CHAPTER 7

Hana.

Sigh. I've been discharged from the hospital yesterday. Kris didn't return after he walked out and Tao told me that he said I have the weekend off and would just return Monday morning. I'm feeling guilty after I had brought up my hand to him. Even though I knew I was just passing on a message, it still felt wrong.

It was painful to slap someone whom I owe so much. The guilt was eating me. “I'm really sorry, Kris” I mumble and look at the billboard. Here I was again, sitting at the edge of the rooftop, looking at the lit up billboard in the cold night.

He asked for it... didn't he? But he didn't deserve it. What if he did? I still wouldn't have done it.

But it's not like I can turn back time now, I guess I'll just have to face whatever it is that Monday has in store for me. I should also make sure to thank Mr. Byun for bringing me to the hospital.

Monday.

I entered the building, giving smiles to the people who greeted me as I head for the elevator. “Ms. Kim!” I turn around at the sound of a girl's voice and smiled when I realized it was Sunny. She had folders in her hands and gave me a bow as soon as she had reached me.

“Sorry if they're late, Mr. Wu hasn't asked for them yet... right?” my smile fades almost instantly when I heard his name but I force one up soon after “Not yet; don't worry. Thanks for bringing them” she gives me a bright smile and salute before running off to the escalator. The door to the elevators opened and I stepped in.

I feel so dull today. The doors opened at the 10th floor and I blinked my eyes in surprise as I saw Chanyeol with another one of my bosses, Mr. Kim Minseok. “Good morning Hana-ssi” he greets me with a smile and steps inside with Mr. Kim Minseok. I greet them both in turn and we stand in silence inside the elevator.

“I heard about what happened to you, Hana-ssi” Chanyeol said, turning to me. “You shouldn't over work yourself, Ms. Kim” Mr. Kim tells me and I nod my head. Chanyeol gets out of the elevator at the 24th floor leaving me and Mr. Kim alone. I clear my throat and quietly wait for my stop.

“Hana-ssi” I turn my head “Yes Mr. Kim?” he chuckles, possibly for the way that I had addressed him. “Call me Xiumin; anyway, I wanted to congratulate you... Kris was supposed to throw away your resume when I handed it to him” Gulp. I'm feeling more guilty now. Kris had second thoughts and hired me. I look down on my own two feet and give an acknowledging nod. “To think he has also promoted you at such a short amount of time... you must be pretty special, Hana-ssi”

I swallowed hard and the doors opened at the 30th floor. I step outside and give Xiumin one last bow before making my way to my office.

I settled myself on the leather chair and stare at the folders infront of me for awhile. I bring my hands together and rest my elbows on the polished wooden desk as I think of how I would approach Kris in his office. Should I smile like nothing happened? That would seem rude... in a way. Should I keep a blank stare. That would make it seem like I'm bothered. Sigh. What do I do? I look at the clock on the wall. 8 AM; Kris should be in by now.

I swallowed hard and grab the folders to be taken to his office and walk to the elevator. Every step I took made my whole body shake in fear. I'm agitated. The doors opened and I have honestly hoped that the elevator ride would take longer than the usual, just to drag on the time. I entered the four-walled container and pressed the button for the 35th floor.

What should I do? Aigo... I bit my lower lip as the doors opened. I stepped out and took little steps towards the door at the end of the hall. I swallowed hard before I raised my shaking hand and knocked on his door. “M...Mr. Wu?”

“Come in...” I turn the knob and step inside. He was busy tapping away on his laptop and didn't even spare me a single glance which, for once, I was glad for. That would lessen the tension I feel. “I have the files you need, Mr. Wu” I set the folders down on his desk. “Hm.” was his only reply; I bit my lower lip and gave him a quick bow before hurriedly walknig towards the door but half way there, I turned back around and spoke

“I'm sorry for slapping you, Mr. Wu” the tapping on the keyboard stops for a moment but then continues as Kris doesn't give me a response. I stood my ground. “Why are you sorry for giving me what was rightfully mine?” he asks, still typing on his laptop's keyboard. I look down on my feet “Because you don't deserve it... a-and even if you did” I lift my head and found him looking at me. Gulp. “E-even if you did deserve it, I still wouldn't have done it”

He let out an annoyed sigh and turned his attention back to the screen of his laptop. “I'm busy Ms. Kim, if there's nothing more you need then get back to work” Ofcourse he would be upset. Sigh. Might as well give him space Hana, atleast you've voiced out your apology. I nod my head and give a bow before walking out of his door.

Kris.

I wish I could say that the slap had cured me of the foreign feeling in my gut but then that would be a lie. I still feel like my stomach's turning and with Hana apologizing, it only made the feeling worst. It's like... instead of feeling okay and making her feel okay, I've only made it worse.

What's wrong with you, Kris? I never should have asked her to break up for me. Tsk. It saved me the hassle but then she became the punching bag, my ex vented her anger towards me on her and do you know what the worst part is? Hana just took it all and acted like she didn't mind. Who in their right mind wouldn't be angry if someone slaps them? Oh yeah, her. Sigh. It would be so much better if she's angry at me for making her do such a thing and for receiving a slap but no, she just had to be nice and just smile as if everything's okay.

. I lean back on my chair and stare at the ceiling. She's making you feel guilty, Kris. This is ridiculous. I never feel guilty.

But you are and she's reason behind it. I bring my hands to my face and let out a frustrated sigh; “Get it together Kris... get it together”

Ring. Ring. Ring.

“Hello?” I pick up the phone, rubbing my temple as I answered. “Mr. Wu”

Sigh. “Yes Ms. Kim?”

“M-Mr. Kim Jongdae asked if you're available tonight, he said he wants to go bowling” I look at the small calendar beside my desk. Tsk. Right, it's his birthday. “What time?” I heard some shuffling sounds of paper on the other line “7 PM at the Pierrot Strike Bowling Alley in Apgujeong”

I fell quiet for a moment to think. There's not much to finish in here anyway, I need a break and even if I don't want to go, Chen has made me promise to come and if I don't show up he'll sulk. Not that I would care if he would but... considering they're the only people I label friends, I guess it's only proper.

Ding. Idea.

“Ms. Kim...”

“Sir?” After tonight, I shall say goodbye to all of this guilt and continue concentrating on bigger matters. “Are you free tonight?”

“W-Wh... Sir?” I frown. Jesus Christ, can't this woman just give me a straight answer like she did before? “I hate repeating myself, Ms. Kim”

“Y-yes sir, I'm free” Say goodbye to guilt “You're coming with me then... tell Chen I said yes” I put the phone down. Sigh. Atleast that's one way to erase the guilt. Taking Hana on a little night is the perfect guilt eraser because then she'll have to feel grateful towards me and not sorry.

It'll ease us both then we can go back to the way things were before.

Now... where the hell are the files I asked for from the Q Branch? The door opens and I glare at the female face that greeted me with horrid eyes. She gave a quick bow and walked over to my desk, setting down some yellow folders with black Q stamps on the covers. I glare at the folders then at her.

“These were due an hour ago... what the hell have you been doing down there?” I hiss at her, taking one of the folders. She gives an apologetic bow “S-sorry Mr. Wu, I lost track of time and -” she flinches when I slam the folder onto the desk.

“I asked for the reports of last week... these are last month's; how much do I pay you?”

“F-four million won per month, M-Mr. Wu” my brows almost meet. “Do you have a part time job?” she nods her head, her eyes b with tears. “Good, because you're fired”

and I don't care.

7 PM; Pierrot Strike Bowling Alley

“Leave those in the car” Kris tells Hana, pertaining to the envelopes and folders and her bag. She nodded her head and got out of the car, quietly following behind Kris as they entered the bowling alley. Everything inside was dim and she could see neon almost everywhere.

“Kris!” her head shot towards the direction of the voice; Kris raised a hand and they both walked over to a group of people occupying two lanes. Hana was surprised to know that they were her bosses: every one of them. She blinked her eyes and awkwardly stood at the side while Kris took his seat. “Oh, you brought Hana!” Kai chimes and Hana smiles at him and bows “Good evening... and happy birthday Mr. Kim” she greets the birthday boy who chuckles at her “Please, it's Chen”

Suho takes a quick glance at Kris who looks indifferent. Since when did you bring along company for attending a party? Suho quietly thinks. “Take a seat, Hana” Tao tells her and she awkwardly complies, sitting on the very right side next to Kris with an awkward distance between them.

“Hana-ssi, do you play?” Xiumin asks with a smile; Hana blinked her eyes and nervously laughed, waving both her hands infront of her “N-No sir, please don't mind me”

“Okay! Hana-ssi's playing!” Chen chimes and Hana's eyes widen. Before she could protest, Sehun looks at her with a smile and breaks his mouth to speak “Come on Hana-ssi, give the birthday boy his wish” Hana swallows the lump in and just lets out a quiet sigh.

Kris just sat quietly and took sips of his can of beer. “Birthday boy first!” Chanyeol sang and pulled Chen up to his feet then sat down on Chen's seat. Chen takes a neon blue ball in his hand and takes a deep breath before taking two steps, slid forward and rolled the ball.

X

Chen pumped a fist in the air as his colleagues cheered for the strike he got. Chen exchanged high fives with Luhan and Chanyeol before taking his seat as Lay got up to his feet and grabbed a ball when the pins were placed down. Slowly, Hana began to get carried away by the positive atmosphere and began to clap and laugh along.

“Your turn, Hana” Kyungsoo smiles at her, stepping down as he had finished his turn. Gulp. Hana got up from her seat and stepped up on the platform, she nervously took the neon blue ball and God, it was freaking heavy.

Kris looked at her with amusement as she struggled to keep the ball up.

She took a deep breath and began to take steps forward before letting go of the ball and let it roll on. Everyone was on the edge of their seats except for Kris, who really wasn't that interested. The sound of pins being hit filled the air and Hana's eyes lit up. Chen, Kai and Tao jumped off their seats, pumping fists into the air and an overwhelmed Chanyeol ran up to the girl and wrapped his arms around her.

X

After the small celebration, Tao turned to Kris and told him it was his turn. Kris puffed out a sigh and removed his feet from the table, setting his glass of beer down and walked up to the platform, grabbing a neon red ball. He took three steps before letting go of the ball and just as everyone had expected, it was a strike.

X

A smirk crept on the side of Kris's lips as he exchanged a high five with Suho then sat down. Hana smiled at him as soon as he sat down “You really are good at everything, Mr. Wu” Kris swallows and looks away. Hana only smiles once more and looks off to Baekhyun as he takes his turn.

“Ms. Kim... get me some more cans of beer, will you?” Kris tells her. Hana nodded her head and excused herself from the group to do Kris's bidding. Suho scoots closer to Kris and gives him a smirk. “What?” Kris raises a brow at him and he shook his head “Why'd you bring her?” Suho asks him. Kris took another sip of his beer, pursing his lips together for a moment as he swallows the liquid in his mouth.

“She's my PA, I take her wherever I go” Suho chuckles and leans back on the leather seat “Right ~ because you've bought along so many PAs in the past when you went to your buddy's birthday party”

“Don't I?” Kris questions him. Suho face palms himself and turns to look at him “Kris, you've never brought along any company before” Kris looks away and sighs “So what if I brought one now?”

“Then there's got to be a reasonable explanation because knowing you...” Suho pauses and takes a sip of his can of soda, he tips the can a bit to point towards Kris “You don't do anything without reason”

Suho looks over his shoulder and sees Hana smiling as she takes two cans of beer and begins to walk back. Kris just stays quiet in his seat;

“She's pretty adorable, isn't she?” Suho playfully smiles at him. Kris shoots him a glare “Shut up, Suho”

Suho laughs and got up from his seat as Hana arrives and sets the cans on the table infront of Kris. She takes her seat and continues to cheer on for the others who were taking their turns. Kris takes a quick glance at her; she had that signature bright smile on her face as she clapped her hands and looked at the others in adoration.

“Ms. Kim...” he calls out to her, leaning forward and take a can, popping it open. Hana turns to look at him “Yes sir?”

Kris pours the beer onto his glass and sets the can aside before picking up his glass and took a sip. “Did she hit you that hard?” he asks. Hana blinks her eyes at his question and looks down on her hands, resting on her lap. She put on a smile and turned to look at Kris once more “Not really, sir. It was just an ordinary kind of slap, it didn't hurt”

Kris begins to feel a lump building up in his throat and the strange feeling in his gut came back again. He frowned and looked at her “Would you stop it with the act?”

“S-sir?” Hana raises a brow, taken a back

“Why do you always smile when bad things happen to you? Do you find weird pleasure in getting hit or something?”

Hana's smile shrinks. The others were too busy enjoying to even notice the two of them were talking. Kris leans back on his seat and drinks his beer. Hana bited her lower lip then soon breaks open to speak

“There's no use crying over spilled milk, sir; and besides...” Kris turns to look at her from the corner of his eyes as she looks away from him “It's not like anyone would be there to wipe my tears if I cried or pick me up when I fall to my knees, so I prefer to laugh everything off than cry; I only have myself after all”

“She lives alone and her mom and dad... they uh... passed away”

“She's an only child”

Kris purses his lips together and looks away.

“Kris!” He shoots his head up towards Luhan's direction “Your turn”

God damn it, Kris. He silently cursed himself. Hana smiles at him "Do your best, Mr. Wu!"

My crappy side notes:

Omo, 39 awesome subscribers already? Kekeke, kamsahamnida chingus! And thank you for the upvote givinkrishead!

Thank you for the comments and subscriptions, I really appreciate them. Keep them coming for Chapter 8! :)

oh and because it's September 21st today...