Chapter Seven
Capitulate
“Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror or the painter?” -Pablo Picasso
“Well, this is awkward.” thought TOP as he watched the two parties stare at each other in silence, even as Yoona played the part of a confused soul perfectly.
Was there something on her face? In english no less and TOP would have snorted out loud if the situation wasn’t so tense at that very moment. That girl was precious.
The restaurant’s servers came and went, taking their respective orders and Yoona cleared at the stifling awkward atmosphere. Retrieving her work portfolio from her leather tote, she handed the file over to the man sitting across her. “I’m aware that you’ve certain reservations in engaging me for your upcoming campaign and I appreciate that you’re willing to give me a fair shot before making your decision, considering the circumstances. Hopefully, this would help reassure some of your worries.”
Only to frown a little as Jiyong merely took her file stoically before setting it on the table without a second glance.
Youngbae winced at his friend’s blatant disinterest before clearing his throat awkwardly, hoping that making small talk would salvage this suffocating tension.
“So Bella, where did you graduate from?”
Yoona smiled, appreciating Youngbae’s attempt to lighten the mood, “The university of New York. I double majored in marketing as well as arts.”
Youngbae whistled appreciatively. NYU was by no means an easy university to get into and to have a double major? “Wow. What about high school? I bet you were the top few of your cohort.”
Youngbae had known the answer but he just needed to hear it for himself, that this girl sitting diagonally across him had nothing to do with the girl he knew seven years ago.
Sipping her tea, Yoona gave a shrug, “I was actually home schooled right until I went to college actually.”
And TOP fought a snort when Youngbae’s brows rose in feign surprise, “Really? Why not go to school?”
At that, Yoona gave another of her tiny shrug, “Crowds gave me severe anxiety I was a lot younger so I chose to stay at home.”
“Do you know Yoona?”
Yoona stilled at Jiyong’s abrupt question while Youngbae merely stared at Jiyong in shock, not believing that his friend had asked that. TOP hid his smirk behind the rim of his teacup. True to his reputation of being ruthless, Kwon Jiyong had went in straight for the kill, choosing to hold the bull by its horn and TOP found himself respecting the man’s straightforward-ness.
Yoona forced herself to stay calm despite how rattled she felt. Smiling, she stared at Jiyong with a curious tilt of her head, “No, but I knew someone by the name of Kim Yuna while I was in NYU.”
“Who’s Yoona?” she asked after a beat of silence, and TOP nearly choked on his tea. Did she not know that what she was doing was the equivalent of grabbing a tiger by its tail?
Youngbae spluttered, unsure on how to proceed when Jiyong spoke, “Just… someone.”
Yoona gave a mysterious smile in return, “Not just someone considering that she’s the first thing you mentioned voluntarily since we’ve met.”
And TOP fought the urge to slap his forehead in exasperation. This lass would no doubt be the reason for his premature white hair. Jiyong continued staring at the smiling woman before him, his facial expression betraying nothing as he attempted to figure her out. Just who is she and what is this current situation?
Just then, the waitress entered the private room once more, making a swift deposit of the appetizers.
Picking her chopsticks, Yoona was about to reach for the salad when Jiyong grabbed onto her wrist abruptly. Startled, Yoona looked up to witness Jiyong’s anxious eyes staring at her in alarm.
“What?” she asked.
Jiyong cleared his throat in discomfort at the amount of attention centering on him, “The salad,” he said, “it has crushed nuts in them.”
“Uh-huh…” said Yoona slowly, “What about it?”
Jiyong furrowed his brows, “Don’t you have an allergy to peanuts?”
Yoona blinked at him surprise, sh
Comments