CHAPTER eight
Our Problem

Heechul comes barging into Jaejoong’s studio/office, almost hitting the door into Boa’s small body.

“Sorry!” He apologizes when Boa jumps out from having been attached to the wall just minutes ago. “Are you all right?”

“Y-yeah,” Boa affirms, but she still can’t get Jaejoong’s question out of her mind.

How much does she value him?

Much less that gaze… that genuinely deep gaze…

“I came looking for you because Jaejoong and the others have a meeting with a producer. He’ll be done in about an hour or so. Do you need me to help you with anything?”

“Um, I think I’m fine,” Boa quickly replies, hoping that Heechul wouldn’t pry too much as she tries to reflect about today’s earlier events.

“Okay, well, I think I’ll go eavesdrop on the meeting then. Do you want to tag along?” Heechul offers to take her to sit outside the conference room to wait.

“No, thanks. I’m okay,” Boa answers with a gentle smile, and Heechul is just about to leave when she asks, “Wait! Actually…umm... erm… does… Jaejoong have someone... that he likes?”

Heechul takes a step back in wonder. Does she not realize?

He closes the office door with priceless stealth, just in case somebody passing by might pick up on this juicy piece of information that he is about to share at the next gossip club gathering.

“Excuse me?” Heechul inquires in a serious tone, all the while pushing down all the cackles and snickers so that Boa doesn’t feel embarrassed and pretends that she didn’t ask.

“Ah, um, I was just asking because.. because I want to know how Jaejoong acts around someone he likes,” Boa tells honestly, and Heechul almost feels bad about this. Almost.

“Well… I think he might have.. someone,” Heechul says, purposely giving her that knowing look in his eyes but she doesn’t quite catch his drift. The cluelessness in her gaze nearly hurts.

“But why do you want to know about how the boss acts around his crush?”

“Crush?” Boa wonders, and Heechul quickly restates.

“Around the person he likes,” he quickly rephrases in order to get to the main point. “Like, why are you asking? Did Jaejoong do something to you?” Heechul’s eyebrows are raised into a super curious kind of squiggle. His intense stare is crying out, tell me, tell me now!

“Well.. there was this whole thing about touching-”

“TOUCHING?!” Heechul gasps in a high-pitched squeak and clasps a palm over his big mouth. His eyes scan the room looking for nonexistent people who might have heard him yell.

He quiets down so that the conversation is kept simply between the two of them. “Jaejoong TOUCHED you? WHERE? I mean, W-WHAT? You know, if anything happened that you didn’t want to happen, you can trust me and I will help you. Did he touch you when you refused him? That basta-”

“No, there was no problem like that. Jaejoong.. he just touched my face,” Boa whispers, though not exactly sure why Heechul is keeping their voices low, and why he is freaking out for that matter.

“..And?” Heechul presses on for more. There has to be more.

“And well, that’s all,” Boa tells him plainly, and Heechul could have planted his face on a table if there so happened to be a desk in front of him.

“I don’t understand,” Heechul expresses, holding out his palms upwards in confusion. “So what’s the matter?”

“I don’t know. I don’t understand either,” Boa admits with a slight rosiness in her cheeks.

Heechul mentally admits that he is dead lost in this conversation.

Boa continues, “Jaejoong seems angry that I touch him so casually and that I let him touch me all the time.”

“WHAT? He touches you all the time?” Heechul’s eyes light up with hope once more. What is this gold I am finding?

He puts a finger to his lips and warns Boa to keep this a secret between him and her. She agrees.

Heechul mutters to himself as he tries to sort the situation out in his mind. “Man, who knew you two were already at that stage. Well, I guess it is as expected of Jaejoong.”

“What do you mean?” Boa questions with the most pure of gazes.

“You really don’t know anything about life, do you?” Heechul literally looks down at her, and the soft spot in his heart aches when she pouts in confusion.

“Look, it is pretty obvious that-” Heechul stops himself and decides against telling her Jaejoong’s feelings. Better not say anything. That guy might kill me.

“Pretty obvious that.. what?” Boa asks as she leans in close, blinking at the older man.

Heechul’s eyes bulge out at the close distance between them. It is no wonder Jaejoong gets mad. He doesn’t want you to get so close to other men, you silly little girl.

Heechul gently urges for Boa to sit back into her chair, far away from him so no one would misunderstand.

“Never mind about that. Just try showing Jaejoong that you can be a little more careful around guys. I have a pretty good feeling that he doesn’t want you to um, how can I put this, get hurt by any other people, particularly men. Understand?”

Boa sticks out her lower lip and nods obediently. “Well, I have another question about-”

“Heechul!” A voice calls from the hall outside, and before Heechul can hide, someone busts into the office. Both of them jump a little in their seats.

“DUDE DON’T DO THAT. I THOUGHT YOU WERE JAEJOONG. I NEARLY CRAPPED MY PANTS.” Heechul shrieks when he sees the culprit, and exhales a balloon of air from his lungs.

Junhyung ignores his cry, and pulls the man by the arm. “You are needed.”

“Okay, OKAY, you don’t have to drag me. I know how to walk,” he tells his friend and then turns back at Boa. “We will continue our conversation next time!” Heechul says right before his head disappears from the doorway.

Boa lets out a light giggle to herself. Despite the fact, that she barely got an answer to her questions, it was nice to finally have someone to talk to about her problems like this for once.

Thanks Heechul.