2

The cafe was so upscale, that I was convinced that the cashier and I had the same salary.

People in the cafe were talking, sure—but all I could hear was ka-ching! ka-ching! ka-ching! I know. Shallow of me. But meh. It wasn't like I was ever going to date any rich men again—not if their mothers didn't offer me a cheque to let them go first.

After the career-altering email from that cybersecurity head last evening, I knew that Jong Suk's request to meet me after work had to be kicked to the curb. I mean, how many disappointments could a girl take in twenty-four hours? Some of my pockets had to be empty for when I got back home, too.

Yet. Yet, Jong Suk's ever-punctual and hyperactive business sophistication was sucker-punching me—as always. He had very little time with his busy schedule—like he was going to die or something if I didn't make it quick. The worst part? Dating him for a year and a half had made me used to this shit. And when he messaged me that he couldn't wait this long just to return my things, I planned it out like clockwork—even squeezed my time to cry for him between brushing my teeth and soaping my body.

I agreed to meet him at seven thirty in the morning. At the bright cafe right out of the tech park where I worked. Efficient. Chic. Hard-to-get. This was a strategy—a strategy to make sure I didn't spend too much time with him. Self-worth was already an issue.

The miasma set as soon as I stepped into the cafe. The caffeine made my head spin. I gripped the handles of my bag as I scoured the place—scrunching my nose at how glossy everything was. And despite my ruthless ransack of my wardrobe in the morning, I still felt like I could have dressed better.

This is exactly what I hated about places like this. You never know what to wear. One second, you're too dressed up and come across as desperate to fit in. The next, you're dressed down and look like a beggar between all the class and elegance. When was I winning?

But hey, get a hold of yourself Haerin. Dressing up for an ex? That's a one-way ticket to drown.

My eyes landed on the tall man in a long CEO coat, sitting lonely on one of the chairs. I scuttled like a rat paving its way for cheese.

"Hey Jo—"

He turned.

Not Jong Suk. Not even close.

My heels scraped.

"Jolly good morning to you!" I chirped. He looked me up and down.

Oh, great. Incredible. New low unlocked.

"Haerin!" The real Jong Suk stood a few tables away—laughing and waving at me to join him. Bastard. I didn't dare to look at the man and dashed to Jong Suk with my gut crawling.

"Why does every back of the head look like yours here?" I muttered, plopping my cool pink handbag on a chair. It deserved a seat too. "Is this a secret cult of rich people?"

Jong Suk smirked, almost admiring me. Keyword: Almost. "I'll change the back of my head to help you recognise me better."

My jaw dropped. I clapped animatedly. "You finally slam back at my joke. Gold star, baby."

The baby was rushed. I knew I shouldn't have said it. Damn the breakup effect.

Jong Suk was charming. I hated that. With his CEO complexion and his dark bossy eyes, he was the best man to date for a secure future. The bonus? His family owned a business and we're relevant in the market. He was the successor to all his parents' wealth even though he had a sister. Flaw number one.

My hand involuntarily reached to fix the sides of my handbag. Had I squashed it too hard on my way inside? Better be safe. It was my fav—

"Favourite handbag, huh?"

—yeah. That.

I rolled my eyes and sighed, unimpressed. I didn't have time for this. I didn't have time for this.

"Something wrong with that?" I glowered. Then spotted the waiter walking towards us. "Iced—"

"Iced Americano for the lady and an Espresso for me." Jong Suk said first. My eyes darted to him, betrayed.

"Why did you say it first?"

"I don't owe you that anymore." He said, fixing the collars of his coat.

There was a beat of silence.

Right. He didn't owe me the chance to say my orders first because I liked to practice my social anxiety away. I pretended that I wasn't just stabbed by that realisation and smirked.

"What else? What did you want to return?"

He picked up a small brown paper bag and put it between us. I blinked and reached for it—too curious—too unsteady as I opened it.

Scrunchies I didn't remember. An old paperback—probably from his nightstand where I used to keep it. And a pair of heels that were too tight for me now. He could have tossed them away for me. But never mind. My chest heaved as if someone was sitting on it.

"What's with the scavenger hunt of my things piece-by-piece? You couldn't pack everything in one box and send it to me?"

Jong Suk cracked his knuckles. "Not me. My mother found these."

Oh yeah. The great goddess of doom.

My lips curled. I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back. "Of course. Your mother. Is she the one cleaning my trash out?"

Something sparked between his eyebrows. A frown maybe.

"You know it's not like that—"

"You said it." I shrugged. Like it didn't matter. "I know she didn't like me. She must be dizzy with happiness right now. Maybe finding her son the girl who can match the edge that her CEO son has but still has to have his mother dig things out that belong to his ex-girlfriend. Of course, it's like that, Jong Suk."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't start."

"Start what?" I frowned. "You fucking finish it, Jong Suk."

He sat up straighter, "You were the one who broke up. Did you forget that?"

I scoffed, tilting my head, "You were going to do it anyway. I just saved you the time."

"But I didn't!" He shot, then waited to grip his million-dollar hair. Once he was sure he could speak in a normal tone again, he continued, "Haerin...don't start. Please. And don't drag my mother into this like I didn't stand up for you. It was your decision to call it quits."

Was he fucking kidding me? Yeah. He had to be.

"Stand up for me? Yeah, you did stand there stupidly while she glared at me like I was some trash you forgot to throw out. If that's what stand up for means to you."

I pushed my hair back, frustrated. He had to have some nerve to be talking like I did it all by myself to break up.

The waiter appeared and a quick exchange of stupid thank yous was exchanged. He probably caught onto the heat on the table and skipped his way away.

I pierced the straw into my coffee, cracking against the ice. My chest cracked too.

"You don't have to call me to return things every time, Jong Suk," I muttered and then took a sip from the coffee. It didn't help. "Throw them away. Might help your mother alleviate the rage too."

He smiled, too sweetly. Sweetly enough for me to know that the next sentence was going to drive me bonkers. "Dressed like that? I don't think you weren't interested in coming all the way either."

Claps! I knew it.

But no. Not today. I had to leave. Now.

"Dressed like what? A regular office worker? Some people don't want to look like a villain in some drama, Jong Suk." I said, holding my cup of coffee for protection.

Before he could say anything else, I reached for my bag and pulled out a few bills. I slammed it on the table, boring into his eyes. "My half. Since we don't owe each other anything anymore."

With that, I grabbed my things and dashed out of that miasmic place. It felt like something Hoseok would know a lot about.

My jaw tightened, tears threatening me as my heels tapped relentlessly on the pavement. Fuck no. My make-up would demand the sacrifice of my kidney if I wasted it like this.

I blinked at the air, walking my way back to the glass building of my nightmares.

I checked my wristwatch in the elevator. 8:30 AM. Late.

The morning air was crisp inside on the fifth floor at Neureva. I rushed through the doors as if my butt was on fire. It was, actually.

Hastily, I put my bags on the desk.

"Morning, Haerin," Jimin said and I smiled at him.

"Let's finish off the team meeting." I turned to everyone else in the bay. "I have another one at nine."

That fucking cybersecurity thing was dangling on my head like a knife.

Everyone pulled their chairs closer to me. Seulgi wasn't there. I let a deep sigh go.

Calm down Haerin. No exes on the floor. Don't lose it. We're mad enough.

"Okay, the drill remains the same." I slapped my hands together and then pressed them on either side of my hip. "All the ones that need clearing today cannot be compromised. Jimin, I convinced the client yesterday to get back on the call with you. They're going to record the meeting so anything you say will be made note of. Rest; work as per your goals for the day. Go."

My laptop had switched on by then. I found the database, making sure I had allocated all the tasks for the day. Meeting or not, work had to be duly allocated or nobody was going to pick it up.

To my dismay, I saw Jeon Jungkook's email intervention again. Blue and bright at the top of all the emails I had to prioritise. He had topped up on last evening's email. Why the fuck was he keeping everyone copied in this email for everything? The logical reason would be to make sure I was publicly humiliated.

From: Jeon JungkookTo: Kang HaerinCC: Min Yoongi, Park Sungho, Han Seong Guk; Park Bo GumSubject: Simulation Failure - Security Protocol & Immediate Remedial Measures (Gentle reminder)

Hello Haerin

This is a gentle reminder that starting today, all the cybersecurity training is compulsory for you.

Please be available in meeting room number 3D with your laptop and the necessary things at 9:00 AM. Delays are not appreciated.

Park Bo Gum will be taking you through the session.

Please raise concerns if anything is difficult to understand—as that would be a greater point of concern for us too.

Kind regards,Jeon JungkookHead of CybersecurityInformation Technology Divison

_____________________________________

At this point, this bastard was deliberately targeting me. His regards were far from kind. Gentle reminder? Gentle my ass!

I looked at the time. 8:50 AM.

He said don't be late. I didn't want to give him another opportunity to take me down. I grabbed my stuff and flew past my team towards the elevator. 3D had to be on the third floor.

Had to be.

If it ended up being on another floor—that Jeon Jungkook guy probably did it to mess with me.

The elevator was slower than Jong Suk's apology. I tap-danced for a good minute before it finally appeared with a hoard of suited people. But heave-ho, did I care? Absolutely not. I jumped inside, clicking on the floor number and accidentally unmarked it. Shit. I re-clicked it, and it was framed blue again. Nobody uttered a word in the elevator. With my back to them, I couldn't give a damn either.

Holding the warm laptop close to my chest, I bit my lip. I was shaking. I couldn't tell if it was because of Jong Suk or if it was this Jeon Jungkook guy.

That stupid Jong Suk. This had to be his bad omen on me.

The stench of fresh paint hit me as soon as I climbed out to the third floor. I was greeted by long glass doors, metal handles and a reception with no one there. Pretty standard. My feet did not stop though. I looked through the corridor at the markings on the doors as I flew past them.

3A, 3B, 3C...

"3D!" I gasped.

The door was wooden with a strip of glass making it see-through to a level. I grabbed the handle and pushed the door open with all my strength.

Someone tell the interior designers that women were struggling with the office doors!

It was empty. Six chairs around a bright white table, a whiteboard with angry red writing on it and the stench of the new carpet.

Where was that Park Bo Gum guy?

I sighed and turned—

Straight into the clean-cut suit of someone right behind me. I grabbed the door but it was too heavy and automatically swung shut, pinching me closer to him.

It was too early for this shit.

Too early.

My head snapped up. "Mr...Park Bo Gum?"

That was one fine man if he was Park Bo Gum.

He was tall. And by tall I mean, my-head-was-somewhere-near-his-shoulder tall. Smart, gelled hair pulled back, a grey vest packed over his off-white shirt and solid grey trousers.

Mighty divine, I'd say.

He tilted his head, eyes too smouldering for my health. Some peculiar perfume stung my nostrils.

I couldn't breathe.

"No, Miss Kang. Jeon." He corrected, his voice polished and neat. "Jeon Jungkook."

Down the drain.

My face fell.

All my admiration slapped flat to the floor.

Jeon Jungkook? That dickhead cybersecurity guy who was playing tennis with me in my email inbox? Oh hell no.

"You're late, Miss Kang." He checked his watch.

His eyes then snapped to the laptop against my chest—sharp, assessing.

Miss Kang my foot. What the hell did he mean I was—I checked my watch—oh. It was 9:05.

But still! I was pretty sure that I made it on time!

I pushed the laptop higher against my chest, "Traffic in the hallway. Elevator with an existential crisis and no one at the reception."

A beat of silence.

Then his pretty mouth opened again. "Well, it was a crisis when someone de-selected the floor number."

What? My head jerked up again.

Fuckity fuck! How did he know I did that? Was he in the elevator too?

"Miss Kang," he began, slower this time as if to soften up for once, "Time management is also a protocol here. I will include it in your training. I trust you'll adapt."

Never mind. He had a blaster gun for his mouth.

"Of course," I smiled too sweetly. "If we're factoring in building malfunctions, I will make sure to adhere."

His brow twitched. Something sort of amusement on his lips but his eyes were black like he hated me. He hated me alright. Who the fuck said I liked him anyway.

His eyes sharpened.

Touché buddy. Touché.

He took a step back. His eyes lowered at my outfit, clearly trying to understand if I was worth his time at all.

Broad shoulders, I noticed. Broader than me, at least. I would have sumo-slammed him right now if he had been tinier than me, talking smack like this backhandedly.

"I instructed Mr Park to leave if you couldn't honour his time." He added, the insult stabbing deeper in my ass. "He doesn't particularly have a flexible schedule."

I blinked.

You have to one-up this, Haerin. Don't let him get away. Think. THINK!

"Of course!" I chirped, my dents showing. "I completely understand how there are other employees whose time is more valuable than mine. What next? Is today's training still on?"

Oh my goodness. 'Still on' sounded a bit unprofessional and amateur. Dig a hole, Haerin. And lie in it.

His eyes sparked. He caught that!

"The training is still on, Miss Kang." He coolly addressed, sweeping himself to the side as if on his way. "Someone will assist you...when convenient. Please wait in the room."

Professional. Deadly.

He moved to the door next to meeting room 3D.

My eyes flashed to the expensive plaque embossed with his name on the door. Mr Jeon Jungkook. Head of Cybersecurity.

I was stationed right next to his cabin. Was my email that big of a security threat to him?

He unlatched the door. Gave me one last look. I knew what that meant. He was assessing if I knew what I was getting myself into.

I watched, my laptop to my chest and a frown forming on my face. But there was no way in hell I was breaking the eye contact.

You're not scaring me like this, Sir.

No way. What was this Wattpad fuckery going on with him? Except that, I wasn't at all getting the feeling that this man liked me.

My spine straightened and I pushed my way inside 3D. The sensor lights flicked on.

I put my laptop on the table, pulling a chair for myself when I noticed it.

What.

The.

Actual.

Hell.

The wall that connected the meeting room to his cabin wasn't a real wall. It was glass. The lower half of it was frosted but the upper half was clear glass.

Will he be able to look through it?

I stood up, curious.

Deep breaths, Haerin. Deep breaths. This is completely normal in offices, right? You don't have to panic.

I moved closer to the wall, tipping on my toes to make sure I was right. I fucking was.

There he was, coolly resting in his chair, pulling at his tie. He opened a file and began whatever big boss stuff he did in there.

I stared, slightly shaken.

I was not comfortable with this but okay. If we sat down, we wouldn't be able to see each other.

What was this surveillance-cum-police interrogation room?

Was this why it was 3D? Because it's all fucking see-through?

His eyes snapped up and I almost fell behind with a gasp. "Bajesus!"

I clamped my mouth shut with my hands. Oh no oh no. He saw me!

Haerin, start digging the hole, please!

I scurried over to my seat, pretending like I hadn't just behaved like a stalker pressed up against the wall. I opened the laptop, typing random words into my sticky note.

Help. Help. Help.

A few seconds passed and my panic faded when he didn't come back around to question me. My arms relaxed and I put my head down on the table, cursing myself.

Maybe he understood my confusion or he was too confused to say anything. Either way, I was in for a ride in this training session.

---

A/N:

Thank you so much for reading!

Things are just starting for Haerin and Jungkook — and it only gets messier from here.

I'd love to hear what you thought of today's chapter! Your comments truly encourage me to keep writing.