Touch your Heart

VIII.

"My trial reports are now mixed up. Moreover, I can't easily recognize the papers that are needed for review."

"Oh." Hyewon says in a surprise. "If you tell me what that is, I'll quickly find it for you." She says still maintaining her jolly as she tries to make amends of her actions.

"Why did you even bother fixing my table in the first place?" His voice is tense, gradually switching up his annoyance and frustration into anger. "It may seem messy to you but I have my own system. Have you forgotten about what I told you yesterday? Just lounge around." Every word that comes out of his mouth sounds harsh.

This sudden change in the atmosphere completely throws Hyewon's joy away immediately. Her happy demeanor turns sour as she witnesses the situation elevates into something that has happened yesterday. Her eyebrows are furrowed, not believing that everything's going to happen again although doing her best efforts to be better.

"Do you have to be like that?" Hyewon looks at him with disappointment and annoyance. The joy is nothing visible in her anymore. "I am here doing my best, so you do not have to be mean! Also, I may not know things here but I am willing to do anything to learn, you know!"

"Whatever. You may leave now." He removes his long coat, and doesn't bat an eye on her anymore as he places the coat in its own racker.

A loud exasperated sigh leaves Hyewon's lips as she sees things turn this way before she turns her back to him. As she walks towards the exit, a few steps in, she stops midway and returns to confront him once more.

"Hey... There's something I want to ask you."A brief silence followed Hyewon's words. Yongwoo has nothing to do but pay attention to her as she calls him out. "Is there any chance that you... hate... women?"

As ridiculous as the question may sound, Hyewon seems to be serious about it and is having a hard time asking him those words. Yongwoo looks at her, a confusion visible in his face. "What?"

Hyewon is struggling stating her question, finding the right words to reject any chances that may lead to misunderstanding. "I mean... Do you hate women?"

The question almost made him break his seriousness, as a smile tried to creep its way in his face. A single step towards Hyewon, it doesn't bother her that much but she has become cautious of what's going to happen.

Another step, the distance between them is closing a little too fast. "I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Third step in and Hyewon is forced to take action to step back, avoiding getting close to him. The bookshelf behind stops her from moving any further, afraid that if she takes another step she'll bump into it and make an even more mess.

"What are you doing?"

"I... I like women. I like them."

He takes yet another step and Hyewon is forced to move once more and this time it is a small movement. His shoe claps the tiled floor resonating the sound throughout his entire office, the distance between them is less than a meter and it is questionable, but his action didn't help at all when he leans towards her seeing that she's unable to take any more steps behind her. Hyewon avoided his gaze as an attempt to escape the rapidly escalating situation, turning her head to the side but it is still not enough. Also, despite the free way beside her, it hasn't crossed her mind even once.

"I really like them. It's just that..."

Hyewon really feels cornered at this point, her gaze can't be fixed into something as her eyes roam around the figure standing before her. She can't maintain eye contact and is struggling to help herself in the situation. And just as she thought that everything was going to get worse, Yongwoo just crossed his arms in front of her.