Office Mates FINAL
Office Mates“Hi, my name is Kim Jaejoong. What’s yours?” a man named Jaejoong asked Kyung Mi.
About a month before the new semester began, Kyung Mi’s dean said to her that she will be moving over to another office. A new professor is joining in, so the dean has to assign an office room for them. All professors in college or in university are required to have an office room to work and for students to come in and have a chat.
The new office that Kyung Mi is to go to is going to be shared with. She is going to have an office mate. To be honest, Kyung Mi really liked her one room office. It is small and quiet. Not that she hates sharing rooms. She is an adult after all. Kyung Mi knows that adults don’t go sneaking into their co-worker’s personal stuff.
When the semester started, Kyung Mi was greeted with her office mate. She kind of expected it to be an older male or female. She didn’t expect that her mate will be a young man. Maybe he is the same age as her, but only a few months older.
Jaejoong has his hand out to her. She slowly raise her hand over and grip his hand to hers.
“Sorry, I’m Oh Kyung Mi,” she introduced herself.
“Kyung Mi? That’s a nice name. If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of classes are you teaching?”
“Oh. I’m teaching Personal Finance, Professional English, and Introduction to Business,”
“I see. You must be a business major? I am too. I’m actually teaching Introduction to Business,”
Kyung Mi smiles at him and releases her grip.
“That’s great, Jaejoong. I hope we can be friends!” she said.
~*~*~
Then, for the past month, Kyung Mi and Jaejoong have been getting friendly. Only small conversations like how their classes have been.
One day, though, things have been different. Kyung Mi returns in her office very exhausted after teaching two straight classes in a row. She hoped that none of her students come in and bother her. Of course, this doesn’t mean that she hates them. Kyung Mi felt like she needs a break. Luckily, it is her last class of the day. She just needs to stay in her office for incoming students and work on grading some student papers before leaving.
Jaejoong is in the room, too. He came inside ten minutes before Kyung Mi enters in.
“Hello,” said Jaejoong.
“Hey,”
“So…how were your classes?”
Jaejoong and Kyung Mi get to see each other after their classes are done. In between class break, however, Kyung Mi is alone in the office and the same applies to Jaejoong as well.
“It was great. I’m not sure if the students think like I did,” she laughed.
“Haha. You know them. My students barely participate in my lectures. It is awkward. I can’t blame them though,”
“Yeah. I was like that when I was a student…”
“Me too,”
Things got a little quiet in the room. Kyung Mi set her things down in her little area. She the computer and set up some papers that she wants to grade. It wouldn’t hurt to work on some homework papers.
“Hey, Kyung Mi?” Jaejoong suddenly asked.
“Hmm?” she hummed.
“You want to…go out?” he said very nervously.
“What?” Kyujng Mi asked, very shocked at the sudden question.
Jaejoong nervously scratch his non itchy scalp. “Uh. I mean going out like friends. There is this restaurant that I want to go to…and I thought you won’t mind coming. It’s okay if you don’t want to, I can go ask—” he didn’t know that he was blabbering.
Kyung Mi giggles. “Sure, Jaejoong. What time?”
“Hmm. How about tomorrow evening at six?”
“…Sounds great!”
“Good. Where do you live? I’m going to pick you up on that day,”
“P-pick me up?!” she stutters. How much is this man asking?
“Calm down, Kyung Mi. Just tell me your address. It is a guy’s duty to pick a lady up from her home,” said Jaejoong, giving her a charming smile.
For the first time, Kyung Mi blushed. She mumbled out her address, and Jaejoong quickly jolt it down from his desk.
“Perfect. I will come by your house at five thirty tomorrow. You’d better be ready, alright?” he said.
~*~*~
“OH MY GOD, KYUNG MI! YOU’RE ONE LUCKY WOMAN!” shout Kyung Mi’s friend, Ailee. Ailee is Kyung Mi’s best friend.
“It’s not a big deal…” said Kyung Mi. She practically tells Aliee everything, ever since they first introduced themselves as roommates back when they were college freshman students. Kyung Mi kind of regrets telling Ailee about Jaejoong. Whenever there is boys, Ailee goes crazy as if she is still a high school student.
“It is a big deal, Kyung Mi! This Jaejoong guy asked you out on a date! How in the world are you not excited about this?!” asked Ailee.
Kyung Mi has been on dates before, but none of them were exciting or worth keeping in her memories forever.
“I am quite excited,” said Kyung Mi, expressing her true feelings.
“Good! Now when did he say that he’ll come?”
“Half past five,”
Ailee looks over at the clock. “Oh my! It’s only an hour left, girl! Get your ready right now!” She literally pushes Kyung Mi over to the closet.
“What should I wear then?” Kyung Mi touches her clothes.
~*~*~
Jaejoong arrives at Kyung Mi’s home. He isn’t surprise to see that she lives in an apartment building. The interior of the building is good. The first floor is where all the fun begins. If you are the tenant, you mostly have access to everything on that floor. There is both indoor and outdoor pool. A mini cafeteria. A mini play area for children. A computer lab. Study room. A message and spa treatment area. The rest of the floor above are where the tenants live in. Each room is nice and big, enough for at least four people to fit in.
Jaejoong walks in the lobby area and went straight for the elevator. From what he remembers, Kyung Mi lives in the fourteenth floor. It will take a while for him to come up there.
When he arrived, Jaejoong looks down at the piece of paper.
“Room 14-09…” he mumbles to himself. There is a sign that indicates where all of the rooms are at. Rooms 14-01 through 14-20 is on the left. Rooms 14-21 through 14-40 is on the right. Rooms 14-41 through 14-60 is straight ahead. He easily finds Kyung Mi’s apartment room. He rings the intercom and immediately, Ailee got it.
“Hello?” Ailee answers very cheerfully.
“Is Kyung Mi here?” Jaejoong asked.
“Yeah sure, hang on a second!”
There is a pause until the door bursts open, revealing a bashful looking Kyung Mi. Jaejoong had to look at the woman for another second before recognizing her. Kyung Mi usually wears appropriate looking clothes to work. Now, she is wearing casual clothes. She wore a grey and black dress and jean leggings. Her hair has slightly soft curls at the end and she is wearing a black headband.
Although she looked normal, Jaejoong thought that she looked wonderful.
Ailee wanted Kyung Mi wearing something formal, but Kyung Mi yelled at Ailee, saying that it is just a friendly hang out with a coworker. Kyung Mi is glad that Jaejoong isn’t wearing something that Ailee would have thought he had. He wore a graphic shirt and dark blue ripped jeans. How can a man like Jaejoong can look so handsome?
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Oh. Wait I need my cardigan,” said Kyung Mi. Her dress isn’t a long sleeve. She is about to leave Jaejoong to stand out in front of the door when her friend stopped her. Ailee already got Kyung Mi’s black cardigan. Kyung Mi thanked Ailee before going over to Jaejoong’s side.
Comparing height, Jaejoong is taller than Kyung Mi and Ailee can see it. Kyung Mi is five foot six and Jaejoong is five foot eleven.
“I’m going now, Ailee. You better watch the apartment,” said Kyung Mi.
“I know, I’m not a kid. I am an adult,” said Ailee. “Now get out, enjoy your time with Jaejoong!”
~*~*~
Like Jaejoong promised, he drove her over to the restaurant that he wanted Kyung Mi to come. The restaurant they are going is an Indian cuisine restaurant. Jaejoong heard from his friends, saying that it is “authentic” Indian food. Apparently, there are really professional Indian chefs and Indian waiters and waitresses. Plus, the pricing is really good.
“Hello, welcome to Jyoti Restaurant” said a male waiter. Both Jaejoong and Kyung Mi can tell that this man has a heavy Indian accent.
Jaejoong’s friends have forgotten to warn Jaejoong that the restaurant is only English and Punjabi speakers. Jaejoong sweat drops, English isn’t Jaejoong’s favorite foreign language. He turns over to Kyung Mi, mentally praying that she turns around and leave the restaurant with him.
“Thanks,” said Kyung Mi, with fluent English. Why wouldn’t Kyung Mi be teaching Business without learning the English language? There are some students in her class wanting to go over to the United States someday and start a business there.
He almost forgot that Kyung Mi is teaching English for the Professional. Basically, Kyung Mi teaching English in a Business language way.
“Can we get a table for two please?” Kyung Mi asked in a polite way.
“Sure, right this way ma’am,” said the waiter.
The waiter guides them over to an open, clean table. The waiter even pulls up a chair for Kyung Mi, while Jaejoong has to get in his chair by himself. The waiter then gives the two their menus and leaves.
“Hmm…which one are you getting?” asked Kyung Mi. “There are a lot of different curry flavors here. I think I might get a tandoori chicken and litti with baingan bharta,”
Jaejoong stares at the menus, undecided as to what to get. “I think…I might get naan and…” most the Indian food listed are much unknown to Jaejoong.
“Is Indian food not your style?” Kyung Mi asked.
Jaejoong’s face became red. Why did he chose to go over here anyway? Is Kyung Mi going to make fun of him now?
She only giggles. “That’s okay. We can share our food. You can experience and judge it by yourself,” said Kyung Mi.
The same waiter then comes back with glasses of water. He takes out a small notebook and pen, asking Kyuing Mi and Jaejoong what they want. Kyung Mi did all of the ordering for herself and Jaejoong. Jaejoong feels pretty weird that a woman is doing the stuff for him. He feels like it is a man’s job to do everything to “woo” their date—wait. This is only a friendly hang out. How can Jaejoong messed it up for a date?!
The both of chatted for a while until the food comes out fifteen minutes later. Kyung Mi claps her hand and her lips in anticipation.
“Mmm…smells delicious!” said Kyung Mi. “Let’s eat right now before it gets cold,”
So, they ate. Jaejoong often compliments the texture of the food and the taste of the food. To be honest, the food that Kyung Mi got was good.
“How did you like it? Pretty awesome?” asked Kyung Mi.
Jaejoong only thumbs up to her, since he is kind of busy chewing the last bits of food on his plate. Their dishes are empty, leaving only the vegetables that were sadly not touched at all. The male waiter comes over to their table and asked if they would like anything else. Kyung Mi said no and asked the man for the bill. He quickly got it for her and left, attending to other customers.
“I should pay for the bill,” said Jaejoong.
“No, I should,” said Kyung Mi.
“Nope. I’d offered you to join me,”
“Fine…how about we play Rock, Paper, Scissors?”
“Fine the first one who wins get to pay the bill,”
Jaejoong and Kyung pull of their hands and chanted “Rock, paper, scissors!” Jaejoong got rock while Kyung Mi got scissors. She pouts when she realized that Jaejoong had won the game. He smirks at her and puts down a couple of cash in the bill pocket. He left the bill on their table, since the waiter will come by and pick it up later. Jaejoong and Kyung Mi left the restaurant soon after that.
~*~*~
At the apartment, Jaejoong insists to Kyung Mi back to her room. She wanted to argue back, but stayed silent about it. ‘He’s only being a gentleman…’ Kyung Mi’s thoughts said.
“Thank you for taking me, Jaejoong,” said Kyung Mi as soon as she and Jaejoong arrived at apartment room 14-09.
“No problem,” said Jaejoong.
He watches her unlocking the door and entering in. She twirls around to face him.
“You want to do this again?” he asked nervously. “I…I really did have a…great time with you,”
“If you want to do it again, don’t hesitate to ask,” said Kyung Mi.
~*~*~
Jaejoong enters in the condo house once she dropped off Kyung Mi to her apartment. The living room was dark, so Jaejoong turns on the light. When that happened, Junsu suddenly walks in the room. Junsu almost scared Jaejoong.
“Hey, how was the date?” asked Junsu, one of Jaejoong’s friends.
“Shut up. It wasn’t a date. We were just having a dinner hang out,” said Jaejoong. He takes off his jacket and sits comfortably on the sofa.
“What did you think about the Indian restaurant I recommended?” another friend of Jaejoong’s, Yoochun enters in the living room as well.
The two men then sat at the opposite side of where Jaejoong is at. They have anticipation looks on their faces. Jaejoong sighs at them. He knew that his friends want every single detail of the date. It’s pretty funny how Jaejoong asks either Yoochun or Junsu about their date, they shut Jaejoong off.
“I’m not going to tell you,” said Jaejoong.
“OH C’MON! WE TELL YOU OURS!” exclaimed Junsu.
“Liar…you guys never tell me anything!” said Jaejoong. “I should have the right to not tell mine,”
“Things change, Jaejoong. You have to tell us right now,” said Yoochun.
“If I tell mine, you guys won’t be able to eat anything for breakfast,” said Jaejoong.
“So? You’re rarely here by the time we wake up. You’re the early bird. We order our food through phone and online,” said Junsu.
“…You guys are impossible. I’m older than the both of you for god’s sake!” said Jaejoong.
“Stop arguing okay? Can’t you tell us? We will promise you that Yoochun and I talk about our dates as well,” said Junsu.
Jaejoong really wanted to punch both of his friends right now. He couldn’t understand them.
“Fine. You guys will just pester me all day,” said Jaejoong with a sigh. “Like I said before, this is only a friendly dinner. I went out with my office mate—”
“OFFICE MATE?!” screamed Junsu. He had a high pitch voice. If he went an octave higher, he would sound like a dolphin.
“Yes. There are some offices in my workplace that have two people sharing a room. Back to the story, I picked her up—” he gets rudely cut off again.
“FEMALE?!” Now it is Yoochun’s turn to scream. “Why don’t you ever tell us about your work life?”
“It’s because talking about my work won’t mean anything. Can I please continue without interruptions?” Jaejoong asked. He swore if they cut him off again, he will get up from the couch and go over to his room. He didn’t need to hear their answer, because he continues the story. “I picked her up from her home and we went over to the Indian restaurant. The only problem with that was…the waiters and waitresses don’t know Korean. They are full blooded Indian. I was sweaty and wanted to leave, but Kyung Mi, my office mate, knew English. She…she pretty much did all of the ordering,”
“Wow man, you need to learn your English more! Usually it is a man’s job to do everything for a woman on their date,” said Junsu.
“It’s not a date! The Indian food that she ordered was great. We both emptied our plates. When the waiter came by, I paid for it. It was the only thing that I can do for her,” said Jaejoong. “She argued back with me, but I won,”
“Did you guys do anything else?” asked Yoochun.
“No. I took her back home,” said Jaejoong.
“WITHOUT A KISS?!” Junsu shrieks.
“Why would I kiss her? It wasn’t a date…” Jaejoong said in an annoyed tone. “Okay, my story time is done. Can one of you guys tell me their date?”
Both Yoochun and Junsu remained quiet for a while. Then, the both of them said in unison, “NOPE!” They got up and ran away from the living room, before Jaejoong can even snap at them.
“Stupid little kids…” Jaejoong mumbles. “Why am I still friends with them?”
~*~*~
Throughout the semester, Jaejoong and Kyung Mi moved on with their lives. They talk to each other like always. The semester ends rather quickly, and all of the professors of the college were busy looking at their students’ final exam papers and grading it. Some professors were just dead tired, wanting to grade quickly so that they can have their vacation soon.
Jaejoong and Kyung Mi sat quietly in their office room. They grade papers and any late homework assignments.
It took a few days, but the final grade and submitting was done. Kyung Mi types in her last student’s name and stands up. She threw a fist in the air.
“I’m finally done!” said Kyung Mi. She turns over to Jaejoong, who is also done as well. “This semester was great, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. The students in my class were interested in my discussions and lectures,” said Jaejoong.
“Hmm…I know what you mean. I love hearing them getting in a conversation with me,” said Kyung Mi.
“Since you’re done, I’ve got something for you. It’s going to be Christmas soon, so do not open it until the day of Christmas,” said Jaejoong. He opens up his drawer and gives her a present.
“J-Jaejoong…you don’t have to give me anything. What am I supposed to give you?” she asked as she took the present off of his hands.
“Nothing,” he replied.
“Oh. Thank you for the present. I hope to see you again next semester,” said Kyung Mi.
~*~*~
Before Kyung Mi knew it, the years of knowing Kim Jaejoong went by fast. Both of them are now twenty-six years old. The dean of the business department is satisfied that the two of them got along so well. The dean also decided that the two of them will be “permanent” office mates. None of them complained about it, which kind of surprised the dean. Usually professors don’t like staying with the same person for so long.
The past year, Jaejoong learned so much about Kyung Mi. He even sometimes offer Kyung Mi a ride home, if she didn’t take her car to go to work of course. On holidays such as Easter or Halloween, Jaejoong gives her gifts. Kyung Mi couldn’t do anything to stop him. He insists.
“Girl. I think he likes you!” said Ailee, one day after Kyung Mi was done working for the day.
Kyuung Mi tells Ailee everything about Jaejoong from the day he took Kyung Mi out. There isn’t any other guy Kyung Mi is seeing. Ailee can tell that Kyung Mi likes him as well, because of the tone of voice she uses.
“W-what?! Are you crazy?! I don’t like him! That’s impossible!” exclaimed Kyung Mi.
“Impossible? I think it is fairly obvious girl,” said Ailee.
“Stop Ailee…I need to get to work now,” said Kyung Mi. She quickly gets out of the apartment without letting Ailee protesting.
At the office, Kyung Mi is in the room by herself. She is currently getting things ready for her morning class. However, at the same time, Ailee’s sentence an hour ago is bugging Kyung Mi. ‘Does he really like me? No. He’s being nice. Stop letting Ailee’s words get into your head!’ Kyung Mi’s mind said.
~*~*~
Valentine’s Day came in and everyone in Kyung Mi’s work place were rather excited for this day. She sees students giving each other gifts like boxes of chocolates, balloons, and teddy bears. She mentally groaned inside her head. Despite the fact that Kyung Mi’s friend, Ailee giving her a small gift for Valentine’s Day, Kyung Mi feels…lonely. She didn’t know why or when it happened, but her heart ached the most today. She usually have no care about the holiday.
When Kyung Mi came back in her office after her classes, she spotted something on her chair. There is a lone red envelope and at the front had her name written in fancy English. She an eyebrow at it and then slowly opens up the envelope.
Dear Kyung Mi,
You are invited to a private dinner at W Cassiopeia. Please arrive to the restaurant at 6PM tonight. We will get your seat and have your order ready by then.
Sincerely,
Oh Minki
W Cassiopeia Owner
“…What’s that?” Jaejoong’s sudden voice asked Kyung Mi.
It startled her that she almost jumped. She twirls around and see him peeking over her shoulder.
“N-nothing!” she exclaimed. She quickly shoves the letter in the envelope.
“That doesn’t look like nothing to me,” said Jaejoong as he set his things down at his office space.
“It’s…it’s only an invitation to a restaurant,” said Kyung Mi.
Jaejoong an eyebrow. “Invitation? Who send you that?”
“I…I don’t know. It was just sitting there when I came in,”
“Oh. Then are you going to go?”
“I’m not sure. What happens if it is just a scam?”
“If I were you, I would go. You can’t let that invitation go to waste. It looked like the sender really wanted you to come,”
Jaejoong can see that Kyung Mi is hesitant. She played around the corners of the red envelope, debating her head. He continued to stare at her before she answered ten minutes later.
“Fine…” she said. “It is Valentine’s Day. I mind as well go since there is nothing to do on this day,”
~*~*~
At the restaurant, Kyung Mi is dressed in a grey halter dress. The front had a nice frilly design and the skirt flowed nicely, reaching below her knees. Her hair is done in a French braid and letting it sit to the side of left shoulder. Her bangs remain untouched.
She got to an assigned seat and is quickly left alone as soon as she sat down. Kyung Mi look around and notice that there are a few people here. Most of them are couples because of Valentine’s Day. She once again wondered why she got even invited to this restaurant in the first place.
Soon, her plate is on the table. Kyung Mi thanked the waiter before digging in. Before she did, however, there is another red envelope that somehow appeared right above her platter. Curious, she grabs the envelope and reads it.
I knew you’d be here. Please eat your meal and wait until the waiter comes over to get you. He will lead you to where I am.
This looked very cheesy to Kyung Mi, yet it made her insides feel warm. She wondered who this person is. Was he the one who gave her the invitation?
After the meal, the waiter came in right in time. He guide her over to another room. The restaurant had a banquet room, but the room is totally empty. There were no tables. There is a dancefloor near the stage and the waiter made Kyung Mi wait at the middle of the area. The waiter then left, leaving Kyung Mi alone once again.
She looks around the room, noticing that she is the only one in the room. It felt creepy, despite the many lights that were on. The room was too quiet for Kyung Mi to bear.
‘Where is that person? Didn’t he say that he will wait for me here?’ she wondered.
Just then, a hand covered her eyes. She gasped and her womanly instincts kick in. Who is it? She wanted to kick that person in the groin…if it is a man.
When she is about to kick the person, their lips lean forward to the ear.
“Guess who?” she knew that it is a male.
Instantly, the voice gave it away. She knew that it belongs to Jaejoong. Kyung Mi brings her hands over to his hand covering her hands. She pulls it down and twirls over to him.
“So…you were the one who organized this?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Jaejoong. He had her hand on his and pull it over to him. Her eyes widen a bit when he plant a small kiss on her knuckles. “You look lovely…” he said in a whisper.
She blushed at his compliment.
“Why…why did you set this up for me?” she asked.
“You want to know why?” he asked. Jaejoong gives her another kiss on the knuckles. “I wanted this Valentine’s Day to be special for you. The reason why I did this is because…I fell for you,”
“…What?” Kyung Mi couldn’t believe her ears.
“We’ve gotten to know each other every day. I learned a lot about you. At first, we were friends. Then as time moved on, I wanted it to be more than friends. I was afraid to confess to you and get rejected,” said Jaejoong.
She can see a slight blush on his face. Kyung Mi giggles at him.
Jaejoong hang his head down from embarrassment. “Sorry. It sounds silly…” he said.
“No. Don’t think like that,” said Kyung Mi. She stops laughing a minute later. “Thank you…for surprising me,”
Jaejoong rip his eyes from the floor with wide eyes. “R-really?”
Kyung Mi nods. “There’s also something I need to tell you,”
“What?”
“I…like you too,”
Author's Note: Whew, this oneshot took me forever to finish! I have no reason to excuse myself, other than saying that I was lazy and having brain farts like always. Anyways, I ended the story rather weirdly. I'll let your imagination go from that point on. I hope you enjoyed reading this. I feel like I rushed it though. Ehehe...
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