A New Start || Seventeen

Chapter 44

Daena sat on her couch staring into space. A position she found herself in regularly now. It had been just under a month since S Coups had offered Daena a job and not a single day had passed where she hadn't thought about it, which was exactly what she was doing now.

It was a great opportunity for her and for her career. She would get to travel and her pay would increase significantly, not to mention she would be closer to Jeonghan and be able to see him when he had free moments at the agency. There were definitely more pros to taking the job than cons.

But still Leah's words weighed heavily on her. What if the unimaginable happened? What if they did break up? Daena had to admit she couldn't imagine it. If this relationship was to end he would have to be the one to do it. Daena was head over heels for Jeonghan, she knew it, it had shocked her how deeply and quickly she had fallen in love with him.

However if she tried hard enough she could imagine how it would feel to walk into that building and see him and not be able to touch him or call him her's anymore. It would break her. She knew she couldn't do it.

And that was why everytime Jeonghan had asked if she had made a decision she told him she was still thinking about it. She couldn't give him an answer yet. He hadn't put any pressure on her to make a decision though, he had been extremely supportive about it and it had only made her adore him even more.

Daena sighed and pulled her laptop towards her from the coffee table but quickly put it down again when she realised she didn't feel like working.

She had lost some of the love for her job recently and put it down partially to the prospect of a new job along with the long and unpredictable hours of her current job conflicting with the long and unpredictable hours of Jeonghan's. It meant that there wasn't that much time for them to be together. Hence working for his agency sounding so good to her.

As she slid her laptop back onto the table it knocked off a photo frame.

Daena leant down and quickly picked it back up from the floor and placed it back onto the table. She looked at it with a small smile.

This had been her gift from Jeonghan the week before.

For their 100 day anniversary Jeonghan had given her a framed photo of the two of them and had decorated the frame himself covering it in hearts and a big gold 100. Even going as far to add their names along the edges. She had to admit it was adorable and not a gift she had expected to receive from him. She hadn't thought of him as an arts and crafts kind of person.

Her phone rang from the couch beside her. It was Joshua. She answered quickly. "Hey"

"Hey, I have an idea" he said.

"Go on" She replied.

"It's about the job" he stated suddenly.

"Oh" Daena replied quietly. She didn't really want to talk about it anymore.

She had asked Joshua's opinion a few days after S Coups had first mentioned it but he had chosen to remain neutral. Not wanting to get involved and telling her to do what was best for her.

"Hear me out" Joshua said. "Someone on the team called in sick today and they need someone urgently"

"Okay..." Daena replied hesitantly, not entirely sure where Joshua was going with this.

"So, I thought maybe you could maybe come in and give it a try, see how you like it. Call it a trial run maybe?" He suggested.

Daena thought for a moment. It was her day off. The members were busy so she couldn't hang out with Jeonghan or her friends.

"What would I be doing?" She asked.

"Well there's an episode of our variety show that needs some English subtitles on it. So all you need to do is watch it and translate" he explained.

"That's it?" Daena asked. It sounded to easy.

"Yep, imagine getting paid to watch us being hilarious all day, I'm jealous" he laughed.

"Wait, I'm getting paid?" She asked.

"Yes, obviously. I wouldn't ask you to work for free" he replied.

"I'll do it, when do they need me?" She asked.

"Can you be here in an hour?" Joshua asked.

"Sure, I'll be there" She replied.

Daena hung up quickly. A trial run really would help her decide if this was the right move for her. She headed to the kitchen to grab a quick snack before getting ready.

-

Daena knew she had spent far too much time getting ready. She couldn't decide how smart she wanted to dress. It was an office after all.

Finally deciding on a smart white satin blouse and a pair of light grey slacks she had rushed out of the door.

Jeonghan had messaged her just before she had left wishing her luck and telling her he hoped she enjoyed it. He had also said he would meet her after she finished as he was busy with a schedule before then.

She could tell he really wanted her to take the job permanently but she still wasn't sure. She knew she was going to love it. She had no doubts she would find it relatively easy as well. She had worked similar jobs in the past.

Daena rushed towards the agency building as quickly as she could to make sure she wasn't late. Even though it was only helping out in an emergency she wanted to make a good impression just in case.

As she approached the building all the rushing finally caught up with her and her bag slipped from her arm onto the ground.

"Oh come on" She exclaimed irrated.

Her outburst caused the man who had been sitting on a nearby bench to stir.

Daena had seen this man regularly outside the building, always on the same bench. She had assumed he was homeless as he always looked dirty and dishevelled.

She glanced in his direction to see he was coming towards her, he had his hood up and was dressed in all black so she was having a hard time making out his face.

She bent down to pick up her bag. "It's okay, I've got it" She announced assuming he was making his way over to assist her.

When she had her bag in hand she stood up and realised the man had stopped relatively close in front of her.

She nodded politely at him and tried to step around him only to have him step into her path.

She felt her blood turn cold. Something about his behaviour and silence unsettled her.

"Sorry, excuse me" She muttered trying to step around him again but once again he blocked her path.

"We need to talk" the man said, his voice was familiar but Daena couldn't place it.

"Sorry, I'm late for an appointment" Daena whined, desperate to get away from the strange man. She was starting to feel panic building up inside her. The situation was concerning her.

The man removed his hood and Daena recognised him instantly. It was Hajoon. The man she had an awful date with who had followed her home and then refused to leave.

"Oh, its you, I'm sorry I really am late" She explained hoping he would go away.

He didn't. Instead he grabbed her by the wrist and started to pull her away from the building.

"I said, we need to talk" he growled angrily.