Nine
My mouth hung open, eyes blinking rapidly. His request, caused me to be speechless.
"Are you serious? This is not some crazy whims again, huh, Joong?", I asked, wanting him to confirm what I heard.
"Hmm. Why should I ask for your help if it's not real?".
"How come this happened? Joong, what did you do that your father is pissed off with you? Another scandal?"
"Think whatever you want, but will you help me, or not?"
"Considering you're asking for help, that is quite a high handed way of persuading, isn't it?", my lips pursed in irritation.
"It's not high handed... I'm embarrassed. Do you think I wanted to lose face liked this? More so in front of you. But, you're the closest to me, so, there's no other choice".
I was silent for a while, but still curious, "You didn't have money, at all in your account? ATM card, ever heard of that? What about your other rich friends? They must have some money, in abundance, at their disposal...".
"I used cards all the time. Monthly, the household manager, paid for all the spending, I don't need to know, or care, before this. How could I prepare, when my father did it so suddenly. My friends...I lost contact with all of them, since I was not here for such a long time. Besides, they're not that close to me; we just hung out together to keep up appearances, everyone takes care of their own bills. So, only you left. It is just for the first month, Nine, after that, when I got my first pay, then everything would be smoothly, back in place".
I snorted, never knew that the rich, was more stingy than us mere citizen," Hmm, some friends you got there...well, to be honest, I got some reserved money, but not much. If you could live in bare minimum, for food and necessity, then it's alright".
I was shocked when he suddenly pulled and hugged me in tight embrace. "Thank you...I'll treat you later, on my first pay day. I promise!", he said and kissed my neck. I pushed him hard, immediately stepped back, and furrowed my brows.
"Joong, I'd told you, don't treat me liked before, we are now coworkers, so, please...", I said, my voice was stressing, and warning him too.
"I'm sorry, I am too grateful. It's not easy, now I know, to eat instant noodle all the time, is not fullfilling at all...", he whined. Somehow, his whining caused me to feel a little guilty for making him answer all my query.
"So, that's what had caused your mood to suffer for the whole week? You're hungry? My god, Joong, if you're being honest with me from the start, I would never question you so much", I walked near him, and took my wallet out. All the bills that I had inside, not much, just a few hundreds that I kept for the week spending, was handed to him, "It's all I have in my hand right now, I'll get enough for you later", I said and he smiled.
"Nine, I really feel, liked kissing you...", he said, without any trace of teasing or being playful.
"No. You're just too emotional right now, or maybe just hungry", I teased him back, to release the tense moment, "Be ready in 10 minutes, Joong, you got a meeting to lead. After that, you could have your proper lunch, okay?", I turned and walked out.
Joong
I put that wad of money, into the drawer. First step, to reduce the barrier that he erected in this relationship, seemed to work. Nine was always so caring, even when I always have more, during our time together, he took responsibility as the older one, to pay for most of our eating out. He said that, his father taught him to never be stingy with money when it comes to treating the other person for food. I remembered our time well, and also his weak point too.
Although my father blocked all my cards, actually, I have my own income while working for a few years out of the country. The pay was lucrative, as it brought three times monthly income, when converted to the local currency. I'd understood my father's temper too well. When I decided to come back and pursue my interest on Nine, I'd calculated all the possibilities and hurdles that would come my way. Nine's resistance was definitely one; and also, I got my own informer, to know the ongoings, that Nine was already in, as soon as my decision to come back was made known to my father.
Now, how to surpass the complicated issue of having a relationship with a coworkers? I realized, if I am too reckless, the brunt of the backlash and gossip would fall onto Nine, caused nobody dare to mess with the President's son, though I might be the one who made all the advances.
Nine was also reluctant for us to be comfortable again. Our once, long ago, close bond, where I would sleepover at his house, eating together with his family, talking till late and sleeping on the same bed, was no more in place. Both of us, had grown off the affectionate state, most of them caused by what had happened between us, but now, I am matured and adult enough to hold my own against my father. But, he didn't need to know that. It's better, if in his eyes, I was still a spoil brat; a rich son with a careless attitude regarding life. That's why, I lazed around for a month.
Time was up; Nine's voice that came through the intercom, reminding me again, about the meeting to be attended. As of now, to be able to work together, was a good start to stay within a close distance with him. With time, I believed, he would lower his guard down, and willing to give us, one more chance again.
