Business AU - Chapter 8
Title: Aftermath
Universe: NewS/ Business AU/
Rating: PG-13
Character/ Pairings: NewS, OC, DBSK
Disclaimer: I don’t own people. Japanese nor Korean. Sigh.
Summary: Actions have consequences. Whether intentional or not. In Lia’s case, what could it be?
A/N: An update. Finally! Be warned though, this is a really short chappie. I’ll explain it more after you’ve read this. On with the story. =)
Prologue and Chapter1
Chapter2
Chapter3
Chapter4
Chapter5
Chapter6
Chapter7
Weekends was practically erased from Lia’s calendar. Saturday and Sunday seemed to have passed without saying hi to her. In fact, she was so disoriented with the days that she screamed when she woke up to realize that she only had half an hour to prepare for her training.
Monday is my least favorite day. She thought inwardly.
Silently, she cursed herself for overdrinking that fateful Friday night, resulting to her major hangover catastrophe and sleeping in for almost two days. She prided herself in her relatively high alcohol tolerance. But when you wish nothing at that moment to drown in alcohol and then making another stupid mistake of not eating anything first, it was only logical that her entire nervous system would break down.
She hastily made her way to the registration table to record her attendance, bowing mildly to the man who was giving her the materials for that day.
Man.
They are all men, Lia. Why did you not notice it before?!
She cringed as a recent mortifying memory replayed in her mind. How she desperately wished she could turn back the time.
“Ms. Montez, the class will start in five minutes.” She heard the young man remind her. She smiled at him and made her way to the door.
“Ohayo gozaimasu.”
She stopped dead in her tracks as she heard someone greeted her. Nobody ever acknowledged her presence before.
She crossed her fingers and hoped that it was not who she expected it to be. She turned around and knew - there and then - that Monday was officially NOT her day.
She forced every facial muscle to form an acceptable smile as she replied back,
“O-ha-yo.”
“Nice to see you again Ms. Montez.” Jaejoong told her.
Yeah. Same here. Yipee. She thought to herself.
Not trusting her voice enough to speak, she merely nodded in response.
“Are you feeling better? You were pretty drunk last week.”
Pretty.
Lia felt her vision blackened at the mere utterance of the word. She suddenly had an inclination to write to Webster and vote that word out of the dictionary.
She nodded again at him. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. It was the least we could do.” He added as he smiled at her.
Damn those huge brown eyes and mega-watt smile. If she was still in her Sunako-chan cosplay attire, she would have screamed ‘Ahh! So bright!’ right now.
“Uhm, do you already have a seat? You can sit with us if you want.”
She would have accepted his offer - IF she was a masochist. But not being one and not knowing how to decline his offer, she answered him in her most remarkable display of wit to date.
“…I…I…n-need to pee. Bye.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To: Yamashita Tomohisa ; Koyama Keiichiro ; Nishikido Ryo ; Kato Shigeaki ; Takahisa Masuda ; Tegoshi Yuya
From: Montez Liana
Subject: Forgive me
Hi guys!
Still remember me?
Have you received my email last time? I haven’t heard from any of you since then, so I’m not sure if you did.
I just want to say I’m really sorry for making everyone worry. I hope you don’t hate me. And I wish everyone’s doing good.
Lia ^^,
She read her short mail for the 10th time before sending it. She had anticipated that her mailbox would be flooded with replies from them. But there was none. She guessed they were either extremely busy or they were mad at her. It was like a modern version of ‘The boy who cried wolf’. And somehow, she couldn’t blame them.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To: Yamashita Tomohisa ; Koyama Keiichiro ; Nishikido Ryo ; Kato Shigeaki ; Takahisa Masuda ; Tegoshi Yuya
From: Montez Liana
Subject: Training: 2nd day of the 2nd week
Things are horrible in here. I feel as though I’m playing hide and seek with Tohoshinki. I know. I know. I’m such a coward. Stop doing the chicken dance Ryo (I just knew you would be doing that =p)
They’re nice guys actually (I think). Really friendly. Perfect gentlemen. But I still can’t get over my embarrassment. I should have listened to you Pi. Again, my apologies. *bows down*
A bit off topic, but I’m getting a creepy feeling from one of the lecturers here. He says he’s good friends with the Finance Minister (the bald guy who tried to grope me and Tego-nyan). Call it paranoia, but he’s really freaking me out. I’m doing my best to avoid him at all cost. But don’t worry too much about me, I won’t bring trouble (again). I won’t kill him unless it’s absolutely necessary. Harhar. Besides, I have dependable Atty. Kato to back me up (kudos to my intellectual soulmate!^^)
Massu, remember that new Chinese take-out place being constructed at the Midtown area? It’s open now. Let’s eat there sometime. With the rest of the gang of course.
Kei, I bought new green tea from Value Lawson. We ran out. I ordered the big packaging ‘coz I know you love your tea. I’ll buy pastries next time for our tea party.
Tesshi, the arcade near our client’s office already has Guitar Hero! Woot Woot! I am challenging you to a face off. I will be practicing very hard for that. Let’s go play once you’re back.
I just miss everyone. Hope you will be back soon.
Lia ^^,
Lia paused after typing her mail. She had debated whether it was good enough to be sent to them. Eventhough they may be thousands of kilometers apart, she can feel that they were giving her a cold shoulder. She sighed in defeat as she sent her mail and constructed another one.
To: Yamashita Tomohisa ; Koyama Keiichiro ; Nishikido Ryo ; Kato Shigeaki ; Takahisa Masuda ; Tegoshi Yuya
From: Montez Liana
Subject: I understand
I really do. I just hope you’ll forgive me eventually.
Lia ^^,
Lia felt a tug in her heart at the possibility that everything will change when they come back. Somehow, she can’t imagine not being constantly surrounded by their dorky behavior. It was too scary to even imagine. Especially for one Liana Montez.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As soon as they were dismissed for lunch, Lia bolted out of the door. She was only half-listening to the lecture earlier. She hoped that her notes where clear for Tegoshi as the topic was about the psychological prepping of employees who were being laid-off from work. A sensitive topic like that deserves some careful pointers. Lia made sure that her notes would at least be easier for Tesshi to follow.
Absentmindedly, Lia trekked the corridors of the symposium.
Where am I going to eat now? She mentally listed down the nearby cafés and restaurants. Considering that she was eating alone for the third day this week, her appetite had also slowed down. Eating with gluttonous teammates somehow had an effect on her. How she missed Massu’s healthy appetite!
She made her way to the elevator but was stopped as someone blocked her way.
“Ahh, Ms. Montez, I didn’t know it was you.”
Not recognizing the voice, she looked up to see who it was. She fought the urge to raise an eyebrow at him. It was the same speaker who asked her the question regarding the stimulus package.
Lia, still remembering to be polite, nodded a bit to the old man and excused herself. She was however halted when she felt him grab her elbow.
Hesitantly, she turned her head towards him again.
“Ms. Montez, since you don’t have your teammates with you, why don’t you join me for lunch?”, he asked.
She looked at him with a bewildered look on her face.
“I’m sorry Sir. But I am rather booked for the day. I have to go.”
She tried to loosen the man’s grip on her but was shocked to see that the old man did not seem to think the same.
“The name’s Suzuki, Ms. Montez. I know that you don’t have anyone to eat lunch with. Why not join me in my apartment then? I can cook something that both of us can share,” he said as he licked his lips.
Eeewwwww…
Lia can’t help but shudder at the man’s invitation. She wouldn’t ordinarily jump into disturbing conclusions but something about the way this old man look at her and the way he phrased his words that sent cold shivers down her spine. It was as if there was a neon sign plastered on his receding hairline that says: PERVERT! Avoid at ALL cost!
Her mind listed down possible ways to get out of this situation. She looked around and saw that the hallway was pretty deserted. If she screamed for help, who could rescue her? If he insisted and dragged her somewhere, she knew that she wouldn’t hesitate to kick him in the shin and run for her life. But where would she go to?
This is not good Lia. Get yourself out of here! Her brain kept hollering at her.
“Lia! There you are!”
Both she and Mr. Suzuki snapped their attention to where the voice came from. The person who spoke up jogged towards where both she and Suzuki were standing.
Ms. Pretty?
She cocked an eyebrow at him in a fervent attempt to signal a ‘what-are-you-talking-about’ look. He only smiled at her, with a twinge of assurance in his eyes.
“Lia, you told us that you will only be using the bathroom. I am aware that girls happen to have such ritual every now and then, but if we don’t hurry up, Changmin would eat everything on site,” he said as he jerked Lia’s elbow away from Suzuki’s grip and glared at the old man.
Her brain was analyzing the situation before her.
Should she follow him, when she had been avoiding him in the first place OR should she stay put knowing that a creepy pervert was trying to spend an alone time with her? It was obvious what her answer was.
She had chosen the lesser evil.
“R-right! Of course. Changmin can be a real monster when he’s hungry,” she chuckled animatedly as she allowed Jaejoong to lead her out, leaving the old man unable to react.
She was being dragged out of the building by Ms. Pretty, when another thought hit her.
Uhm, who’s Changmin again?
________________________________________________________________________
A/N: I had a poll, and two friends replied. Hehe. Since both of them liked shorter chaps, here it is!
Please answer the poll as well. You can find it here >>> Survey!^^
By the way, what do you think of this chap?
Your comments are ALWAYS appreciated. I update because of you guyz. Show me some love. Hehe.
Thanks to everyone who will. ^^<3
Universe: NewS/ Business AU/
Rating: PG-13
Character/ Pairings: NewS, OC, DBSK
Disclaimer: I don’t own people. Japanese nor Korean. Sigh.
Summary: Actions have consequences. Whether intentional or not. In Lia’s case, what could it be?
A/N: An update. Finally! Be warned though, this is a really short chappie. I’ll explain it more after you’ve read this. On with the story. =)
Prologue and Chapter1
Chapter2
Chapter3
Chapter4
Chapter5
Chapter6
Chapter7
Weekends was practically erased from Lia’s calendar. Saturday and Sunday seemed to have passed without saying hi to her. In fact, she was so disoriented with the days that she screamed when she woke up to realize that she only had half an hour to prepare for her training.
Monday is my least favorite day. She thought inwardly.
Silently, she cursed herself for overdrinking that fateful Friday night, resulting to her major hangover catastrophe and sleeping in for almost two days. She prided herself in her relatively high alcohol tolerance. But when you wish nothing at that moment to drown in alcohol and then making another stupid mistake of not eating anything first, it was only logical that her entire nervous system would break down.
She hastily made her way to the registration table to record her attendance, bowing mildly to the man who was giving her the materials for that day.
Man.
They are all men, Lia. Why did you not notice it before?!
She cringed as a recent mortifying memory replayed in her mind. How she desperately wished she could turn back the time.
“Ms. Montez, the class will start in five minutes.” She heard the young man remind her. She smiled at him and made her way to the door.
“Ohayo gozaimasu.”
She stopped dead in her tracks as she heard someone greeted her. Nobody ever acknowledged her presence before.
She crossed her fingers and hoped that it was not who she expected it to be. She turned around and knew - there and then - that Monday was officially NOT her day.
She forced every facial muscle to form an acceptable smile as she replied back,
“O-ha-yo.”
“Nice to see you again Ms. Montez.” Jaejoong told her.
Yeah. Same here. Yipee. She thought to herself.
Not trusting her voice enough to speak, she merely nodded in response.
“Are you feeling better? You were pretty drunk last week.”
Pretty.
Lia felt her vision blackened at the mere utterance of the word. She suddenly had an inclination to write to Webster and vote that word out of the dictionary.
She nodded again at him. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. It was the least we could do.” He added as he smiled at her.
Damn those huge brown eyes and mega-watt smile. If she was still in her Sunako-chan cosplay attire, she would have screamed ‘Ahh! So bright!’ right now.
“Uhm, do you already have a seat? You can sit with us if you want.”
She would have accepted his offer - IF she was a masochist. But not being one and not knowing how to decline his offer, she answered him in her most remarkable display of wit to date.
“…I…I…n-need to pee. Bye.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To: Yamashita Tomohisa ; Koyama Keiichiro ; Nishikido Ryo ; Kato Shigeaki ; Takahisa Masuda ; Tegoshi Yuya
From: Montez Liana
Subject: Forgive me
Hi guys!
Still remember me?
Have you received my email last time? I haven’t heard from any of you since then, so I’m not sure if you did.
I just want to say I’m really sorry for making everyone worry. I hope you don’t hate me. And I wish everyone’s doing good.
Lia ^^,
She read her short mail for the 10th time before sending it. She had anticipated that her mailbox would be flooded with replies from them. But there was none. She guessed they were either extremely busy or they were mad at her. It was like a modern version of ‘The boy who cried wolf’. And somehow, she couldn’t blame them.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To: Yamashita Tomohisa ; Koyama Keiichiro ; Nishikido Ryo ; Kato Shigeaki ; Takahisa Masuda ; Tegoshi Yuya
From: Montez Liana
Subject: Training: 2nd day of the 2nd week
Things are horrible in here. I feel as though I’m playing hide and seek with Tohoshinki. I know. I know. I’m such a coward. Stop doing the chicken dance Ryo (I just knew you would be doing that =p)
They’re nice guys actually (I think). Really friendly. Perfect gentlemen. But I still can’t get over my embarrassment. I should have listened to you Pi. Again, my apologies. *bows down*
A bit off topic, but I’m getting a creepy feeling from one of the lecturers here. He says he’s good friends with the Finance Minister (the bald guy who tried to grope me and Tego-nyan). Call it paranoia, but he’s really freaking me out. I’m doing my best to avoid him at all cost. But don’t worry too much about me, I won’t bring trouble (again). I won’t kill him unless it’s absolutely necessary. Harhar. Besides, I have dependable Atty. Kato to back me up (kudos to my intellectual soulmate!^^)
Massu, remember that new Chinese take-out place being constructed at the Midtown area? It’s open now. Let’s eat there sometime. With the rest of the gang of course.
Kei, I bought new green tea from Value Lawson. We ran out. I ordered the big packaging ‘coz I know you love your tea. I’ll buy pastries next time for our tea party.
Tesshi, the arcade near our client’s office already has Guitar Hero! Woot Woot! I am challenging you to a face off. I will be practicing very hard for that. Let’s go play once you’re back.
I just miss everyone. Hope you will be back soon.
Lia ^^,
Lia paused after typing her mail. She had debated whether it was good enough to be sent to them. Eventhough they may be thousands of kilometers apart, she can feel that they were giving her a cold shoulder. She sighed in defeat as she sent her mail and constructed another one.
To: Yamashita Tomohisa ; Koyama Keiichiro ; Nishikido Ryo ; Kato Shigeaki ; Takahisa Masuda ; Tegoshi Yuya
From: Montez Liana
Subject: I understand
I really do. I just hope you’ll forgive me eventually.
Lia ^^,
Lia felt a tug in her heart at the possibility that everything will change when they come back. Somehow, she can’t imagine not being constantly surrounded by their dorky behavior. It was too scary to even imagine. Especially for one Liana Montez.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As soon as they were dismissed for lunch, Lia bolted out of the door. She was only half-listening to the lecture earlier. She hoped that her notes where clear for Tegoshi as the topic was about the psychological prepping of employees who were being laid-off from work. A sensitive topic like that deserves some careful pointers. Lia made sure that her notes would at least be easier for Tesshi to follow.
Absentmindedly, Lia trekked the corridors of the symposium.
Where am I going to eat now? She mentally listed down the nearby cafés and restaurants. Considering that she was eating alone for the third day this week, her appetite had also slowed down. Eating with gluttonous teammates somehow had an effect on her. How she missed Massu’s healthy appetite!
She made her way to the elevator but was stopped as someone blocked her way.
“Ahh, Ms. Montez, I didn’t know it was you.”
Not recognizing the voice, she looked up to see who it was. She fought the urge to raise an eyebrow at him. It was the same speaker who asked her the question regarding the stimulus package.
Lia, still remembering to be polite, nodded a bit to the old man and excused herself. She was however halted when she felt him grab her elbow.
Hesitantly, she turned her head towards him again.
“Ms. Montez, since you don’t have your teammates with you, why don’t you join me for lunch?”, he asked.
She looked at him with a bewildered look on her face.
“I’m sorry Sir. But I am rather booked for the day. I have to go.”
She tried to loosen the man’s grip on her but was shocked to see that the old man did not seem to think the same.
“The name’s Suzuki, Ms. Montez. I know that you don’t have anyone to eat lunch with. Why not join me in my apartment then? I can cook something that both of us can share,” he said as he licked his lips.
Eeewwwww…
Lia can’t help but shudder at the man’s invitation. She wouldn’t ordinarily jump into disturbing conclusions but something about the way this old man look at her and the way he phrased his words that sent cold shivers down her spine. It was as if there was a neon sign plastered on his receding hairline that says: PERVERT! Avoid at ALL cost!
Her mind listed down possible ways to get out of this situation. She looked around and saw that the hallway was pretty deserted. If she screamed for help, who could rescue her? If he insisted and dragged her somewhere, she knew that she wouldn’t hesitate to kick him in the shin and run for her life. But where would she go to?
This is not good Lia. Get yourself out of here! Her brain kept hollering at her.
“Lia! There you are!”
Both she and Mr. Suzuki snapped their attention to where the voice came from. The person who spoke up jogged towards where both she and Suzuki were standing.
Ms. Pretty?
She cocked an eyebrow at him in a fervent attempt to signal a ‘what-are-you-talking-about’ look. He only smiled at her, with a twinge of assurance in his eyes.
“Lia, you told us that you will only be using the bathroom. I am aware that girls happen to have such ritual every now and then, but if we don’t hurry up, Changmin would eat everything on site,” he said as he jerked Lia’s elbow away from Suzuki’s grip and glared at the old man.
Her brain was analyzing the situation before her.
Should she follow him, when she had been avoiding him in the first place OR should she stay put knowing that a creepy pervert was trying to spend an alone time with her? It was obvious what her answer was.
She had chosen the lesser evil.
“R-right! Of course. Changmin can be a real monster when he’s hungry,” she chuckled animatedly as she allowed Jaejoong to lead her out, leaving the old man unable to react.
She was being dragged out of the building by Ms. Pretty, when another thought hit her.
Uhm, who’s Changmin again?
________________________________________________________________________
A/N: I had a poll, and two friends replied. Hehe. Since both of them liked shorter chaps, here it is!
Please answer the poll as well. You can find it here >>> Survey!^^
By the way, what do you think of this chap?
Your comments are ALWAYS appreciated. I update because of you guyz. Show me some love. Hehe.
Thanks to everyone who will. ^^<3