After the employee left, Jihoon grumpily crashed on his chair. "How can she not come to take the cheque? I mean we were working together right? Isn't it right for her to come personally and close the deal?"
Taking out a whiskey bottle from the lower cabinet of his desk, he added, "So she is not going to see me ever again? She is just gonna give up everything that we have? So she wants us to just forget about the feelings we harbor for each other? She wants me to completely forget the only woman I have ever loved?"
Tossing the bottle cap away, Jihoon started gulping down the neat whiskey straight from the bottle. Only he knew how tough it had been for him all these days. The more he tried to forget her, he ended up missing her even more and when he thought about her, the feeling of losing her forever enveloped his heart making him feel miserable and awful.
He had been giving himself a teeny tiny hope of getting a chance to see and talk to her when she comes over to collect the cheque but now when his hope had shattered into tiny pieces, he felt helpless and heartbroken all over again.
Jaehyuk sighed and snatched the bottle from his hand. "Okay, your heart is already in trouble now don't torture you liver like this."
Closing the bottle, he asked, "Do you think getting drunk is the solution to this problem? This will make things worse Jihoon."
"What else can I do? The two most important women in my life don't want me to be a part of their life. In fact, they don't even want to see me or talk to me, how am I supposed to react?" Jihoon snapped.
"So what makes you think that drinking is the only option? You need to make things right Jihoon, you need to make a decision today." Pausing for a while, he continued, "Do you want to make things right or you want to support a very unreasonable man."
"I—"
Cutting him off, Jaehyuk said, "Listen to me first, I did a little research about the man whom Pulos has been hiding in his mansion. He goes by the name Mark Tuan and he is Yang Zixin's second uncle. He is a very man who had been disowned by the Mo family after he attacked Zixin's father a few years back. Since then Zixin has been trying to take Mark Tuan down and he had almost succeeded but Pulos saved that man and brought him over."
Jihoon frowned and asked, "Why would Pulos save him? Do they know each other?"
"I have no idea but a few of our men are already working on that." Placing his hands on Jihoon's shoulder, Jaehyuk added, "Listen to me mate, we have been best friends for more than twenty years now and you have trust in me on this. Mark Tuan is trying to use Pulos to get back the Yang's especially Zixin and Pulos is using you because he knows that no matter what happens, you will never go against him. He has been taking advantage of you for so many years now but now it is the right time to stop my friend."
Keeping quiet for quite some time, Jihoon asked, "So what should I do?"
"It's time for you to choose between something that is right and wrong. It's between the people you value and someone who doesn't deserve your loyalty. Remember one thing Jihoon, without you Pulos is nothing and without him, Mark Tuan is nothing." Pausing for a while, Jaehyuk added, "Whatever decision you take, I'll always be there supporting you no matter what. You may lose everyone and everything but you will never lose me."
Giving Jaehyuk a tight hug, Jihoon took a deep breath. "Thanks man, I don't know what I would do with you."
Patting his back, Jaehyuk said, "Think about it and let me know."
Keeping quiet for quite some time, Jihoon took a deep breath. "Fix a meeting with them today in the evening, let's finish this ones and for all."
....
Jihun's apartment
"I need to leave for work," Lia chuckled.
Tightening his grip around her, he pulled her closer. "No, don't go."
Turning towards him, she chuckled, "I don't remember you being so clingy before."
Jihun pouted his lips and complained, "Because I—"
Cutting him off she chuckled, "Ahh yes, because you thought I had a hidden special boyfriend."
Pinching her cheeks, he sighed, "You will never stop teasing me won't you?"
"How can I ever forget that priceless look in your face?" Lia chuckled.
.....
FLASHBACK
THREE MONTHS AGO.
Country S airport.
"Jihun what happened? You seem very disturbed," Lia inquired. They had arrived at the airport half an hour ago and were waiting for their flight. Jihun had been exceptionally quiet and also looked a little pissed.
"Nothing," he answered. How could he be okay when the woman he loved was taking him to pay a visit to her so called secret lover?
"Look, I know this whole trip is a bit rushed but I really want to your meet the most special person in my life and–"
Cutting her off, he frowned, "Alright, I am going with you right? So can you please stop praising that special someone? It's really very irritating."
Lia raised her brows and inquired, "And how is that irritating?"
.....