What's Wrong With Assistant Kang?

15. What You Deserve

"That sounds great, a very healthy habit," Jaehee told her with a nod, approving of the hobby. "Just remember to be careful."

"Yeah, anyway, I called 'cause I wanted to ask if you're free at lunch? There's this new cafe that opened nearby and I want to try the cake!" the girl of long, straight hair suggested, eager.

"A cafe?" Jaehee hummed. "I love those... Especially the coffee-themed ones. Of course, I'll accompany you."

"Awesome! See you there!" Mi-Cha hung up, leaving Jaehee happily awaiting the moment she'd get to hang out with her newly found friend while sipping hot coffee.
___

Soon enough, after her work hours were finished, Jaehee was sitting next to Mi-Cha inside the local, recently inaugurated cafe.

It had a warm, lovely atmosphere and it washed away any tiredness she felt from all the paperwork she had signed and aligned that day.

Mi-Cha grinned gleefully as she finally took a taste of the wonderful red velvet cake in front of her; while Jaehee just quietly but happily held a cup of cappuccino.

The two girls shared a comfortable silence in which they ate and drank the delicious food when suddenly a waitress walked up to them with a pamphlet in her hand.

"Good evening, would any of you ladies be interested in a quick survey?" she asked politely. "It sponsors our cafe and it would be a great help of your part to enhance our shop's quality!"

Jaehee stared at the paper surprisedly but Mi-Cha immediately accepted the offer, basically snatching away the pamphlet. "It'd be an honor!"

"Come on, Jaehee!" the excited girl urged. "Let's fill it up, it'll be fun!" She swiftly handed over a survey to her friend.

"Huh, alright. It should be easy enough," Jaehee accepted, eyes widening slightly. She held down the paper, grabbing a pen from her handbag and writing.

First, it requested her name, then her birthday, then her favorite hobby, favorite food, favorite color...

And even though everything was strange, there was something that especially stood out: her ideal date.

"What?" Jaehee cocked an eyebrow, suspicious. "What kind of survey is this?" she questioned to no one in particular, but Mi-Cha answered anyways.

"Who cares? It's nice!" She smiled at her, holding up her up pencil. "You gotta loosen up a little, Jae."

Jaehee wanted to scratch her head in confusion, but refrained from it with a sigh and continued the weird quiz.

"Birthday... December 28th... Favorite hobby... Watching Zen's musicals... Favorite food... Hm, does coffee count?" The chief assistant put the pen next to her lip undecisively, an habit of hers.

She shrugged, thinking it didn't matter much anyway: it's not like anyone would actually bother to read this thing. "Favorite color... Yellow," she paused again, "Ideal date..."

"Ooh, mine would be a trip to the movies... Then, we go swimming!" Mi-Cha chirped, affirmative on her own likings.

"Swimming? Wouldn't it be too late for that after the movies?" Jaehee inquired, finding it slightly illogical.

"Exactly! That'd make it even more fun!" MC giggled at her friend's and co-worker's constant seriousness.

"Well... Mine..." Jaehee put the pen close to her coral-tinted lips again. "I've always wanted to go on to an amusement park in a romantic way..." She finally admitted with a blush. "It's cliché and quite cheesy, isn't it?"

"Of course not!" Mi-Cha reassured her with a friendly grin. "It sounds really cute. Hmm... If only you had a boyfriend to share such a date with..." she playfully teased, glancing one way to another.

Jaehee chuckled gently, covering her mouth. "If only..."

"Now if I may..." The waitress came up to them again, seeming ready to take away the surveys. "Are you finished?"

"Yeah, we are!" Mi-Cha responded for the two once again, grabbing both hers and Jaehee's papers and handing them out to her before the short-haired woman could say anything.

"Mi-Cha!" Jaehee stuttered nervously, lightly hitting the cackling girl on the back. "You really have to calm down about this!"
___

"Welp, see you tomorrow, Jaehee," Mi-Cha waved goodbye as the evening sun downed behind them.

Jaehee nodded friendly. "It was nice to spend time together. I'll talk to you soon."

"Yeah, we can watch musicals next time!" the intern laughed merrily as she disappeared in the midst of the busy street.

Jaehee sighed relaxingly, feeling good over the whole day... Though there was also a weird, lingering feeling in the back of her head.

Something was off. Suspicious.

But deeming it immature, she just brushed it away as she went on her way. Then she got a text message.

"Assistant Kang, I need you to come urgently. There's something very important which only can be resolved by you."

It was Jumin, obviously. And apparently he was in a tight emergency according to the words, making Jaehee feel deeply worried all of the sudden and immediately rush to the address he had sent her.
___

The chief assistant, who unusually wasn't using her work clothes, and instead opted for a shoulders off white blouse and a mustard yellow pencil skirt and heels, finally arrived to the unknown destination she had been sent to (more puzzled than anything).

"Huh, Mr. Han?" She swished around, trying to spot the tall man, but everything around her was covered in shadows for some reason. "Mister-"

Suddenly, an impossible amount of bright lights brightened all around her confused figure at the same time, making her turn even more quickly than expected when she heard her boss's voice.

"You're finally here, Jaehee."

Jaehee actually gasped in astonishment when she saw him: he was wearing one of the finest, highest-couture suits that she had ever seen anyone wear; and she had seen a lot of his suits, this was Jumin Han, after all.

He slowly approached her with that soft smile he only really gave to her. "Do you like it?" he asked her with an amused tone.

"Mis... Mr. Han..." She was literally unable to speak: she realized where they were. An amusement park, her favorite one as a child, too!

And it was completely empty except for the both of them.

"Why- why are you doing this?" She stuttered, feeling a betraying smile appear all over her face giddily. "What's the reason? I thought...."

Jumin chuckled lightly, then he looked at her with that heartwarming smile again. "Because you deserve it..." he told her sincerely. "You deserve this, Assistant Kang. You should have the ideal date you wish so much for."

Jaehee seriously felt hot, painful tears surface from her honey-colored eyes, and she cupped her face with her two hands, trying to hide the fact. "I never thought... I never thought I'd get to have that date..."

Jumin walked closer to her, happily standing by her side, contemplating the wide place. "I rented the park since I felt other people being around could ruin the moment."

Jaehee laughed at the remark, brushing away her remaining tears. "Only you would do something like that."

Jumin allowed himself to scoff with mirth, too, still looking at her warmly. Seeing Jaehee happy... He found out he really adored the aesthetic of it.