One Temptation | Choi Yeonjun Fanfiction

Chapter 29 - Old Habits Die Hard

((Recommended song: I'm a B - HWASA))

You're sitting right next to Yeonjun in the meeting room as one of the employees is presenting the triannual updates about the company's profits and expenditures while dramatically highlighting the major, as well as minor achievements they've made. From the corner of your eyes, you see Yeonjun mindlessly tapping his pen on the notebook in front of him, obviously not paying attention to anything the person was saying.

You nudge him by your elbow, tilting your head towards the presenter. "You're not paying attention."

Yeonjun fakes a yawn and sinks deeper into his chair, a teasing grin dancing over his lips. "Why should I worry about it when you're here listening for me."

And there goes your newly budding fondness for him down the drain.

"Seriously, Choi?!" You groan in exasperation, trying to keep it as low as possible so the others wouldn't hear. "How is this company even thriving with you loafing about like this?!"

You turn your attention back towards the front of the conference room and the presenter bows, marking the end of his presentation, and begins making his way back to his seat.

"Who gave you the permission to leave?" You call him out with a frown, crossing your arms over your chest. The man stops in his tracks and gulps fearfully, sensing trouble. "I'm not done with you. Get back on the podium."

A hush falls over the room and the rest of the people present stiffen over your imposing articulation, their backs straightening instinctively. The person who you were addressing to bows apologetically and unwillingly walks back to the exact spot where he had been standing before while giving his presentation. Even Yeonjun sits up straight out of curiosity.

"Go to the third to last slide." And he does, with trembling hands. "These last two lines. Why is their font size smaller to the rest of the text? The font color is also a couple shades lighter." The man gulps, his eyes bulging out of their sockets as he stares at the unnoticeable details you pointed out. "Read it out loud."

"Y- yes." He clears his throat before beginning. "The- The Strategic Marketing Department invested a total of 6.77 billion won, equivalent to 5 million US Dollars, from January 2nd to March 23rd."

"Yes, and?"

"A- and...?" He mutters hesitantly.

"And what happened to that investment? Where are its results?" You snap at him, beginning to lose your temper.

"We- we haven't heard from the team, yet—." He blurts out without thinking twice.

"I wonder what that's supposed to mean." You narrow your eyes, that makes him start sweating. "You have one hour to present me with the results or you will be detained."

"You can't!" He yells, petrified by your threat. You click your tongue in an unimpressed tsk. One of the senior members present gives Yeonjun a pleading look, hoping he would mitigate the issue before it spiraled out of control. Yeonjun gives a careless shrug in response. "Whatever she said."

"B- but, sir!" The man on the podium exclaims. "We'll present you the files when we get an update, please, don't worry!"

"Unbelievable." Your lean forward on the table on your elbows, clasping your hands below your chin. "Do you really expect someone as busy as me to always have time on my hands just so I would listen to the updates presented by some Mr. Jang? Are these triannual update meetings a joke to you?"

"I- I..."

"In case you don't know what these meetings are for." You cut him off. "Let me remind you, and everyone else present, for the first and last time. That these meetings are held precisely because the company is supposed to update its owner about each and every penny that it has been invested in the last 4 months, and present their results up till this meeting, no matter how insignificant."

The man fiddles with his fingers, nodding his head like a salt shaker. Despite his regretful attitude, it was not hard to tell he was completely unapologetic about it all by the way his jaw was set. "But you're not the owner." Someone seated on the table retorts.

Your eyes snap towards that woman's direction and she flinches, obviously not expecting you to figure out it was her who spoke since you were focused on the man on the podium. Her reaction pulls a wicked smile out of you. You may have lost your company but your merciless reputation was known far and wide, and that was something no one could ever steal. "I may not be." You answer calmly. "But I am sitting here for such an important meeting and making decisions on the owner's behalf, with him sitting right next to me. Is there a problem? No? Good."

It sounded more like telling than asking, which wasn't your problem. You had started getting restless and needed to get this over with to go back home. You turn back to the man. "Got. It?" "Yes." He replies through clenched teeth.

"Great. You all are dismissed." You sigh and lean back on the chair. But, no one moves. They stay where they are, looking towards Yeonjun.

Right...

No matter how imposing you were, or how much you intimidated them, at the end of the day, you were still not their boss. They may have let you speak on Yeonjun's behalf – since he wasn't particularly saying or doing anything himself – because they needed the remarks on their reports. But when it came to little things like these, they weren't obligated to follow your orders. Besides, it's not like you were expecting them to heed your every command anyway. It was just... something you said out of habit.

Old habits die hard; I guess...

Yeonjun simply waves his hand and they all pick up their stuff and rush outside, leaving you both alone in the room.

"Damn, woman." A low deep chuckles from your left graces your ears. "You really are as ruthless as they say." You roll your eyes for the nth time, which he ignores as per usual and continues, "I didn't really think you'd notice such a teensy-weensy mistake." You huff proudly in response, which is immediately dampened by his next sentence. "But I bet you didn't notice that the slide number on the second to last slide jumped to 43 instead of 42." Your jaw drops at his observation. "They must have haphazardly taken out that slide right before the meeting. Which leads me to think that it must have been some info about that strategic marketing department investment you noticed, that they ultimately decided to not share in the meeting."

"How did you..." You stare at him in disbelief. "You weren't even paying attention!?"

He laughs, his turn to be proud of himself. "You thought I wasn't paying attention. Too bad, sweetheart, I'm a step ahead of you."

"Hmph. You sure hold true to your title of a sly fox."

Yeonjun closes his eyes and tilts his head forward as if accepting the praises that he was being showered with. "Don't stop, keep 'em coming."

"Jeez. You're so full of yourself." You shake your head with displeasure and get up, grabbing your pen and notepad and heading towards the exit. "I'll be taking me leave then, see you."

"I didn't say you could leave." His captivating voice rings out from behind, sounding gravellier than before. You spin around only to see he was right in front of you, his sudden presence making you suck in a breath of air out of surprise and you take a step away from him, your back thudding against the door. He steps closer, closer than he's ever been, towering over you by a good 4 inches.

"Don't go..."