Stay Stay Stay ||Choi Yeonjun||

35

I finished up another blueprint for a project I was working on with Suyeong. Time flows so fast, life goes on and the world doesn't stop spinning. The crisp green leaves of the bright summer had slowly turned to reds and yellows of autumn. Months passed after everything with Jake went down.

Jake took some time for himself. I would often catch him walking around aimlessly in neighbourhoods or helping his family. He looked a lot better, the purple eyebags had slowly disappeared and the stressful lines around his face were fading. Last I heard from Mrs. Sim that he was working part time at some shop.

"Ahrin, urgent meeting! Report at Conference room in five! "

One of my seniors Mr. Lim, loudly informed me while rushing away. I quickly get up, gulping down some water from my bottle. With my notepad and pen in hand I head down to the Conference room. Bora caught up with me midway, and we both knocked on the door before letting ourselves in.

Mr. Park was at the head of the table with Yeonjun and Mr. Lim on his right and left respectively. We greeted Mr. Park and took seats.

"So today, after perusing all of the team's works, I've selected you four for this project. This will be the key for promotions and raises. Now let's dive in! "

In our department, Yeonjun is the head. Below him you have the team leaders — the senior designers who often lead the groups during projects. So far we had two of them, Mr. Lim and Cha Siwon. But after the New Year's Eve ruckus, Siwon had gone through a rough patch with a suspension on behavioural grounds. Her father had insisted on investigation, heavily implying that we were bullying her. Mr. Park set up a discipline committee to investigate the matter. Over two months were taken and finally Siwon was suspended for six months. Three months back, we heard she would quit due to her marriage with some company heir. So that post was now open. Maybe this was the promotion they were talking about...

The project was immense, renovating two of the biggest government state guest houses, which were resting spots for several known bureaucrats travelling through. They were lavish and thus, needed to be the best. We would be working with architects and engineers, government officials.

"This is a very important project. I'll divide you four into groups of two— one group for Daegu and one for Incheon. So, I've decided Yeonjun and Bora will go to Incheon while Ahrin and Yicheol would head for Daegu. Transportation and accomodation will be funded by company. Other living expenses are on you. Further details will be emailed to you all. All the best and have a great day! "

Mr. Park's announcement left a slight disappointment in me as I glanced at Yeonjun. He looked at me with a similar trace of emotion, but his eyes flickered consoling me. Mr. Park shook our hands before leaving. Mr. Lim turned to me.

"Well teammate! Looking forward to working with you. "

He extended his fist and we fistbumped. He had always been very amiable, a little laid back perhaps but not a bad coworker. Though he lacked the ambitious zeal and urge to push harder. But that wasn't a problem. He collected his belongings and walked away, waving me goodbye.

"Ready for lunch, Ahrin? "

I turned and nodded at them and we three walked out. The rest of the day my head swirled with too many thoughts. There was a new pressure of proving myself and a urge to win. I worked on unfocused, head muddled with various thoughts, the only aim was clearing whatever to-do lists I had set up for today. I tuned out every thing, immersing myself in working that I didn't realize time passing by until a knock on my cubicle wall. I started at the sharp sound, jumping slightly. A loud click of the camera rang and Yeonjun sputtered out a laugh, wheezing at me.

"You should've seen your face.. Pffttt... "

I stood there unimpressed as he nearly buckled over in peals of laughter after rewatching the ugly photo he took of me.

"I'm so using this as a reaction sticker! "

And he promptly shrieked in mirth. I checked to see if anyone was around, but the office was completely empty and echoing calls of goodbyes of the last few stragglers could be heard from outside. Turning towards Yeonjun who was still wheezing, I folded my hands over my chest and glared at him which finally shut him up. He straightened up, trying to purse his lips to stop laughing. I gathered my stuff in a huff, storming down to elevator with Yeonjun's panicked shouts of my name.

He finally caught up to the elevator and spent the next time apologizing and trying to appease me. And honestly, he had already melted me but I was enjoying his pampering so I let him continue this. We had reached his car and he opened the door for me before getting in himself and driving.

"Do you want some pizza? Hotpot?? Fried chicken?! Ice cream?? Just tell me I'll take you there!! Or what if...we go to this fancy sushi place? You want steak? "

I pretended to pout and ignore him. In hindsight it was real cringy, in fact, if I ever see any other couple do something like this I would probably hurl. But now I realize being with someone you love makes you do anything, cringey or not. Plus, it's just us.

"Don't stay mad at me! It was funny. You would've done it too! "

"Hmph! Just drop me home! "

"Okay, we'll go home and order takeout. Then binge watch... uh.. FRIENDS!"

He continues ramblimg till we reach my place. He scrambles to open my door and follows me up the stairs.

"Rin-ah~ please... Look at this poor man. I'm mere skin and bones after working so hard all day. And now you are depriving me of my biggest joy in the world?.. "

"Is it, Mr. Choi? And what is your biggest joy? "

Twirling around to face him, I knew he realized I wasn't mad at him anymore. He leaned in, playing along. Even when he was standing two steps below me, he was slightly towering over me.

"You.. Now give this deprived man what he craves! "

We had crossed the last few steps of the stairs and towards my apartment. I held onto the lapels of his coat pulling him in a kiss. It was sweet and cute. Until it wasn't.

The sweetness was slowly replaced with the searing feverishness of yearning after a whole day of keeping distance. We were scrambling to touch the other, through the layers of clothes. My hand was tugging lightly on the hair of his nape making him groan. His hand had pulled free my tucked shirt from the trousers, grazing his fingers across the skin of my bare belly then clasping my waist making me yelp.

I have always believed in Yeonjun's super abilities. Somehow admist all this kissing and touching and me clinging to him like a koala, he had managed to type in the code of my apartment, open the door and maneuver us inside. Once in, I had pushed off his jacket, and he undid the top buttons of my shirt sucking the sweet spot on my neck greedily. I pushed him off only to pull him to taste the sweet mint of his mouth—

"SURPRISE!! "