Chapter Four

“Stunning,” Jaejoong said.  It was the first compliment for her from him.

“Why, thank you, Jaejoong,” she said.  “You’re dashing yourself.”

The three of them started getting to know each other and surprisingly, Yuri found herself enjoying their company.  Yunho was especially charming while she’s really holding herself not to like Jaejoong much.  The face screams out playboy and she doesn’t like him for flirting with Yoona earlier.  The dislike was almost reciprocated by the way. 

All throughout the dinner, Yunho has been inserting compliments her way, it was disgusting Jaejoong.  It took his will power not to walk out on them.  When Yunho decided to excuse himself, the tension surprisingly thickened.

 “You don’t really like me, do you?” Yuri suddenly asked sending Jaejoong choking on his salmon. He considered her for a moment.  She is fearless and she has mastered the art of pokerface.

“What gave it away?”

“I’m a trained hostess.  I could tell what people think about me.”             

Jaejoong smiled at this.  If they were in other circumstance, she would have been his friend.

“I could tell that the dislike is returned,” he said casually.  “And I don’t quite fathom why.  Usually people love me more than Yunnie.”  Yuri noted the ‘Yunnie’ but let it go.

“You trespassed on my territory.  Besides pretty boys are not on my ‘most liked people’ list.”

“And dominating modern women has never been in mine either,” Jaejoong countered.  He found himself enjoying this.

“Yet you let me get the deal,” Yuri said and lifted her glass of champagne in a toast. 

Jaejoong was itching to wipe the victorious smile off her beautiful face but before he could come up for a good come back, Yunho already came back to their table.  He was dismayed to see Yuri’s wide, bright smile.

What was interesting, was that there seemed to a subtle competition between the two.  They were competing of who could come up for a better suggestion.  And another thing she noticed is that they address each other way too formally in front of her and showering each other exaggerated compliments.  Thrice she caught them intimately whispering to each other.

When Hara was gone, Jaejoong stepped away as much as possible from Yuri.

“Ha!  I am glad that this would be all done after two weeks,” he said.

“Thank God!” she said sarcastically.  Jaejoong turned to her sharply and smiled ever so sweetly.

 “You would be happy that you won’t see me again, wouldn’t you?” he asked sweetly.

“I would be happy that you won’t be able to strut your stuff here again distracting my staff.”

“You can call my parents and complain about their uber good looking son,” he said confidently.  Yuri coughed at this.

“I could tell them how their uber egotistical son is such a pain and perhaps how they were so wrong to conceive you.”

“My, my…  Is this still a part of your highly trained hostess skill?”  Yuri gritted her teeth before returning him with an equally sweet smile.

“Why, yes, dear Joongie,” she said emphasizing the ridiculous endearment, unknowingly making the hair at the back of his neck stand up for the second time.  “Making the guest know that he is extremely annoying in a subtle way is a part of my rigorous training.”

“No, seriously, I don’t care if those still came from Brazil.  I want white linens or you can kiss your transaction with us goodbye,” Yuri said calmly through the phone as she was scribbling something on her notepad. 

It has been more than a week since Jaejoong’s last visit in the hotel.  She has been working like a hell because of the upcoming party.  She still has to deal with her usual ridiculous work such as making sure that the Jasmine Glass Hotel’s linens are white and not royal blue like what she is doing.

“Yes, please.  I want them replaced now,” she said and hung up.

The door opened and Yoona peered from it.  “Are you busy right now?”

“No,” she said.  With all the scattered papers on her desk, it is obvious that she is but she just can’t resist her smile, can she?  Yoona went inside, excited.

“Guess who decided to come back?”

Yuri’s brows crunched up.  “Who?”

Before Yoona could speak, the door was opened again and revealed a tall slender woman, “Ta-dah!”

“Sooyoung!”  Yuri stood up to hug their college friend.  “When did you come back?”

“Just a few hours ago.  I decided to check in here and ask for the needed discount for your pricey rooms.”

“Psh.  You’re always stingy.  Why don’t you stay with us?  I’m sure Sunny and Taeyeon would be happy,” Yuri said referring to their friends and their housemates.

“Ah, those two.  As much as I would love to remind those little people how less blessed they are, I can’t.  I am with someone.”

Yuri and Yoona looked at her, confused.  Sooyoung hated sharing rooms.  She has long limbs and she is always occupying most of the bed space even how large it is.

“I’m getting married,” Sooyoung blurted.  Disbelief showed at the two beautiful faces in front of her.

“Really?” Yoona asked disbelievingly, “I mean, does that guy know how horrible you are?”

“Funny, Fishy.  Minnie is a wonderful guy.  We have so much in common you won’t believe it, but still, not as much as you two,” she pointed at them.

“Of course, we are made for each other,” Yoona hugged Yuri.  Sooyoung made a gagging noise.

“Hypocrite little Sooyoung, you’re sharing a room with this Minnie.”  Sooyoung blushed at Yuri’s quip.

“Anyways I want you guys to meet him.  Let’s go out tonight.  I am so dying to see everyone again," Sooyoung said, she even clapped her hands in excitement. "Minnie’s friend owns a club.  How about we go there?  I’ll see if I could get Seohyun out of that nutty school she calls music school.  Seriously, that girl is getting weirder every time I call her.”