FOURTEEN

This was probably the first time since forever that she was terribly anxious as she stepped out of the plane. When she returned to Korea from her eight years of stay in Paris, she remembered the feeling of being too overwhelmed to come back as a different person. But this time, she was just purely thrilled with anticipation. As per Yonghwa's instruction, Seohyun sent him a text message of her flight details when she was still in Singapore three hours ago but she didn’t get any reply. She took it as a sign that he was still busy at work.

But now, as she saw Taeyeon among the crowd waiting for her, her excitement dwindled. Not that seeing her unnie brought that emotion, but she was actually expecting Yonghwa would pick her up. She smiled when she approached her Unnie and gave her a warm hug.

“How was the flight?”

“Fine… fine…” she smiled and allowed the porter to take care of her luggage. Oh, well… men. Dropping her arms on her agent, she yawned, “I think I need my spa day today.” Taeyeon laughed and with a lift of her brow, she asked, “Don’t tell me you are dropping me off somewhere for work.”

Taeyeon gestured for them to walk on and shook her head, “Not really. Sica emailed you your sched for this week. Just a few fitting sessions, fashion shoots and I want you to get general check up.”

“What? Why? And why only a week?” She frowned suddenly realizing she needed work for a little distraction and forcing Jung Yonghwa out of her brain. 

“The check up is an order from the CEO, herself,” Taeyeon stressed the word and Seohyun scowled remembering Hyoyeon’s comment about her being too skinny. “And only for a week, again, as per the CEO that you are being overworked. Anyway, your usual schedule for the month is still a go, only those add-ons for this week.”

She sighed forgetting that the whole two months had been mapped out months before. “But today I’ve got nothing?”

Taeyeon met her curious glance and shook her head, “No, since you need to rest after that long flight. Hell is coming back tomorrow; refer to the email sent. For now, rest, relax, have fun and store up lots of serotonin and endorphin.”

Seohyun laughed, “How?” But her Unnie just shrugged. Maybe it was a hint to pay her visit to the gym.

As usual, Taeyeon drove her back to Seoul. Although her Unnie holds an important position in the company’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Korea as the Regional Director, she maintained her role as her personal agent since it was her mentor and Hyoyeon’s request.

Seohyun has long given up the fight that she didn’t need to be babied by no less than Taeyeon but the latter insisted that she could not let other people handle her.  But then again, there are moments that she couldn’t help but complain, like this time so she finally mumbled, “Unnie, really, there are like more than a dozen of company drivers who could pick me up. I can even get a taxi. You’re busy.”

Taeyeon laughed out loud, “You think I am? If I really was busy then I won’t be hanging out with you a lot, kiddo.  Besides, I’m just the brain, if you will. More into the decision making and stuff and the rest are executed by my staff. I’m always a phone call away and you know, your Sica Unnie is more efficient than I am.”

Seohyun rolled her eyes the way her Unnie’s voice lilted when she mentioned her personal assistant. “By the way, how are you and Unnie? Is she still getting in your nerves?”

“Always,” Taeyeon sighed, “You know her… but she just bumped up to that indispensable category. She might as well take my job.”

“Isn’t she doing your job right now sans the monetary compensation?” She said playfully that her Unnie shot her a glare and she laughed, “Really Unnie, step down from your position, give it to Sica Unnie and be my babysitter-driver until the end of forever.”

“Shut up. You have always been my responsibility, you know that. You’re an asset to this company and no one else should handle you but the best,” Taeyeon grinned, “And that’s me.”

Seohyun raised both arms in surrender. After a few minutes, the older girl slowed the car and stopped on the side of the road just before they enter the freeway. She turned to her curiously but Taeyeon was casually checking something outside. “Unnie? Why did we stop?”

“Ahhh…” Taeyeon squinted her eyes looking at the rear-view mirror, “See that black SUV?”

Seohyun turned to her right and noticed that there was indeed a heavily tinted SUV parked behind them. She nodded wordlessly suddenly feeling strange.

Taeyeon beamed at her, “He’s waiting for you in that car. I’ll drop your things at your place.”

Trying hard, but failing miserably, to hide her smile, Seohyun glared at Taeyeon, “Unnie, are you my pimp?”

The older girl laughed out loud then placed a hand on her cheek affectionately, “Yes, I’m your pimp so now get your off my car and be that happy crabby tiger.”

“Thank you, Unnie,” she felt like crying, but not really—just plain excited.

“Sure… and yeah, yeah… I know you love me too.”

She raised a brow feigning sarcasm, “We’ll see about that.”

Seohyun took a seriously heavy breath before pushing the door open. She didn’t even notice how hard she was clutching the handle of her bag until she dropped her gaze on her hand and saw how red her fingers were. She gave one last wave at Taeyeon before the car moved back into the road. She sighed and took her time walking towards the car when all she wanted was to run there.

It was seriously silly but she was giddy all over.

~~~

Yonghwa watched her with that permanent grin pasted on his face. Seohyun was gorgeous despite looking so casual and even though she was standing a few good meters away by the side of the road watching her unnie drive away, she seemed to glow in his eyes. He had been thinking about her since the last time they’ve seen each other, most especially after their phone conversation. As the days passed by, he was getting himself deeper and deeper to that idea that she was already taking a chance and seeing his worth.

It excited him and the past days, all he could think of was seeing her again. Thankfully, Taeyeon was a very willing participant to this grand plan. Now, she was walking towards his car in a weirdly slow pace but the smile could not be hidden on that beautiful face of hers. He unlocked the door before she could even get nearer. Yonghwa wanted so much to get out of the car and hold the door open for her but he couldn’t just do that. Not especially now that he needed to be careful. It was like holding this fragile glass in his hands inside a store before reaching the cashier; that was how delicate he must consider this situation with Seohyun if he wanted it to last.

Before, his past conquests only had that ultimate goal of taking the girls to bed. He was also careful then with other women just because scandals are pretty much a pain especially for them. Affairs were just for fun and to have a little entertainment on the side.

But now, everything seemed to be turning on a different direction. The defining moment of this conquest would be Seohyun’s decision of giving him a chance. Yonghwa wanted to prove to her that he was different from the rest—that who he was with other women was never the real him in the first place. Yonghwa wanted to go back to who he really is, for himself and for Seohyun especially.

She pulled the door wide open and smiled, “Hi…”

“Hello there…” Yonghwa grinned as she climbed up and got settled on the passenger seat. “I’m glad you made it to my car.”

“I’m as glad as you are,” Seohyun gave him the same happy grin and winked before putting on her seatbelt.

That kind of wink was totally inappropriate and dangerous, Yonghwa thought to himself especially this time that he obviously missed seeing her and being this close to her again. Thankfully he hadn’t started the car yet or he might have gotten lost in its realm and get them in an accident. Kicking himself out from daydream, he decided to just start the engine. Yonghwa maneuvered the car back on the road and he didn’t say anything more since he was preoccupied with the disbelief that she was there in his car again. The atmosphere, too, was so much lighter than before.

“Oppa, I’m not going anywhere so please focus on the road.