15

"You're doing this on purpose."

"And why would I?" Jungkook asked, eyes fixed on his computer screen. Excel sheets reflected into his glasses. His jaw—it could cut tomatoes on a chopping board, I swear.

"Because you want to make me miserable!" I pressed my knees together. The air conditioner was still set to a temperature that could be classified as a fridge.

"By making you do reports?" He said and smacked the Enter key.

"Yes!" I leaned back on the visitor's seat, my skirt's texture making it a bit difficult to. "Obviously, you want to see me overworked and dead, Mr Jeon. I really struggle to manage my tasks with this cyberbullying happening every day. I can't make reports on myself too!"

"Not a very acceptable answer from someone employed to be the assistant manager." His mouth curled, judgement reeking in his expression.

"Assistant manager in operations, not cyborg stuff." My voice deepened. This was really getting on my nerves now.

My morning hours were lost on him and his stupid meetings. And now he wanted to shove Park Bo Gum's task on me too? Did I look like a donkey missing its load or something?

"This will be a good experience for your future endeavours in the company too, Miss Kang. Besides, you know better about what you've learnt throughout the week." He continued, unphased. "You just have two Fridays to go. I can show you how it's done if you want me to."

Oh damn, Sensei! What an opportunity!

"Do you think I can't do it on my own?" I gritted my teeth.

"Yes, I do." He sighed.

You know what was actually pissing me off now? The fact that he wasn't even looking at me while speaking. As if he knew that I couldn't run away. Like he didn't give a fuck about what happened to my career.

I shut my laptop with a slam.

"That's company property." He deadpanned, reaching for one of the drawers in his desk.

"Then pay for it." I snapped. "If you think you're going to get away by piling up more work on me like this? Let me remind you that Mr Min is my manager. Not you. I will not do anything you say."

"Sure. If you're okay with prolonging your training time, I don't care." He began clicking his cursor on the screen now. His index finger glided over his chin. "We could enjoy each other's company in this room. It does get a little lonely sometimes."

"Okay, Akon." I scoffed. "Tell your sweet mother to send a stripper here if that's how lonely you are."

His eyes snapped up at me.

"Very professional of you, Miss Kang." He didn't smile. "Getting my mother in all of this. Do I assume that this is a personal issue?"

Oh heavens. Someone hold me back because I am about to explode with a capital E.

"Oh, seems like strippers aren't unprofessional to you." I forced a smile. "Let's get your loneliness out of the way then!"

His mouth twitched, a malicious excitement in his eyes. "Are you going to strip? I'll watch."

"Whoa—ho!" I raised a finger to stop him. "Beep beep, Jeon Jungkook. Don't you dare think I won't retaliate if you call me a stripper!"

"You were the one who called yourself that." He shrugged.

"I did not." I let out a laugh, disbelieving. "You—really? Anyway. I'm not doing any reports. It's Bo Gum's job and he will do it."

"Miss Kang, I'm not dumping this on you with a deadline of today. Sit next to me and watch how it's done." His voice softened now, but the glinting eyes were still there. "I'll help you. We could make this your current week's assessment too."

He sounded impeccable with that mature speech, flooded with education. Sure. For the fools in this building. I knew exactly what kind of furr hid beneath all that manly skin.

"That's enough of your patronising jokes now." I slammed, "I don't need a father with one at home already."

He looked away. Then bit his tongue to laugh. Laugh?!

"I'm not patronising you. I'm offering you an easier way to deal with the reporting." He stated, rolling his eyes and shaking his head like I was a child who couldn't understand adult words.

"Miss Kang, grab your chair and get over here." He sterned, back to being fixated on his computer screen again. Then, when I didn't answer—his eyes flashed at me, "Unless you want us to adjust miserably on that visitor's seat."

I didn't want to do it.

I really didn't.

It was like breaking the law or something for me.

"And I will take extra points for sitting next to you and learning this," I stated, pushing my chest out confidently.

"No. That's not how I work."

"That's how I do, though." I snapped back, standing up. "Let me know or watch me go back to the sixth floor and drop a complaint for forced closeness."

"Forced closeness?" He almost chuckled but did not when he saw my combusting face. "Okay. Five points."

"No way! That's too little!"

"Five points is all I can give."

I waited. Then sighed. This was ridiculous. Maybe I was going too easy on my revenge. He should've been trembling at my name by now.

Fuck him.

I knew this was ridiculous, but well, five points I guessed. Apoplectic, I roughly grabbed a desk chair and my laptop. I was dragging it across the floor when someone knocked. Twice.

Then, a middle-aged man stepped inside in a poorly pressed suit.

"Mr Jeon?" His head poked in.

"Oh god," Jungkook murmured and I heard it.

"I was just here to top you up on the file." He said, showing a paper copy of something in his hand. He could have emailed something like this, no?

"Sure..." Jungkook sighed.

The man walked up to him and passed the file, "I have all the necessary things updated here. I hope it helps. Let me know if you need anything."

Jungkook's nose scrunched and he leaned back. My eyes narrowed.

He looked like he had just passed by a pile of poop.

I knew this. I knew this reaction by heart. But I couldn't assume the reason for the reaction just because I've had it happen to me, you know? Besides, good for him. Smell the crap you give me, Jeon Jungkook!

"I'll drop by later." The man said and then looked at me. "I see you have the training still going on."

I nearly stumbled back with the chair when the stench hit me. His mouth smelled like he ate a pile of garbage or something.

What—What the heck?

It was like fish gone bad.

How can an adult man in a professional setting be so irresponsible? And how the hell was he roaming around so freely with the breath of a dragon?

My senses clicked. I straightened, my breath stuck in my nostrils—scared.

I had an aid for a time like this. Quick. Quick. Quick.

I pushed my hands into the chest pocket of the blouse I wore and secured a piece of mint.

"Mint?" I offered and popped one, too, so that he didn't feel left out or targeted.

The man seemed slightly confused but he took one, smiling awkwardly and then walked out of there. He must have realised. He must have fucking realised and felt ashamed or something.

Hah. These stupid people didn't even check their breath—

Jungkook burst out laughing.

I flinched.

He had thrown his head back, covering his eyes as he produced a weirdly manly laughing noise.

Confused, I grabbed the chair again.

"You have an entire ER in here and not a mint for an emergency like this?" I scoffed, sitting down on the chair next to him. "Add some mints to your first aid kit too. Blood is clearly not the only dangerous thing here."

That just made him laugh more.

"You didn't have to be so dramatic about it." He continued laughing, taking a deep look at my face. "Stumbling and everything."

My head snapped in his direction, "What? You're telling me I should have stood there and taken his dragon's breath like it was nothing? You've gone Linkin Park numb! Get yourself checked—okay, it wasn't that funny, Mr Jeon. Calm down."

I watched him, dead inside as he laughed until the situation settled down.

"That was really helpful, Miss Kang. Seven points for the promptness." He chuckled, wiping his tear buds.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh wow. I can build my entire career on the extra two points you gave me, Mr Jeon!"

"You better, Miss Kang." He shot back and my flames erupted up my butt.

He smirked, "I'll finish this thing up and then I can show you a report format of how I need it to be."

I nodded, opening my laptop on my lap, still aghast.

"That looks uncomfortable. You can use my desk." He offered, shifting his chair a bit to the side.

I forced a smile, "No thank you. What if I become just like you?"

He curiously raised his brow, "You mean smart and good-looking? What's wrong with that?"

"A narc. That's what."

This bastard was smiling at everything. I needed something to wipe that off his face. This much rage wasn't good for my health. Not good for my health.

"That's very far-fetched, now is it not?" He mumbled, talking to me like I was a toddler he was forced to give attention to. "My desk is free of my good vibes. You can join me, Miss Kang. I won't mind."

God damn it!

"As I said, no thank you, Mr Charity," I grunted, stuffing my hair behind my ears.

"As you wish, princess."

"Thank you, my lady." I snapped back and he scoffed. Again.

•••

Office breaks are sacred. Fleeting. Like Jong Suk when someone says 'relationship'. That is why wasting it in the washroom felt like a sin.

Seulgi turned to show me her butt.

I approved. "No stains."

"Thanks." She gushed, fixing herself for the millionth time before the mirror. "I'm just so worked up because my periods are always irregular."

"Flax seeds," I said, opening the door for her. She let herself out.

"Really?" She turned half-way.

"Yes." I followed her, our heels clicking on the floor as we made it past the office bay. "My mom makes sure I have them every morning. It helps."

She clicked the button for the elevator. "That sounds helpful. I think I'm going to try it."

"You know what?—" she whipped around to face me, "I saw this doctor's clinic in the city this weekend. I was around with Sohyun—"

Oh, here we went again. Stuff this information in my ass like a tampon now, won't you?

"You know, we just spontaneously came up with this idea when we were both in the city at the same time," she explained. I clearly didn't ask her to. "—and I saw this clinic there that Sohyun goes to. I think I should try that out. It looked nice."

"Sure." I nodded. "It's always better to approach a gynaecologist first."

"Yep." She smiled.

An awkward silence spread between us. And I was not a participant in that. I did my best to talk. I couldn't tell why she was all quiet.

"You know—Haerin," she shrugged. "You should come with us next time. We can go to this cottage cafe on the main street in Seoul. It's an hour from here."

I smiled. "Yes, sure. I've heard of it too."

The elevator doors swung open for us. I climbed in and Seulgi followed.

"Ground floor coffee house, right?" I peeked at her and she nodded. I pressed the button, my head already regretting coming with her.

Look, I didn't fucking say anything! She brought it up on her own, and it got awkward. And she does this all the time. Why tell me about their little expeditions if it's going to make her feel awkward and guilty?

I never asked. I stopped asking. So why her?

The elevator bumped to a stop and I heard a loud greeting.

"Hi, Haerin!" Park Bo Gum said.

Oh.

I looked at the top.

Third floor.

I didn't want to see anyone from this evil floor.

"Hello." I grinned. "Coffee break?"

"Yeah!" He looked at me and then at Seulgi who stood there, confused. "Why don't you join us? It's not a lot of people, really."

"Seulgi?" I looked at her and she nodded eagerly. "Sure." I turned to him.

Bo Gum leaned on the wall I stood beside. "I have been missing your training recently, right?" He scratched the back of his head. "I didn't even explain. Mr Jeon insists he can cover the rest. It's just session after session."

My scowl grew deeper. He what?

I wanted to pull a Pompeii in that elevator full of people. But I didn't. Couldn't. So I just nodded along like I knew what was going on. I fucking didn't.

"And that roses bit—"

"Bo Gum!" I interrupted, letting out a quick laugh. "I did miss you around. It's all Mr Jeon. He's even teaching me to run a report."

"Oh—yeah." He chuckled awkwardly, caught in the wrong moment.

He caught on the cue. No roses mentioned after that. Good boy.

Seulgi had probably caught that I was hiding something. But you know what? I was a bit relieved that she saw that. There were things I couldn't tell her because she left me out of a lot. It was the perfect revenge.

We strolled to the coffee house, the fragrance hit me. I was reminded of Jong Suk like a bitch.

Frustrated already, we turned to the closest place where a few cybersecurity fellows sat. Park Bo Gum led the way. As soon as I saw him, my mind shut off.

Jeon Jungkook.

He sat smugly with two other guys and a girl I didn't know. Sipping on his coffee like he was in a late-night show.

I think it was time to break my friendship with Bo Gum. I couldn't take this every day. It was like drawing lots. Jungkook or no Jungkook? Which will it be?~

It was always him. My lots were cursed.

He saw me. He saw me good. But that didn't make him twitch even a little.

My jaw, however, was falling like an anchor in the sea.

Then—he smirked. He fucking smirked. Was he kidding me?

"Hey, everyone." I waved, grabbing seats for me and Seulgi. "This is Seulgi, my colleague. And I think everyone knows now that I'm Haerin." I paused, eyes flicking to him, "Thanks to Mr Jeon over there."

People nodded, looking back and forth between us.

He didn't say anything.

"Oh right. That roses-girl." A guy said and I clenched my eyes shut.

"Yeah—yeah!" Bo Gum jumped to the rescue. "She's the one who ordered them for her Grandma."

Seulgi tapped my shoulder, leaning into my ear, "What's the roses about?"

"Oh, nothing." I chuckled uneasily. "I just ordered some roses for my Grandma on the third floor. There was some confusion for a while."

Seulgi nodded.

"So, what would you girls like to drink? Mr Jeon is today's sponsor." Bo Gum clapped his hands, grinning at us. "I think I'm going to go with an Iced Americano."

Never in my life.

Oh my god. I'll pay him back, I swear.

"Oh, that's nice." Seulgi smiled. "A latte for me, please."

"Espresso."

"Ooh. Bitter choice, Miss Kang." Jungkook slid in, making eyes shift to him.

"Yes. I like my drinks bitter and trippy." I grinned and a round of giggles circled the table.

He only smirked. No comments.

The servers brought our drinks. We quickly took it for ourselves. I sipped on my coffee. Bitter, burning and beautiful. Somedays, I hated this drink, but today was not like that. I was bitter as fuck today. It complimented me well.

The guys talked about work and a little of their weekend activities. Places where they played football. Turfs that stole money from them. Which was funny, I'm sure. Then, Seulgi tapped in about something and they laughed again. They even mentioned something about Javascript that I had no business with, but I nodded along.

Jungkook, as I noticed, was tapping on his cup. Devoted to his drink and making sure when he looked at me, I felt hated.

We laughed a few more rounds and then my cup was empty. Bo Gum offered more but I politely declined. The counter to put them back was, of course, just behind Jungkook. He was making sure to pass the orders for us so it was understandable but shit.

I picked up the cup and walked around the table, stroking my skirt.

That asshole.

He decided to step his foot out right when I was there.

His foot shot out and I yelped.

My life flashed before my eyes. I was seconds away from flashing my underwear to the entire table and giving them a show they didn't pay for.

But his arm lunged below my stomach. He caught me. The cup slipped and landed on the floor. Didn't break.

I tried to breathe, hanging on his arm. My fingers latched on his shirt sleeve.

I couldn't breathe.

"You're trippy already, Miss Kang." He said.

I heard a few controlled pfft-s and squeezed laughs. They wanted to laugh at me. I was a joke. All because of this bastard.

My head snapped up and I flung myself back to standing. My hair slapped across my face.

"You—You—"

"Thank me." He whispered, only to me.

My eyes shot wide.

"In your dreams." I spat and picked my cup up, putting it back on the counter. I scooted away from him while returning to my place.

Disgusting.

I was going to avenge him. Avenge him so bad he was going to cry.

And I did.

We talked for some more time on matters of no importance. But as soon as he got up from his seat to put the cup back, I braced myself.

I huddled in the crowd. Just enough so that he couldn't see where exactly I was.

As soon as he put his cup back and turned towards the exit, my leg shot out.

Clean. Cut. And so innocent that when he went running forward a few steps before collapsing on his knees.

I cut back and shuffled so behind everyone that no one would suspect me.

Yes. That's right.

"Is—he okay?" Park Bo Gum tried to rush to him but he was already standing up. Furious.

He whirled and located me.

I smirked.

"Are you alright Mr Jeon? Did you hurt yourself?" I said as dramatically as I could. As if I was concerned for him. Like hell.

He didn’t speak. He just stood there, dripping with spilled pride and silent rage. His jaw clenched once—tight enough for me to know it was personal now.

And I? I flicked my hair as I walked by.