I Never Stopped Loving You | JEONGCHEOL

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Can you hear it???
Can you hear the heartbeats of people on 13th floor of Meg's building??

Today's the day one of these people's life will change forever.

You could cut the anticipation with knife on this floor.
What's a lively and chaotic floor is dead silent today because the occupants are busy refreshing their email accounts praying, manifesting and hoping they'll get the promotion.

If Jeonghan says he doesn't care for the promotion he'll be lying. It wasn't a promotion per se, technically a transfer. But a transfer to Paris headquarters. Same job, different city, different country, different continent.

Jeonghan didn't care about the pay raise but the reason he was hoping to score this was because after such a long time he didn't have anything holding him back, anchoring, tethering him to staying in his home city. With both his parents now resting in peace, no boyfriend and his baby brother finally growing up and telling him to "go hyung live your life, I'm not a baby anymore. Doesn't mean I won't miss you but I don't need you to care for me now. Live your dreams, you deserve it."

He could finally fulfill his dream of travelling the world.
Granted going to Paris is not really a world tour but it's a beginning of a great future that he always dreamt for himself.

ONLY, only if he got this job.

The personal interviews were held a day before and all of them were waiting for the results that were due 11am. It was 10:58 right now, hence the refreshing of emails.

Only five people had advanced to the personal interview round after the Group Discussion round and the race was now between these five.

Jeonghan prayed silently please god please let me have this. I'll get a haircut if I get this promotion.

The clock struck 11 and the clicking on the mouses got more frequent. Jeonghan also clicking on refresh as if his life depended on it. After continuing this for nth times he saw it. Saw the one new mail unopened unread mail. Before he can click on it he heard a commotion in the hallway.
"Did you get it??? JISOO ANSWER ME DID YOU GET IT did you get the promotion????" Seokmin shouted

"No NO I didn't get and since you're asking me that means neither did you get it??!!" Jisoo said coming out of his cabin.

Jeonghan saw them both hugging each other in the hallway through his glass wall. He smiled for the couple. They both were trying for the job knowing fully well that if either of them got it, they'd have to move away from each other. Their reaction now just proved that neither were they ready for a long distance relationship nor did they wanted to have one.

"SON OF A BITCH!!! WHO GOT IT??? WHO GOT THE JOB????" Youngji screamed from her cabin.

"GOD KNOWS I DIDN'T" came the voice of a dejected Jaejae.

All of them gathered in the hallway and could only stare at Jeonghan through his glass wall.

"What are you waiting for Yoon Jeonghan???
Fucking check your mail!!"

Jeonghan couldn't believe neither of his colleagues got the promotion. Surely they could just have dropped the job since they didn't find anyone capable. Because if Youngji didn't get it, who was the most qualified and suitable for the job, Jeonghan had no chance.

Since he was taking so long, Seokmin burst inside his room and snatched the mouse from Jeonghan and clicked on the mail.

There. There was Yoon Jeonghan's ticket to freedom. To fulfill his dream.

Congratulations, we look forward to working with you Mr. Yoon Jeonghan. We hope you'll sort the analytics with your headquarter's executives and accept this job. Regards.

Seokmin screamed and backhugged Jeonghan. Followed by Jaejae, followed by Youngji. Jisoo and Jeonghan kept staring each other with watery eyes.

"You got it" Jisoo said choking
"I got it" Jeonghan replied
"You deserve it. You deserve the world."
"I don't know about that Shua"
"Oh Yoon Jeonghan you clueless bastard" Jisoo said finally giving in and joining the human pile.

"Ohh my god, you need to call Kwannie right now" Jaejae said.
"I can't. He's writing an exam right now" Jeonghan said laughing with happy tears.
"That's too bad" Youngji replied.

"What is all this ruckus????? I know this floor is chaotic but this is just too much. You know there are people above and below your floor who're working right now, right???" Jihoon said entering Jeonghan's cabin before stopping suddenly seeing the scene in front of him.

"Ohkayyy so today's the promotion day??
Would you mind telling me who got it cz I can't deduce who got it from whatever you all are doing right now.

"Jeonghan hyung, Jeonghan hyung got it" Seokmin declared

"Ohh cool congratulations, now let the other people work" Jihoon deadpanned and everyone laughed at his retreating figure.

"Party tonight, Harhan's at 7 yeorubun. My treat" Jeonghan exclaimed.

"Yayyyyyyyyy!!!!!! Youngji shouted

"Ohh crap we can't come tonight, We agreed to babysit WonHao's kids" Jisoo said.

"I've gotta take my mom to my aunt's place and it takes 4hrs. by car. I'm leaving at 5." Jaejae replied

"It's okay we can have the party tomorrow or someday else" Jeonghan said.

"No, you know postponed plans never materialize Jeonghan. Go today. Go with Youngji and Kwannie and have the time of your life." Jisoo said

Everybody nodded and agreed.

"But I-"

"Jeonghan listen to me for once. Trust me. All of us hangout all the time. Today is different. Don't postpone your big celebration because we're not available. We won't always be there for you now that you're moving away." Jisoo said pressing Jeonghan's shoulders with both his hands.

Jeonghan couldn't deny Jisoo's thought.

"Okay alright Youngji meet at the bar at 7. We'll go to club together. It's impossible to find someone in that club."

"Cool. Now I gotta go decide what I'm wearing tonight and then I gotta work my ass off for the next promotion cz your ass snatched this one. Bye peeps. See you later" Youngji said before leaving.

"Congratulations Han!!" Jaejae said before hugging and leaving.

"Hey Jaejae wait, I want that file on Kang enterprises......" Seokmin said following Jaejae.

"Hannie, make tonight unforgettable."
"Don't worry, I will"

Little did Jeonghan knew that tonight is going to be unforgettable indeed.

After they left Jeonghan felt a sense of pride in himself. He wanted to share the happiness with someone because lets be real all of his colleagues were rejected for him to get the job and he couldn't fully celebrate in front of them. He knew Youngji and Jaejae wanted this job too but they didn't let him see their sadness. It only made sense that Jeonghan didn't gloat in front of them. He really really wanted to talk to his Boo but he was giving an exam right now and he won't be free for next two hours.

Jeonghan felt a pang of loneliness. In order to make a living and take care of his brother, he has lost his social life and had no one to share his happy news with.

He shook the feeling away and made his way to the boss' office to tell him the news from Paris headquarters.

"It's fine. It's better this way. I'm leaving anyway. Less people in my life means less sadness when I go to Paris." He gaslighted himself.