32

"Wait, before you go-" Namjoon catches your wrist before your heel can even leave his car.

Looking back at him with your belongings, he puts the car in park beside the curb, unlocking his seatbelt.

With one hand behind your seat, he leans forward and muffles. "You forgot my kiss."

"Right now?" You ask, cautious of the gaze strangers give you as they pass by in their professional attires and head toward the fairly huge building (though not as big as Kim Industries).

Outside of your concerns, Koreans are known to be uncaring when it comes to their environment and the people around them. The public display of affection is not exactly up there - especially in business centers and professional settings.

You don't want to particularly assume that they're looking at you and could be because you're coming out of a very luxurious car not everyone with normal working office jobs can afford.

However, Namjoon's smirking face is invisible from the tinted windows. Just that you're oddly stepping out of the car with your door ajar.

"Come on, baby. Just one peck before I go."

Nibbling on your lower lip, you give it another thought before finally giving in. It's not like he's the only one being clingy this morning, which left him blue-balled.

You want to touch him as much as he does.

"I'm gonna be late."

"Just a second more."

"Joon-"

He pulls you into the kiss and his mouth and tongue start moving, leaving you almost breathless when he doesn't let go and grabs your jaw with his left hand. You whine as he grazes your bottom lip with his teeth.

You don't know how long the kiss will last when you start to hear the honking behind you, ruining the moment. You're the first to pull away from his hold and when you look at him, your eyes automatically land on his swollen, red lips. The corner of his mouth is glossed over.

Is that your lip oil?

Instead of consoling your horrified expression, Namjoon casually replies. "You better go now. Time is running."

You check yourself in his mirror. "How do I look?"

"Like always," he shrugs as if he hadn't caused the redness in your jaw from how tight he held it. "Beautiful."

You ignore the butterflies in your stomach. "If I look like a mess, it's all your fault."

"I doubt it," Namjoon says. "Besides you only need to look right for me. No one else."

There is a hint of playfulness in his tone that you know he doesn't mean any unkind intentions. He is simply trying to boost your confidence.

Not like it wasn't like you were always confident and decadent.

Namjoon knows that. Knows his teasing won't affect you as much.

He glares as you brush your flyaways down. For your second day at work, you've decided to switch your hairstyle a bit - straightened and sprayed down for a cleaner appearance. You also snagged a matching black blazer jacket over your white ruffled blouse and tucked in your knee-length pencil skirt for a formal look. It didn't look much different from your office assistant style, just more put together.

The way Namjoon looked at you with beaming eyes and a smile when you walked into the room was enough confirmation that you looked good.

You always look good as he does.

A match made with stunning visuals.

"I should really go now." You answered, not moving from your seat. You take in the smell of his car - Black Ice - and smile at the way his arms are displayed in your peripheral vision.

"Go on, baby." He hums softly, ready to let you part from him for a few hours knowing damn well you're all he'll think about for the rest of the day, sitting in his office. Your gorgeous face, your smiles, your giggles, your smell, your taste— he shuts his eyes at the memory of his mouth on your cunt this morning and the way you let yourself get lost in his tongue.

God, he loves your pussy. He thinks he'll go crazy if he thinks too much about it. Gonna make him crave it in moments he shouldn't. Knowing he can no longer see what you're up to the whole day because you've got your own career to focus on.

He'd have you again and every second of the day if he could. That's how much he's obsessed with you - not just your body but your entire being.

He wonders if you're the same. Wondering if you think about him — his cock in your mouth at least once a day - or if you even care what he does.

Of course, you do.

You care so much, you've just never been good at that shit. Sharing with him the intrusive thoughts that go over your head. You love and trust him, but that doesn't mean you don't get embarrassed about certain things.

He can't be too greedy. Too much is never healthy, he thinks.

Sooner or later, he'll have to share you with the world.

That was the only reason he gave in.

He knows the world needs your talent. He wants you to make a path for yourself, light your own torch and navigate the seas alone. He promised to stay with you only. Never be behind or ahead of you. But instead, he'll look over you and light your way when you need him the most, just like a lighthouse.

"I want to show you inside, but I don't think I can."

"No need to. I'll need to stop by the corner for coffee. Perhaps that will ease the boss' mind and let me off this once."

"Mr. Bang isn't that harsh, he'll go easy on you, baby. It's only your second day."

"Mmm, we'll see." You run your hand over his stubble before pulling away. "Drive safely and text me when you arrive."

He hums softly at your words.

"Should we meet for lunch later? I'm free until this afternoon so I can pick you up."

"The drive back isn't worth it." You tell him, noting the twenty-minute distance and downtown traffic. "My lunch is only an hour. I don't want you to spend your break doing all of that when you should be resting instead."

"I don't mind," he insists firmly. "I'll come early and we can have lunch nearby."

"I'll text you about this later, okay?" You say as you finally exit the passenger seat.

Namjoon doesn't get to reply when the door is shut and your head to the law firm. You fix your blazer and bag with all case readings.

"I'll be waiting for that text, babe!" The deep voice you know all too well startles you and causes you to stumble.

You ignore the stares you receive and slowly turn your head around, seeing your dear boyfriend's toothy grin and attractive dimples. Then, just as you're about to scold him he blows a kiss.

"Good luck, honey!" He shouted. Honey?! "Work hard for our kids!"

Oh my God.

That morning, you walk into the office with a sweaty forehead, a strained smile, and a reddish tinge across your cheeks.

✧ ✦ ✧

"Thank you again, sir." You tell him, standing from your chair as he bows politely. Mr. Bang smiles warmly, reading glasses atop his round face. "I'm honored to be part of your team."

He pulls a manila folder from his bag and hands it to you. "I'm assigning you to your first civil case," he says, widening your eyes in surprise.

Already?

Lawyers typically take longer to obtain clients, but this may be an advantage of working in a firm. "It's nothing major, but I believe it will familiarize you with various strategies. Go on and work on this with the staff I will assign to you. Familiarize yourself with analyzing, composing papers, and logical arguments while collaborating in a team."

"Thank you, sir. This is truly a big responsibility I will take on."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it," Mr. Bang nods, already on his way out before looking back. "I'll assign you to one of our top paralegals," he replies. "You'll meet him on the third floor where you'll be situated."

"We look forward to working with you, Miss Park. I have no doubt you will do well. It's what you've always wanted, right?"

You smiled at the man's words. "Absolutely. I will do my best, sir."

Walking out of his office on the top floor, you leave and go down the elevator to the third floor - the entry-level. You will be situated in one of the small offices in the back. When you walk in, you're greeted with a hectic scene, employees and staff rushing in and out of the lobby while some don't even acknowledge your presence, accidentally bumping into your shoulder.

Mr. Bang didn't lie when he said you'd start at the bottom.

The executives are on the tenth floor. You're on the third. That's six more levels to climb.

Stepping out of the elevator, you clutch your bag and sigh, straightening your back.

You expected this. This is what you wanted, right?

You've got this.

"Miss Park?" A manly voice startles you and heads your way.

"Yes, that's me." You greet him with a polite bow, still clueless about who this person might be. But by his light brown hair and grey eyes, you can tell he's a foreigner. "Hello."

"It's nice to meet you. My name is David Kim and I work in the Paralegal Department."

His accent is a giveaway, too.

"It's nice to meet you, too. I hope we can work well together Mister Kim."

"Since we will start working together, I think it's best if you call me by my name." He suggests, guiding you to your office space. "David is fine with me as I'm not used to people calling me by my surname."

"Ah, I see." You hum. "Are you from the States?"

"Oh!" He turns to face you. "How did you know? Was it too obvious?"

You smiled lightly and nodded your head. "The accent."

He almost looked horrified. "Is it that terrible?"

"No, not at all. That's very impressive."

"Well thank you, I do get that a lot since I can speak two languages." He grins as he greets a few staff. "Plus it gets me opportunities. I've only been working as a paralegal for a year since moving here."

"Oh, wow. That's amazing."

He must have many skills, you think. You can't imagine how long it'll take you to get used to your first job. It's not like you feel threatened but you can't deny that a much younger employee with such amazing skills can be beaten with zero experience.

"Yup," he hums as he finally pauses in front of a small cubicle about the same size as your walk-in shower in your old apartment. "Here you are- it's not much but we all start somewhere, right?"

"Right. Thank you, David."

Under the built-in table, there is a trash can under the built-in desk, and there is a wall that divides the office into two so that there's only one office chair.

"No problem!" He clapped his hands together. "I'll let you settle for now and then we can discuss our case. That sounds good?"

"Yes, thank you." You repeated.

"My office is right at the end of the hall," he nudges his chin in that direction. "Go straight and turn right. It's the one with the plants outside. You'll know when you see it."

"Got it."

"Great!" He chirped, turning away with a hand wave. "See ya!"

You draw your gaze away from his figure coolly marching and expertly weaving his way through the busy space. He has one hand in his back pocket while the other twirls a pen around his fingers.

Having dropped down all your belongings, you finally sit on a chair, ignoring the discomfort on your side.

Nonetheless, you exhale with relief even as the background noise is already making your head spin.

"Heya!"

Your eyes snap at the ball of energy suddenly thrown at you.

A younger woman smiles down at you when you spin your chair.

Unlike the employees you've seen, the girl sports a cute messy bun, iridescent glitter on her eyes, and denim overalls with a thick green sweater underneath. She is paired with Converse All-Stars.

"Hi," you squeak, straightening your posture. You can't leave a bad impression by being unprofessional on the first day.

"I'm Lee Yumi, from the accounting team. You must be the new attorney?" She holds her hand out and you take it and greet her with the same enthusiasm.

At least you try to.

You can't match her energy unless you drink ten cans of energy drinks.

"Park Y/N," you say smiling."It's my second day here."

"Ah, that makes sense! Although I've never seen you before I've heard stories."

You cringe lightly at the mention of 'stories'.

"Don't worry, all were good things," she says right away as if she knew what was going on in your head.

✧ ✦ ✧

"So you mean to tell me that I can't sue my dead husband's employer after he died during the job?!"

The old woman shouts and pushes out of her chair after being told that her husband, who is a taxi driver got into an accident while at work because he was intoxicated.

After listening to her claims, you felt guilty that you couldn't do anything about the debt she had accumulated from loan sharks and faced having to support three children. She is entitled to anger and rage and despite having just lost her husband, there is nothing else that can be done for her.

You sat beside David in the room to take notes and write down possible solutions. You don't have one, but you don't want anyone to think that you are neglecting your responsibilities.

You felt sorry for the woman. Aside from being a wife, she was a mother - a single mother.

"Ma'am, he was caught with a bottle of alcohol in his vehicle. In the passenger compartment." David informed her as if she didn't already know, but wanted to insist. The desperation in her eyes made you want to hug her.

Be professional.

You can't let your emotions get the best of you. It's not like you know this woman.

But she's still a human.

Stop!

"No one is above the law, Mrs. Lim." One of the attorneys speaks. "As far as we know, your husband worked in his company long enough to qualify for benefits, and we will make sure you and your family receive that—"

"That is not enough!" The woman argued. "I have bills to pay, kids to send to school, and a pile of debts! How can I pay that by myself?"

"Mrs. Lim," you finally speak up and the woman's cold gaze immediately snaps to your face as if she'd rather be anywhere but sitting here. "We'll do our best to help you."

"Miss Park," David interrupts, silently warning you. "There is nothing else we can do."

"We can still sue the Cab Company." You insist, sounding hopeful. You don't even know if there's anything else you can do, but you'll have to try.

"And then what?" David asks. "We don't have enough evidence to prove their issue. The police report is clear. There was an insane amount of alcohol in Mr. Lim's system."

"We can file a claim and say there was negligence on their part." You tell them, determined as you go over the papers in front of you.

There lay a bunch of his old records - the old man was an alcoholic and his colleagues knew of it, but the company never called to resolve the issue.

"What are you saying?" Woojin inquired and all their attention turned to you.

You flip over the papers and tap your pen nervously. You're not used to having others' attention on you other than your boyfriend, who can't look away when you're together. The man looks at you like you're a flame and he's drawn to you.

"There were things that could have been done to prevent all of this, but the company couldn't care less about their employees." You state matter-of-factly. "Why was Mr. Lim driving with a revoked driver's license?" You point out the obvious. "And he's received plenty of speeding tickets and notices."

"Go on..." David hums patiently.

"Well Mr. Kim came to work that day and you mean to tell me that no one noticed his drunken state? I mean, look..." You continue. "He clocked in at 10 a.m. that day. The accident happened at two in the afternoon. It all could have been avoided if they required every driver to undergo safety measures or tests."

"Thank you," the woman says between her sobs. "He was two hours late that day." The woman's anguish is evident and her statement is valid; had the driver been on time and received safety measures or tests, the accident could have been avoided.

The woman's claim is further supported by the fact that the accident occurred when the driver was two hours late for his shift.

"Miss Park, what do you suggest we do?" David asked.

You glance away from Mrs. Lim's hopeful eyes and down at your papers. Emotions shouldn't influence your decision.

You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for the difficult task of making a decision that could potentially benefit one family and condemn the other. You have to think objectively and consider all the facts before making a decision.

"There is no guarantee we will win," Woojin says.

"But there's a chance," said David. "And we only need one."

With your throat clear, you respond.

"I don't see why we shouldn't follow through with it."

"Thank you, thank you," Mrs. Lim nearly jumps out of her chair. The two men beside you rise from their seats.

"We will do what we can, Mrs. Lim."

Despite her quiet sobs, the woman extends a hand to both of them. She walks towards you and pulls you into her embrace.

You're taller than her in your stilettos, but you still reciprocate her kindness.

"We will help you get the justice you and your family deserve, Mrs. Lim."

And you won't stop until you do so.

✧ ✦ ✧

Pushing into the door of the small café down the street from the firm, a bell rings when you step inside into the aromatic scene of greenery and serene ambiance.

You take a deep breath, letting the smell of freshly-brewed coffee fill your lungs, as you hope this place your colleagues suggested lives up to its reputation. They say it's a little overpriced considering it's in the heart of the city, but that was the last of your worries. You wanted to treat Namjoon this time.

You look around and your gaze is almost immediately drawn to the most handsome, poised man sitting with his legs on top of each other, cutely checking his watch with furrowed brows.

Namjoon doesn't see you when you excitedly walk over to him, your bottom lip caught between your lips as you admire him from afar. His deep brown eyes, the way he so subtly adjusts his glasses, the gentle smile that gracefully curves on his lips when he sees you - all of it simply takes your breath away. His hair is longer now and you don't know what you love more - his short hair or this. Especially when he has the three buttons of his dress shirt unbuttoned, displaying just his collarbone and a hint of his muscular build.

Either way, he looks striking.

You take a few steps closer, and you can see his eyes light up as he finally notices you. You can see the corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles, and your heart can't help but flutter in your chest. You can feel your cheeks heat up as he gives you an affectionate nod in acknowledgment.

"Hi, love." Your lips immediately press down on the side of his cheek before he reacts and he nearly kicks the small round table. "Sorry to keep you waiting, I had to see a client off."

"I thought you'd cancel, but I'm glad you're here. I already ordered for us." He grins lovingly at you as you remove your formal jacket and pulls your blouse up your arms to keep it from getting stained.

"How was your first official day?" He squints, propping his chin in his hand and giving you all his attention.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and his gesture of ordering for you without knowing if you'd make it in time shows he was confident in you. His genuine interest in how your day was and his willingness to give you his undivided attention let you know how much he cares about you.

He looks at you as if you're the most interesting thing in the room and that makes your heart thump loudly against your chest. Even the expensive artwork- you know he loves you so much- displayed on the wall doesn't catch his attention.

You sip cold water before answering. "Well it was definitely interesting," you responded, and he could tell by the way your eyes sparkled like never before that nothing gets you this excited.

"I was assigned to my first civil case, which I was surprised by. I didn't expect Mr. Bang to give me such a big opportunity on my second day - I mean I thought I was going to start by serving coffee to the seniors - but no, I already get to work with a team!"

Namjoon's mouth curves.

"Perhaps Mr. Bang saw potential in you and believed you could handle the responsibility," he tells you. "He likely felt that you were capable enough to make a positive contribution to the team and the case. Congrats, baby. I know you could do it."

You blush at his loving words, leaning forward across the small table to kiss him. You pull away when you see the server heading your way.

"Thanks, Joon." You gush, drooling when you see the sandwiches placed in front of you. "You're the best boyfriend. You even knew I wanted this exact food."

He chuckles, pulls out his phone without your notice, and snaps a photo of you cutely licking your lips. He shoves the device back into his pocket before you notice.

"One Napa Almond Chicken Sandwich and Wild Rice Soup."

"That would be mine!" You hum excitedly, earning laughter from both men, although the server appears neutral. "This looks yummy."

"And the Mediterranean veggie sandwich for the gentleman?"

"Excellent, thank you," Namjoon says. "I'd also like to request two glasses of your finest wine?"

"Right away, sir." The server says before disappearing behind the bar.

You raise your eyebrows at him. "Wine on a weekday?" You cannot believe it. He should know better. Drinking in broad daylight at that.

A cheeky grin spreads across his face as he slurps down his meal. He speaks even with food in his mouth. It isn't a habit of his. He's just too comfortable around you and knows you won't criticize him.

You understand him. Being a perfectionist and poisedis exhausting. Not like you consider yourself perfect, but Namjoon has an image to uphold. A certain persona he must portray. It's good that he knows he doesn't always have to pretend with you.

"Just a celebratory drink for my girlfriend, who I can now call Attorney." He compliments, "Can you be my private lawyer now? Free of charge, of course."

Swallowing in another bite, you wipe your lips. "You know, I can't always defend you," you say matter-of-factly. "Drinking alcohol during your work, after your work, or at closing time is not allowed," you explain passionately. "Drinking on the job impairs your ability to perform your duties. And that applies to CEOs like you, Mister Kim."

"Oh, that's bullshit." He enthuses, "I don't work for anyone, love. My only job is after office hours and that's being the best boyfriend in the world."

You resist the urge to roll your eyes at his effort to make you laugh.

He knows you've been anxious all morning about work. The least he can do is ease your nerves at least for the meantime.

"Mmm, you have a filthy mouth, Mister Kim." You exhale, lowering your voice in case someone walks past your table. The server hasn't come back which you silently thank God for.

"I do," he agrees, gazing down at your lips with purpose. "I could show you but you already know that, don't you, love?"

Under the table, your legs are tightly pressed together and the soles of your stilettos graze his knee.

Fuck.

Namjoon smirks when he sneaks a hand around your right ankle, softly caressing it. He lightly applies the right amount of pressure to get your skin shivering and your body heating up.

"Finish up your meal, love," he urges innocently as if his hands aren't crawling up your bare knees and gradually moving to your inner thighs.

His smirk is his way of expressing the pleasure he gets in teasing you, knowing that you are so in tune with his touch that you can't help but respond to his advances. He's enjoying the power he has over you, and he's taking you on a tantalizing journey that he knows will culminate in a passionate display of love.

"Here's our finest wine, sir," he announces. "From Germany. Dated back in 2003 - it's a classic, fermented and aged on the lees in 30% oak for 15 months."

Unamused with all the random lectures about wine history, you almost snort when you notice the look on your boyfriend's face as his hand withdraws from your thighs.

"We'll enjoy this together, thank you very much." He says it with such sarcasm causing you to nudge his foot under the table.

Hurriedly mumbling 'enjoy', the poor boy scurries off.

"That was too harsh," you scolded, reaching for freshly squeezed orange juice instead of the complementary wine.

"I'm not a wine guy," he said, and you couldn't agree more. More than anything, he preferred traditional Korean alcoholic drinks. Wouldn't trade Cheongju and Makgeolli for the world's most expensive wine.

"A toast once and for all?" You raise your glass of bright fruit juice as he grabs the glass of wine, eyeing you as if that would change your mind. "I'll pretend I didn't see anything, Mr. CEO. You are not driving back to the office like this."

"I'm not," he assures, bringing his own into the air. "I couldn't be more proud of you, Y/N. Let's toast to a better and brighter future ahead of us. To your success!"

"To our success and happiness, babe."

"And hopefully, a baby?" Namjoon winked.

"You've gotta put a ring on it first, Joon." You mumbled playfully, not thinking anything beyond the usual banter between the two of you. "I'm not carrying anyone's baby without a ring."

"Mmm, is that a suggestion or an offer?"

You both giggled, clinking your glasses together as the world moved on around you. You both knew that the answer was neither, but the moment reminded you of the connection you shared, that you could make jokes and banter like this, and that the world would keep spinning even if you stopped for a moment.

The only thing you could think about is the moment and the thrumming in your chests and the strain of your smiles.

You relish in the moment as if it were the only thing that mattered, a reminder of the connection you both shared and that even amid the chaos and confusion of the world, you both could find solace in each other.

I hope you guys liked this chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment!

I did promise to finish this book before the end of April so we only have a few chapters left! We'll wrap things up nicely and then I might take a break for a while and then see from there. I'm not quite sure if I would still want to continue writing on here and I really just wanted to finish writing my two current works so that I won't disappoint those of you who are still reading.

I will always be grateful for everything and it means a lot to me that I was able to share some of my writing. So, again, thank you <3