Meant For Someone Else - Chapter Fourteen
Title: Meant For Someone Else
Pairings: YooSu but after much deliberation, all pairings are now regarded equally.
Genre: Angst, Romance
Rating: Pg-13 for language
Summary: Kim Corporation and Park Enterprises are two of the most powerful businesses in South Korea. What happens when the heir to one empire gets married to the daughter of the other? Worse yet--what happens when the groom doesn't fall in love with the bride...but with her BROTHER?
A/N: Right. So…this came just a bit earlier than my recent posts for this fic D:
Chapter Fourteen
“He’s stupid,” Changmin declared bluntly, spearing a sausage in front of him. “That, or he’s gone completely insane.”
“Well, that much is obvious,” Jaejoong said with a roll of his eyes. They stopped on the watch at the corner of the kitchen and he mentally calculated the time. Barely half an hour before they had to leave and still Ji Yool had yet to come down. “You know Changmin, I’ve come to the conclusion that you are a bad influence on my daughter.”
“Oh?” Changmin replied, not missing a beat and taking a bite out of his toast and spooning eggs into his mouth. “What makes you say that?”
“Ever since you started babysitting two months ago, I’ve noticed all she does is eat,” Jaejoong commented. “Your black-hole of an appetite is rubbing off on her.”
“She’s a growing child,” Changmin retorted, pointing a utensil in Jaejoong’s direction. “Children need to eat as much as possible in able to grow properly.”
“And that’s another thing!” Jaejoong said accusingly. “She starts pointing with anything in her hands and it’s rude! Plus, she’s a quiet girl and she seldom talks, but when she does, it’s like she’s parroting you. Everything that comes out of her mouth is like some never ending snark.”
“But of course,” Changmin beamed smugly. “She’s learning from the best.”
“That is not something to be proud of,” Jaejoong said with an arched brow before calling Ji Yool to hurry up and come down stairs. “What were you saying about Yoochun’s insanity?” he settled himself with a hip leaning on the counter, coffee in hand and steadily watching the clock. They had to leave soon. Morning traffic was a bitch.
“He wants to throw a party.”
Jaejoong waited for more, but Changmin wasn’t very forthcoming. “What, that’s it? He’s insane because he wants to throw a party? If he wants to throw one, then let him. What’s it to you?”
“No, I don’t think you understand,” Changmin shook his head. “He wants to throw a company party. As in, both companies.”
“Oh? Why? What are we celebrating?” Jaejoong asked as he took a sip of his coffee, nose wrinkling. Changmin never could get it right. At least he was close this time, all it needed was a tiny bit of sugar.
“Exactly.” Changmin said with a flourish of his fork in the air. “That’s where the stupid comes in. He wants to celebrate the success of the merger.”
“That’s not such a bad idea.”
“No, see, settling the staff was a success. The transfers went smoothly, thank God. But in the financial aspect, we have yet to see any significant profitable yields,” Changmin explained. “So far, we’ve only replaced their company computers and upgraded their system. Now, that’s all very good, except the contract states that our technology has to be able to appeal to their patrons. If you consider the time period outlined in the contract, we’re behind schedule. We should have started discussions on possible equipment to be installed in the actual hotel rooms, but we haven’t even set up a formal meeting since the merger two months ago.”
Jaejoong wrinkled his nose, letting the rich aroma of caffeine waft through his senses. It was too early to be talking about work. Regardless, Changmin had a point. “You’re right. Get started on those discussion topics, I’ll try and schedule an Executive Meeting for the end of next week. Just tell me what you need to make things happen faster.”
“Blue prints of the hotels would be nice.” Changmin said after a moment (probably more to bite than to think, really). “Then I can start on a list for things we can set up as soon as possible. Then maybe a tour so we can expand the list.”
“Blue prints first,” Jejoong said before setting his mug on the table and fishing his phone out of his pocket. “Those are legal documents, so I’ll probably need to write up a request before I can take those out. But let me call Yunho first and see if he can’t speed up the process.”
Through his preoccupation, Jaejoong failed to see the only pause Changmin’s spoon made on its way to his mouth, the name once again affecting Changmin in a way that even the younger man didn’t understand. In a space of a breath, Changmin’s reasonably good morning was thrown into something slightly more depressing. He listened to Jaejoong’s amused chatter, his conversation obviously going well. It tightened something in his chest, a tiny twinge of what, he didn’t really understand, but was afraid to know.
“Well, of course it takes some time,” Jaeoong drawled, “I know that. But good things tend to happen when I’m kept suitably satisfied.”
From beneath his lashes and under the guise of taking another bite, Changmin watched as a smirk worked its way across the older man’s striking features. It transformed his usually haughty look into something more approachable.
“Get me those blue prints as soon as possible and you won’t have to wonder Yunho-sshi.” The phone snapped shut and Changmin barely kept himself from jumping. Shoveling more breakfast into his mouth, he was overcome with sudden enthusiasm for scrambled eggs.
“Done, Min.” Jaejoong proclaimed proudly. He encircled the younger man’s shoulders with his free arm, coffee occupying the other hand. Knocking his head lightly against Changmin’s he said, “I’ll have someone deliver your blue prints by this afternoon.” A gentle squeeze and he left the kitchen, taking the room’s warmth with him.
--
Yunho hung up the phone with the silliest grin on his face and he had no idea why. In recent months he’d come to find out that there was just something about Kim Jaejoong that made him smile. He didn’t know whether to feel wary or to bask in the feeling. The man was like all shades of the rainbow, different facets of his personality that shown and meshed in a way that didn’t seem odd or bipolar, coming out as a fascinating quirks and characteristics instead. Yunho hadn’t been quite this enthralled in a while. Not that he’d openly admit it of course.
But it wasn’t like Jaejoong was being subtle either.
The man flirted with him at every opportunity, contradicting everything he said only to acquiesce with a knowing smirk in the end, exchanging witty barbs, and keeping him on his toes every second they came face to face in the office. It was exhilarating to say the least.
Puttering around his desk, Yunho took his sweet time with his work, slightly distracted but ultimately satisfied. He finished earlier than expected and grudgingly started work for the blueprints Jaejoong had asked for. They were relatively easy to acquire, a few well-placed phone calls ensuring that they’d be on his desk and ready for delivery within the hour. Glancing at the wall clock, he deemed it much too early for Jaejoong to get anything. He wanted the other man to wait for a bit, a tiny bit of vengeance to remind him that not everything he wanted, he’d get.
Yunho decided to take a break, telling his secretary to follow up on the blueprints while he was gone and that he’d be back before five. While in the elevator he debated between going out for a drive and taking a walk, deciding to be kind to the environment and taking the scenic route to a park nestled at the heart of the business district.
It was a windy day and Yunho mildly regretted going out in only his suit, wistfully thinking of his warm coat carelessly thrown over the back hook of his office door. The winter months were fast approaching, spring and summer nothing but a blur. Admittedly, they’d been the most busy yet appealing months he’d experienced in a while. For once, after a long time, Yunho felt that life wasn’t so bad after all. The park came into view in all its gold and brown glory, as if adding to Yunho’s positive thought.
He sat at a bench farthest from the street, reveling in the relative quiet of his surroundings. There were no children here, the park too ensconced within the business district and too far from any schools for children to come and play. There were others like him though, a small scattering of men and women in suits probably enjoying a late lunch or taking a breather from a busy day at the office. Most were too far for him to observe clearly, but those who were in his line of vision looked tired, the crisp cleanliness of their work attire a bit wilted now that the day was winding down.
Vaguely, Yunho wondered if he looked just like them: haggard and exhausted from over work. He wouldn’t be surprised if he did. The past few years had been nothing but business meetings and over time, working under the strict thumb of his father and then slowly taking over the firm after that. The older Jung had unofficially retired last year, still claiming the title while contenting himself with letting Yunho run most of their legal business.
Yunho didn’t mind the responsibility, even reveled in it in fact. It’s just…he’d be a fool to think that he’d be able to survive on work alone. His mother had become increasingly insistent with her pleas for him to be setup on blind dates, constantly asking him when he thought of settling down. Even his father had started to broach the subject of an heir.
Now, that would all be fine and dandy except Yunho didn’t think his parents had fully accepted the fact that maybe their son wasn’t interested in women. Oh, he was attracted to them, he was a man after all, but…as far as pursuing a romantic, or serious relationship, Yunho didn’t exactly have women in mind. Though his parents knew of his preferences, it was easier for them to ignore the fact.
So Yunho brushed off their subtle advances with a vague comment or a smooth change of subject instead, preferring to ignore the thought of relationships all together. Besides, since his last serious relationship, everyone failed in comparison. Until Kim Jaejoong that is.
Yunho had toyed with the idea of pursuing a romantic liaison with Jaejoong for quite a while, the other’s contradicting characteristics providing a never ending fascination. But it was those same characteristics that had Yunho holding back, wary to start something with the potential to be serious. There was so much about Jaejoong he didn’t know, so much possibility for something that Yunho didn’t quite understand. In business he was ruthless yet considerate, practical yet sentimental, qualities that both endeared him to Yunho and kept him away. He was complicated yet straightforward, so completely different from the (past) love of Yunho’s life that the differences had Yunho reeling.
Sighing, he figured that he definitely looked like all those worn out office workers. But instead of legal ventures troubling him, it was confusing matters of the heart.
--
“Yes, of course. That we’re reliable is a given, Mr. Kwon. No, no, I understand your concern but I assure you that although Kim Corporation is under new management, our policies and procedures are very much the same.” A knock sounded from the door and Junsu uttered a quick come in before returning to his phone conversation. “That’s a guarantee, yes. Excellent! We look forward to continuing business with you. Please direct any further questions or concerns to my office. All right, thank you. Goodbye.”
“Working hard?”
Junsu looked up at the voice, slightly startled that someone was there. “Not particularly. Just appeasing wary investors. What do you have there?” he said with a ready smile, gesturing for his wife to come further into the room.
“I’m not interrupting you, am I?” Hye Bin asked, hesitating at the threshold. “It’s lunch but…if you’re busy I can always come back later.”
“Ah, lunch already?” Junsu said, mildly surprised. He hadn’t been aware of the time. “Come in Hye Bin-ah. I need a break anyway.”
“Oh good. I don’t want to bother you.”
“Don’t worry, you aren’t.”
They seated themselves at a small table in a corner of the large office and Junsu was surprised when Hye Bin untied the knot of her bundle. “You made lunch?”
Hye Bin nodded shyly, fingers fumbling at the knots. “I just-I figured you’d be too busy to…to go out for lunch so. Yes. This is lunch.” Somewhat baffled by the thought, Junsu peeked under the lids. “It’s chicken. You like chicken…right?”
Grinning, Junsu said, “It’s my favorite.”
Breathing an obvious sigh of relief, Hye Bin proceeded to take out utensils and set up their makeshift lunch table. They began eating in good spirits even if conversation was a bit lacking. “Ah, Junsu,” Hye Bin said as they moved on to dessert. “Yoochun oppa was asking if you’ve given any thought to that company party he’s been suggesting.” Junsu made a noncommittal noise as he speared a melon from a container. “He says he’s been trying to reach your office, but that Hee Bon-sshi always says you’re out. He was asking me for your private line but…I didn’t think it was a good idea to give it to him since it’s kind of obvious that-um. That…you didn’t want to talk to him.” She looked away; embarrassment coloring her cheeks for speaking in a way she thought was too blunt.
Junsu mirrored the expression, face warm. He didn’t think his avoidance tactics were that obvious. He was wrong of course. Which was why an awkward silence was settling around them. “I haven’t, actually,” Junsu said with an awkward clearing of his throat. “But I guess I’ll…I’ll give him a call after lunch.” He almost grimaced at the halfhearted smile Hye Bin gave him in return. “So…how’s work? I know I haven’t really been able to help you settle in, but Ri In tells me you’re doing very well.”
Hye Bin immediately brightened at the change of subject. “Unnie has been treating me very well!” she nodded enthusiastically. “She introduced me to all the other employees and showed me around. She also invites me to eat all the time.”
“I’m glad she’s making you feel welcome,” Junsu nodded in approval. “The work isn’t too much, is it?”
“No, no, not at all,” Hye Bin answered with a shake of her head. “It’s a little tiring, but the good kind of tired. I…I feel accomplished at the end of the day.”
“That’s-that’s wonderful Hye Bin,” Junsu said, unable to say much in the face of his beaming wife. She looked happy-a far cry from the grave, determined woman he’d said ‘I do’ to. “But you shouldn’t over do it, all right? There’s nothing wrong with taking a break every now and then.”
“Oh, I know,” Hye Bin replied, taking a piece of fruit and offering the last one to Junsu, who gratefully accepted. “Ri In unnie always insists I go home early. I’ve been feeling a little tired recently, so I usually do. But…”she gave Junsu a look that was mildly disapproving. “Junsu, you should follow your own advice. Don’t work too hard. You should-you should try to come home earlier.” Suddenly shy, Hye Bin busied herself with putting away the dishes.
Speechless, once again, in that somewhat really awkward way, Junsu just nodded. Thankfully, he was saved by the sudden blinking on his intercom. “Ah, excuse me.” He said, rising.
“Sir, Kim Jaejoong-sshi is here and says he would like to discuss something with you. Shall I let him in?”
Junsu glanced in Hye Bin’s direction, but she was already expecting him. Go ahead she mouthed, tying up the knot on her bundle, We’re finished. He smiled and told Hee Bon to let the other man in. Junsu buzzed off the intercom and found Hye Bin approaching him, the look on her face told him she had something to say.
“Um, well-here.” She handed him a small plastic container. A slight lift of the lid told him it was more fruit. “Dinner seems like a long way from now and you might get hungry and want to take a break so uh…eat that if you do.”
Three awkward moments in less than an hour. In which he’s left almost speechless every time. Junsu couldn’t quite decide if it was a good or a bad thing. “Hye Bin-”
-and she kissed him hurriedly on the cheek.
“Right. Okay, bye.”
For the first time Junsu truly was speechless, the light peck on his cheek completely unexpected. All he could do was watch dumbfounded as she rushed from the room, cheeks warm and eyes bright. She said a quick hello and directed a hasty bow in Jaejoong’s direction, catching him just as he was entering the door.
“Did I interrupt something?” Jaejoong asked delicately when Hye Bin disappeared before he could greet her. He glanced at Junsu and noted his still-dazed expression.
“Um-no. No, nothing at all. What did you want to talk about?”
“All right, listen. What do you think about a little company get together?”
A/N: all right, so I’m bad. Very very BAD. Instead of finishing off this fic and Casanova you’ve probably seen me lurking around dropping off angsty HoMin. I make no excuses for myself since HoMin is sexy and I just can’t resist them. That, and its partly because of school, part laziness and lack of inspiration, and-yeah. That was me making excuses. Ignore that.
Anyway, I just want everyone to know that I WILL NOT be dropping this fic or any other one. I WILL FINISH everything that I’ve started before posting new (chaptered) stuff. In the mean time, please satisfy yourselves with the one shots I will undoubtedly be posting in between and have already posted. And thanks to anyone who still reads. And sorry for taking so long.
oh, and i'd really appreciate it anyone who comments could comment a bit on Junsu and Hye Bin's relationship so far. i wanna know what my reader's think about them. and i dropped a few hints here and there about EPIC things to occur, so yeahh :D
♥
Pairings: YooSu but after much deliberation, all pairings are now regarded equally.
Genre: Angst, Romance
Rating: Pg-13 for language
Summary: Kim Corporation and Park Enterprises are two of the most powerful businesses in South Korea. What happens when the heir to one empire gets married to the daughter of the other? Worse yet--what happens when the groom doesn't fall in love with the bride...but with her BROTHER?
A/N: Right. So…this came just a bit earlier than my recent posts for this fic D:
Chapter Fourteen
“He’s stupid,” Changmin declared bluntly, spearing a sausage in front of him. “That, or he’s gone completely insane.”
“Well, that much is obvious,” Jaejoong said with a roll of his eyes. They stopped on the watch at the corner of the kitchen and he mentally calculated the time. Barely half an hour before they had to leave and still Ji Yool had yet to come down. “You know Changmin, I’ve come to the conclusion that you are a bad influence on my daughter.”
“Oh?” Changmin replied, not missing a beat and taking a bite out of his toast and spooning eggs into his mouth. “What makes you say that?”
“Ever since you started babysitting two months ago, I’ve noticed all she does is eat,” Jaejoong commented. “Your black-hole of an appetite is rubbing off on her.”
“She’s a growing child,” Changmin retorted, pointing a utensil in Jaejoong’s direction. “Children need to eat as much as possible in able to grow properly.”
“And that’s another thing!” Jaejoong said accusingly. “She starts pointing with anything in her hands and it’s rude! Plus, she’s a quiet girl and she seldom talks, but when she does, it’s like she’s parroting you. Everything that comes out of her mouth is like some never ending snark.”
“But of course,” Changmin beamed smugly. “She’s learning from the best.”
“That is not something to be proud of,” Jaejoong said with an arched brow before calling Ji Yool to hurry up and come down stairs. “What were you saying about Yoochun’s insanity?” he settled himself with a hip leaning on the counter, coffee in hand and steadily watching the clock. They had to leave soon. Morning traffic was a bitch.
“He wants to throw a party.”
Jaejoong waited for more, but Changmin wasn’t very forthcoming. “What, that’s it? He’s insane because he wants to throw a party? If he wants to throw one, then let him. What’s it to you?”
“No, I don’t think you understand,” Changmin shook his head. “He wants to throw a company party. As in, both companies.”
“Oh? Why? What are we celebrating?” Jaejoong asked as he took a sip of his coffee, nose wrinkling. Changmin never could get it right. At least he was close this time, all it needed was a tiny bit of sugar.
“Exactly.” Changmin said with a flourish of his fork in the air. “That’s where the stupid comes in. He wants to celebrate the success of the merger.”
“That’s not such a bad idea.”
“No, see, settling the staff was a success. The transfers went smoothly, thank God. But in the financial aspect, we have yet to see any significant profitable yields,” Changmin explained. “So far, we’ve only replaced their company computers and upgraded their system. Now, that’s all very good, except the contract states that our technology has to be able to appeal to their patrons. If you consider the time period outlined in the contract, we’re behind schedule. We should have started discussions on possible equipment to be installed in the actual hotel rooms, but we haven’t even set up a formal meeting since the merger two months ago.”
Jaejoong wrinkled his nose, letting the rich aroma of caffeine waft through his senses. It was too early to be talking about work. Regardless, Changmin had a point. “You’re right. Get started on those discussion topics, I’ll try and schedule an Executive Meeting for the end of next week. Just tell me what you need to make things happen faster.”
“Blue prints of the hotels would be nice.” Changmin said after a moment (probably more to bite than to think, really). “Then I can start on a list for things we can set up as soon as possible. Then maybe a tour so we can expand the list.”
“Blue prints first,” Jejoong said before setting his mug on the table and fishing his phone out of his pocket. “Those are legal documents, so I’ll probably need to write up a request before I can take those out. But let me call Yunho first and see if he can’t speed up the process.”
Through his preoccupation, Jaejoong failed to see the only pause Changmin’s spoon made on its way to his mouth, the name once again affecting Changmin in a way that even the younger man didn’t understand. In a space of a breath, Changmin’s reasonably good morning was thrown into something slightly more depressing. He listened to Jaejoong’s amused chatter, his conversation obviously going well. It tightened something in his chest, a tiny twinge of what, he didn’t really understand, but was afraid to know.
“Well, of course it takes some time,” Jaeoong drawled, “I know that. But good things tend to happen when I’m kept suitably satisfied.”
From beneath his lashes and under the guise of taking another bite, Changmin watched as a smirk worked its way across the older man’s striking features. It transformed his usually haughty look into something more approachable.
“Get me those blue prints as soon as possible and you won’t have to wonder Yunho-sshi.” The phone snapped shut and Changmin barely kept himself from jumping. Shoveling more breakfast into his mouth, he was overcome with sudden enthusiasm for scrambled eggs.
“Done, Min.” Jaejoong proclaimed proudly. He encircled the younger man’s shoulders with his free arm, coffee occupying the other hand. Knocking his head lightly against Changmin’s he said, “I’ll have someone deliver your blue prints by this afternoon.” A gentle squeeze and he left the kitchen, taking the room’s warmth with him.
--
Yunho hung up the phone with the silliest grin on his face and he had no idea why. In recent months he’d come to find out that there was just something about Kim Jaejoong that made him smile. He didn’t know whether to feel wary or to bask in the feeling. The man was like all shades of the rainbow, different facets of his personality that shown and meshed in a way that didn’t seem odd or bipolar, coming out as a fascinating quirks and characteristics instead. Yunho hadn’t been quite this enthralled in a while. Not that he’d openly admit it of course.
But it wasn’t like Jaejoong was being subtle either.
The man flirted with him at every opportunity, contradicting everything he said only to acquiesce with a knowing smirk in the end, exchanging witty barbs, and keeping him on his toes every second they came face to face in the office. It was exhilarating to say the least.
Puttering around his desk, Yunho took his sweet time with his work, slightly distracted but ultimately satisfied. He finished earlier than expected and grudgingly started work for the blueprints Jaejoong had asked for. They were relatively easy to acquire, a few well-placed phone calls ensuring that they’d be on his desk and ready for delivery within the hour. Glancing at the wall clock, he deemed it much too early for Jaejoong to get anything. He wanted the other man to wait for a bit, a tiny bit of vengeance to remind him that not everything he wanted, he’d get.
Yunho decided to take a break, telling his secretary to follow up on the blueprints while he was gone and that he’d be back before five. While in the elevator he debated between going out for a drive and taking a walk, deciding to be kind to the environment and taking the scenic route to a park nestled at the heart of the business district.
It was a windy day and Yunho mildly regretted going out in only his suit, wistfully thinking of his warm coat carelessly thrown over the back hook of his office door. The winter months were fast approaching, spring and summer nothing but a blur. Admittedly, they’d been the most busy yet appealing months he’d experienced in a while. For once, after a long time, Yunho felt that life wasn’t so bad after all. The park came into view in all its gold and brown glory, as if adding to Yunho’s positive thought.
He sat at a bench farthest from the street, reveling in the relative quiet of his surroundings. There were no children here, the park too ensconced within the business district and too far from any schools for children to come and play. There were others like him though, a small scattering of men and women in suits probably enjoying a late lunch or taking a breather from a busy day at the office. Most were too far for him to observe clearly, but those who were in his line of vision looked tired, the crisp cleanliness of their work attire a bit wilted now that the day was winding down.
Vaguely, Yunho wondered if he looked just like them: haggard and exhausted from over work. He wouldn’t be surprised if he did. The past few years had been nothing but business meetings and over time, working under the strict thumb of his father and then slowly taking over the firm after that. The older Jung had unofficially retired last year, still claiming the title while contenting himself with letting Yunho run most of their legal business.
Yunho didn’t mind the responsibility, even reveled in it in fact. It’s just…he’d be a fool to think that he’d be able to survive on work alone. His mother had become increasingly insistent with her pleas for him to be setup on blind dates, constantly asking him when he thought of settling down. Even his father had started to broach the subject of an heir.
Now, that would all be fine and dandy except Yunho didn’t think his parents had fully accepted the fact that maybe their son wasn’t interested in women. Oh, he was attracted to them, he was a man after all, but…as far as pursuing a romantic, or serious relationship, Yunho didn’t exactly have women in mind. Though his parents knew of his preferences, it was easier for them to ignore the fact.
So Yunho brushed off their subtle advances with a vague comment or a smooth change of subject instead, preferring to ignore the thought of relationships all together. Besides, since his last serious relationship, everyone failed in comparison. Until Kim Jaejoong that is.
Yunho had toyed with the idea of pursuing a romantic liaison with Jaejoong for quite a while, the other’s contradicting characteristics providing a never ending fascination. But it was those same characteristics that had Yunho holding back, wary to start something with the potential to be serious. There was so much about Jaejoong he didn’t know, so much possibility for something that Yunho didn’t quite understand. In business he was ruthless yet considerate, practical yet sentimental, qualities that both endeared him to Yunho and kept him away. He was complicated yet straightforward, so completely different from the (past) love of Yunho’s life that the differences had Yunho reeling.
Sighing, he figured that he definitely looked like all those worn out office workers. But instead of legal ventures troubling him, it was confusing matters of the heart.
--
“Yes, of course. That we’re reliable is a given, Mr. Kwon. No, no, I understand your concern but I assure you that although Kim Corporation is under new management, our policies and procedures are very much the same.” A knock sounded from the door and Junsu uttered a quick come in before returning to his phone conversation. “That’s a guarantee, yes. Excellent! We look forward to continuing business with you. Please direct any further questions or concerns to my office. All right, thank you. Goodbye.”
“Working hard?”
Junsu looked up at the voice, slightly startled that someone was there. “Not particularly. Just appeasing wary investors. What do you have there?” he said with a ready smile, gesturing for his wife to come further into the room.
“I’m not interrupting you, am I?” Hye Bin asked, hesitating at the threshold. “It’s lunch but…if you’re busy I can always come back later.”
“Ah, lunch already?” Junsu said, mildly surprised. He hadn’t been aware of the time. “Come in Hye Bin-ah. I need a break anyway.”
“Oh good. I don’t want to bother you.”
“Don’t worry, you aren’t.”
They seated themselves at a small table in a corner of the large office and Junsu was surprised when Hye Bin untied the knot of her bundle. “You made lunch?”
Hye Bin nodded shyly, fingers fumbling at the knots. “I just-I figured you’d be too busy to…to go out for lunch so. Yes. This is lunch.” Somewhat baffled by the thought, Junsu peeked under the lids. “It’s chicken. You like chicken…right?”
Grinning, Junsu said, “It’s my favorite.”
Breathing an obvious sigh of relief, Hye Bin proceeded to take out utensils and set up their makeshift lunch table. They began eating in good spirits even if conversation was a bit lacking. “Ah, Junsu,” Hye Bin said as they moved on to dessert. “Yoochun oppa was asking if you’ve given any thought to that company party he’s been suggesting.” Junsu made a noncommittal noise as he speared a melon from a container. “He says he’s been trying to reach your office, but that Hee Bon-sshi always says you’re out. He was asking me for your private line but…I didn’t think it was a good idea to give it to him since it’s kind of obvious that-um. That…you didn’t want to talk to him.” She looked away; embarrassment coloring her cheeks for speaking in a way she thought was too blunt.
Junsu mirrored the expression, face warm. He didn’t think his avoidance tactics were that obvious. He was wrong of course. Which was why an awkward silence was settling around them. “I haven’t, actually,” Junsu said with an awkward clearing of his throat. “But I guess I’ll…I’ll give him a call after lunch.” He almost grimaced at the halfhearted smile Hye Bin gave him in return. “So…how’s work? I know I haven’t really been able to help you settle in, but Ri In tells me you’re doing very well.”
Hye Bin immediately brightened at the change of subject. “Unnie has been treating me very well!” she nodded enthusiastically. “She introduced me to all the other employees and showed me around. She also invites me to eat all the time.”
“I’m glad she’s making you feel welcome,” Junsu nodded in approval. “The work isn’t too much, is it?”
“No, no, not at all,” Hye Bin answered with a shake of her head. “It’s a little tiring, but the good kind of tired. I…I feel accomplished at the end of the day.”
“That’s-that’s wonderful Hye Bin,” Junsu said, unable to say much in the face of his beaming wife. She looked happy-a far cry from the grave, determined woman he’d said ‘I do’ to. “But you shouldn’t over do it, all right? There’s nothing wrong with taking a break every now and then.”
“Oh, I know,” Hye Bin replied, taking a piece of fruit and offering the last one to Junsu, who gratefully accepted. “Ri In unnie always insists I go home early. I’ve been feeling a little tired recently, so I usually do. But…”she gave Junsu a look that was mildly disapproving. “Junsu, you should follow your own advice. Don’t work too hard. You should-you should try to come home earlier.” Suddenly shy, Hye Bin busied herself with putting away the dishes.
Speechless, once again, in that somewhat really awkward way, Junsu just nodded. Thankfully, he was saved by the sudden blinking on his intercom. “Ah, excuse me.” He said, rising.
“Sir, Kim Jaejoong-sshi is here and says he would like to discuss something with you. Shall I let him in?”
Junsu glanced in Hye Bin’s direction, but she was already expecting him. Go ahead she mouthed, tying up the knot on her bundle, We’re finished. He smiled and told Hee Bon to let the other man in. Junsu buzzed off the intercom and found Hye Bin approaching him, the look on her face told him she had something to say.
“Um, well-here.” She handed him a small plastic container. A slight lift of the lid told him it was more fruit. “Dinner seems like a long way from now and you might get hungry and want to take a break so uh…eat that if you do.”
Three awkward moments in less than an hour. In which he’s left almost speechless every time. Junsu couldn’t quite decide if it was a good or a bad thing. “Hye Bin-”
-and she kissed him hurriedly on the cheek.
“Right. Okay, bye.”
For the first time Junsu truly was speechless, the light peck on his cheek completely unexpected. All he could do was watch dumbfounded as she rushed from the room, cheeks warm and eyes bright. She said a quick hello and directed a hasty bow in Jaejoong’s direction, catching him just as he was entering the door.
“Did I interrupt something?” Jaejoong asked delicately when Hye Bin disappeared before he could greet her. He glanced at Junsu and noted his still-dazed expression.
“Um-no. No, nothing at all. What did you want to talk about?”
“All right, listen. What do you think about a little company get together?”
A/N: all right, so I’m bad. Very very BAD. Instead of finishing off this fic and Casanova you’ve probably seen me lurking around dropping off angsty HoMin. I make no excuses for myself since HoMin is sexy and I just can’t resist them. That, and its partly because of school, part laziness and lack of inspiration, and-yeah. That was me making excuses. Ignore that.
Anyway, I just want everyone to know that I WILL NOT be dropping this fic or any other one. I WILL FINISH everything that I’ve started before posting new (chaptered) stuff. In the mean time, please satisfy yourselves with the one shots I will undoubtedly be posting in between and have already posted. And thanks to anyone who still reads. And sorry for taking so long.
oh, and i'd really appreciate it anyone who comments could comment a bit on Junsu and Hye Bin's relationship so far. i wanna know what my reader's think about them. and i dropped a few hints here and there about EPIC things to occur, so yeahh :D
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