chapter four

Nervous yet eager for the prospect of understanding our strange situation, I fold my hands in my lap and give him the first opportunity to speak. As I watch the way Mr. Jung runs his hands in his hair, I just realize that our age difference is not that far. He is still in his twenties for crying out loud. And God help me, he looks mouth-watering when he dress like a bad-boy.

Focus! I snap my eyes back on his face. Guilty makes my face flushed red. This is so embarrassing. What am I thinking checking out my boss in this kind of situation?

“First, I’d really like to hear your reason about this morning. Why did you do that?”

Isn’t that obvious? Or maybe this man isn’t that clever like what I thought.

“I need to hear it.”

Swallowing annoyance, I shoot him a look. “I thought the reason is pretty clear.” When he just waits patiently for me to continue, I lose my patience. Okay there will be no win-win situation with this man. He obviously wants the victory for himself. I scowl at him.

“I wanted to check on my apartment.” I wait for him to interrupt with his ‘rat dent’ comment. When apparently he listens to me intently, I continue. “You didn’t give me the permission, remember? All of this is . . . suffocating me. You did whatever you pleased about my life without discussing it first with me.”

There Mister, I just bare it all. It’s a miracle if his brain inside his thick skull will understand. The silence inside the room is sickening. I can’t bear to look him in the eyes, so I avert my eyes away.

After a moment, he finally asks. “Is that what you feel? Suffocated, I mean?”

“Sometimes you can be so overwhelming that I didn’t know what to do.” I mumble, still unable to meet his eyes. “Besides, I’m just you assistant. I think me being moved in here is crossing professional line.”

“Is there anything else you still have in mind?”

Incredulous. I gape at him. Does this man want me to lash my pent up frustration out on him or something?

“With all due respect Sir, I want to move in back to my apartment. I also don’t need the clothes and all the stuff you’ve provided for me. Then, I wish we could renew my contract so it’ll be clear where I stand.”

“That’s awfully lots of things you have in mind, Yuri.”

At his amused voice, I go instantly relieve. I expected him to go ballistic like usual, especially after the stunt I pulled this morning. “You’re not mad?”

“Why would I? Besides, this is my fault.”

Wow! Did I just hear that correctly? “Are you sure?”

Mr. Jung shifts so that he fully facing me. Gently, he puts one hand on my knee and squeeze. Holy cow! That does thing to flutter the butterflies in my belly. Meeting his brown eyes is even more dangerous now that he is so close. “What – “

He shakes his head, hand still on my knee. God don’t do this to me. When he looks up, his eyes almost  . . . pleading? That’s surely my imagination seeing.

“Yuri, I don’t know where to start.”

Alright, this suspense freaks me out. “Can I ask you a question?”

He nods.

The warmth of this hand seeps into my skin. I shudder, then clear my throat. “Why did Mr. Wang fire me then he sent me to work for you?”

“That’s because I asked him to.”

Slack-jawed, I stare at him dumbfounded.  Mr. Jung heaves a sigh. And I swear that his distracting hand is moving to caress my knee, even when the movement is too subtle.

“You probably didn’t notice but before you got fired, I had a meeting with Mr. Wang and you were there. Plain speaking, I wanted you.”

Is that even possible for me to drop my jaw to my lap? “What the hell?” I sputter. “How – why . . .”

At his raised brow, I close my mouth. But my brain is having difficulty to accept his outrageous declaration. He can’t be serious about this. This must be a joke, a very nasty one.

“Mr. Jung –“

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