate working, believe me I do and I'm lucky to be at Wu Enterprise but it's the stress that I don't find pleasing. Sigh. Well, you have no choice Hana... unless you plan on starving to death and becoming homeless.

I hauled myself out of bed and walk to the bathroom to do my usual morning routine. By the time I was finished with my bathroom rituals, it was already 8:50 on the clock and I had received a text from Xiumin saying that he would pick me up at Starbucks. I've never had coffee there... I find it too expensive for a cup of different powders.

When 9:30 strikes, I left the house and walked to the coffee shop. It wasn't that far from my apartment anyway and when I got there, I quietly waited outside. Not like I have the money to spend for coffee, anyway.

Ring. Ring. My eyes blink in surprise as I look at the caller ID “Hello?” It's Kris!

“Where are you? I need you to report at the office. Now.” I swallow hard and my mouth hangs open as I struggled to come up with words. “S-sir, today's a Sunday and ---” I could picture his brows stitching together by now; “Ms. Kim, you have ten minutes to show up in here. Don't be late.” and the other line went dead.

I stared at my phone with wide eyes. What the hell?! What do I tell Xiumin now?! Speak of the devil, he had sent me a message.

Hana-ssi, I have to fly to Europe right now and won't be back until tomorrow morning. Sorry, just check on Stephanie-ssi for me, okay? Thanks :)

- Xiumin

Sigh. I don't know if I should be relieved because Xiumin canceled or if I should cower in fear because Kris expects me to be at the office in ten minutes and if I don't show up by the time is over, I'm fired. Tsk. I quickly hail a cab and get in.

“Wu Enterprise please”

Kris.

There's no office today but unfortunately, I have to catch up on some work and even though I can manage all of this alone, I need Hana's files and since it's her files she's the only one who knows about which is which and she also has the knowledge of what I need. The lobby is empty today and the only ones here are the security guards and some janitors. Right, Sunday is clean day. Tsk.

I reach the 35th floor and walk towards my office. I reached for the keys in my pocket and unlocked the door before going inside. I look around... Feels the same. I sigh in relief at the knowledge that no one has been here while I was gone; I hate it when people meddle in here without me.

If they're spies for other companies, this place would be their chest of gold.

I sat down on the leather chair behind my desk then glance at my watch to see if ten minutes had passed already. 5 minutes more. I keep track and start working. Knock. Knock. I look at my watch. Right on time.

“Come in” I mumble, proceeding once again with signing some things. The door opens “S-sir?”

I raise my free hand and gesture her to come forward. I hear her sigh and walk forward, strangely, I don't hear heels tacking thus making me conclude that she wasn't in an office attire. I glance at the floor and sure enough, I see a pair of black converse sneakers.

For a moment, I continue to keep my silence and she stands awkwardly infront of me.

“Mr. Wu, I ---”

“How much is left?” I ask her and she blinks her eyes at me in response “Of what, sir?” I put down my pen and look at her; almost immediately, I sensed her tense up even more. It's as if she would melt like ice cream if she didn't put pressure on all her muscles. “Stephanie's money... how much is left?”

It's not that I'm suddenly concerned about my half-sister but it's the fact that Hana was handling her money that gets me interested in the matter. It would perfectly show just how well she handles big amounts of money and how qualified she is for the job I've given her. She cleared and spoke up “Around ten million or so, sir”

“I want the break down of expenses on my table in five minutes, afterwards I want you to work on some files for me” Hana looks at me with disbelieving eyes but I ignore her “Get going Ms. Kim; you have five minutes” she gives a small gasp and runs out of the door.

I let out a breath and lean back on my chair as she leaves. Bringing my hands to my face, I massage my temples feeling a headache coming. I close my eyes and hear the door open and then close; Hana's fast breathing made me knit my brows.

“Here they are, sir” she breathes heavily as she places down the folders on my desk. I open my eyes and take the folders, placing them aside. You're time conscious, aren't you?

I was about to speak when she had opened “Sir, I have to leave”

Tss. No one leaves Kris Wu. No one. “No...” I tell her firmly and her face seemed to have gotten broken. “B-but sir, I really ---”

Sigh. I hate persistent people; “Ms. Kim, you can walk out of that door but you should expect that you won't be walking back in again tomorrow” Hana bit her lower lip and her hands clenched tightly. “If you finish what I ask of you, then you can leave”

She gives me a sigh “What do you need me to work on, sir?”

A quick smirk came across Kris's face but Hana never saw it. He got up from his chair and walked over to a cabinet that he swiftly open and took out a stack of folders and placed it down on his desk with a loud thud, indicating just how heavy it was. He patted the top of the stack and turned to her “This...”

Hana's mouth hung agape. That's... a freaking tower! She mentally cried at the sight of how much work she had to do before she could be freed from Kris's chains.

“Deadline: 3 PM” Hana swallowed hard; she had six hours to finish the job and she didn't know if that was even possible. “What are they for, sir?” she questioned just in case Kris was just making her do this because he wanted to. Kris sat abck down on his throne. “We need to send a compilation of these to the Chairman, who's station is in China. These are stock holdings, the information of every cent spent this year by Wu Enterprise on every department and business it holds” he explains and Hana cries some more inside as she figures that it really is a work needed to be done and not just by some unreasonable request.

“You can work over there Ms. Kim” he gestures his head towards the leather sofas with a glass center table on the middle. It almost looked like a small living room. I'm gonna die. She bit her lip and nodded her head before taking the folders and struggled to get over to her small working space. A little help would be good, Kris. She drops the stack beside the couch and sit down then began to work.

Hana.

2 PM. Finished.

“I'm done, sir” Thank God! I stretched my arms and got up from the couch. My back hurts. I pick up the stack and placed them back on Kris's desk. He had stopped working ages ago and was enjoying some peace and quiet. He opened his eyes and got up from his chair. “Shall we go then?”

I blink my eyes at him. Go? We? “Pardon?”

“Stephanie... you're supposed to check on her today, right?” my eyes widened at him in surprise. He wants to see Stephanie? I thought... I swallowed hard, not really knowing what to do. I pursed my lips together for a second then looked at him “You're coming along, sir?”

He held up keys in his hands. “Let's go...” that was all he said before he walked past me and I followed him like a lost puppy.

The ride was awkward to say the least. I spoke little and that was only when I gave him directions on where to turn; since it was a Sunday, Stephanie was sure to be at home. He stops the car infront of a medium sized house and looks out of the window, asking me if that was it and I nod my head. We stay silent inside the car for a moment then Kris sighs and gets out first.

I followed him as he walked towards the front steps and rang the doorbell so casually.

I'm actually agitated at the moment and also... anxious. I'm scared about how these two would face each other, the last time I checked, Kris wasn't so fond of her and Stephanie says it's because of their relationship. He didn't want her as a sister. Harsh... tsk. How would Kris act? Would he scold her? Raise his voice at her? Stephanie didn't want him to know because she was afraid he would only get much more upset towards her and I've failed to keep it from him! But on the other hand, I'm also curious.

“Just a minute!” I was cut off my thoughts when I heard Stephanie's name and Kris abruptly pushes me forward while he takes a step back. Steps came from the other side and the door opens; Stephanie's bright smile quickly fades and fear strikes her beautiful face as she sees my company. “Y-Yi Fan...” she trails off. I turn to Kris and was relieved to see his blank face. Atleast he didn't look pissed off. Sigh.

Awkward silence.

“I'll go prepare us some drinks” I say and get up from my seat but immediately freeze when Kris speaks “Why should you? This is not your home...” he turns to Stephanie who sat on the single seat sofa across us “This is your house, isn't it? Go do it by yourself”

What the! I frown and look at Kris; he looks back at me with a glare while Stephanie timidly gets up with a nod and disappears to the kitchen. “What?” he asks rather rudely. Tsk! Damn it! “Sir... with all due respect... you're acting very rude” I told him. I may be looking up to him but it doesn't necessarily mean that I tolerate and also look up to his rather uncanny behavior. He scoffs and looks away “And you think I care”

I hear a crack. No, it's not the physical sound of a crack but I hear something inside me break.

“Mr. Wu... I think it's best we leave... now” I mumble the last word as I look away from him. I walk to the kitchen before he could speak and smile at Stephanie, who seemed to be frozen in her place as she stood by the sink. Ehem. She turns and smiles when she sees me. I peek over and see Kris still sitting on the couch; I walked over towards her “Sorry Ms. Wu, he found out by accident” I apologize.

She gives me a small chuckle “It's okay...” Sigh. “We'll be leaving now, Ms. Wu... Sorry for Mr. Wu's rudeness” her eyes widen and she breaks open to speak “N-no! Please, don't leave I really don't mind!”

“Ms. Wu...” I cast her an apologetic look “I'll see you again in a week; today's just bad timing... you have tests tomorrow, don't you? Just use the time to study, okay?”

Stephanie looks down on her feet and her lips quiver. Upon instinct, I wrap my arms around her and rub her back in comfort “Everything will be alright... soon enough; Trust me, okay?” I pull her to arms length and she gives me a weak smile. “Keep smiling, araso?” she nods her head.

I hear the front door open and then close. We really need to work on your behavior, Mr. Wu.

“I'll see you in a week, Ms. Wu” I ruffle her hair and she laughs a little. “Kamsahamnida eonnie”

And for that last thing she called me. My heart melted. As if she was really a family of mine.

Kris.

I waited for Hana outside.

Right now, I don't know what I'm exactly feeling but I feel like punching something hard. I feel like going on a shooting field and shoot a few targets with some bullets. Sigh. Finally, the door opens and she steps out. The moment she saw me, a small smile appeared on her face... and it only made me feel much more... Ugh. I don't even know what the I'm feeling!

She gives me a bow the moment she stops infront of me. Now what?

“I'll be on my way now, Mr. Wu... I apologize for the trouble” Why is she apologizing? She then turns and walks off.

“Yah...” I finally voice out and she stops and turns around with an innocent look on her face “Yes sir?”

“Why are you helping her anyway?” I ask her. She was quiet for a moment then smiles brightly at me. Kris... breathe.

“Because who would?” I'm taken back “I understand where she stands; in a way, we're both the same... left to be alone at such a young age with no one who's willing to help you. I just don't want Ms. Wu to go through what I did because I know how painful it is to have no one there for you”

I'm silent.

“I'll be going now sir, see you tomorrow” she waves her hand at me and smiles once more before finally wlaking away while I stood there. Rooted on the ground.

How well, do you know... pain? Hana?

Hi everyone :)

It's 11PM from where I am. Sorry for making you wait long; I had to stay late in school. I'll see if I can publish another one :)

I've reached a 136 subscribers and never have I expected that so thank you very much! I hope that I won't disappoint any of you. I'll do my best and work hard :)

Thanks to cloadysky and Annie0 for the upvotes! :)

Kamsahamnida! I hope you liked this chapter, something's about to happen ;)

Here's a GIF of CEO Wu for you ;)