Moon Publishing – 2:00PM.
"Here is the contract for the new author, Nakamoto Yuta." Rin places a folder file on Taeil's desk before starting her daily report for today. "You have several meetings with the board today. And a skype call with Author's Kim manager for a general update on the book tour."
"Okay, good." Taeil nods, taking the file in his hands to scan through it. "Nakamoto Yuta... Have you met the writer, Lee Chaerin?"
Rin shakes her head. "No, I haven't. It seems he's always busy and prefers email and phone discussion," she replies. "I don't think he's even the one talking to me but his manager."
"I see." Taeil hums in thought, flipping through the contract pages. "What a shy man."
Rin nods in agreement, turning around when she hears a door knock.
"Sir Taeil?" It was Jungwoo's voice.
"Come in," Taeil calls him in, leaning back on his chair.
Jungwoo enters the room after getting permission, showing up with a bunch of paper work in his arms.
"Do you need help?" Rin offers, walking over to him.
"I—I'm fine!" Jungwoo stammers, carefully placing stacks of folder files on Taeil's table one by one.
"Jungwoo—are you already here?" Lucas' voice came bursting in seconds later.
"Ask permission to enter first!" Jungwoo scolds at his co-worker as they start bickering in front of Taeil and Rin.
Right, since Lucas was leaving as head manager of marketing, he needed a replacement. Taeil didn't want to hire a newbie to the company so he figured he'd give Jungwoo a promotion and have him replaced Lucas.
Now, Lucas has taken upon himself to be Jungwoo's self-proclaimed "mentor" and started teaching him his work.
It's disastrous though. Lucas was a bad teacher and it always left Jungwoo confused and angry so the two would often fight a lot. Mark and Rin had to pull them off each other.
"Mr. Kim and Mr. Wong." The two shut up upon hearing Taeil's icy tone. The editor leans in on his desk, watching his two employees intensely. "What are your updates Author Suh's press release? Are the promotion schedules ready? What is the interview line-up?"
"Um—" Jungwoo feels overwhelmed by the questions but Lucas' quickly came to his aid.
"The press release shall proceed like planned, however, upon the writer's request, we moved it on the 9th to fit his schedule," Lucas informs.
"I've contacted every news anchor that are to attend so we are set for a public release. I'm also done with the promotion schedules and they're scheduled to be released in two days.
"The interview line-ups are already included; I already talked to the managers of each stations and set a date on Author Suh's appearance."
Jungwoo's jaw dropped at how flawless and smooth Lucas presented his work. Rin smiles at him proudly, glancing at Taeil to see his reaction. Taeil stares at him impressively. A satisfied smirk crosses his lips.
"Good. Very good, Wong Yukhei," he compliments.
Lucas' eyes widen at the praise. He can't believe he has to leave just when his boss starts learning to appreciate his employees. He should've let Rin drunk call Taeil much earlier.
"Thank you, sir." Lucas bows gratefully.
"Kim Jungwoo." Taeil turns to Jungwoo, making the boy tense up. The latter expected a full-on lecture but much to his surprise—
"You'll be filling in big shoes once Wong Yukhei leaves. Nevertheless, I wouldn't have picked you if I didn't think you could do it."
"What—" Jungwoo looks so shocked as those words rang his ears. "Y-Yes, sir! I won't fail you!"
"Good." Taeil nods, jutting his chin towards the door. "I'll have Lee Chaerin return the documents signed to you once I reviewed them. You can go."
"Yes, sir!" The two men bow as a goodbye before exiting his office, looking awestruck at his new attitude. Who knew Moon Taeil can be a good boss?
Rin watches them leave, hands behind her. She gives Taeil a soft smile. "Looks like your words greatly affected them," she notes.
"What can I say. I can sweep anyone with my charm." Taeil smirks smugly. He winks over at Rin, who only chuckles at his antics.
"You're an idiot." Rin shakes her head fondly. "Am I dismissed?"
"Not yet. I have to ask you something," Taeil says, pulling out tickets from his coat pocket. Rin blinks at him curiously. "Do you like musicals? How about a nice dinner after?"
"Oh, wow." A big smile grows on Rin's face as she nods. "Yes, I'd love that."
"Good." Taeil smiles, walking over to Rin to give her a kiss. "Dismissed."
"Okay."
***
Moon Publishing – 6:00PM.
"Rin! Are you done with your work~?" Jungwoo and Chaeyoung appear in front of Rin's desk just as their shift ended.
"Oh, hi." Rin jumps in surprising, smiling at her friends. "Sorry, I don't think I'm done yet."
"What~ C'mon have dinner with us! It's Lucas' treat." Jungwoo leans his chin on his folded arms on Rin's desk.
"Yeah~ He's leaving in one month so we should make the most of his time here," Chaeyoung follows Jungwoo.
Now, two cute faces are staring up at Rin.
"Ah, you're right..." Rin remembers the limited time she has with her best friends. She looks over at his desk, where he was diligently finishing up his tasks.
She suddenly remembers her boyfriend setting up a date with her later tonight. "I—I guess I can leave early, today? Ah—Why don't you guys go ahead? I'll catch up with you guys later."
Both Jungwoo and Chaeyoung's eyes shine in glee. "Alright!" they cheer, their arms up in the air.
Ah, I have to cancel with him. Rin purses her lips together, grabbing her iPAD before entering Taeil's office.
She smiles at how concentrated he looks on his work, tapping away on his laptop that he didn't noticed she went in.
"Sir?" she calls, making him look up from his laptop.
"Ah, Lee Chaerin." Taeil clears his throat. "Give me half an hour and we can go."
"Actually—" Rin speaks up, mentally composing on how to cancel on his boyfriend. "—Can we get a raincheck on the musical?"
Taeil's typing pauses as he looks up at her in shock. "What?"
"I—Well, it's—Yukhei's leaving in a month and my friends and I thought to spend as much time we have with him." Rin reasons out nervously.
Taeil purses his lips together. "Is that so?" he wonders.
"Are you mad?" she asks meekly.
Taeil pauses for a second, thinking about how close Wong Yukhei and Lee Chaerin are. He's really important to her so... "Of course not." He smiles kindly. ... but that doesn't mean he doesn't feel jealous.
Rin eyes him closely. He's really good at hiding his emotions. He doesn't look mad but Rin knows Taeil has this obsession on her and Lucas' relationship so she finds it phony that he lets her go easily.
Not like she needs his permission to go to places anyway but she did make plans with him prior.
"It's good to bond with your co-workers. I think it'd be a great improvement with the work environment here." Taeil nods at his own words. It didn't really make sense though since Rin was friends with Mark and Lucas before working with them.
"Then, why don't you like hanging out with Sir Ten?" Rin had to ask.
Taeil cringes at the question. He crosses his arms, turning his chair around. "Go. Have fun with your friends," he commands.
Rin feels like she's being ordered to do a task for him. "Okay." she nods. "Are you sure you're not mad?"
Taeil's lips twitch. "I'm not mad," he claims. "I guess I'll find someone else to go with at the musical later."
"I'm sorry." Rin apologizes.
Taeil turns his chair back at her. "Don't be." he smiles. "I'll be fine."
"Okay." Rin waits for Taeil to stand from his seat. He usually asks for a goodbye kiss that way but her boyfriend isn't leaving. He is mad. "I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay." Taeil nods, going back to his work.
"Don't overwork yourself," Rin reminds, hesitating to leave him alone in his office. She makes a mental note to send a quick text to Ten.
"Mmm." Taeil only hums, eyes already back on his laptop.
Rin then takes her leave, heading for her desk to go fix up. Her eyes trail back to Taeil's office, whose blinds are closed so she couldn't see what face he was making.
As soon as she finishes up, she heads for the elevator to follow up with her friends that night.
***
STAR THEATRE – 7:00 PM.
Taeil ended up going with his sister, Taeha, who had too much free time on her hands, despite having to work on her gallery.
Taeha was more than happy when she received a text from Taeil, asking her to watch a musical with him.
"It's been a while since you asked me to go places with you~ Ah, is this the start of our reconcilation~?" Taeha was vibrating in her seat from beside Taeil.
It makes him sinks in his, face buried in his hand. He's already regretting contacting her. This should've been a date with Lee Chaerin.
He didn't even get to enjoy the musical because of Taeha's reaction throughout the whole show.
By the time it's roll call, Taeil was already heading for the exit with Taeha tailing after him.
"Yah, Oppa—" Taeha runs after him but he quickly stops on his tracks, causing her to bump onto his back. "What's wrong?"
From afar, Taeil could recognize a familiar figure. He squints his eyes to make sure he isn't seeing things. He shakes his head, blinking once and twice. No fucking way he just saw Ten on a date with a girl.
He quickly whips out his phone to send a quick text to his best friend.
<< You asshole you're on a date that's why you didn't go to the musical with me???
Taeil sends the text, looking at Ten to wait for his reaction. The latter spares a quick glance down his phone before putting it back in his pocket.
"That asshole!" Taeil grumbles, typing out another text.
Taeha stares at him in confusion. "Who are you texting?" she questions.
"The dumbass Ten..." Taeil taps on his phone furiously.
Taeha pouts, looking at where Taeil was looking. Her eyes widen to see her ex—she means her brother's best friend—on a date with some girl.
<< You ass you don't even like that girl that much!!
<< I had to spend the entire time listening to Taeha babble about her friends' drama for 2 hours!!!
>> You went with Taeha? She's here??
<< did you even fucking read the other ones I sent you??
>> Shut up you're ruining my date
Ten rolls his eyes as he sends a reply to Taeil. He spots a pair of eyes on him, and his expression hardens at the sight of Taeha. Fuck.
"Let's go." Taeha grabs Taeil's phone to stop him from texting Ten.
"Hey--!" Taeil was about to complain but then he saw Taeha's facial expression. "...He doesn't like the girl that much." He tries to comfort her.
Like her brother, Taeha easily hides her emotions. "I'm fine." She smiles at her brother. "Let's have dinner?"
Taeil stares at her worriedly. "Okay," he agrees, not wanting to upset her more. "My treat."
"Alright~"
As soon as the Moon siblings disappear from Ten's sight, he snaps out of his daze, realizing his date was trying to get his attention.
He gives them a forced smile before letting them drag him to a restaurant for dinner.
***
XIAO~CAFÉ – 9:27 PM.
Rin feels weird having dinner at the café where Taeil first asked her out. It brought nice memories but it also reminded her of her boyfriend. She's distracted in the middle of her friends' gathering again. She was pouting the whole time.
"Hey." Chaeyoung nudges her from the side. "You're spacing out again."
"Oh, sorry." She snaps out of her trance.
Her friends were in the middle of talking about Lucas' new job in Hong Kong. They were discussing about where he's going to live, either alone or with his parents. Lucas was in the middle of the story that the company is to provide him his own condominium near his workplace so he didn't have to commute every day.
"Oh, you're not going to live with your parents?" Rin asks distractedly.
Lucas' shoulder sag exasperatedly. "Like I said, my parents' house is faraway from my new office building, so they're considering renting an apartment complex for me," he repeats.
"Oh." Rin feels ashamed for not listening, looking at his friend apologetically. "Sorry."
"Okay, so how much is your salary?" Mark asks interestedly.
Lucas gives him a knowing smile. "What? How much?" Jungwoo leans in as well. The former leans in his ear, whispering the amount.
Jungwoo's jaw drops. "Damn, that can buy you a round-trip from Hong Kong to Korea!" he exclaims.
Everyone laughs at how shocked Jungwoo looks as they start pestering Lucas to become their all sugar daddy.
Just as Rin was starting to enjoy her time at the café, she hears the shop's front door bell. Looking over makes her freeze in her seat.
Oh my god. Of all places, why did Rin run into Taeil here—Fuck, I forgot this was his favorite place.
Why on earth did they even eat here—Right, because Lucas' cousin, Yangyang, works here.
Rin suddenly remembers that Yangyang knows she and Taeil are dating. "Oh my god." She shoots up from her seat in panic.
All of her friends stare up at her, including her boyfriend, who then realizes she was there as well.
"What's wrong, Chaerinssi?" Chaeyoung asks worriedly.
"Nothing. I'm sorry, I have to go." Rin looks at Lucas guiltily. "I gotta—"
"Oh, everyone's here~" Taeha approaches them, with her brother in tow. "Do you guys mind if we join you?"
"Ah, Taehassi~ Of course!" Chaeyoung welcomes them warmly.
"Great!" Taeha takes the seat next to Rin while Taeil sits opposite to her, which was right next to Jungwoo.
The latter sits up rigidly, feeling awkward that he has to share a dinner table with her boss. Rin feels the awkwardness seep in as well. She can feel Taeil's stare from afar too.
"Welcome to Xiao~Café!" Rin flinches at the familiar voice of the café's waiter. It was Yangyang who handed the Moon siblings the menu to order. He blinks at Taeil's red hair. "Oh, our regular customer, Mr. Moon!"
"Hey," Taeil greets him coolly. Yangyang bows to him politely before disappearing off to get more orders.
"You go here often, sir?" Lucas wonders out.
"Yes, I hang-out here every weekend."
"Oh." Lucas wonders why Yangyang hasn't mentioned it to him before. Maybe he forgot. His cousin is very forgetful. He then notices how antsy Rin's becoming as she starts fidgeting in her seat. "What's wrong?"
"Huh? No-Nothing. I'm gonna get coffee." Rin walks out of there, heading for the counter.
Mark and Lucas share a look, mentally deciding who gets to check on Rin. "I'll go." In the end, the latter takes the role this time, excusing himself as he stands up from his seat.
Taeil watches him chase after Rin, making scoff in disbelief. I guess, in the end, they know each other more than me. The thought leaves a bitter taste in his mouth but he refuses to show it.
Right. Wong Yukhei is important to Lee Chaerin, I should understand that. He tries his best to compose himself, putting that façade he always shows to everyone. That's what he's good at anyway. Even to his own girlfriend.
a/n: oof dRaMa
so what do u think about ten x taeha? :0
and omg lucas is gonna leave in a month rin's gonna miss him <333
tell me what yall think!!
anyways thank you for reading this!! and have a nice day/night~~~