Sometimes people just need a little push in the right direction…

Or a really hard kick on their behinds.

~~~

Jinki was looking out of his office window, a smile playing on his lips as he thought about his meeting with Sunyoung. The longer he thought about it, the bigger his smile grew. He had actually escalated into laughing when a knock sounded on the door.

Startled, he rushed to his desk, accidentally slamming his hip at the sharp corner of his desk, before he crashed onto his leather chair. He bit back a curse as he rolled the chair forward to his desk, pick up his pen and making a big show of reading the report he’s supposed to be analyzing.

When he felt that he was calmed enough, or at least looked like it, he cleared his throat and called out, “Come in.”

A tall, imposing figure wearing a dashing dark suit walked in. Jinki glanced up and stifled a groan. He should have expected this, he should have known better. But he kept a poker face, revealing nothing as he greeted the newcomer.

“Ah, Choi Sajang-nim! How may I help you?”

The man grinned as he went to sit in front of Jinki, uninvited.

“Cut the formality, Jinki. It’s just us here.”

Jinki sighed. “What do you want, Minho? I got tons of work to do.” He gestured to the pile of papers on his desk.

Minho waved an unconcern hand as he settled more comfortably on his seat. “So work. I just want to talk to you about something. You can just listen while you read.”

There was silence for a while as Jinki tried to concentrate on the paper he’s reading, but it’s not working. Instead, he found himself counting the seconds before Minho spoke up again. And he would, Jinki was sure of that.

He didn’t have to wait long.

“I heard that you’ve met the representative of Namsam High School.”

27 seconds. Jinki was impressed. He didn’t think his nosy boss slash best friend can even last 10 seconds without poking his nose into Jinki’s business. That had to be a new record.

“I did.” He gave a simple answer, thinking that if he didn’t offer to say anything more on the matter, it will be close. But Minho was just getting warmed up to the subject.

“Hmm…” Minho adapted a thoughtful look, even his chin for effect.

“I also heard that you acted quite rudely to her. This surprises me, since we all know you’re the perfect gentleman when it comes to the ladies. But then I was told her name. Park seongsaenim. Park Sunyoung seongsaenim, to be exact.” Minho smirked slyly as he stressed on the name.

Jinki gritted his teeth as he punched a button on the intercom. A polite, innocent voice answered, but he wasn’t buying it. His secretary only put on her ‘perfect secretary’ image when she knew she was in trouble, or when she’s trying to annoy him.

“Yah, Jinri! I’ve told you to stop gossiping about me behind my back! One more time and I’ll file a complaint straight to the Chairman!” He threatened between clenched teeth before he cut the line, not waiting for her reply.

“So, it’s true then, what Jinri told me?” Minho inquired, curious.

Jinki closed his eyes, knowing there’s no way Minho is letting this go.

“Yes.” He let out a breath.

“It’s really her then? Park Sunyoung? The Park Sunyoung?”Minho pressed. He can be quite persistent when he wanted to know about something.

Annoyed, Jinki snapped. “How many Park Sunyoung do you know?”

“Just one.” Minho grinned, enjoying his friend’s discomfort. The only time Jinki ever looked so agitated was whenever he talked about her. Damn, I missed the opportunity to meet the legendary Park Sunyoung.

Minho was the only one to know the whole story about Jinki and Sunyoung. They became close as they were course mates in college. And all those time, he had seen Jinki date with countless girls before he suddenly stops during their final year. He kept asking why, but Jinki wasn’t telling him anything. Only after getting drunk did he spill his gut, and from that day on, Minho kept teasing him about Sunyoung. Because that’s the only thing that can raise a reaction out of his usually amiable friend.

Wanting to get more information from the clearly close-mouthed Jinki, Minho decided that an office didn’t exactly provide a suitable setting for some heart-to-heart talk.

“Yah, it’s almost 1.30.” Minho said, glancing at his watch. “Let’s go to lunch.”

Jinki knew that Minho was just going to talk about Sunyoung, which was the last thing he wanted to do. So he gave an excuse.

“You go ahead. I’ve got to finish reading this oil drilling report.”

Minho raised a brow as he stood up, leaning forward to peered at the report Jinki was holding.

“You do realize that you’re holding the paper upside-down, right?”

Jinki colored as he finally focused on the report enough to make sense of what he’s looking at. Ah, no wonder I can’t seem to read anything.

“Well, I was just comparing the gamma ray and resistivity logs…”

Minho made a rude sound. “Even though I flunked my Geophysics paper in college, I know that you’re supposed to read the logs upright. Give it up, Jinki. Obviously you’re in no condition to work now. Come on, I’m buying.” He said as he went towards the door.

Knowing that Minho is just going to pester him until he give in, Jinki reluctantly stood up and followed him. Besides, Minho had said he’ll pay, right? Jinki wasn’t about to refuse free food.

As they walked out the door, Jinri glanced up at them; her expression still portrayed her as the ‘perfect secretary’.

“Jinri-yah, come have lunch with us.” Minho said as he leaned over her table to pet Jinri affectionately on the head, before she pushed it away.

She turned to look at Jinki.

“May I?”

Jinki gave her a sardonic glance. “What, like you actually need my permission?”

She dropped all her pretense then, skipping forward to link her arms with Minho as she stuck out her tongue at her boss.

“Of course not! Come on, oppa. I’m hungry. My boss keeps starving me. He’s evil.”

Minho just chuckled as he let Jinri dragged him along the hallway towards the elevator, while she chatted nonstop. Jinki lagged behind, following silently, like a shadow. He was already starting to doubt his decision.

What was I thinking, joining them for lunch?! Minho is bad enough, but Jinri too? I wouldn’t stand a chance against these troublemakers.

Sure enough, Jinki had not even sat down at their regular table on the café below when Minho opened his mouth.

“So what’s up with Park Sunyoung-sshi, Jinki-yah?”

Jinki grimaced as he placed a hand on his growling stomach. He wasn’t exactly hungry before, but as soon as he stepped in the cozy café, it’s like his stomach had a mind of its own.

“Dude, can’t you at least wait until we’ve eaten first?’

Jinri, obviously excited, almost bounced off her seat as she added, “Oh, are we going to talk about Sunyoung unnie?”

“And do we have to talk about it in front of her?” Jinki frowned, stabbing a thumb at Jinri’s direction.

Minho made a face, muttering: “She’ll force it out of me somehow, better to just tell her straight up.”

An affronted Jinri slapped Jinki’s arm as she grumbled.

“Yah, Jinki oppa! Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.”

Jinki rolled his eyes as a waiter came to take their orders.

“At least let me eat first before attacking me, okay? I need sustenance.”

Due to his request, the troublemakers waited until Jinki had finished eating. As soon as he put down his utensils however, Minho shot him a question.

“So are you going out with Park Sunyoung-sshi?”

Jinki almost spit out his coffee, startled by the sudden onslaught. He coughed, one hand covering his mouth, the other hastily putting down the steaming cup of coffee, spilling some as the drink sloshed over the rim.

“Jeez, couldn’t you be patient? I almost burn my tongue! And what kind of question is that?”

“The straightforward kind.” Minho answered baldly as Jinri joined in.

“Oppa, you told us to wait until you’ve finished eating, you didn’t say anything about coffee. So what’s the deal with Sunyoung unnie?”

Jinki poked a finger at Jinri. “You’re as bad as your brother. And when did you get the permission to address Park seongsaenim so casually huh?”

“Since you used my name to interact with the school. Since you pester me to inform the school to send Sunyoung unnie to handle any discussion that may occur. Since you make me make an appointment with her without mentioning you’ll be there too. Since you forced me to wait for her at the entrance so she won’t get lost. Since you –”

“Shut up, Jinri! I told you that’s confidential and never to bring it up in front of anyone!” Jinki almost shouted, pissed that Jinri was spilling all his secrets oh so casually.

Jinri shrugged as Minho blurts out, his eyes wide on Jinki.

“Wow, looks like there’s a lot I’ve missed.”

“Oh, that wasn’t even half of it, oppa! I still haven’t told you how Jinki oppa made –”

“Jinri!” Jinki glared at her, his voice hard. “I mean it. One more peep from you and straight to the Chairman.”

This time Jinri shut , bowing her head. Even she knows when to back down. But that didn’t mean she won’t spill everything to Minho as soon as Jinki is out of sight.

“Hey, speaking of the Chairman,” Minho said, trying to divert Jinki’s attention from Jinri, “He invited you to dinner at our home this weekend.”

Jinki was already shaking his head even before Minho had finished his words. “I told him to stop trying to reel me in. I’m not interested in dealing with his family, other than for business matters.”

“Hey, you hurt me! I thought we’re friends!” Minho pretended to be offended before he punched Jinki’s shoulder lightly. “And it’s not my fault that our father likes you better than he did any of us. So much that he’s been hoping that you’ll be his son-in-law.”

“Oppa, stop that! Don’t remind me that again! I don’t want to marry Jinki oppa!” Jinri pouted as she smacked Minho’s arm. Jinki snorted.

“Yah, Jinri-yah! Even if I’m going to die tomorrow, I’m not going to marry you.”

“Ah, why? I’m not that bad!” Jinri protested vehemently, making both Minho and Jinki exchange a look of bewilderment.

“Yah, Jinri-yah. Didn’t you just say you don’t want to marry Jinki?”

“I didn’t, but Jinki oppa didn’t have to say it like that! I’m not so bad, right oppa?” Jinri turned to ask Minho.

Minho sighed while Jinki chuckled, amused with Jinri’s absurd reasoning.

“Jinki-yah, do me a favor and just marry her, neh? Take her off my hand, and I’ll give you 5 percent increase on the company’s share.”

Jinki laugh out loud as he shook his head. “Even if you give the whole company’s share, I won’t marry Jinri! She’s like my little sister! And besides, she’s not even my type.”

“Then what’s your type, oppa?”

“Yeah, I’m curious to know myself.”

“Well, for one thing, someone who’s not almost as tall as me, like this giant baby here.” Jinri slapped his shoulder, making Jinki chuckled.

“I like someone who’s small and petite, a cute girl. Someone with long hair, not short like yours,” He ruffled Jinri’s hair with affection before continuing,

“Long, beautiful black, shiny hair. Beautiful hands, beautiful feet. Lovely voice, and very animated when she’s talking. Someone who laughs often, who wears her heart on her sleeve. Someone just…beautiful…” He trailed off, lost in thought as his dream girl he’s describing suddenly taking a form. After a while, Jinki came back to his senses to find both Minho and Jinri were smirking at him, their looks knowing.

“What?” He snapped defensively, taking a long drink of his coffee to hide his embarrassment.

Jinri spoke up, poking Minho on his arm. “Hmm, Minho oppa!”

“Yes, Jinri?” Minho played along, already knowing what Jinri would do.

“I feel like I’ve met this person that Jinki oppa have been describing…”

“Ah, really?” Jinri nodded, her hair bobbed along, following her obviously overdramatized reaction.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure. Small and petite, long black hair, very adorable. She can’t manage to hide her feelings; I mean you can see easily see if she’s annoyed, and she’s very enthusiastic when she talks. And…ah, no.” Jinri suddenly shook her head, looking regretful as she sighed, “I think I’m wrong, oppa.”

Minho feigned a puzzled look. “Why? Up until now I think she fits Jinki’s description perfectly.”

“Yes, she did. But her hands were quite short and stubby, oppa. Probably because –”

“Yah! Her hands are not short and stubby! She has very graceful hands, just like a dancer’s! it’s pretty.” Jinki started a vehement protest, but stopped abruptly when he noticed the troublemakers were wearing an identical sly smile. His face reddened, realizing that he had fallen neatly into their trap.

“Oppa, how do you know who I was talking about? I never mentioned any names.” Jinri inquired teasingly, before chortling letting out a gleeful chortle, which was joined by her equally wicked accomplice, Minho.

Oh crap, she didn’t! But I don’t know why, every time I thought about my ideal girl, Sunyoung will suddenly popped into my mind, and I’ll end up describing her instead. Man, this is bad! You’re supposed to get over her, Jinki! Not obsessing over someone who probably hadn’t even gave you a thought during those 10 long years!

Despite his internal warring, he kept a calm façade on the outside. He cleared his throat carefully before he announced, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jinri.” Jinki took a glance at his watch.

“It’s past 2.30 already; we should get back to work.”

Jinri put on her ‘perfect secretary’ face again, designated on the sole purpose to annoy Jinki, and said politely, “Lee Jeonmu-nim, it is Saturday today. And on Saturday, we only work half-day. Unless, of course, you want me to work over time, change your whole appointment, on top of the humongous workload you’ve already given to me.

That brought another matter to Jinki’s jumbled up mind.

“Ah, thanks for reminding me.” Paying no attention to Jinri’s jibe, he spoke to Minho.

“Minho-ah, remember when you asked me to attend the GeoTech’s annual dinner on your behalf and I said no? Well, it turns out I’ll be going after all.”

Minho brightened up immediately. “Really? That’s awesome, Jinki-yah, thanks! I got a hot date that night, and I really didn’t want to cancel it.” He sent Jinki a lewd grin, totally forgetting the presence of his sister. That was soon remedied as Jinri smacked his arm, hard.

“Stop being such a Casanova, oppa. Or I’ll tell mom.” She admonished Minho before turning to frown at Jinki.

“And you, Jinki oppa! You should tell me earlier if you want to go to any functions. You always tell me at the last minute! If you’re going by yourself, I wouldn’t care. But when you’re dragging me along, I expect to be informed earlier.  I might have another plan or something.”

Jinki rolled his eyes at Jinri’s chastisement. Of all the people in the world, why do I have to get a bossy assistant?

“Minho-ah, I’m not doing this for free, you know.  As an exchange, you have to attend the CESS’s meeting in my stead. Ask Jinri for the particulars.”

“Jinki, you can’t do that!” Minho groaned as if in pain, “I don’t understand about drilling and all that stuff. That’s your thing! What if they ask for my opinion?”

“Just look thoughtful and nod at appropriate timing. If you must talk, just say ‘That looks very promising’, or something like that.  It’s not like they’re going to test your knowledge.”

Seeing that he was going to argue some more, Jinki deliberately turn his back to Minho and addresses Jinri as he stood up.

“And Jinri-ah, don’t worry, I’m not going to drag you to the dinner with me. Because this time, I actually have a date.” He grinned as he walk away, waving over his shoulder at the openmouthed siblings.

“Jinki has a date? Since when?” Minho eyes had widened as he tried to digest the shocking fact. As long as he remembered, Jinki always attend any of the company’s functions with Jinri; she was his go-to girl.

Jinki himself says that he’s too lazy to find a date, and that it was one of the reasons he have an assistant.

Jinri was already shaking her head in confusion. “I don’t know! He’d never said anything, and I would’ve known if something is going – Oh! Oppa, do you think that it could be Sunyoung unnie?” She finished eagerly, sitting straighter on her seat.

Minho scrutinized his sister’s excited face closely. Though Jinri always seemed bubbly and happy-go-lucky, he can’t really guess her heart. He had been suspecting for a long time that Jinri might have feelings for Jinki, by the way she’s acting with him. If that’s the case, then Jinri was on a one-way street to heartbreak.

“Jinri-ah,” He reached over to hold his only sister’s hand, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Jinri stared at their hands before lifting her gaze to meet Minho’s solemn ones.  “Um, I think so...Why shouldn’t I be okay?”

“Well, I thought you might be upset since…since you like Jinki.”

“What?!” Jinri yelled out in shock, startling Minho and a couple who was sitting near their table. The couple’s surprise stares turned accusing to Minho when Jinri covered her face with her hands, her body trembling a bit.

“Yah, Jinri-ah! Don’t cry!” A worried Minho went to sit beside Jinri, petting her back soothingly. Then he happened to glance at the nearby couple’s direction to find them glaring at him.

“What? It’s not my fault!” Minho bowed his head to talk to Jinri. “ Jinri-ah, you have to stop this. People are going to think that I’m the one who makes you cry. Jinri-ah, Jinri…”

When he removed Jinri’s hands from her face, he found out that Jinri wasn’t shaking from crying; she was shaking from laughter.

“Yah! You brat, I thought you were crying!”

“Op…oppa…” Jinri spoke out between gasps, “That’s…that’s the funniest thing you ever told me!” Then she doubled over to cackle uncontrollably.

“Stop it! People will think you’re crazy.”

“Can’t help it!” She wheezed out, clutching her stomach. “Oppa, you’re too funny.”

“So I take it that you don’t have feelings for Jinki then?” Minho inquired after Jinri’s laughter had lessened.

That sobered Jinri up, “Of course not! He’s like my brother. Eww!”

“Huh, I thought you liked Jinki.” Minho said, perplexed. Was I reading it wrong the whole time? “You’re always following him around when you’re a kid, like a drooling puppy following its master.”

“That because you won’t let me hang around you. And I don’t drool!” She pursed in irritation.

‘I like Jinki oppa, very much. He’s nice to me, unlike my own brother,” She shot him a scathing look, “who abandoned me as soon as he can.”

“That’s old story, Jinri. I’m nice to you now, aren’t I? And wasn’t you’re the one who’s forever complaining what an evil boss you have?”

Jinri rolled her eyes, “Oh, please. That’s called teasing, oppa, if you still don’t know.”

“So you don’t want to marry him, like father always pushing you to?” Minho kept grilling her, wanting to be absolutely sure before he dropped the subject.

“God, no!” Jinri wrinkled her face, like she just smelled something disgusting. “Marrying Jinki oppa will be like…like marrying you, oppa! It’ll be !”

“Ugh, that’s impossible!” Minho grimaced and shivered, unnerved by that disturbing thought.

“But enough of that.” Jinri flipped her hair impatiently. She wants to talk about something much more important, in her opinion. “Let’s talk about Jinki oppa and Sunyoung unnie. I think Jinki oppa is really going with her!”

Minho shook his head, disagreeing with Jinri.

“You didn’t see the way the interacted with each other, oppa. I swear there’s a current zinging between them. They have chemistry, alright! Jinki oppa was really into her, and I think she likes him as well.” Jinri persisted, banging her palm on the table to push her point.

Minho crossed his arms as he leaned back, shaking his head again. “No, can’t be. They have a history together, and it doesn’t end well.”

“What do you mean, they have a history together?” Jinri breathed out in excitement, ignoring the last part of Minho’s words.

“Tell me everything you know, oppa!”

---

10 minutes later

Jinri was sighing; her hands clasped in front of her, eyes glassy as she spoke dreamily, “So they’re childhood sweetheart? That’s so sweet!”

Minho frowned at her, wondering if she’d actually paid any attention to what he’d said. “Not quite. I don’t think they have very fond memories of one another, Jinri-yah. I know Jinki didn’t, for sure.”

“What do you mean? They have the best times together! Obviously they have feelings for each other.”

“Yah, didn’t you listen to me? She practically ordered him to leave her, Jinri!”

“Oh, please.” Jinri rolled her eyes as she defended Sunyoung, “If Jinki oppa actually confessed, I don’t think Sunyoung unnie would do that.” Before Minho could countered her remark, her eyes suddenly widened, thrilled with something.

“Oh, oh! Oppa, we should help them! That’s it!” She snapped her fingers, pleased with the thought.

On the other hand, Minho wasn’t so sure about it. “I think we should leave them alone, Jinri. They won’t appreciate our meddling.” Jinri was already shaking her hand before he even finishes. She held up a finger, as though to silence him.

“Oppa, they need us! Obviously they can’t manage on their own. We must do this; their happiness rests in our hands!”

Minho was still hesitating, scratching his head, “I don’t know, Jinri… I have a bad feeling about this…”

But Jinri wasn’t listening. She tugged on his arm enthusiastically as a fanatical light gleamed in her eyes.

“Oppa, I have the perfect plan! Listen, first up we must…”

---

A/N: Hey everybody! It’s been a while, right?

Hee, I miss this story, and I miss you guys too~

But I can’t update regularly, since I just started my classes, and it’s my final year, so I’ll be a bit busy… No, make that crazy busy!

Don’t worry though. I won’t be on hiatus, just that updates will be scarce now, though I’ll try to update at least once a month, okay? Mianhae…^^

I know you guys were expecting the graduation scene right? Well, it’s in the next chapter so please wait for it, neh? (Probably until next month, sorry!!)

Okay, I got some explaining to do. I know that some of you were wondering about their relationship, so I’m explaining it as best as I could.

In this chapter, we are introduce to Jinki’s boss / best friend / college buddies, and Jinri’s older brother: Choi Sajang-nim, Minho-sshi. So Jinri was actually Jinki’s boss’s boss’s daughter, that’s why he can’t fire her (like what he’d said in the last chapter, but not the reason Sunyoung was thinking).

Apparently, Jinki and Minho met when they’re in college; they took the same course, Geology. Minho was forced into it by his father; he wasn’t really interested in it. In ‘One World Oil & Gas Inc.’, the persons who held the highest positions are as follow: Choi Hoejang-nim (the Chairman, Minho’s and Jinri’s father), followed by Choi Sajang-nim (the CEO/President, Minho, who handled the company’s business and management side, as well as the company’s formal representative), then Lee Jeonmu-nim (the Executive Director, Jinki, who’s in charge of the research and technology aspect). Jinri had just graduated from college and was doing internship at the company, as Jinki’s secretary.

Minho’s and Jinri’s father (let’s just call him the Boss), took a liking to Jinki when he was doing his internship at the company as a Junior Geophysicist, because the Boss thought Jinki resembled him more than his own children does (Minho is more prone to business, while Jinri is…Jinri). So he really admired Jinki and hoped that one day Jinki would truly join his family, as his son-in-law. That’s also why Jinri ended up being Jinki’s assistant, instead of Minho’s. Okay, phew, I think I’ve explained it all.

Confusing? Yeah, well, I thought so too…

But any questions you have, just post it on the comments, I’ll be glad to answer it. Thanks!!

Oh and, haha, I know I’ve used Minho’s name before, on chapter two... Well, let’s just say this is a different Minho, okay? Please overlook this little thing! I’m a lazy bone when it comes to creating new names…

Till then, this is asarielsims rushing out, annyeong!!!