CHAPTER 58

Breathe Hana. Breathe.

She opens her eyes and once again doesn't recognize the girl looking back at her on the mirror. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, a shiny white pear necklace around her neck with its pearl earrings attached on her ears and light make up applied on her face. For a small conference dinner, the boys sure were pampering her.

It was already seven in the evening and she had arrived a few moments ago at the venue. Deep breath. She tells herself and does so before taking steps towards another door.

Murmurs could be heard everywhere and her eyes widen as she realizes the reason why the boys had pampered her to a salon so much. This was not an ordinary conference dinner. If she was right, there were around a hundred people in the room.

Gulp.

“Ms. Kim Hana?” a female in uniform approaches her with a bright smile. Hana blinks her eyes and as the words register in her mind, she smiles and nods. “Right this way, Ms. Kim” the girl directs her arm to the side while the other holds a clip board and she leads Hana to her assigned seat.

The girl kept walking up until they've reached what seemed like the presidential table which was placed on top of a platform, elevated from all the rest.

KIM HANA

Finance Department Head, Wu Enterprise

She blinks her eyes at her name engraved on a gold plaque. She sits down.

“Have a good evening, Ms. Kim” the girl gives her one last smile before walking away. Okay... now what? She looks around the venue. People were everywhere, chatting and conversing with fellow associates while here she was, sitting down in isolation.

Sigh. Bear with it Hana... she tells herself. Do it for Wu Enterprise.

“Ah, Kim Hana” came the voice of a male. She whips her head to the side and saw a familiar face, standing up, she bows her head while still trying to come up with a name in her head. “Ah, Good evening” she greets the male in a polite manner and he returns the gesture.

Gulp. “Uhm, sorry but I can't recall your name” she sheepishly scratches the back of her neck. The male smiles and stretches out his hand for her to shake “Park Jungsu, ELF Shares Corporation, President” Omona. “I believe I first saw you at Chairman Wu's birthday celebration” Right. There was so many people introduced to her that evening that she could only remember faces, not names. He takes a glance at the table and turns back to her with a smile “So, you're representing Wu Enterprise, huh? Kris must have really great trust in you”

He smiles brightly at her, his dimple showing. Hana forces a smile on her face, the sound of Kris's name made her feel a slight pang on her chest. “Th-there were just some uncontrolled circumstances, sir. That's why I'm here tonight” she tells him.

“Ah... but still though, anyway, congratulations! You know, you're a legend for me” he chuckles

“A... legend?”

Leeteuk nods his head “To think you warmed up a cold dragon's heart; you must really be special to him, Ms. Kim”

Just then, a ringing sound interrupts the conversation and Leeteuk excuses himself to take a call. A few moments later, the event of the evening finally started. Hana was sitting beside so many people she didn't know but nevertheless, she had done her part and exchanged as much conversations as she could.

A lot knew her but she didn't know them. Does being Kris Wu's girlfriend give you automatic fame? Her egoistic subconscious questions her. Probably. Her other side answers. Sometimes, she feels like there's three people living inside of her.

Kim Hana, the normal; Kim Hana, the egoistic and Kim Hana, the nice one. How she lives with three voices in her head, she doesn't know.

The night was long. So many things were talked about including what companies topped all field sales this year and as expected by the others: Wu Enterprise. Applause fills the large room and almost everyone turns to Hana.

Just smile, Hana. Just keep smiling.

“This is a bad idea” Sehun mutters as he looks out of the window. “You're such a worry puss” Chen snorts at him; he turns to the older guy, pocketing his hands and frowns “She won't like it”

A blue balloon flies off from Chanyeol's mouth and goes around the room before fluttering to a stop on top of Tao's head. “How so?”Chanyeol asks; the man with panda-like eyes sighs and takes the deflated piece of rubber, tossing it to the side. Sehun turns to him “One: it's a prank gone over board”

“It's not a prank” Kyungsoo says as he enters along with Suho and Luhan. “Then what do you call it? Last time I checked --”

“Worry puss!” Chen sang as he passed by the youngest, carrying a box of god-knows-what. Sehun sighs in defeat.

“You know what, do what you want but if she doesn't like this, I was not a part of this”

Suho shook his head at Sehun's dullness before he fishes out his phone and calls Xiumin. It took a number of rings before the latter had answered “Minseok”

“Ah, Joonmyeon! Sorry, my hands were full”

“I see. So, did you get them?”

“Yep! They're all here... ah, you really think this will work?”

Suho sighs as he eyes Chen “It better... I don't even know why he'd give such orders, we're all suppose to be in different continents right now” but Chen only whips his head away, pretending that he didn't hear anything. “I won't argue. I just don't get why we have to do it ourselves, why can't we just pay people who specialize at these things?”

Luhan arrives with Lay, the two holding bags of food.

“You know how he is, he has reasons that he can't tell sometimes. Anyway, come here soon” Suho pauses to look at his watch “We have two hours left”

“Copy!”

Suho pockets his phone “Where's Kai?” he asks everyone in general. No one answers him, D.O. Sits himself down beside Chanyeol and takes out his phone; Chanyeol looks at him weirdly “You're not gonna start playing again, are you?”

Kyungsoo sighed “No. I got therapy after my last phone got broken... I'm recovered” he taps away on his phone as Chanyeol quietly breathes out a sigh of relief. Suho repeats his question again and this time, someone finally gives him an answer.

“Here!” comes the voice of the man himself as he enters through the door, panting and sweating.

Everyone looks at him.

“What?”

“Did you have before coming here?” Luhan asks, crossing his arms over his chest and looks at Kai with a raised brow. Jongin frowns “Ofcourse not” he fixes his tie. He clears his throat as he closes the door behind him “I just had a couple of drinks and ran here”

Baekhyun –who had gotten out of one of the rooms, spotted Kai “Yah, you okay?” Kai gives him a very meaningful look and he gives a sigh before shaking his head at him. “Nevermind...”

“Come on, let's wrap this all up” Kai announces, clapping his hands together.

Hana.

I survived! Finally, I can go home. I quietly made my way out of the venue hall alone, unlike others who were going out by groups, chatting about business. I've had my fair share of business talks already for one evening and all I want to do now is get out of these awfully tiresome heels, this dress, take a nice bath and sleep.

Ring. Ring. My phone goes off and I quickly search for it inside my purse, I take it out and look at the screen:

Mr. Park Chanyeol CALLING

Sliding my thumb over the screen, I press the phone onto my ear “Yes, sir?”

“Hana-ssi! How was dinner?” Tiresome. “It's fine; I'm actually waiting for a cab right now, I've managed to snag some new investors by the way”

“Ah, that's good to know. Anyway, wait there... someone will pick you up”

“Oh n-no, it's fine I'll just --”

“Wait there ~” he sang before ending the call. Sigh. Leaving me no other option, I do as he says. I glance down at my watch and hug myself as I walk to a bench a little away from the hotel venue. It's eight in the evening and it's freezing cold, for all I know, snow could fall anytime soon. Why didn't I bring a jacket? Aigo.

The streets were nearing empty and Chanyeol's promised someone was not here yet. I shudder as cold wind breezes by and I hug myself tighter. Three minutes. If no one comes, I'm leaving.

Something cold lands on the back of my neck and I almost jump from my seat. I look up and as I have thought earlier, it did snow. I get up with a puff of a breath “I'm leavin --”

BEEP!

“Omona!” I jump back and see a car. I breathe in deeply as I place a hand over my heart as someone gets out of the car “Kai!”

He runs around the car and smiles at me as he opens the door to the back seat “Sorry, did you wait long?” I don't question why he opened the door to the back seat instead of the passenger door, I'm freezing and all I want is to just get home. I enter the back seat and he closes the door, quickly entering the driver's seat. “No, not really. I thought you guys would be busy tonight?”

Kai takes off his coat and hands it to me. I blink my eyes before accepting it and bow my head to him in thanks “We are” he says. “Then --”

He starts the car and drives off. It was quiet, he didn't speak another word and kept his eyes on the road the whole time, the atmosphere was just downright awkward and it's a new type of awkwardness too. Is Kai okay? I look at him through the rear view mirror.

“H-hey, Kai” I swallow hard after his name leaves my lips. “Hm?”

“Are you okay?”

“I'm fine” he breathes “Are you?” I blink my eyes at his question. Ofcourse I am, why wouldn't I be? “I'm good...” I lean back on the chair, rubbing my hands together and stare out of the window.

Silence. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not, now... it's just inbetween.

“Hana” my head suddenly jerks at the sound of his voice. “Yeah?”

“Can I... ask you a favor?”

Gulp. “S-sure” I force a smile on my face “What is it?”

The car stops and Kai unbuckles his seat belt before getting out. I remained in my seat, seconds later the door opens and he held out his hand to me, dumbfounded, I take his hand and get out of the car.

Just this once... never again. I promise. He takes a sharp breath as he stands towering before her; Hana looks up at him with her clueless innocent eyes, waiting for him to speak a word.

“Ka --” Her words are cut off as by sudden seconds, his hand grasp the sides of her almost flawless face and he leans himself forward.

Shocked and frozen, Hana had no time to react, she did not have the chance to move and all was too late as she realized that a pair of lips that didn't belong to Kris were on hers.

Just this once, Hana. Just this once and never again. I swear on my soul.

I've been too busy ~ Aigo, mianhe chinggus! Did I make you wait too long?

Anyway, two more chapters to go and it's on to the sequel! I hope you all still look forward to it! Thank you for the continuous views, subscriptions, comments and upvotes! I appreciate it so much! Kamsahamnida! <3

Kris is still not here, do you miss him? You should, kekekeke ;)