Chained by Expectations | Park Sunghoon

Twenty-six

The three of them sat in the cozy living room of Sunoo's apartment, slurping on ramen and listening to Haneul explain the intense encounter that had occurred earlier that day.

"Haneul, I swear I tried my best," Jay exclaimed, attempting to defend himself against Haneul's accusations of not stalling Sunghoon effectively.

"But he actually tried to kiss you?" Sunoo interjected, steering the conversation in a different direction.

"Y-yes, and the worst part is that I almost let him," Haneul admitted, shaking her head at the memory. "I really went two years without budging, all for us to almost kiss the second we see each other again? Yeah, right," she scoffed, taking a bite of her noodles.

"You know, it wouldn't be a bad thing if you guys did," Sunoo suggested, earning death glare from Haneul.

"You literally drove that man insane, Haneul. I'm sure you could still do the same now that you're back if you know what I mean," Sunoo continued, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Haneul stared at him, unimpressed. "What are you talking about?"

"He's right. You know the best ways to get revenge on a guy is through his heart," Jay chimed in, pointing to his heart with his chopsticks, "and through his..." he added, pointing downward.

Haneul just stared at him, a mix of disbelief and amusement on her face. "Please stop, I'm gonna throw up," she said sarcastically, pretending to gag.

"Oh, come on, tell me I'm wrong? Wouldn't it make you feel like a boss knowing you have him wrapped around your finger?" Jay teased.

"You know, every day I ask myself how on earth is it that I got stuck with my cousin's best friend as my assistant," Haneul muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, shut up. I know you love us," Sunoo replied, causing Haneul to roll her eyes once again. The trio continued their chatter, finding comfort and laughter in the familiarity of their friendship.

The following day, Haneul made her way to work with Jay by her side, unaware of the surprise awaiting her. As they ascended to the top floor where her office was located, she couldn't ignore the suspicious looks from some employees they passed by and greeted her.

Upon reaching her office door and swinging it open, she was met with an unexpected sight. The room was adorned with an array of flower bouquets, covering every available space. Red and white roses intertwined, creating a picturesque scene that left Haneul and Jay momentarily speechless.

"Are you getting pranked?" Jay managed to stammer, mirroring Haneul's disbelief.

Haneul stepped further into her office, her eyes scanning the room, and noticed a simple white envelope on her desk. With a mixture of curiosity and caution, she opened it, revealing a note inside that caused her heart to skip a beat.

"730 bouquets of roses for every day that we were apart," the note read, leaving Haneul standing in the middle of her flower-filled office, her emotions a mix of confusion, surprise, and a hint of nostalgia. The grand gesture had caught her off guard, and she couldn't find the words to describe what she was feeling.

"He's insane," Jay said as he stood behind Haneul reading the note she held in her hands "and rich, two of the worst combinations." Jay continued as he began to look around at the fresh roses. "I mean you're telling me this didn't cost him a fortune?" He said as he touched the pedals of a red rose.

Right as she was getting ready to speak there was a light knock at the door. Both holding their breath waited for the door to open and when they saw that it was just the front receptionist they let out a sigh of relief.