A veeeryy short update just to finish up the last one. You might be confuse why the team leader was focused.

She immediately walked out of the room. Ignoring the stares of her colleagues, went straight to the isolated comfort room and dialed. It took one ring.

“Hello?”

“H-hello?” She sniffed.

“Hey, are you crying? What happened?” came a worried voice.

“Her. *Sniff*”

“Her who?”

“Hei Ryung.”

“Oh. Why? I thought you guys are going to meet her today.”

“Y-yes. We did.” She inhaled. “But she humiliated me in front of everyone and told me that she doesn’t know me.” She clenched her jaw. “It must be that flirt’s fault.” She grumbled and wiped off her tear.

“What? Why would she do that? And whose flirt?”

“That girl I used to tell you who lures the boss with her smile and fake personality. The reason why I can’t excel on my position.”

“Ahh. Hei Ryung knew her?”

“She knows her. She even called her ‘My girl’” she said and made a quotation mark on air.

“…”

“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to be sound so insensitive.” She apologized. Realizing her mistake.

“It’s fine.” A deep breath. “So she has a girlfriend already?”

“I…I don’t know but judging how she addressed that flirt…” her voice faded, she can’t continue knowing that her friend might get hurt.

“So I’m too late?” A dejected voice.

“No! I’m pretty sure she’ll come back to you and be yours just like before.”

“Fact is there’s never been us. I rejected her.” She took a deep breath. “I’m so stupid.”

“You’re not! Don’t say that.” Now it’s her turn to coax the girl on the other line. Gone is her own embarrassment and humiliation. “Just come back home and see what happens. You’re free now. It’s time for you to get what you supposed to have.”

A pause. “I might just do that.”

She smiled. “We’ll wait for you. As of now, I’ll do a little digging about them and inform you. You must have her back. I don’t like the brooding you. Arasseo?”

She chuckled. “Ne. Omma.”

“But first, we have to get that flirt off of Hei Ryung. I’ll update you.”

“Okay. Thank you. I’ll be waiting.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

****

A slam of the front door as soon as they arrived echoed at the entire house.

Tiffany flinched and turned to see Hei Ryung looking at her angrily.

“Why were you there? I thought I made it clear just this morning that I don’t like to deal with your childish games!”

“What the…” she frowned. Confused why the girl is acting this way. “Why are so mad?! You never said a word to me since we woke up, how would I know about what you think?!” She yelled as well.

“Still. You shouldn’t have followed me and make another scene! I already gave you that chance yesterday!”

“What are you talking about?! I never intended to follow you let alone bother you with your boring everyday office work!”

“Then what are you doing there?” she lowered down her voice but still as stern.

“I worked there”

“You’re not supposed to be there!”

“I told you, I worked there---”

“Exactly! Worked! Past tense! You’re endangering everything that we’ve worked for you!”

“And what does it have to do with me?! I only went there to visit them! It’s not like I announced how the protégé Kim Hei Ryung is helping me!”

She ignored the words. “Do you even know who she is?” she hissed.

“Oh yes I know. Aside from the fact that you personally asked for her presence, she was the assistant leader of our team.” Her brows furrowed.

“Don’t come near her again.”

“I thought you don’t know her?”

“I do know her. She’s a friend of my friend. And I’m telling you, she can only say a word to her and your case is out!”

“What?! What does she have to do with my case?!”

“My friend can do anything what she wants. I have been there when she decides things and that girl, the team leader, will follow her orders without a single protest!”

“And you know this. How? Why did you deny about knowing her? In front of everyone, no less.”

“Because I have to protect you!”

“From what?! The big bad wolf?!”

“She’s calling you names! How am I supposed to react to that? Laugh it off?!”

“So calling me your girl is a protection? Wow. That only doubles her accusation. Me as your girl means me flirting you!”

“I did that to shut her up! You saw the look in her eyes when she saw that we know each other? They’re like telling me to watch out and leave you as soon as possible because she doesn’t like you. She despised you! I don’t know why but because of that, she might tell our friend about it and ask her to get rid of you most especially that you no longer work there! They will help each other Miss Hwang. You should at least take that as my way of telling them to back off and not lay a hand on you.”

If only she’s not angry right now, she might have understood but she’s too angry and drained. “Screw your friend.”

“What?” her jaw dropped.

She clenched her jaw. “I don’t understand how your friend and your so called protection can solve my case. And yes, I don’t understand the whole thing about that team leader but screw your friend. Screw her for messing up my brain…confusing me with everything you just said!”

Hei Ryung inhaled deeply as she closed her eyes and massage her forehead to calm herself down. “You can't understand.”

“Exactly! I didn’t do anything wrong and here you are mentioning people like as if I lured them to mess with my life! I was just there, trying to visit the company! How does that connect to my current life?!” she’s very confused and mad that she can’t help but increase her volume.

“Just…” she shook her head, knowing that they’ll probably talk about this whole thing over and over again. She then grabbed the car keys she dropped without knowing. “Just stay here and never go out without my word.” She pivoted to go out of the house.

Her face darkened even more at the sentence. “I’m not your prisoner Kim Hei Ryung. You can’t just order me around like I’m your servant.”

Hei Ryung turned around, brows furrowed. “What did you say?”

Tiffany crossed her arms. “You heard me.”

She slowly walked towards Tiffany with intense look. “Excuse me? If I clearly remembered, you once told me that you’ll do everything in return of my help.” She leaned forward and held Tiffany’s icy gaze. “Now I’m telling you to stay. So you stay.” She turned around once more towards the front door but stopped midway when Tiffany spoke.

“I hate you Kim Hei Ryung. I regret asking for your help. You’re just the cold, heartless person they all mentioned. I regret staying here.” Tiffany knows she’s acting with her anger but she can’t deny that somehow, she’s treated like a dog asked to stay seated and not do anything unless commanded.

Hei Ryung clenched her jaw. She doesn’t know how to explain everything about today and its possible outcome. So Tiffany’s reaction is understandable. But she can’t deny that it hurts to hear her words. Like as if she’s not trying her best to help. That everything she did were nothing. I told you, helping is not a good thing. They’ll be mad when you fail and leave you like a used rag.  She scolded herself and took a deep breath.

“Then go home and solve your own problem.” she replied without looking and closed the door with a bang.