36

"Who was responsible for managing the client?" Mr Park Sungho asked through the compartment of his video calling screen.

I bit my lip, blinking at the screen but I could see Sohyun and Seulgi shaking in their seats from afar. I adjusted my computer system headphones as if they weren't perfectly fitted.

A client had written to the CEO of Neureva, pointing out the indecent and ridiculous service given to the hospital, resulting in a medical mishap that the interns could not catch as they were still under training. The prescription turned out wrong and the patient ended up taking one dose of the wrong drug before it was officially identified that the medicine was incorrect. Too sensitive a mistake. Fortunately, the dose did not have any effect on the patient but the hospital, which was our main client, lodged a serious complaint against Neureva and wrote to the CEO explaining the incident, questioning the trustworthiness of the work we do.

Turns out, my beloved team was the one with the error. Sohyun and Seulgi. Both of them were trapped in the call with Park Sungho, whom Mr Min reports to.

What a fuck-all situation.

We were now logged in and attending an online conference with Mr Min and Mr Park in attendance to figure out the entire premise of the incident and how it occurred.

I hated my life in this company because of things like this. I didn't want to take responsibility for such sensitive stuff. Why couldn't there be no consequences and just normal happenings?

"The—The incident case was dealt with by me," Sohyun began, clearly flustered and tensed. Her voice was squeaky loud and too stiff.

I shouldn't have been this bothered but I felt bad for the situation they were stuck in. Although, I had mentally prepared for this to become my responsibility at any given time because 'Oh! The Assistant Manager was doing what when this happened?' Taking a shit, I don't know! I didn't even remember what happened that day.

"—and Seulgi," Mr Min completed for her. "Miss Hae was involved with the pre-approval of the diagnosis pack."

Pre-approvals of diagnosis packs. A heavy term for us. We had a big process route to confirm and send to the hospitals. A part of this was jotting down diagnosis reports. These reports were collated, saved into folders and then assessed in parallel to determine what medications were available on the system to deal with that issue. So someone has to physically approve the diagnosis and send it. The pre-approval and preparation of that diagnosis was what Seulgi did. So she wasn't as much at fault as Sohyun who didn't recheck it before sending it off.

"Why did we miss the diagnosis approval? Did we not check this thoroughly?" Park Sungho asked, eyes fluttering on the screen and we didn't even know who the fuck he was looking at right now.

"We usually have a...bunch of approved files saved to reduce the time taken to supply a diagnosis." Sohyun began in a thin voice. "Because it was in the approved compartment, we did not check it."

I didn't know if this was a what the fuck moment yet, but the way my stomach was dropping, I caught the hint of it.

"Approved compartments are managed by whom?" Park Sungho questioned.

Mr Min was only blinking at us. He was far from the entire thing so of course, he was not going to say a word. Besides, he was mad and I already knew it. He wasn't the type to show it in the meeting. He just backed out and let us handle it when he knew the mistake was ours. No protection. Only penetration.

"Haerin does—I mean, Miss Kang does it," Sohyun said.

Et tu, Brute?

I blinked at the screen, taking a deep breath with my headphone mic on mute.

I did not just become the entire party at fault now, did I? I fucking did.

And Sohyun? Why the hell did she shift it on me? I did maintain approval folders but the task was not mine to do in the first place. I only did it when these two bitches forgot to do it. And they were regularly doing it the last few days so why the hell was I responsible for it now?

And the worst part of a meeting like this? You couldn't even fight without seeming unprofessional. The more you tried to shift the blame, the worse light you were seen in. And as the assistant manager, I was not allowed to get to their level and fight back. Like a parent telling that they're not responsible for their child becoming a rapist. At that point, the parent would just have to cry and apologise for the loss of others. That's the kind of situation I was trapped in. And in this stupid family, the father—Mr Min—had backed off like he didn't know whose children these were. He had left me to fend for myself.

Well, if I backed out and told him that I wasn't the one maintaining the folder for the past few days, I might be able to get Mr Min's nod. But fuck that. I didn't need his fucking nod when I was only going to get fucked up for this.

Besides, these girls were my team. They relied on me. Motherfucking cheating bastards, I know. But I had to cool the situation down first.

"Yes. I had maintained the folders." I finally spoke into the mic and saw the shift in Seulgi and Sohyun's faces. "This is a miss from me. I'll collate the entire data and run a check on it to make sure we don't repeat this instance. Apologies, Mr Park."

Park Sungho stared at me for a full second. He couldn't believe it but what else could we do?

"Miss Kang, weren't you involved in a breach incident last month as well?"

Oh, crap from the heavens.

I saw the girls' faces contort with shame as they remained tight-lipped about the hell that had broken loose on my reputation.

"Yes..."

"Mr Min," he turned to him next. "Can we set up a formal training on maintaining these approvals for Miss Kang? I need a formal email confirming that this happened by tomorrow. Place her in an integrity issue meeting too."

"Yes, Mr Park." Mr Min silently answered, and he looked pitiful too. I caught the hint of a sigh from him as if the gears in his head had moved and told him that I was taking the fall. But in a situation like this, it was better not to speak against any teammate.

I clenched my eyes shut. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck. The breach incident just made me land harder than intended. Maybe I should have fought back. I couldn't even go back out of it now.

Lied my way into oblivion. You fucker, Haerin.

The meeting ended with sad faces and tensed shifts in seats. Sohyun and Seulgi barely looked at me and quickly left their places to go somewhere out of my sight.

I held my head in my hands to recuperate from what had happened to me. Flat on my back again. Like always.

"Haerin." I got a tap on my shoulder from Mr Min.

He stood beside me like a Terminator of the unworthy. And I was the unworthy one here.

"Calm down. I'll talk to Mr Park to cut the integrity part off. Don't worry." He quietly said. "But get serious about what these people are working on. We can't just keep taking the blame every time or we lose our jobs."

I nodded with a flat smile.

"Sure I can if they don't treat us like a soaking sponge of their mistake-universe." I forced a grin. "If someone shifts the blame on you mid-meeting, how do you save yourself and not look like a bitc—I mean, an unprofessional jerk?"

Mr Min's smile broke a bit when I said that. He paused, examining my expression as if he pitied me and pitied me hard.

I blinked, clearing my throat.

"I get it, Haerin." He gently touched my shoulder, squeezing it once—just enough for me to know that he cared. Then, he left.

For an entire minute, I stayed there, my headphones still on, staring at the screen that announced that the meeting had long ended. An integrity issue with me would cut down all my options to ever grow in this office or in my career. And my dream that was far ahead in the distance of someday becoming a manager? Gone for a fucking toss.

I think I lost track of time for some time sitting like that. And I only jumped out of my skin when Seokjin appeared next to me, slightly concerned.

"Hey..." He pulled a chair next to me, his face looking like he had personally attended that showdown. "I heard what happened from Seulgi. I'm sorry."

I frowned, "You already know? Give me a second to drown in my embarrassment at least."

Seokjin leaned back in his seat, shaking his head, "I always knew Sohyun was the kind to throw someone else under the bus. Never thought she'd do that with you."

Mirae appeared, driving a slow hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure you didn't do it, Haerin. I can say that as your trainee."

"Thanks, Mirae and Seokjin." I smiled. "But my house is on fire and it doesn't matter if I didn't do it. Because all my things are inside." Her brows furrowed so hard that I thought she was about to cry. She wasn't.

"Profound." Seokjin's head bobbed. "Very monk-like response, Miss Kang. Are you sure you don't want to pursue the life of a sage and be enlightened under a tree? That sounds so much better than this corporate slavery."

"But then I wouldn't be able to rock this hairstyle." I pointed at my layers sadly.

Seokjin nodded again, "Valid argument. The only thing you'd be rocking is your bald head."

I huffed, feeling the tear in my chest widening. I couldn't even joke well. My chest felt heavy, choking me like it was a kink. I knew that not a lot of things were in Mr Min's hands. What if he didn't manage to get me out of the integrity issue meeting?

"Do female monks have to shave their heads? I don't think so..." Mirae mused out loud. "Don't they have pretty normal hair?"

"Don't ruin the fun, Mirae." Seokjin scowled at her. "We're already suffering."

Mirae was confused by the response, but she ended up chuckling at whatever the hell was wrong with us.

"Do you want to come with us for lunch? We're going to eat now." Seokjin stood up, straightening his shirt.

I shook my head, "I don't want to right now. I'll finish up some work and meet you guys."

"You sure, Miss Kang? I'm pretty excited about the cafeteria menu today." He grinned down at me.

"This cafeteria is not it." I firmly shook my head. "And start carrying your own lunches instead of making your brother drop them for you."

"What?" He frowned. "I don't bring lunch, Miss Kang. That's not my forte."

"Yeah, yeah," I said in a sing-songy tone, "You're a macho guy. You don't eat lunch."

He chuckled and soon they huddled out of there, leaving me alone with the absolute damage I had to handle. I was fucking sweating in my cleavage from all the stress.

What could I do to cool myself off?

Fuck it. I stood up from my desk, locking my system as I whirled around and stomped my way to the elevator. I needed some air to cool off. Maybe sit in my favourite sweet shop and eat some cake alone. My head was starting to spin with the thought of something sticking to my back like a stinker. Maybe I could start a business of professionally fucking up things. Haerin's Professional Fuck-Up Services. I could already hear the claps.

Once I had boarded the empty elevator, I hugged my cellphone to my chest and leaned back.

Why the heck was I getting so depressed over this? It wasn't like my life was about to end. It was. The door opened on the third floor, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed Jungkook speaking to someone right around the lounge area.

It was just accidental. For me.

I rolled my eyes and averted my face. I didn't need that right now.

But that bastard couldn't see me happy. Right when the door was about to close, something flew inside the elevator and rammed into the wall. I sucked in a breath and cornered myself there because what the hell?

I looked down at the object. A lanyard.

The elevator door opened again when the sensors realised the presence. And Jungkook stepped inside like he owned the elevator company.

"What are you —"

"I did what you said." He quickly bent down to pick up the lanyard. My eyes flew to the tight butt in his trousers and then fluttered away as if I hadn't just done that.

"Great. Now do this too and get out." I looked at him like he was a monster.

"About my mother." He interrupted and my mouth shut. A curl mocked his lips. He stepped closer, both of us now descending inside the metal. "She...she hugged me and cried. For the first time."

I blinked.

What the fuck? My advice actually worked. And he listened? To me?

"At least you did one thing right." I scoffed. "I'm a very wise person. You should listen to me more."

He smirked. "Thanks, Miss Kang."

"Don't get all soft on me." I rolled my eyes, my expression cracking because of how awkward that felt. "Is that why you stopped the elevator?"

"Partially." He tilted his head. "I also assumed that you'd ask for payment for your advice."

"And so?" My eyes narrowed.

"I'll buy you lunch if you haven't eaten already." He hesitantly lifted his shoulders as if he was doing something awkward. His fingers pulled at the hair at the back of his head. "You up for it?"

I cleared my throat, "Try." My smile flattened. "You think you can just buy my kindness with lunch? Very evil mother-in-law of you."

I saw a sharp smile turn his lips. He folded his arms across his chest and tilted his head to maybe mock me harder than he already was. The amount of perfume that I was tasting had to be unhealthy.

"I'm not buying it. Haven't you ever shown gratefulness before, Miss Kang? Or are you always the one who  keeps on giving sorry gifts?" His brows shot up.

Perfume, perfume, perfume!

It was too musky for me. My eyes fluttered up and then back to his chest.

I hated this scent from him.

Jungkook leaned closer, a weird kind of amusement on his face, "Are you sniffing me right now?"

My head shot up, face exploding like a fucking time bomb. "What the hell?! I was just breathing! That's straight-up perversion!"

"Glad you know that." He smirked as the elevator doors opened to the ground-floor cafeteria. "Come on, eat something before you look like Groot made out of branches only."

"You—really—" I tried to enforce my dominance but he was already heading out of there.

I swallowed, flushed like a beet. Fuck this man. How did he even conclude that I was, in fact, sniffing him? Could I just dig up a hole and die?

I stood there, my feet shaking with humiliation as the door began closing again. Jungkook made a leap and thundered against the door. It opened again.

"I wasn't sniffing you, okay?" I shot my finger at him, gasted in my flabber. "I wasn't!"

"Okay, okay," He tilted his head. Obviously, he wasn't serious. "I'll believe that you were just sniffing the food you're about to eat. How does that sound?"

"Patronising! You just have this—" I shook my hands, desperately trying to explain. Jungkook grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the elevator when it started beeping. "—this vehemently overdone perfume that I hate! I hate it okay?"

"Sure." He nodded. "Whatever you say, Miss Kang. Can we have lunch now? Because I'm really hungry and I don't think my perfume is going to feed us."

Rot in hell, you bastard!

I glared at him, personally wronged as I followed him to the far end of the cafeteria with a table set out for two. I slumped on the seat hard enough to make the chair creak. I had to make sure he knew I wasn't happy about this.

"Any preferences?"

I scowled, "Why would I care what perfume you wear?"

"I'm talking about what you want to eat." He raised a brow.

My mouth opened then shut. Embarrassment round fucking two. How the hell does this even happen to me?!

I rolled my eyes, "You're so insightful. Choose yourself."

He smirked. "Okay. But if I order an octopus and its tentacles are still moving, you'll have to eat it."

"Try, Mr Jeon. Try and order something that ridiculous and see what's going to happen next." I warned.

He chuckled under his breath, nodding at the waiter to appear.

He ordered too fast. Too fast for me to understand. One minute the waiter heard and the next he left. I blinked between him, the waiter and the unending discomfort of being forced to share a meal with him.

What was he even thinking about sharing a meal with me like that? Wasn't he scared I'd flip the tray on his face?

"What did you order?" My eyes narrowed suspiciously.

He leaned back, arms folding on his chest as he adjusted himself into the chair. "You'll see."

"If it's octopus, I swear—"

"It's not." He smiled wider, watching me with the menace of a jackal.

I crossed my arms at my chest too and looked away. "You should be scared."

He only watched, allowing me to simmer in my own fucking anxiety and squirm like I wanted to jump and run. Why was I even so agitated in the first place?

I held back and bit my lip to sigh.

"That maternity gift," I looked at him through the corner of my eye.

"Mhm?" He leaned forward as if to encourage me to go on.

"Did you give it...to your colleague? Did she like it?"

He smiled, "Yes. She loved it. Although she wouldn't believe that I didn't get that with a woman's help."

"Understandable."

Silence.

"What do you like to eat, Miss Kang?"

"This is not a date. You don't need to know that." I slammed.

"Yes ma'am." He nodded, shrivelling back into his chair.

After a few minutes, the waiter appeared with the orders. I had expected a crab to grab my nose until it bled or something really crazy but it was pretty neat. Suspiciously neat.

Salmon teriyaki on a bed of jasmine rice. A small salad with sesame dressing. A side of creamy corn soup. I blinked. There was even a peach iced tea, cold and sweet with clinking cubes that looked too elegant for the Neureva cafeteria.

Not one tentacle in sight.

I stared at it. Then at him.

"Really? This looks like what girls post on social media thinking that we don't know a man ordered it for her."

He smirked, pulling his chopsticks apart. "It's smart. And you wouldn't tell me what you needed so I played safe. Are you going to crucify me for that?"

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "I'm well aware of the tricks, Mr Jeon." My eyes flicked to the meal as I muttered. "This is just Jong Suk 2.0."

"Are you comparing me to another man?" His brows shot up, visibly taken aback. "For a fucking meal choice?"

I couldn't tell if it was real or not but he did look like I had hit a nerve.

"I didn't say that. And don't make everything about yourself." I dug my spoon in and filled my mouth with rice. It even tasted good. I closed my eyes, slowly chewing as I realised that I was fucking hungry.

The stress had made me hungry and I didn't even know it.

"This is a standard safe meal for a date, you know?"

"That's what makes it effective." He said without looking up from his food.

I hated how smooth that was.

I took another spoonful of rice, "Why are you being nice to me, Mr Jeon? Have you poisoned me?"

He smiled, "Because you looked like shit in the elevator and I'd prefer if you looked like shit only for me."

"Gross," I muttered. "You could have just said I looked tired—"

"You looked like shit." He interrupted.

Ugh. "So what? What's it to you? Let me look like shit."

"You're right. But as I said, this is a thank you meal for your help with my mother." He shrugged.

I sighed, "You didn't have to. I didn't do anything. The meal's too much."

"Is that translation for 'you're so nice, Mr Jeon'?" He smirked.

"It's translation for Fuck You, Mr Jeon," I smirked, a menacing glare on. He looked up, making sure he didn't look away for long enough to make it awkward.

"That's a weird way of introducing yourself, Miss Kang."

"Oh, is it?" I dramatically raised my eyebrows. "Sorry. Let me try again." I straightened. "Nice to meet you and fuck you, Mr Jeon."

Instead of saying something to retaliate, he paused. Just for a second. Just for a weird second.

"What?" I tilted my head.

"No...I just felt like I've heard you say this to me before." He smirked, pausing mid-chew and then resuming to eat as if he wasn't even understanding what he just said. "I must be crazy."