Perfect Temptation: The Night We Met [Sooshu]

Chapter 18

in·spec·tion

/inˈspekSH(ə)n/

careful examination or scrutiny

"You're with Minnie."

Another busy day for Soojin as she head to the conference room.

"We're scheduled to do an extended inspection in Hongdae later this afternoon." Minhee reminded as she checks the schedule for today again.

"Do I have anything other than that?" Soojin asks, as she enters the conference room with blank eyes. Looking at everyone with boredom.

"None ma'am." Minhee responded, as she stand next to her boss who seems to be ready to unleash the beast within her.

"Let's start this meeting and end this quickly as possible." Soojin sat down on her seat.

===

"Ms. Yontararak's team confirmed their appearance later for the inspection." Soojin nodded, receiving a cup of coffee from her secretary.

"But it seems like Ms. Yontararak herself isn't gonna be at the construction site." Minhee added after rereading the email she received from the team leader.

If Soojin is not mistaken Minnie should be back in Seoul yesterday so why is her friend not gonna show up?

"Did they give any further information nor explanation why Minnie isn't gonna be there with us later?" Soojin asks, reviewing the papers about the budget report she received from their most recent project.

"There was none Ms. Seo." putting down the papers she's holding, she was in deep thoughts.

"Tell Leander to prepare my car." Soojin simply said.

She casually enters a vintage looking store.

"You're here again." A tall half Canadian woman greeted her with a playful smile plastered on her face. Soojin ignored the latter, taking a seat by the counter.

"What's the problem this time? I just saw your face yesterday." Soojin watch her friend waltz around the place making cocktails. "Nothing." Soojin answered.

"Heh nothing my ass, your great advisor Jeon Somi is at your service so come on tell me what's going on with your messy life." Somi gave her friend the usual drink as always.

Soojin scoffs at the mention of messy life, well she doesn't think it's that messy tho.

"You're clearly bothered by something." Soojin continues to deny to herself that Somi is right. There's nothing to worry about, why would she even be worried about the possibility that Minnie and Shuhua could be together right as this moment.

Somi stopped mixing the vodka, staring at Soojin with teasingly eyes. "You know you're still in denial as ever that's why until now you don't have a girlfriend." Somi stated earning a glare from Soojin.

"I mean aren't you just making it hard for yourself, creating a game wherein if the other person loses to it you won't pursue them anymore. Are you nuts? Can't you just let yourself feel that love?" Somi added with frustration laced in her tone.

"I hate losing." Soojin mumbles.

"I know that but if you keep on winning in your own game you'll never experience the 'love' I'm talking about." Somi retorted, she really thinks that Soojin's mind is somewhat twisted for some reasons.

"Besides it's not always winning Soo, sometimes losing can be a blessing in disguise." Somi added.

===

"Check if the standard quality is being followed accordingly." Soojin instructed, rolling up the sleeves of her dress shirt. Unbuttoning the first three buttons of it because of the blazing heat.

It's unexpectedly hot today much to Soojin's liking, she doesn't want to get sweaty right now.

"Water Ms. Seo." Minhee offered a bottle of water, Soojin didn't hesitate and chugged it down in one go. "I'll go back to the tent for a moment, continue to monitor along with Minnie's team." Soojin utters, feeling sluggish with her upper clothes soaked with sweat.

"Will do Ms. Seo, I prepared a spare dress shirt for you beforehand." Minhee said earning a smile from Soojin.

"It wasn't so hot this morning." Soojin complained, quickly getting rid of her dress shirt as soon as she enters the tent not knowing that someone was actually inside also.

"I forgot to ask where did Minhee actually placed the spare one." Soojin mumbles, removing her hard hat still unaware of the other person's presence. "Uh I think this is what you're looking for." Soojin tilted her head, surprised to see Shuhua standing beside the table.

Soojin slowly walks near the table half naked in front of Shuhua.

The latter was trapped between Soojin's arms, Soojin rested her palms at the edge of the table.

"What are you doing here?" Shuhua was unable to focus at all, seeing Soojin at this state just makes her nervous. "I was with Minnie just a moment ago but she said she have to take care of some things." Shuhua honestly answered but it was too honest for Soojin.

"You're with Minnie." Soojin immediately backed away after letting those words escape her mouth. She grabs the whit dress shirt on the table, quickly covering herself up.

She was right then.

Shuhua noticed how Soojin's tone suddenly change so without even thinking about it, she pulled Soojin by the collar.

Giving the older a chaste kiss. "Here." Shuhua abruptly left the tent with a visible red tint on her cheeks.

Soojin stares at the small cherry keychain that Shuhua placed on the table. "It was too short." Soojin commented, grazing her fingers at her lips.

"Are you okay?" Minnie asks as she gives Shuhua a bottle of water. Shuhua nodded, resting her head on Minnie's shoulders. "Minhee told me that Soojin went back to the tent, did you stumble upon each other?" Shuhua hummed in response.

"Sorry if we suddenly stopped our little date." Minnie apologizes, it would have been an amazing afternoon with Shuhua but she just couldn't really neglect her responsibilities also.

"It's okay as long as you're here." Shuhua's voice was getting quieter, her breathing was steady as if she's going to dreamland which she really is headed to now.

Minnie smiles, comfortably resting her body on the bench letting the younger sleep on her shoulder.

"Am I really making the right decision?" Minnie asks herself, playing with Shuhua's fingers.