11

I would have charged by the hour. For nodding. For pretending that I sympathised with this. But no, in the name of people management, I was being run over, by a team acting like teenagers with Wi-Fi.

They say HR is about building bridges. Nobody tells you that we are the fucking bridges. And I'm being set on fire for fun all the damn time.

"Look, Namjoon, my chart was off by two per cent because it showed that data there while I was creating it. Maybe the links weren't updated!" Sohyun seethed, her coffee cup seated on the white table between them. I had a strong feeling that it was going to spill. No reason. Just pessimism, I guess.

"Do you know how much two per cent change in a report matters?" Namjoon scowled, hands folded to his chest. "You cannot make such mistakes. And even if you do, someone else has to clear that for you. That's always me when you're on unplanned leaves."

He was right. Well, who wants to take the load of someone else's shitty work? Me? Sure. Namjoon? When pigs fly.

On a Friday afternoon. On a damned resting—should've been fun—day, I was trapped in a meeting room with two heads that didn't want to agree on anything. Anything.

I was this close to punching myself in the gut and applying for a sick leave.

"Namjoon, you watch your tone with me. Haerin is right here to tell me if something's wrong. What gives you the right to talk me down like this?" Sohyun frowned and I couldn't agree more.

Namjoon did have an odd disease of sticking his nose in others' dishes. And while I was ignoring it like a champion, I couldn't expect everyone to just get along with this. That man acted like he had a halo on his head or something. Well, earth to Namjoon, baby. Come the fuck back.

"My tone is normally like that, Sohyun. It's not specific to you."

What?

What a lame excuse, bitch.

My eyes shifted to Sohyun who was preparing another set of verbal battles. And I stared, my fingers holding my laptop in place. Fights happened everywhere. And this was a place where things could always go wrong. It was fine.

I just didn't want to be responsible for them, you know? Not getting paid enough for this therapy session.

I let them quarrel a bit more, my eyes catching the nasty name pop at the top of my inbox.

Jeon fucking Jungkook.

A fresh email had arrived for me. It stuck out like a sore thumb in the pile of shit I was already dealing with.

Nuh-uh. Not because of his name. But because the subject line was too flashy. Like a blotch of neon in black and white television.

My eyes nearly popped out when I opened the email.

What in the actual fuck?

---

From: Jeon JungkookTo: Kang HaerinSubject: 🌼 Haerin’s Second Week Progress Report & Bright Ideas for Leveling Up! 💪🌼Attachment: Haerin_Week2_HelpfulResources.zip

---

Wait. Did I just see flower emojis in the subject line? Flowers?? My eyes shifted below, the twist in my lips climbing to my brows.

---

Hi Miss Kang 😊🌟

Hope your Friday is full of sunshine, coffee, and clarity! ☕✨

Just wanted to share your Week 2 Progress Snapshot so we can both stay on the same page as you blossom into a cybersecurity champ! 🖥️💥 (Slow and steady wins the race, right? 🐢💖)

---

What? A turtle? What the heck Jeon Jungkook? Was he calling me slow?

Was I really that slow?

That shimmering heart only made the turtle look worse to me. Fuck you turtle!

---

📊 Assessment Recap (a little déjà vu!)

Week 1’s quiz had to be retaken (no worries, that happens!) — glad you managed to complete it again. Progress is progress 🌱

Week 2’s assessment just came in! You technically scored full marks 🏅—although I had to overlook a few minor logic gaps. Just something to keep in mind moving forward 🧐✨

---

Huh? What was with this twinkling thing around everything? It was making my head hurt.

---

📚 Your Cybersecurity Toolbelt – Let’s Sharpen It!

To make brushing up easy-peasy, I’ve curated some friendly reads and guides for you:

🔹 “Firewalls for Beginners”

🔹 “Spot the Phish: Email Edition”

🔹 “Security Breaches and What to Do When You Accidentally Click Everything” 😅

Don’t stress—skim them at your pace. But do skim them. Thoroughly. 😉

🗓️ Upcoming Practice Presentations – Yay, Learning!

I’ve added you to a few internal presentation sessions over the next week. Nothing too scary, just little practice rounds to help things stick!(Think of them as stage rehearsals before the big show 🌟)Check your inbox for invites. And don’t forget to RSVP! 📨

---

Yay, learning? YAY, LEARNING?

---

💬 Trainer Feedback – From Mr Park Bo Gum Himself

Your assigned trainer, Park Bo Gum, shared some lovely notes:

> “She’s attentive, though sometimes hesitant to ask questions. I’d encourage more engagement. She’s capable—just needs a little push.”✨(We love a gentle nudge!)

📈 Your Progress Graph – Cute, Right?

Attached is a colourful line graph of your learning curve. As you can see, there’s a bit of a dip mid-week, but hey! Every roller coaster has its thrill. Let’s aim for a steady climb next week 🎢💪

If you’d like, I can schedule a one-on-one “Catch-Up & Cheer-Up” session. Let me know what snack time suits you best. 🍭

Warmly and patiently,JungkookHead of Cybersecurity 🕶️P.S. Remember: Every expert was once a confused beginner. Some just stayed confused a little longer.

____

I stared at my screen. It felt like someone had just slapped me across the face with a glittery hammer. My SPF 100 couldn't beat the heat of my shame.

Blowing up. I was about to blow up and sue Neureva for the damages.

I gulped, pressing my manicured nails to stop them from shaking. Unbelievable. Unbelievable, Jeon Jungkook.

I knew what this was.

"It's quite patronising, Namjoon." Sohyun grabbed her cup a little too hard. Brown droplets spilt on the snow-white table.

Yeah—that fucking P-word. That's what this was about. He was actively trying to backhand me. I tried to air my collar. This was ridiculous max pro behaviour. What did he expect I would do with this? Crawl into a hole and never come out?

I dug my nails through my hair. I think I lost my mind a little there.  You know what? At least he hadn't copied anyone in that email. Well—no. That made it worse. HR would have a field day with that. His email was plainly condescending. But no—wait. Maybe he didn't copy anyone in the email because he didn't think I was worth the audience. This kind of aggression did suit him. He was trying too hard. Too hard, you twenty-eight-year-old boy.

This reminded me of that one time my school teacher had thrown my incomplete notebook on my face. That's what this felt like.

"You're just mansplaining at this point." Sohyun ignored the spill, leaning back in the seat.

"Man—what?" Namjoon gawked. He leaned back, scoffing. "Unbelievable. I don't do that to Haerin. So it's not a gender thing now, is it?"

I hope not, Namjoon. I hope not.

My legs overlapped over each other and tightened. This was driving me bonkers. I had to come up with something to one-up him. He couldn't get away with this. Not this easy.

Game on? Game on.

I clicked on the reply-all option, my fingers wiggling over the keyboard.

Think. Think. Think.

Should I reply back with an equally pinkish email? Or the kind that says 'good boy' over and over? Wouldn't that be fun?—but expected. That's not what I wanted. I wanted him to see his inbox and choke on his coffee. Maybe even get traumatised from this and stop drinking coffee.

But what?

I stared at the screen like it was Jeon Jungkook's face.

"What should we do, Haerin?"

"Huh?" I looked up.

Sohyun and Namjoon were looking at me like they were born from my womb or something. But yeah. I had to end this discussion.

I cleared my throat.

"I'm adding you both to a social ethics session," I stated, pretending to type. "And, I will add Mr Min to it to have a word with you. Let's all cool down and concentrate on their work today, okay?"

I forced a smile that turned wider when the thought hit me.

Mr Min. Yes.

Namjoon and Sohyun were very unsatisfied with my response which was expected. I would just have to speak to them personally at their desks. A little one-to-one bonding would be nice. That way I could get away with anyone giving negative feedback for me.

Both of them huddled to their stands and walked out. Namjoon had to hold the door open for Sohyun but he pushed past her. No ladies first. Sohyun almost kicked her sandal off her foot as she followed.

Then. Then, I turned to my revenge.

It was small, but all that I could do. For now.

I copied Mr Min on my reply and sent a formal thanks. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Mr Min was going to see this email. He might even decide to set up a meeting but he won't do anything unless I approve of it. And that was my game. I was just making sure that Jungkook knew that I could get anyone involved if I wanted to. But I'm a kind girl. I don't do this passive-aggressive email shit.

I shut the laptop and left the meeting room, towards my seat only to see Mr Han. That bastard was looming around Mirae.

"Hello, Mr Han." I put my laptop sharply on the desk right between them.

Mirae was startled but she tucked herself into my back. I knew it then. I was her mom then.

"Oh, Haerin!" He chirped. "I was just asking the pretty lady here about your whereabouts."

"My whereabouts?" I pulled a chair for myself.

"Yes. How are your sessions with that cybersecurity guy going?"

That's what he wanted to ask.

I messed my hair a bit, running my fingers through it, my eyes pinned to my reflection on the laptop screen.

"Per usual."

"Beware, Miss Kang. I'd hate to see you tangled in one of his messes." He whispered, leaning close enough so that I leaned back. Mirae grabbed my arm reflexively.

Mr Han leaned back and folded his arms at his chest. "He's known for shelving people."

Shelving?

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. I didn't care but I did. I wanted to know if I could use this information to my advantage and make his life hell.

"That's alright, Mr Han. He isn't even my trainer. Park Bo Gum is the one who supports me." I shrugged, switching my system on. I could kill myself with the times I had seen this fucking screensaver of this cave.

"Ah, that's right. That military-cut boy." He said. "He's weird too."

Oh yes. Everyone else is weird. Only Mr Han is the queen of everything.

I switched my Cirq on and saw Mr Min's message pop up. For a second my heart panged. Did he see the email? Was he reacting to it? Was he going to punch Jungkook in the face? But no. His message was about something completely different.

'Someone is waiting for you at the office gate.' — his message said.

What?

I blinked at the screen and then at Mr Han. He smiled at me. I smiled back forcefully and stood up so fast he almost ducked.

"Jimin!" I called and a head popped at the end of the bay.

Mr Han's face fell. Good for him.

"I need you here to help Mirae. I have someone at the reception." I said.

He was there before I knew it. It was slightly concerning that he was so free. Was he even doing any work at this point?

"Mr Haaaaan!" I heard his coo and smiled as I grabbed my phone and rushed outside.

Jimin, that guy was a perfect repellent for men. At this point, he couldn't get any straighter.

I modelled my way to the front desk, fixing my blouse. They told me that I had to meet the visitor near the visitors' premises on the ground floor. This was a first. No one ever came to visit me during office hours. It felt like walking out of school early.

I got into the elevator, dreading it would stop on the third floor. No, it didn't. Thank God.

I had to take my Thank God back real quick when I arrived at the gate and saw Jong Suk.

It was like someone was beating me to death but one incident at a time.

I stopped at a distance that was far enough but not enough for him to not notice me. He turned like I was a police siren and I was a police siren. I was red as a beet. Partially because I was frustrated and shocked but also because my heart cracked when I saw that million-dollar face. And much more because he stood like he didn't belong there. I had never thought that this day would come.

I pushed my tendrils behind, toes pressing inside my heels as my gait slowed down.

This bastard was everywhere now that I didn't want to see him! With his CEO-cut long black coat and his turtleneck. He was sharp as ever.

"Haerin," his voice was soft like I didn't hate him already. He turned to me and my stomach dropped—a little late for this reaction, I know. "I heard—"

"You're obsessed with me." I scoffed, folding my arms at my chest. "You stalker. Why did you come to my workplace?"

"St—stalker?" He looked offended.

"Yes!" I bit back. "Why the hell would you just appear outside my office?"

"Because I wanted to see you? Is everything always romantic to you if I do it?"

"Romantic?" I squinted. "Are you really going to call this romantic? It's creepy!"

His hands rushed through his hair. They were shaking. He must have started smoking again. God damn it I didn't want to know all this shit! Delete my brain, somebody!

"Would you just listen?" He snarled. "Did my mom make you cry?"

"Your mom?" I frowned. Then, paused. Oh yes. "Your mom. Yeah. Seemed like a planned attack, really."

"No, it wasn't." He defended.

I rolled my eyes. "It was a joke. You're still hardheaded as ever."

He waited, then laughed as if something was really sad about it.

"I just—I just came here to apologise for whatever she said." He said, then with some sort of conviction in his eyes he continued, "You were not in the way of anything. You will never be."

"Wh—What?" I created distance, my skin burning. "Did you hit your head somewhere? You came here to say this?"

"Yes." He nodded and I swear I melted.  Just a little.

No. I don't go back to my exes. But Jong Suk wasn't like that. He wasn't a normal ex. He was the guy I wanted to marry. Of course, the break up was an eye-opener that I was too young to be married. But still. That girl inside me still believed in the child marriage of a twenty-four-year-old.

"Take your meds." I snapped. "You've gone crazy."

"I don't have any meds to take." He laughed. "I just know that it must have hurt. My mother says things she doesn't understand. I just hope you don't think that I didn't want you. I...I...still do."

I frowned, "What the hell am I supposed to do with this information? You wanted me. You didn't want me. Same difference if we didn't end up together, Jong Suk."

He hung his head low, nodding. Trying to understand my words but failing. I swear I saw his shoulders shake for a moment. And I was afraid that he was going to cry. But he didn't.

I could never get a tear out of this man.

"You cried, right?"

There we went. That bitchy mother of his had to complete her performance. Or else how would she get scored?

I sighed, "Yeah and I finished too. Happy?"

"Haerin." His voice deepened to scold me. He always hated how I made everything into a dirty joke. It had been a while since I did this stunt. "What was it that made you cry?"

"No thanks, Mr Therapist. I'm all good." I raised my hand up to show him my paws of defeat.

His eyes landed on the screen of my phone that I had held up. "Jungkook?" His eyes narrowed.

What?

The phone almost slipped from me. I flipped it around to see a message notification from the blind date guy named Jungkook. Not that evil asshole.

"Yeah. I have a few more on my phone. Jung-maid, Jung-butler." I muttered, locking the screen and pushing it into the pocket of my trousers.

"Are you seeing someone else?"

He looked heartbroken. In a bad way. In the way that made me look like a bitch.

"You have to stop caring if I am."

"Are you?" He stepped closer and I had the immediate thought of punching his gut.

"Whoa, whoa, macho-man. Back off." I pushed at his chest. "It was a blind date. One that I had been pushing off because of you. You're not here now, are you?"

"Yeah, of course." He scoffed.

"Go home, Jong Suk."  I stepped behind, gesturing towards the exit. "And don't tell your mother that you saw me today."

Saying that I whirled and clicked my heels back into the hellhole of an office waiting for me.

My heartbeat had slowed down like it had forgotten how to beat.

I sunk into the corner of the elevator going up. And this time, Jungkook stepped in on the third floor but I was suffering too much to pay heed.

Jong Suk had just ruined my day. Again.

Just seeing him made me want to die. It honestly did. And he had the nerve to tell me he wanted to apologise to me for his mother. What a joke.

I sighed, walking into the 6th floor when I saw this eerie calm on the floor. The type after someone dies. When nobody knows what to do so they stay quiet in murmuring.

People were murmuring. I had cat ears for situations like this. Something was off.

"They threw juice. Actual juice." One of the girls whispered to her colleague.

What?

God, please let this not be my team. But God was not on my team today.

The meeting room door swung open before I could pass the area. Sohyun dashed out, her face and her white blouse blotched with purple stains.

"He said I weaponize astrology!"

My mouth hung open when Namjoon appeared behind her, equally purple.

"She called me a crypto-faced guy!" Namjoon said, aghast. "What does that even mean?"

"I'll be sent to HR!" I whisper-yelled, pulling them into the meeting room and closing the door.

Once I was sure I could breathe, I spun around.

"Don't tell me you guys were doing this on the floor. Don't tell me please." I clutched my hair, devastated.

Somebody kill me now. Kill me now, please!

"Okay. I won't tell you but that doesn't mean it didn't happen." Sohyun rolled her eyes and I swear I could pull her eyelashes off.

My fists closed. "You both will see Mr Min. Wait in this room till he gets here."

Mr Min was going to fuck me up after he did them. I was doomed.