The Impassioned Interchange (Park Chanyeol)

011: The Court Room

Hana fiddled with her fingers as she stared blankly at the clean tiled floor below her, feeling utterly nervous yet blank at the same time over her previous conversation with Kim Minseok just a few hours ago. It was almost the end of work hours yet the pile of papers that she was supposed to work on for the day had been left untouched since then, as she had been feeling fazed. Needless to say, their conversation had left her stuck with two options.

To be truth, she hasn't come up with a decision at all since, still. She felt as if she was in the brink of life and death, though her job, her future career, and her reputation is on the line -- then again, it was her promise with Chanyeol that had bothered her since then.

Truth to be told, she had promised to help the CEO in thoughts of getting the company's reputation back to its rightful place.

Who was she to withhold it?

Heck, they even made the contract and signed it, which means that both parties are entitled to keep their end of the bargain up. It wasn't in her nature to bac-stab someone as well, no matter how evil he or she is. It wasn't just right.

The sound of the metal lock clinged to the CEO's door had broke her reverie, indicating that the CEO was heading out of his office now. Scrambling from her chair, she hastily stood up, making sure that her desk was neat as possible at least to show that she hasn't neglected her job that much, and that the pile of papers on the side didn't look too neglected. Thankfully, the CEO has his eyes fixed on his phone as he exited his office, his gaze not bothered to eye Hana.

"Are you already going home, sir?" Hana asked, feeling quirked over the fact that her boss was going home too early.

Well, technically, it wasn't that early. It was already five o'clock in the afternoon then, meaning that office hours were already done for the day.

It was the fact that Hana had been accustomed into seeing her boss work overtime almost everyday, that she had been working overtime as well from time to time. She had been feeling guilty sometimes, too, seeing as how her boss was still working when she was already getting ready to go home.

Then again, as an employee, she had the right to choose to work overtime or not, and since she had always finished her work on time, she had no reason to do the same.

It wasn't the same case today though, seeing as how Hana had kept her work undone for hours.

"Isn't it obvious?" Chanyeol snapped, yet his face had remained blank as he eyed his secretary. If it was one of his employees, then he would've lashed out almost immediately. However, he had been used to her retorts, that it was as if his expressions didn't explode much when she was the person he was talking to.

Her question, on the other hand, had successfully gained his attention to his secretary, whom he noticed had look too troubled from the quite distant yet guilty look on her face, making him eye her curiously.

"I apologize, sir. I wasn't thinking straight," Hana mumbled, bowing and keeping her head down as she spoke.

She even flinched when he snapped, much to Chanyeol's surprise. He had been used to her sharp and blunt retorts since she started working for him again after they signed the contract, so seeing her apologize readily had made him really curious yet anxious at the same time -- as if she was hiding something from him. Of course, his expression was blank, as he didn't want to show his emotions whatsoever. Then again, if one would look closely, his eyes would tell his emotions.

An eerie silences stood upon them. The only sound that could be heard was the silent round of profanities that had escaped Hana's mouth as she kept her bow and her head down.