virtuous deception || pjm (editing)

xv

JIMIN

"I'm leaving for a meeting at my Father's company, have this new project brief on my desk by tomorrow morning and just finish your spreadsheets. Once all your figures are filled, you can just go home. Pass the message on to the rest of department." I recited to Chae-Young at the front desk. Even as hard as I tried to make eye contact with her, I could only look at the empty space beside her, the pencil pot still filled with pens and photos still framed along the desk.

"Oh and Chae-Young." I said before I exited our conversation. "Hoseok said you've been distant lately. He really likes you so, call him or something." I smiled faintly as I saw the happiness wash over Chae-Young's face.

"I will do Sir." She smiled as I began to turn away yet I turned back again.

"Okay, I'm sorry to be a bother but, you were close with Hye-Jin, weren't you?"

"Yes extremely close!"

"There-there isn't any chance you may have, may have heard from her?" I asked, faint hope strangling my voice.

"I-I, no I haven't sir." Her eyes faced the floor as she finished. It seemed like she was holding something back yet I just guessed she was as upset as I. So instead of persisting, I smiled, nodded and simply turned away, attempting to brush away the last of my emotion.

She's gone. And that's final.

-

Three days had passed and I found myself growing colder. Harsher. Meaner. Not had I only washed away my emotions for Hye-Jin, but all my emotions. Yet I couldn't stop it. Suddenly, my father's company interested me, I wasn't opposed to the idea and a new, unfamiliar feeling filled me like a glass. 

Greed.

I slicked my hair back. Tightened my tie. Strapped my belt. Pulled my blazer onto my frame. I felt and looked like my father. Something deep down was disgusted, yet my pride was pleased, and now, that's all that mattered.

-

My father's office was busy today. All 15 floors were filled with the sounds of rapid typing, ringing phones and cursing employees. A recent hack almost threatened our secrecy as the source of the drug shipments and the high class weapons found aboard a ship that recently docked in Osaka, Japan. But we were safe, the company, nor related companies such as my own were affected.

"Mr. Park?" The receptionist, Tzu-yu, purred. I'd known her for a number of years and new she was the type to sleep around. Not only was she a slut but she was also wanted by almost every man who came across her. Yet for some reason, she was only infatuated with me, always crawling back to me, attempting to seduce. Her family was rich, so despite her known tendencies, my father approved.

((I don't mean Twice Tzu-yu as she is a sweetheart but I just randomly thought of her name))

"Yes, Tzu-Yu?" I raised a single eyebrow as she strutted closer, sitting herself on my desk as she fondly admired her freshly manicured nails.

"Your father wants to see you after a meeting. He'll meet you in the underground lobby." She barely looked up from her glistening bubblegum pink talons of fingernails. I hated unrealistic girls despite how I used to toy with them in my teenage years. I preferred girls with natural hair, who didn't worry about contacts everyday, who had hands stained with paint or pencils.