Business Partners | A Novel ❖

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Seonghwa wiped his sweaty palms nervously on his pants as he straightened in his seat, looking towards the front of the dining hall. His lanyard suddenly felt heavy around his neck, and as he listened to the words of the speaker at the front of the room, all he could think was:

This is it.

Finally.

After four long years, this is the moment I've been waiting for.

Pleaseeee, don't let what happened last year happen again...

Pleaseeeee...

'And so, it is my honour to present this award, to our very own manager of publications, Park Seonghwa.'

A polite applause filled the room, and Segonwha felt like he could finally breathe. Although he'd been told before the company dinner that he would be receiving this promotion, he had been worried that history would repeat itself.

But alas, his luck had pulled through.

Standing up, he proceeded to the front of the hall, bowing respectfully to his coworkers as he passed them.

Accepting his award, Seonghwa was ecstatic.

Finally.

Finally, he would be recognised for the hoards of extra work he'd been doing for the company.

Finally, he would be given the chance to prove his worth, with a title to his name.

~~~

An office. An actual, office. He could barely believe his eyes. Seonghwa stood at the door with his cardboard box in his arms, mouth agape. It was definitely the small things in life.

An office.

'Do you like it?'

Startled, Seonghwa spun around; almost dropping all of his things; to see a man in a suit standing across the hall from him - a man with dirty blonde hair and slightly paler skin than the average Korean. He wore a kind of smile that could probably pass as a smirk, or at the very least, a smile that said, 'I know something you don't.'

'A-ah, yes, sir. I-I'm sorry, I don't think we've met before...'

Seonghwa went to outstretch his hand, but immediately realised that was a stupid idea, since he was sure to drop all his things if his did.

The stranger exhaled in amusement, arms crossed over his chest as he raised an eyebrow at him. 'I suppose you are right. Park Seonghwa, it's nice to meet you. My name is Kang Yeosang, and I will be your new boss, for all intensive purposes.'

Seonghwa stared, wide eyed. He hadn't been told that there would be a shift in his superiors...

'I'm glad you like the office. Is it what you had hoped for?'

Seonghwa nodded. 'Yes, sir. It's lovely.'

'That's good. Too bad you won't be using it.'

Seonghwa staggered into the door frame. 'I- excuse me?'

'You heard me right. Pack your belongings and go home.'

Seonghwa couldn't believe his ears. '-Am I being, fired, right now?!'

A chuckle escaped his new boss. 'Pack your belongings, and go home. And then pack a bag. We leave for Shanghai on Monday. Be at the airport at 6am. I trust you have a passport.'

And with that, the blonde turned and walked away, shoving his hands in his pockets as he left, exuding an air of confidence about him with everything that he did.

Seonghwa was speechless.

He felt jolted.

He was doing what?! Going where?! Surely not...

He felt like someone had grabbed a hold of him by the shoulders and was shaking him violently. His whole life... it was changing... morphing...

He wasn't ready to go to another country and work... Not when he'd only just got his life into order here...

Don't think about it, Hwa. It's not forever.

But that didn't really help.

And as Seonghwa gave in; leaving his brand new office for good, he couldn't help but wonder who the hell his new boss was, to drop something on him like this so last minute, with such charismatic confidence.

~~~