This is the fourth story in the Undone series.
This is Jung Hoseok's time to shine.
He is taking control of a new project at Stellar Design, and he has decided it's time to take control of his love life as well. He is weary of being alone, and he...
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Izzy grimaced at the face in the mirror as she prepared to leave.
The dark circles and bags were a testament to how poorly she slept and how early she began preparing for today’s meeting. She still had not found a solution to Olivia’s plan to end her stay and she had surely not stumbled upon the words she needed for Hobi.
She sighed and turned away from the answers the reflection demanded from her. It was too early to feel this damned tired, or defeated.
Her team obviously did not share her mood. They were almost evenly divided between gingerly navigating hangovers and furiously planning their return home. She silently shut it all out to concentrate on the notes in her lap.
Izabelle was the last one off the shuttle, giving herself the extra minutes to gather her notes and her thoughts. Yesterday had been such a wonderful day with Hobi, she did not want that ruined in any way.
She realized her mistake the minute she walked into the room. In every corner of the room small groups huddled, already sharing the news, making plans for the end of the project, some already shedding tears at the reality that their time was coming to an end.
Izzy drew hard breaths. Things felt like they were spiraling out of control already. And then Dae walked in with Hoseok right behind her and Izzy reached for something to hold onto.
Hobi had been in early today, earlier than usual. It was a combination of the lingering creative vibe from the day before and an anxious need to see Izabelle.
Something had him worried about her. He didn’t admit to himself he was still waiting for Olivia to somehow screw this up again.
He frowned when he saw her. She did not look well. She obviously did not rest well last night and she was worried.
She tugged at her hair and chewed her bottom lip between her teeth. That was enough to hurry his steps toward her.
Aside from a brief glance, she had not met his gaze since he stepped in the room. He cursed under his breath. The laughing girl blooming with energy and creativity that left here yesterday had been snuffed out.
And then he felt the flush of heat ride his own body as he finally began to understand the whispers around him.
“ We’re going home.”
“I am leaving Saturday.”
“We have to finish this in the next two days.”
He did not know from which direction the last statement came, but Izzy finally looked at him just as it boomed across the room.
A few steps and he was standing in front of her, nothing else registered except the truth of it written on her face.
“ We have to finish this in the next two days?” he asked quietly, watching as she blinked back a tear.
Dae stepped closer and took Izabelle’s arm. Nodding at Hobi she quietly said “ Let’s take this to the conference room.
Soon she had them standing in a smaller room, away from the growing energy of the workroom. Without a word, she left them there, shutting the door and leaving them in the silence between.
“You are leaving?” he asked, his voice soft and low. He started preparing himself for her answer, already cursing Olivia in his head.
Izzy stared at the wall behind his head and before she lost her nerve she locked eyes with him.
“No,” she said.
Then “NO,” she repeated more loudly.
Hobi felt as surprised as she looked.
He released a deep breath and offered her a seat, noting that she seemed a bit shaky. Awareness of the full plate glass walls exposing them to the workroom kept him from reaching for her.
That was a lie. He felt walls of his own making sliding into place as he reminded himself that come Saturday an ocean would separate them once again.
“No,” Izzy heard the reverb still in her head. She prayed she was telling him the truth.
He nodded and she felt his strength and encouragement.
“ Tell me,” he said.
She gathered her thoughts, wishing again they were outside the Fine Arts building, his dark head in her lap, her fingers threading through his hair.
The “ what ifs” were suffocating.
“ We had the meeting last night,” she started “ Olivia is pleased. The design work is ahead of schedule. I have some notes,” she laughed nervously as she held up the thick project notebook in front of her.
“ Me too,” he smiled, thumping the large binder on the desk next to him.
That smile was all she needed. He could heal her with one look and he was giving her what she needed most.
She laughed and wiped her tears.
“ We did our jobs too well. The production team is arriving Friday. The design team flies home Saturday.”
She paused, watching his face.
“ I told her I was not going.” She rushed on, buoyed by the pride she saw in his face. “ I will not go. I am needed here just as much for the production team…..”
She trailed off, carefully treading on the words she needed to say next.
He nodded again. He understood. He did not want her to say things neither of them were ready to hear just now.
“ Yes, you are very much needed here,” he confirmed, reaching and touching her hand across the table.
Hobi worried that Olivia would not see things the same way. But looking at her just then he knew he trusted Izzy to work it out. This time she would fight for him. This time she would not just walk away.
Giving her hand one more squeeze, he said “ So…..are we ready to move ahead….with the details for production?”
They both knew there was deeper meaning to his question. She nodded at him and he smiled. She felt tears prick her eyes again. She was willing to do almost anything to see that smile.
He stood and opened the door, checking with her one more time. By the time he returned with Dae and Rege she had laid out the schedules and spreadsheets and she was ready to tackle the day. The rest of the week would take care of itself.
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