Ch 3

Narrator

After the long and horrible day for Jihyun, the only thing she wants is her bed and to sleep it all away. The events of the day were something she doesn’t want to think about. Or at least until she’s freshened up. The least would be, to leave her alone to her thoughts and let her reboot her mind till she’s ready.

Letting her body sink into her soft queen size bed, Jihyun moaned at the softness and bounciness of it. Sleeping seemed like the best option after everything, but she knows, if she doesn’t shower now, she won’t till the next day. She internally wished her parents, specifically her mother, won’t come and bother her for not showing up at dinner earlier.

Her tired ears picked up the sound of the door opening, “Hyun baby, you are home early,” instead of her mother, it was her sister who greeted her sarcastically. The older woman stood by her bedroom door, hands on her hips. “Very funny unnie,” of course she knew why her sister said that. Her mother had been blasting her phone since 6 pm. Her sisters and father were no exception to the case.

When none of them talked, Jihyun sighed and took her towel, a silent statement of “not wanting to talk” but her sister didn’t mind that. When Jiyu called Jihyun just as she held onto the doorknob of the bathroom, she held back her groan and looked over exhaustedly.

“You know… Raymond was anticipating meeting you today since you couldn’t make it yesterday,” Jiyu informed the younger, not once looking like she was leaving the room anytime soon.

“I don’t care, I already told him that I’m not interested anymore. Never was and never will. Why does he keep sticking on me when I told him to leach off?” Jihyun sighs and slumps next to her sister. Exhausted with the male and his stupid antics.

“Song Jihyun! You’re not getting any younger, accept him! If you don’t love him now, you might love him after you get to know him better,” The older tried to console her as she wraps her arm around Jihyun’s shoulder.

“Jiyu unnie, I tried to love him 2 years ago. We were together for over a year but he is a player! How do you expect me to love a player? He even cheated!” 

“Raymond and I talked today. He said he’s willing to change for you. Just so you can accept him again,” 

“Today is not my day, it’s becoming more and more tiresome and it hasn’t even ended yet…” She ranted in her mind and wanted nothing but to sleep it off. The happenings of today are starting to take a toll on her.

“Unnie please listen to me, Raymond is not Yongnam oppa. Oppa changed for the better, and he changed for you. But Raymond…” Jihyun sighed as the headache that was starting to build, pounded her head. “I don’t think I’m the one to change him, he needs someone better than me,” 

Shrugging her sister’s hand away, Jihyun held them and hoped her eldest sister would see her reasoning. “What? You don’t believe that, do you?” Jiyu looked skeptical but Jihyun was too tired to explain anymore.

“Unnie, I have upcoming work in Japan, there are a few things I need to take care of tomorrow too. So, please, if you’re not here to talk about my day, leave me alone. I need my rest tonight, you know where the door is…” Jihyun didn’t want to sound rude to her older sister, but she could no longer talk about the male. Not when she’s made it clear, he wasn’t the one. And he will never be the one.

***

In the middle of her bath, Chris’s words lingered. All of the things they needed to do and clear tomorrow made her sigh dejectedly. “And here I thought I might get some time to spend with my little angels… I feel so sorry for them… they’ve been asking me when I can take them to the amusement park again, I hate to disappoint them…” 

Earlier that evening, at the office.

Knocking on his door, she entered and placed the new and special appointment files on his table. “I have done as you asked. I’ve booked the hotel, the entertainment, décor persons and everything else that you’ve emailed me. I even told the staff to prepare two days beforehand and they are all ready and well-informed for this event…”

Jihyun reported to Chris with a robot-like posture and voice, her eyes were empty of any feelings and emotions. ”Not that he’ll care… it was his stupid idea anyway…” was all she thought when she went to report to him, “Good and did you call Luke and Aliaa’s wedding planner? As I asked earlier?” 

He asked her, not even taking his attention away from the files he was checking. The same file she had bought when Luke and Aliaa were here. “Yes, I did. And they have gotten the contact info of the team from the resort,”

“Good. I guess that’s all…” she bowed at his verdict and wanted to leave but Chris called her back, making her stop mid-way. “Yes? Anything else Chris?” purposely pressing the name, to show him she is not ready to talk about anything else.

Even a child can tell she was being cold, and Chris sighed at the attitude she showed, ”I guess she’s still angry about earlier. But then again, I am to blame…” pinching the bridge of his nose, Chris inhaled and braced himself to accept whatever attitude she throws at him.

“What’s with the cold attitude?” He tore away his attention from the file to the female, finally taking in the cold façade she was putting.  Although her small back was to his front, he could tell how she was with just that, it was tensed and rigid. She was still standing in the middle of his office and didn’t bother to turn to face him.

“What cold attitude?” she asked back, her voice void of any emotion and it scared Chris for a moment, but she didn’t have to know that. She was never this angry or upset with him, she never showed him this before. “She’s not that scary, just it’s unusual to see her like this… it’s weird, is she that angry? What did I do that is so wrong?”

Thinking it has been more than two hours and the fact it was way past office hours, he thought she would’ve cooled down. ”Maybe that’s just my hope… what should I do to pacify her?”

“Are you still angry about what happened earlier?” Chris got up from his seat and walked towards her, turning her around. She didn’t even care when he held her, eyes not meeting his and her face blank.

“Jihyun, hey,” he tapped her shoulder and she exhaled loudly, her blank façade dropped as her lips sealed tight. “Please answer me… hey,” he tapped her again and she just shook his hands off of her.

“Why should I? Do I even have the right to be angry at you while you’re just my boss?” Jihyun crossed her arms and tilted up to look Chris in the eyes as he was at least 1 foot and a half taller than her. “What rights do I have to be or get angry at you? Care to explain?” she sarcastically pointed out and he nodded.

“You do, you have every right to get angry at me and be upset. The idea just popped into my mind as soon as I saw you. I’m sorry, I didn’t know what got into me…” He rubbed the back of his neck and look elsewhere but into her almond eyes. Guilt was building up inside him when he met those orbs but he can’t take back his words. It was the beginning of a lie but he wanted to keep it like that… he needs to.

Even if he did try to right his wrong earlier, it’s too late now.

“There is no going back now… Luke’s text after Philip’s call was so annoying. I can’t believe they got the news this fast and want to ‘celebrate’ me not being single anymore! damn my friends… and my aunts… gosh Aliaa was fast…”

Jihyun felt bad for being angry at him but she cannot hide the fact she is still cross at him for the shock she received. “Fine, I’m not angry but just a bit cross with you. Do I have to be your girlfriend? Couldn’t you find someone else? I mean, you are Mr. Popular, the famous chaebol that everyone raves about…” 

She stated as her eyes tore away from his face and she took a step back, Jihyun didn’t realize how close he stood with her till she felt his breath on her forehead. “I could… But I already introduced you to Aliaa and Luke remember?” 

“So?”

“So… what I mean is they have told the whole clan about us,” he shrugged with guilt yet there was underlining of boredom in it and it made Jihyun’s eyes big as sources. “Why would they do that? Are you for real?”

“My friends want to celebrate tonight as the end of my single life and for us… Plus my aunts are fussing already, asking me if Aliaa is pranking them,”

“No… no... why would they and I don’t understand what’s happening… what is going on?”

“Well… when you’ve been single for a long time and have family members who wanted you to settle down, this is what happens,”

“You’re not going to settle down with me Mr! This is pretending,” Jihyun didn’t even know why she said that. Her flustered claim made her cheeks red in embarrassment and the sight of her blushing cheeks made Chris bit back a laugh.

Clearing his throat to cast the laughter away, he looked at her seriously. “Don’t worry, I know,” she narrowed her eyes at him but he shrugged and looked at her playfully. Sighing, she looked hopeless when she asked him, “Why do I have to do this? Can’t you just go to the wedding alone?” 

“I can’t… I… I…” he sighed and threw his head to face the ceiling. “Please, I need someone to accompany me. Aliaa invited my ex-fiancée. I don’t want to face her alone,” when he looked back at her, Jihyun was surprised to see a bit of vulnerability in them.

“Why would she do that? And why can’t you? Do you still have feelings for her?” Jihyun was curious, to say the least. She had been working for him long enough but never knew he had once been engaged to someone.

Not saying the thirty-two-year-old wasn’t attractive, but she always thought the male was a “no strings attached” kind of man. She has seen him with a few ladies, but he never settled.

“Cameron and Aliaa were friends even before we got engaged. Aliaa loves her like an unnie, thus she has to invite her, and no… I have no more lingering feelings for her. It was over when she made it clear to me that she didn’t want me,” he explained in one go, hopeful for the female to agree and get it over with. 

As much as he does enjoy their small talk, he doesn’t want to prolong the conversation regarding Cameron. She was his past that he wished never happened, not even from the beginning to start. Someone whom he once thought was his salvation, yet ended up scarring him further.

“Then what am I for then if you don’t have feelings for her anymore? To make her jealous? Is it possible?” 

“No… It has nothing to do with that… it’s just that after she left me, she’s been trying to talk to me, to reach out and mend the broken bond… to say she’s sorry and whatnot at every chance she got. So, I need you to ensure she would stay away and distance herself from me,”

Jihyun mulled over his words and when he pressed the words ‘you’ she knew he wanted her there as reassurance. ”I know he said he’s over her but I can tell she still affects him… I wonder what happened and why she left… gah! That’s not your business Jihyun!”

Thinking it over as she observed his hopeful expression, Jihyun sighed and nodded. Trying to put herself in his shoes, she understood him at her level of comprehension and decided to help. “Fine, but don’t I need to know about you to be your girl?” 

“That’s why I need you to come tomorrow so we can talk it over,” he noted how tired her eyes are now. Once Jihyun agreed, the cold mask came undone and he felt guiltier than ever for being the cause of it. 

“Tomorrow’s my day off. I’m only coming here to give those files to HR then I’m heading back home,” she looked at him weirdly when he grabbed her hand suddenly and softly pressed the back of her palm.

When Jihyun pulled her hand away, Chris chuckled and held them again, continuing his actions. “I’m going to be filling you with things you need and don’t have to know about me. Things you might need to say to my family when they ask you,” he explained shortly.

“But we can do that now!” she argued, she wouldn’t mind going home late. It was already past 7 pm and she could be later than now. She could care less if it meant she doesn’t have to hear about Raymond when she gets home. 

She had managed to avoid him yesterday by not coming home early and not attending the dinner her mother had set up at his place. But today, her mother did it again hoping she would come home early as it was at their home.

“No, I made a promise to my friends I’ll have dinner with them tonight and it’s almost time I see them,” he glanced down at his wristwatch, letting her hand go, and looked at her, hoping she’ll understand. “Remember? I told you earlier they wanted to celebrate me no longer being single, celebrating us?” 

Staring at him for a moment, Jihyun rolled her eyes and exhaled, annoyed. “So, what time should I be here?” she crossed her arms above her chest making Chris grin, grateful for her cooperation.

“Just be here as any other day, but feel free to wear casual clothes since it’s your day off as you said. You’re not here to work anyways,” he told her and pats her head like he was talking to a child and she just blinks her eyes at his gesture.

“Fine, I’ll be here tomorrow morning at 9,” bowing in respect, she was about to walk away but Chris held her arm, preventing her from leaving. “What now? Is there anything else?” 

“Thank you, you’re a really good friend for helping me with this,” he told her and surprisingly hugs her. Jihyun just stood there, eyes wide, her face burning red suddenly and her heart started to race at his surprise.

“What’s wrong with my heart? It never raced this fast before?” She thought as Chris pulled back yet Jihyun was still dazed from the sudden hug.

Chuckling softly, he can’t help but admire how cute she looked at the moment. ”She’s always been so cute, especially when she’s blushing.” He thought and felt the sudden urge to kiss her red cheeks, but restrained himself. “Stop being weird Chris! Don’t scare her away, you need her!” He scolded himself and stood straight, busying himself with his wristwatch.

Jihyun snapped back to reality when she felt Chris was no longer hugging her. “Ah, well… it’s not like I have a choice,” She faced the floor as her bangs curtained her flustered face. 

The atmosphere turned awkward for no reason and Chris hated it while Jihyun felt like burying herself in a hole and never coming out.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Chris coughed and went back to his files, Jihyun bowed for the nth time the night and quickly exited his office.  Chris couldn’t help but chuckle at her act, finding her cute.