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13 March, 2021
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"Settle down quickly."
"Mr. Baek, stop grumbling and sit somewhere."
"I'm starving. Damn."
I walked inside the restaurant, Seungmin and Jeongin by my side. The other employees were already there, settling down at the long table. This was the place where we usually had company dinners. From the day Seungmin and I started working till the day we hosted a goodbye party for Mr. Park's retirement, this was the restaurant we always came.
"You three musketeers! Come sit down quickly." Miss Na said, calling us.
We sat down, Jeongin sitting besides me as Seungmin sat across me. Jeongin had now pulled his phone out, making Seungmin snap some pictures for him. I unlocked my phone scrolling through Instagram. Jiran and Changbin's instagram was filled with pics of each other, either hugging or holding hands or exchanging a sweet kiss.
Well, that's how it feels to be in a serious relationship does it? I thought.
Jisung on the other hand had a variety of pictures of variety of places on his feed. Pictures of friends, date with Minho, clubbing, studio, random selfies and loop all that. His feed basically shouted "I'm single."
Who am I kidding? My feed's no different from his.
"Ok, everyone!" Miss Na said, getting everyone's attention.
I kept my phone away, looking up to see all of the employees head turned towards our end of the table. My eyes landed on a figure sitting besides Seungmin.
Of all places, he had to sit here.
"This dinner is to welcome our young and new director."
A series of claps and ohs were heard as Chan bowed, smiling slightly.
"Thankyou, everyone. I'll be putting it on my personal card today. So order as much as you want." He said as the employees cheered.
"Yay! You're the best, director."
"He's amazing isn't he?"
"He's really cool."
"Let's order drinks as well." Miss Na cheered as everyone dumped their noses into the menu card, ordering whatever they wanted.
"Aren't you guys going to order?" Chan questioned as Seungmin, Jeongin and I exchanged hesitant glances.
"Order something. Don't be hesitant." He said, sliding us the menu card.
"Um...." Jeongin mumbled. "Stir-fried pork rice....?"
"Sure." Chan smiled fondly at him."What about you both?"
"Um.... Korean beef for me." Seungmin said as Chan nodded. He looked at me intensely, hoping to get an answer soon.
"I'm not hungry much." I spoke.
"You can share with me." Seungmin suggested as I nodded.
"Hm, let's do that." I smiled.
"You can have sweet and sour pork ribs. You used to like it." Chan suddenly spoke up as I my face hardened.
"Pork ribs." I said, dryly, looking at him. "I hate it."
"Uh.... Noona--"
"Uh sir, why are you sitting there in the corner?" Someone questioned. I looked up to see Hayoon, Chan's secretary questioning him.
"Just because." He said, his eyes fixed on me.
"Aera, let's go grab a drink--" Seungmin spoke, getting up upon seeing the tension.
"The food's arriving soon." Chan said sternly.
"Yah, Seungminie. Sit down. Don't go roaming now. Last time you both disappeared and came back very late. We couldn't even order dessert." Miss Na said as Seungmin pursed his lips.
"It's alright, Minie." I mumbled as he sat down.
"I'll chef for you today." He said, changing the topic.
"Seungmin hyung is best when it comes to grilling." Jeongin spoke.
"That he is." I agreed. I saw Chan clench his jaw, rolling his eyes as he ordered himself seasoned chicken.
Even though I had started to regret coming here, I soon found myself devouring the beef in front of me.
"Wah! This is so good!" I spoke.
"I told you I was going to cook it good for you." Seungmin spoke.
"No one has ever cooked it this good for me." I said as Seungmin grinned.
"It's good quality meat. It'll taste good, no matter how you cook it. Isn't that right, everyone?" Chan questioned as employees sided it.
My goodness. He's being so childish! What are we? Preschool, middle school kids?
I glanced at Seungmin, a frown decorating his face.
"But, howsoever good quality the meat is, if it isn't cooked properly or is burnt, it won't taste well." I said. "Seungmin cooked it perfect."
I smiled at Seungmin who's lips now stretched into a smile. Chan on the other hand mumbled something under his breath, rolling his eyes.
As time passed by, the atmosphere got more and more lively as we surrounded ourselves with meat and alcohol. And thanks to ever jolly Mr. Baek, I drink a little too much.
"Not bad, Aera. Let's down one together." He said, not toxicated much even after drinking a lot.
I on the other hand had started to hear grumbling sound coming from my stomach as I felt all the food I ate a while ago reach till my throat.
Soju never worked better with me. I thought.
"Um, sir." I spoke. "I feel like I'm getting a little drunk."
"What? Then this is your last shot! I promise!" He insisted, holding in front of me, a shot glass filled with soju.
I feel like if I have another shot, I would be drunk, which I don't want to.
I look besides me to see Seungmin shaking his hands in air while Jeongin was staring at nothingness. Both were totally drunk. Their alcohol tolerance sucked.
Looks like I've no option.
Helpless, I picked up the glass. Bringing it near my lips, I was about to down it when Chan took it out of my hand.
"Why don't you have one with me, Mr. Baek?" He said.
"Woah! You're going to be Aera's knight in shining armor, Mr. Bang?" Mr. Baek teased.
"Sir, I don't think you should drink. You've to drive all the way back home yourself." Hayoon interrupted.
"One shot won't hurt." Chan said, staring at me deep in the eye. "And I don't mind."
He smiled.
"Chug, chug, chug!"
"I-- I can't... This is--" I said, feeling sick to my stomach as the beer cup was brought close to my face. Suddenly it was pulled away.
"Woah... Bang Chan..... Ohhhhhhh!!" I looked up to see Chan wipe his lips as he threw the cup away. He smiled looking at me. That smile, it ignited a spark. A spark called love. Love which you threw away, Chan.
I pushed my chair back, getting up from my seat. All eyes turned to me. "I need some air.... um... I feel tipsy." I said as I stepped outside the restaurant.
I closed my eyes, taking in deep breathes. I opened my eyes, looking at the hustle bustle of people. I walked towards the other side of the restaurant, a secluded place I visited often if I needed some peace while office dinners. I sat down on the stone stairs, glancing up at the night sky. I closed my eyes, enjoying the silence.
"Aera."
"Hm?"
"Nothing, I just love the way it sounds." He smiled. "Aera."
"You're crazy, Chan." I laughed.
"For you. Always." He said.
Always didn't last long, Chan. Did it?
"It's chilly out here." I heard the voice as I opened my eyes to see Chan standing in front of me.
An agitated sigh left my lips.
"What do you--" I stopped midway as a warm coat was draped around my shoulders.
"You may catch cold." He said, a slight smile grazing his lips.
"It's literally spring now. And this ain't no kdrama." I said, brushing his coat off my body. He chuckled, picking it up from the ground. There was a moment of silence. I expected him to leave, but he just stood there, his hands tucked in his pocket. I decided to break the silence.
"Mr. Bang." I said, looking up at him. "You made the rule yourself. Not to let our private lives mingle with our profession. And you're the one breaking the rule everytime, aren't you?"
A slight smile made it's way onto his lips as he walked towards the railing of the stairs, leaning against it. I waited for him to answer but got nothing but silence in return.
I watched him as he pulled a pack out from his pocket, opening it. My eyebrows creased as I saw him bringing a cigarette to his lips. Lighting the cigarette's butt, he blew the smoke, staring at the sky.
And unknowingly, I was already on my feet, making my way towards him as his eyebrow cocked up in confusion.With a disgusted look, I stepped ahead, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth, throwing it on the ground and crushing it below my feet.
"And aren't you too excited to poison your lungs now, Mr. Bang?" I spoke as his face turned into an amused smirk.
"And now aren't you the one getting personal, Miss Shim?" He said as I huffed.
He did this on purpose.
"I was just trying to warn how smoking is injurious to health, Mr. Bang. It's nothing personal." He chuckled yet again at my words.
"Do you go around giving advices to random people? Or does it mean I'm not someone random?" He said.
"I was just-- um... Just..." I didn't know what to say. So instead, I just stepped back, turning around to walk away. Before I could, he gripped my arm, twirling me around.
"Thank you, Aera." He whispered, his black eyes shining. "Thank you for showing me you care."
I pushed him away, creating a distance between us.
"I don't give a fuck about you anymore, Chan. I stopped it the day you left. I learnt to live without you." I glared as a smile made it's way on his face.
He really has gone mad. Why's he smiling?
"You were always a terrible liar, Aera." He said as I rolled my eyes, strutting back to the restaurant before I lose my shit.
As soon as I walked inside, I noticed more than half of the team members had already left while others were passed out, taking care of the passed out or on verge of passing out.
"Aera noona!" I heard Jeongin say as I rushed to the drunk boy holding another much-more drunk boy aka Seungmin.
"Wo--wooww! Sana! neomuhae neomuhae~" Seungmin slurred upon seeing me, starting to sing out of nowhere.
"He's drunk. He's calling you Sana when you look worse than JYP and now he's even dancing." Jeongin mumbled.
"Just remember I'm fully capable of committing your murder and arranging your funeral myself." I said as he gulped.
"jUsT LiKe TT~ " Seungmin sang, doing the choreo with his wobbling feet.
"Shit, he really should be banned from drinking. The fuck, he does this every single time." I scowled.
"Jeongin book a cab. I'll handle Seungmin." I spoke, holding Seungmin in one place as he lazily trashed his arms, singing in squeaky voice and smiling for literally every second.
"I'm li--like TT, jUsT li--like TT~~" He sang, giggling at the end.
"Dammit, I can't even get mad at him, he's so cute." I sighed.
I turned to look at Jeongin who was hitting his fingers on the screen of his locked phone.
"In-ah, honey, you'll have to unlock the phone to book a cab, sweetie." I said as he squinted his eyes.
He's drunk. Seungmin is drunk. The staff members are drunk. I don't have a car. Minho is not here. What am I supposed to do?!
"Ok!" I breathed out. "In-ah, come here."
He squinted his eyes as I sighed. "I said C-O-M-E H-E-R-E." I emphasised as he finally stumbled towards me. I put Seungmin's arm around his shoulder and made one of his hands hold Seungmin's waist.
"HOLD SEUNGMIN AND DON'T MOVE ANYWHERE FROM HERE. OK?" I said as he creased his brows, his eyes closing halfway.
"Ok?!" I asked again as he nodded.
Hopefully, he gets what I said. I sighed, pulling out my phone to book a cab.
"What the real fuck? Why isn't any cab available here?" I sighed as I looked at the screen showing no cabs nearby and the nearest one being in the opposite direction.
"Let's see, I can call Jisung or Jiran maybe." I mumbled. "It's pretty late though."
A sigh left my lips. Suddenly, a car stopped in front of me as Chan peeked out of the window.
"Get in." He said.
"No tha--" I was saying as he cut me off.
"Keep your ego aside for a second, Miss Shim." He said. "Look, I know both of those are drunk, there ain't no cab nearby and you want to go home."
"And I've a car, I just drank a soju shot and I can drive you all home. Safely, without any fare." He raked hand through his hair. "So think wisely. It's win on win situation." (Offtopic but Winwin's such a sweetie)
I bit my lip, thinking. I possibly can't handle those two till the cab arrives for how long I don't even know. I can't just leave them here either. And it would be inappropriate to call Jisung and Jiran at this hour.
"Well... Um..." I trailed off.
"I'll take that as a yes." He said, getting out of his car and helping Jeongin inside the car, who was vibing to TT along with Seungmin.
Once the two babies were tucked in, totally safe with seatbelts around them, I sighed.
"Damn, Jeongin looks like kid." He said, glancing at a passed out Jeongin.
"Can you just drive already, please?" I said as he chuckled.
"Let's go then." He said, starting his car.
Hope I don't regret this, Chan. Hope I don't regret taking help from you.
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Y'all I got a haircut and the stylist cut off more than half of my hair and I was like tf?! It does look good but I miss my long hair.