4

"Define sent."

"Sent," I glowered, my fingers slippery on my phone from all the perspiration. "Verb. Past tense. To give away. Are you fucking nuts? Gone. I sent a poop emoji and a drooling emoji to him—well, technically, it wasn't me who did it but he's going to think that anyway! He's going to think I stalked his profile that late at night and accidentally sent something! I mean, I did check his profile out but I was originally there to change my profile status! Fucking Cirq and it's idiotic interface!"

"I dread that stupid thing. What kind of company app doesn't let you unsend a message? Seems like your company's plot device to catch people like you, Haerin." Bo-Ah scowled dramatically.

"People like me?"

"Yeah. People who send things they shouldn't. Then regret it."

I only have one real friend. Jo Bo-Ah.

We've been friends since school. College brought us closer. Originally, we were a group of three but Ni-na switched sides like a record and never came back. We were young so we didn't pretend like it was a huge betrayal. But Bo-ah and I had been close—out of social necessity but friendship still.

The work-life crisis has shredded us like an old piece of cloth—but we managed. Sometimes through planned meet-ups in public places, which had to be very well-thought-out, and most of the time through video and phone calls.

One thing that we knew we could never do was ask for advice. Because both of us were equally stupid and we knew it.

Yet. Yet, here I was, breaking my head on a video call, inside a taxi cab that was going to burst with my anxiety. Because I didn't know what the heck to do.

Now, she was my go-to, provided she had the time to accommodate my circus.

On a normal non-single day, my aid would have been Jong Suk, and I fucking hate to say it, but—yeah, he was better at this shit. Sorting things out. Helping me locate the root cause of the issue. Thinking of an excellent remedy. That kind of thing. I hated that I had given him power over this kind of thing once—but god I missed him on days like this. Days when I was in Bo-Ah's hands and she was not helping.

She was seated on an old wooden sofa beside a large window. Regularly, an aeroplane passed through outside, at an angle that was captured in our video call. Where the fuck did she even work? Was there an airport there somewhere?

Bo-Ah was the happiest even when I broke up with Jong Suk. Not sure if that was personal to her but she did seem unusually relaxed when I broke the news to her. She wasn't the kind to steal a boyfriend but definitely the type to hate someone so much that they ran from just the miasma of her. Pretty cool until it happened to you.

"What does that even mean?" I clutched my hair, pressing into the passenger door. Then, I straightened—something like a light pouring in my head.

"Wait," I said. "I shouldn't let my panic show. I should outsmart him, shouldn't I? Maybe act all calm and cool and take responsibility for it?"

"You could." She shrugged and then sipped on the coffee. "Do you know how to take responsibility?"

For a spasm, I blinked, taken aback by that question.

"Yes..." I frowned. "I mean, I just have to say it right? He won't really have me take responsibility—oh my god he will." My voice dropped with dread, the possibility thudding in my head. "He will. He will drop an email again! What if he does that? Am I going to lose my job for behavioural issues?"

"Maybe."

Maybe.

"What?" I yelped, clutching my straightened hair. It didn't even matter if I had just straightened them that morning. "I'm going to jump out of this moving car...!"

"Ma'am, seatbelt please." The cab driver's hesitant eyes flickered at me.

I leaned back, letting out a sigh of disbelief.

"You're not," Bo-Ah said as a plane flew outside the window again. "Just tell the truth, maybe. If he asks you, that is. If he doesn't, pretend like it didn't happen. I would have done that."

There was no telling if this advice would help me or sabotage Neureva and me together.

"By the way," she began. "Who did you send the message to? Jong Suk?"

My face fell. "You had a full-on conversation with me and now you ask me that? You know what, go and work. I'll talk to you later."

I snapped my phone shut and leaned back, shutting my eyes.

I had done this to myself. I had.

I could only pray that he didn't take advantage of my wounded situation. Knowing him for one day, he absolutely would.

By the time I reached the office, I had aged three years and sweltered off half my foundation.

This wasn't even funny anymore. I had totally screwed myself.

I was so panicked the night before that I just slammed my laptop shut and threw it back in my bag. But now, the consequences were hanging above my head. I had officially fucked around and was about to find out.

I scuttled to the elevator, pressing myself far in the back so that I stuck to the wall. I had all the scenarios in my head. The chic girl—who doesn't give a fuck. The elegant—who takes responsibility and apologises first. The boss—who acts like nothing happened. And the servant—who browns her nose on the floor he steps on.

Nothing was working.

The elevator bounced to a stop and I stepped ahead. But my face lost its colour when I noticed that we had stopped on the third floor.

No way.

No fucking way.

I sunk into the corner, eyes wide and desperate. Was this the end? Was he halting every elevator going up to hunt me down? Wait, no. That would be classified under workplace harassment now, wouldn't it? But not if he dragged me to Human Resources first!

The doors sliced open. A gentleman stepped in. Not him. Not Jungkook.

I let my breath go so loudly that my back slammed into the metal wall behind me. It rang in the elevator.

Everyone looked.

"S—Sorry," I whispered, yearning to crawl into a hole.

As soon as the elevator pinged for the fifth floor, my feet fled—back thronging with humiliation.

I scuttled into the hallway, greeted by a few people from other teams and Namjoon who was just having his morning coffee in the pantry area.

God—he's the first man I see today. Got to go to hell.

There was no time. Everything was quick in my head. I was already setting my things up on my desk in a hustle when Seulgi bumped into my hip—deliberately.

"Ooh, nice top." She murmured, hovering around me like a hawk.

I smiled, frazzled as I chuckled awkwardly, "Thanks."

I put my water bottle and other things out but she didn't leave yet. So I craned my neck to see what was wrong.

She was leaning her shoulders towards me, but her eyes were following Mr Min. No wait—not him.

She was looking at someone sharper—oh my fucking god. No.

There he was, Jeon Jungkook, walking in his tightly packed vest over a light blue shirt. His shirt was stretched over his biceps, sleeves rolled up to reveal the veins—which I didn't know could throb, and his hands tucked in his pockets as he waltzed with Mr Min, deep in conversation. Deep in what now?

I whirled towards the window, contemplating jumping. I mean—at least with jumping I knew the final end of this.

Rationally speaking, he should have bitched about me already. That was the only reason he could have come up to my floor—well technically, it wasn't mine but—

"God, some men get it all, don't they?" Seulgi drooled, her head now on my shoulder as she admired him.

Yeah. Some men do get it all. Handsomeness, brains, power and the intent to abuse that power. They get it all.

"And some men don't even know how to walk straight." She glared at Jimin who was casually leaning and talking to another female we didn't even know. Probably flirting again.

"Seulgi. Everyone who looks nice isn't worth being with." I mumbled, moving her head away as I turned to her. "He might—be going to a meeting room!"

"What?" Seulgi frowned. "Yeah, he is but—"

"Oh no..." I let out a small cry.

No way was he going to stand in my territory and bitch about me! No way, no way. But that also meant that I still had the chance to prevent it.

I almost tripped at Seokjin's feet and he did catch me, but I had flown towards the glass door before he had the chance to get confused.

"Mr Min!" I opened the door, my body throbbing as if I had been beaten down. I knew my make-up was standing on its last legs now.

He was seated before Jungkook whose arms were crossed. Something like amusement made him smirk and my head nearly exploded. I looked at Mr Min who was casually surprised.

"Oh, Haerin!" He said, "We were just talking about you. Come on, join in."

Shit.

It's about me.

"About me?" I pretended to widen my eyes with surprise, not daring to look at him as I closed the door behind me and walked towards Mr Min.

Mr Min calmly pulled me a chair next to him and I sat down.

"Yes." He nodded and then turned to Jungkook. "I really appreciate the training programme for her and I do acknowledge that she made a mistake that almost cost us, but her absence is impacting her productivity in the team. I was hoping that Mr Jeon Jungkook could minimise the training, maybe make it a weekly activity."

Okay. I felt the panic leaving me but my heart was still pounding. Fast.

This was about Mr Min. Jungkook did not bitch. Alright, Jeon.

Jungkook nodded, "I understand but isn't the company supposed to make provision for this? Mark a training time in the Timesheet for her so that she doesn't lag behind?"

Oh my god no, you b-word. Let me go! Listen to Mr Min for once!

"There is, but we know that we still require her here during that time. I'd propose you make an adjustment for this." Mr Min said and I gulped.

The audacity of men in professional surroundings was a miracle. A woman could never talk like that—well, you know what, I will. I will talk the hell out of the men here.

"It's barely been two days, Mr Min and for an hour. Has your team collapsed? Surely not." He chuckled as if trying to lighten the rip of the smack his words just gave us.

"It's not about collapsing. It's about her responsibilities. She has much to do."

"What does she do between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. that she cannot do at any other time during the day?" Jungkook said calmly. Too calmly.

What the hell was this man?

Mr Min hesitated, "I guess, we won't reach any conclusion then. That is alright too. Haerin," he turned to me, "finish the team meeting and then proceed with the training."

"Yes, Mr Min." I smiled at him.

He stretched his lips into anything but a smile. And then stood up, making us stand too.

Mr Min stepped out first, but I rushed after him, waving to everyone to join the meeting in the same meeting room we were in right now.

Jungkook almost crashed into my back but I stepped to the side, giving him the space.

"How long will this meeting be?" He stopped right at the edge of the door, making me shrivel into the glass frame.

"Um...not more than ten minutes." I quickly said.

He nodded. "I will wait in the meeting room."

"In the where?" I gasped.

"In the here." He pointed at the room, smiling and walking back inside. "We can go downstairs together."

Damn it!

Harassment! No.

"Mr Jeon you don't have to." I hastily turned to him, "I'll finish this meeting quickly."

"That you will, Miss Kang." He said, pulling a chair for the first seat, the closest to the head chair. "I am just assessing if your tasks are actually very crucial to be consumed by the training. If they are, I will think of cutting down your training timings."

What? I blinked.

Is this an audit of some sort?

No...

He's just testing me.

"Alright."

I saw faces visibly changing when people from the team began flowing inside. Seulgi looked at me, asking what the hell happened with just her eyes. But I couldn't tell her.

"Okay, everyone." I began. "Let's get seated and finish this quickly. Please ignore Mr Jeon here. He has no motive to interrupt."

"Haerin," Jimin sat on a chair, "That client call is going to come to you again."

"Wait. Let me start first." I said, pulling the chair away and standing at the head of the table.

Ignore him. Ignore him. Ignore him.

"What is the motive of his presence, though?" Namjoon said and an awkward silence danced around us.

I let out another uncanny chuckle but Jungkook had to interrupt.

"I am much obliged to know about the team and want to see if the cybersecurity learning points have been made note of."

My eyes met Jungkook's and then Namjoon's who couldn't help but accept it.

At least Jeon Jungkook could lie well. Honestly, that could be the same tongue he would use with HR too. The same one when he put me under the bus.

Thankfully, no one has any other questions for him after that.

"Jimin," I began, taking his task first because he—well, he did highlight it first, "I will not take your call up. Manage the expectations with them today, please. I will have to submit a report if the client refuses again. Jot down things you think the client is at fault with."

"But Haerin!" He groaned, massaging his temples. "I mean, they take up so much of my time that my productivity takes a hit!"

Jungkook toyed with his phone, scrolling through it, least interested in what was happening around him.

"I understand, Jimin but managing clients is the basic requirement. When you start the call today, give them a timeline of twenty minutes. Anything beyond that will be scheduled the next day at the same time."

"Okay..." He seemed dissatisfied but pliant still.

"The rest of you have your clients on their marks. Also, a heads-up: a new expense form is being circulated. I'll make a dry run on it and then the rest of you can pick that up. If there are any issues, I'll solve them first-hand with the teams."

I sighed, my eyes trained on Seokjin, who was almost asleep.

"Seokjin."

He jolted up.

I smiled. "I will have Mr Min monitor you today. Make sure you're not taking a hit."

"Whyy?" He whined. "Why him?"

"Because you've been lenient with Haerin," Namjoon stepped in. Again. Oh goodness, this man.

"Thanks, Namjoon." I smiled at him and then turned to Seokjin. "You're clearing your chart. Check with Mr Min if you want further details. I could ask him to give you one more chance, provided you prove yourself today."

"Damn it I will. I can't go to Mr Min."

"Language." I sterned, at the same time that my eyes met Jungkook's.

"Sorry—but fine. I'll do it." He shrugged as if the world was resting on his shoulders.

I nodded. "I think that concludes the meeting. Drop me a Cirq if anyone needs any help. I'll be available after 10 a.m."

Everyone nodded and then quietly strolled out of the room. Seulgi tapped my shoulders as she brushed past—obviously struck by Jungkook's sharpness.

I couldn't say a word to defend that. I mean—he was sharp but knife-sharp to me. Always cutting me up. Not in a good way. Well, there is no good way to be cut up—but you get it.

"I will get my laptop from my desk." I turned to him and he finally looked up. The tip of his ears were red.

Was this room too hot? I scowled. The temperature was just fine though. Maybe he felt stuffy in the crowd.

"In a minute," I said and rushed out of that place.

Seulgi tried to ask but I was on fire. That man was waiting for me at the end of the bay. Why was he so adamant on taking me with him? Wait. This was about Cirq. He was doing this because of last night, wasn't he?

I sunk to my desk, pulling out my mirror and compact to fix myself. Fortunately, I hadn't fallen apart as badly as I had thought. Pecking my lipstick to darken the faded colour, I looked at Seulgi who was smirking now. She probably thought I was doing this to impress him. Yeah—impress my way into the HR's office, Seulgi.

I grabbed my things and hurled myself towards where he waited. He was looking around the place, inspecting people like they were another cybersecurity threat. With his hands in his pockets and his perfect build, he looked every bit of a temptation to the girls working around.

Our eyes met and he instantly examined my face. A knowing smile tugged his lips but he didn't say anything. My blood screamed. I pursed my freshly painted lips.

He opened the door to lead us out of the working space into the exit hallway.

I looked at him, slightly leaning back, confused when he didn't move. He motioned me to step out first. Chivalry? Hah.

He followed after me, matching with my pace in a single stride. Long legs, I noted.

My footsteps felt like a countdown to a disaster. Any minute now, he could exercise his right to ask me what the heck happened with Cirq last night.

It was like a silent battle between us. Warring minds, if you will.

We stepped into the elevator—just the two of us.

The door closed with a soft thunk, and suddenly, the space felt smaller than it should have been.

I stuck to the far end, hugging my laptop for my life while he leaned into the metal wall on my right. My back pressed far into the corner of the space. He folded his arms to his chest, leaning on the metal wall to my right.

I could hear everything. The breeze fanning through the shafts, my breath radiating its pace, the creak of Jungkook's shoe on the floor—even the sound of the gears twisting in his head as he assessed me.

Heck, this lift was slow in a weird way. Why the fuck was it so slow?

Third floor, get here quick.

"Is your team incapable of functioning without you?" He finally asked.

I side-eyed him, trying not to make a face that could get me into trouble—more than I already was.

"They coordinate very well." I robotically answered.

He smirked, tilting his head. "Delegation's skewed, no?"

"Not when you're the assistant manager." I frowned, getting increasingly confused.

I saw it—his brows slowly rising as the shock settled in. "You're the assistant manager of that team? You don't look...it."

"Is it because I'm a woman?"

My response was quick. Too quickly. In fact, almost tripping him over.

For once, he looked shaken by my words and victory was mine. Then he flipped the script like a fucking joke.

"You're pretty..."

Pretty? This time, my eyes widened with shock.

Did he just—

Did he just call me pretty? Wait. What logical world could explain why he said that all of a sudden?

Was this a trap? Was he going to say 'pretty fucked up'? Was I supposed to hear him say that and not respond?

My face had already begun heating up—mouth parting slowly. His eyes flickered to my mouth, just for a second—maybe I imagined it.

"...young, I believe." He completed.

Damn, this pause. Awful pause, Jeon Jungkook. For a second, I almost believed that I was pretty.

"I could say the same to you, no offence." I looked him up and down.

"No?" He said right when the elevator door opened to the third floor.

Again, he insisted that I stepped out first.

I did.

"I'm twenty-eight." He said flatly as if that was something to be noted.

"Minus four, and I'm there." I shrugged, heading towards 3D.

His long strides caught up too fast for my liking.

"You delegate like someone twice your age."

I gasped. He just said that!

My foot stopped mid-air. I turned, gawking like a toad.

"What does that...mean, Mr Jeon?"

A smile flickered into his face.

"I—I do not. In fact, I prefer to handle things like any...young person would. Young and free."

I don't know why I said that. I just did. Like a fool.

He waited, as if threading through another thought in the conversation, "Is that why you Cirq'd that to me? Because you handle things like a young and free individual?"

My mouth fell open.

Fuck.

He read that. I mean, of course, he did. He had to. My message must have been the first pop-up on his screen.

For a second my mouth flapped, speechless.

"It was a mistake—"

"A very jarring one." His face turned sombre too. Like he wasn't joking anymore. "It was reported to Human Resources for inappropriate and suggestive misconduct. I was keen to discuss this with your manager but I presumed letting you know first would help you recuperate."

What?

My legs turned to jelly.

An HR redressal for this? I couldn't afford such a big hit.

"It was a mistake!" I leapt forward—desperate. He stepped back, eyes wide with dramatic surprise.

"Please. Keep an amicable distance, Miss Kang." He smirked.

I clutched my laptop tighter to my chest, heat burning my face, my feet giving up as if stuck mid-air.

"I didn’t mean to! That was—it was Cirq’s interface—I clicked it by mistake! I was trying to send something else!"

He raised a brow. "A fecal emoji?"

"Fecal? You mean the poop—Well, not that! But it wasn’t drool—it was sweat! You know, the one that looks like—like effort!"

I wanted to disappear into the carpet. Or bash my head against the fire escape.

"And the green heart?" he added, deadpan. "Were you particularly passionate about the environment last night?"

"I panicked, okay?!"

He kept a straight face. "I see."

"You can’t really go to HR with that," I said quickly. "I mean, we’re not even—we don’t have that kind of dynamic! Do we?"

Silence.

He stared.

Then—

A small, satisfied grin. "Relax. I’m messing with you."

My jaw dropped. "You—"

"I figured someone as efficient as you wouldn’t survive an actual complaint." He smirked, softly—almost too elegantly for a prank this outrageous. "Be cautious of what you Cirq me, Miss Kang."

He turned and walked off like he hadn't just set fire to my entire nervous system.

I stood there, holding my laptop like it was a security blanket, my cheeks boiling.

Okay. Game on, Jeon Jungkook.