HEARTBEAT | VKOOK

Chapter 15

Just like any other night, Taehyung found himself in his office, leaning against the desk and head embedded in a file and a throbbing headache peircing through his skull as he attempted to focus on the work he had chosen to complete. The silence lingering in the full atmosphere was only broken a few times with sighs and grunts, tapping of foot on the ground and scribbling of pen on a paper accompanied with the tapping of fingers dancing on the keyboard.

Taehyung placed the file down on the desk with a sigh, closing his eyes and massaging his temples to ease the pain throbbing at the back of his skull. A knock broke through the eerie silence of the atmosphere, indicating someone's presence at his office. For a moment, Taehyung frowned, unable to recall saying anyone to stay late for work. It was almost midnight, and he remembers dismissing everyone from work, who'd stay late even after his orders?

A voice of approval later, the door opened, revealing the person who had almost slipped off his mind. For a moment, he was taken aback by surprise although he displayed a mundane expression. However, he recalled his words the moment the person— more like his assistant, made an appearance.

An awfully exhausted and fatigued Jeongguk walked into his office with droopy eyes, signifying the sleep he hadn't gotten properly for the excessive amount of work. His hair was dishevelled to different directions, signifying the countless times he had ran his fingers through his hair, perhaps out of frustration or exhaustion. His clothes were dishevelled as well, the tie being loosely hung around the collar of his slightly unbuttoned shirt.

His appearance somehow seemed rather amusing to Taehyung, who had only witnessed the presentable look of Jeongguk. After a moment of scrunitizing his appearance, Jeongguk broke the lingering silence.

"I've proofread and typed away three of these files till now. I'll do the rest tomorrow, I'm tired." He placed the documents on Taehyung's desk and leaned against the wall, resting his head on the hard surface and closing his eyes.

"Three files in eight hours, a great accomplishment I must say." Taehyung muttered, an amused smirk spreading on his lips as he glided the files towards him to take a look. "You've done a great job, Jeon."

"What do you expect? These long ass documents took me eight freaking hours! My neck hurts like hell now!" Jeongguk glared at the male with a look of grimace before rolling his eyes insensibly and resting his head back on the wall.

"How do you even do it?" Taehyung looked up with a clueless expression at the male, lifting a perfectly arched eyebrow. "How what?"

"How do you just... stay up late and complete all the work? Don't you ever get tired? Or just simply bored of the same work?" Jeongguk had a genuinely curious look replacing his previous frown, eyes locking with Taehyung's for a brief moment before the older looked away, gazing down at the file as though he was reading it.

"I don't get bored of it, Jeongguk. It's my responsibility. And as for being tired, of course I am, but work comes first." Because my father comes for my throat the moment something goes wrong. He added in his mind, pursing his lips as he avoided meeting Jeongguk's questioning eyes.

"Responsibilities are tiring." Jeongguk commented, gazing forward aimlessly. "Don't you wish to run away from them?" He whispered almost inaudibly, and if it wasn't for the pin drop silence of the room, Taehyung might've unheard it.

"Of course. But it just isn't in my defence to abandon my work. My responsibilities are my priorities." 

"What about Minjun? Shouldn't he be first?" Jeongguk glanced at Taehyung, watching him freeze in his position and look up at him with a slight frown, that was almost immidiately concealed with his usual monotonous look.