Something felt wrong today. It wasn't just the news that had gotten him in trouble with his parents – and possibly the shareholders. He's gone through this before. It should be nothing, but something's off...and it's bothering him like crazy!
Jeongguk threw his keys on the coffee table and took out his phone from the pocket of his jeans. It's 9:35am and nothing else. No emails, messages or missed calls. Why is it so quiet? And where is his driver – he should be downstairs 20 minutes ago?
He unlocks his phone and dialed Mr Choi's number. It's ringing but no one's picking up. He's probably driving – give the guy a break! He threw his phone on the bed and makes his way to the bathroom. It's nothing...it's nothing...
He took his time in the shower, thinking of what he's going to do today. Fly back to Busan – oh yeah, get the flight ticket! He's been calling his PA along his walk back here from the hotel coffeehouse but she's not picking up. Which is weird because she always picks up – even in her sleep! She's too afraid of him to ignore his calls like this.
Not to say that Jeongguk is a terrible boss, it's just that she's filling in temporarily while his actual assistant is on her maternity leave and she's always fumbling around for some reason. It annoyed him sometimes, but Jeongguk had to constantly remind himself that the girl just graduated and is probably finding it hard to keep up with him.
I mean...he wasn't terrible, but he wasn't exactly the easiest person to work with either. But it wasn't anything big – no, he hadn't even raised his voice to her yet! Jeongguk just knows what he wants and how he likes things to be done most of the time. He will tell his staff once and only once. Only a few of his people could keep up and that includes his actual PA.
So this temp-girl not answering his calls today is really poking that temper, just waiting to lash out. Wasn't it only last week that she had come in late – twice?? Maybe it's time he asks Human Resources to give him new CVs. He checks his phone again after the shower and when he found nothing, Jeongguk types a quick email to the Head of HR.
That's done...now...flight ticket!
...
"Are you serious?! You're on the train now?" Taehyung's surprised voice is embarrassing to hear but Jeongguk just laughed it off – holding in his anxiety and still trying to not think of the worst.
"Look, no one's answering my calls. I think my dad did something...I saw a couple of guys standing by the lobby and I'm pretty sure I've seen one of them with my dad before –"
"What, like security?"
"Yeap. And I tried getting a plane ticket but my accounts are frozen off –"
"Holy shit! It's dead serious now isn't it? You don't think –"
"I don't know man...I couldn't think much anymore,"
"How much cash do you have in hand though?"
"Enough to get home –"
"Look, why don't you just get off now, I'll pick you up and drive you there myself,"
"Nahh it's okay. It's already moving anyways. I'll update,"
"Well, damn! If this doesn't convince your dad, I don't know what will! Why didn't you just get on your damn heli or something -"
"I can't – I told you, no one's picking up my calls! Hey, I'm finding my seat, I gotta go,"
"Okay, update us once you reached Busan –"
Jeongguk can't help but chuckled at the situation he's put himself in. Never in his entire life had he ever been on this thing – yes, say what you want – but he's actually excited about it! He fixed his cap and glanced at the ticket in his hand. 13-B...okay...let's see...this shouldn't be too hard...
He found the number carved on the overhead compartment, two seats away from where he's standing. From the back, he could see a girl's hair beside, overlooking the window. Jeongguk took a deep breath, hoping that no one would recognize him. Not that he thought everyone should know who he is, but like his mother said – his face had been 'plastered' across news this morning, although he's not quite sure which 'news' she was referring to!
He got to the numbered seat and took his place. The dress on her is very eye-catching – a red with white polka dots on – but the girl didn't seem to notice his presence as she stares out the window. Good...just look out the window the whole way through! His phone rang and it's Tzuyu calling – again. Jeez...why are all the girls he's hooked up with are always so dependent on him? He really knew how to pick them huh?
"Yes?" He answered coldly. He might be an asshole for doing so, but it's really not the time! He has his own shit to deal with, why can't she just do the same?! The ones he really needed to call haven't been picking up his calls and then there's this girl -
"Yahh...I've been calling you – why haven't you answered?"
"I've been busy. What's up?"
"What's up?? Are you really gonna pretend like nothing's happened?" Damn, they always managed to sound annoying – so different than the poised, sophisticated women they were when everything was good!
"What are we talking about, you need to be specific,"
"We're talking about the news of you and me from that night!"
"Okay, what about it?"
"How can you be so casual about this? My parents have been calling me since morning –"
"Then deal with them. Why are you coming to me?"
"You...you have to be responsible!"
"Cupcakes, I'm gonna be a jerk for saying this okay – but you need to snap out of it and get a hold of the situation – just as I'm trying to from my end," He basically had to forced his voice to come out as a whisper to suppress his irritated expression.
"Now what happened between us that night...it's great and everything...but we both agreed to it. I never said that we'll get into anything, I never even said I'll call you! So you need to stop relying on me like I'm your boyfriend or something cus I'm so not into those things okay? Now about the news...what can I do – I can't do anything for you! What I can advise you to do is just ignore it. It'll go away, trust me. They'll talk about it – I'll give it a week max – then it'll be like it never happened. You just need to manage your parents – I don't know how you're gonna do that cus well...I don't know how your parents are. But I'm managing mine –"
"You're such an asshole, you know that?"
"I know, I told you that. But how exactly do you want me to be responsible for it? Do you want me to hold a press conference and talk about it? Get into the details for them to talk more? Do you want me to marry you or something? Announce that we're dating? Would that make it look okay? Would your parents be up for that? We both know how much your family hates my family - are you even ready for anything like that?"
There's silence at the end of the line. Jeongguk smiles to himself. This is not the first time it happened so of course he knew exactly what to say to get some sense into the girl's head. Although it is the first time he fucked with someone from across the enemy line...but that's not important!
"Tzu, we had a good time right?" He waited patiently until he hears a hum from the girl. "I treated you right that night didn't I?" There's a small 'yes'. "I had a good time with you too. You were beautiful and lovely...and young. Don't settle just because of this, you deserve so much better! You deserve to explore and fall in love the right way, not like this. Don't you think so?"
He could tell that she's started crying. He does feel bad about it, but he can't really admit that it was entirely his fault. They were just living like normal 23-year-olds. The mistake that they did was just getting caught in the process of having fun – something that he really should be able to pay more attention to by now!
"You know what...tell your parents that we're friends. Tell them that we met through a mutual friend – Jackson! And we were just having dinner and nothing more happened. You can even tell them there's someone else there...I'll notify Jackson to pre-empt him just in case – okay?"
"Okay..."
"Please don't hate me,"
"I don't – I don't hate you,"
"Thank you. I'll text you once I talk to Jackson. Then you can talk to your parents. Okay cupcakes?"
He heard a slight chuckle and her muttering 'okay'. He leans back to his seat, finding the contact of his old friend. What a joke today has been...and it's only 11am.
...
(I feel like I should emphasise again - this is a fan-fic. Which means none of the scenarios are true and it does not define the characters)