Jungkook
The traffic is horrendous today and it takes me more than one hour for what would normally be a half-hour drive. There is some kind of accident holding up traffic and since the people in the car need to gawk at what happened, it takes extra time.
I huff under my breath and honk at the car in front of me, which results in him finally moving. Things like this can happen all the time and it's not something you can predict, but annoying nonetheless.
I've already called Kiyara and asked her to reschedule my meeting for noon because there's no way I'm going to get to the company on time. It's no big deal, I guess.
I drive carefully and slowly past the scene of the accident and the situation of the two cars that crashed into each other is something you can't look away from. An SUV has smashed into the driver's side of a smaller blue car and both look junkyard-worthy.
There is also an ambulance and I see a woman with a gash on her head getting treated by a nurse. I don't spot any children and at least that's a good sign. And that kind of makes me think of the Carlsons.
I've never been involved in an accident and I can't imagine how devastating the feeling of that must be. I feel sympathy for Mr. Carlson because it must have been very difficult for him to witness his wife in such a situation.
How did Mikayla feel? Was she at the scene of the accident?
I push all those thoughts aside and the highway becomes smoother after the accident site. It doesn't take me long to arrive at the company and twenty minutes or so later I'm taking the elevator up to my office as I do every morning.
There is a small crew consisting of five people setting up high bar tables and I wonder what is going on. I don't remember us ordering anything or anything being planned.
I walk past it and head toward Jimin's office first. My knuckles make contact with his door and his voice sounds from the other side. He is sitting at his desk signing some papers before looking up.
"Has it become a habit now that you're later than me?" he asks teasingly, and since I'm already annoyed that I'm indeed late in the first place, it makes me roll my eyes.
"There was an accident nearby," I explain, even though I know he's going to tease me regardless. "What about all those tables out there? Did I miss something?"
"Oh, those." Jimin pushes off with his hands on the table and swivels around fully in his chair. "If you'd check your phone, I'd appreciate it, because then I wouldn't have to be the one talking to Camille."
"Camille?" I raise an eyebrow. "What does it have to do with her?"
"She asked me if it would be okay if she came over with some of her crew to celebrate the success of Moulin's spring collection here because we did the advertising for it," he explains. "And I said yes."
"Well, okay." I shrug. "Our creative team deserves the credit."
He nods in agreement. "She said it's only going to be a short celebration so nothing crazy. Will probably only last an hour."
"Okay, I'll be in my office," I say, getting ready to leave, but Jimin stops me.
"Nope." he pops the p. "You'll be there too. You're CEO."
I sigh. "I have a lot to do, Jimin. I don't have time to party."
"Too late. I had your meeting canceled, so you have nothing to do." he smiles, but it's more like a smirk because it looks gleeful.
I roll my eyes and turn to leave. I hear him shout something behind me, but I ignore him, now walking to my office. I don't mind our employees celebrating success, but there's no reason for me to be there.
Jimin knows me too well and knows I avoid crowded places as best I can. I'm not mad at him for canceling my meeting, because frankly, I wasn't in the mood for Tulix's constant and, mind you, unjustified complaints anyway.
After setting down my briefcase and hanging up my suit jacket, I sit down at my desk to answer a few emails. There is a new request for a meeting with Tulix, which I forward to Kiyara. I don't even know why they don't send these requests to my secretary.
After about an hour, a knock sounds at my door. Jimin's head peeks in. "Camille's here," he announces. "You coming?"
"Yeah. Will be there in five." I reply without looking up from my screen. I don't see Jimin's face, but I know he's rolling his eyes. This seems to be our universal reaction to everything.
The door closes again and I can hear the rising murmur on the other side as everyone seems to be conversing. I close my laptop after sending the last email and decide not to put my suit jacket back on.
Stepping out into the hallway, I hear the laughter and conversations much more clearly. A couple of the tables the men set up an hour ago are filled with finger foods. I can tell right away that the decorations are Camille's idea because just like her personality, it's sophisticated. No offense.
I've only been here a few minutes, but that's already enough for me to want to go back to my office. Groups have formed and everyone is chatting about various things, work not being one of them.
I spot Camille and when our eyes meet, she smiles and comes my way. "Here you are," she says, kissing me on both cheeks as a greeting. I haven't seen her in a while, but she seems happy.
"Yeah, I had a few things to sort out," I say, stuffing my hands in my pants pocket. I look around as I feel Camille's eyes on me. "Thank you for including my creative team."
"Of course." she waves me off. "And now that we're talking about it." she turns to the crowd. "Can I have your attention, please? Thank you."
The conversations dim and our employees as well as those of Camille's team come a little closer. Some have snacks in their hands and others have a champagne glass. I'm not a fan of alcohol in the workplace, but I'll let it pass just for this time.
"As you know Jeon&Park did the advertising for Moulin's new collection and I can proudly and happily tell you that it was a success!" she says enthusiastically and some cheer, which makes Camille smile big. "I would like to thank you guys for your hard work. You are a part of the success. So please enjoy yourselves."
Her announcement brings more cheers before everyone in the room turns to enjoy the chatter. A man carries a big cake and places it on a large table in the center of the room. Camille slices it and clinks her champagne glass with one of her secretaries.
Overall, the mood is very cheerful and everyone seems to be taking a bit of a break from work and enjoying this time together. Jimin joins me to keep me company as I lean my elbow against a table and look around the room.
"I don't think much of Camille, but I think this idea of hers, wasn't so bad." Jimin comments, taking a sip of his drink. He holds back because I know damn well he can chug down the entire glass in one gulp. Professional.
I nod, silently agreeing with him. I know Camille is a woman of glitz and glamour and it reflects in the smallest things. I appreciate her thanking our team because they worked hard. Especially Mikayla, because she was the main creator of the project.
Now that I have thought of her, I look around the room to check if she is there. I haven't seen her yet, but I haven't been here too long. My eyes roam all the familiar faces and when I find hers, I stop.
She is talking to her friends and laughing at something that seems to amuse her right now. Just seeing her interact with other people is something I could watch for hours without getting bored.
When she laughs, the entire room becomes bright and warm. I shake my head a little when I see her then bite into some pastry and her eyebrows lift because the taste is probably knocking her over.
It's refreshing to see someone who likes food as much as she does. I can't forget how she practically devoured the pasta I made last week. I couldn't finish it myself because I was watching her eat it.
Her cheeks turned a pink hue after she sprinkled a mountain of parmesan on the pasta and it was the most innocent thing I've seen in a long time. I would want her to eat the whole time and be happy doing it.
I wasn't expecting her at my door, so I was surprised. I felt overwhelmed, not because I didn't want her in my home, but because I just didn't feel prepared.
However, after seeing her admire my furniture and decor with big and curious eyes, the worry faded away. I felt naked for opening my safe space to someone new and yet nothing was uncomfortable.
She felt familiar, not invasive or odd like a black sheep. So I let her be curious and she seemed to like it. After we finished discussing the script I offered her a ride home, which she declined.
Even Bam liked her. He loves visitors in general, I might add, which I don't have often, but Mikayla's playful nature was something he appreciated most. Sometimes he still acts like a puppy, but I like to spoil him. He is my best friend.
I hope Jimin can't read minds.
"What's wrong with your face?" a voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I realize I completely forgot Jimin was standing next to me.
"What?" I ask, straightening up. "My face is normal."
He looks me up and down, not satisfied with my answer. I don't know what he's trying to say, so I ignore it. "Do you want some cake?" he then asks, changing the subject.
"No," I answer flatly.
He shrugs his shoulder, then makes his way to the cake. My eyes keep trying to look in that one direction, but I force myself not to. I check my phone and realize that almost an hour has passed.
Jimin comes back with a big slice. The frosting, which looks like vanilla buttercream, surrounds the cake and the cream inside is pink. He offers me a bite, but I decline.
I can't help my wandering eyes and I find Mikayla again. She's still standing at the same table, but now she's not smiling. My eyebrows draw together as I pay more attention to her body language.
Something seems off. It's her eyes that aren't focused and I find myself straightening up. Her friend Megan grabs her shoulder and now seems to notice that something is wrong too. And when Mikayla touches her forehead and her body sways a bit, I am already heading in her direction.
I reach her in a few seconds. "Is everything okay?" I ask Megan, who has concern radiating in her eyes.
"I don't know, Mr. Jeon. She said she feels dizzy," she explains as I look at Mikayla from all sides.
"And my throat feels tight." Mikayla manages to say. I place the back of my hand on her forehead. She doesn't have a fever but overall her skin feels warm.
I glance at the table and find that the last thing she ate was the cake. I don't know what's in it because I haven't tried it myself. I turn to Megan.
"Is the cake with strawberries?" I ask her quickly and she looks around in panic.
"I don't know. It could be," she mutters. And then her eyes widen. "Oh my god. Mikayla is allergic to strawberries."
I let out a growl. "I know," I say through clenched teeth.
When I turn back to Mikayla, her cheeks are red and she's breathing labored. She had told me she's allergic and that she had to go to the hospital as a kid after eating a whole bowl of it, but I don't know how severe it is.
"Come on. Let's get you out of this crowd." I whisper to her and wrap an arm around her waist to ensure her balance.
I can hear murmurs and gasps around us, but I don't care. Jimin is now also beside us as I hurry with Mikayla out of the crowd and toward my office. The last thing she needs is everyone asking what happened.
"Jimin, can you go get Mr. Stawarski?" I ask him and he nods before fishing his phone out of his pants pocket.
Mr. Stawarski is the doctor we have in the building at all times in case there is an emergency. Last year, one of our employees died of a heart attack because he was brought to the hospital too late.
Since then, we make sure that Mr. Stawarski is always available so that such an incident does not happen again. He can therefore take over the first interventions right here in the company, and if necessary, we can always take them to the emergency room afterward.
Mikayla scratches at her arm as she lets me take her further toward my office. She's light in my arms and she can walk fine, but I don't want her to be dizzy enough to fall or hurt herself.
Megan opens the door to my office and I carry Mikayla the last few steps to my sofa. I lay her down there and turn around, looking for Jimin. Just as I'm about to search for him, he steps into my office as well.
"Mr. Stawarski will be here in two minutes. He's in the elevator," he announces and I nod.
I turn around. Mikayla is lying on the sofa and Megan is holding her hand tightly. "I should have taken her to the ER," I say, but it's already too late because Mr. Stawarski walks into the room. He has his doctor's bag with him.
"She's having an allergic reaction," explains Megan, and the doctor smiles reassuringly at her.
"I'm already seeing that it's nothing too serious," he states, grabbing his utensils from his bag. He asks for space and Megan steps aside. "But I need you guys to leave, yeah?"
Megan nods, and she and Jimin leave the room to give the doctor and Mikayla some privacy. My feet remain rooted to the spot, however, and I stay staring back. My heart still hasn't recovered from the rapid pounding, but I only now realize how rattled I am.
"You too, Mr. Jeon." the old man gestures, and I nod. Mikayla's gaze meets my eyes before I've closed the door. How am I supposed to leave when she's looking at me like that?
"She'll be fine, right?" Megan wonders and Jimin reassures her, saying that Mikayla will indeed be fine. I can't help but embrace that reassurance as well.
We wait because there's nothing else we can do. Fortunately, no crowd has gathered to curiously find out what has happened. I pace up and down while waiting for the doctor to come back out. In the meantime, Camille rushes over.
"Someone just told me. What happened?" she asks me.
I look her up and down, my eyebrows drawn together. "She's allergic to strawberries and she ate the cake you brought," I say coldly. "Did you know?"
She lets out an offended scoff. "What? You can't be serious right now."
"Camille," I growl.
"Of course I didn't know. I would never physically hurt anyone on purpose, Jungkook, and you know it." she counters, and the feeling of exasperation disappears.
Camille can be something sometimes, but I know she would never do this. Not to mention that she wouldn't have any reason to anyway. She couldn't have known that Mikayla has an allergy to strawberries and there is no one to blame for this incident.
"You're right. I'm sorry." I apologize and she nods. "I didn't mean to sound like I was blaming you."
Silence falls on us as we continue to wait. Camille eventually goes back to the celebration, which still seems to be going on judging by the sounds. Jimin also excuses himself so it doesn't seem rude that suddenly both CEOs have disappeared.
After half an hour, the door to my office opens and Mr. Stawarski steps out, his bag in his hand. He smiles at us and this already brings a deep breath into my lungs.
"Her allergic reaction has not resulted in anaphylaxis, which could be life-threatening. Her symptoms are mild which is why I gave her antihistamines," he explains and although I don't understand a word, I know he means it's nothing bad.
"How is she doing now?" Megan asks, and I can see the panic on her face gradually fall away.
"She's fine, she should probably go home and take a bath to help her itchy skin," he suggests. I thank Mr. Stawarski and he pats me on the shoulder before leaving.
"I'll go get Mikayla's stuff and then drive her home if that's okay, Mr. Jeon?" I hear Megan ask before I have a chance to step into my office.
"Yeah, sure," I reply and she smiles before hurrying off.
I poke my head in first to make sure it's appropriate to enter. I see Mikayla about to sit upright from her lying position and that is when I step completely into the room.
With my approaching steps, she lifts her head and a half-smile rises to her lips. She brushes her hair down neatly and her tired eyes look up at me as I come to a stop in front of the sofa.
I don't miss the pink on her cheeks and neck and despite her situation, she still manages to smile. "How are you feeling?" I ask.
"I'm fine." she nods, her shy eyes looking everywhere but at me. "Still a little dizzy like I just got off a roller coaster with five loops in a row, but that should go away soon."
Her short laugh fills my ears and I wonder how she can still make jokes despite everything. This girl.
I step closer, wondering if I should sit next to her or if that would be intruding on her. I decide to kneel in front of her so that we are at the same eye level. Without thinking, I place my hand on hers.
"You scared me," I say calmly. "You need to be more careful."
She looks at my hand on hers and bites her lower lip to suppress a smile that wants to emerge. My thumb unconsciously starts stroking along her skin.
"I'm sorry," she mumbles and I shake my head. "I should have asked for the ingredients. I thought it was just food coloring."
"Don't apologize. As long as you're okay..."
She nods as she realizes I'm not finishing my sentence. I don't even know what I was going to say in the first place, or what would be appropriate to say. Honestly, I don't know anything anymore at all. I just need to know that she's okay.
After a few seconds of silence, she stares back into my eyes. "Thank you. I mean for bringing me here. And for caring."
"Always." Is all I reply.
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A/N: blushing and shiiii🤭🤭