Ice-heart

ch- 4 Dream Job

Jungkook's pov

"You're Mr. Kim's new assistant?"

"Yes," I say. This is getting frustrating. "I was hired last week."

Kang-min, one of the head architects at Kim & Ryu, lets his gaze travel from my head to my toes in a very clear dismissal before he turns back to the coffee machine. "I suppose he had to hire someone."

The nerve.

I shoot him a blinding smile and turn on the kettle to make myself some tea.

"I suppose he did. And seeing how I have a degree in architecture as well, I'm sure I can be of assistance."

Kang raises a cool eyebrow. His hair is artfully styled, square features complimented by a pair of glasses with bright orange frames. "How delightful. I'm sure you won't mind helping the architects with some of our blueprints then, when you have some downtime."

I grit my teeth. "After I run it by Mr. Kim, of course."

"Of course," he says smoothly. "How lovely."

He leaves the break room and I take a deep breath of relief. Another attack averted. If there's one thing this firm has too much of, it's self-importance and self-grandiosity. First, it had been Kelly, the receptionist, who looked surprised when I returned and said I was hired. Then it had been Chae-won, Ryu Rita's assistant, who had looked me over in clear disapproval. And now Kang-min.

I put a bag of tea leaves into my cup and close my eyes for a second, taking in the silence. It won't be long until I have to go back to my desk and the jumbled mess that is Taehyung's calendar.

Me, the least organized of people, had somehow been hired for a job where organization was key. Good going, Kookie.

A deep voice cuts through my musings. "What are you doing?"

I blink my eyes open to see Kim Taehyung himself standing in the entryway to the break room. "Imagining how nice an office could be without office politics."

Taehyung frowns and heads to the coffee machine. "I'm not paying you to daydream."

"No, that's a bonus feature," I say. "I run two-for-one specials at the end of the month, too."

Nothing. Not a smile, not a twinkle in his eyes. He just turns the coffee machine off and motions for me to join him out of the break room. We walk toward the hallway in the back, the gateway to his giant office.

Several of the architects and consultants cast glances at us when we walk past. Taehyung doesn't acknowledge anyone, back straight and head forward. Cold bastard.

He's wearing a suit today, but without the jacket and tie. His sleeves are methodically folded up to his elbows, showing off his forearms, tanned and strong. I wonder how old he is. Mid-twenties, I think, though he carries himself like a man with a lifetime of experience. Some of the architects on the team must be older than him. It's unusual.

"Gather your things, and then we'll talk about your tasks here. Join me in my office as soon as you can." He pauses, a hand on the oak door. "And I'd appreciate it if you upgrade into a model that gets me coffee."

"I'll work on that right away."

He nods and disappears into his office, still without a smile on his face.

Damn.

The man was ice cold.

I'd arrived at work-I had a job!-that morning to find a fully prepared welcome kit for me. A key-card, a login to the computer system, and a new email address. The woman in HR gave me a sour look and muttered something about this going too fast. Maybe she'd had to work overtime to get the expedited details ready for me.