Chapter 4:

 

Cha Hae-jee/Kang Eun-jae

 

          Aisht! I’m about to lose my mind. They drag us in their circle and the girls are gushing over my oppas like they are the gods of the universe. I want to shout at them that they are not their date but the guys beside them. But I will look like an over jealous girl and be called selfish over some petty things that my mouth can blurt out any minute. And that will be another issue and a mess about my personality.

 

          And most of all, why am I seated opposite my boss in the hotel, who sat right next to the vice-president of the company? Argh! I really am in deep . Kang Eun-jae, what did you do to deserve this unluckiness when it comes to your boss?

 

          “Honey,” I hear the freaking voice of the very least person I want to meet right now. Jiyong and Youngbae oppa choke on their drinks when they saw that girl coming towards them. Eun-jae, did you really do something bad? I can surely feel the tension between me and my oppas, who are sweating bullets.

 

          "I heard you are going to perform in our hotel for the jewelry exhibit by Mr. Bourgeois," Jae-hyuk talks to me. I smile at him and nod my head. "Do you really not talk or is it to conserve your voice?"

 

          Is that a serious question or he really is an airhead sometimes? But I can't be fooled by this guy. He is the most intuitive guy I know when it comes to disguising. He can point me out in the crowd just with the color of my hair when I'm Hae-jee.

 

          "If it isn't someone I hate to see," Chae-won voices out like a villain in a fairytale.

 

          I almost rolled my eyes from her very famous hatred for me. I don't even know what I've done with her for her to loathe me so much. "If it isn't Chae-won, a sunbae in the industry, " I reply innocently on the outside but devilish on the meaning.

 

          "I think it is time for us to go home. Eun-jae still needs to practice her performance for the event in your hotel." Jiyong-oppa utters in the middle of my so called bantering with my nemesis. Better yet, he knows that I will not seat like a damsel in distress while she speaks so ill of me.

 

          "Yeah, that is a good idea," TOP-oppa agrees with him and stands up for them not to argue about it anymore.

 

          "Oh, it is such a shame that I came late. I didn't even get to chat to you guys." Chae-won speaks like she's so sorry...sorry my . I bet she's happy that I'll be leaving her sight.

 

          Out of the blue, my eyes stop in the direction of Kang-ju, who is glaring angrily at his fiancée. Oh! Did she come here unannounced? Well, it is such a shame I'm going already. I may like to see this show between the lovers.

 

          "I'll be going," I say using my real voice as Kang Eun-jae. I bow my head and the others bow back.

 

          "That is close," Seungri mutters while he huffs out air of nervousness. "I was holding my breath waiting for the 'ah' of your bosses."

 

          I slap his head and shout, "Yah! Are you praying for my demise?” Seungri rubs the part of his head where I hit him and is pouting like a child accusing me of doing something wrong. “Besides, Chae-won will be the death of my career if we stayed for another minute?”

 

          “We know,” they all chime in agreement.

 

          That night is such a mess. I am almost busted by seating face to face to the person I hated to see the most. But now that I think about it, Chae-won is there because she’s being suspicious of the girl she saw in the office of her fiancé. She is guarding her territory quite well.

 

          “Hae-jee, you’re spacing out again,” Jin-hee whispers to me as we walk towards the garden where we are assigned because of the big wedding for this evening and for the worst, Chae-won is invited to be the singer because the bride’s is a fan of her. I just hope that she won’t recognize me as the person who’s in the office of her lover.

 

          “Hae-jee!” someone familiar shouts. He’s the one and only person who will shout like a child looking for his playmate, Jae-hyuk.

 

          I didn’t dare to look back because I know he’s waving his hand in the air. That is so embarrassing that even I can’t face the whole world especially if the CEO is there or he’s with some directors with him. Aisht! What is wrong with the head of that guy that he wants to embarrassed me every time he sees me?

 

          Jin-hee giggles. “He’s with CEO Choi.”

 

          What can be any more surprising than the two of them together and he is calling my name like an idiot? Why in this world did I work in this place? “Let’s go. We are still needed in the garden.” I pull her arm and drag her away from the scene.

 

          “You know what you are doing is rude,” she says to me. I nod in response not even guilty of the bad thing I did.

 

          “I’ll fret over it when I’m already being sued for it,” I reply still dragging her without looking back. I’ll act like I didn’t hear anything and play dumb about it when asked. I’m just hoping that nobody will ask about it especially the CEO, because I can hear him nagging me about my rudeness with the vice president.

 

          I sure did get a special mention earlier in the assembly for talking to the vice president like a companion. I didn’t know why I am even surprise for that. I am always being called attention in every assembly like I'm always doing something wrong, well, except for the fact that I always look bored and sleepless whenever we have an assembly.

 

          "Good afternoon, this way to the ceremony area.” I usher the guest with a polite smile and a bow.

 

          “Do you think that avoiding me will make me stop nagging you?” Jae-hyuk whispers in my ear.

 

          She giggles and ignores him still and starts to greet the guests again. Then I came up with a great plan. “Good afternoon, this way to the ceremony area and our vice-president of the hotel will accompany you there.”

 

          “Oh really?” the lady asks again and I nod my head in response.

 

          I feel the pinch he is giving me in my shoulders but I plaster a smile on my face in front of the guests. “It will be my pleasure,” he utters like a gentleman.

 

          “1 point Hae-jee and 0 point Jae-hyuk,” I chime and wink at him.

 

           I hear a clearing a throat and I know who it from is. “Please, refrain from flirting with the vice-president,” our general manager says with a not so smiling face.

 

          “Arasso,” I reply with a wide smile not taking him seriously again.

 

          “Hae-jee, please, be careful not everyone in here is fond of you being close to Jae-hyuk ssi like us, who understands your closeness.” He warns.

 

          “I’ll keep that in mind,” I answer then greet the guest again.

 

          “I hear you are filing for a leave, why?” he inquires. Did he not see my letter about it? I even bothered telling them in advance rather than speaking it on the day itself, like I always do. That’s why people hate me, because I can get out of it without being reprimanded by the boss.

 

          “I’m going on a vacation for a week and I’m not going to tell you where,” I sneer and he gives me a light slap in the head. “Yah!” I whine at him.

 

          “The guests,” he points out. “And yes, I approve since you never had a single leave for a year and you brought big cash on the hotel in those months.”

 

          I smile sincerely and thank him. “You have my deep gratitude for approving it.”

 

          Jin-hee nudges me on the side and grin. “You can really get out of anything, don’t you?”

 

          “I don’t. I am just always lucky when I ask for my leave.” I give her a peace sign and a grin.

 

          “Aisht! You naughty woman! Where are you going on your vacation?” She playfully twists her knuckle on the top of my head while her arm locking my head.

 

          “I’m not telling anyone.” I can’t tell you that I’m going to sing and mingle in here four days from now and for the two days before the fourth day will be my practice time and my writing time for my new album together with Teddy-oppa, Tablo-oppa and Jiyong-oppa.  Yeah, I will have to finish those two things by two days and it will be a miracle if I can finish writing my own songs, one or two and the rest will be by the help of the rest.

 

          Well, the concert tour is not about the album that YG will release in two months’ time from now. This tour is about the last album because I didn’t go to a tour last year when I release it because of my work and YG-sajangnim conceded in my foolish idea of working.

 

          But now, I have to give up my working antics because I’m not a rising star anymore. I’m already one of the stars that will cause ruckus any time of the day by the gossips they are writing about me. It causes me headache but sometimes they causes me to laugh when I’m stress. Those gossips are hilariously funny.

 

          “I hear your leave is approved,” Jae-hyuk pops out of nowhere again.

 

          “Aisht! What is with the approved leave that everybody is asking about it?” I say in annoyance.

 

          “Huh!” Jae-hyuk laughs. “Did I already hit Hae-jee’s breaking point?” he teases.

 

          “Sorry to burst your bubble but I’m not yet at my wits end,” I answer back and ignore him again. She is already in the locker room when he shows up startling her making her shouts in annoyance. Maybe, annoyance would be the title of my next album and I will write a good song about how annoying Jae-hyuk is.

 

         “Where are you going on your vacation?”

 

         Why are they all nosy about my vacation location? “Why? Are you going to show up if I say where?” I ask back.

 

         He looks at me mischievously saying that he will.

 

          He really is going to be the death of me with his annoying ways. He is not the boyfriend material for me, more like a best friend or a brother like my oppas. They are annoying too but not much as annoying like him.

 

          “So, I will not see you tomorrow?” he pouts.

 

          She giggles and nods her head. “Yes, because tomorrow is my day off and the next day will be the start of my leave.” I smile widely.

 

          “Hae-jee, the CEO wants to see you in his office?” The general manager says.

 

          I raise an inquisitive brow and he shrugs his shoulder. I turn my head to Jae-hyuk and he has the same bewildered expression as me.

 

          “Shall I you to his office and be your shield if he slashes you with words?” Jae-hyuk offers, his arms already crook in his side.

 

           I smile and say, “I’ll take your offer. It is better to be safe.”

 

          “Why are you being treated like a special case whenever you ask for a leave? And why is it not brought in my office?” Kang-ju slashes at me.

 

          Well, hello captain obvious, I’m not even being treated special in here. I’m practically a slave bringing money in this hotel for more than a year or so. Yeah, I’m spouting nonsense in here but who cares, they don’t hear me anyway.

 

          “May I defend myself?” I inquire.

 

          “Defend yourself then?” he answers. He leans back on his seat and his hands propped up, fingers entwine together.

 

          “I didn’t even file a single leave last year because the hotel is low on staff and I’m only asking a week vacation here and it is granted by the general manager who, of course, manages the staffs and is the one approving the subject at hand. And if you say that I am being treated special, then you will not see me being bath by the sunlight or I’m not doing any work either.”

 

          “You sure do have a temper,” Jae-hyuk jests.

 

          “It’s not temper but I hate being accused being treated like a princess in here when I do my job properly. And Mr. Choi, if my work is not par with your expectation then you better fire me now or you are just wasting your money paying my salary.” That I can earn in a day when I’m not being an ordinary person, I thought.

 

          “Ms. Cha…”

 

          “Hae-jee, you can leave now and I will talk to Kang-ju in your behalf.” Jae-hyuk interferes.

 

          I sigh and nod my head. “I’ll take my leave.” I bow and goes out of that freaking office.