At Your Service

29-The Aftermath

Jake's greeting was almost a whisper.

"Good morning too Secretary Jake..."

Jake fixed his gaze on the floor as he stood in front of Sunghoon.

"Where's my usual coffee??"

Jake flinched and was about to rush outside when Sunghoon spoke again.

"When it's about your work... You're very passionate... Take a seat instead. My coffee can wait."

Jake nodded and sat down. He held his breath as he listened at Sunghoon's footsteps.

"How are you?"

Jake tried his best to not cry at that moment.

"I'm fine."

Sunghoon stared at his secretary. He saw how much his shoulders are tense. The new actions seemed foreign to Sunghoon.

Jake once again flinched when a hand was placed on his shoulder. And was followed by the added weight beside him.

"What did the others told you?"

Jake didn't spoke for a moment. He struggled to keep his voice stable.

"They t-trust me they said... And...."

Sunghoon's other hand went on Jake's head. He softly caressed Jake's hair.

"And?"

Sunghoon's tone was so calm. It comforted Jake before he could even realize.

"And that I have t-them..."

Sunghoon smiled and nodded even if Jake couldn't see him.

"That's right... And it's not just them... You have me too..."

Jake really couldn't stop his tears now.

"Director..."

"Hmm?"

"Director..'"

"Yes Secretary Jake?"

"D-Director..."

"What is it? Hmm?"

Jake took deep breaths before he continued.

"Director I'm sorry... I failed you..."

Jake expected for a harsh voice. For Sunghoon to pull back and tell him how useless he is. How unfair it is for him to do such thing.

And yet none of those happened.

Instead, warm arms now enveloped around Jake. His face was placed on Sunghoon's shoulder as the caresses on his head continued. And by a very, very soft voice, Sunghoon spoke to him repeatedly.

"None of it is your fault... I know it myself... I know you and that's more than enough for me to decide who to believe..."

Jake didn't know what kind of act did he told himself before he arrive on the company. He couldn't remember how he struggled to push himself to change and to prepare because of how scared he is. None of those mattered anymore.

All that he could remember now is how warm Sunghoon is. How his voice seemed to have a deep connection to Jake that he can only listen to it.

Like a command, Jake's walls that he had refused to put down crashed right in front of himself, in front of Sunghoon.

With trembling hands, he gripped into Sunghoon's suit, not minding that he's making crease on the ironed coat.

"We'll get to the bottom of this... But for now... I want you to trust us the way we trust you...."

Jake hugged Sunghoon tight, not having any plan to let go. And Sunghoon let him be.

"Let's make changes on the designs okay? I know it's a lot of work but we can do it... Together... And if I said together, that includes you okay?"

Sunghoon can feel Jake's nod on his shoulder and he also nodded to himself, satisfied with how he calms Jake down.

"We can do this... We'll make it work..."

Those words echoed inside Jake's mind. Sunghoon's presence eased him.

"T-Thank you..."

Sunghoon's hold just tightened in return.

"Take as long as you need... I don't mind..."

Even if Jake wants to decline, he can't seem to pull away.

Either he's holding Sunghoon tight or it was Sunghoon who's holding him down.

Without another word, the two settled on each other's embrace. In reality, it was the both of them who didn't want to move away yet. Causing their own holds to tighten and for their distance to shorten.