unfinished

chapter 11

“ Wake up lazy bones! We did not finish last night,” Hobi said.

She sat up and looked at him, his hair still wet and his shirt clinging to his damp chest.

“You already had a shower?” she asked, scrambling off the bed.  She had been staring at his chest, and her hands itched to push his hair off his forehead.  She had to put space between them before she made a fool of herself again.

By the time she showered and dressed they had retreated to the safety of the project and the comfort of friends.  They ate a big breakfast and went immediately back to work. 

Hobi remembered the pride they both felt when they finished before their deadline.  He also remembered Olivia did not come home that night.

The project had been a resounding success, and their professor said they were almost assured of their choice of internship.  He was right – almost.

All three of them had been offered jobs with the small but exclusive design house that had been their first choice.  Hoseok and Olivia in New York, Izzy in LA.  He could still feel the crash from euphoria to disbelief that they were being separated. 

He looked at Izzy then, chic in a suit that was unmistakably her own design, heading a team into an international partnership, powerful and confident as he always knew she would be.  How much did she know about New York and Olivia?

As if thinking of her conjured her presence, his attention was drawn back to the front as Izzy finished speaking, and an image of the company logo was projected behind her.  He frowned.  The company was named something a marketing firm had created, not trace of Izzy and Fitz remained.

The logo blinked, and Olivia appeared on screen.  Hobi took a deep breath in surprise. He had not seen her since he came home. 

Honestly, she appeared exactly the same.  He frowned as he noted that.  All this time should have changed her.  What a disappointment if nothing about her had changed.

Then she began to talk, and he glanced at Izzy.  He immediately realized that this was a live feed, not a pre-recorded statement, and that Izzy had not been briefed on the change of plans. 

Hobi frowned.  That did not bode well for the stability of the team.  Surely, Olivia would not undermine Izzy after sending her all the way here.

His eyes swung from Izzy's face, set in a fake smile, jaw clenched  to the image on the screen.  Olivia was thanking her team for their work bringing the project to Steller design. 

Hobi eased a bit as she continued to thank Dae and express how much she was looking forward to the partnership.  Just as he was about to relax, she mentioned his name.

“ But most of all, I am thrilled to be working  with Jung Hoseok.  I have firsthand knowledge of what a phenomenal asset he is to your team, and he is the sole reason I selected Stellar as our partner,” she said.

What the hell was she doing? Did she not know how insulting that sounded? To both teams.  They had worked hard for days now and she was saying it was only because of his connection?

“Hobi!! I can not wait to see you and catch up!! For now, please take care of my project- and my team!! Oh,” Olivia  said with a strained laugh, “ except for Izzy.  No need to worry about her.  Rege will take care of anything she needs. Talk soon!”