The Pianist | yoonseok

2. Expectations

Hoeseok was finding it increasingly difficult to pay attention to his team as they made their way out of the dining hall.

His mind was a tangle of thoughts getting increasingly knotted together by the minute.

He pressed his fingers to his temple, sensing an allnighter coming, and a headache.

He winced inwardly as he realized Lita, his assistant, had just said "What do you think Mr.Jung?" but he hadn't heard most of what she'd said so he decided to just nod. Then, realizing she probably would've expected more he added, " I'd like to discuss this plan more extensively tomorrow,"

Noticing her relieved expression, Hoseok also felt relieved, but it was short-lived.

He had a lot of things to consider in the next few hours and several pending decisions to make.

God, he just wanted to get a paracetamol and some sleep, but he knew he had better chances of getting the former rather than the latter.

Once in front of the elevator, Hoseok turned to the people he'd been walking with, his colleagues, his team, his subordinates, or whatnot and encouraged them to call it a day.

Most looked somewhat relieved, others with more etiquette and composure thanked Hoseok before turning and walking away.

Within the next 30 seconds, Hoseok was alone and in the elevator waiting for his floor. He let himself zone out to the elevator music until a familiar ding noise let him know he could get off. The number 15 was embossed in gold outside, indicative of the floor he was on.

Hoseok walked towards the far side of the wide corridor to a wall made entirely of glass from roof to floor. He gazed out at the endless city skyline and at the river of lights that was the traffic below.

He let out a sigh.

 cities, he thought, had an undying allure.

A few moments later he pried himself from the view and began walking towards his executive suite, one of only four rooms on the entire floor.

Hoseok flung open the door and closed it behind him before tottering over to the large sofa seated expansively in the living room.

His headache was beginning to subside but nevertheless, he swallowed a painkiller from the strip he'd kept in the drawer beside the sofa.

Feeling drained, Hoseok leaned his head against a cushion and considered his options.

His plans thus far had been either far-fetched or too minimal and after days of traveling across the various branches of his father's resorts, hotels, and clubs he had to confess he had come no closer to the revolutionary business plan his father was expecting of him. A new venture was what the Jung enterprise needed to get one step closer to their ultimate goal, becoming a conglomerate. However, that one step was pocked with uncertainties.

Hoseok leaned forward and switched on his laptop, hoping for something to strike him as he reviewed his notes.

Out of everything he'd considered the only venture that seemed moderately feasible was packaged consumer goods like snacks and drinks. The only other option was to focus on beverages in particular or divert entirely to cosmetics.

Hoseok considered for a moment before mentally circling the beverage option.

He couldn't delay this decision any longer. He needed a full PowerPoint presentation with impactful data points by tomorrow if he was going to pitch it to his team and hopefully by the end of the week, his father.

With a sigh of resignation, Hoseok opened his Excel sheets and a browser before calling room service for coffee, it was going to be a long night.

He was four hours into his work and had just finished making a few of the necessary long-term calculations he needed to make when his phone started buzzing.