Heartstrings in Seoul

Part 3

He gently escorted you to the sofa and made you sit down. "I'll be right back," he said softly, placing a comforting kiss on your head. You watched him disappear into the kitchen, a flicker of warmth returning to your chest. As much as you wanted to follow him, clinging to him like a little monkey, a wave of exhaustion washed over you. You curled up on the sofa, pulling into your arms the white teddy bear H/N had won for you at a fair. Its soft, familiar texture was a comforting touch against your skin.

A few minutes later, H/N returned with two steaming teacups and a plate of cookies. "Huh? Are you cheating on me? As soon as I'm out of the room, you're cuddling with someone else?" he teased, placing the tray down and taking the toy from you with feigned indignation and a cute pout.

A genuine smile tugged at the corners of your lips despite the tears still lingering in your eyes. His mock jealousy was endearing. "There can only be one boyfriend in your arms," he continued, trying to keep a straight face. "Make up your mind, him or me?" You pretended to think it over, enjoying the playful moment.

"Why are you taking so long to choose? I guess you've decided in his favor. I'll have to go then," he declared dramatically, turning away with a playful pout. With a final flourish, he added, "Was it his fluffy fur that won you over?"

The lightheartedness of the situation finally broke the dam. You couldn't keep a straight face any longer and burst into laughter, a sound that felt foreign after a day filled with tears. H/N's eyes lit up with a smile that mirrored your own. H/N looked at you lovingly, sat down next to you, and gently brushed a strand of hair out of your face—the warmth of his presence, a physical manifestation of his love.

"I like you much better like this." You looked at him, eyes shining, and threw yourself into his arms. He held you close, the strong embrace, a safe haven in the storm. At that moment, the day's weight seemed to lessen, replaced by a quiet sense of peace and the comforting knowledge that you weren't alone.

"Thank you, my darling, for everything. Of course, I chose you, and I always will. No fluffy fur in the world could ever change my decision for you," you assured him with a tender smile. He returned your smile warmly, the worry lines on his forehead smoothing out slightly. "That puts my mind at ease," he said softly. After a brief pause, he gently asked, "Would you like to tell me what happened today? My shoulder is always here for you to cry on, and my ears are open to listen." His hand caressed your cheek tenderly.

Taking a deep breath, you straightened up and lifted your teacup. "It was just a terrible day at work. One thing led to another, and it all just became too much," you admitted, your voice heavy with emotion. You lowered your gaze, feeling a lump form in your throat. "The manager, Mrs. Kim... she was incredibly harsh. Made me feel like I was completely incompetent," you confessed, the memory sending a fresh wave of anger through you. You looked up at H/N, your eyes filled with frustration and a hint of despair.

"Tell me, I'm listening," he encouraged softly, his eyes filled with understanding and support.

You nodded and began to explain further, your voice tight with frustration. "I left early this morning to ensure I arrived before work started. A crucial presentation was scheduled in my department today, and I contributed essential data for it. I wanted to double-check everything before the meeting commenced. But then, the day took a turn, and the drama began. Instead of arriving early, I ended up being late. The subway was delayed significantly because of a fire alarm triggered by someone smoking. By the time the situation was resolved, I was already over half an hour late. And wouldn't you know it, our department head, Mrs. Kim, was in our office early today. Guess who wasn't here on time of all days?" You pointed at yourself ruefully. "Exactly, me."

H/N listened attentively, his hand reaching for yours and offering a comforting squeeze. "But your team and department head know you're usually very punctual," he interjected softly.

"Yes, usually," you sighed, the day's weight pressing down on you. "But not today, on such an important day. You should have seen the look of disdain on Mrs. Kim's face. She practically ignored me for the rest of the team meeting. But that wasn't the worst part."

H/N's eyes conveyed understanding as you continued. "No, there was more. I could have lived with that. Because I was late, I didn't have time to review the data or the presentation slides to ensure everything was accurate. I had asked a colleague yesterday to input my slides and the backup data."

"Do you want to guess what happened at the meeting?" you asked H/N, who leaned in, concern etched on his face.

"Your data wasn't entered correctly?" he guessed, worry lacing his voice.

"Better. It wasn't there at all," you revealed, your voice tight with anger. "My department head gave the presentation herself. She had seen the data in a previous presentation of mine, so she relied on her memory of the data. But the presentation slides... they were missing."

You recounted the humiliating moment, the way Mrs. Kim's face contorted into a mask of fury when the blank screen was revealed. "Everyone knew I was supposed to provide the data. She was ready to grill me right then and there. That was so embarrassing," you whispered, shaking your head and rubbing your temples in frustration.

"How could your date be missing? And then what happened?" H/N inquired.

To be continued...

♡

Stay tuned for part 4!

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YumiYue 🌙

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