(14) Re:Focus

I'll try to update the last chapter soon since I've brought you drought again. >.< *SEJEONG IN A MUSICAL WITH XIUMIN AND KYUNGSOO! I'M DEAD x.x***

Sehun's POV

"He wants to talk to you." Baekhyun told me as he walked out of Director Shin's office.

I nodded at him and grasped the strap of my sling bag before entering the room. I walked to the front of his table with my head held down and greeted him with a bow. "Director." I mumbled.

He tore his gaze away from the paperwork and looked at me before finally placing the files on the table. "Sit down." he said to which I quickly complied.

He massaged his temples a few times and looked at me again. "How are you?" he asked, his tone not laced with the smallest hint of temper.

Being taken aback by the slight display of concern, I had to rethink my answer a few times. And he waited patiently.

The conversation went so passively, I felt as if we barely even spoke but in every answer I gave, he understood more and I opened up better. "Do you feel like you have to quit your job because of multiple absences that your coworkers had to do your work for you?" he suddenly asked.

My eyes widened in shock and I felt my lips seal shut as I put my head down, unable to answer his question. I grasped the strap of my sling bag again, thoughts slowly passing through my mind of how I will have to deal with the consequences.

"If you do, then that's a shame. I already overlooked what you did and I'm still willing to see you make up for it. Sehun, I understand what you're going through. There's no need for me to make it worse." he said.

If only it was possible, my eyes would have already fallen out of their sockets. A long shaky breath went out of my lips as I redirected my gaze to him, a mixed feeling of relief and disbelief running through my veins. 

Director Shin held the papers up without covering his face as he neatly stacked them together by making the bottom portion hit the table. While he was placing them down again, he looked at me and smiled, "I think you heard me well?" he told me in a questioning tone. 

As I finally regained my senses, I stood up and bowed a ninety degree. "Yes, sir. I did, thank you."If this encounter was considered to be something, it surely was not between a head and an employee.

While I was leaving the room, I felt a sting in my nose as tears threatened to leave my eyes. It was completely unprofessional, but the reminder of how I'm surrounded with people that chose to divide the burden from my own doing assures me that I am at least given a chance to make things right.

---

"Okay, good. Prepare for the next setup." Director Shin ordered the team.

Taeyeon was immediately approached by her make-up artists with Yoona behind them, carrying her next outfit while speaking inaudible words from where I was. 

"Gonna speak to her?" 

I almost yelped in shock as I reflexively bent away from the person. "What the hell?" I told Baekhyun who now took the spot beside me. 

"I don't know." I confessed.

Baekhyun looked at me again, his lips slightly pursed. "You okay?" he asked.

I placed my hands on my hips and completely removed my attention from Yoona. "I am. I think so." I said.

I observed the staff as they changed the set-up, slightly swaying on my spot as thoughts filled my mind. "Right now I am." I repeated. "I'm fine but I'm afraid of coming back to Sejeong without doing anything. What if I mess up again?" I muttered.

"Then don't come back yet." he answered.

I shifted my eyes to him and raised my eyebrows, making him breathe in. "Sejeong-ie..." he started. "She's a very understanding person and I'm sure that she's got more room for another mess..."

"But you don't want that, right?" he asked.

"I don't."

Director Shin called the team again for the last set-up of the day. Work ended smoothly so I visited Sejeong's area as soon as I fixed my stuff. I looked for her within the room, only to spot Jihyo. 

"Has Sejeong left?" I asked.

She hummed in agreement as she nodded. "Yes. Her cousin picked her up." she said.

"Cousin?"

"Mhm. The one who owns a dog cafe." she answered.

'Taehyung.' I thanked Jihyo and left the room, seeing Baekhyun and Chanyeol waiting for me in the lobby. I slightly jogged to where they were but I heard someone call me before I could reach them.

"Sehun-shi!" someone shouted, her voice certainly familiar to me. 

I turned around to see Yoona approaching me, strands of hair misplaced from her bun as she brisk-walked on her heels and because of unknown reasons, I felt my own feet stuck to the ground. 

"Hey." she said as she stopped in front of me. 

I felt my lips sealed shut so I just raised an eyebrow as I ducked my head forward and hummed in question. 

Yoona laughed at my behavior and spoke. "It's been a while since we've seen each other. Think we can catch up sometime?" she suddenly suggested.

My tongue retreated to the back of my throat and I knew that if I spoke now, I would be a stuttering idiot in front of her. So I just nodded slowly. 

"Great. How about in the park tomorrow at 1pm?" 

"Already?" I blurted out, hitting myself on the head inside my mind. 

Her eyes looked awkward for a while as she tilted her head to the side in wonder. "Is that... okay?" she asked.

I only nodded my head for the last time as Chanyeol and Baekhyun pulled me with them, saying their goodbyes to her.

"I guess the odds are working for you today, huh?" Baekhyun smiled.

I shrugged my shoulders and exhaled. "I guess so."

---

I paced around the living room while Baekhyun and Chanyeol sat on the couch. "Wow, you must be really nervous. You've been sticking your tongue out numerous times." I heard Chanyeol say, making me pick up a roll of tissue and throw it at him. 

Baekhyun reached for his ears to pinch them, making Chanyeol grunt in pain as he wiggled to get out of his grasp. Chanyeol massaged his ears and glared at Baekhyun before turning to me again. "Sure you don't want us to go with you tomorrow? Yoona did not even say that you're the only one invited." he said.

Even though I wanted to, the look that Baekhyun gave me reminded me of our conversation earlier. This is something I should do by myself.

---

I walked to the park after getting off the bus stop. "Why do people like to meet in the middle of a cheek frostbiting day?" I murmured.

I kicked a small snow pile as I walked to the swings, remembering the time Sejeong and I watched the sun rise last Christmas. I felt my lips perk up reminiscing it. 

After a moment, I saw Yoona waving her hand from afar, sitting on one of the swings. I clenched my fists inside my pockets as I felt them sweat in nervousness. "Sink or swim, Sehun. Sink or swim." I said and approached her.

Yoona invited me to walk around the park to warm ourselves and led us to the pavement where some people were jogging in. "I didn't see you during the past week. I thought you were a part of Mr. Shin's team?" she asked.

The conversation just started and I'm sure that the truth could easily end it so I thought of another answer. "Something else came up. I couldn't go to work." I explained. "So how did Taeyeon's project go?" I asked.

I heard her exhale through her nose and saw her shrug her shoulders. "Stressful as always. Who knew I would actually be the manager of a big star, right?" she joked.

I only chuckled at her words as we continued to walk. 

"Even I did not know I'll reach this far. Far enough to travel the whole world and come back here." she whispered, loud enough for me to hear.

I almost stopped on my steps but she still walked forward, making me regain my stride. "And I almost kept you from doing that." I muttered.

"Almost." She laughed. "How have you been, Sehun?"

"Fine."

"Really? 'Cause I was not until a year ago." she suddenly said. 

This time I stopped on my tracks, letting her be a few steps ahead of me. Is this how the conversation is going to be?"Walk with me." she said. I complied to her words and walked beside her as we already reached the back of the amphitheater. "How are you, Sehun?" she reworded. 

"I'm... a mess." I spoke, hearing myself snicker from my own words and seeing her do the same.

Yoona pulled my sleeve to stop us and made me face her. "What happened after I left, Sehun?" she asked, keeping her hand on my coat.

I looked down to the ground, careful not to meet her stare. "A lot of things. Broke a lot of stuff in the kitchen, drank a lot of alcohol and saw myself alone in the house after my flatmates left, learned that I was under trauma after visiting a psychologist before going to work again." I summed up.

Yoona removed her hand from the sleeve and slowly brought it back to her side. "I really hurt you that bad, didn't I?"

"Sehun, I'm really sorry."

I shook my head and laughed again, reminding me of someone who always used to laugh during a conflict to lighten the atmosphere. "It was partly your fault, I can't deny myself thinking that. But the blame was never supposed to be yours for such a long time."

"It's not something to be sorry about, Yoona."

I looked at her to see her staring at the ground this time, her eyebrows met together. "I... met someone." I said, making her raise her head a little. "She also works in the firm but she's a model so I barely get to work with her."

"We've only been together for a short time but because of me, she's been having a difficult time." I confessed.

"Did she tell you that?" Yoona asked.

"No. She never will."

"She's a good person, huh?"

"Very."

Yoona took my arm again and led me to walk before letting go of it. "I'm envious. Some people are so effortlessly good."

I hummed in question, wanting to know what she meant. 

"After I left, I wanted to sue you. Make you pay for what you did while ignoring my own mistake. I used to stare at the mirror for a long time and curse at you for doing that to me. God, I even prayed for you to suffer so bad."

"Is this him answering those prayers?" she said, clutching her head between her  hands. "Fuck, Sehun. I'm a bad person." she remarked and we both laughed. 

We reached the swings soon and Yoona spoke. "Want to go for a few more rounds to catch up?"

"Sure."

---

Yoona and I parted ways after I declined her offer to drive me home. I waved my hand until I could no longer see her car in the road. Is this it? Life is so uneventful after all. Fortunately. 

I took out my phone and and long pressed on one, bringing it to my ear as soon as I dialed. After a few seconds, she answered and I immediately spoke.

"Sejeong-ah, are you busy on Friday?" I said.

"Woah, what's the catch? Wait, I'll check." she responded. 

I heard a few faint taps before hearing her light breathing again. "No, I'm jobless on Friday. Why?"

I felt myself smile, gripping the low-hanging fairy lights on one of the leafless trees. "About the dog. Can you help me choose again? I'll get one for real this time." I explained.

The line was silent before I heard her exhale with a single laugh. "Of course. Of course, I'll help you."

"But you better be early for once."

Third Person POV 

'Sehun said he'll go to work tomorrow.' - Baekhyun

Director Shin read the message Baekhyun sent to him and relaxed on his seat. There was no longer light that passes through the window pane when the other employees started wrapping up their work in the edifice. 

Just when the room was about to fall silent, he heard someone knock on his door. "Come in."

"You called for me?" Yoona said as she let herself in.

"Yes, uhm... have you finished your schedule for today?" he asked her.

Yoona nodded, "Yes, sir."

Director Shin sat properly and directed his palm on the chair in front of his table. "Please take a seat." he said.

Yoona complied to his request and settled down. "May I know what this is about?" she asked.

He curled his fingers together on the table and breathed deeply before answering. "I heard that you used to be close with some of my employees." he said.

Yoona looked at him in shock, her shoulders tense as he said something she did not expect. "U-uhm, that was already a long-""You were in a relationship with Mr. Oh before, right?" he remarked.

Yoona stood up from her seat and walked backwards a little bit before taking a deep bow. "I'm so sorry, I don't know how this is supposed to be a part of work. I apologize for any inconvenience that I have caused because of our personal lives." she explained and walked to the door.

Director Shin hurriedly took off his seat before Yoona could even leave the room. "Please." he begged, his voice half air and half words. 

His tone made Yoona turn around to face him, remaining where she was. "Sehun is suffering. I have no idea how long you were or are hurting but I know that he is now."

"I could not think of another way to talk to you so I called you here after work. At least, I can speak to you not as an employee but as someone who considers that man a son."

Director Shin slowly bowed at her, his arms locked to his sides. "I ask of you that if there is any way that you could ease his conscience for what he had done, please do so."

Yoona's shoulders fell as she breathed out, her eyes filled with sadness that mimicked her own from years ago. 

***

So Suho enlisted and I'm not an Exo-l but reading some of their tweets actually kicks me how strong and loyal their fandom is. You guys are amazing.